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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
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COVID-19 Pandemic News

Current Operations

• Joint Statement by the Political Directors of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS US Dept. of State 29 Jan 2020 -- "At the invitation of Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeppe Kofod, the Political Directors of the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh/ISIS Small Group met today in Copenhagen to reaffirm our shared determination to continue the fight against Daesh/ISIS in Iraq and Syria, and to create conditions for an enduring defeat of the terrorist group through a comprehensive, multifaceted effort."
• U.S. Jet That Crashed In Afghanistan Was No Ordinary 'Spy Plane' RFE/RL 29 Jan 2020 -- When a U.S. Air Force jet crashed on January 27 on a remote plain south of Kabul, killing at least two crew members, it was initially described by the governor of Afghanistan's Ghazni Province as a civilian passenger plane.
• US Eyes Mechanical Failure as Cause of Military Plane Crash in Afghanistan VOA 29 Jan 2020 -- U.S. defense officials suspect some sort of mechanical failure is behind the crash of a military communications plane in a Taliban-controlled region of Afghanistan.
• Afghan Forces Free 62 Soldiers From Taliban Prison VOA 29 Jan 2020 -- Officials in Afghanistan said Wednesday a commando operation in a northwestern region has freed 62 security personnel held in a Taliban prison. Meanwhile, the insurgent group, in a fresh attack elsewhere, says it has killed at least 18 Afghan security forces.
• Taliban Attack In Northern Afghanistan Kills At Least 13 RFE/RL 29 Jan 2020 -- At least 13 members of Afghanistan's security forces have been killed when Taliban fighters attacked checkpoints in the northern province of Kunduz, officials say.
• 29 Afghan security personnel killed in renewed clashes with Taliban Press TV 29 Jan 2020 -- A series of renewed attacks by the Taliban have claimed the lives of at least 29 members of Afghan security forces across the violence-wracked country after the Kabul government killed dozens of the group's militants in the weekend assaults.
• Taliban attack kills 10 policemen in northern Afghanistan Press TV 29 Jan 2020 -- At least 10 policemen have been killed in an attack by the Taliban militant group on a checkpoint in Afghanistan's northern Baghlan Province.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Used Ships Could Solve Sealift Readiness Issues DoD News 29 Jan 2020 -- The aging vessels used to move personnel, equipment and supplies around the world pose a readiness concern, the commander of U.S. Transportation Command said.
• Vice Chairman Says Pace Needs to Quicken on DOD Reform DoD News 29 Jan 2020 -- While the Defense Department is modernizing and undergoing needed reform and improving readiness, adversaries are moving even more quickly in those areas, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.
• NMCB-3, 7th ESB Complete Joint Bridge Exercise NNS 29 Jan 2020 -- Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 3 and Marines assigned to 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, conducted a joint bridge exercise on board Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Jan. 13-17.
• US special forces losing discipline over repeated deployments: Pentagon Press TV 29 Jan 2020 -- The US Defense Department has warned that repeated deployments by US special forces have affected discipline within the ranks, urging changes in oversight following a series of scandals.
• US, Canadian forces complete Green Flag Little Rock exercise US Air Force 29 Jan 2020 -- Airman from the Air Force's 34th Combat Training Squadron and the U.S. Army collaborated with coalition forces from Canada during the joint forcible entry and airborne assault training to kick off exercise Green Flag Little Rock 20-03 Jan. 11-21, 2020, at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana, and in Alexandria, Louisiana.
• NATO Secretary General welcomes Albanian Prime Minister and Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Edi Rama at NATO Headquarters NATO 29 Jan 2020 -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met with the Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama on Wednesday (29 January) and thanked him for his country's participation in NATO's operations, missions and deployments in Kosovo, Afghanistan and in the Baltic States as "solid contributions" to the Alliance's shared security.
• Supersonic jets v Russian subsonic Yak-130: US military magazine ranking is not a fair exercise RT 29 Jan 2020 -- A review of five of the world's most capable training jets, published by the Military Watch website, has placed Russia's Yak-130 (Mitten), last on that list. But is the judgement well-informed?
• Pompeo Heads To Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan --Trailed By U.S. Turmoil RFE/RL 29 Jan 2020 -- In Belarus, there are growing questions about how drastic a shift Alyaksandr Lukashenka is making away from Russia and toward the West.
• Pompeo Arrives In London At Start Of Five-Nation Tour RFE/RL 29 Jan 2020 -- U.S. Secretary Of State Mike Pompeo has arrived in London at the start of a five-country tour.
• Secretary Michael R. Pompeo Remarks to Traveling Press US Dept. of State 29 Jan 2020

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Jan. 29, 2020

Other Conflicts

• 29 January 2020 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 29 Jan 2020
• Palestinian Leader to Take Trump's Peace Plan to UN Security Council VOA 29 Jan 2020 -- Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will come to the U.N. Security Council in February to press the Palestinian case against President Donald Trump's Middle East peace plan.
• Supreme Leader: Deal of Century will never materialize IRNA 29 Jan 2020 -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said in a message thaat the US evil policy against Palestine and the so-called 'Deal of Century' will never materialize.
• Spox: Iran ready to cooperate with regional states on fighting 'Deal of Century' IRNA 29 Jan 2020 -- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said in a message that Iran is ready for cooperation with regional countries for standing against the big conspiracy "Deal of Century" which posed a threat to the Islamic Ummah.
• President Rouhani terms Deal of Century as most despicable plan IRNA 29 Jan 2020 -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in a Twitter message described Trump's so-called 'Deal of Century' as the most despicable plan.
• Erdogan: Trump's plan for Mideast unacceptable IRNA 29 Jan 2020 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan rejected his US counterpart Donald Trump's plan for the Middle East, saying that the plan is absolutely unacceptable.
• Zarif terms Deal of Century as 'highway to hell' IRNA 29 Jan 2020 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in a Twitter message derided the so-called US' "Vision for Peace", saying it is more like a highway to hell.
• Iran expresses outrage at Deal of Century sheer travesty IRNA 29 Jan 2020 -- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Wednesday expressed outrage at 'Deal of Century', saying that it is a conspiracy to stir up hatred and violence in the West Asian region.
• Backgrounder: Key points of Trump's Middle East peace plan People's Daily 29 Jan 2020 -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday presented his long-awaited Middle East peace plan, calling for a two-state solution while recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's "undivided capital."
• Trump's pro-Israel Mideast deal sparks shock and ire Press TV 29 Jan 2020 -- After months of running a vast propaganda machine to drum up support for his self-proclaimed 'Deal of the Century,' US President Donald Trump has finally unveiled what he believes can serve as a final antidote to the bitter and brutal Israeli-Palestinian conflict that has dragged on for seven decades.
• Iran's Rouhani calls Trump's plan 'most despicable plan of century' Press TV 29 Jan 2020 -- Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has condemned US President Donald Trump's so-called 'peace plan' for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as 'the most despicable plan of the century.'
• Zarif derides US "Vision for Peace" IRNA 29 Jan 2020 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in a message undermined the so-called US' "Vision for Peace", saying it is considered as sleepwalking into catastrophe.
• US disgraceful peace plan century's treason: Spox IRNA 29 Jan 2020 -- Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi condemned the US peace plan for the Palestinians as treachery of the century, saying that the plan is doomed.
• Trump unveils controversial Middle East peace plan People's Daily 29 Jan 2020 -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday revealed the long-awaited political aspect of his controversial Middle East peace plan, calling for a two-state solution while recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's "undivided capital."
• Palestinian president dismisses Trump's plan as 'conspiracy' Press TV 29 Jan 2020 -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has adamantly dismissed as a "conspiracy" the Washington's so-called peace plan for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
• 'Deal of Century': White House Reveals 'Vision to Improve Lives of Palestinian, Israeli People' Sputnik 29 Jan 2020 -- US President Donald Trump on Tuesday unveiled his 'Deal of the Century', a plan for settling the long-lasting conflict between the Palestine Authority and Israel. The agreement - crafted almost exclusively by Tel Aviv and Washington - was immediately rejected by Palestinian officials.
• Israeli military aircraft crash-lands in West Bank; no casualties reported Press TV 29 Jan 2020 -- An Israeli military aircraft has crash-landed near a settlement in the occupied West Bank, with no casualties reported.
• Yemeni army soldiers, allies foil major Saudi-led push to overrun Sana'a: Spox Press TV 29 Jan 2020 -- The spokesman for Yemen's Armed Forces says Yemeni army troops and allied fighters from Popular Committees well managed to thwart a large-scale offensive by Saudi-paid militiamen against the capital Sana'a.
• Syrian army soldiers liberate key town of Khan Tuman in Aleppo: Report Press TV 29 Jan 2020 -- Syrian army forces are in full control of a strategic town in the country's northwestern province of Aleppo following an intense military operation against foreign-sponsored Takfiri militants.
• Syrian forces fully recapture main militant stronghold in southern Idlib Press TV 29 Jan 2020 -- Syrian army soldiers, backed by pro-government fighters from popular defense groups, have fully liberated a strategic city in the country's northwestern province of Idlib as they continue to gain more ground in battles against foreign-sponsored Takfiri terrorists.
• End Syria fighting to avoid 'even greater humanitarian catastrophe' UN News 29 Jan 2020 -- The "dire and deteriorating humanitarian situation" affecting women and children in northwest Syria was the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator's top concern on Wednesday morning as he briefed the Security Council in New York.
• Turkey's Erdogan Says Russia 'Not Honoring' Syria Deals RFE/RL 29 Jan 2020 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey is losing patience with the military assault in Syria's Idlib Province, the opposition's last stronghold, and accuses Russia of "not honoring" agreements aimed at stemming the violence there.
• Erdogan Warns Moscow on Idlib Amid Fears of Refugee Exodus VOA 29 Jan 2020 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a rare warning to Moscow to rein in the Syrian government's Idlib offensive. The capture of a critical town Wednesday by regime forces is stoking fears in Ankara of a new exodus of refugees into Turkey.
• UN: Islamic State Militants Not Getting Fair Trials in Iraq VOA 29 Jan 2020 -- A U.N. report says Islamic State militants in Iraq are often not getting fair trials and the judicial processes in the country are not up to international standards. The report, jointly published by the U.N. Assistance Mission for Iraq and the U.N. Human Rights Office, is based on hundreds of trials monitored between May 2018 and October 2019.
• France's Macron Accuses Erdogan of Failing to 'Keep His Word' on Libya Sputnik 29 Jan 2020 -- France has been a major critic of Ankara's move to deploy troops to Libya in recent weeks, calling for "the greatest restraint" to avoid escalating the decade-old conflict.
• Bangladesh Agrees to Allow UNICEF to Educate Rohingya Child Refugees From Myanmar Radio Free Asia 29 Jan 2020 -- Bangladesh has agreed for the first time to allow UNICEF to provide a formal education for Rohingya refugee children up to the age of 14 as long as classes are based on a Myanmar curriculum, officials said Tuesday.
• Myanmar Minister Says Country Will Not Destroy Evidence in ICJ Rohingya Case Radio Free Asia 29 Jan 2020 -- Myanmar will not destroy evidence related to allegations of genocide against Rohingya Muslims, a government minister from violence-ridden Rakhine state said Wednesday, nearly a week after the U.N.'s top court ordered the country to preserve evidence and take measures to protect the minority group from genocidal acts.
• Pakistan closes border gate with Afghanistan over security concerns IRNA 29 Jan 2020 -- Pakistan has closed its border gate with Afghanistan at Torkham after mortar shells were fired into Pakistan from the other side, IRNA reported on Wednesday.
• Pakistan closes key crossing with Afghanistan after cross-border attack Press TV 29 Jan 2020 -- Pakistani authorities close a key border crossing with Afghanistan for several hours after mortar bombs land in Pakistani territory from across the border, local officials say.
• Pakistan Temporarily Closes Afghan Border Crossing After Mortar Attack RFE/RL 29 Jan 2020 -- Pakistan closed a key border crossing with Afghanistan for about 10 hours after mortar shells landed on Pakistani territory from across the border.
• Pakistan Closes Major Border Crossing after Mortar Fired from Afghanistan Sputnik 29 Jan 2020 -- Pakistan and Afghanistan have been engaged in a war of words over the arrest of Pashtun leaders earlier this week. Islamabad accused the Pashtuns of acting against Pakistan on behalf of Afghanistan.
• Treasury Sanctions Illegitimate Russian-Backed Crimean Officials and Railroad Company Linking Crimea to Russia US Treasury 29 Jan 2020 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated eight individuals and one entity in response to Russia's continued aggression toward Ukraine and attempted occupation of Crimea. Seven of these individuals were also designated yesterday by the European Union (EU).
• China expresses strong indignation at U.S. bill on Tibet People's Daily 29 Jan 2020 -- China Wednesday expressed strong indignation at and firm opposition to the United States on its House of Representatives' passing of a Tibet-related bill.
• Pakistan Rebukes India's Modi Over 'War-Mongering' Remarks VOA 29 Jan 2020 -- Pakistan has harshly criticized rival India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a day after he boasted his military could inflict a defeat on the neighboring country within 10 days.
• Indian Army Chief Claims Situation in Kashmir Improved after Revocation of its Special status Sputnik 29 Jan 2020 -- The restive Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir was virtually cut off from the outside world under a blanket of security measures following the repeal of Article 370 in August 2019, ending the former state's special status.

News Reports

• Trump Impeachment Trial Turns Into Debate Over Bolton Testimony VOA 29 Jan 2020 -- U.S. President Donald Trump's impeachment trial quickly turned into a debate Wednesday over whether his former national security adviser John Bolton should be called as a witness.
• Trump's legal team wraps up opening arguments, rejects Bolton allegations Press TV 29 Jan 2020 -- US President Donald Trump's legal team has wrapped up three days of arguments in his Senate impeachment trial, calling the charges against the Republican president unfounded and politically motivated.
• Russia's Gazprom Says It Will Complete Nord Stream 2 Alone RFE/RL 29 Jan 2020 -- Russia's state-owned Gazprom says it will complete the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project under the Baltic Sea on its own without the help of foreign companies.
• Russia To Devote Extra $67 Billion To Tackle Demographic Crisis RFE/RL 29 Jan 2020 -- Russia plans to allocate an additional 4.13 trillion rubles ($66.7 billion) as part of a nationwide effort to address its dwindling population amid bleak long-term demographic trends.
• Putin Fires Chuvashia Governor Who Called For Journalists To Be 'Wiped Out' RFE/RL 29 Jan 2020 -- President Vladimir Putin has dismissed the governor of the Russian region of Chuvashia, Mikhail Ignatyev, who has faced harsh criticism recently for his public behavior.
• Athletics Doping Watchdog Recommends Expulsion Of Russia From Global Federation RFE/RL 29 Jan 2020 -- The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has advised World Athletics, global track and field's governing body, to expel Russia's athletics federation (RUSAF) from the global federation over widespread doping and cover-up offenses.
• US Warns Information-Sharing at Risk as Britain Approves Huawei 5G Rollout VOA 29 Jan 2020 -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has warned that the United States will only pass information across what he termed "trusted networks" and criticized close ally Britain over its decision to allow the Chinese firm Huawei to build parts of the country's 5G mobile network.
• U.S. Arrests Harvard Chemistry Professor For 'Making False Statements' About China Ties Radio Free Asia 29 Jan 2020 -- The head of Harvard University's chemistry and chemical biology department, Charles Lieber, has been charged with making false statements about funding he received from the Chinese government.
• Public Health Sector Strengthened in DPRK KCNA 29 Jan 2020 -- Big efforts have been directed to reinforcing the public health sector in the DPRK.
• North Korean Would-Be Defectors Arrested in Emergency Operation Near China Border Radio Free Asia 29 Jan 2020 -- North Korean authorities arrested seven out of a group of 15 government officials from Pyongyang who were allegedly attempting to defect by crossing the border into China, RFA has learned.
• Iran cannot access $5 billion of its energy money in Iraq: Official Press TV 29 Jan 2020 -- Iran's money from exports of gas and electricity has piled up to $5 billion in a bank account in Iraq, but Tehran cannot transfer it because of the US sanctions, an official says.
• Minister: Simorgh launcher installed to launch Zafar satellite IRNA 29 Jan 2020 -- Minister of Communications and Information Technology Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi said on Wednesday that Simorgh launcher has been drawn to the spaceport to launch Zafar satellite into space, adding that Simorgh will take Zafar 530 km up to space.
• With Brexit Days Away, Arab and Gulf States Ponder How They'll Be Affected VOA 29 Jan 2020 -- With Britain set to exit the European Union (at 2300 UTC) on January 31, Arab media are speculating on potential repercussions on Arab states in the Middle East region. Some analysts say that trade between Britain's traditional partners in the Gulf and Egypt is likely to increase, while investment in Britain is also expected to grow.
• Ukrainian Ex-Deputy Minister Jailed For Allegedly Embezzling $40 Million RFE/RL 29 Jan 2020 -- A former deputy energy and coal minister in the administration of former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was placed in pretrial detention for 45 days on suspicion of causing 2 billion hryvnyas ($40 million) in damages to the state.
• U.S. Joins EU, Canada In Imposing Fresh Crimea-Related Sanctions RFE/RL 29 Jan 2020 -- The U.S. Treasury Department has joined the European Union and Canada in imposing new sanctions on Russia in response to Moscow's "continued aggression toward Ukraine and attempted occupation of Crimea," a news release says.
• Taking It In Stride, Again: As Pompeo Visits, Ukraine Seems Set To Shrug Off Controversy RFE/RL 29 Jan 2020 -- Mike Pompeo's clash with a reporter in Washington, which the journalist said set off a foul-mouthed tirade in which he questioned whether Americans care about Ukraine, caused an uproar in his home country.
• Cambodia Opposition Chief Kem Sokha Says International Witnesses Will Clear Him in Treason Trial Radio Free Asia 29 Jan 2020 -- Opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) President Kem Sokha on Wednesday urged court authorities to allow testimony from representatives of the countries he is accused of colluding with to topple the government as the third week of his treason trial kicked off, saying they will exonerate him.
• Bulgarian Government Survives No-Confidence Vote Sparked By Water Shortages RFE/RL 29 Jan 2020 -- Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov's center-right government has survived a vote of no-confidence called by the opposition over water shortages that have already cost Environment Minister Neno Dimov his job.
• Public Designation of Thirteen Former Salvadoran Military Officials Due to Involvement in Gross Violations of Human Rights US Dept. of State 29 Jan 2020 -- Today, the Department of State is publicly announcing the designation of 13 individuals under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act 2019.

COVID-19 Pandemic News

• Coronavirus disease (COVID-2019) situation report - 09 WHO 29 January 2020
• Update on the situation regarding the new coronavirus - 29 January 2020 WHO
• Statement from the Press Secretary Regarding the President's Coronavirus Task Force The White House 29 Jan 2020
• Private Schools in Laos Close on Fears of Coronavirus Radio Free Asia 29 Jan 2020 -- Several private schools, most in Laos' capital Vientiane, have closed down as fears over the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus (nCoV) take hold in the Southeast Asian country, state media reported on Wednesday.
• Government taking steps to guarantee surgical face mask supply: Premier CNA 29 Jan 2020 -- Taiwan's Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) on Wednesday said the government is taking measures to guarantee the domestic supply of surgical face masks, and urged the public not to hoard masks amid fears over the spread of a new form of coronavirus.
• Supply of surgical masks to return to normal soon: convenience stores CNA 29 Jan 2020 -- Convenience store chains across Taiwan assured the public Wednesday that the domestic supply of surgical face masks will become more stable once businesses return to normal on Thursday, following the end of the Lunar New Year holiday.
• Daily growth rate of new coronavirus cases decline Global Times 29 Jan 2020 -- Tuesday brought a gleam of hope for China as at least 10 provinces, including Central China's Hubei Province, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, reported a decline in the number of newly infected patients than the previous day.
• Scientists race to develop coronavirus vaccine as recovered patients bring hope Global Times 29 Jan 2020 -- While worries continue to grow as the number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases surpassed 5,900 nationwide, a gleam of hope emerged with the recovery of over 100 patients, besides several labs made key breakthroughs in their race to develop vaccines.
• Eight Wuhan residents praised for "whistle-blowing" virus outbreak Global Times 29 Jan 2020 -- A top epidemiologist at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CCDC) on Wednesday commended eight residents of Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, who were detained in early January for spreading "rumors" about the outbreak of the novel coronavirus that has since rattled the entire country.
• China will make progress to contain coronavirus outbreak by Feb 8: expert Global Times 29 Jan 2020 -- China's relentless battle against the spreading novel coronavirus outbreak is likely to make marked progress by February 8, Zeng Guang, chief epidemiologist of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, told Global Times editor-in-chief Hu Xijin in an exclusive interview on Wednesday.
• Beijing propels into action to contain coronavirus ahead of two sessions Global Times 29 Jan 2020 -- The Beijing government on Wednesday issued guidelines calling for greater control and intensified screening of people coming to the capital from high-risk areas in a bid to contain the coronavirus outbreak before it advances to an expected spreading phase during return travel rush at the end of the Spring festival holidays.
• China steps up efforts to contain deadly virus at community level Global Times 29 Jan 2020 -- China stepped up efforts to prevent the fatal coronavirus from further spreading by coming up with guidelines for prevention and deploying community healthcare staff, which is expected to play a major role in enhancing prevention work, the national health authority said Wednesday.
• Shanghai hastens all-round effort to fight novel coronavirus outbreak Global Times 29 Jan 2020 -- A fifth novel coronavirus patient in Shanghai recovered from infection Wednesday, as 16 new cases were reported in the city on the same day, bringing the total confirmed cases to 96.
• China to tighten security at medical institutions, crowded places amid virus outbreak Global Times 29 Jan 2020 -- Political and legal affairs organs across China will ramp up their work to tighten security at designated medical institutions and crowded places and combat crimes as the country fights the novel coronavirus epidemic.
• China to tighten security at medical institutions, crowded places amid virus outbreak Global Times 29 Jan 2020 -- Political and legal affairs organs across China will ramp up their work to tighten security at designated medical institutions and crowded places and combat crimes as the country fights the novel coronavirus epidemic.
• Xi orders military to contribute to winning battle against epidemic People's Daily 29 Jan 2020 -- President Xi Jinping has ordered Chinese military to keep its mission firmly in mind and shoulder responsibility to make contributions to winning the battle against the novel coronavirus epidemic.
• WHO publishes clinical care guidance for suspected novel coronavirus cases People's Daily 29 Jan 2020 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) published on Tuesday interim clinical care guidance for hospitalized patients and for mildly ill patients at home who are suspected of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection.
• China orders satellite TV channels to cut entertainment amid coronavirus outbreak People's Daily 29 Jan 2020 -- China's broadcasting authorities on Tuesday ordered local satellite television stations to cut entertainment airtime to assist the fight against the novel coronavirus outbreak.
• Wuhan seafood market may not be only source of novel coronavirus: expert People's Daily 29 Jan 2020 -- The seafood market in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, may not be the only source of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak, according to a Chinese pulmonary disease specialist.
• Tibet reports first suspected case of novel coronavirus pneumonia People's Daily 29 Jan 2020 -- Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, reported the first suspected case of novel coronavirus pneumonia Wednesday, according to local health authorities.
• Wuhan's second makeshift hospital to accommodate more patients People's Daily 29 Jan 2020 -- The second makeshift hospital in Wuhan, the center of a coronavirus outbreak in central China, will accommodate 1,600 beds, 300 more than the previous design, as the number of local patients increases.
• Medics rushing to China's Wuhan to help fight virus Press TV 29 Jan 2020 -- Medical teams from across China are going to the city of Wuhan, where a deadly virus has originated, to help treat the increasing number of patients, as the disease spreads across the country and the rest of the world.
• China's Southeast Asian Neighbors Step up Controls Amid Coronavirus Fears Radio Free Asia 29 Jan 2020 -- Southeast Asian countries are tightening controls and stepping up screening of travelers this week as China's neighbors brace for possible cases of novel coronavirus amid a heavy flow of Chinese tourists during Lunar Year holidays.
• North Korea Cuts Off Trade With China on Fears of Coronavirus Radio Free Asia 29 Jan 2020 -- Authorities in North Korea have suspended all trade with China in an attempt to prevent the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus into the country, as several confirmed cases of infection have occurred in Chinese cities on the border with North Korea, RFA has learned.
• Airlines Cut Flights to China As Coronavirus Infections Spike Radio Free Asia 29 Jan 2020 -- British Airways and other international airlines on Wednesday suspended all flights to mainland China after the number of coronavirus cases rose by more than 1,000 in a single day, surpassing the total number of reported cases in the SARS epidemic of 2002-2003.
• Russia Joins China In Search For Vaccine As Virus Outbreak Spreads RFE/RL 29 Jan 2020 -- Russia says it has received the genome of the coronavirus from China and is working jointly with its neighbor to develop a vaccine against the illness as the number of deaths and confirmed cases continues to jump.
• Kazakhstan Shutting Down Transport Links With China Over Coronavirus Fears RFE/RL 29 Jan 2020 -- Kazakhstan says it is suspending all forms of passenger travel to and from neighboring China, as an outbreak of a new coronavirus continued to widen.
• Germany's Lufthansa Cancels All Flights to China Amid Coronavirus Outbreak Sputnik 29 Jan 2020 -- The new coronavirus was first detected in China's city of Wuhan at the end of last year and quickly spread to other cities. According to the latest information, the virus has claimed the lives of 132 people, while over 6,000 people have been infected.
• India's Biggest Airlines Suspend Operation to China Amid Coronavirus Sputnik 29 Jan 2020 -- Soon after reports of deaths in China from the Novel Coronavirus emerged, the Indian Civil Aviation Ministry called for immediate implementation of an action plan which includes the screening of passengers arriving from China and Hong Kong at major airports across the country.
• UAE Health Ministry Reports First Case of Coronavirus Sputnik 29 Jan 2020 -- The unknown type of viral pneumonia was first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan in late December. On Monday, the World Health Organization changed the global risk degree of the deadly coronavirus from "moderate" to "high."
• British Airways Suspends All Direct Flights To and From China Over Coronavirus Outbreak Sputnik 29 Jan 2020 -- The Foreign Office previously advised against "all but essential travel to mainland China" after the city of Wuhan became the epicentre of the Novel Coronavirus outbreak that claimed more than a hundred lives. The airline subsequently halted bookings of direct flights to Beijing and Shanghai.
• Evacuation of Americans from Wuhan, China US Dept. of State 29 Jan 2020 -- "This morning, a flight from Wuhan carrying U.S. government personnel and some private Americans safely landed in California."
• Coronavirus: First case confirmed in Gulf region, more than 6,000 worldwide UN News 29 Jan 2020 -- On Wednesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that the coronavirus outbreak has now spread to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The vast majority of cases continue to be declared in China, with more than 6,000 confirmed, 68 of them outside of the country.
• WHO to Decide if Coronavirus Is Global Health Emergency VOA 29 Jan 2020 -- The chief of the World Health Organization says it will decide Thursday whether to declare the coronavirus outbreak a global health emergency.
• As Coronavirus Spreads, West African Nations Stand Guard VOA 29 Jan 2020 -- Officials in West Africa are standing guard after a suspected case of the coronavirus was reported in Ivory Coast earlier this week.
• Financial Fallout From Coronavirus Outbreak Could Be Severe VOA 29 Jan 2020 -- While the global community hurries to try to slow or halt the spread of the coronavirus virus, officials do so knowing that whether the outbreak is contained or not, it will likely create severe economic costs that will have an impact far beyond China's borders.
• Hong Kong to reduce transport services with mainland to contain spread of novel coronavirus People's Daily 29 Jan 2020 -- Hong Kong will significantly reduce transport services between Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland to contain the spread of new coronavirus.
• New coronavirus spreads mainly by droplets, but also touch: Chinese health authorities People's Daily 29 Jan 2020 -- The new virus that is causing an epidemic in China is transmitted mainly through air droplets, but touching can spread the virus too, according to Chinese health authorities.
• China's coronavirus-stricken province races to tackle shortage of protective gear People's Daily 29 Jan 2020 -- Central China's Hubei Province, hit hard by the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak, said it has distributed millions of masks and protective medical clothing to meet the needs of patients, medical staff and the public.
• China reports 5,974 confirmed cases of new coronavirus pneumonia, 132 deaths People's Daily 29 Jan 2020 -- Chinese health authorities announced Wednesday that 5,974 confirmed cases of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus had been reported in 31 provincial-level regions by the end of Tuesday. A total of 132 people have died of the disease.
• Xi voices full confidence in winning battle against novel coronavirus People's Daily 29 Jan 2020 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Tuesday that China has full confidence and capability to win the battle against the outbreak of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).