12 March 2019 Military News

Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

US, Taliban Report Progress Toward Ending Afghan War VOA 12 Mar 2019 -- The United States and the Taliban "agreed in draft" Tuesday on the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan in return for preventing Afghan soil from being used as a hub for terrorism.
U.S.-Taliban Peace Talks End In Doha With 'Real Strides' But No Deal RFE/RL 12 Mar 2019 -- The longest round of peace talks between the United States and the Taliban has ended with "real strides" being made but without an agreement on troop withdrawals from Afghanistan, U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad said on March 12.
At Least 13 Troops Killed, 12 Captured In Taliban Attacks On Afghan Army Posts RFE/RL 12 Mar 2019 -- Taliban fighters have launched attacks on several army posts in western Afghanistan, killing at least 13 Afghan soldiers, officials say.
US, Taliban Make 'Meaningful Progress' in Talks - State Department Sputnik 12 Mar 2019 -- The US Department of State said Tuesday that the Taliban had agreed that peace would require agreement on four issues: counter-terrorism assurances, troop withdrawal, intra-Afghan dialogue and a ceasefire.
US, Taliban Agree on American Troop Withdrawal From Afghanistan – Reports Sputnik 12 Mar 2019 -- The United States has been conducting a military operation against insurgents in Afghanistan since 2001. The fresh round of negotiations between the American delegation and Taliban representatives started on 25 February.

Defense Policy / Programs

Department of Defense News Briefing on the President's Fiscal Year 2020 Defense Budget DoD 12 Mar 2019 -- David L. Norquist, Performing the Duties of the Deputy Secretary of Defense; Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) Elaine McCusker; Lt. Gen. Anthony Ierardi, Director, Force Structure, Resources and Assessment, J-8, Joint Staff
Department of Defense Press Briefing on the President's Fiscal Year 2020 Defense Budget for the Missile Defense Agency DoD 12 Mar 2019 -- Missile Defense Agency Deputy Director Rear Adm. Jon Hill; Missile Defense Agency Director of Operations Michelle Atkinson
Department Of Defense Press Briefing on the Fiscal Year 2020 Air Force Budget DoD 12 Mar 2019 -- Air Force Deputy Assistant Secretary for Budget Maj. Gen. John Pletcher; Air Force Deputy for Budget Carolyn Gleason
Department of Defense Press Briefing on the President's Fiscal Year 2020 Defense Budget for the Navy DoD 12 Mar 2019 -- Deputy Assistant Navy Secretary for Budget Rear Adm. Randy Crites
Department of Defense Press Briefing on the President's Fiscal Year 2020 Defense Budget for the Army DoD 12 Mar 2019 -- Army Undersecretary Ryan McCarthy; Army Lt. Gen. Thomas Horlander, military Deputy for Budget to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Management and Comptroller
Air Force's fiscal 2020 budget focuses on modernization, readiness, confronting global threats US Air Force 12 Mar 2019 -- The Air Force's budget would rise to $165 billion in fiscal year 2020 under the White House spending plan unveiled March 12, a $10 billion increase that allows the service to grow, modernize and effectively adapt to an array of changing global threats.
Pentagon Requests $13.6Bln for Missile Defence in Fiscal Year 2020 – Dept Sputnik 12 Mar 2019 -- President Donald Trump has requested $13.6 billion to upgrade existing missile defence and begin developing space-based weapons to counter hypersonic missile threats, the Defence Department has said in a statement.
DOD Releases Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Proposal DoD 12 Mar 2019 -- On March 11, 2019, President Donald J. Trump sent Congress a proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 Budget request of $750 billion for national security, $718.3 billion of which is for the Department of Defense (DoD).
$718.3 Billion Defense Budget Request Focuses on Threats DoD News 12 Mar 2019 -- At $718.3 billion, the fiscal year 2020 defense budget request announced at the Pentagon today by defense officials is an increase from last year's $685 billion approved budget.
Department of the Navy Releases Fiscal Year 2020 Budget NNS 12 Mar 2019 -- The Department of the Navy (DON) submitted its Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20) budget request to Congress today, March 12.
Press Gaggle by Acting Secretary Shanahan DoD 12 Mar 2019 -- Acting Secretary Of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan

Secretary of the Navy Releases Cybersecurity Readiness Review NNS 12 Mar 2019 -- Letter from the Secreaty of the Navy:
Readout of Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan's Meeting With Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Dr. Khalid Al Attiyah DoD 12 Mar 2019
Remarks by Acting Secretary Shanahan at an Enhanced Honor Cordon and Meeting Welcoming Qatar's Minister of Defense Dr. Khalid Attiyah to the Pentagon DoD 12 Mar 2019 -- Acting Secretary Of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan; Qatar's Minister of Defense Dr. Khalid Attiyah
SECNAV Names New Class of Towing, Salvage and Rescue Ship Navajo NNS 12 Mar 2019 -- Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer has announced the new class of Towing, Salvage, and Rescue ship will be named Navajo in honor of the major contributions the Navajo people have made to the armed forces.
NCSC Reopens Its Doors at Naval Station Newport NNS 12 Mar 2019 -- The Navy command responsible for developing and delivering religious ministry training returned to Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island, March 11.
U.S. Indo-Pacific Commander Visits Singapore NNS 12 Mar 2019 -- Adm. Phil Davidson, commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) visited Singapore, March 5-7.
Kearsarge Earns Battle "E" NNS 12 Mar 2019 -- The Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) earned the 2018 Battle Effectiveness Award (Battle "E"), March 8.
XQ-58A Valkyrie Drone Makes First Flight as Escort for F-22 and F-35 Sputnik 12 Mar 2019 -- The US Air Force has published a video of a long-range, stealthy unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV), XQ-58A Valkyrie, demonstrator during its inaugural flight on 5 March at the Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona.
US says producing banned cruise missile after suspending INF treaty with Russia Press TV 12 Mar 2019 -- The United States is producing a new cruise missile after suspending a Cold War treaty with Russia that banned the use of such weapons, the US Defense Department has confirmed.
US to Test Ground-Launched Cruise Missile Systems Once Banned by INF Treaty Sputnik 12 Mar 2019 -- The US Department of Defense revealed this week that it will begin manufacturing parts for ground-launched cruise missile systems that were previously banned by the terms of the now-suspended Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.

NATO Deputy Secretary General commemorates NATO enlargement in Prague NATO 12 Mar 2019 -- NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller participated in a commemoration ceremony in Prague on Tuesday (12 March 2019) to mark the 15th and 20th anniversaries of the Visegrad countries joining NATO. The Deputy Secretary General addressed the conference after President Miloš Zeman of the Czech Republic, President János Áder of Hungary, President Andrzej Duda of Poland and President Andrej Kiska of Slovakia.

What US Sold to India in 10 Years, Russia Sold in Last 6 Months Sputnik 12 Mar 2019 -- In the last decade, the US remained India's top defence supplier by bagging deals worth over $12 billion, which included a $4.7 billion transaction for C-17 transport aircraft. But it took Russia a mere six months to break this record.

Russia's two strategic submarines to join navy late this year: Military Press TV 12 Mar 2019 -- Russia says two of its latest strategic submarines will join the Russian Navy by the end of this year.
Swedish Defence Institute Disparages S-400, Calls Russia 'Underdog' Sputnik 12 Mar 2019 -- A string of reports by the Swedish Defence Research Institute has claimed the "Russian threat", a common trope for both politicians and journalists alike, is exaggerated.
Russian Defense Minister Says Army Now Capable of Remote Combat Missions Sputnik 12 Mar 2019 -- The Russian army can now fight in the remotest parts of the world, although just six years ago it did not have such an opportunity, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Monday, speaking at an extended meeting of the Russian lower house Defense Committee.e

Turkish-Russian Military Cooperation Deepens Amid US-Turkish Tensions VOA 12 Mar 2019 -- Russian and Turkish military cooperation is deepening as Ankara's relationship with Washington deteriorates. Recent joint naval exercises between Russia and Turkey, and increasing military cooperation in Syria, come as NATO allies question Turkey's allegiance to the Western defense alliance.

Xi stresses timely completion of military development goals Global Times 12 Mar 2019 -- President Xi Jinping on Tuesday stressed fulfilling the set targets and tasks of national defense and military development as scheduled.
China's Y-20 large transport plane to spawn several variants: chief designer Global Times 12 Mar 2019 -- The chief designer of China's domestically developed large transport plane, the Y-20, confirmed the aircraft could be spawned into several types of variants, with military experts expecting to see the original's doppelganger in 2019.

India Conducts Another Test of Guided Pinaka Weapon System Near Pak Border Sputnik 12 Mar 2019 -- The newly developed and tested weapon system can virtually decimate 900 square metres at a 20-90 kilometre range by firing a salvo of 12 rockets within 44 seconds. It is believed that the guided Pinaka system may be developed for delivering nuclear warheads at short ranges.
India to Build Over 100 Blast Pens for Jets Near China, Pakistan - Reports Sputnik 12 Mar 2019 -- A majority of the Next Generation Hardened Shelters will be designed to house Russian-made Sukhoi fighter jets. In 2016, a Parliamentary committee on defence had pointed out that Indian Air Force did not have protective shelters to keep the fighter jets.

Pakistan Deploys Entire F-16 Squadron on Indian Border - Report Sputnik 12 Mar 2019 -- Pakistan on Monday issued a warning to India not to undertake any misadventure in view of the upcoming national elections in the country. India had earlier asserted that it is maintaining an optimal level of military preparedness to tackle any eventuality.

60th Naval Fleet of Iran berths in Muscat IRNA 12 Mar 2019 -- The 60th Naval Fleet of Iran's Navy comprising Bayandor destroyer, Lavan and Bushehr vessels berthed in the Omani port of Sultan Qaboos.
Iran to increase 'defense capabilities': Minister IRNA 12 Mar 2019 -- Iran says it will strengthen its defense capabilities to protect peace and security in the region.

PMF has key role in Iraq's stability, culture, solidarity: Iran President ISNA 12 Mar 2019 -- President of the Islamic Republic of Iran stated that today, the Iranian and Iraqi governments are determined to develop all-inclusive relations between the two countries, and stressed that all authorities should work in this regard.
Iraqi soil won't be used to attack neighbors, Defense Ministry says Press TV 12 Mar 2019 -- A spokesman for the Iraqi Defense Ministry has condemned a recent statement by US President Donald Trump that American forces must remain in Iraq so Washington can keep a close eye on neighboring Iran, stressing that his country would never allow outsiders to use its territory for military action against any neighbor.

Taiwan Again Asks to Buy Advanced F-16 Vipers From US Sputnik 12 Mar 2019 -- As Taiwan continues to upgrade its aging F-16A/B fleet, the self-governing island seeks to buy fresh F-16V models from the United States ‒ a request Washington previously denied.

Department Press Briefing - March 12, 2019 US Dept. of State 12 Mar 2019

Defense Industry

Contracts for March 12, 2019

Other Conflicts

12 March 2019 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 12 Mar 2019

Yemen targets southern Saudi Arabia with missile IRNA 12 Mar 2019 -- The Yemeni army and the popular committee fired a missile toward Asir district, southern Saudi Arabia.

Water, food drying up in Rukban refugee camp: Russia, Syria Press TV 12 Mar 2019 -- The Russian and Syrian coordination centers on returning refugees have warned about severe water shortages in a refugee camp near Syria's frontier with Jordan amid attempts by US-backed terrorists to disrupt water deliveries to the civilians stranded there.
2018 deadliest year for children in Syria: UNICEF Press TV 12 Mar 2019 -- The United Nations children's agency (UNICEF) says more than 1,100 Syrian children were killed in 2018, making it the deadliest year since 2011, when foreign-sponsored militancy began in the Arab country.
Daesh Urges Supporters All Over World to Stage Attacks in Its Defence - Reports Sputnik 12 Mar 2019 -- Militants with the Daesh terrorist group, besieged by the Kurdish SDF in their last stronghold of Baghuz, Syria, have called on their supporters from all across the world to stage attacks in their defence, AP reported, citing an audio recording allegedly released by the terrorists.
Final Battle Against IS Caliphate as 'Good as Over' VOA 12 Mar 2019 -- About 3,000 people, mostly Islamic State fighters, poured out of the IS enclave of Baghuz Tuesday, as U.S.-backed forces targeted the terror group's self-proclaimed caliphate with rockets and gunfire.

No IS Kids Left Behind: Tajikistan To Repatriate Dozens Of Islamic State Children From Iraq RFE/RL 12 Mar 2019 -- As Islamic State's attempt to establish a caliphate crumbles, many countries are turning their backs on children born into the extremist group. Tajikistan is not one of those countries.

DR Congo: 'New waves of violence' likely, UN warns, unless State acts to prevent intercommunal reprisals UN News 12 Mar 2019 -- "New waves of violence" could erupt "at any time" in western Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the UN rights office warned on Tuesday, unless the Government acts to ease "tensions and resentment" between the two communities involved.

In South Sudan, mothers teaching daughters 'safer' ways to survive rape UN News 12 Mar 2019 -- Sexual attacks in South Sudan are so common that mothers now teach their daughters how to survive the ordeal of being raped, in such a way as to minimize the violence. That's according to Yasmin Sooka, chair of the UN Commission on Human Rights, who was speaking on Tuesday in front of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, during its latest session.

Cameroon Reports Refugee Influx From CAR as Peace Initiative Fails VOA 12 Mar 2019 -- Cameroon says there has been an influx of refugees from the Central African Republic (CAR) after several armed militias in the CAR rejected the president's new cabinet as not representative enough, sparking fears of renewed fighting. The U.N. refugee agency, or UNHCR, is trying to take care of them.

News Reports

US to Remove All Diplomatic Personnel from Venezuela VOA 12 Mar 2019 -- The United States says it is removing all remaining personnel from its embassy in Venezuela.
EU warns US against military action on Venezuela Press TV 12 Mar 2019 -- The European Union has cautioned the United States against taking military action against Venezuela, saying the Latin American country's crisis has to be resolved through peaceful and political solutions.
Tensions ratchet up between Venezuela, US Press TV 12 Mar 2019 -- The United States will be withdrawing all its remaining diplomatic personnel from Venezuela, amid an economic and political crisis that President Nicolas Maduro sees as part of President Donald Trump's "demonic" plot to destroy his oil-rich country.
U.S. Orders Withdrawal Of Diplomatic Personnel In Venezuela RFE/RL 12 Mar 2019 -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has ordered the withdrawal of all remaining U.S. diplomatic personnel from Venezuela, hours after Washington imposed sanctions on a Russian bank over its dealings with Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA.
Venezuelan Top Prosecutor Seeks to Probe Guaido Over Sabotaging Electric System Sputnik 12 Mar 2019 -- The blackout has been ongoing in Venezuela for almost a week following an incident at a major hydroelectric power plant, Guri, which national electricity supplier Corpoelec called "sabotage". President Nicolas Maduro blamed the incident on Washington, citing US threats to apply all means against Venezuela.
Venezuela Gives US Diplomats 72 Hours to Leave the Country Sputnik 12 Mar 2019 -- Earlier in the day, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that Washington would withdraw all its remaining personnel from Venezuela during the week, noting that the presence of the diplomats in the Latin American country had become "a constraint on US policy".

Trump's Proposed Budget Calls for More Immigrant Detention VOA 12 Mar 2019 -- U.S. President Donald Trump wants to increase family immigration detention beds by 10,000 in his 2020 budget proposal, a move unlikely to win Congressional support.

No More 'Business As Usual,' Russia Not A Strategic Partner, European Parliament Declares RFE/RL 12 Mar 2019 -- The European Parliament has overwhelmingly voted to approve a report stating that Russia "can no longer be considered a 'strategic partner'" and that "the EU cannot envisage a gradual return to 'business as usual' until Russia fully implements the [2015] Minsk Agreement [which lays out a process for achieving peace in eastern Ukraine] and restores the territorial integrity of Ukraine."

Experts See Washington's 'Big Deal' Approach to Denuclearizing N. Korea Facing Rejection VOA 12 Mar 2019 -- Pyongyang is likely to reject Washington's "big deal" approach toward denuclearizing North Korea as indicated by signals the country has been sending through missile launch preparations, said experts.
UN Investigator: N. Korea's Human Rights Record Still Poor Despite Diplomacy VOA 12 Mar 2019 -- A United Nations investigator finds the easing of tensions on the Korean Peninsula has done nothing to improve human rights in North Korea, saying the situation remains widespread and in violation of international human rights law. The investigator submitted his report to the U.N. human rights council in Geneva on Monday.
Caution needed for Chinese investors in NK as UN sanctions remain Global Times 12 Mar 2019 -- As UN sanctions on North Korea remain in place, Chinese enterprises need to temper their enthusiasm for potential business opportunities in the virgin land to avoid becoming a target of US attacks.
North Korea Refuses to Hold WHO Regional Session Due to Sanctions - Reports Sputnik 12 Mar 2019 -- North Korea notified the United Nations of the impossibility to hold a meeting of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Committee for South-East Asia in September 2019 in Pyongyang due to sanctions against the country, Korean Central News Agency reported on Tuesday.
Kim Jong-un's Younger Sister Elected to N Korean Parl't - Reports Sputnik 12 Mar 2019 -- Kim Yo-jong, the younger sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, was elected to the North Korean Supreme People's Assembly as a result of Sunday's vote, KCNA reported on Tuesday.
Letter to UN Secretary-General KCNA 12 Mar 2019 -- Kim Song, ambassador and permanent representative of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to the United Nations, sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Manuel de Oliveira Gutterres on March 11 with regard to the fact that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea would not available to host the Seventy-second Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia because of an unfair measure recently taken by the UN Security Council established pursuant to resolution 1718.
Report on Results of Election of Deputies to SPA Issued KCNA 12 Mar 2019 -- Kim Song, ambassador and permanent representative of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to the United Nations, sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Manuel de Oliveira Gutterres on March 11 with regard to the fact that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea would not available to host the Seventy-second Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia because of an unfair measure recently taken by the UN Security Council established pursuant to resolution 1718.
NK 'limits' foreign visitors as it might face reception problems ahead of the peak season Global Times 12 Mar 2019 -- North Korea has allegedly issued a travel restriction on foreign visitors as it might face reception problems ahead of the peak season.

INSTEX, Iran meet on financial mechanism IRNA 12 Mar 2019 -- Meeting of Iranian experts with senior managers of Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges (INSTEX) to operate a mechanism to support trade between Iran and Europe and how it cooperates with the relevant Iranian institutions is underway.
Iran to US: Era of meddling in other countries over Press TV 12 Mar 2019 -- Tehran slams the US for sticking to its interventionist policies after an American official sought to cast doubt on the motives of the Iranian president's trip to Iraq, saying the two neighbors have chosen to build strategic relations based on good neighborliness and seek permission from no one for their choices.
Former American generals, diplomats urge Trump to return to Iran nuclear deal Press TV 12 Mar 2019 -- More than 50 retired American generals and diplomats have called on the administration of President Donald Trump to return to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, now that Tehran remains fully compliant with its end of the bargain.
Iran's Controversial Judiciary Chief Becomes Key Panel's Deputy Chief RFE/RL 12 Mar 2019 -- Iran's newly appointed head of the judiciary, a controversial hard-line cleric accused of gross human rights violations, has been elected as deputy chief of the body that names and oversees the work of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, local media report.
Message to the Congress on the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Iran The White House 12 Mar 2019
Text of a Notice on the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Iran The White House 12 Mar 2019

In joint statement, Iran, Iraq hail 'turning point' in 'strategic' cooperation Press TV 12 Mar 2019 -- Tehran and Baghdad have hailed Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's historic three-day visit to Iraq as a "turning point" in efforts to strengthen "strategic" cooperation between the two neighbors based on non-interference in each other's internal affairs.
Zarif says US can't stop Iran-Iraq relations Press TV 12 Mar 2019 -- Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the United States cannot "stop" Iran and Iraq's mutual relations, reminding that Baghdad has established the ties of its own accord.
US Official: Iranian Regime Wants Iraq to Become a Province of Iran VOA 12 Mar 2019 -- U.S. Special Representative for Iran, Brian Hook, blasted Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's visit to Iraq and accused his government of trying to control Iraq by fueling sectarian conflict in the country.

China Tweaks Tech Supremacy Plan VOA 12 Mar 2019 -- For the first time in recent years, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's annual Government Work Report did not mention Made in China 2025, the country's ambitious plan to achieve high-tech dominance, and that has analysts asking whether Beijing is going to completely overhaul the plan or keep it going quietly behind the scenes.
Whistle-Blower Controversy Casts Shadow Over China's 'Judicial Progress' VOA 12 Mar 2019 -- The president of China's Supreme People's Court praised the country's progress in advancing judicial reform over the past year during an annual government work report Tuesday to the National People's Congress.
China's top judicial organs deliver annual reports: system playing bigger role in ensuring social stability Global Times 12 Mar 2019 -- Ranging from graft, local mafia, sexual assault, to copyright infringement, China's top court and procuratorate authorities said Tuesday that they have imposed high pressure on law violations, corrected wrongful convictions and safeguarded the good Samaritan spirit, showing that the country's judicial system is playing a bigger role in ensuring social stability.
China: Muslim 'Training Centers' May 'Gradually Disappear' Some Day VOA 12 Mar 2019 -- Chinese authorities said Tuesday that internment camps in the western region of Xinjiang will "gradually disappear" if a time arises when "society does not need them."

China's OneSpace preparing for first orbital launch end of March Global Times 12 Mar 2019 -- Beijing One Space Technology Group (OneSpace), a Chinese private rocket producer, has completed preparations for its first orbital launch scheduled later this month, the company announced on Tuesday.
US Should Verify China's Activity on Moon Not Military Related - Army Official Sputnik 12 Mar 2019 -- The United States should monitor China's activity on the far side of the Moon to ensure there is no military activity, US Space Integrated Planning Element chief Joseph Guzman said during a panel discussion on space support to air and missile defence on 12 March.

NASA targets lunar exploration at cost of space science People's Daily 12 Mar 2019 -- The U.S. space agency NASA detailed its budget proposal for fiscal year 2020 on Monday, showing its priority on the country's lunar exploration missions while reducing funding for basic sciences.

UK Parliament Rejects May's Latest Brexit Plan Sputnik 12 Mar 2019 -- The British Parliament has again voted down Prime Minister Theresa May's plan for the UK's departure from the European Union, with 391 voting against and 242 voting for her plan, revised from the last attempt at the start of the year.
British Parliament Rejects May's Latest Brexit Plan to Split from EU VOA 12 Mar 2019 -- British lawmakers on Tuesday overwhelmingly rejected Prime Minister Theresa May's latest effort to set the terms of Britain's Brexit deal to split from the European Union on March 29.
May's Brexit deal suffers shattering defeat in Parliament again Press TV 12 Mar 2019 -- British Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit withdrawal deal has been rejected by lawmakers in the House of Commons, sending the country into chaos just 17 days before the planned departure date.
British PM secures ''legally binding changes' to Brexit withdrawal agreement from the EU Press TV 12 Mar 2019 -- British Prime Minister Theresa May has claimed to have secured ''legally binding changes" to the Brexit withdrawal agreement from the European Union prior to a key parliamentary vote on Tuesday.

Georgia Woman Arrested for Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISIS US Dept. of Justice 12 Mar 2019 -- Kim Anh Vo, a.k.a. "F@ng," a.k.a. "SyxxZMC," a.k.a. "Zozo," a.k.a. "Miss.Bones," a.k.a. "Sage Pi," a.k.a. "Kitty Lee," was arrested this morning in Hephzibah, Georgia. Vo was charged by a criminal Complaint with conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.

IRA Claims Responsibility for Recent Bombs in London, Glasgow Sputnik 12 Mar 2019 -- Investigations in to the devices used in the explosions are ongoing and enquiries are being sought in order to verify the claim.
Irish separatists claim responsibility for parcel bombs found in UK Press TV 12 Mar 2019 -- The Irish Republican Army, a violent movement seeking separation of Northern Ireland from the UK, says it was behind a series of bomb packages sent to crowded locations across Britain last week.

Commandos And A Kitchen Courtroom: Daughter Describes Gulnara Karimova's Arrest And 'Trial' RFE/RL 12 Mar 2019 -- The trial that resulted in a five-year sentence for the once high-flying elder daughter of late Uzbek autocrat Islam Karimov lasted less than a day and took place in the kitchen of a house where Gulnara Karimova was being held, her own daughter says.

Algeria's Protesters Want Change - Will They Get It? VOA 12 Mar 2019 -- For a country that has long banked on stability, Algeria is now buffeted by serious winds of change, with massive protests morphing into the biggest challenge facing its aging government in nearly three decades.
Algerian President Abandons Bid for 5th Term Following Mass Protests Sputnik 12 Mar 2019 -- Algeria saw a series of important decisions made on Monday as the country's longtime president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, postponed the presidential election and withdrew his bid for re-election, while the Algerian cabinet resigned following weeks of nationwide protests.

Europe and UN form bulwark against 'might makes right' worldview, EU foreign affairs chief tells Security Council UN News 12 Mar 2019 -- "The concept of global governance risks being replaced by the old law that 'might makes right'", the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs, told the Security Council on Tuesday, during a meeting looking at on-going cooperation between the UN and the 28-member body.

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