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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Current Operations

• 11 US Troops Treated for Concussion Symptoms After Iranian Attack VOA 17 Jan 2020 -- The U.S. military says 11 service members have been treated for "concussion symptoms" following Iran's recent attack on two Iraqi bases where U.S. troops were stationed.
• US military says 11 US troops wounded in Iranian missile attack despite earlier denials Press TV 17 Jan 2020 -- The United States military has said that 11 of its troops were wounded in an Iranian retaliatory missile attack last week despite Washington's initial claim denying casualties.
• U.S. Military Now Says 11 U.S. Troops Injured In January 8 Iran Attack RFE/RL 17 Jan 2020 -- The U.S. military says 11 U.S. service members were treated for concussion symptoms following the January 8 Iran missile attack on a base in Iraq, despite earlier remarks by President Donald Trump that "no Americans were harmed" in the incident.
• Taliban: Discussions Continue With US on Afghan Peace Deal VOA 17 Jan 2020 -- The Taliban said Friday its latest meetings with representatives of the United States in Qatar have discussed the signing of a peace deal between the two adversaries to end their 18-year-old Afghan war.
• Pakistan FM Qureshi Urges U.S. To 'Remain Engaged' In Rebuilding Afghanistan RFE/RL 17 Jan 2020 -- Pakistan's foreign minister said during his visit to Washington that the United States should remain engaged in Afghanistan even if it eventually pulls its troops out of the war-torn country.
• U.S., Taliban Continue Meetings In Qatar On Joint Agreement RFE/RL 17 Jan 2020 -- A representative of the Taliban says a second day of meetings between the group and a U.S. negotiating team led by Zalmay Khalilzad has been held in Qatar.
• Army announces upcoming 10th Mountain Division Headquarters unit rotation Army News 17 Jan 2020 -- The Department of the Army announced today the upcoming 2020 rotation to Afghanistan of the 10th Mountain Division Headquarters stationed at Fort Drum, New York.
• Somali, U.S. forces kill 2 al-Shabab militants People's Daily 17 Jan 2020 -- Somali and U.S. security forces killed two al-Shabab militants on Thursday in an airstrike about 25 km north of Qunyo Barrow in southern Somalia, said a Somali government official.

Defense Policy / Programs

• DOD Background Briefing on International Military Student Review DoD 17 Jan 2020 -- Senior Defense Officials
• Pentagon Placing New Restrictions on International Military Students VOA 17 Jan 2020 -- The Pentagon is placing new restrictions on all international military students at American bases in response to a December shooting by a Saudi trainee that killed three sailors in Florida.
• Statement by Director of Defense Intelligence Garry Reid DoD 17 Jan 2020 -- On January 13th of 2020, the attorney general announced the results of the Department of Justice investigation of the December 6th, 2019, attack at Naval Air Station Pensacola that resulted in the death of three U.S. service members and the wounding of eight other Americans. The evidence shows that the shooter was motivated by jihadist ideology, and the Department of Justice concluded that this was an act of terrorism.
• DOJ Finds Pensacola Attack 'Act of Terrorism;' New Rules for Foreign Military Students DoD News 17 Jan 2020 -- The results of a Justice Department investigation into the Dec. 6 attack at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, were released this week and investigators have declared the attack was an act of terrorism.
• Department of Defense Off-Camera Press Briefing by Assistant to the Secretary of Defense Hoffman and Deputy Assistant to the Secretary of Defense Farah DoD 17 Jan 2020 -- Jonathan Rath Hoffman, Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs And Alyssa Farah, Deputy Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Media Affairs
• Assistant to the Secretary of Defense Hoffman DoD 17 Jan 2020 -- Jonathan Rath Hoffman, Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs
• Joint Statement on Sixtieth Anniversary of the Signing of the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security Between the United States of America and Japan DoD 17 Jan 2020 -- The text of the following statement was released by Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Mark Esper for the Government of the United States of America and by Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defense Minister Taro Kono for the Government of Japan on the occasion of 60th Anniversary of the Signing of the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States of America and Japan.
• Speed Must Be Put Back Into DOD, Hyten Says DoD News 17 Jan 2020 -- As long as he is vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force Gen. John E. Hyten said he will make sure speed is put back into every element of the Pentagon.
• DOD Commends Commanders' Actions in Missile Attack DoD News 17 Jan 2020 -- Commanders in Iraq took every necessary step to ensure the safety of U.S. forces during the Jan. 8 missile attack by Iran on Al Asad Air Base, Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Alyssa Farah said today.
• U.S., French Military Leaders Discuss Terror Threat in West Africa DoD News 17 Jan 2020 -- Army Gen. Mark A. Milley discussed the terror threat in West Africa with French Army Gen. Francois Lecointre during meetings this week and will present the French view of operations in that area as the Defense Department reviews the resources and personnel assigned to U.S. Africa Command.
• Department of the Navy leaders Sign Guam Explosive Safety Submission NNS 17 Jan 2020 -- Culminating over three years of negotiation, Department of the Navy leaders today signed an agreement to establish a disciplined process for the Commander, Joint Region Marianas (CJRM) to have the authority to implement prudent explosive safety principles on Guam. The agreement will have an immediate impact on billions of dollars in military construction activities being undertaken by all military services with missions on Guam, including the relocation of United States Marines from the Island of Okinawa, Japan.
• US Navy Revives Flak Gun Concept for Shooting Down Drones Sputnik 17 Jan 2020 -- In an attempt to wrestle with the high-tech danger posed to its warships by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the US Navy has opted for a low-tech solution: bring back flak cannons.
• Lockheed Martin Will Replace F-35's Faulty Computer System With Cloud-Based Programs Sputnik 17 Jan 2020 -- The F-35's infamously troublesome onboard computer suite will be getting completely replaced in the next two years, a top Pentagon official said on Tuesday.
• US warship sails Taiwan Strait after new China trade pact, Taiwan election Press TV 17 Jan 2020 -- The US Navy has declared transit of another one of its warships through the Taiwan Strait, even after a new US-China trade pact and the re-election of Taiwan's anti-China president, in a move likely to irk Beijing.
• China Closely Monitoring US Navy Ship That Sailed in Taiwan Strait After Trade Deal Sputnik 17 Jan 2020 -- Earlier in the week, US President Donald Trump met with Chinese Vice Premier Liu to sign the Phase One Trade deal, the first step to ending a trade war between the two economic superpowers.
• NATO Secretary General visits Alliance Ground Surveillance aircraft in Italy NATO 17 Jan 2020 -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the arrival of two Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) remotely piloted aircraft at a ceremony in Sigonella, Italy on Friday (17 January 2020). The Secretary General outlined the importance of the AGS system, which will enable commanders to identify threats and view conditions on the ground, in any weather. "One single drone can watch over a territory with the comparable size of Poland," he said.
• Spokesperson: China optimizes military recruiting to enhance soldiers' quality PLA Daily 17 Jan 2020 -- China will change its military conscription and retirement frequency from once a year to twice a year, starting from 2020, which is of great significance for recruiting more high-quality soldiers, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang said on Thursday.
• Spokesperson: China optimizes military recruiting to enhance soldiers' quality PLA Daily 17 Jan 2020 -- China will change its military conscription and retirement frequency from once a year to twice a year, starting from 2020, which is of great significance for recruiting more high-quality soldiers, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang said on Thursday.
• Israeli Air Force Inaugurates Second Squadron of F-35I Adir Stealth Aircraft Sputnik 17 Jan 2020 -- The 116th "Lions of the South" squadron will join the 140th "Golden Eagle" unit on Thursday to become the Israeli Air Force's (IAF) second official group of F-35I Adir stealth fighter jets.
• Production of S-400 for India Started, Russian Deputy Ambassador Says Sputnik 17 Jan 2020 -- India and Russia signed a $5.43 billion contract in 2018 for the purchase of five S-400 missile defence systems, despite US threats to slap sanctions on any country that buys from Russia's defence sector under the CAATSA (Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act).
• Riyadh pays $500 million to cover cost of US troops' presence in Saudi Arabia: Report Press TV 17 Jan 2020 -- Saudi Arabia has reportedly paid $500 million to begin to cover the cost of US military operating in the Arab country, a US official says.
• The OAS Revival US Dept. of State 17 Jan 2020 -- Speech by Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Jan. 17, 2020

Other Conflicts

• 17 January 2020 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 17 Jan 2020
• Civilian Killings Mount in Idlib as Cease-fire Breaks Down VOA 17 Jan 2020 -- The cease-fire in Syria's Idlib apparently broke down before it even began.
• Iraq Captures Morbidly Obese Daesh Preacher 'Jabba the Jihadi' in Mosul, Netizens in Hysterics Sputnik 17 Jan 2020 -- Obesity is a global pandemic, particularly in the developed nations of the West. A recent anti-terrorist raid by Iraqi forces against remaining militant burrows, however, could partially dismantle suggestions that fat people only plague wealthy economies.
• Turkish President Erdogan Says LNA's Haftar Unreliable, Continuing to Bomb Tripoli Sputnik 17 Jan 2020 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that the Libyan National Army's (LNA) commander, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, was an "unreliable" figure since he continued to bomb the capital of Tripoli, which is currently under the Government of National Accord's (GNA) control, this week.
• Erdogan Takes Sides in Libyan Conflict Ahead of Berlin Meeting VOA 17 Jan 2020 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is doubling down on support for the U.N.-backed government in Libya ahead of a Berlin conference aimed at ending the Libyan civil war.
• LNA's Haftar Thanks Putin for Russia's Efforts Toward Peace in Libya in Personal Letter Sputnik 17 Jan 2020 -- Earlier in the day, the Kremlin press service announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend the international conference on Libya in Berlin that is to be held this Sunday.
• LNA's Haftar Says to Sign Deal With GNA's Sarraj in Berlin If Conditions Met - Source Sputnik 17 Jan 2020 -- The LNA commander, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, has said during his talks with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias that he would sign a deal with Fayez Sarraj, the head of the Government of National Accord (GNA), at the upcoming Berlin conference on Libya if certain conditions are met, a diplomatic source told reporters.
• Libya: 'Dire and untenable' situation for tens of thousands of children in unrelenting conflict UN News 17 Jan 2020 -- The world should not accept the "dire and untenable" situation facing children in wartorn Libya the head of the UN Children's Fund, UNICEF, said on Friday.
• Israeli aircraft bomb Gaza Strip for 2nd time in 24 hours Press TV 17 Jan 2020 -- Israeli military aircraft have carried out a fresh round of airstrikes against targets in the northern part of the Gaza Strip as the Tel Aviv regime continues with its acts of aggression against the besieged Palestinian coastal sliver.
• Six Somali Soldiers Killed in Al-Shabab Attacks VOA 17 Jan 2020 -- Six Somali government soldiers and 19 militants were killed when Islamist group al-Shabab attacked two bases before dawn Friday, according to officials and residents.

News Reports

• Trump Impeachment Resumes Tuesday VOA 17 Jan 2020 -- The actors in the somber drama of U.S. President Donald Trump's impeachment have a long weekend to contemplate their roles and responsibilities, thanks to the Martin Luther King national holiday Monday.
• Pompeo Says U.S. Will Look Into Claims Former Ukraine Ambassador Was Followed RFE/RL 17 Jan 2020 -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said the State Department will investigate whether former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch was in any danger while she was in Ukraine.
• Ukraine Launching Task Force to Investigate Alleged Surveillance of Former US Diplomat VOA 17 Jan 2020 -- The Interior Ministry of Ukraine tells VOA that a special task force involving U.S. and Ukrainian officials will be launched Monday to look into reports that the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine had been subjected to surveillance and threats in Ukraine.
• Trump impeachment trial in U.S. Senate gets underway People's Daily 17 Jan 2020 -- U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts was sworn in on Thursday afternoon on the Senate floor for the long-awaited impeachment trial of U.S. President Donald Trump, the third president in U.S. history to face such a trial in the upper chamber.
• Lavrov Blames Washington's 'Aggressive' Policies For Rise In Global Tensions RFE/RL 17 Jan 2020 -- Acting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has blamed "aggressive" U.S. policies for heightened global tensions and called on Washington and Tehran to de-escalate their feud.
• S.Korea says policy on DPRK belongs to matter of sovereignty People's Daily 17 Jan 2020 -- South Korea's unification ministry said on Friday that the country's policy on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) belonged to a matter of sovereignty.
• Seoul Criticizes US Ambassador's 'Very Inappropriate' Comments on N Korea Tourism VOA 17 Jan 2020 -- South Korea pushed back firmly Friday on comments by U.S. Ambassador Harry Harris, who called on Seoul to consult with Washington about the South's attempt to resume individual tourism to North Korea.
• North Korea Dispatches More Security Agents to Control and Monitor Workers in China Radio Free Asia 17 Jan 2020 -- North Korean authorities have dispatched more security agents to China in order to boost control and monitoring of North Korean workers around the Lunar New Year holiday, with the goal of preventing the erosion of the workers' loyalty and decreasing the likelihood of defections, RFA has learned.
• US General '100% Confident' Against North Korean Missiles VOA 17 Jan 2020 -- The United States has long seen North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons as a major national security threat. But the missiles Pyongyang would use to deliver a nuclear bomb appear to be a different matter.
• Deadline? What Deadline? North Korea, US Try New 'Strategic Patience' VOA 17 Jan 2020 -- In April, just weeks after his summit with U.S. President Donald Trump collapsed in Hanoi, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un decided to ramp up the pressure on Washington.
• Trump Warns Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei to Be 'Careful With His Words' Sputnik 18 Jan 2020 -- Earlier in the day, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, while leading Friday prayers in Tehran for the first time since 2012, noted that the assassination of top IRGC General Qasem Soleimani revealed the "terrorist nature" of the US, and also observed that Trump is a "clown".
• Iran's top leader says US assassination of Soleimani "cowardice" act Global Times 17 Jan 2020 -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday said that the US assassination of Iran's Quds commander, Qassem Soleimani, was a "cowardice act" which hurt its superpower prestige.
• Supreme Leader: Iran strongly responded to evil European plots regarding JCPOA IRNA 17 Jan 2020 -- The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei blasted the plots by three European countries namely the evil UK government as well as France and Germany in regards with Iran's nuclear as attempts to overshadow the recent events.
• Ayatollah Khamenei: US disgraced after assassination of Gen. Soleimani Press TV 17 Jan 2020 -- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says the assassination of a top Iranian commander disgraced the US as it had to own up to the "terrorist" action and see its image dealt a blow by Iran's retaliation.
• Iran's Khamenei Defends Military Amid Anger Over Downed Plane RFE/RL 17 Jan 2020 -- Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called for national unity and defended the country's armed forces in the wake of angry protests over the downing of a Ukrainian passenger airliner by Iran's air defenses last week.
• American Puppets: Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei Slams E3 Position on Nuclear Deal, Says They're Serving US Interest Sputnik 17 Jan 2020 -- On 8 January, Iran targeted two American facilities in Iraq, the Ayn al-Asad Air Base and in Erbil in retaliation for the killing of IRGC Quds Force Commander Qasem Soleimani in a US drone strike several days earlier.
• Ukraine Air plane crash should not be used for political gains: Spox IRNA 17 Jan 2020 -- Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Friday that the tragic incident of Ukraine Air plane crash should not be used as a tool in service of political gains and gestures.
• Iran decries certain countries' political abuse of Ukraine plane crash Press TV 17 Jan 2020 -- Iran's Foreign Ministry has decried the "abuse" of Iran's accidental downing of Ukraine plane by some countries who pursue certain "political plots" against Iran.
• Ukraine Asks Six Nations To Assign Specialists To Investigate Deadly Iran Crash RFE/RL 17 Jan 2020 -- Ukraine has asked Canada, France, Sweden, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Iran to assign experts to assist in the investigation of the January 8 crash of Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) flight PS0752 near Tehran that killed all 176 people aboard.
• Ukrainian Plane Tragedy Challenges Tehran's Narrative Of 1988 U.S. Shoot-Down Of Iranian Airliner RFE/RL 17 Jan 2020 -- Iran's unintentional downing of a Ukrainian passenger jet that killed 176 people, including many Iranians, has invoked memories of a similar tragedy: the 1988 U.S. shoot-down of an Iranian plane over the Strait of Hormuz that killed all 290 people on board, including 66 children.
• Russia offers concerns over E3 JCPOA choices IRNA 17 Jan 2020 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed his concerns over the recent measures taken by three Europeans states on Iran nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and triggering nuclear dispute mechanism.
• Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook US Dept. of State 17 Jan 2020 -- Special Briefing by Brian H. Hook, Special Representative for Iran and Senior Policy Advisor to the Secretary of State
• Iran ready to give firm response to any act of adventurism: Defense minister Press TV 17 Jan 2020 -- Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami says the country's Armed Forces are ready to give a strong response to any act of adventurism.
• Sofia Cautious On Reports Tying Soleimani To 2012 Bulgaria Bombing RFE/RL 17 Jan 2020 -- International media organizations have reported on ties between assassinated Iranian Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani and a 2012 terrorist bombing in Bulgaria that killed five Israeli tourists and their Bulgarian bus driver.
• Trump Ridicules Khamenei, Urges Tehran To 'Make Iran Great Again' RFE/RL 17 Jan 2020 -- U.S. President Donald Trump has taken to Twitter to warn Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to be "very careful with his words" after the Iranian called the U.S. leader a "clown" during a Tehran sermon.
• U.S. Slaps Sanctions On Iranian General Over Protest Crackdown RFE/RL 17 Jan 2020 -- The United States has imposed sanctions on a senior military Iranian official over a crackdown on anti-government protesters, the State Department announced on January 17.
• Victims' Governments Demand 'Full Cooperation,' 'Justice' From Iran RFE/RL 17 Jan 2020 -- The foreign ministers of five countries that lost citizens in the downing of a Ukrainian passenger airliner in Iran last week have demanded that Tehran hold a "thorough, independent, and transparent" investigation into the tragedy.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang's Regular Press Conference on January 17, 2020 PRC MofA 17 Jan 2020
• China's Investment in Belt and Road Initiative Cools Radio Free Asia 17 Jan 2020 -- As much of the world looks to China as a major source of investment, the country's economic slowdown has driven long-term commitments into decline.
• Xi's Myanmar visit to unleash cooperation potential Global Times 17 Jan 2020 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Naypyidaw Friday for his two-day state visit to Myanmar, unleashing promising prospect for further cooperation between China and the Southeast Asian country.
• Xi stresses building greater peace, rule of law in China Global Times 17 Jan 2020 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has demanded efforts to build China into a country with greater peace and heightened rule of law.
• Chinese Leader Xi's Visit to Myanmar to Produce New Belt And Road Agreements Radio Free Asia 17 Jan 2020 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to sign several memorandums of understanding for the implementation of planned multibillion-dollar projects under his signature Belt and Road Initiative in Myanmar during his two-day state visit to the Southeast Asian country to boost bilateral relations, China's state media reported Friday.
• Uyghur Real Estate Magnate Confirmed Jailed Along With Brothers, at Least 20 Employees Radio Free Asia 17 Jan 2020 -- The Uyghur head of a successful real estate firm in northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) and two of his brothers have been confirmed jailed on charges including "extremism," along with at least 20 of his employees, according to official sources.
• Family Reports Tight Security, Digital Surveillance at Grave of Ousted Premier Radio Free Asia 17 Jan 2020 -- Family members in the Chinese capital paid their respects to late ousted liberal premier Zhao Ziyang on Friday, the 15th anniversary of his death, amid tight security, ID checks and facial recognition surveillance cameras at the cemetery where his ashes were interred last year.
• CPC leadership highlights key role of Party building, inspections People's Daily 17 Jan 2020 -- The importance of enhancing Party building and opposing formalism and bureaucracy were highlighted at a key meeting attended by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on Thursday.
• Ukraine's Prime Minister Gave His Resignation To The President. But Will Zelenskiy Accept It? RFE/RL 17 Jan 2020 -- Whether Ukrainian Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk gets to keep his job could come down to whether President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, a former comedian, has retained his sense of humor since taking the helm -- and whether he accepts the 35-year-old head of the government's move as a sign of enduring loyalty.
• Ukrainian PM Honcharuk Offers Resignation Amid Scandal Over Audio Recording RFE/RL 17 Jan 2020 -- Ukrainian Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk has submitted his resignation amid a scandal surrounding an audio recording where he allegedly disparages the economic knowledge and competence of both himself and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
• Ukrainian Prime Minister Announces Submitting Resignation Letter to Zelensky Sputnik 17 Jan 2020 -- Ukrainian Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk said on Friday he has written a letter of resignation and submitted it to President Volodymyr Zelensky.
• Ukrainian President Refuses to Accept Prime Minister's Resignation Sputnik 17 Jan 2020 -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday he would give another chance to Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk, who said earlier in the day he had handed in his resignation letter.
• Foreign Homes of Cambodia's Top Officials and Family Reflect Tenuous Grip at Home Radio Free Asia 17 Jan 2020 -- Over the last two decades, the leading lights of the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) have been quietly amassing international property portfolios worth millions of dollars. The existence of this real estate network was – until recently – entirely undocumented and what has been reported so far has been described by one analyst as "the tip of the iceberg."
• UN Human Rights Experts Decry 'Irregularities' in Cambodian Opposition Chief Kem Sokha's Trial Radio Free Asia 17 Jan 2020 -- Three United Nations human rights experts on Friday expressed concerns over the treason trial of Cambodia's opposition leader Kem Sokha, saying the entire process has been "beset by irregularities" and calling for an end to the charges against him.
• Vietnamese Bank Freezes Accounts of Dong Tam Activists, Supporters Radio Free Asia 17 Jan 2020 -- Vietnamese authorities ordered a local bank Friday to freeze several accounts of people involved in deadly protests Jan. 9 over the planned construction of a military airport near the capital Hanoi, including an account that had collected a huge sum in donations for the family of an elderly community leader killed in the protest.
• Armenia's Ex-Security Service Chief Found Dead With Gunshot Wound RFE/RL 17 Jan 2020 -- Georgi Kutoian, a former head of Armenia's National Security Service (NSS), has been found dead in a Yerevan apartment, officials say.

COVID-19 Pandemic News

• Second Person in China Dies After Exposure to Mysterious Virus Sputnik 17 Jan 2020 -- An unknown strain of a viral pneumonia was reported in Wuhan in early January. Those infected reportedly display symptoms typical of pneumonia and other acute respiratory diseases. The outbreak was confirmed to be a new type of coronavirus last week.