25 March 2019 Military News

Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

Coalition Strikes Daesh Network in Iraq CENTCOM 25 Mar 2019 -- Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve continues conducting airstrikes against Daesh targets in Iraq in support of Iraqi Security Force activities as part of ongoing operations to eliminate their insurgence network.
Coalition, partner forces liberate last territory held by Daesh CENTCOM 25 Mar 2019 -- The Coalition congratulates the Syrian Democratic Forces on the liberation of the remaining civilians under Daesh control and the elimination of Daesh's self-proclaimed territorial caliphate in the Middle Euphrates River Valley, Syria, March 23, 2019.
We haven't won fight against Daesh yet UK FCO 25 Mar 2019 -- Writing in the Sunday Times, the Foreign Secretary reflects on the fall of Daesh, and why the fight to tackle its poisonous ideology continues.
Update: air strikes against Daesh UK MOD 25 Mar 2019 -- The RAF are continuing to take the fight to Daesh in Syria.
Fight Against Daesh Not Over, US to Remain in Syria in Limited Numbers - Envoy Sputnik 25 Mar 2019 -- Last week, US President Donald Trump said that the US would leave 400 troops in Syria with 200 of them deployed closer to Israel.

Thirteen Civilians, Mostly Children, Believed Killed In Afghan Air Strike, UN Report Finds RFE/RL 25 Mar 2019 -- Thirteen civilians were killed, mostly children, in an air strike by "international forces" near the northern Afghan city of Kunduz last week, according to preliminary findings of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
UN Says Airstrike Kills 13 Afghan Civilians, Mostly Children VOA 25 Mar 2019 -- The United Nations confirmed Monday that ten children were among at least 13 civilians killed by a recent American military airstrike in northern Afghanistan.

Defense Policy / Programs

Homeland Missile Defense System Successfully Intercepts ICBM Target MDA 25 Mar 2019 -- The U.S. Missile Defense Agency, in cooperation with the Joint Functional Component Command for Integrated Missile Defense, U.S. Northern Command, and elements of the U.S. Air Force Space Command's 30th, 50th, and 460th Space Wings, conducted a successful test today against an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) class target.
DoD Announces Fiscal Year 2019 Research Equipment Awards DoD 25 Mar 2019 -- The Department of Defense announced awards to 185 university researchers totaling $56 million under the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP). These grants will be provided to 95 institutions across 36 states in fiscal 2019.
US Navy Gets Access to Oman Ports Amid Iran Tensions - Reports Sputnik 25 Mar 2019 -- Tensions between Washington and Tehran escalated last May, when President Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from the Iran nuclear deal and promised to slap the country with crippling sanctions over its alleged "destabilising" role in the Middle East.
U.S. and Egypt Hold 31st Military Cooperation Committee Meeting DoD 25 Mar 2019 -- Senior delegations from the United States and the Arab Republic of Egypt met March 20-22 in Washington, D.C., for the 31st meeting of the Military Cooperation Committee (MCC).
Marines perform 'arduous' evaluation of new grenade launcher USMC News 25 Mar 2019 -- The Marine Corps plans to introduce a new weapon intended to enhance the lethality of infantry Marines on the battlefield.
Top Navy and Marine Corps Leadership Visit Exercise Pacific Blitz 2019 NNS 25 Mar 2019 -- Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson and Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert Neller visited Sailors and Marines participating in exercise Pacific Blitz (PACBLITZ) 2019 throughout the southern California operating area.
NCHB-1 Participates in First EXORD During Pacific Blitz 2019 NNS 25 Mar 2019 -- Sailors with Navy Cargo Handling Battalion 1 (NCHB-1) participated in their first expeditionary ordnance reload (EXORD) training evolution on Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, California, as part of Exercise Pacific Blitz 2019 (PacBlitz19).
Military Sealift Command Opens New Center for Excellence NNS 25 Mar 2019 -- Military Sealift Command hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony to signify the opening of its new Center for Excellence located on Joint Base Langley-Eustis, March 25.
Expeditionary Medical Facility Training at PacBlitz19 NNS 25 Mar 2019 -- The Naval Expeditionary Medical Training Institute (NEMTI) on Camp Pendleton, California, hosted Expeditionary Medical Facility (EMF) training as part of Pacific Blitz 2019 (PacBlitz19).
Pacific Partnership 2019 Conducts Field Training Exercise in Philippines NNS 25 Mar 2019 -- Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief planners, medical personnel and engineers from Pacific Partnership 2019 (PP19) came together with Philippine servicemembers, local medical professionals, police, firefighters and community volunteers at the Tacloban City Market for a field training exercise (FTX) where participants responded to a simulated 8.5-magnitude earthquake, March 21.
Pacific Partnership 2019 Concludes Mission Stop in Philippines NNS 25 Mar 2019 -- Senior mission leadership, host nation and partner nation personnel attended the closing ceremony of the second Pacific Partnership 2019 (PP19) mission stop in Tacloban, Philippines, March 22.
US Deploys F-15 Aircraft in Poland for Flying Exercise - Pentagon Sputnik 25 Mar 2019 -- The United States military deployed a group of F-15 tactical fighters in Poland for a flying exercise, the Pentagon said on Monday.
US, UK's exercise Point Blank introduces new elements to the fight US Air Force 25 Mar 2019 -- 48th Fighter Wing and Royal Air Force personnel participated in the latest iteration of exercise Point Blank in Yorkshire, England, March 22, 2019.
Colombian Air Force supports US Navy Growlers for premier air-to-air combat US Air Force 25 Mar 2019 -- The Colombian Air Force is supporting the U.S. Navy during the U.S. Air Force-led air-to-air combat exercise Red Flag 19-2 March 11-22.

Joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the Prime Minister of Georgia, Mamuka Bakhtadze NATO 25 Mar 2019 -- (As delivered)
Secretary General visits NATO-Georgia exercise NATO 25 Mar 2019 -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg visited Georgia on Monday (25 March 2019) to observe NATO and Georgian forces training together. The NATO-Georgia exercise brings together around 350 participants from 24 NATO and partner countries and international organisations. The exercise is being held at the NATO-Georgia Joint Training and Evaluation Centre, which has been helping to strengthen Georgia's defences since it was inaugurated in 2015.
Stoltenberg: Georgia Will Join NATO, And Russia Can Do Nothing About It RFE/RL 25 Mar 2019 -- TBILISI -- During a visit to Georgia, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has again said that the South Caucasus country will eventually join the Western military alliance, despite the Kremlin's fierce opposition.

Morocco – F-16 Block 72 New Purchase DSCA 25 Mar 2019 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Morocco of F-16C/D Block 72 aircraft and related equipment for an estimated cost of $3.787 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on March 22, 2019.
Morocco – F-16 Block 52+ Upgrade to F-16V Configuration DSCA 25 Mar 2019 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Morocco to upgrade its existing twenty-three F-16 aircraft to the F-16V configuration and related equipment for an estimated cost of $985.2 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale om March 22, 2019.

Royal Netherlands Air Force to Receive Four MQ-9 Reaper Drones - Reports Sputnik 25 Mar 2019 -- The Royal Netherlands Air Force is to receive four MQ-9 Reaper drones under a contract with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, approved by the US Department of Defence on 21 March, Dutch aviation magazine Scramble has reported.

Two U.S. vessels pass through Taiwan Strait Sunday: MND CNA 25 Mar 2019 -- Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) confirmed Monday that two American vessels sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Sunday, the third such transit this year.
China protests US warships passing through Taiwan Straits Global Times 25 Mar 2019 -- China has paid close attention to and fully grasped US warships passing through the Taiwan Straits, and the country has made representations to the US side, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Monday.
US Navy ships pass through Taiwan Strait amid tensions with China Press TV 25 Mar 2019 -- The US Navy has sent two ships through the strategic Taiwan Strait, in a move that is likely to aggravate Washington's already-high tensions with China, which views the self-ruled island as part of its territory.
US Navy Sails Ships Through Taiwan Strait for Third Time in Three Months Sputnik 25 Mar 2019 -- In February, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, the USS Stethem, and a Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship, the USNS Cesar Chavez, sailed through the Taiwan Strait.

India to Launch Military Satellite to Detect Enemy Radars, Sensors and Devices Sputnik 25 Mar 2019 -- The satellite will be launched into orbit to help India's intelligence agencies keep an eagle eye on other countries.

Okinawa Urge Tokyo to Engage in Dialogue Over US Air Base Relocation - Reports Sputnik 25 Mar 2019 -- The vice governor of the Japanese Okinawa prefecture, Kiichiro Jahana, urged Tokyo on Monday to engage in a dialogue on the issue of the relocation of the US Marine Corps Air Station Futenma as local residents clearly demonstrate little consent for the project, NHK broadcaster reported.

Erdogan on S-400 Deal: 'No Backward Steps' on the Issue Despite US Protests Sputnik 25 Mar 2019 -- Earlier this month, the Turkish President pointed out that the S-400 missile systems that Ankara is buying are not connected to the security of NATO, the United States or the F-35 purchase agreement in any way.

Chances of UN Banning Killer Robots Looking Increasingly Remote VOA 25 Mar 2019 -- The Campaign to Stop Killer Robots warns chances of achieving a U.N. treaty banning the development, production and use of fully autonomous lethal weapons, also known as killer robots, are looking increasingly remote. Experts from some 80 countries are attending a weeklong meeting to discuss the prospect of negotiating an international treaty.
Autonomous weapons that kill must be banned, insists UN chief UN News 25 Mar 2019 -- UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged artificial intelligence (AI) experts meeting in Geneva on Monday to push ahead with their work to restrict the development of lethal autonomous weapons systems, or LAWS, as they are also known.

Remarks at the AIPAC Policy Conference US Dept. of State 25 Mar 2019 -- Remarks by Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State
Remarks by Vice President Pence at the 2019 AIPAC Policy Conference The White House 25 Mar 2019
President Donald J. Trump Stands by America's Cherished Ally Israel The White House 25 Mar 2019

Defense Industry

Contracts for March 25, 2019

Other Conflicts

25 March 2019 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 25 Mar 2019

China, Philippines Living By Tacit Deals at Sea Despite Sovereignty Dispute VOA 25 Mar 2019 -- China and the Philippines have learned to live with each other over the past three years at sea despite an unresolved sovereignty dispute, marginalizing a new international legal complaint aimed at Beijing.

Yemenis kill 20 Saudi forces in Jizan IRNA 25 Mar 2019 -- Yemeni Armed Forces spokesman announced that the Yemeni army and the popular committees attacks on two Saudis' positions in Jizan, southern Saudi Arabia killed 20 Saudi forces.
Saudi war has failed despite US support: Yemen's Houthi Press TV 25 Mar 2019 -- The Saudi regime has failed in its deadly campaign against Yemen to achieve its objectives despite enjoying support provided by Washington and other allies. That is part of a speech by the leader of Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement on the fourth anniversary of the Yemeni nation's resistance against Riyadh's aggression.
Iran urges Yemen ceasefire, end to economic blockade Press TV 25 Mar 2019 -- Iran's Foreign Ministry says the Islamic Republic supports an overarching ceasefire in Yemen while calling for an end to the "tyrannical" economic and human blockade imposed on the people of Yemen.
Yemen sees jump in suspected cholera cases in 2019: UN Press TV 25 Mar 2019 -- The deadly campaign led by the regime in Riyadh against Yemen has in effect exacerbated a health crisis in the impoverished country. The United Nations has announced a rise in suspected cases of cholera since January.
Yemenis kill 20 Saudi troops as Rioyadh's deadly war enters 5th year Press TV 25 Mar 2019 -- Yemeni fighters say they have killed at least 20 Saudi Arabian soldiers in a retaliatory attack as the Riyadh regime's deadly war against the impoverished southern neighbor enters its fifth year.

Updated Treasury Advisory Highlights Risks for Maritime Petroleum Shipping Community in Syria US Treasury 25 Mar 2019 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) updated its Advisory to the Maritime Petroleum Shipping Community to highlight risks associated with shipments to Syria.
Three Russian Servicemen Were Killed by Terrorists in Syria in February - MoD Sputnik 25 Mar 2019 -- Three Russian servicemen went missing in Syria in late February after being attacked by terrorists, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Monday, adding that the deaths of all three servicemen had been confirmed.

Damascus: Liberating Golan Syria's right IRNA 25 Mar 2019 -- Syrian Foreign Ministry said that in a flagrant aggression on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic, the US President has recognized the annexation of the occupied Syrian Golan to the Zionist occupation entity.
Trump signs US recognition of Israeli sovereignty over Golan Heights Press TV 25 Mar 2019 -- Breaking with decades of international consensus, US President Donald Trump has formally recognized Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights, a border area the Tel Aviv regime seized from Syria in 1967.
Trump's recognition of Golan violates international law: Iran's Parliament speaker Press TV 25 Mar 2019 -- Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani says US President Donald Trump has violated international regulations through his decision to recognize the Israeli regime's illegal occupation and annexation of the Golan Heights.
Turkish president vows to take issue of occupied Golan Heights to UN Press TV 25 Mar 2019 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to take to the UN the issue of the Israeli regime's claim over the occupied Golan Heights, as the US president is to recognize Tel Aviv's sovereignty over the Syrian territory.
Trump Formally Recognizes Israeli Sovereignty Over Golan Heights RFE/RL 25 Mar 2019 -- U.S. President Donald Trump has recognized Israel's sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights, the rocky plateau that Israeli forces seized from Syria in the closing stages of the 1967 Six-Day War.
Trump's Decision on Golan to Negate US Mideast Mediation Ability – Syrian Envoy Sputnik 25 Mar 2019 -- US President Donald Trump's plans to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights will strip Washington of any chance to mediate peace in the Middle East, Imad Moustapha, the Syrian Ambassador to China and a former envoy to the United States, told Sputnik.

Gaza hit by Israel after Hamas denies rocket attack on Tel Aviv Press TV 25 Mar 2019 -- Only a few hours after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas denied it had launched a rocket attack toward Tel Aviv, the Israeli military says it has begun striking the besieged Palestinian territory.
Gaza hit by Israel after Hamas denies rocket attack on Tel Aviv Press TV 25 Mar 2019 -- The Israeli army has bombed several areas across the Gaza Strip, with Palestinian resistance groups responding by firing rockets from the besieged territory.
Hamas denies involvement in rocket attack on Tel Aviv Press TV 25 Mar 2019 -- The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has rejected Israel's claim that it launched a rocket which hit a house north of Tel Aviv and wounded seven settlers.
Long-range rocket hits near Tel Aviv after Israel attacks Gaza Press TV 25 Mar 2019 -- Israeli authorities say a long-range rocket launched from the Gaza Strip has struck an area near Tel Aviv in central Israel, wounding seven people in the first such incident since a 2014 war on the Palestinian enclave.
Jordan's King Cancels Romania Visit Over Jerusalem Embassy Plan RFE/RL 25 Mar 2019 -- Jordan's King Abdullah II has canceled a visit to Romania in protest at Prime Minister Vorica Dancila's announcement that Romania was planning to move its embassy to Jerusalem.
Israel Begins Striking Hamas Targets in Gaza - IDF Sputnik 25 Mar 2019 -- Earlier in the day, Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesman Avichay Adraee said that Israel sent two military brigades and a command centre to the border with Gaza.
Israel Sends Troops to Gaza Border - Reports Sputnik 25 Mar 2019 -- The development comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cut short his trip to the US on Monday after at least seven people were injured when a rocket fired from Gaza struck a residential building in central Israel.
UN urges 'maximum restraint' as Israel-Hamas tensions rise over rocket attack UN News 25 Mar 2019 -- The UN Secretary-General said he was "gravely concerned" by the firing of a rocket from Gaza deep into Israel on Monday which reportedly injured seven people, including three children, north of the capital Tel Aviv.
Palestinians Report Cease-Fire in Gaza After Day of Violence VOA 25 Mar 2019 -- Palestinian officials say Israel and Hamas have agreed to an Egyptian-mediated cease-fire, after a day of fighting in which Palestinians fired a rocket into Israel and Israel retaliated with airstrikes on Gaza.

Inmates End Own Lives to Protest Rebel Kurdish Leader's Treatment in Turkey VOA 25 Mar 2019 -- At least four Kurdish activists have died in prisons across Turkey since last week, in what lawyers and officials have called suicides over the poor prison conditions of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan.

Serbian Accusation Lingers Of Link Between NATO Bombing, Health Woes RFE/RL 25 Mar 2019 -- Serbian lawmaker Darko Laketic, head of the Commission for Researching Health Impacts of the NATO Bombing, looks at the data and draws a clear line between the Western security alliance's 78-day bombing campaign and a rise in cancer-related disease in children born in the subsequent two decades.
Serbia, Kosovo Mark Anniversary Of NATO Bombings, But View It Very Differently RFE/RL 25 Mar 2019 -- Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic blasted NATO's 1999 bombing campaign of his country, claiming it was "a crime" that led to the deaths of 2,500 civilians and billions of dollars in damage.
Kosovo Deputy Minister Dismissed Over 'Genocide' Comment About NATO RFE/RL 25 Mar 2019 -- Kosovar Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj has fired the country's deputy justice minister, an ethnic Serb, after she called NATO's 1999 bombing campaign of then-Yugoslavia a "planned genocide."

News Reports

Trump has no problem with release of full Mueller report: White House Press TV 25 Mar 2019 -- White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders has said President Donald Trump would have no problem with the release of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's full report into the alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election.
Mueller issues equivocal report, concludes Russia probe Press TV 25 Mar 2019 -- Special counsel Robert Mueller's findings have failed to implicate US President Donald Trump in collusion with Russia during the 2016 presidential campaigning.
U.S. Attorney General's Outline On Mueller Probe Leaves As Many Questions As Answers RFE/RL 25 Mar 2019 -- Within minutes of the March 24 release of U.S. Attorney General William Barr's outline of the report from Special Counsel Robert Mueller, one thing quickly became clear: The investigation into whether President Donald Trump's campaign conspired or coordinated with Russia during the 2016 election has yet to settle the issue.
The Key Findings Of The Mueller Investigation RFE/RL 25 Mar 2019 -- In a sprawling investigation spanning nearly two years, Special Counsel Robert Mueller examined two burning questions: Did President Donald Trump or any of his associates conspire with Russia's efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election and did Trump commit obstruction of justice during the investigation?
Trump Has No Problem With Public Release of Mueller Report - White House Sputnik 25 Mar 2019 -- US President Donald Trump would have no problem with the public release of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia report, White House spokesperson Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on Monday.

DOD Authorizes Support to Counter Drug Border Security DoD 25 Mar 2019 -- Today, Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan authorized the commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to begin planning and executing up to $1 billion in support to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Customs and Border Protection.

Pompeo Cautions Russia Over Reports Of Military Mission In Venezuela RFE/RL 25 Mar 2019 -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has told Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that Moscow's dispatch of military personnel to Venezuela is increasing tensions there and warned that Washington will not "stand idly by."
Second blackout in a month hits Venezuela, cutting power to Caracas Press TV 25 Mar 2019 -- Lights went out across much of Venezuela, including many areas of the capital city of Caracas on Monday less than two weeks after power was restored following a prolonged blackout.
Russia Lands Two Air Force Planes In Venezuela, Official Says RFE/RL 25 Mar 2019 -- A Venezuelan official has told the Associated Press that two Russian Air Force planes arrived in Caracas over the weekend as part of military cooperation between the two countries.
Russian Military Officials Arrive in Venezuela for Defence Talks - Source Sputnik 25 Mar 2019 -- A group of Russian military personnel have arrived in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas to take part in consultations with country's officials on defence industry cooperation, a diplomatic source in Caracas told Sputnik.
Guaido Calls for "Operation Freedom" to Topple Venezuelan President Maduro Sputnik 25 Mar 2019 -- The call follows Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro blaming the country's opposition leader Juan Guaido for being directly involved in a US plot to assassinate him.
Secretary Pompeo's Call With Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov US Dept. of State 25 Mar 2019 -- Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo called Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov today, March 25, on the situation in Venezuela.

Some DPRK officials return to joint liaison office with S.Korea: Seoul Global Times 25 Mar 2019 -- Some of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) officials returned Monday to the joint liaison office with South Korea in the DPRK's border town of Kaesong, South Korea's unification ministry said.
N. Korea returns to inter-Korean liaison office SPA 25 Mar 2019 -- North Korea restored some personnel to a joint liaison office with South Korea on Monday, Seoul's Unification Ministry said, according to Yonhap News Agency.

Xi meets Macron on maintaining sound China-France ties People's Daily 25 Mar 2019 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday stressed the importance of maintaining a sound China-France relationship to both countries' long-term development and its potential impact on the world.
Chinese Leader's Visit to Paris Seen as Test for European Unity VOA 25 Mar 2019 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has been treated to a sumptuous dinner near Nice and an official welcome by his French counterpart at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris – not to mention a 17th-century French translation of Confucius.
China rejects US criticism of govt.-organized Xinjiang visits as 'slander' Sputnik 25 Mar 2019 -- China has rejected as "slander" the US criticism of Beijing-organized visits by foreign diplomats and journalists to the restive western region of Xinjiang, where the Chinese government stands accused of involvement in a crackdown campaign against Muslim minorities.
Former Head of Organization Backed by Chinese Energy Conglomerate Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for International Bribery and Money Laundering Offenses US Dept. of Justice 25 Mar 2019 -- Chi Ping Patrick Ho, aka "Patrick C.P. Ho" and "He Zhiping," was sentenced today to serve 36 months in prison for his role in a multi-year, multimillion-dollar scheme to bribe top officials of Chad and Uganda in exchange for business advantages for CEFC China Energy Company Limited ("CEFC China") Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department's Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman for the Southern District of New York announced.

Bill for referendum on cross-strait agreements being finalized CNA 25 Mar 2019 -- A bill that would create high legislative thresholds to pass any potential political agreement with China and subject such a deal to a national referendum is set to be approved by the Cabinet on Thursday and given priority in the Legislature's current session.
'1992 consensus' key to stabilizing cross-strait ties: Han Kuo-yu CNA 25 Mar 2019 -- Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) said he "strongly supports" the "1992 consensus," describing it as a way of stabilizing cross-Taiwan Strait relations, during his meeting with a high-ranking Chinese official responsible for Taiwan affairs in Shenzhen, China.
Nauru parliament passes resolution to reject 'one China' principle CNA 25 Mar 2019 -- The Parliament of Nauru passed a resolution Monday, rejecting Beijing's "one China" principle and "one country, two systems" framework, during a visit by Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).

Aid Group Says Ebola Outbreak in DRC Growing VOA 25 Mar 2019 -- A global humanitarian aid group reports 58 new cases of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo last week -- the highest weekly number this year.

Philip Hammond: Second Brexit referendum 'deserves to be considered' Press TV 25 Mar 2019 -- Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer (finance minister) Philip Hammond has said that a second Brexit referendum "deserves to be considered," a day after an estimated one million people held demonstrations in London calling for another vote as the deepening Brexit crisis risked sinking Prime Minister Theresa May's premiership.
Brexit Treachery Accusations Rage as Lawmakers Worry About Safety VOA 25 Mar 2019 -- British voters were promised that leaving the European Union after half-a-century of membership would be simple. And according to one leading Brexiter, Liam Fox, negotiating a deal with Britain's erstwhile partners would be the "easiest in human history."

'Ticking bomb' health warning over deteriorating conditions facing Cyclone Idai victims UN News 25 Mar 2019 -- Efforts are continuing to reach all victims of Cyclone Idai in southern Africa where a senior relief chief has warned of a "water, sanitation and hygiene ticking bomb", as the scale of the emergency continues to unfold, and the official death toll rises.
UN Launches $282 Million Appeal for Mozambique Cyclone Relief VOA 25 Mar 2019 -- The top U.N. aid chief says the United Nations is appealing for $282 million to help the victims of Cyclone Idai in Mozambique.
Mozambique Warns of More Flooding from Cyclone-Filled Dams VOA 25 Mar 2019 -- Mozambique's President Filipe Nysui is warning countries ravaged by Cyclone Idai could face more flooding. The cyclone's heavy rains, which killed at least 750 people in Mozambique and neighboring Malawi and Zimbabwe, have also pushed dam retention levels to near maximums.
Cyclone-hit Mozambique Sitting on a 'Sanitation, Hygiene Ticking Bomb' VOA 25 Mar 2019 -- The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is appealing for $30.5 million to provide life-saving aid for 200,000 of the most vulnerable survivors of Cyclone Idai in Mozambique.

Uzbekistan, U.A.E. Sign $10 Billion Worth Of Agreements RFE/RL 25 Mar 2019 -- Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) have signed $10 billion worth of agreements on cooperation in investment and finance, renewable energy, industry and infrastructure development, agriculture, and other fields, according to Uzbekistan's presidential website.

Public Designation, Due to Involvement in Significant Corruption, of Former Guatemalan Official Blanca Aida Stalling Davila US Dept. of State 25 Mar 2019 -- The Secretary of State is publicly designating former Guatemalan Supreme Court Magistrate Blanca Aida Stalling Davila due to her involvement in significant corruption.

The Comedian, the Miracle Worker, the Incumbent: Ukraine Set to Choose Next President VOA 25 Mar 2019 -- Ukraine is preparing to choose a new president, with the first round of voting in scheduled for Sunday. The leading two candidates then will then face a run off two weeks later.

Military-Backed Party Leads in Thai Elections VOA 25 Mar 2019 -- Thais waited Monday for the results of an election called a return to democratic rule, but which has been widely criticized as an exercise designed by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha to entrench his military's stranglehold on power.

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