19 July 2019 Military News

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Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

The New US Electronic Warfare Weapon Used in the Alleged Takedown of Iran's Drone-Report Sputnik 19 Jul 2019 -- The Light Marine Air Defense Integrated System (LMADIS) system was designed for ground use aboard Marine buggies. The Navy deployed those buggies aboard its ships to check if the system would work on water as well.

Eight killed in bomb blast outside Kabul University Press TV 19 Jul 2019 -- At least eight people have been killed and 33 others injured in a bomb blast near a gate to the campus of Kabul University in the Afghan capital.
Blast Kills At Least Eight Outside Kabul University RFE/RL 19 Jul 2019 -- Afghanistan's Health Ministry says at least eight people have been killed when an explosion struck near the entrance to Kabul University.
Swedish Aid Group Reopens Afghan Health Centers After Taliban Threats RFE/RL 19 Jul 2019 -- Afghanistan's Health Ministry says a Swedish aid group has reopened dozens of health centers it operates in the country.
'Indiscriminate blasts' in civilian areas 'must stop', UN mission in Afghanistan stresses UN News 19 Jul 2019 -- The "deliberate targeting of educational facilities" during armed conflict is "a war crime", the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said on Friday after a bomb detonated near the entrance to Kabul University, in the country's capital.

Defense Policy / Programs

National Guard units participate in OCRA 2019 Army News 19 Jul 2019 -- The Alaska National Guard's 103rd Civil Support Team participated in exercise ORCA 2019 at various training locations in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, in partnership with multiple local emergency responders and other Guard CST units from July 15-17.
Normandy Kicks Off COMPTUEX NNS 19 Jul 2019 -- The Sailors aboard the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60) departed Naval Station Norfolk to have their mettle tested before their scheduled deployment July 5.
NECC, CBMU-202 Train for DSCA Ops NNS 19 Jul 2019 -- Sailors assigned to Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit (CBMU) 202 participated in a Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) loading exercise (LOADEX) at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story (JEBLC-FS) and Naval Station Norfolk, July 8-12.
INCSEA 2019 Statement NNS 19 Jul 2019 -- Delegations representing the U.S. and Russian Navies held the annual Prevention of Incidents On and Over the Waters Outside the Limits of the Territorial Sea (INCSEA) consultations July 18, 2019, in Washington D.C.
Hill AFB Airmen expand F-35A combat capability in Rapid Forge US Air Force 19 Jul 2019 -- Airmen from Hill Air Force Base's fighter wings forward deployed the F-35A Lightning II to several locations in Europe as part of a joint readiness exercise.

NATO ships exercise in the Black Sea NATO 19 Jul 2019 -- Over 2,000 forces and 27 ships are taking part in exercise Breeze 2019 in the Black Sea. The Bulgarian-led maritime exercise, which began on 12 July, involves forces from 12 NATO Allies – Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, France, Greece, Italy, Poland, Romania, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States.

US backpedals on bid to build 'anti-Iran' military coalition in Persian Gulf Press TV 19 Jul 2019 -- The Trump administration has backtracked on its earlier bid to build a military coalition in the Persian Gulf to counter what it called the "Iran threat", saying now that the coalition is not aimed at countering the Islamic Republic.

US Moving to Make Arms Sales to Taiwan More Routine VOA 19 Jul 2019 -- A U.S. government arms sale to Taiwan often starts with a quiet request from Taipei, which wants new weapons for its defense against the stronger China. Then the U.S. Department of Defense deliberates for months or more whether to recommend the sale to Congress. This process has no set schedule, frustrating for Taiwan, and China fumes at any approved sales.
US Warnings Force Taiwan to Drop Rocket Developments Amid China Concerns Sputnik 19 Jul 2019 -- Taiwan is no longer considering developing its own rockets after Washington warned that the technology could be viewed as a threat by Beijing and an invitation to weaponize space technology, according to Asia Times, citing local Taiwanese sources.

India to Produce NAG Third Generation Anti-tank Guided Missiles: Defence Ministry Sputnik 19 Jul 2019 -- India's third-generation anti-tank guided missile NAG (Cobra) is set to enter the production stage with the formal announcement of a fortnight-long summer trial near Pakistan's border. NAG anti-tank guided missiles were developed by the state-funded DRDO to engage highly "fortified enemy tanks in all weather conditions".
Indian Military Interested in Adopting Russia's Aviation Experience in Syria Sputnik 19 Jul 2019 -- India is interested in adopting Russia's experience in using military aircraft in anti-terrorist operations in Syria according to Birender Singh Dhanoa, the chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force.

Turkish, US senior officials discuss US removal from F-35 program Global Times 19 Jul 2019 -- Turkish Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin held a conversation with US National Security Adviser John Bolton by phone on Thursday, discussing Turkey's exclusion from the F-35 fighter jet program.
US Wants to Keep 'Strong' Ties With Turkey Despite Booting Ankara From F-35 Programme Over S-400 Row Sputnik 19 Jul 2019 -- The news comes after the US Department of Defence (DoD) said on Wednesday it was in the process of "unwinding" Turkey from its F35 Joint Strike Fighter programme after the latter chose to buy Russia's S-400 surface-to-air missile defence systems.

UK and Sweden partner on future combat air UK MOD 19 Jul 2019 -- The Defence Secretary and her Swedish counterpart have signed a landmark agreement.

Remarks by President Trump Before Marine One Departure The White House 19 Jul 2019

Defense Industry

Contracts for July 19, 2019

Other Conflicts

19 July 2019 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 19 Jul 2019

Saudi crown prince stuck in Yemeni 'quagmire', seeking US help: NY Times report Press TV 19 Jul 2019 -- Facing growing international and domestic pressure, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's military campaign in Yemen has further pushed Riyadh to plead for Washington's assistance, according to a report.

Unidentified drones attack Hashd al-Sha'abi base in Iraq's Salahudin Province: Reports Press TV 19 Jul 2019 -- Unidentified drones have reportedly attacked a base belonging to Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMU) in the Arab country's Salahudin Province.
Drone Attack Hits Shiite Militia Base in Northern Iraq VOA 19 Jul 2019 -- An unidentified drone or drones attacked a Shiite militia base in northern Iraq early Friday, reportedly destroying parts of a weapons depot and causing casualties among Shiite militiamen and advisers from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Lebanon's Hezbollah.

Turkish jets pound Iraqi Kurdistan after Turkish diplomat killed in armed attack Press TV 19 Jul 2019 -- Turkish fighter jets have launched airstrikes on militant positions in Iraq's northern semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, two days after a Turkish diplomat was killed in an armed attack on a restaurant in the area.

Bangladesh Calls for Financial Sanctions on Myanmar, as Country Pushes for Rohingya Repatriation VOA 19 Jul 2019 -- Bangladesh wants Myanmar to repatriate the nearly 1 million Rohingya refugees who have fled genocide, and a top Bangladeshi official wants international financial sanctions to back it up.

Ukrainian President's Office Proposes Sentsov, Vyshinsky Prisoner Swap RFE/RL 19 Jul 2019 -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's office has proposed a prisoner exchange with Russia involving Ukrainian filmmaker Oleh Sentsov, who is jailed in Russia, and Russian journalist Kirill Vyshinsky, who is in detention in Ukraine.
Volker: Moscow's Passport Move For Donbas Residents Diverges From Peace Plan RFE/RL 19 Jul 2019 -- Kurt Volker, the special U.S. envoy to Ukraine, says Russia's move to fast-track the granting of citizenship to all residents of the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk runs counter to efforts to achieve peace in an armed conflict that is in its sixth year.
U.S. Lawmakers Draft Sanctions On 24 Russians Over 24 Detained Ukrainian Sailors RFE/RL 18 Jul 2019 -- A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers dedicated to Ukrainian issues has introduced legislation to sanction members of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) over their roles in taking 24 Ukrainian crewmen captive last November near the Kerch Strait.

Dutch forces '10% liable' for Srebrenica massacre, Supreme Court says Press TV 19 Jul 2019 -- The Supreme Court of the Netherlands has upheld an earlier ruling that found the country partly liable for the deaths of 350 Bosnian Muslims in Bosnia's Srebrenica massacre in 1995.
Dutch Supreme Court Upholds Ruling That Netherlands Was Partly Liable For Srebrenica Deaths RFE/RL 19 Jul 2019 -- The Dutch Supreme Court has upheld an earlier ruling that found the Netherlands partly liable for the deaths of 350 Muslim men in Srebrenica in 1995 during the Bosnian War.
Netherlands 10% Liable for Srebrenica Killings, Dutch Top Court Rules Sputnik 19 Jul 2019 -- The Srebrenica massacre, considered to be the largest mass killing in Europe since the Holocaust, ended in 8,000 Muslim Bosniaks being killed in July 1995 during the Bosnian War. The Dutch troops were tasked to guard a UN safe zone where Muslim men had sought refuge.

News Reports

The United States Sanctions Maduro-aligned Officials of Venezuela's Military Counterintelligence Agency Priority US Dept. of State 19 Jul 2019 -- On July 19, the United States sanctioned four officials of the Maduro-aligned General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence, known as DGCIM, pursuant to E.O. 13692, as amended, for being current or former Maduro-aligned officials.
Treasury Sanctions Officials of Venezuela's Military Counterintelligence Agency US Treasury 19 Jul 2019 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated four officials of the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM). The DGCIM, including these officials, has been accused of systemic human rights abuses and repressing dissent and was sanctioned on July 11, 2019 pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13850, as amended. This action follows the arrest, physical abuse, and death of Venezuelan Navy Captain Rafael Acosta Arévalo.

The Week In Russia: Not That Much Of A Mystery, Riddle, Or Enigma RFE/RL 19 Jul 2019 -- With three of its citizens facing murder charges as increasingly detailed information about how Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down, Russia is still casting it as a "crash" whose cause is a mystery - a familiar tactic when Moscow's involvement in mayhem abroad and at home leads to tragedy.
'It's Not Pretty To Snoop': Tatarstan's Muslims Decry Plans To Install Surveillance Cameras In Mosques RFE/RL 19 Jul 2019 -- As imam of the Mirgaziyan mosque in Kazan, capital of Russia's majority-Muslim republic of Tatarstan, Abdurrauf Zabirov says his sermons have helped parishioners develop "immunity to radical sectarian propaganda of all types."
The Long Arc Of A Gorbachev-Era Dream To Map The Universe RFE/RL 19 Jul 2019 -- When one of the workhorses of Russia's space program took to the sky from Baikonur Cosmodrome last weekend with a payload of Russian and German space telescopes, it was carrying one of humankind's most daring efforts to map the universe.

Former Government Contractor Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for Willful Retention of National Defense Information US Dept. of Justice 19 Jul 2019 -- Law Enforcement Recovered Classified Material, Stolen Over Two Decades, From the Defendant's Home and Car

Pakistan Grants Consular Access To Alleged Indian Spy After ICJ Ruling RFE/RL 19 Jul 2019 -- Pakistan says it has granted consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav, a former Indian naval officer sentenced to death for spying, following a decision this week by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Candidates for Deputies to Local People's Assemblies Nominated in DPRK KCNA 19 Jul 2019 -- Nomination of candidates for deputies to provincial (municipal), city (district) and county people's assemblies of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea ended till July 17.
Preparatory Work for Preventing Damage by Flood and Rainstorm Brisk in DPRK KCNA 19 Jul 2019 -- A campaign for preventing damage by flood and rainstorm is under brisk way in the DPRK.

Iran denies drone shot down by U.S. in Strait of Hormuz, warns against rising tensions Global Times 19 Jul 2019 -- Iran on Friday denied the White House claim that the US Navy has shot down an Iranian drone in the Strait of Hormuz and warned against rising tensions in the region.
US warship destroys Iranian drone in Strait of Hormuz: Trump Global Times 19 Jul 2019 -- US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that a US warship destroyed an Iranian drone in the Strait of Hormuz.
IRGC to release photos of US frigate soon IRNA 19 Jul 2019 -- The Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) public relations office in a statement described as ridiculous US claims on destroying Iranian drone, saying pictures of the US frigate taken by IRGC drone will be released soon.
Armed Forces: Iran's drones are untouched IRNA 19 Jul 2019 -- Spokesman of the Iranian Armed Forces Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi on Friday denied the claim raised by the president on downing of an Iranian drone and announced that all of our unmanned aerial vehicle (UAVs) are intact.
Iran rejects Trump's claim on downing of Iranian drone IRNA 19 Jul 2019 -- Deputy Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that the Islamic Republic of Iran has not lost any drone in the Strait of Hormuz.
Zarif: We have no information about losing drone IRNA 19 Jul 2019 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Thursday evening that he was not aware of any downing of an Iranian drone in the Strait of Hormuz.
IRGC releases drone footage, belying US claim of downing Press TV 19 Jul 2019 -- Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has released footage captured by an Iranian drone flying over the Strait of Hormuz and monitoring a United States Navy vessel, belying a claim by Washington that the unmanned aircraft was shot down by the American forces.
IRGC to release drone footage of USS Boxer to rebut US' 'ridiculous' claim Press TV 19 Jul 2019 -- Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says it will soon release the footage of the USS Boxer, captured by an Iranian drone which President Donald Trump claims was shot down by the US warship.
US may have shot down own drone in Persian Gulf, Iran says of Trump's claim Press TV 19 Jul 2019 -- Iran has rejected US President Donald Trump's claim that a US warship had shot down an Iranian Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran Releases IRGC Video Allegedly Proving US Lied About Downing of Iranian Drone Sputnik 19 Jul 2019 -- Earlier, Tehran denied Donald Trump's statements claiming that a US ship in the Strait of Hormuz had downed an Iranian drone that allegedly flew too close to the vessel, something which Washington characterised as a "defensive action".
US Might Have Downed Their Own Drone by Mistake - Iranian Deputy FM Sputnik 19 Jul 2019 -- The statement comes after US President Donald Trump on Thursday claimed an American ship had destroyed an Iranian drone in the Strait of Hormuz that ignored its warnings. At the same time, Tehran has stated that the Iranian military has no information about losing an aircraft.
Trump Says It's Certain That US Shot Down Iranian Drone VOA 19 Jul 2019 -- U.S. President Donald Trump expressed confidence Friday that an Iranian drone was downed in the Strait of Hormuz as it approached a U.S. warship the previous day.

Iran 'Nothing but Trouble,' Trump Says After Seizure of British Oil Tankers VOA 19 Jul 2019 -- Iran is "nothing but trouble," U.S. President Donald Trump said after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seized two British-owned oil tankers Friday in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran seizes UK oil tanker in Hormuz Strait IRNA 19 Jul 2019 -- The Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) in a statement on Friday announced seizure of a British oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz.
IRGC says captures British oil tanker in Strait of Hormuz Press TV 19 Jul 2019 -- Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has said that it has captured a British oil tanker for breaching international maritime law while crossing the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's IRGC Seizes U.K.-Flagged Tanker In Strait Of Hormuz RFE/RL 19 Jul 2019 -- Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) says it has seized a British tanker in the Strait of Hormuz for an alleged failure "to respect international maritime rules."
UK's Jeremy Hunt Calls Tanker Seizures 'Unacceptable,' Will Respond in 'Robust' Manner Sputnik 19 Jul 2019 -- UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said Friday that an emergency meeting of cabinet members would be called in response to the recent tanker seizures by Iran.

UK detention of Iran tanker extended despite promises Press TV 19 Jul 2019 -- Gibraltar's supreme court has ruled that an Iranian tanker illegally seized by by Britain's Royal Marines can be detained for 30 more days, the territory's attorney general says.
Gibraltar Extends Detention of Iranian Tanker For 30 Days RFE/RL 19 Jul 2019 -- Gibraltar's Supreme Court has ruled that a seized Iranian oil tanker suspected of violating European Union sanctions on Syria can be held for 30 more days, the British territory's attorney general has said.
Court in Gibraltar Extends Iranian Tanker's Detention for 30 Days Sputnik 19 Jul 2019 -- Earlier this month, the government of Gibraltar said that its law enforcement agencies, with support from the UK Royal Marines, detained an Iranian supertanker carrying about 2 million barrels of crude oil.

Export Company Executive Pleads Guilty to Violating U.S. Sanctions against Iran US Dept. of Justice 19 Jul 2019 -- Mahin Mojtahedzadeh (Mahin), age 74, a citizen of Iran, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to unlawfully export gas turbine parts from the United States to Iran.

Pompeo: US needs Iran to 'come to the table' for talks Press TV 19 Jul 2019 -- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo calls on Iran to "come to the table" for talks, repeating President Donald Trump's offer that Washington was ready to conduct the negotiations without preconditions.
This Week in Iran Policy, July 15-19 US Dept. of State 19 Jul 2019
Zarif: US excessive demands to get nowhere IRNA 19 Jul 2019 -- Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Friday reiterated that the US excessive demands will get nowhere, saying that President Donald Trump's recent claim over zero enrichment is repeating the US predecessor's mistake which caused Iran to ramp up nuclear enrichment.
Any military aggression against Iran will drag entire Mideast into chaos: Nasrallah Press TV 19 Jul 2019 -- The secretary general of the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement has warned the US that any military aggression against Iran will drag the entire Middle East into disarray, stressing that Washington will definitely not be the one who determines the end of such a scenario.
China blasts US for banning firms allegedly linked to Iran Press TV 19 Jul 2019 -- China has slammed the United States' recent move to impose sanctions on Chinese firms over the allegation that they are linked to the Iranian nuclear energy program.
Iranian ports flourishing with massive private sector investment Press TV 19 Jul 2019 -- Iran's ports south and north of the country are drawing an unprecedented amount of investment from the private sector as authorities eye a jump in onshore manufacturing activities and an improved transportation network that could help exports and imports at the time of US sanctions.
Washington Ready to Respond to any Iranian Provocations -US President Says SPA 19 Jul 2019 -- US President Donald Trump said the United States is confident that its forces had shot down an Iranian unmanned aircraft over the Strait of Hormuz, on Thursday.
In a statement from the White House, the president said that: "There is no doubt that we dropped it, and we are ready to respond to any other Iranian provocation."
Iran Rolls Out 'Substantial' Offer to Washington in Exchange for Lifting Sanctions Sputnik 19 Jul 2019 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has offered to immediately ratify the JCPOA Additional Protocol in exchange for the immediate removal of US sanctions. Under the first 2015 JCPOA deal, the Protocol was to be confirmed in 2023.
Rouhani: Iran set to keep all paths open to maintain JCPOA IRNA 19 Jul 2019 -- President Hassan Rouhani said on Thursday that Iran is determined to keep all paths open to maintain nuclear deal officially known as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Taiwan offers help for Hong Kong protesters seeking sanctuary CNA 19 Jul 2019 -- The government of Taiwanese president, Tsai Ing-wen, says it would provide assistance to protesters, who are seeking sanctuary after fleeing to the self-ruled island, due to their involvement, earlier this month, in the occupation of the Hong Kong parliament.

China's Tiangong-2 Space Station Plummets to Earth Sputnik 19 Jul 2019 -- China's Tiangong-2 space station re-entered the Earth's atmosphere Friday morning, breaking apart and burning up in a controlled deorbiting over the southern Pacific Ocean.

Taiwan does not promote debt-trap diplomacy: Tsai CNA 19 Jul 2019 -- President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) addressed the Parliament of St. Lucia Thursday, touting the mutual benefits of bilateral cooperation and saying there is no concern Taiwanese loans could ever become debt traps.

Zuma Withdraws From South African Corruption Inquiry VOA 19 Jul 2019 -- Former South African President Jacob Zuma has decided to stop testifying at a public inquiry into state corruption.

American Citizen who became an ISIS Sniper and Trained Other ISIS Members in the Use of Weapons Charged with Providing Material Support to ISIS US Dept. of Justice 19 Jul 2019 -- Defendant Was Transferred to the United States from Custody of Syrian Democratic Forces
Brooklyn Man Charged with Being Islamic State Emir VOA 19 Jul 2019 -- A 42-year-old man from Brooklyn, New York, is back on U.S. soil, charged with fighting for the Islamic State terror group as a sniper before rising through the ranks to become an emir.

Treasury Targets Senior Hizballah Operative for Perpetrating and Plotting Terrorist Attacks in the Western Hemisphere US Treasury 19 Jul 2019 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated a senior member of Hizballah's External Security Organization (ESO), which is responsible for the planning, coordination, and execution of terrorist attacks outside of Lebanon. Specifically, OFAC designated Salman Raouf Salman for acting for or on behalf of Hizballah.
Argentina Labels Hezbollah Terrorist Organization, Orders Asset Freeze Sputnik 19 Jul 2019 -- Argentina's authorities have designated the Lebanese-based Hezbollah movement a terrorist organization and ruled to freeze all financial assets belonging to the group.
Pompeo Confirms US Sanctions Against Hezbollah Suspect in 1994 Argentina Bombing VOA 19 Jul 2019 -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirmed Friday in Argentina that the United States has imposed financial sanctions against a Hezbollah militant group leader suspected of directing a deadly bombing in 1994 of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires that killed 85 people.

Don't panic, support DR Congo in fight against deadly Ebola virus, UN health agency urges UN News 19 Jul 2019 -- Ebola virus is just one challenge among many facing communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday, reiterating an appeal for the international community to show support and solidarity for its people.

Zelenskiy Won Ukrainian Voters Over With Ease; Winning Trump Over May Be Tougher RFE/RL 19 Jul 2019 -- They are political novices who tapped public discontent to win presidential elections, arguably against all odds. They are also TV personalities with a knack for engaging their voters through social media and breaking political protocol.
Parliamentary Elections Put Ukraine at Political Crossroads VOA 19 Jul 2019 -- It was just months ago that a tidal wave of popular support carried a comedian who played the president on a popular sitcom to Ukraine's highest elected office, captivating a massive global audience in the process.

Kosovo's Prime Minister Resigns, Citing Hague Designation As 'Suspect' RFE/RL 19 Jul 2019 -- Kosovo's prime minister, Ramush Haradinaj, has announced his resignation after his designation as a suspect by a Hague-based court that pursues serious crimes committed during and immediately after the 1998-99 Kosovo War.
Kosovo PM Steps Down After Being Summoned to Hague Court Over Disputed Territory's War Crimes Sputnik 19 Jul 2019 -- Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj told a press conference in Pristina on Friday that he will not remain at his post because he cannot be a head of government and a suspect at the same time. Haradinaj was a Kosovo Liberation Army officer in 1998-99 during the armed conflict in the territory with Serbian forces.
Kosovo PM Resigns Following Summons From Hague War Court VOA 19 Jul 2019 -- Kosovo's Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj abruptly resigned Friday after being summoned as a suspect before a war crimes tribunal in The Hague, a development that could lead to snap elections and affect prospects for reconciliation talks with neighboring Serbia.

Former Kyrgyz President Atambaev Refuses To Obey Subpoena For Third Time RFE/RL 19 Jul 2019 -- Former Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev has refused for the third time to obey a subpoena for questioning at the Interior Ministry in Bishkek in an unspecified criminal investigation, a move that could prompt authorities to detain him for questioning.

Zimbabwe: Droughts leave millions food insecure, UN food agency scales up assistance UN News 19 Jul 2019 -- Severe drought has rendered more than a third of rural households in Zimbabwe – or around 3.5 million people – dangerously food insecure, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) revealed on Friday.
Zimbabwe's Food Situation Moving Toward Emergency, UN Says VOA 19 Jul 2019 -- Zimbabwe's food situation is moving from a crisis to an emergency because of El Nino-induced drought and the ongoing economic meltdown, the United Nations said.

Forced Displacement Causes Controversy in Ethiopia's Omo Valley VOA 19 Jul 2019 -- A dam project and sugarcane plantation intended to transform southern Ethiopia could mean the end to a way of life for indigenous people living in the region.

US House Passes Bill to Sanction Cambodia's Top Officials VOA 19 Jul 2019 -- U.S. lawmakers have sent a clear signal to Cambodian leaders that they have to reverse course on limiting democracy or face consequences.

Promise, Peril in Malaysia's Move to Lower Voting Age VOA 19 Jul 2019 -- Parties on either side of Malaysia's deep political divide are hoping to capitalize on a bipartisan bill to lower the country's voting age from 21 to 18, a move likely to swell the ranks of eligible voters.

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