Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Top Russian Diplomat Says Moscow, Washington, Kabul To Consult On Taliban Talks RFE/RL 10 Jun 2020 -- A top Russian diplomat says Russia, the United States, and Afghanistan will hold video consultations to try and jump-start intra-Afghan peace talks.
• Taliban Actions Fuel US Doubts for Afghan Peace Talks VOA 10 Jun 2020 -- Afghan Taliban leaders have yet to convince U.S. military officials they are ready to be "faithful partners" and help usher in a new era of peace for Afghanistan.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Iran Poses Greatest Threat to Region, Centcom Commander Says DoD News 10 Jun 2020 -- Iran poses the greatest threat to regional security and stability, the commander of U.S. Central Command said.
• US General: Killing of Soleimani Has Deterred Iran VOA 10 Jun 2020 -- The January killing of powerful Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in a U.S. drone strike in Iraq has resulted in a new reality in which Iran is deterred from attacking American assets and those of its allies in the Middle East, said the top U.S. commander in the region.
• US says intercepted Russian bombers off the coast of Alaska Press TV 10 Jun 2020 -- The United States says it has intercepted two Russian bombers that remain in international airspace.
• US Carriers Reagan, Nimitz Sail Into Pacific After Monthslong Absence of American Warships Sputnik 10 Jun 2020 -- The US Navy has come roaring back from the COVID-19 lockdowns of months past, now having three aircraft carriers underway in the Pacific Ocean.
• Domestic N95 Mask Production Expected to Exceed 1 Billion in 2021 DoD News 10 Jun 2020 -- Thanks to work by the Defense Department's COVID-19 Joint Acquisition Task Force, U.S. industry is expected to greatly increase the production of N95 masks next year, the task force's director said.
• DOD Announces $135 Million in Defense Production Act Title 3 COVID-19 Actions DoD 10 Jun 2020 -- Today the Department is announcing five Defense Production Act Title 3 actions that will help sustain defense-critical workforce capabilities in body armor, aircraft manufacturing, and shipbuilding.
• Air Force update for COVID-19 US Air Force 10 Jun 2020
• South Korean Engineering Company Pleads Guilty to Defrauding U.S. Army, Agrees to Pay $68.4 Million US Dept. of Justice 10 Jun 2020 -- SK Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd. (SK), one of the largest engineering firms in the Republic of Korea, pleaded guilty today to one count of wire fraud, in connection with a fraudulent scheme to obtain U.S. Army contracts through payments to a U.S. Department of Defense contracting official and the submission of false claims to the U.S. government.
• Navy Mobilizing Reservists Under SurgeMain Program to Support Ship Maintenance NNS 10 Jun 2020 -- The Navy is mobilizing 1,629 Reservists to support aircraft carrier and submarine maintenance at its four public shipyards starting in July. This mobilization will help reduce the maintenance backlog that has developed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• USS Kidd Departs on Deployment NNS 10 Jun 2020 -- Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd (DDG 100) departed San Diego to continue her scheduled deployment, June 10.
• US sends aircraft carriers to Pacific amid tensions with China Press TV 10 Jun 2020 -- The United States has reportedly sent two aircraft carriers to the Pacific amid tensions with China in the region.
• American F-22 Jets Scrambled to Escort Russian Tu-95Ms Bombers Over Neutral Waters Sputnik 10 Jun 2020 -- US Air Force F-22 fighters were scrambled to escort Russian Tu-95MS strategic missile-carrying bombers during their flight over neutral waters near the Russian-US border, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Wednesday.
• US Air Force Investigating Involuntary Deployment of Hypersonic DARPA Missile Sputnik 10 Jun 2020 -- The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the US Air Force (USAF) are searching for answers after an experimental missile reportedly managed to separate from a B-52 strategic bomber and explode during a recent captive-carry flight test.
• Germany Says US Considering Troop Reduction VOA 10 Jun 2020 -- The German government Wednesday said it has received official confirmation from the U.S. of plans to reduce the number of American forces in Germany.
• Okinawa's Governor Promises 'Fierce Opposition' to Plan for New US Missile Bases Sputnik 10 Jun 2020 -- A US plan to build new missile sites on the Japanese island of Okinawa has encountered stiff resistance by locals, including the governor, who was elected on a position of getting US forces out of the prefecture.
• Explainer: Why The U.S.-NATO Exercises In Eastern Europe Are Important RFE/RL 10 Jun 2020 -- The COVID-19 pandemic has upended several military exercises, but now that restrictive measures have been eased some are going forward, albeit in a scaled-down form.
• Russia's MiG-35 to Be Equipped With Voice Assistant Helping Pilot in Tough Situations Sputnik 10 Jun 2020 -- Russia's next-generation fighter jet, the MiG-35 will be equipped with a new expert system capable of providing pilots with recommendations in various difficult situations, Dmitry Selivanov, a test pilot at the MiG aircraft corporation (part of Rostec), has said in an interview with Sputnik.
• Russia Spotted 32 Foreign Spy Jets Close to National Airspace Over Past Week Sputnik 10 Jun 2020 -- A total of 32 foreign aircraft conducted reconnaissance activities along Russia's borders in the past week, the military's official newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda reported on Wednesday.
• China Again Declines To Join Arms-Control Talks With U.S., Russia RFE/RL 10 Jun 2020 -- China has reiterated its refusal to participate in three-way disarmament talks with the United States and Russia ahead of a new round of arms-control talks between Washington and Moscow scheduled for June 22 in Vienna.
• Top U.S. Commander Says Iran Is Trying To Protect Its Military Amid Coronavirus Crisis Radio Farda 10 Jun 2020 -- The top U.S. military commander in the Middle East has said Iran is "struggling" with the coronavirus, trying to protect key officials and the military from the pandemic.
• New indigenous trainer jet conducts first test flight in Taichung CNA 10 Jun 2020 -- The first test flight of Taiwan's new indigenous advanced jet trainer (AJT) was conducted in Taichung on Wednesday when a prototype of the trainer flew for around 20 minutes.
• Canada doubles arms sales to Saudi Arabia despite dire rights record: New figures Press TV 10 Jun 2020 -- Newly-released figures have revealed that Canada's sales of military hardware to Saudi Arabia hit a record in 2019, despite a moratorium that was in place on approval of new arms exports to the kingdom due its poor human rights record.
• Deputy Minister of Defense Receives Phone call from UK Secretary of State for Defense SPA 10 Jun 2020 -- Prince Khaled bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Minister of Defense, received today a phone call from Ben Wallace Secretary of State for Defense of United Kingdom.
• Secretary Michael R. Pompeo at a Press Availability on the Release of the 2019 International Religious Freedom Report US Dept. of State 10 Jun 2020
• Remarks by President Trump in Roundtable Discussion The White House 10 Jun 2020
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany The White House 10 Jun 2020

Defense Industry

• Contracts For June 10, 2020

Other Conflicts

• 10 June 2020 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 10 Jun 2020
• Africa Harbors 9 of 10 Worst Displacement Crises, Aid Group Says VOA 10 Jun 2020 -- Of the world's 10 most neglected displacement crises, nine are in Africa, the Norwegian Refugee Council reports in an annual assessment released Wednesday.
• China Uses Cabbage to Advance Disputed Asian Sea Claim VOA 10 Jun 2020 -- A cabbage crop being grown on a tropical islet will help China solidify its claims in a wider, disputed Asian sea by allowing more people to live there and proving that the tiny feature can sustain itself.
• Saudi blockade of Yemen 'a new crisis' amid pandemic: Minister Press TV 10 Jun 2020 -- Yemen's health minister says the ongoing blockade imposed by Saudi Arabia against the war-torn country has created a "new crisis" amid the coronavirus pandemic.
• Militants Shell Towns in Syria's Idlib, Hama, Russian Military Says Sputnik 10 Jun 2020 -- Militants from the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham* terrorist group have conducted numerous attacks in the Syrian provinces of Idlib and Hama, Rear Admiral Alexander Shcherbitskiy, the head of the Russian Defence Ministry's centre for Syrian reconciliation, said on Tuesday.
• EU concerned over Israel's annexation plan in West Bank, German FM says Press TV 10 Jun 2020 -- German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas is in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, where he is going to express the European Union's "concern" over the Tel Aviv regime's controversial plan to annex large parts of the occupied West Bank.
• Israel's top court annuls West Bank settlement legalization law, draws praise from rights groups Press TV 10 Jun 2020 -- Israel's Supreme Court has struck down a controversial 2017 law that would have allowed the regime to expropriate private Palestinian land, where thousands of settler units have been built, drawing praise from advocacy groups.
• Egypt's ceasefire proposal for Libya aims to save Haftar: Turkey Press TV 10 Jun 2020 -- Turkey has slammed Egypt's proposal for a ceasefire in Libya as not sincere, saying the initiative aims to save renegade general Khalifa Haftar, whose fighters are losing ground in the war-torn country.
• EU calls on warring sides in Libya to stop fighting, join peace efforts Press TV 10 Jun 2020 -- The European Union (EU) has called on all warring parties in Libya to instantly halt military operations there and take part in constructive peace talks.
• China, India move to reduce tensions along border: FM Global Times 10 Jun 2020 -- China and India have taken steps to reduce tensions along the border in accordance with the consensus they reached, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a press conference on Wednesday, in responds to questions on the withdrawal of troops along the border, where a standoff had reportedly taken place in recent days.
• China-India Border Tensions Underscore Beijing's Expansionist Intent, Says Tibetan Exile Government Leader Radio Free Asia 10 Jun 2020 -- Recent tensions between India and China along the unmarked border in India's northeastern region of Ladakh demonstrate Beijing's continued intention to annex disputed areas and expand its influence in South Asia, the head of Tibet's India-based exile government said this week.
• Prime Minister Oli Accuses India of Putting Forces in Nepalese Territory Amid Raging Border Row Sputnik 10 Jun 2020 -- On Tuesday, the lower house of the Nepalese Parliament received cross-party support for a constitutional amendment concerning a new map showing the disputed Kalapani and Lipulekh region as part of its territory. India has undermined Nepal's sovereignty by building the Lipulekh link road in the area, said Nepali FM Gyawali.
• Five Terrorists Killed in Intense Encounter in India's Kashmir, 14 Neutralised in 72 Hours Sputnik 10 Jun 2020 -- Over 100 terrorists have been gunned down in India's Jammu and Kashmir by security forces in 2020 as they scaled up counter-terror operations in the valley, as per data maintained by the security forces. The data, however, suggests that most were local terrorists, while 10 were foreign, and six remained unidentified.
• Roza Otunbaeva 10 Years After Deadly Ethnic Clashes: Some Forces 'Took Advantage Of The Moment To Try To Start A Fire' RFE/RL 10 Jun 2020 -- Ten years after bloody ethnic clashes in southern Kyrgyzstan that killed hundreds, Roza Otunbaeva - who was interim president at the time - spoke to the RFE/RL Kyrgyz Service's chief editor in Bishkek, Zairbek Baktybaev, about the factors that led to the tragic events and whether her government could have prevented the violence.
• Kyrgyz President Marks 10th Anniversary Of Ethnic Clashes In South RFE/RL 10 Jun 2020 -- Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov has visited the southern city of Osh to mark the 10th anniversary of the deadly ethnic clashes that claimed hundreds of lives.
• Understanding The Truth: Chief Investigator Of Deadly Kyrgyz-Uzbek Clashes Reflects 10 Years Later RFE/RL 10 Jun 2020 -- It has been a decade since the horrific violence in June 2010 between ethnic Kyrgyz and Uzbek communities ravaged southern Kyrgyzstan and left at least 470 people dead, thousands injured, and forced hundreds of thousands from their homes.
• Rohingya Boat Off Thailand Has Been at Sea Four Months: Malaysian Official Radio Free Asia 10 Jun 2020 -- A boat carrying hundreds of Rohingya that has been at sea four months is currently off southern Thailand and has been blocked from entering Malaysia's waters multiple times, a senior Malaysian maritime official said Wednesday.
• Sudan: Indicted war crimes suspects must be brought to justice – ICC prosecutor UN News 10 Jun 2020 -- Buoyed by the surrender of a key Darfur war crimes suspect, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) is urging the Security Council to press Sudan to do more to bring other indicted persons – including ex-president Omar Al-Bashir – to justice.
• 69 People Killed in Nigerian Village by Suspected Boko Haram Militants VOA 10 Jun 2020 -- At least 69 people in a Nigerian village have been killed by suspected members of Boko Haram, an Islamic militant group.

News Reports

• Former US Justice Lawyers Call for Investigation of Barr VOA 10 Jun 2020 -- More than 1,250 former attorneys for the U.S. Justice Department called Wednesday for the agency's internal watchdog to investigate the role Attorney General William Barr played in the aggressive police clearance of largely peaceful protesters from a park near the White House last week.
• Fired State Dept. IG pressed not to probe into Saudi arms sales Press TV 10 Jun 2020 -- The State Department's former inspector general says US officials discouraged him from investigating arms sales to Saudi Arabia before he was fired by President Donald Trump last month.
• Court-Appointed Expert Urges US Government Not to Drop Charges Against Michael Flynn Sputnik 10 Jun 2020 -- The US government should not drop charges against former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI, a former US federal judge John Gleeson said in an 86-page brief on Wednesday.
• On the Passing of Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza US Dept. of State 10 Jun 2020
• Burundi's outgoing President Pierre Nkurunziza dies of heart attack People's Daily 10 Jun 2020 -- Burundi's outgoing President Pierre Nkurunziza has died of a heart attack in a hospital in east-central Burundi, said a government statement issued here on Tuesday.
• Burundi's Nkurunziza Leaves Mixed Legacy, Poor Human Rights Record VOA 10 Jun 2020 -- The sudden death of outgoing Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza Tuesday came as a shock to everyone on the African political scene. Nkurunziza ruled Burundi with an iron first for 15 years, including a controversial third term that saw hundreds killed in protests and more than half a million fleeing the country. Some expect nothing will change on how the east African nation handles its governance.
• Melting Down: Climate Change May Prove A Major Problem For Russia's Arctic Infrastructure RFE/RL 10 Jun 2020 -- Just a few days after thousands of tons of diesel fuel leaked from a storage tank and turned the waters of an Arctic river a sickly purply-red, the mining giant that owned the tanks offered a tentative explanation of what happened.
• Retired Austrian Army Colonel Found Guilty Of Spying For Russia RFE/RL 10 Jun 2020 -- An Austrian court has sentenced a retired army colonel to three years in prison after convicting him of spying for Russia's military intelligence service (GRU) for more than 25 years.
• Survey Suggests China Influence Over SE Asia Is Rising as America's Falls Radio Free Asia 10 Jun 2020 -- The United States is struggling to compete with China's growing influence in Southeast Asia, according to a new survey of the region's experts, even though there is strong support among them for democratic values.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference on June 10, 2020 PRC MofA 10 Jun 2020
• Failing to Own Up to Mistakes Is Typical CCP Behavior Radio Free Asia 10 Jun 2020 -- In February 1952, the Chinese People's Volunteer Army (PVA) issued a joint statement with the North Korean government, alleging that United States troops were carrying out  large-scale bacterial or germ warfare during the Korean War. The United States denied the accusations. The world demanded the truth – after all, were the brave and heroic American troops boldly trampling on civilization, or was the great and never-wrong Chinese Communist Party making groundless accusations?
• U.S. Says China 'Bullied' U.K. Over Huawei 5G Contract Radio Free Asia 10 Jun 2020 -- The United States has hit out at China over its "bullying" of the U.K., saying that the Chinese Communist Party "threatened to punish" the country over its refusal to allow Chinese telecoms giant Huawei to bid for contracts in the country's implementation of the next-generation 5G mobile network.
• Harvard Professor Indicted on China Program Charges VOA 10 Jun 2020 -- The former chair of Harvard University's chemistry and chemical biology department was indicted today for allegedly lying about research funding while participating in China's Thousand Talents Program, the Department of Justice said.
• Pompeo slammed for chiding HSBC's support of HK national security law Global Times 10 Jun 2020 -- The Chinese foreign ministry on Wednesday slammed US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for sowing discord, calling his view "narrow-minded" and "ridiculous" after Pompeo chided British bank HSBC for supporting the national security legislation for Hong Kong.
• UK should abandon double standards on Hong Kong: FM spokesperson Global Times 10 Jun 2020 -- What kind of freedom did the UK give to Hong Kong during its 156 years of colonialism, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying asked Tuesday at a press conference in response to the UK's expression of concern over the freedom of Hong Kong residents following the approval of the introduction of the new national security law.
• HK national security law 'likely' within one month Global Times 10 Jun 2020 -- Setting up a new unit within the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) does not necessarily mean the capabilities of the Chinese mainland's affiliated national security agency in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in enforcing the law would be weakened.
• Hong Kong police arrest 53 rioters during new protest Press TV 10 Jun 2020 -- Police in Hong Kong have arrested 53 rioters during a protest against the passage of a national security bill in the global financial hub.
• Interview: 'I'm Going to Stay Here And Fight to The Bitter End' Radio Free Asia 10 Jun 2020 -- Pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai, 72, who faces charges of"illegal assembly" for attending a pro-democracy rally in August 2019, says many in Hong Kong fear the consequences of impending national security legislation to be imposed on the city by the ruling Chinese Communist Party, but will stay in the city to fight on regardless. Lai was among thousands of others who defied a police ban on a protest march on Aug. 31, a date that was marked by a violent assault by riot police on train passengers at Prince Edward MTR station.
• Fearing Arrest for Pro-democracy Activity in Hong Kong, Protestor Flees to Taiwan VOA 10 Jun 2020 -- As Beijing tightens control over Hong Kong, some Hong Kong residents who participated in months of pro-democracy protests are opting to self-exile to avoid being charged with the vaguely defined offense of rioting, which can carry a 10-year prison sentence.
• More Than 50 Arrested in Hong Kong Anti-Government Protests VOA 10 Jun 2020 -- More than 50 people were arrested in Hong Kong on Tuesday night after thousands of protesters defied a police ban to mark the first anniversary of the city's anti-government movement on Tuesday evening.
• Victims' Families Say Uighur Religious Leaders Main Target in China VOA 10 Jun 2020 -- A Chinese government crackdown on the minority Muslims in Xinjiang has taken a toll on the community's religious staff with the imams being most vulnerable to persecution, according to Uighur victims' families and scholars.
• China Increased Detentions For 'Extremist' Religious Behavior in Xinjiang in 2019: Report Radio Free Asia 10 Jun 2020 -- Authorities in northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) ramped up detentions of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities last year to implement "counterterrorism" measures that severely violated religious freedoms, the U.S. State Department said in an annual report released Wednesday.
• US Accuses China of Intensifying Religious Repression VOA 10 Jun 2020 -- An annual U.S. government report finds religious freedom under assault throughout the world, notably in what the State Department calls Countries of Particular Concern – China, Iran, North Korea among others.
• China, World's Biggest Creditor, Delays Debt Repayments for 77 Nations VOA 10 Jun 2020 -- China's announcement this week to suspend debt repayments for 77 low-income countries as part of the G-20's debt relief program gives Beijing a political boost with foreign allies at a time when China is under scrutiny for its role in the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
• China launches HY-1D satellite to monitor maritime environment Global Times 10 Jun 2020 -- China successfully sent a newly developed maritime environment monitoring satellite into orbit at 2:31am on Thursday.
• China's threats spurred visit to Taiwan: Czech Senate president CNA 10 Jun 2020 -- The president of the Czech Republic's Senate, Miloš Vystrčil, said Tuesday that threats from China and a desire to uphold democratic values strengthened his intent to visit Taiwan.
• North Korea: US Has No Standing to Comment on Inter-Korean Affairs Sputnik 10 Jun 2020 -- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) criticized the United States on Thursday, saying the US has no standing to comment on internal Korean affairs. Earlier this week, Pyongyang severed contact with Seoul over propaganda distribution by defectors in the South.
• North Korea Issues Veiled Threat on US Election VOA 10 Jun 2020 -- North Korea is urging the United States to "keep its mouth shut" about worsening inter-Korean relations, saying such silence will be beneficial if the U.S. wants to hold a successful presidential election in November.
• Children Born to Unmarried Mothers in North Korea Excluded From UN-Sponsored Immunization Initiatives Radio Free Asia 10 Jun 2020 -- North Korea excludes children of single mothers from vaccination and nutritional programs sponsored by the United Nations because local law forbids registering out-of-wedlock births, RFA has learned from sources inside the reclusive country.
• U.S. disappointed by DPRK cutting off inter-Korea communication People's Daily 10 Jun 2020 -- The United States on Tuesday said that it was disappointed by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) latest move of cutting off all inter-Korean communication lines, urging Pyongyang to return to diplomacy.
• North Korea Expected to Step Up Pressure to Get Concessions from South Radio Free Asia 10 Jun 2020 -- North Korea's move to sever communications with South Korea appears to be a signal that more provocations are on the horizon as Pyongyang tries to extract more concessions out of Seoul, experts told RFA.
• Iran's letter to IAEA about US' irresponsible conduct ISNA 10 Jun 2020 -- Ambassador and permanent representative of Iran to the International Organizations in Vienna, Kazem Gharib-Abadi in a letter to director general of the IAEA warned about the US irresponsible and inhuman behaviour regarding its international commitments in the fields of nuclear cooperation and creating obstacles in the field.
• Russia, China should stand up to US' conspiracy: Iran's President ISNA 10 Jun 2020 -- Appreciating the efforts of Iran's medical and hospital staff in combatting COVID-19 over the past four months, the President said that with the exception of a few provinces that are in red conditions, we have reached the stage of controlling coronavirus in the country, adding, "The resilience of the Iranian people in the simultaneous fight against coronavirus and the severe, illegal US sanctions is well-known today and will be recorded in the history of the country".
• China, Russia fighting off US 'snapback' threat against Iran at UN Press TV 10 Jun 2020 -- Veto powers China and Russia have written to the United Nations, arguing strongly against a US threat that it will try and bring about a return of all sanctions against Iran if the world body fails to extend an arms embargo against Tehran.
• Rouhani: Iranians defeated America's knee-to-neck policy through unity Press TV 10 Jun 2020 -- President Hassan Rouhani says the Iranian nation has managed to defeat America's longtime "knee-to-neck" policy by staying united and standing up against Washington's pressure campaign.
• Iran Sanctions Produced 'Excellent Results', Brian Hook Says Radio Farda 10 Jun 2020 -- Speaking online to the Heritage Foundation on Tuesday, the U.S. Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook United States will continue working to re-instate the arms embargo on Iran and that the sanctions have produced "excellent results" so far.
• Iranian, Ukrainian diplomats discuss January plane incident ISNA 10 Jun 2020 -- A ranking Iranian diplomat and Ukraine's ambassador to Tehran have talked about various issues surrounding the January 8 crash of a Ukrainian passenger plane near Tehran.
• Iran showed power by sending oil tankers to Venezuela despite US threats: IRGC head Press TV 10 Jun 2020 -- The chief commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says the country displayed its power through sending fuel tankers to Venezuela despite threats by the administration of US President Donald Trump to take action against them.
• Iran may take legal action to access funds in South Korea Press TV 10 Jun 2020 -- Governor of the Central Bank of Iran Abdolnaser Hemmati says the Islamic Republic may launch legal action to access its funds illegally being withheld in South Korea under pressure from the US.
• Iran Escalating Pressure On South Korea To Release Billions In Oil Money Radio Farda 10 Jun 2020 -- Iran's Central Bank Governor has said that Iran reserves the right to launch legal action against South Korea if the country's banks refuse to unlock billions of dollars owed to Iran for oil exports, frozen in Korean banks for nearly two years.
• Former Deputy Mayor Of Tehran Being Tried For Billion-Dollar Corruption Radio Farda 10 Jun 2020 -- Forty court hearings have been so far held in the trial of former Tehran Deputy Mayor, Issa Sharifi on charges of corruption, the spokesman of the Islamic Republic Judiciary, disclosed on Tuesday, June 9.
• Iran's Guards Poised To Enter Country's $15 Billion Auto Industry Radio Farda 10 Jun 2020 -- The Chief-Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps' (IRGC) Aerospace Force, Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, said on Tuesday, June 9, that the IRGC will transfer its research experiences to the automotive industry.
• New details from Iran's latest satellite in interview with Sardar Jafarabadi Tasmin NA 10 Jun 2020 -- Mehdi Bakhtiari: On May 23 of this year, the Revolutionary Guards Air Force placed its first satellite, Noor, on a 425-kilometer Earth orbit by satellite to Ghased. This happened while, unlike previous satellite launches in the country, no one was informed about it until the operation.
• Venezuelan Foreign Minister Accuses US of Aggression Over Actions Against Oil Tankers Sputnik 10 Jun 2020 -- Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza called Washington's actions that prevent tankers from arriving in Venezuela to export oil an attack on the Venezuelan people.
• Myanmar Cautioned About Costly Borrowing From China Radio Free Asia 10 Jun 2020 -- Myanmar's auditor general has cautioned government officials about continued reliance on high-interest Chinese loans, as the Southeast Asian country begins to pay off debt taken on during decades of military rule and accept new loans under China's massive Belt and Road Initiative.
• Barnier accuses UK of 'cherry picking' at talks Press TV 10 Jun 2020 -- In the latest blow to post-Brexit trade talks, the European Union's chief negotiator has accused the UK of making excessive demands on the bloc.
• IMF Approves $5 Billion In Aid For Ukraine To Shore Up Economy Wracked By Coronavirus RFE/RL 10 Jun 2020 -- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says its executive board has approved an 18-month, $5 billion standby arrangement for Ukraine aimed at helping the country cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Poroshenko A Suspect In Alleged Illegal Move Of Paintings RFE/RL 10 Jun 2020 -- Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigation (DBR) has announced that prosecutors consider former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko a suspect in a case about the alleged illegal transfer of valuable paintings across the border.
• Lebanese Prime Minister Diab Says Country Was on Verge of Sectarian Conflict Sputnik 10 Jun 2020 -- The Lebanese government has thwarted plans to create a large-scale sectarian conflict in the country, which was close to becoming a reality after violent clashes took place this past weekend, Prime Minister Hassan Diab said Wednesday.
• Lebanese Protest Local Currency Devaluation in Beirut Sputnik 10 Jun 2020 -- People gathered outside the Lebanese central bank's building in Beirut on Tuesday to protest the high cost of the dollar, which has been driving the local currency's exchange rate downward.