Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Taliban Spokesman Denies Peace Deal Reports, Says Wait Before Talks With US End Sputnik 30 Aug 2019 -- Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid denied recent reports about what was agreed during peace talks with US officials in Qatar, saying everyone should wait for the negotiations to end.

Defense Policy / Programs

• THAAD System Successfully Intercepts Target in Missile Defense Flight Test MDA 30 Aug 2019 -- The U.S. Missile Defense Agency, Ballistic Missile Defense System Operational Test Agency and U.S. Army soldiers of the E-62 Battery, 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, conducted an intercept test today of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) element of the nation's Ballistic Missile Defense System.
• U.S. Missile Defense Agency Announces the Availability of the Continental United States Interceptor Site (CIS) Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) MDA 30 Aug 2019 -- The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) today released the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a potential Continental United States Interceptor Site (CIS). The final EIS document analyzes the environmental impacts at candidate locations in the U.S. best suited for a possible future deployment of ground-based interceptors capable of protecting the homeland against ballistic missile threats from nations such as North Korea and Iran.
• Pentagon Releases Interceptor Site Environment Impact Study, Proposes No Actions - MDA Sputnik 30 Aug 2019 -- The US Department of Defence has released its first study of the possible environmental impact of deploying missile interceptors within the United States, but proposed no actions to build any, Missile Defence Agency (MDA) spokesman Mark Wright said on Friday.
• THAAD Air-Launched Interceptor Destroys Flight Target in Test - US Missile Defence Agency Sputnik 30 Aug 2019 -- A Terminal High Altitude Area Defen?e (THAAD) interceptor launched from a combat aircraft successfully destroyed an in-flight target in a test, US Missile Defen?e Agency (MDA) spokesman Mark Wright said.
• US Space Command Establishment Ceremony Launches New Era of Space Superiority Capabilities US Air Force 30 Aug 2019 -- In a move to enhance the United States' space superiority capabilities, President Donald J. Trump, Vice President Mike R. Pence, Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark T. Esper and Air Force Gen. John W. Raymond formally established the United States Space Command during a ceremony held Aug. 30 at the White House.
• U.S. announces to launch Space Command People's Daily 30 Aug 2019 -- The U.S. government announced on Thursday to establish the U.S. Space Command to defend its interests in space.
• Trump launches new Pentagon command for space warfare Press TV 30 Aug 2019 -- US President Donald Trump has established a new Pentagon command dedicated to warfare in space as Washington considers China and Russia its rivals in the new military frontier.
• Trump Officially Launches U.S. Space Command To Maintain 'Ultimate High Ground' RFE/RL 30 Aug 2019 -- President Donald Trump has officially launched the U.S. Space Command, designed to preserve the country's dominance on "the ultimate high ground."
• Army awards hypersonic weapon system contracts Army News 30 Aug 2019 -- The U.S. Army awarded two contracts as it advances the fielding of a prototype hypersonic weapon by Fiscal Year 2023.
• Lt. Gen. Jack Shanahan Media Briefing on A.I.-Related Initiatives within the Department of Defense DoD 30 Aug 2019 -- Lt. Gen. John N.T. "Jack" Shanahan, Director, Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, Office of the Department Of Defense Chief Information Officer
• Illinois Guard hone their skills with 5th Armored Brigade Army News 30 Aug 2019 -- Soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment, Illinois National Guard trained with cadre assigned to 5th Armored Brigade, First Army Division West at McGregor Range Complex, N.M., August 21-28.
• UNITAS LX Exercise Strengthens Partnerships NNS 30 Aug 2019 -- Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Eleven (CPRW-11) and Patrol Squadron (VP) 30 have ordered aircraft at Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville to set Sortie Condition Alpha and evacuate as Hurricane Dorian heads toward Florida's Atlantic Coast.
• US and Brazilian Medical Team Completes Amazon Humanitarian Mission NNS 30 Aug 2019 -- Six U.S. military medical professionals deployed to Manaus, Brazil completed a 26-day Brazil Riverine humanitarian medical mission with their Brazilian navy counterparts to exchange medical expertise and to provide medical care to isolated communities along the Amazon River, Aug. 30.
• Chief of Naval Operations Visits USS Gerald R. Ford NNS 30 Aug 2019 -- Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Michael Gilday visited the first-in-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) as part of his first visit to the fleet as the 32nd CNO Aug. 28.
• Warsaw, Washington Agree on Six Locations for New Deployment of US Troops in Poland Sputnik 30 Aug 2019 -- Additional US troops are set to be stationed in Poland ahead of Vice President Mike Pence's visit to the country for an event to commemorate the start of WW2. The US Ambassador to Berlin had earlier suggested that US troops in Germany could relocate to Poland after a spat over Berlin's failure to meet its NATO defence spending target.
• Russia Launches Rokot Space Rocket to Orbit Military Satellite Sputnik 30 Aug 2019 -- Russia's Space Forces have launched a Rokot carrier rocket with a military spacecraft from the Plesetsk space centre in the north of the country, the Defence Ministry said.
• Did A Botched Bid To Recover A Sunken Missile Cause The Russian Radiation Blast? RFE/RL 30 Aug 2019 -- The explosion at a Russian naval test range earlier this month that killed at least five people and sent out a plume of radiation may have occurred when specialists tried to salvage a sunken missile from the White Sea floor.
• China plans to attain strategic nuclear capabilities by 2020: MND CNA 30 Aug 2019 -- China is planning to attain strategic nuclear capabilities that can counter other nuclear powers and protect its territory by 2020, according to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense's (MND's) latest assessment on the country's military power.
• China sends new naval fleet for escort mission Global Times 30 Aug 2019 -- The 33rd fleet from the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy on Thursday left the port city of Qingdao in east China's Shandong Province for the Gulf of Aden to escort civilian ships.
• Target drone to prepare China for F-35 threats Global Times 30 Aug 2019 -- The stealth target drone China recently showcased will provide the Chinese military with experience encountering stealth fighter jets like the F-35, as the US and its allies in the Asia-Pacific region are deploying more of such jets, Chinese military experts said on Friday.
• U.S. accountable for all Taiwan arms sales consequences: spokesperson People's Daily 30 Aug 2019 -- The United States is accountable for all consequences of its arms sales to Taiwan, a spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense said Thursday.
• Indian Air Force Seeks More Russian Fighter Jet Amid Dwindling Squadron Sputnik 30 Aug 2019 -- The Indian Air Force (IAF) is examining a proposal to purchase at least 33 Russian fighter jets to replace aircraft either damaged in accidents or taken out of service in recent years
• Israeli Air Force Simulates Strikes in Low Altitude Flights Over Southern Lebanon – Reports Sputnik 30 Aug 2019 -- Tensions between Israel and Lebanon escalated this week following an alleged Israeli attack on Hezbollah's media HQ in Beirut early Sunday morning. At a press event Thursday, the Israeli military accused Iran's Revolutionary Guards of being directly involved in Hezbollah's alleged efforts to build precision-guided missile factories.
• Japan's military seeks record military budget to buy US arms Press TV 30 Aug 2019 -- The Japanese military has sought a hike in its annual budget for the eighth consecutive year in a bid to fund purchase of US-built stealth jet fighters, interceptor missiles and other military hardware to face perceived threats from China and North Korea.
• 'Very Disappointed': Japan Demands US Inspect Choppers After Second Okinawa Mishap Sputnik 30 Aug 2019 -- The Japanese Ministry of Defense has called on US military officials to examine and run maintenance on their fleet of CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters after a second chopper lost its window and endangered the public.
• Turkish President Says Russian Fighter-Jet Purchase Under Consideration RFE/RL 30 Aug 2019 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is indicating that Ankara will consider its options, including Russian fighter jets, as it looks to upgrade its air force amid a rift with Washington that has halted the purchase of U.S. fighters.
• Turkish President Says Russian Fighter-Jet Purchase Under Consideration RFE/RL 30 Aug 2019 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is indicating that Ankara will consider its options, including Russian fighter jets, as it looks to upgrade its air force amid a rift with Washington that has halted the purchase of U.S. fighters.
• Erdogan Says Ankara in Talks With Moscow Over Delivery of Su-57 Fighters to Turkey Sputnik 30 Aug 2019 -- Russia and Turkey are discussing possible deliveries of Russia's Su-35 or Su-57 fighters, with Ankara expressing significant interest in this purchase, Russia's federal military-technical cooperation service reported, following Erdogan's visit to Moscow.
• HMS Queen Elizabeth sails to US for fighter jet trials UK MOD 30 Aug 2019 -- Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth has sailed from Portsmouth today, bound for the east coast of the USA for operational trials.
• Remarks by President Trump Before Marine One Departure The White House 30 Aug 2019

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Aug. 30, 2019
• UK MoD and Airbus Defence and Space withdraw from Canada’s Future Fighter Capability Project Airbus 30 Aug 2019 -- The United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence (UK MoD) and Airbus Defence and Space today informed the Government of Canada of their decision to withdraw from Canada’s Future Fighter Capability Project (FFCP). The decision is the result of a detailed review of the Request for Proposal (RFP), following its release on 23 July 2019.

Other Conflicts

• 30 August 2019 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 30 Aug 2019
• More than half of world's refugee children 'do not get an education', warns UNHCR UN News 30 Aug 2019 -- Refugee children in their millions are missing out on an education, the UN said on Friday, in an appeal to host countries to back more inclusive policies to prevent them from "languishing" in camps for years and losing hope.
• Prospects Dim for Millions of Refugee Children Not in School VOA 30 Aug 2019 -- A report by the U.N. refugee agency finds more than half of the world's refugee children, about 3.7 million, do not go to school and will not gain the skills needed to build a productive future.
• China, the Philippines set up joint steering committee on oil, gas cooperation Global Times 30 Aug 2019 -- China and the Philippines announced Thursday they would set up an intergovernmental joint steering committee on oil and gas cooperation.
• Xi calls for joint efforts with Philippines in achieving early adoption of COC Global Times 30 Aug 2019 -- The Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea is a pioneering undertaking in establishing rules and regulations in the South China Sea, and China and the Philippines should be committed to promoting the adoption of the COC in 2021 or even earlier, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday.
• China's position on South China Sea 'unchangeable' Press TV 30 Aug 2019 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has told President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines that Beijing's position on the South China Sea is unchangeable.
• Philippine Spokesman: No Challenge from Duterte Over Xi's Rebuff on Sea Ruling Radio Free Asia 30 Aug 2019 -- President Rodrigo Duterte did not challenge Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping who rebuffed his attempt to discuss an international ruling over a territorial dispute in the South China Sea, a spokesman for the Philippine leader said Friday about their meeting in Beijing a day earlier.
• As Yemen relief operations face funding gap, timing of surge in violence 'couldn't be worse' UN News 30 Aug 2019 -- The situation in Yemen is "very fragile", the top United Nations humanitarian official there has warned, noting that as many as 13 people have been killed and at least 70 wounded over the past three days during clashes in two governorates.
• Yemeni Gov't Forces Withdraw From Aden to Stop Destruction - Reports Sputnik 30 Aug 2019 -- The internationally recognised government of Yemen withdrew its forces from the interim capital of Aden to stop destruction wreaked by fighting with Southern Transitional Council (STC) organisation, Al Jazeera reported.
• Forces loyal to ex-Yemeni president withdraw from Aden amid rift with UAE Press TV 30 Aug 2019 -- Ex-Yemeni president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi says his forces have withdrawn from the port city of Aden as a rift in the Saudi-led coalition waging a war on the impoverished Arab country continues to widen.
• Syrian forces to cease fire in Idlib de-escalation zone from Saturday: Russia Press TV 30 Aug 2019 -- The Russian Reconciliation Center for Syria says Syrian government forces would cease fire in the de-escalation zone of Syria's embattled northwestern province of Idlib from Saturday morning.
• Syrian army, allied forces retake more terrorist-held towns in Idlib Press TV 30 Aug 2019 -- The Syrian army and its allied forces have made major gains in the northwestern Idlib province, pushing deeper into the last stronghold of Takfiri terrorists and foreign-backed militants.
• Syria slams foreign bid to 'recycle' Takfiri terrorists, defends right to target them Press TV 30 Aug 2019 -- Syria's permanent representative to the United Nations has blasted foreign attempts to "recycle" Takfiri terrorist groups by calling them as "moderate armed opposition," asserting that Damascus will continue to protect its citizens by fighting the foreign-backed militancy even if some countries falsely accuse the government of targeting civilians.
• Syrian Army Gains Control Over 10 Villages East of Khan Sheikhoun - Military Source Sputnik 30 Aug 2019 -- Syrian forces, as of Friday morning, have gained control over 10 villages located east of the already liberated town of Khan Sheikhoun in the province of Idlib, a Syrian military source said.
• Syrian Army Controls Al-Tamanah Town in South of Idlib - Military Commander Sputnik 30 Aug 2019 -- The Syrian army has taken control of new areas in the southern part of Idlib as it continues military operations to regain control of the north of the country, a Syrian military commander said on Friday.
• Turkey Sending Armored Vehicles to Border With Syria Amid Tensions in Idlib – Reports Sputnik 30 Aug 2019 -- Turkey continues to send armored vehicles to the Syrian border amid the ongoing tensions in Idlib province in northern Syria, Turkey's Anadolu news agency reported.
• Israel 'Absolutely Behind' Attacks on Militia Bases in Iraq, Lawmaker Claims, Citing Probe Results Sputnik 30 Aug 2019 -- Earlier, a group of Iraqi lawmakers described the recent spate of airstrikes in the country allegedly conducted by Israel as a "declaration of war" by Tel Aviv.
• Ukraine rejects reports of prisoner swap deal with Russia Press TV 30 Aug 2019 -- Ukraine's presidential office has rejected press reports of a prisoner exchange deal between Kiev and Russia, noting that talks on the swap agreement are still ongoing.
• Ukrainian President Denies Prisoner Swap With Russia Completed, Says Negotiations Ongoing RFE/RL 30 Aug 2019 -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says that negotiations to exchange prisoners with Russia are continuing despite earlier unconfirmed reports that a swap had been completed.
• The United States Denounces Calls to Resume Armed Conflict in Colombia US Dept. of State 30 Aug 2019
• Colombia Issues Arrest Warrant for 4 FARC Rebel Leaders - Report Sputnik 30 Aug 2019 -- A Colombia peace tribunal has ordered the arrest of four Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel leaders who have pledged to rearm, AP reported Thursday.
• Israel bears full responsibility for drone attack on Lebanon, Hariri tells UN chief Press TV 30 Aug 2019 -- Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri says the Israeli regime bears full responsibility for the last weekend's drone attack on the southern part of the country's capital Beirut.
• Terrorists Set to Infiltrate India from Multiple Launch Pads across LoC - Army Chief Sputnik 30 Aug 2019 -- In last two days, the army chiefs of both Pakistan and India have visited forward areas and reviewed the operational preparedness of their forces along the Line of Control (LoC). Tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours has risen since New Delhi revoked Article 370, which had granted Jammu and Kashmir a special constitutional status.
• Pakistan PM's Effort to Spotlight Kashmir Gets Lackluster Response VOA 30 Aug 2019 -- The Pakistani prime minister's call for the country to show solidarity with Kashmiris by standing outside their homes, shops and offices for 30 minutes Friday seemed to receive a lackluster response. Many questioned its efficacy.
• Tibetan College Grads Struggle to Find Jobs Amid Chinese Claims of Progress Radio Free Asia 30 Aug 2019 -- Tibetan university graduates still struggle to find work in Tibetan regions of China despite reports in state media of high rates of employment, Tibetan sources say.
• Tensions Along Disputed Georgia-South Ossetia Boundary Lead To Calls For Restraint RFE/RL 30 Aug 2019 -- The international community sought to defuse rising tensions between Georgia and its breakaway region of South Ossetia, as Tbilisi said it had observed a "mobilization of military equipment and personnel" in the separatist region after an ultimatum issued by the Russia-backed territory expired.
• Military Buildup in the Russian-occupied Georgian Region of South Ossetia US Dept. of State 30 Aug 2019
• Standout General Picked to Lead Somalia's Al-Shabab Fight VOA 30 Aug 2019 -- One morning in mid-August, the al-Shabab militant group launched a massive attack on a Somali government military base at the newly captured strategic town of Awdhegle in the Lower Shabelle region.

News Reports

• US penalizes shipping firms for helping North Korea circumvent sanctions Press TV 30 Aug 2019 -- The United States has imposed sanctions on two individuals from Taiwan and three Chinese shipping firms it says are helping North Korea circumvent sanctions.
• US Imposes New North Korea Sanctions on 2 Taiwanese Individuals, 3 Entities, 1 Vessel Sputnik 30 Aug 2019 -- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo earlier expressed hope that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was committed to denuclearising his country, saying that otherwise, the US would "continue to keep on the sanctions that are the toughest in all of history".
• Treasury Designates Shipping Network Engaged in Ship-to-Ship Transfers with North Korean Vessels US Treasury 30 Aug 2019 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced North Korea-related designations of two individuals and three entities, and further identified one vessel as blocked property, continuing the implementation and enforcement of existing sanctions. This action highlights North Korea's continued use of illicit ship-to-ship (STS) transfers to circumvent United Nations (UN) sanctions that restrict the import of petroleum products, as well as the U.S. Government's commitment to implement existing UN Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs).
• North Korea Blames US 'Imperialistic Behavior,' 'Double Dealing' For Missile Tests Sputnik 30 Aug 2019 -- The official newspaper of the hermit nation published an article explaining why Pyongyang restarted their missile launches, despite an apparent thawing of diplomatic relations with Washington.
• US blacklists Iranian-operated Adrian Darya 1, sanctions captain Press TV 30 Aug 2019 -- The United States has blacklisted the Iranian-operated supertanker Adrian Darya 1 and sanctioned its captain, according to the US Treasury Department.
• United States Sanctions IRGC-Qods Force Oil Network US Dept. of State 30 Aug 2019 -- Today, the Department of the Treasury took action against the Adrian Darya 1, and designated its captain, Kumar Akhilesh for acting for or on behalf of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) Shipping Network under E.O. 13224.
• Treasury Targets Oil Tanker Adrian Darya 1 and its Captain US Treasury 30 Aug 2019 -- The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action today against Adrian Darya 1, an oil tanker transporting 2.1 million barrels of Iranian crude oil ultimately benefitting Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF).
• Zarif says US seeking to break int'l system IRNA 30 Aug 2019 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the US is presenting one of the harshest unilateral approaches in an extremist way which can break the international system.
• Envoy says IAEA new report verifies Iran commitment to JCPOA IRNA 30 Aug 2019 -- Iran's ambassador and permanent representative to the Vienna-based international organizations Kazem Gharibabadi said the new report released by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has verified Iran's commitment to nuclear deal and refers to Iran's new choices.
• IAEA verifies Iran's compliance with JCPOA on heavy water stockpile limitation Press TV 30 Aug 2019 -- The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says Iran continues to comply with limitations set by a nuclear agreement it signed with major world powers in 2015 on the country's stockpiles of heavy water.
• EU welcomes any progress beyond maintaining Iran nuclear deal: Mogherini Press TV 30 Aug 2019 -- European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini says the 28-nation bloc will continue working to preserve a nuclear deal signed between Iran and world powers in 2015 but will welcome any progress beyond it.
• Iran open to talks on implementing existing nuclear deal, not a new one: Zarif Press TV 30 Aug 2019 -- Iran's foreign minister says the country will not renegotiate its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, but is open to talks on finding ways to implement the existing accord.
• Trump Says U.S. 'Not Involved' In Iranian Rocket Launch Explosion RFE/RL 30 Aug 2019 -- U.S. President Donald Trump says Washington had nothing to do with the explosion of an Iranian rocket as it sat on its launchpad at the Imam Khomeini Space Center.
• Iranian-Flagged Tanker Reverses Course Again, Destination Unclear RFE/RL 30 Aug 2019 -- An Iranian-flagged oil tanker that has been pursued by the United States in the Mediterranean Sea for weeks has changed course once again, with questions remaining as to its true destination.
• Britain, France, Germany Meet To Discuss Iran Deal, Gulf Shipping RFE/RL 30 Aug 2019 -- The European Union will continue to work to preserve the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal but is open to any progress beyond it.
• U.S. Sanctions Iran-Linked Entities, Individuals In Lebanon, Oman RFE/RL 30 Aug 2019 -- The United States has announced a set of sanctions in Lebanon and Oman targeting the financing of the Iran-backed Hizballah militant group, which opposes Israel.
• Iran Atomic Energy Organization Head Vows 'Good News' About Nation's Nuclear Program Sputnik 30 Aug 2019 -- Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Ali Akbar Salehi, while commenting on reports that Tehran stopped its nuclear activities following the adoption of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal, said that this was not the case.
• Chinese Authorities Detain Highest-Ranking Uyghur Police Officer in Xinjiang Capital Urumqi Radio Free Asia 30 Aug 2019 -- Authorities in northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) have detained the highest-ranking Uyghur police officer in the regional capital, who was reviled for ruthlessly implementing Beijing's repressive policies against members of his ethnic community, according to sources.
• Hong Kong Police Urge Residents to Stay Away from Unauthorized Rallies VOA 30 Aug 2019 -- A major protest planned for Saturday was called off by organizers after an appeals board denied permission for the demonstration.
• Police brace for violence as illegal protesters gather on HK streets Global Times 31 Aug 2019 -- Despite Hong Kong police's objection to a march organized by the opposition group, rioters brazenly flouted the law and order by inciting protesters and vowing to stage a large-scale demonstration on Hong Kong Island on Saturday. The radical protesters published a detailed plan encouraging the use of hazardous weapons to counter the police.
• Taiwan urges dialogue following arrest of Hong Kong activists CNA 30 Aug 2019 -- Political leaders in Taiwan voiced grave concern and urged dialogue following the arrest of several pro-democracy leaders in Hong Kong on Friday, ahead of a rally planned for the next day which the police have banned for the first time since protests started 13 weeks ago.
• PLA garrison in Hong Kong capable of performing duties stipulated by law: spokesperson Global Times 30 Aug 2019 -- The Hong Kong Garrison of the Chinese People's Liberation Army is determined, confident and capable of performing duties stipulated by the Law of the People's Republic of China on Garrisoning the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to safeguard the region's long-lasting prosperity and stability, a military spokesperson said Thursday.
• Shenzhen police stage new drill using water cannons to deal with riot Global Times 30 Aug 2019 -- The People's Armed Police staged a new drill that featured an apparent large-scaled anti-riot exercises in Shenzhen's Bay Sports Center on Thursday, near Hong Kong.
• Court's release of arrested protest leaders deepens concerns of riots in Hong Kong Global Times 30 Aug 2019 -- The release of two heads of secessionists in Hong Kong on Friday, hours after their arrestment the same day, had deepened concerns that a banned rally on Saturday could turn into extreme violence.
• Radical forces are ruining HK economy People's Daily 30 Aug 2019 -- Hong Kong's economy continues on a downward path as violence engulfs the city, as illegal protests continue to escalate after two months of unrest.
• Three leading separatists arrested, Hong Kong police confirm People's Daily 30 Aug 2019 -- Three of Hong Kong's leading separatists – including leader of the illegal Occupy movement Joshua Wong Chi-fung and founder of a banned separatist party Andy Chan Ho-tin - have been arrested.
• Hong Kong Police Arrest Joshua Wong, Several Other Prominent Activists Radio Free Asia 30 Aug 2019 -- Hong Kong police have made a string of high-profile arrests in recent days, including of former 2014 protest leader Joshua Wong, who hit out at the move as an attempt to "manipulate" the city's residents, who have risen up to oppose plans to allow extradition to mainland China since June.
• China Declines to Confirm Reports It Barred Hong Kong From Dropping Extradition Bill Sputnik 30 Aug 2019 -- A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Friday dodged a question about whether the central government had barred Hong Kong from scrapping the extradition bill.
• Rights Groups Urge China to End Enforced Disappearances VOA 30 Aug 2019 -- Marking the International Day of Victims of Enforced Disappearances on Aug. 30, several human rights groups called on China to stop using the practice of disappearances to silence human rights defenders, dissidents and other members of civil society.
• Prominent Hong Kong Activists Arrested in Crackdown on Protests VOA 30 Aug 2019 -- Police in Hong Kong have arrested three prominent pro-democracy activists, ahead of a major protest that had been planned for Saturday. The march had already been called off by organizers after an appeals board denied permission.
• Hong Kong Political Activist Joshua Wong Arrested Sputnik 30 Aug 2019 -- Joshua Wong was among three student leaders sentenced to prison in 2017 by the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal for their role in the 2014 protests known as the Umbrella Revolution.
• Foreign Minister: Taiwan-US Relations Probably at Their Best Ever VOA 30 Aug 2019 -- Taiwan's relations with the United States have reached their strongest point ever despite a lack of formal diplomatic ties as officials in Washington value the Asian government's role in international causes, Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said Friday.
• Satellite Images Appear to Show Smoke Billowing From Iran Launch Site After Failed Rocket Test Sputnik 30 Aug 2019 -- Known for its advances in the field of missile technology, Iran is also a fledgling space power, and has built space rockets and satellites for peaceful purposes for about a decade. The US and its allies have demanded that Tehran desist from launching satellites, considering such launches a violation of the nuclear deal. Iran dismisses such claims.
• Iran Official Says Rocket Explodes On Launch Pad -- Third Failure of Year RFE/RL 30 Aug 2019 -- An Iranian official has said that a rocket exploded on its launch pad at the Imam Khomeini Space Center ahead of a planned launch, the apparent third failed launch this year by Tehran.
• Cutting-Edge Chinese Satellite Malfunctions After Launch - Reports Sputnik 30 Aug 2019 -- The ChinaSat-18 (Zhongxing-18) telecom satellite suffered a technical malfunction immediately after launch, SpaceNews reported on Thursday.
• Alarming number of Ebola deaths in DRC a 'rallying cry' to scale up treatment UN News 30 Aug 2019 -- Since the Ebola epidemic struck in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) one year ago, almost 600 of around 850 children who have caught the virus have now died, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) reported on Friday.
• Ebola Cases Top 3,000 in Democratic Republic of Congo VOA 30 Aug 2019 -- The Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo has reached another grim milestone, the World Health Organization says. More than one year after the epidemic was declared, the WHO confirmed 3,004 cases, including 2,006 deaths.
• In India's Assam State, Campaign against Illegal Immigrants Jeopardizes Millions VOA 30 Aug 2019 -- In India's northeastern Assam state, anxiety and panic is mounting among nearly four million people who fear they may no longer count as Indian citizens although many have lived in the country for decades.
• US sanctions Lebanon's Jammal Trust Bank over links to Hezbollah Press TV 30 Aug 2019 -- The administration of US President Donald Trump has imposed sanctions on a Lebanon-based bank and its subsidiaries over accusations of providing financial services to the Lebanese Resistance Movement, Hezbollah.
• Britain Heads Into Mother of All Battles in Parliament VOA 30 Aug 2019 -- Britain's politicians are gearing up for what is being dubbed the mother of all battles in the mother of parliaments – a clash that could reshape Britain's democracy for decades to come by deciding whether the House of Commons or the government has the upper political hand.
• Nigerian Government Accuses Local Shiites of Plotting Violent Revolution VOA 30 Aug 2019 -- Abdullahi Musa, a Nigerian engineer, does not sleep in the same house for long these days. He frequently moves around different neighborhoods throughout Abuja, where he was born and reared. Musa has been increasingly concerned about his security.
• Ukraine's Zelenskiy Inducts Politically Untested Government RFE/RL 30 Aug 2019 -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and his ruling political party have formed the youngest and least-experienced government in Ukraine's post-independence history.