• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• US, Taliban reach 'draft agreement' in latest round of talks in Doha Press TV 13 Mar 2019 -- The United States and the Afghan militant group Taliban say they have made "meaningful progress" in their latest talks held in the Qatari capital of Doha, reaching agreement in draft on the issues of troops withdrawal and counter-terrorism assurances.
• EU Lawmakers Back Cooperation Deal With Afghanistan, Warn Of Kabul Government's 'Fragility' RFE/RL 13 Mar 2019 -- The European Parliament has endorsed a legal framework for cooperation between the bloc and Afghanistan, taking the agreement one step closer to ratification.
• Local Official Shot Dead, Journalist Wounded, Troops Killed In Afghanistan Attacks RFE/RL 13 Mar 2019 -- A local Afghan official was gunned down outside his home in the western province of Farah, while a local journalist was seriously wounded in a bombing in the country's south, officials say.
• U.S.-Taliban Peace Talks End With 'Real Strides' Made But No Deal RFE/RL 13 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.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Wreckage of USS Wasp CV-7 discovered in Coral Sea NNS 13 Mar 2019 -- The expedition crew aboard the late Paul G. Allen's research vessel (R/V) Petrel discovered wreckage from USS Wasp (CV 7), which was sunk in 1942.
• FY20 budget to boost air & missile defense Army News 13 Mar 2019 -- The Army's budget request for fiscal year 2020 includes funding to field two "Iron Dome" air defense batteries and the first Maneuver Short-Range Air Defense, or MSHORAD, battery of Stryker variants.
• New vehicle-mounted electronic tech enables Marines to combat threats USMC News 13 Mar 2019 -- Marine Corps Systems Command plans to implement a new form of technology that allows the Marine Air-Ground Task Force to identify enemy activity.
• Warthogs take over Hawaiian skies USMC News 13 Mar 2019 -- U.S. Airmen with the 442nd Fighter Wing descended on Marine Corps Base Hawaii in February to conduct various training exercises across the Hawaiian Islands.
• USS Donald Cook Completes Eighth Patrol, Returns to Rota NNS 13 Mar 2019 -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) returned to Naval Station Rota, Spain following the completion of its eighth forward-deployed naval forces (FDNF) patrol, March 8.
• NMCB 133 Innovates with 'On Demand' Manufacturing Capability NNS 13 Mar 2019 -- Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 133 deployed to the U.S. 5th, 6th, and 7th Fleet areas of operation with organic 3-D printing capabilities.
• USS Zumwalt Arrives in British Columbia for Port Visit NNS 13 Mar 2019 -- The namesake of the U.S. Navy's newest class of guided-missile destroyer USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000), arrived in Esquimalt, March 11.
• NAVFAC Hawaii Awards Sewer Replacement Work at JBPHH NNS 13 Mar 2019 -- Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Hawaii awarded Kiewit Infrastructure West Co., Honolulu, Hawaii, a $64,993,500 million firm-fixed-price contract today for P-704, Sewer Lift Station and Relief Sewer Lines, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.
• Trump's Plan to Boost US Troops Cost Not Discussed With Europe - Pentagon Sputnik 13 Mar 2019 -- US allies currently pay varying sums for the privilege of keeping US servicemen on their soil, with some Asian countries making cash donations, whereas Germany, for instance, is to foot the troops' housing and all the rest of the bills.
• 4th Special Operations Squadron receives first AC-130J Ghostrider US Air Force 13 Mar 2019 -- The 4th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field, is now home to Air Force Special Operations Command's newest aircraft – the Block 30 AC-130J Ghostrider gunship.
• US, UK, Japan to Kick Off Submarine Hunting Drills in Western Pacific Sputnik 13 Mar 2019 -- A submarine-hunting exercise featuring warships from the United States, United Kingdom and Japan will begin on Thursday in support of open navigation in the Indo-Pacific region, the US Navy announced in a press release.
• State Dept: DoD Chief, Qatar Defence Minister Discuss Al Udeid Air Base Upgrade Sputnik 13 Mar 2019 -- Acting US Secretary of Defence Patrick Shanahan met with Qatar Defence Minister Khalid Al Attiyah to reaffirm an alliance with the Persian Gulf nation that hosts the Al Udeid Air Base, the US Department of State said in a readout of the meeting on Tuesday.
• US Manipulated Figures to Seem to Comply With New START Treaty - Moscow Sputnik 13 Mar 2019 -- The United States manipulated figures to appear compliant with restrictions under the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Wednesday.
• 'Fort Trump' One Step Closer to Becoming Polish Reality VOA 13 Mar 2019 -- A proposed permanent U.S. military base in Poland, nicknamed "Fort Trump," is one step closer to becoming a reality.
• US Could Reach Deal With Poland on American Military Base Within 1 Year - DoD Sputnik 13 Mar 2019 -- US and Polish officials meeting in Warsaw this week are drafting details for a planned American military base in Poland and could reach a final agreement on the facility within a year, senior Defense Department officials told Congress on Wednesday.
• NATO Military Committee, Second Fleet Discuss Navy's Future Aboard Truman NNS 13 Mar 2019 -- Representatives of the NATO Military Committee joined the commander of the U.S. 2nd Fleet (C2F), aboard the carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) March 12 to discuss the future of U.S. Navy operations.
• US Senator Confident Some NATO States Will Agree to Host New American Missiles Sputnik 13 Mar 2019 -- US Senator Tom Cotton said Wednesday that he is confident European countries will host new American missiles after Washington's withdrawal from the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.
• Russia 'Primary Threat' To Euro-Atlantic Security, Says U.S. General RFE/RL 13 Mar 2019 -- The commander of NATO forces in Europe, U.S. General Curtis Scaparrotti, has said that Russia continues to be the "primary threat" to Euro-Atlantic security and voiced concern about Moscow's military modernization program.
• China a Rising Threat to National Security, Say DOD Leaders DoD News 13 Mar 2019 -- China is building up its military in ways that threaten U.S. and allied interests in the Western Pacific and in the South China Sea in particular, the deputy undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment said today.
• Xi stresses timely completion of military development goals People's Daily 13 Mar 2019 -- President Xi Jinping on Tuesday stressed fulfilling the set targets and tasks of national defense and military development as scheduled.
• Chinese military launches recruitment for civilian positions People's Daily 13 Mar 2019 -- A unified examination will be held in late April to recruit people from members of the public for civilian positions in the Chinese military, a military statement said Tuesday.
• New soldiers show enhanced qualities, leading officer says People's Daily 13 Mar 2019 -- China's new generation of soldiers have developed better comprehensive qualities, are physically stronger, better educated and more enthusiastic in serving the country, said Senior Colonel Wei Changjin, political commissar of the Zaozhuang Regional Military Command, on Wednesday.
• Indian Government Warns Leaked Rafale Docs THREATEN National Security Sputnik 13 Mar 2019 -- While India's apex court is hearing a petition seeking a review of its earlier verdict on the Rafale deal corruption case, the government has argued that the papers submitted as proof in court had been "stolen" from the Defence Ministry and that by doing so the conspirators had compromised national security - an act that attracts penal action.
• Joint Statement on U.S.-India Strategic Security Dialogue US Dept. of State 13 Mar 2019 -- The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and India on the occasion of the U.S.-India Strategic Security Dialogue.
• Pakistan successfully test-fires smart weapon from JF-17 fighter jet IRNA 13 Mar 2019 -- Pakistan Air Force has successfully test-fired indigenously developed extended range smart weapon from JF-17 multi-role fighter aircraft, Radio Pakistan reported.
• Pakistan successfully test-fires 'smart weapon' Press TV 13 Mar 2019 -- Pakistan says it has successfully test-fired a new, domestically-built "smart weapon," stressing that Islamabad will respond "with full force" to any foreign aggression.
• Pakistan's JF-17 Thunders Will Get Deadly New Radar, Weapons Upgrades Sputnik 13 Mar 2019 -- The JF-17 Thunder, jointly developed by Pakistan and China, is getting some new upgrades that will make the tactical aircraft all the deadlier. The news comes amid claims by Islamabad that it was a JF-17 that India shot down last month, not a US-made F-16, as well as a successful smart missile test by the Pakistan Air Force using the jet.
• Pakistani Fighter Jet Test-Fires 'Smart' Missile Amid Escalation With India Sputnik 13 Mar 2019 -- The announcement comes just a day after the Hindustan Times reported that Pakistan had deployed an entire F-16 fighter jet squadron along the Indian border as tensions between the two nuclear armed neighbours have reached a boiling point.
• Iranian minister predicts booming defense industry next year IRNA 13 Mar 2019 -- The new Persian year beginning on March 21, 2019 was dubbed as Iran's year of Defense Products and Achievements Booms by the country's defense minister.
• Hefty Israeli Military Aid Avoids Chopping Block in Trump's 2020 Budget Proposal Sputnik 13 Mar 2019 -- US President Donald Trump's spending budget proposal for fiscal year 2020 contains cuts to Medicare and Medicaid, but not to the $3.3 billion portioned off for Israeli military aid that was promised to Tel Aviv during the Obama years.
• Australia – AIM-120C-7 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles DSCA 13 Mar 2019 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Australia of AIM-120C-7 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) and related equipment for an estimated cost of $240.5 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on March 12, 2019.
• Italy to Pay $440 Million for US F-35 But Plans to Revise Contract - Reports Sputnik 13 Mar 2019 -- The Five Star and Lega parties, part of the current government, have opposed a F-35 deal with the US aviation giant. The defence ministry has studied the 20-year old agreement over the last few months. The assessment has been finished, and the issue is reportedly expected to be discussed at the summit level, an Italian news agency reports.

Defense Industry

• Contracts for March 13, 2019

Other Conflicts

• 13 March 2019 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 13 Mar 2019
• Senate Demands Trump End US Support for War in Yemen VOA 13 Mar 2019 -- The U.S. Senate defied President Donald Trump Wednesday and voted to cut off support for the Saudi-led coalition fighting rebels in Yemen.
• SDF: Fight Against IS in Baghuz More Effective at Night VOA 13 Mar 2019 -- U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces continue their push to remove the last remnants of Islamic State militants from eastern Syria, intensifying their attacks at night against what is considered the last piece of territory under the terror group's control.
• Islamic State Strikes Back in Last Stand at Baghuz VOA 13 Mar 2019 -- Islamic State fighters launched new counterattacks against U.S.-backed forces Wednesday, as the militants clung to the terror group's last scrap of territory in northeastern Syria.
• Syrians still living on 'razor edge' as UN launches $8.8 billion dollar appeal UN News 13 Mar 2019 -- An $8.8 billion funding appeal has been issued by the UN to help millions of Syrians who live a "razor-edge existence" inside and outside the war-torn country, along with the communities struggling to host them.
• Russian jets destroy terrorist weapons depot in Syria's Idlib Press TV 13 Mar 2019 -- Russian fighter jets have targeted a weapons depot in Syria's terrorist-held Idlib province, as part of the Syrian government's ongoing battle to retake the last bastion of foreign-backed militants in the country.
• Nusra-Linked Terrorist Group Planned to Attack Russian Hmeymim Air Base - MoD Sputnik 13 Mar 2019 -- The Russian Defence Ministry announced that it has conducted an airstrike on a militant warehouse in Idlib containing weapons and ammunition after having negotiated the move with Turkey.
• In Lake Chad, Niger army kills 33 Boko Haram terrorists Press TV 13 Mar 2019 -- More than 30 Boko Haram Takfiri terrorists have been killed in an operation by Niger's army in the Lake Chad region.
• Indian Air Force on High Alert After 2 Pakistani Jets Fly Near Border - Report Sputnik 13 Mar 2019 -- Over the last several weeks, the Indian Air Force has repeatedly reported downing Pakistani drones that allegedly invaded India's airspace in what New Delhi regards as reconnaissance missions.
• Around 260,000 children in DR Congo's Kasai region suffering severe acute malnutrition UN News 13 Mar 2019 -- More than a quarter of a million children in the Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) – and thousands of others who have fled with their families to nearby provinces – are suffering severe and acute malnutrition, and need lifesaving treatment, said the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Wednesday.
• UN: DR Congo Intercommunal Violence Was Orchestrated VOA 13 Mar 2019 -- United Nations investigators say intercommunal attacks that killed more than 500 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo were orchestrated. The investigators from the U.N. human rights office in Congo say the attacks may amount to crimes against humanity.
• UN must provide redress for minorities placed in toxic Kosovo camps, says rights expert UN News 13 Mar 2019 -- An independent rights expert appointed by the Human Rights Council has called on the United Nations to "provide justice and remedies" to displaced people who suffered lead poisoning after being housed in UN camps on toxic wasteland in Kosovo.

News Reports

• US to slap 'very significant' sanctions on Venezuela Press TV 13 Mar 2019 -- The United States says it is planning to impose "very significant additional sanctions" against financial institutions in Venezuela in the coming days, a move regarded as part of efforts to undermine the democratically-elected government in Caracas.
• Maduro: Venezuela Wants to Discuss Opening Offices of Mutual Interest With US Sputnik 13 Mar 2019 -- Venezuela is interested in resuming talks with the United States on the opening of offices that would promote the two countries' mutual interests, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said.
• US to Hold Venezuela's Military Responsible for Protecting Citizens - Bolton Sputnik 13 Mar 2019 -- The United States will hold Venezuela's military forces responsible for protecting the Latin American country's citizens as it increases its efforts to remove President Nicolas Maduro from power, National Security Adviser John Bolton said on Tuesday.
• US to Impose 'Significant' Sanctions on Venezuela in Coming Days - Abrams Sputnik 13 Mar 2019 -- The United States will impose additional major sanctions on Venezuela in the coming days, US Special Representative Elliot Abrams said during a press briefing on Tuesday.
• Manafort Sentenced to Additional 3½ Years in Prison VOA 13 Mar 2019 -- President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he felt "badly" for his former campaign chief, Paul Manafort, but had not given a thought to pardoning him.
• Trump's ex-campaign chief Paul Manafort jailed for 73 months Press TV 13 Mar 2019 -- A federal judge in the US has sentenced President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort to 73 months in prison for two conspiracies revealed during Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's alleged role in the 2016 US presidential election.
• Trump Ex-Campaign Chairman Manafort Sentenced To 43 More Months RFE/RL 13 Mar 2019 -- Paul Manafort, the former campaign chairman for U.S. President Donald Trump, has been sentenced to an additional 43 months in prison, a ruling that will put the once-influential Washington lobbyist behind bars for 7 1/2 years on charges stemming from his work for Ukrainian politicians.
• Remarks on the Release of the 2018 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices US Dept. of State 13 Mar 2019 -- Remarks by Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State
• Briefing With Ambassador Michael Kozak on the Release of the 2018 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices US Dept. of State 13 Mar 2019 -- Special Briefing by Michael G. Kozak, Senior Bureau Official, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
• US Rights Report Highlights Venezuela, Iran, China VOA 13 Mar 2019 -- The U.S. State Department is painting a grim picture of violations and abuses in countries that already have dismal records in its "Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2018."
• U.S. Charges Russia, Iran With Serious Rights Abuses In Annual Report RFE/RL 13 Mar 2019 -- The United States has charged Russia and Iran with committing a range of serious human rights abuses both domestically and abroad in an annual State Department report.
• Senate Expected to Disapprove Trump's National Emergency Declaration VOA 13 Mar 2019 -- The U.S. Senate is expected to deliver a legislative black eye to President Donald Trump on Thursday, when it votes on disapproving the president's national emergency declaration to fund wall construction along the U.S.-Mexico border.
• Russian Bills Banning 'Fake News,' Insults Head To Putin For Signature RFE/RL 13 Mar 2019 -- Legislation enabling Russian authorities to block websites and hand out punishment for "fake news" and material deemed insulting to the state or the public is headed to President Vladimir Putin's desk for his signature.
• U.S. Lawmakers Overwhelmingly Condemn Kremlin For Nemtsov Killing RFE/RL 13 Mar 2019 -- U.S. lawmakers have passed a measure that sharply criticizes Russian President Vladimir Putin for what it says is the Kremlin's involvement in the killing of opposition activist Boris Nemtsov and the targeting of other political opponents.
• European Parliament Presses For More Money To Fight Russian Disinformation RFE/RL 13 Mar 2019 -- A recommendation by the European Parliament calls Russia "the main source of disinformation in Europe" and appeals for increased funding for the European Union's antipropaganda East StratCom Task Force.
• Dongchang-ri unlikely to be fully restored, low possibility of missile launch: Seoul Arirang 13 Mar 2019 -- North Korea is reportedly restoring key components at its Dongchang-ri missile engine test site, which was dismantled last year July, and increased activity has been detected at Saneum-dong, where Pyeongyang previously assembled its ICBMs.
• CIA May Be Behind February Attack on North Korean Embassy in Madrid - Reports Sputnik 13 Mar 2019 -- Spanish police and intelligence officers, who are investigating the attack on the North Korean embassy in Madrid in February, believe that US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) may be behind the incident, El Pais newspaper reported on Wednesday.
• To avoid arms race, multilateral mechanisms such as JCPOA Needed: Mogherini ISNA 13 Mar 2019 -- Multilateral mechanisms such as the international nuclear deal with Iran are needed to avert a new arms race that would threaten international security, EU foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini said during a United Nations Security Council meeting.
• Iran, Iraq can play more significant role in solving regional, global issues: Rouhani Press TV 13 Mar 2019 -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says Iran and Iraq can further cooperate and play a more significant role in solving regional and international issues.
• Iran says will keep watchful eye on foreign military bases, warns about 'suspicious' nuclear projects Press TV 13 Mar 2019 -- The secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) has warned about "suspicious nuclear projects" pursued by certain regional countries as well as efforts aimed at undermining the security of the Islamic Republic and the region.
• Iran overtakes Qatar in South Pars with new gas phases Press TV 13 Mar 2019 -- Iran on Sunday will launch four new development phases of the world's largest gas field at South Pars with a capacity to produce 112 million cubic meters per day, the Ministry of Petroleum says.
• Defense chief vows 'firm' response to any Israeli act of 'piracy' against Iran oil shipments Press TV 13 Mar 2019 -- Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami says Iran views any Israeli naval action against the country's oil shipments as "piracy," vowing a "firm" response to such an assault.
• Tehran Vows to Respond to Israeli Navy's Actions Against Iranian Oil Sales Sputnik 13 Mar 2019 -- On 6 March, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the world community to stop Iran from shipping oil abroad. He also threatened to deploy the Israeli Navy to help tackle suspected Iranian efforts to smuggle out oil via maritime routes to skirt US sanctions.
• UN Expert Criticizes Crackdown on Protesters in Iran VOA 13 Mar 2019 -- A report critical of Iran's human rights situation and its crackdown on people protesting declining living standards is under review this week at the U.N. Human Rights Council.
• US media report calling Huawei a threat to US nuclear missiles 'absurd' Global Times 13 Mar 2019 -- Chinese experts slammed a recent US media report that claimed Huawei's telecommunication hardware used by US rural wireless carriers poses threats to its nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM), calling the accusation "totally absurd."
• Pressure still high on graft during supervision reform People's Daily 13 Mar 2019 -- China has kept up the pressure in the fight against corruption while making progress on reform of the country's supervision system in the past year, according to work reports of the top court and top procuratorate released on Tuesday.
• China's quantum satellite able to meet basic demands of secure communication: scientist People's Daily 13 Mar 2019 -- China's Micius, the world's first quantum communication satellite, is able to preliminarily meet the demands of secure communication of relevant departments, said Pan Jianwei, a leading Chinese quantum scientist and academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).
• Frequent launch of manned spacecraft possible in China around 2022 People's Daily 13 Mar 2019 -- A deputy to the 13th National People's Congress and chief designer of the space program of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation said that China will realize frequent launch of manned spacecraft like flights after the country establishes its space station around 2022.
• US to Build 6 Nuclear Power Plants in India - Statement Sputnik 13 Mar 2019 -- New Delhi and Washington will ramp up civil nuclear cooperation by building six American nuclear power plants in India, a joint statement issued by the US State Department said on Wednesday.
• British lawmakers rule out no-deal Brexit Press TV 13 Mar 2019 -- British MPs vote to rule out the possibility of a Brexit without any deal.
• UK to heavily tax German, French imports after hard Brexit Press TV 13 Mar 2019 -- The British government has announced a series of tariffs to be imposed on products coming from the European Union countries which will go into effect if London withdraws from the bloc with no deal at the end of March.
• EU warns chances for hard Brexit have never been higher Press TV 13 Mar 2019 -- The European Union's top negotiator for Britain's withdrawal from the bloc has warned that chances for a hard and disorderly Brexit have never been higher after members of the British parliament refused for a second time to endorse a divorce deal signed between London and the EU.
• UK Govt to Propose Brexit Delay Until 30 June if Deal With EU Approved Sputnik 13 Mar 2019 -- The UK Government will propose on 14 March to postpone Brexit until 30 June if the parliament approves the deal with the European Union by 20 March, Parliament Speaker John Bercow said Wednesday.
• Netanyahu Hints Israel Has Secret Relations With 6 Arab and Muslim States Sputnik 13 Mar 2019 -- Although most of the region's countries do not have open diplomatic ties with the Jewish state and some even deny its right to exist, rumours persist that Tel Aviv still secretly holds talks with these countries' governments.
• Erdogan lashes out at Netanyahu as tyrant, child murderer Press TV 13 Mar 2019 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu a "tyrant" who kills Palestinian children, as a heated war of words between the two officials continues.
• Ankara Slams EU Parl't Resolution on Suspension of Talks on Turkey's Admission Sputnik 14 Mar 2019 -- The Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned the European Parliament's resolution calling on the European Union to formally suspend talks on Turkey's admission to the bloc.
• Exiled Saudi royal forms elaborate opposition in Europe to change regime in Saudi Arabia Press TV 13 Mar 2019 -- An exiled Saudi prince has formed a Europe-based opposition movement seeking to change the regime in Saudi Arabia and end human rights abuses in the repressive country.
• US Senate to rebuke Trump on support for Saudi Arabia Press TV 13 Mar 2019 -- The US Senate is set to vote on Wednesday on a resolution that would withdraw Washington's support for the Saudi Arabia-led military aggression on Yemen, in a direct rebuke of President Donald Trump as lawmakers push his administration to toughen its policy toward Riyadh.
• Riyadh Fails to Provide Details of Probe Into Khashoggi's Murder - Washington Sputnik 13 Mar 2019 -- Saudi Arabia has not provided pertinent details of its investigation into last year's killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, the State Department said on Wednesday in its annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.
• Poroshenko Camp In Damage-Control Mode As Ukrainian Election Nears RFE/RL 13 Mar 2019 -- Ukraine's presidential election is less than three weeks away and instead of focusing solely on campaigning, incumbent Petro Poroshenko and his camp are scrambling to put out numerous fires and fend off protesters at campaign rallies.
• Two Georgian Men Arrested For Alleged Attempt To Sell Uranium 238 RFE/RL 13 Mar 2019 -- Two men in Georgia have been arrested for allegedly attempting to sell uranium, a potential ingredient in a radioactive "dirty bomb."
• Arrests in Cameroon for Corruption, or Challenges to Biya? VOA 13 Mar 2019 -- The recent arrest of a former official in Cameroon for alleged corruption has sparked a debate over whether the government is actually trying to stamp out corruption, or is cracking down on anyone it sees as a challenger to longtime President Paul Biya.
• Bangladesh Police Accused of Harassment With Fake Cases VOA 13 Mar 2019 -- Police in Bangladesh have filed criminal complaints against tens of thousands of people for violence-related cases in recent years. But the opposition and rights activists say most of the cases, allegedly involving bombing and rioting, were made up.