22 November 2019 Military News

Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
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Current Operations

Ghani's Office Says Trump Insists On Cease-Fire As 'Precondition' For Afghan Peace Talks RFE/RL 22 Nov 2019 -- President Ashraf Ghani's office says the Afghan leader has discussed the government's seven-point peace plan in a telephone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump, who insisted on a cease-fire as a "precondition" to begin negotiations with the Taliban.
U.S. Says It Supports India's Continued Involvement In Afghanistan RFE/RL 22 Nov 2019 -- The United States says it supports India's continued involvement in Afghanistan, including its "substantial" investment and aid to the war-ravaged country.
US Wants India to Keep Contributing to 'Stability' in Afghanistan Sputnik 22 Nov 2019 -- New Delhi (Sputnik): India has so far committed over $3 billion in aid and assistance to Afghanistan, taking up several infrastructure and humanitarian projects.
With Daesh Gone, Taliban Once Again Tops List of Deadliest Terrorist Groups Sputnik 22 Nov 2019 -- Deaths caused by terrorist attacks around the world fell dramatically in the last few years, but with the world's largest terrorist group, Daesh, removed from the equation, Afghanistan's Taliban once again tops the list as the world's deadliest non-state organization.

Defense Policy / Programs

Hawaii National Guard in Guam for Vigilant Guard 2020 exercise Army News 22 Nov 2019 -- The Hawaii National Guard participated in the final Vigilant Guard disaster response exercise of the year in Guam in late November.
NY, NJ National Guard troops train for disaster response Army News 22 Nov 2019 -- Six hundred New York and New Jersey National Guard Soldiers and Airmen demonstrated during a two-day training exercise Nov. 15-16 that they're ready to handle disasters.
Partnering With Private Industry Necessary for U.S., U.K. Defense, Official Says DoD News 22 Nov 2019 -- The future of defense for the United States and the United Kingdom in the face of growing cyber threats and technological change was a key topic of the 2019 Atlantic Future Forum yesterday aboard the U.K. Royal Navy's HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier, anchored near Annapolis, Maryland, on the Chesapeake Bay.
MARSOC takes certification exercise to the next level USMC News 22 Nov 2019 -- Marine Forces Special Operations Command recently concluded a series of exercises in the Gulf Coast region aimed at streamlining integration of forces at various command levels. The three-10-day exercises were a collaborative effort between MARSOC, governmental agencies and other stakeholders to evaluate Marine Special Operations units deploying in support of Theater Special Operations Commands and Combined Joint Special Operations Task Forces across the globe.
HSC-25 Conducts MEDEVAC of Chinese Citizen at Sea NNS 22 Nov 2019 -- The Guam-based "Island Knights" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 25 responded to a civilian in medical distress request aboard a Hong Kong-flagged vessel in the Pacific, Nov 20.
Naval Oceanography Continues Long-standing Relationship with Bahrain NNS 22 Nov 2019 -- In November 2017, a four-member team of naval hydrographers executed a joint cooperative survey of Mina Salman, Bahrain with the Bahraini Survey and Land Registration Bureau (SLRB).
US Navy's New Recovery System Completes 22 Aircraft Recoveries in 26 Minutes Sputnik 22 Nov 2019 -- This week, the US Navy's Naval Air Systems Command announced a success in the development of the General Atomics Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG), the turbo-electric aircraft recovery system for its new Ford-class aircraft carriers.
B-52 bomber crews complete live-fire training with Army in Hawaii US Air Force 22 Nov 2019 -- U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress bomber aircrews participated in live-fire training operations with the U.S. Army over the Pohakuloa Training Area, located on the Big Island of Hawaii, Nov. 15 and 18.
US Navy Conducts Two 'Freedom of Navigation' Ops in South China Sea - Report Sputnik 22 Nov 2019 -- US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper criticized earlier Beijing's policy in the South China Sea, accusing the country of jeopardizing regional stability and adding that the US will maintain its routine military presence in the region "to demonstrate the seriousness" of commitments.

Putin Pledges To Perfect Mystery Weapon After Deadly August Blast RFE/RL 22 Nov 2019 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed to press on with the development of a weapon that has been at the center of a deadly nuclear accident in August.

Photos: China's Newest Aircraft Carrier Spotted by Satellites at Hainan Naval Base Sputnik 22 Nov 2019 -- Just days after transiting the Taiwan Strait, China's newest aircraft carrier, the Type 001A, was spotted by satellites moored at pier on Hainan Island, on the northern coast of the South China Sea. The ship is anticipated to join the fleet before the end of the year.

‘Illegal colonial occupier’: Mauritius blasts UK as it skips UN deadline to return Chagos Islands housing US airbase RT 22 Nov 2019 -- The UK missed a UN deadline to vacate its Indian Ocean islands, the largest of which hosts an American airbase, garnering some strong words from its former colony Mauritius, which sold them to London for £3m back in the day.

Iranian armed forces joint air defense drill statrted IRNA 22 Nov 2019 -- Iranian armed forces joint air defense drill codenamed "Modafe'an-e Aseman-e Velayat 98"(Guardians of Velayat's Sky-98) started on Friday.
Iran Air Force maneuver completely successful: Commander Press TV 22 Nov 2019 -- A senior Iranian commander says the massive maneuver underway in central Iran has fulfilled its objectives and managed to eliminate all pre-determined targets.
US must responsibly beware lives of its troops, IRGC warns Press TV 22 Nov 2019 -- The United States must act responsibly to protect the lives of its soldiers in the region, says a top IRGC commander, warning that Iran is ready to respond to any threat by using defensive and offensive measures.

Seoul to Save GSOMIA Intel-Sharing Pact with Japan KBS 22 Nov 2019 -- Just six hours before the expiration of the General Security of Military Information Agreement(GSOMIA) with Japan, South Korea announced that it will not let the deal expire on Friday at midnight. The uncertain fate of GSOMIA has been an indicator of the deteriorating relations between Seoul and Tokyo.
South Korea Cancels Coast Guard Drills With Japan Amid Deterioration of Relations - Reports Sputnik 22 Nov 2019 -- South Korea has cancelled its planned coast guard drills with Japan aimed at preventing maritime accidents, the NHK broadcaster reported on Friday, citing a regional coast guard base amid a spiralling political and trade row between Seoul and Tokyo.

S. Korean lawmakers tell U.S. they can't accept hefty hike in defense costs ARIRANG 22 Nov 2019 -- Amid a tug-of-war between South Korea and the U.S. over their share of the defense costs for next year, South Korean lawmakers have made their way to the U.S. to say Seoul can't accept a drastic increase in its share of the costs.

Legislature passes special budget for F-16 purchase CNA 22 Nov 2019 -- Taiwan's Legislature on Friday passed a special budget for the purchase of a new fleet of advanced F-16 fighter jets from the United States, less than one month after the budget was approved by the Cabinet on Oct. 31.

U.S. Warns Turkey, Egypt About Purchase Of Russian Military Equipment RFE/RL 22 Nov 2019 -- A senior State Department official has lashed out at Turkey and Egypt for military deals they have struck with Russia, warning of sanctions against the U.S. allies if they don't reverse course.
Turkey Has to 'Destroy, Return, or Somehow Get Rid of S-400' - US Department of State Sputnik 22 Nov 2019 -- The news comes a week after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan refused to ditch the S-400 air defence systems that Ankara has purchased from Russia, stating it is "not right". The politician noted that his country is ready to buy Patriot systems from the US on favourable terms, but dismissed the US demands as meddling in Turkey's sovereign affairs.

Defense Industry

Contracts For Nov. 22, 2019

Other Conflicts

22 November 2019 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 22 Nov 2019

US a 'spoiler' in South China Sea peace Global Times 22 Nov 2019 -- Two US Navy vessels, littoral combat ship Gabrielle Giffords and the destroyer Wayne E. Meyer, trespassed into the adjacent sea area of the Nansha Islands and the territorial waters of the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea on Wednesday and Thursday. The Gabrielle Giffords sailed within 12 nautical miles of the Meiji Reef. The Chinese navy and air force tracked and monitored the two vessels, verified them and warned them to leave.
Beijing warns US against provocations after two warships sailed in South China Sea Press TV 22 Nov 2019 -- Two US warships have sailed close to the islands claimed by Beijing in the disputed South China Sea in a move harshly denounced by China as provocative acts, which could result in "unforeseeable accidents" in the strategic waterway at a time of heightened tension between the world's two largest economies.
Beijing Protests US Sending Combat Ships to Disputed Islands in South China Sea Sputnik 22 Nov 2019 -- Beijing has vigorously protested the passage of US naval vessels through the South China Sea, claiming that the United States' actions have damaged China's sovereignty and security considerably, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang said on Friday.

In Yemen, Signs of De-escalation in Fighting VOA 22 Nov 2019 -- The U.N. envoy for Yemen said Friday that there has been a substantial decrease in violence in key areas of the war-wracked country.
Yemeni Government: Houthi Terrorist Militia Recruited More Than 30,000 Children SPA 22 Nov 2019 -- The Yemeni government has accused the Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist militia of recruiting more than 30,000 children and putting them on the battlefield.
'Signs of hope' toward a political settlement in Yemen, UN special envoy tells Security Council UN News 22 Nov 2019 -- The momentum to reach a political settlement in Yemen "has been building", the United Nations Special Envoy to the country told the Security Council on Friday, attributing the positive development to compromises on "a range of issues".

US Not Doing Anything Illegal by Securing Syria's Oil Fields, Special Envoy Jeffrey Believes Sputnik 22 Nov 2019 -- Washington is not doing anything illegal by securing oil fields in Syria, US Special Representative for Syria Engagement James Jeffrey told reporters on Friday.
Moscow Slams US Actions in Syria, Including Near Oil Fields, as 'Destructive', 'Inconsistent' Sputnik 22 Nov 2019 -- Despite scaling down the US military presence in Syria, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that the country intends to retain control of the oil fields in northeastern Syria.
Syrian Constitutional Committee a 'sign of hope': UN envoy tells Security Council UN News 22 Nov 2019 -- The launch of the Syrian Constitutional Committee could be a "door-opener" to finally providing a solution to the country's brutal conflict, UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen said on Friday in a briefing to the Security Council.
Kremlin Denies Knowledge of Grisly Wagner Killing in Syria VOA 22 Nov 2019 -- A Russian who participated in the torture of a captive in Syria and filmed the prisoner's dismemberment and beheading has been identified by media outlets as a former policeman from Stavropol in southern Russia, who served as a mercenary employed by the Wagner Group, a Kremlin-sponsored private military contractor.

Myanmar Rakhine Conflict Captives in Limbo as Prisoner Swaps Are Rejected Radio Free Asia 22 Nov 2019 -- Some 30 Myanmar policemen and soldiers are now believed to be in the hands of the rebel Arakan Army, captured since fighting with the government military intensified nearly a year ago in Rakhine state, according to estimates based on previous figures issued by the ethnic armed organization.

Amnesty Demands Russia, South Ossetia End Travel 'Ban' To Rest Of Georgia RFE/RL 22 Nov 2019 -- Amnesty International has demanded that Russia and its client authorities in South Ossetia reverse a recent "complete ban" on movement between the breakaway region and the rest of Georgia.

Thousands Flee as Extremists Go on Rampage in Northeast Burkina Faso VOA 22 Nov 2019 -- The U.N. refugee agency is calling for greater protection for thousands of people fleeing escalating violence in northeastern Burkina Faso. It says the lack of security is hampering humanitarian agencies' efforts to reach those in desperate need of aid.

News Reports

Trump Dismisses Impeachment Hearings VOA 22 Nov 2019 -- U.S. President Donald Trump is doubling down on his claims that the impeachment inquiry is another episode in his political opponents' long saga to block him from winning the election, and to overthrow his presidency.

Russian Duma Approves Bill Allowing Government to Label Individuals as Foreign Agents VOA 22 Nov 2019 -- The lower house of Russia's parliament, the State Duma, Thursday overwhelmingly passed legislation that would allow the government to label journalists, bloggers, and social media users as foreign agents.
Russian Athletes Again Face Possible Olympic Ban After WADA Panel Ruling RFE/RL 22 Nov 2019 -- Russia is again facing an Olympic ban after a key World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) committee recommended that Russia's anti-doping agency be declared noncompliant.
The Week In Russia: Survey Says: Russians Want More Rights RFE/RL 22 Nov 2019 -- An opinion poll shows that the proportion of Russians who consider rights like the freedom of speech and assembly to be of crucial importance has increased sharply during President Vladimir Putin's current term. Also, Moscow's unusual rights-court claim about domestic-violence victims is likened to trolling, and the Kremlin avoids substantive comment on a horrific killing in Syria.
World Athletics Council Suspends Process To Readmit Russia's Athletics Federation RFE/RL 22 Nov 2019 -- The World Athletics Council is putting on hold the readmission process of the Russian Athletics Federation (RUSAF) a day after several top RUSAF officials were suspended.

Russia Confident Serbia 'Partnership' Won't Be Affected By Spying Scandal RFE/RL 22 Nov 2019 -- The Kremlin has expressed confidence that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic's planned visit to Moscow next month will "once again demonstrate the spirit of partnership" between the two countries, after Belgrade said it had uncovered spying by Russian agents.

Former CIA Officer Sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Espionage US Dept. of Justice 22 Nov 2019 -- A former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) case officer was sentenced today to 19 years in prison for conspiring to communicate, deliver and transmit national defense information to the People's Republic of China (PRC).

Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un's Guidance for Making History of Gold Seas KCNA 22 Nov 2019 -- The fishery stations run by the Korean People's Army (KPA) in the eastern coastal area of the DPRK are now making remarkable successes in winter intensive fishing campaign.
US responsible if Korea talks break down: Pyongyang Press TV 22 Nov 2019 -- North Korea's vice minister of foreign affairs has warned that Washington will be held responsible if the opportunity for diplomatic talks over the Korean Peninsula is lost.
Family of Late US Student Otto Warmbier Begins Global Campaign to Restrict Pyongyang's Finances Sputnik 22 Nov 2019 -- In an effort to "hold North Korea responsible" for its alleged human rights abuses, the parents of a US student who died after being released from North Korean custody announced they would begin a judicial campaign to seize Pyongyang's assets worldwide.

Independent rights experts sound alarm at Iran protest crackdown, internet blackout UN News 22 Nov 2019 -- Reports of killed and maimed demonstrators, and a continuing nationwide internet shutdown in Iran's now week-long protests are of "grave concern", and the Government and authorities must ensure rights of expression and opinion are protected, a UN group of independent experts said on Friday.
Iran Keeps Internet Mostly Off for 7th Day as US Levies Sanctions VOA 22 Nov 2019 -- Iran has extended a major shutdown of internet access into a seventh day to suppress domestic opposition to the government, prompting the United States to sanction the Iranian official overseeing the outage.
US Treasury Dept. Sanctions Iranian Information Minister Over Internet Restrictions Sputnik 22 Nov 2019 -- The Iranian government reported earlier in the week that Iran would restore a stable Internet connection as soon as the situation in the country becomes stable.
The United States Holds Iranian Officials Accountable for Crackdown on Protestors US Dept. of State 22 Nov 2019
Treasury Designates Iran's Minister of Information and Communications Technology in View of the Regime's Repressive Internet Censorship US Treasury 22 Nov 2019 -- The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action today against Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi, Iran's Minister of Information and Communications Technology, pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13846, for his role in the Iranian regime's widescale internet censorship.
US imposes sanctions on Iran's IT minister IRNA 22 Nov 2019 -- US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in a statement on Friday imposed sanctions on Iran's Minister of Communications and Information Technology Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi which is another step in line with economic terrorism against Iranian people.
US imposes sanctions on Iran's information minister amid nationwide internet shutdown Press TV 22 Nov 2019 -- The United States has imposed sanctions on Iran's Minister of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi over the nationwide shutting down of the internet during the recent protests against fuel price hikes in the country.
US threatens more sanctions to provoke unrest in Iran Press TV 22 Nov 2019 -- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has threatened to impose even more sanctions on Iran over the country's handling of the recent riots, even though the unrest is believed to be the result of Washington's unilateral sanctions.
Iran Says 100 Protest 'Leaders' Arrested As Unrest, Internet Block Continue RFE/RL 22 Nov 2019 -- Iran's judiciary has acknowledged the arrest of around 100 alleged leaders of ongoing public unrest over gasoline rationing and price hikes that have been met with a fierce official response and bellicose warnings against further crossing the regime.
Scaling down Iran's JCPOA-related commitments and Europe's irresponsible reactions IRNA 22 Nov 2019 -- Iran has left behind another constraint on the JCPOA by increasing its heavy water reserves. Scaling down obligations in the JCPOA by Iran has faced negative reactions from the European countries, while Europe has so far failed to even meet one of its JCPOA-related obligations.
Iran still faithful to all its JCPOA obligations, envoy tells IAEA Press TV 22 Nov 2019 -- Iran has told the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that it is still faithful to the terms of its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, and has not breached any of its commitments under the multilateral accord.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang's Regular Press Conference on November 22, 2019 PRC MofA 22 Nov 2019
Xi says Chinese dream by no means hegemonistic Global Times 22 Nov 2019 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Friday realizing the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation is by no means to seek hegemony.
Hong Kong Court Temporarily Reinstates Ban on Face Masks During Protests VOA 22 Nov 2019 -- Hong Kong's High Court has reversed an earlier decision and reinstated a ban on anti-government demonstrators wearing face masks. The court ruled Friday that the government could enforce the ban for one week. The ban was initially imposed in October under rarely used emergency powers so that protesters could not hide their faces.
Hong Kong gears for district elections Global Times 22 Nov 2019 -- Hong Kong society is going to all lengths for Sunday's district elections, although uncertainty still looms large over voters' safety and the city's future amid violence.
No deadline to resolve PolyU incident: HK police chief Global Times 22 Nov 2019 -- Hong Kong's new police chief said on Friday that the police haven't set any deadline for the peaceful resolution of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University incident, and urged those still inside the campus, including rioters, protesters and others, to come out and surrender as soon as possible.
US Hong Kong bill nothing but a vain attempt to interfere in China's internal affairs People's Daily 22 Nov 2019 -- The US Senate passed the so-called Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019 on Tuesday local time despite strong opposition from the Chinese government.
Hong Kong District Elections Could Gauge Support For Protest Movement Radio Free Asia 22 Nov 2019 -- When Hong Kong's voters go to the polls on Sunday to choose a new generation of district councillors, they will be greeted with a now-familiar sight: the city's hugely unpopular police force.
Arrest of Medical Staff During Hong Kong University Siege Sparks Furor Radio Free Asia 22 Nov 2019 -- A handful of protesters remained besieged in Hong Kong's Polytechnic University (Poly U) ahead of district elections on Sunday amid concerns for their health, as an international medical journal hit out in an opinion article at the detention of doctors, paramedics, and first-aid personnel by riot police during the week-long siege.
US Hong Kong 'Punishment' Bills Leave Trump Cornered in China Trade Talks Sputnik 22 Nov 2019 -- With the US Congress' recent passage of two bipartisan-backed bills supporting anti-government protests in Hong Kong, US President Donald Trump, who is embroiled in trade negotiations with China, will now have to weigh both ethics and economics over the next several days.
China deal is coming along very well: Trump Press TV 22 Nov 2019 -- US President Donald Trump has said that the trade deal with China was "coming along very well" amid jitters in financial markets reflecting fears that the negotiations were headed to an impasse.
China's Xi Jinping Says Wants Trade Deal With US, But Will 'Fight Back' if Necessary Sputnik 22 Nov 2019 -- Washington and Beijing are still discussing phase one of a trade deal after being engaged in a lengthy trade war, slapping several rounds of additional tariffs and restrictions on each other.
Xinjiang Authorities Undermine Muslim Abstention From Pork in Bid to Assimilate Uyghurs Radio Free Asia 22 Nov 2019 -- Government work groups in China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) are undermining the Muslim practice of abstaining from pork as part of a bid to assimilate Uyghurs into Han Chinese culture, according to sources, who also said officials are seeking to turn the region into a major pork producer.
China mulls Hong Kong bill antidote Global Times 22 Nov 2019 -- China is mulling potential countermeasures against a new US bill that shows Washington's intention to blatantly interfere in China's internal affairs related to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), with some calling for possible sanctions on individuals and entities that aid the US' attack on China's national security and interests.

U.S. concerned with China's attempts to influence Taiwan elections CNA 22 Nov 2019 -- The United States is concerned by China's attempts to influence Taiwan's upcoming presidential and legislative elections through different means, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said Friday, as it urged the Taiwanese people to be vigilant over such efforts.

China Hits Back at US for Criticizing Corridor Project With Pakistan VOA 22 Nov 2019 -- China and Pakistan urged the United States on Friday "to sift fact from fiction" before questioning their bilateral infrastructure development program, which Beijing is funding under its global Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Senior U.S. Official Warns Pakistan Of Economic Dangers Of China's Infrastructure Plan RFE/RL 22 Nov 2019 -- The United States has warned Pakistan of the long-term risks to its economy if it embraces China's massive infrastructure project and suggested that it should instead look to the U.S. business model.

Ebola in DR Congo: New transmission chain risks reversing major gains UN News 22 Nov 2019 -- Amid multiple deadly attacks on civilians by armed groups in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), an Ebola death "unlinked to any chain of transmission" risks reversing major gains against the epidemic, which is now down to just a handful of cases, a top UN medic said on Friday.
WHO: Spike in Violence in DRC Threatens Progress Made in Ebola Fight VOA 22 Nov 2019 -- The World Health Organization warns escalating violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo's North Kivu and Ituri provinces is threatening to reverse major gains made in bringing the region's Ebola epidemic to an end.

Reforming electoral laws only way to resolve deadly unrest in Iraq: Ayatollah Sistani Press TV 22 Nov 2019 -- Iraq's prominent Shia cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has called on politicians and legislators to speed up reforming electoral laws, warning that nothing but the changes can resolve weeks of protests in the capital Baghdad and some southern cities.

US Recognizes Transition Government, Calls on Bolivian Officials to 'Step Aside' - Pompeo Sputnik 22 Nov 2019 -- The United States wants the officials who participated in Bolivia's hotly-contested recent elections to step aside and allow for new elections in the country, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a press release on Thursday.

India's Top Anti-Graft Agency Files Case Against Ex-State Chief of 'Militancy-Infested' Region Sputnik 22 Nov 2019 -- The governing Bharatiya Janata Party came to power in 2017 on the plank of fighting corruption and promised the people of Manipur to destroy the network of government officials and leaders which had ruined the state for years under Congress governance.

Israeli call for Netanyahu's resignation amid indictment on charges of fraud, bribery Press TV 22 Nov 2019 -- Dozens of Israelis have staged a protest in the occupied territories, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after he was indicted on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust.
Israeli Opposition Bloc Urges Netanyahu to Immediately Leave All His Ministerial Posts Sputnik 22 Nov 2019 -- The Blue and White political alliance has called for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign from all ministerial posts amid the growing scandal triggered by the criminal charges against him.

Ukrainians Mark Anniversary Of Movement That Drove Out Pro-Moscow President RFE/RL 22 Nov 2019 -- Several thousand Ukrainians rallied in Kyiv and other cities to commemorate the sixth anniversary of the beginning of the pro-democracy protests that eventually led the Moscow-backed president to flee the country.

Hezbollah: US major obstacle to govt. formation in Lebanon Press TV 22 Nov 2019 -- Hezbollah calls the US the most prominent obstacle lying in the way of formation of a government in Lebanon, which is direly in need of political stability.

Bolivian Government's Response to Protests Raises Human Rights Concerns VOA 22 Nov 2019 -- Protests continue in Bolivia as human rights organizations raise concerns over reports of the use excessive force by security forces.
Coup in Bolivia aimed at exploiting country's lithium reserves: Morales Press TV 22 Nov 2019 -- Former Bolivian President Evo Morales has said that a recent political "coup" which forced him to step down was designed to install a leader who will open Bolivia's lithium reserves to international exploitation.

Clashes erupt in Colombia amid protests, nationwide strike against government Press TV 22 Nov 2019 -- Clashes erupted between Colombian police and protesters, who took to the streets of the capital, Bogota, against the US-backed government of President Ivan Duque, in what became one of the biggest rallies in recent years.

Cambodia's Hun Sen Points to Trump Letter as Sign of US Support Radio Free Asia 22 Nov 2019 -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen pointed this week to a Nov. 1 letter from U.S. President Donald Trump as a signal of unqualified U.S. support for his government, noting that Trump said the United States does not seek "regime change" in the autocratic Southeast Asian state.

Kyrgyz President's Office Reiterates Jeenbekov Had No Ties With Subject Of RFE-Led Investigation, Probe Launched RFE/RL 22 Nov 2019 -- The office of Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov says the head of state has never had business ties with a man at the center of a joint investigation by RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service, OCCRP, and the Kyrgyz news site Kloop about possible wide-scale corruption in the country's customs service and massive outflows of cash from the country.

Ethiopia's Ruling Coalition Merges Into Single Party VOA 22 Nov 2019 -- Three of the four ethnic-based parties in Ethiopia's ruling coalition, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front or EPRDF, voted Thursday to become one single party.

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