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Current Operations

• OIF / OND / OEF / OIR / OFS Casualty Update 20 Sep2018 [PDF]
• Afghanistan Ready for Direct Dialogue With Taliban Under Constitution – Envoy Sputnik 20 Sep 2018 -- The Afghan authorities are ready to hold direct negotiations with the Taliban without preconditions, if talks are held within the framework of the Afghan constitution, deputy presidential special envoy for the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Mohammed Ibrahim Tamil told Sputnik.
• Under Threat, Kabul's Hazara Make Call To Arms RFE/RL 20 Sep 2018 -- As Kabulis commemorated Ashura, the holiest celebration on the Shi'ite religious calendar, scores of black-clad civilian recruits strapped with ammunition and brandishing rifles lined the streets of the Afghan capital.
• 'It's Not Over,' Guard says of N.C. Hurricane Relief Mission AFPS 20 Sep 2018 -- Soldiers continue to help evacuate residents in flood-ravaged communities along North Carolina's coastal plains six days after Hurricane Florence made landfall.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Air Force realigns Holloman AFB under AETC AFNS 20 Sep 2018 -- The 49th Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, and all co-located units, will realign from Air Combat Command to Air Education and Training Command effective Oct. 1.
• Royal Saudi Naval Forces Tour CEODD, SWOSU and CSCSU Great Lakes NNS 20 Sep 2018 -- Seven Royal Saudi Naval Force (RNSF) members, in conjunction with, the Naval Education and Training Security Assistance Field Activity (NETSAFA) toured Center for Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Diving (CEODD), Surface Warfare Officers School Unit (SWOSU) and Center for Surface Combat Systems Unit (CSCSU) Great Lakes Sept. 18.
• Angel de los Andes exercise unites US Air Force, South American partners AFNS 20 Sep 2018 -- Ninety-five U.S. Air Force Airmen trained with 11 partner nation air forces, tallying more than 400 participants, in the Colombian-led multinational search and rescue exercise "Angel de los Andes" Sept. 3-14.
• Stratcom Commander: Military Coming to Grips With Multidomain Battlefield AFPS 20 Sep 2018 -- The multidomain battlefield requires a degree of integration that the U.S. military is coming to grips with, the commander of U.S. Strategic Command said here yesterday.
• Army announces conversion of two brigade combat teams Army News 20 Sep 2018 -- one more critical step to achieving the Army Vision. This effort also postures the Army to better meet combatant commander requirements under the 2018 National Defense Strategy.
• Idaho National Guard members travels to Germany to train vehicle recovery operations Army News 20 Sep 2018 -- The Idaho Army National Guard sent four Soldiers to Hohenfels, Germany, Aug. 4 to 25 as part of a multi-institutional mobile training team tasked to train and qualify active Army Soldiers located throughout the European theater in vehicle recovery operations.
• Navy to Christen Littoral Combat Ship Kansas City NNS 20 Sep 2018 -- The Navy will christen its newest Independence-variant littoral combat ship (LCS), the future USS Kansas City (LCS 22), during a 10 a.m. (CDT) ceremony Saturday, Sept. 22, in Mobile, Alabama.
• Iceland Dignitaries Embark Truman NNS 20 Sep 2018 -- The Icelandic Minster of Foreign Affairs, Gudlaugur Thor Thordarson, and ambassadors from Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom traveled aboard USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) Sept. 19 to observe operations and meet with command leaders and Sailors.
• Joint Task Force Introduces Shallow-Water Mine Capability During Valiant Shield NNS 20 Sep 2018 -- Valiant Shield kicked off its seventh field training exercise, Sept. 17, and returned with the third demonstration of a joint-force series, coined "Quickstrike," but this time with updated capability postured to improve precision and warfighter welfare across branches.
• US Military Air Squadron Expansion Promises Billions in New Costs Sputnik 20 Sep 2018 -- Senior US Air Force leaders said this week 74 new squadrons and some 40,000 personnel are needed to address what they called future threats.
• Pentagon to submit plan for establishment of Space Force to Congress: Official Press TV 20 Sep 2018 -- US President Donald Trump's plan for the establishment of a Space Force will be submitted to Congress by the Pentagon in February next year, Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has said.
• US Troops in Poland: Polish Defense Minister Hopes Stationing Will Happen Soon Sputnik 20 Sep 2018 -- Polish Defense Minister's statement comes following the news earlier this week that the United States was considering the idea of setting up a permanent military presence in Poland at Polish President Andrzej Duda's request.
• NATO Deputy Secretary General visits Azerbaijan for major Women, Peace and Security Conference NATO 20 Sep 2018 -- NATO Deputy Secretary General, Rose Gottemoeller, is in Baku, Azerbaijan today (20 September 2018) to meet with senior government officials and to address a major international conference on Women, Peace and Security.
• Eight NATO Air Forces to Fly to Ukraine for Massive Drill Sputnik 20 Sep 2018 -- Soldiers from eight foreign militaries, including the US, will converge on Ukraine next month for the country's largest aviation exercise yet.
• MiG-31 Fighter Jet Crashes in Nizhny Novgorod Region Sputnik 20 Sep 2018 -- The Russian Defense Ministry has reported that a MiG-31 interceptor jet crashed on September 19 during a scheduled training flight in the Nizhny Novgorod region. Both pilots were able to eject and land safely.
• Chinese peacekeepers leave for DR Congo People's Daily 20 Sep 2018 -- A team of 100 Chinese engineering and medical troops left for a one-year peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday.
• US sanctions Chinese military agency for buying Russian equipment Press TV 20 Sep 2018 -- The United States on has slapped sanctions on a Chinese military agency for buying defense equipment from Russia.
• India Test Fires Tactical Ballistic Missile Akin to American MGM-140 Sputnik 20 Sep 2018 -- The Prahaar – capable of carrying conventional warheads up to 150 kilometers – is designed with the aim to neutralize threats emanating from Pakistan's Nasr, a tactical nuclear missile capable of devastating the Indian Army's armor units.
• Tehran has right to develop missile program: Moscow IRNA 20 Sep 2018 -- Moscow believes that the development of the Iranian missile program is Tehran's sovereign right, and all the issues arising in this regard should be resolved without pressure, especially military, at the negotiating table, A Russian official said.
• Loss of US Weapons Sales Prompts Pompeo to Keep Arming Saudi Coalition – Reports Sputnik 20 Sep 2018 -- Secretary of State Mike Pompeo overruled staff objections to continued US weapons sales for the Saudi-led air campaign in Yemen after being warned that an embargo could jeopardize $2 billion in arms sales to America's Persian Gulf allies, according to the Wall Street Journal reports published on Thursday.
• United Kingdom - Phalanx Baseline 2 Radar Upgrade Kits DSCA 20 Sep 2018 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the United Kingdom of fifty (50) MK 15 Phalanx Close-in Weapon System (CIWS) Block IB Baseline 2 Upgrade Kits for an estimated cost of $75 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on September 19, 2018.
• United Kingdom - SEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV) MK 11 Shallow Water Combat Submersibles (SWCS) DSCA 20 Sep 2018 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the United Kingdom of three (3) SEAL Delivery Vehicles (SDV) MK 11 Shallow Water Combat Submersibles (SWCS) for an estimated cost of $90 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on September 19, 2018.
• UK fighter jets intercept Russian bombers approaching UK airspace UK MOD 20 Sep 2018 -- Russian Blackjack bombers were not talking to air traffic control, making them a hazard to all other aviation
• Top Algerian Military Commanders Being Purged Ahead of Presidential Election VOA 20 Sep 2018 -- A number of top Algerian military commanders, including the heads of the air force and the army, have been dismissed within the past week.
• Department Press Briefing - September 20, 2018 US Dept. of State 20 Sep 2018

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for September 20, 2018

Other Conflicts

• UN chief seeking 'renewed commitment' to global rules and values, as world leaders head to New York UN News 20 Sep 2018 -- UN chief António Guterres on Thursday called for a "renewed commitment to a rules-based global order" and to the organization he leads, highlighting his key themes for discussion during the High-Level week of the General Assembly, beginning on Monday.
• No one should underestimate China's determination to uphold peace in South China Sea: Chinese ambassador People's Daily 20 Sep 2018 -- Chinese Ambassador to Britain Liu Xiaoming on Wednesday said that the freedom of navigation in the South China Sea has never been a problem, warning that no one should underestimate China's determination to uphold peace and stability in the region.
• Yemeni nation's struggle for liberty main reason behind Saudi-led aggression: Houthi Press TV 20 Sep 2018 -- The leader of Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement has described the ongoing struggle of his fellow countrymen and women for liberty and dignity as the main reason behind the Riyadh regime's devastating military aggression against their homeland, which has claimed the lives of thousands of people and left the country's infrastructure in ruins.
• 'Yemeni ballistic missile hits military base in Saudi Arabia' Press TV 20 Sep 2018 -- Yemeni armed forces have fired a domestically-designed and -developed ballistic missile at a military base in Saudi Arabia's southwestern border region of Jizan, in retaliation for military strikes by a Saudi-led military coalition.
• Idlib deal could save three million 'from catastrophe' says UN chief, as militants are urged to lay down arms UN News 20 Sep 2018 -- A deal reached between Russia and Turkey to create a demilitarized buffer zone protecting citizens "from catastrophe" in Syria's Idlib region is a welcome development, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Thursday, before urging all parties to make a "strong commitment" to it.
• UN Official: Buffer Zone in Syria's Idlib Province Averts War for Now VOA 20 Sep 2018 -- A Russian-Turkish agreement to create a demilitarized buffer zone between the Syrian army and rebels inside Syria's northern Idlib province has averted a war for now, according to a senior United Nations official.
• Russia, Turkey 'optimistic' about Syria's Idlib deal, working out details: UN official Press TV 20 Sep 2018 -- Russia and Turkey say they are optimistic about but still working on a demilitarized buffer zone to separate Syrian government troops from Takfiri militant groups in the northwestern province of Idlib, says the UN humanitarian adviser, as Ankara seeks to forestall a full-scale military operation by Damascus against terrorists in the militant-held region.
• Russian embassy: Israel's irresponsible acts let to plane downing in Syria Press TV 20 Sep 2018 -- Moscow's embassy in Tel Aviv lashes out at Israel for its "irresponsible and unfriendly actions," which led to the deaths of 15 Russian servicemen aboard an ill-fated aircraft in Syria, as Israel's air force commander visits Russia to give explanations on the tragic incident.
• Israel is to blame for crash of Russian plane: Syrian president Press TV 20 Sep 2018 -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says the Tel Aviv regime is to blame for the tragic deaths of over a dozen Russian servicemen aboard an Il-20 surveillance aircraft, which was accidentally shot down by Syrian air defenses while they were responding to a wave of Israeli air raids.
• Israeli Air Force Chief Travels To Moscow Amid Shoot-Down Anger RFE/RL 20 Sep 2018 -- The chief of the Israeli Air Force is traveling to Moscow on September 20 for discussions after a Russian military surveillance plane was shot down over Syria's coast, killing 15 Russian service-members.
• Israel Reiterates Its Stance on Russian IL-20 Downing in Syria Sputnik 20 Sep 2018 -- Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said he understands Moscow's accusations of involvement in the Russian Il-20 crash, but reiterated that the responsibility for the incident lies on the Syrian militaries.
• Russian Troops Patrol Golan Heights After Incident Involving Downing of IL-20 Sputnik 20 Sep 2018 -- Russian military police have been deployed to de-escalation zones across Syria since late 2016 to help maintain security in the war-torn country amid the ongoing operations by the Syrian military and its allies to clear Syria of a collection of mostly jihadist militants.
• Russian MoD Refutes Claim Il-20 Hit Due to Failure in Friend/Foe Identification Sputnik 20 Sep 2018 -- Each state has its own Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) system and Russia does not install its identification systems on armaments exported abroad, the Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said.
• Restore hope that peace will come to the Middle East, UN negotiator urges Security Council UN News 20 Sep 2018 -- Negative humanitarian, security and political developments in Gaza outweigh any positive news concerning the search for peace in the Middle East, the United Nations negotiator for the process has said, urging the international community to help restore hope that a solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict can be found.
• Nasrallah: Hezbollah in possession of precision rockets to Israel's dismay Press TV 20 Sep 2018 -- Hezbollah's leader has warned Israel of a fate it "has never expected" if it chooses to wage a new war, reminding the regime that the Lebanese resistance movement is now in possession of precision rockets to Tel Aviv's dismay.
• Hezbollah Leader Claims Group Won't Pull Out of Syria After Idlib Settlement Sputnik 20 Sep 2018 -- On the heels of the latest Israeli airstrikes against targets in Syria, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah gave a televised address, primarily talking about the group's role and future in Syria.
• Myanmar may need to be referred to ICC: British foreign minister Press TV 20 Sep 2018 -- Britain's Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt says the international community should consider referring the treatment of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court unless those responsible are tried and held accountable in the country.
• British FM Suggests Referring Myanmar Leaders to ICC VOA 20 Sep 2018 -- Britain's Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt tweeted Thursday that Myanmar officials should be held responsible for their country's Rohingya crisis before the International Criminal Court.
• India Cautiously Accepts Pakistan's Offer for Meeting Between Foreign Ministers Sputnik 20 Sep 2018 -- India has categorically clarified that the agreement to hold a meeting between the Indian and Pakistani foreign ministers should not be considered a resumption of bilateral dialogue, which remains stalled since 2016 following a series of terror attacks on Indian military camps.
• Ukraine's Poroshenko Sees 'Risk' Of Russia Sanctions Easing RFE/RL 20 Sep 2018 -- Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has warned that there is a risk of international sanctions imposed on Russia for its actions in Ukraine being eased.
• Cameroon's Muslim, Christian Leaders Join in Call for Peace VOA 20 Sep 2018 -- Muslim and Christian clerics and leaders of all major denominations in Cameroon have jointly accused Cameroonians in the diaspora of funding the crisis that has rocked the English-speaking regions of the country for two years.

News Reports

• President Donald J. Trump is Strengthening America's Cybersecurity The White House 20 Sep 2018
• Secretary Mnuchin Statement on National Cyber Strategy US Treasury 20 Sep 2018 -- U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin issued the following statement today on the release of President Trump's National Cyber Strategy:
• US Prepared to Strike in Cyberspace VOA 20 Sep 2018 -- The United States is prepared to go on the offensive in cyberspace to ensure adversaries know there is a price to pay for hacks, network intrusions and other types of attacks.
• Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova on the sidelines of the Second Eurasian Women’s Forum, St Petersburg, September 20, 2018 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 20 Sep 2018
• Sanctions Under Section 231 of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017 (CAATSA) US Dept. of State 20 Sep 2018 -- "Today, President Donald J. Trump issued a new Executive Order, "Authorizing the Implementation of Certain Sanctions Set Forth in the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act." This action furthers the implementation of certain sanctions in Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) with respect to the Russian Federation."
• US Sanctions Chinese Entity Over Purchase of Russian Fighters, S-400s – Treasury Sputnik 20 Sep 2018 -- The Trump administration says it has yet to make a decision on whether to sanction other potential buyers of the Russian air defense system.
• US Put 33 Russian Officials to Sanction List After Treasury Receives New Powers Sputnik 20 Sep 2018 -- In early August, the United States announced a new round of sanctions against Russia over its alleged involvement in the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in UK's Salisbury in March.
• U.S. Blacklists 33 Russians, Companies Linked To Military, Intelligence Agencies RFE/RL 20 Sep 2018 -- The U.S. State Department said it was blacklisting nearly three dozen Russian people and companies with ties to military and intelligence agencies, in its latest effort to punish Moscow for "malign activities."
• Russian Election Authorities Annul Results Of Fraud-Marred Regional Vote RFE/RL 20 Sep 2018 -- Electoral authorities in Russia's Far Eastern Primorye region annulled the result of a disputed gubernatorial runoff vote, after the country's top election official said it was marred by "serious violations."
• World Anti-Doping Agency Lifts Ban On Russia, Under 'Strict Conditions RFE/RL 20 Sep 2018 -- The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has lifted the suspension of Russia's anti-doping agency (RUSADA), despite opposition from dozens of athletes and the anti-doping establishment.
• Bellingcat Says Data 'Confirms' Skripal Suspects Had Links To Russian Military Intelligence RFE/RL 20 Sep 2018 -- The independent Bellingcat research organization claims to have more information that the two men suspected in the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal have links to Russian military intelligence, known as the GRU.
• Despite Optics of Inter-Korea Summit, Denuclearization Still Distant VOA 20 Sep 2018 -- Despite the sound bites and photos that emerged from the third summit between the leaders of South Korea and North Korea, peace and denuclearization remain distant, experts said.
• It's 'time for concrete action' says UN chief, welcoming inter-Korean agreement UN News 20 Sep 2018 -- The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, on Thursday welcomed the outcome of the third inter-Korean summit this year, and the "important agreements" contained in the Pyongyang Joint Declaration, issued by the leaders of the two Koreas.
• Inter-Korea Progress Has US Ready to Resume North Korea Talks VOA 20 Sep 2018 -- The leaders of North and South Korea Wednesday hailed a series of agreements they said were aimed at turning the Koreas into a "land of peace without nuclear weapons and nuclear threats." North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korea's Moon Jae-in Wednesday issued the pledge at a summit in the North's capital, Pyongyang.
• Pompeo says ready to transform U.S.-DPRK ties immediately People's Daily 20 Sep 2018 -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday that the United States is ready to transform its relations with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) immediately.
• China welcomes DPRK, ROK consensus at Pyongyang summit People's Daily 20 Sep 2018 -- China welcomed the consensus reached between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Korea (ROK) Wednesday to improve inter-Korean ties, ease military tensions in the region and advance the denuclearization process and peace talks on the Korean Peninsula.
• China: Rare chance for Korean peace shouldn't slip away Press TV 20 Sep 2018 -- China has warmly welcomed the agreements reached in a summit between South and North Koreas in Pyongyang, saying Beijing will strongly support both sides for more talks aimed at reducing tension in the region.
• S Korea's Moon Hopes US Will Resume Talks With North as Kim Ready for New Summit Sputnik 20 Sep 2018 -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un expressed a desire to continue a dialogue with US President Trump, President Moon Jae-in said.
• Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un and President Moon Jae In Sign September Pyongyang Joint Declaration KCNA 20 Sep 2018 -- Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Kim Jong Un together with President of the Republic of Korea Moon Jae In signed the "September Pyongyang Joint Declaration" on Wednesday.
• Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un and President Moon Jae In Make Joint Statements on "September Pyongyang Joint Declaration" KCNA 20 Sep 2018 -- Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK, together with President Moon Jae In, made joint statements on the "September Pyongyang Joint Declaration" on Wednesday.
• Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un Signs Joint Declaration with President Moon Jae In KCNA 20 Sep 2018 -- Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK, signed the "September Pyongyang Joint Declaration" with President Moon Jae In on Wednesday.
• US Can't Pursue New Treaty With Iran After Violating Nuclear Deal – Tehran Sputnik 20 Sep 2018 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has once again lashed out at the United States over the latter's withdrawal from the nuclear deal and plans to substitute Iran's oil in the market.
• Zarif: US claims on JCPOA totally wrong IRNA 20 Sep 2018 -- Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote in his twitter page that US is calling JCPOA as a personal deal between two governments and claims it is following a treaty but the whole claim is wrong.
• Volkswagen denies US claim it will stop doing business with Iran Press TV 20 Sep 2018 -- Volkswagen (VW) has rejected US claims that the German car manufacturer has decided to quit Iran amid American sanctions, saying it has not changed its position on the Islamic Republic yet.
• U.S. Ambassador Says Volkswagen Agrees To Pull Out Of Iran RFE/RL 20 Sep 2018 -- The U.S. ambassador to Germany has told Bloomberg News that automaker Volkswagen has agreed to comply with U.S. sanctions and suspend most of its operations in Iran.
• FM Zarif slams US call for 'treaty' with Iran as mockery of peace calls Press TV 20 Sep 2018 -- Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has slammed the US over its call for a "treaty" with Iran, saying Washington has already breached an international agreement that included Tehran, and that its new plan is nothing but a mockery of peace calls.
• India to Pay for Oil Imports From Iran in Rupees to Skirt US Sanctions Sputnik 20 Sep 2018 -- Indian refiners are currently using European banks to make payments to Iran in euros for oil shipments. However, when US sanctions on Iran kick in on November 4, it will be difficult for India to settle economic transactions with Iran through European banks. Therefore, local banks IDBI and UCO bank have been chosen to route the payments in rupees.
• India to pay for Iran oil in rupee: Indian media IRNA 20 Sep 2018 -- Indian refiners will pay for oil from Iran in rupee, using UCO Bank and IDBI Bank, from November 4 when petroleum-related sanctions against Iran take effect, Indian media reported on Thursday.
• Replacing Iran's Oil: US Seeks Alternative Export Sources for Allies Sputnik 20 Sep 2018 -- Following the withdrawal of the US from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) agreement with Iran, Washington sought to reinstate sanctions against Iran that will enter force at the beginning of November. Earlier, the US announced its aim to reduce Iranian oil exports to zero.
• New Era for Religion in China as Party Tightens Controls VOA 20 Sep 2018 -- The recent closure of one of Beijing's largest independent churches, and a crackdown on congregations elsewhere in China, are part of a broader effort to bring religion more fully under the ruling Communist Party's control, say Christian leaders, scholars and rights advocates.
• China Eyes Banning Foreign Online News VOA 20 Sep 2018 -- The Chinese government will potentially block foreign current affairs content from being shown in the country, according to draft regulations from its National Radio and Television Administration.
• Guizhou endeavors to protect China's FAST telescope while developing economy People's Daily 20 Sep 2018 -- China's Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) in Pingtang, Guizhou province.
• Chinese probe to reach Mars in 2021 People's Daily 20 Sep 2018 -- China plans to launch a probe to Mars in 2020, which is expected to reach the red planet in 2021, said an official of the China National Space Administration (CNSA) at a sub-forum of the World Conference on Science Literacy 2018, held on Sept. 18, Beijing News reported.
• Arab Conflicts Seen Not Rooted in Ideology Alone VOA 20 Sep 2018 -- Ideology is not the main reason that some people in the conflict-ridden Arab world join extremist groups. Rather, a host of other issues, including political participation, poverty, income disparity and unemployment, push people toward violence and extremism, a panel of experts said Thursday.
• Analysts: Poor Economy, Unemployment Lure Tunisians to Extremism VOA 20 Sep 2018 -- Seven years after the Arab Spring, little has been done to address youth unemployment in Tunisia, a key factor in extremist groups' ability to recruit marginalized youth, rights groups and experts warn.
• Turkish court orders release of prominent opposition legislator Press TV 20 Sep 2018 -- A Turkish court has ordered the release of a prominent lawmaker from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), who had been sentenced to more than five years in prison for his alleged role in disclosing government secrets.
• Ukraine's Top Court To Review Constitutional Amendments On EU, NATO Membership Goal RFE/RL 20 Sep 2018 -- Ukrainian lawmakers have voted to submit draft bills to the country's top court that would enshrine Ukraine's course toward Euro-Atlantic integration in the constitution.
• Malaysia's ex-premier charged with money laundering, abuse of power Press TV 20 Sep 2018 -- Malaysian prosecutors have charged former prime minister Najib Razak with 21 counts of money laundering and four counts of abuse of power linked to the alleged looting of state fund 1MDB.
• EU Envisions New Joint Border Force VOA 20 Sep 2018 -- An ambitious plan for a European Union Border and Coast Guard force was unveiled at a special meeting of the European Council in Austria this week.
• Ugandan Politician Bobi Wine at Home After Police Detention VOA 20 Sep 2018 -- Opposition Ugandan lawmaker and pop singer Bobi Wine has arrived at his home several hours after police took him into custody when he landed at the international airport in Kampala.
• eSwatini, Formerly Swaziland, Heads for First Elections Under New Name VOA 20 Sep 2018 -- The tiny African nation of eSwatini is officially holding its first set of elections Friday under its new name, which was bestowed by the king in April. Critics say this poll is nothing but a pretense of democracy in the state, that was known as Swaziland, until the king unilaterally changed the name to celebrate the nation's 50th anniversary of independence from Britain.
• Former Top Eritrean Official Arrested After Criticizing President VOA 20 Sep 2018 -- Family members and rights groups are calling for the release of Eritrea's former finance minister, Berhane Abrehe, who was arrested on Monday days after publishing a two-volume book critical of the government.