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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• Defeating Daesh Highlights of the Week July 1, 2020 CENTCOM 01 Jul 2020 -- Our partners in Iraq and Syria are leading the way to find and eliminate Daesh fighters and their finance, logistics, and media networks.
• 'Fully Briefed' Trump Calls Russia Bounty Report 'Fake News Media Hoax' VOA 01 Jul 2020 -- U.S. President Donald Trump is dismissing intelligence reports suggesting Russia may have offered a bounty to Taliban-linked militants for attacks on U.S. forces after top aides said he was fully briefed on the matter.
• More Lawmakers Urge Trump To Consider Repercussions For Russia Over Alleged Bounties RFE/RL 01 Jul 2020 -- U.S. President Donald Trump should consider imposing new economic sanctions on Russia if reports alleging that Moscow paid the Taliban bounties to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan are true, Democrats who were briefed on the matter said.
• US Allegedly Has Financial Data to Support Russia Bounty Claims - Reports Sputnik 01 Jul 2020 -- The US intelligence community's claims that Russia offered bounties for US soldiers in Afghanistan is allegedly supported by data obtained showing financial transfers from the GRU to a Taliban-linked account, the New York Times reported citing three officials familiar with the matter.
• Trump: 'Russian Bounty' Intel Claims Never Presented to Him Since It 'Didn't Rise to That Level' Sputnik 01 Jul 2020 -- US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he was never briefed on claims published by the New York Times about bounties on US soldiers in Afghanistan given to the Taliban by Russian intelligence agents because US intelligence agencies don't believe it ever happened.
• Trump blames Russian bounty allegations on fake news Press TV 01 Jul 2020 -- US President Donald Trump has blamed the "fake news" for the allegations about suspected Russian bounties on coalition forces in Afghanistan, calling it a "hoax."
• Russia working with Taliban to 'expedite' US pullout from Afghanistan, Pentagon claims Press TV 01 Jul 2020 -- The Pentagon has claimed that Russia has been working with Taliban and the Afghan government to "expedite" the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan.
• Semi-Annual Report: Enhancing Security and Stability in Afghanistan DoD 01 Jul 2020 -- Today the Department of Defense provided to the Congress the semiannual report, "Enhancing Security and Stability in Afghanistan," covering events during the period of December 1, 2019, to May 31, 2020.
• Pentagon: Taliban Keeps 'Close Ties' With Al-Qaeda Affiliate RFE/RL 01 Jul 2020 -- Al-Qaeda's regional affiliate in Afghanistan maintains "close ties" to the Taliban and has an "enduring interest" in attacking U.S. troops, the Pentagon says in a new report.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Trump Threatens to Veto Defense Spending Bill Over Confederate Base Names VOA 01 Jul 2020 -- U.S. President Donald Trump says he will veto an annual bill appropriating money for the Defense Department if the measure includes a requirement for renaming U.S. military installations that honor the Confederate States of America.
• Trump Vows to Veto Defense Authorization Bill if it Includes Amendment on Renaming US Military Bases Sputnik 01 Jul 2020 -- US President Donald Trump had previously referred to the military bases named after Confederate leaders as "Hallowed Grounds" where soldiers that won two World Wars were trained. He added that his administration "will not even consider" the idea.
• Senior Defense Officials Update Reporters on COVID-19 Responses DoD 01 Jul 2020 -- Thomas McCaffery, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs; Thomas Muir, Director of Washington Headquarters Services; Lernes Hebert, Deputy Assistant Secretary Of Defense For Military Personnel Policy
• Readout of Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs David Helvey's Phone Call With Deputy Defense Minister SrLTG Nguyen Chi Vinh of Vietnam DoD 01 Jul 2020
• F-16 crashes at Shaw AFB US Air Force 01 Jul 2020 -- One pilot was killed when their F-16CM Fighting Falcon crashed at approximately 11:30 p.m., June 30, at Shaw Air Force Base.
• Minnesota ANG transports aid to Honduras through Denton Program US Air Force 01 Jul 2020 -- A U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III from the 133rd Air National Guard in Minnesota transported a large donation of 44,180 pounds of humanitarian aid supplies to Soto Cano Air Base, June 26, through the U.S. Agency for International Development's Denton Program.
• Army airborne task force descends onto Guam Army News 01 Jul 2020 -- Paratroopers from the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, United States Army Alaska, parachuted onto Guam early in the morning as part of their Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska today.
• UAE and U. S. Forces Conduct Combined Joint Operations in Arabian Gulf CENTCOM 01 Jul 2020 -- The United Arab Emirates Joint Aviation Command (JAC) conducted combined naval and air training operations with forces assigned to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) and U.S. Air Forces Central Command (AFCENT) in the southern Arabian Gulf, June 21-25.
• UAE and U.S. Forces Conduct Combined Joint Operations in Arabian Gulf USMC News 01 Jul 2020 -- The United Arab Emirates Joint Aviation Command conducted combined naval and air training operations with forces assigned to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and U.S. Air Forces Central Command in the southern Arabian Gulf, June 21-25.
• Mount Whitney Returns to Gaeta After Successful BALTOPS 2020 NNS 01 Jul 2020 -- The Blue Ridge-class command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) returned to its forward-deployed location of Gaeta, Italy, July 1, following a six-week underway period in support of exercise Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 2020 in the Baltic Sea.
• USS Kidd Renders Assistance at Sea NNS 01 Jul 2020 -- The Arleigh Burke-Class Destroyer USS Kidd (DDG 100) assisted a fishing vessel in distress while operating in the U.S. Fourth Fleet area of operations June 30.
• NATO-funded facility ready to receive and support Allied troops in Estonia NATO 01 Jul 2020 -- A new NATO infrastructure facility has just opened its doors at the Tapa Base in Estonia. The hub is able to receive and facilitate the onward movement of NATO forces, including the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF), and will be used for exercises and prepositioning of equipment. The majority of the project, worth 20 million EUR, has been funded through the NATO Security Investment Programme (NSIP).
• COVID-19 not significantly impacting Russian army: defense minister People's Daily 01 Jul 2020 -- The COVID-19 pandemic is not significantly impacting Russia's armed forces, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said during a conference call on Tuesday.
• Russian Su-27 Fighter Jets Scrambled Over Black Sea to Intercept US Spy Plane Sputnik 01 Jul 2020 -- Russian Su-27 fighter jets were scrambled over the Black Sea on Wednesday to intercept a US reconnaissance plane, the Southern Military District's press office said.
• Strategic UK air base base hit by coronavirus Press TV 01 Jul 2020 -- The issue of coronavirus infections inside the British military has come to the fore again following reports of two cases at the one of the UK's most strategic air bases in Scotland.
• Why China Is Sure to Match US Aircraft Carriers in Disputed Asian Sea VOA 01 Jul 2020 -- Three aircraft carriers have sailed the South China Sea this week, an unusually big show of force in the disputed Asian waterway and likely a warning to Beijing. China is all but sure to respond with its own show of force, yet neither side is expected to fire a shot.
• China to optimize reserve forces structure for future combat need: spokesperson PLA Daily 01 Jul 2020 -- China will reduce the number of ground reserve troops and increase the size of reserve forces belonging to other services and arms, a military spokesperson said Wednesday.
• PLA HK Garrison organizes its second joint sea and air patrol in 2020 PLA Daily 01 Jul 2020 -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Hong Kong Garrison organized a joint sea and air patrol in the second quarter of 2020 on June 30. The joint patrol, participated by the ground, navy, and air forces under the Garrison, included such drills as a joint sea and air search and rescue, and the visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) operation.
• OPERATION SAMUDRA SETU India PIB 01 Jul 2020 -- INS Jalashwa, deployed by the Indian Navy for "Operation Samudra Setu", entered Tuticorin harbour early morning today, 01 Jul 2020 with 687 Indian nationals embarked from Bandar Abbas, Iran. Thus far Indian Navy ships have brought back 920 Indian citizens from Iran.
• Iran to spare no effort to reinforce defense infrastructure IRNA 01 Jul 2020 -- Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Wednesday that as long as the US officials speak of military option against the Iranian people and delay their withdrawal, Iran will spare no legitimate effort to strengthen its defense infrastructure by relying on domestic power.
• Navy holds live-fire bombing drill off eastern Taiwan CNA 01 Jul 2020 -- A fleet of F-16 fighter jets, carrying live MK-84 general purpose bombs, departed from Hualien Jiashan Air Base on Wednesday in a drill that simulated bombing enemy ships.
• No Legal Ground For Re-Selling Russian S-400 to US, Turkey Says Sputnik 01 Jul 2020 -- Earlier, the US Senate introduced an amendment to the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, which would allow the United States to purchase Russian-made S-400 defence systems from Turkey to resolve issues over the missile's alleged incompatibility with the US F-35 fighter jet program.
• Australia to up military budget by 40% amid tensions with China Press TV 01 Jul 2020 -- Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the country will increase its military budget by a sharp 40 percent in the next 10 years and will shift the focus of its military to the Indo-Pacific region, amid rising tensions with China.
• Australia to Boost Defenсe Budget by About $52Bln in Next 10 Years - Prime Minister Sputnik 01 Jul 2020 -- The Australian government will increase the country's defence budget by approximately $51.8 billion within the next 10 years due to rising strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific region, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Wednesday.
• Secretary Michael R. Pompeo at a Press Availability US Dept. of State 01 Jul 2020
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany The White House 01 Jul 2020

Defense Industry

• Contracts For July 1, 2020

Other Conflicts

• 1 July 2020 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 01 Jul 2020
• Stalled Security Council resolution adopted, backing UN's global humanitarian ceasefire call UN News 01 Jul 2020 -- The Security Council on Wednesday echoed the Secretary-General's call for a worldwide ceasefire, to combat the coronavirus pandemic that has already claimed more than half a million lives. The UN chief welcomed the long-awaited move, calling for countries to "redouble their efforts for peace".
• UN Security Council Finally Endorses COVID-19 Cease-Fire Call VOA 01 Jul 2020 -- One hundred days after U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' call for a global cease-fire to support the COVID-19 response, the U.N. Security Council has overcome objections of two powers to unanimously adopt a resolution supporting the truce.
• China Launches Naval Exercise in South China Sea Radio Free Asia 01 Jul 2020 -- China kicked off naval exercises in the contested South China Sea on Wednesday, showcasing its ability to storm and seize islands with coast guard and navy ships, according to analysts and satellite imagery.
• Russia's president says US after 'economically suffocating' Syria Press TV 01 Jul 2020 -- President Vladimir Putin of Russia says the United States seeks to 'economically suffocate' Syria by adopting new sanctions against the country.
• Iran's president denounces US sanctions against Syria, pledges support for Damascus Press TV 01 Jul 2020 -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has denounced as inhumane the US sanctions against Syria amid the war-torn country's battle against the coronavirus pandemic, while pledging Tehran's unwavering support for Damascus.
• In Call With Erdogan And Putin, Iran's Rohani Calls For End Of 'Illegitimate' U.S. Presence In Syria RFE/RL 01 Jul 2020 -- The "illegitimate" presence of U.S. forces in Syria should end immediately, Iranian President Hassan Rohani told Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in a video conference on July 1 on the situation in the war-torn country.
• Turkey accuses France of 'bias' toward UAE, Egypt in Libya Press TV 01 Jul 2020 -- Turkey's Ambassador to Paris has accused France of being "biased" toward the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, saying the French government is ignoring violations of a Libyan arms embargo imposed by the United Nations Security Council to the benefit of renegade General Khalifa Haftar.
• Johnson warns Israel UK will not recognize any changes to 1967 line Press TV 01 Jul 2020 -- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned Israel against proceeding with plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank, calling them illegal.
• Israeli annexation plan goes wrong amid internal rifts, intl. backlash Press TV 01 Jul 2020 -- Today is the first of July and Israel's much-publicized scheme to annex parts of the West Bank and the Jordan Valley has not gone exactly as planned amid widening differences within the Israeli ruling coalition and against the backdrop of massive international opposition to the land grab attempt.
• China, India agree to disengage frontline border troops: source Global Times 01 Jul 2020 -- China and India have agreed to disengage front-line border troops in batches and take effective measures to ease the situation in the border areas, a source close to Chinese border troops told the Global Times on Wednesday.
• Sign of Disengagement? China, India Agree to Withdraw Troops From Forward Areas in Galwan Valley Sputnik 01 Jul 2020 -- Chinese and Indian military commanders were engaged in talks to diffuse tensions on the border, which have persisted since the last week of April. The military and diplomatic level talks escalated after the violent face-off in the Galwan Valley on 15 June.
• Pakistan Allegedly Moves 20,000 Soldiers to Gilgit-Baltistan Amid India-China Tensions Sputnik 01 Jul 2020 -- India and Pakistan have been at loggerheads since August 2019 when New Delhi stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its special status. With the rise in border tensions between India and China, Pakistan is looking for an opportunity to open up a two-pronged attack on India, say intelligence sources.

News Reports

• DHS Announces New Task Force to Protect American Monuments, Memorials, and Statues Department of Homeland Security 01 Jul 2020 -- Today, Acting Secretary of Homeland Security, Chad F. Wolf, announced the establishment of the DHS Protecting American Communities Task Force (PACT), a special task force to coordinate Departmental law enforcement agency assets in protecting our nation's historic monuments, memorials, statues, and federal facilities.
• Preliminary Results In Russian Constitutional Plebiscite Pave The Way For Putin's Continued Rule RFE/RL 01 Jul 2020 -- Polls have closed in Russia in a national, nonbinding plebiscite on proposed constitutional amendments that, among other things, would open the way for President Vladimir Putin to seek two more terms and remain in power until 2036.
• Inside The 'Nyet' Campaign: Russia's Divided Opposition And The Doomed Battle To Scupper Putin's Vote RFE/RL 01 Jul 2020 -- The office of the NO campaign is on the fifth floor of a building on Petrovka Street, up the road from Moscow's police headquarters and across from the Prosecutor-General's Office. A guard manning a turnstile in the lobby notes down the passport details of each visitor.
• Apparent Ballot Stuffer Is Caught Red-Handed (And Blue-Gloved) At Russian Polling Station RFE/RL 01 Jul 2020 -- An election observer declared that "all is very good" when it came to voting at polling station No. 568 in the Russian city of Saransk, with everything well-organized and no violations seen.
• The Putin Constitution: How Will It Change Russia? RFE/RL 01 Jul 2020 -- On the penultimate day of a weeklong vote on one of the biggest projects of his 20-year rule, a constitutional overhaul that comes with the option of seeking two more Kremlin terms, President Vladimir Putin went on Russian TV screens with a direct appeal to viewers.
• Russia denies its power plants responsible for heightened radiation levels Press TV 01 Jul 2020 -- Russia has denied that its nuclear power plants were responsible for the leak of harmless levels of radioactivity that were detected over northern Europe last week.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on July 1, 2020 PRC MofA 01 Jul 2020
• National security legislation in Hong Kong: Foreign Secretary's statement in Parliament UK FCO 01 Jul 2020 -- Dominic Raab gave a statement to the House of Commons on the situation in Hong Kong following the imposition of national security legislation by China.
• Pompeo Calls China's Hong Kong Security Law an 'Affront to All Nations' VOA 01 Jul 2020 -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday that China's newly enacted Hong Kong national security law was "an affront to all nations" and that Washington was taking steps to end special permissions for the Chinese region.
• Dissidents an Easy Prey Under China's New Hong Kong Security Law, Observers Say VOA 01 Jul 2020 -- Under the guise of national security, the Chinese Communist Party is using newly promulgated security laws in Hong Kong to secure and extend its one-party authoritarian rule to the former British colony, observers said.
• Hundreds Arrested in Hong Kong, Some on 'National Security' Charges, Amid Defiant Protests Radio Free Asia 01 Jul 2020 -- Hong Kong police arrested hundreds of people amid defiant protests on the anniversary of the city's handover to Chinese rule, and on the first day of a draconian new security law that was already having an impact on freedom of speech.
• Hong Kong Police Make First Arrests Under New Beijing-Imposed Security Law VOA 01 Jul 2020 -- Hong Kong police made their first arrests Wednesday under a new national security law imposed by China's central government.
• Ten arrested under national security law for HK Global Times 01 Jul 2020 -- The Hong Kong Police Force - the major frontline law enforcement agency in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region - has been adjusting its action guidelines to the newly enacted National Security Law for Hong Kong, and its newly formed special unit to safeguard national security began functioning decisively to end riots in the city on Wednesday.
• National security law helps HK walk out of dilemma: Carrie Lam Global Times 01 Jul 2020 -- The national security law for Hong Kong is an opportunity for the city to exit its dilemma, and Hong Kong will cooperate with the national security committee as soon as possible to improve national security mechanisms, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Wednesday, one day after the law took effect.
• New national security office in HK to target foreign forces Global Times 01 Jul 2020 -- With the passage of the law on safeguarding national security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), several new departments and units will be established to handle national security cases. Experts said these arrangements showed the spirit of the "one country, two systems" and the cooperation between the central government and the HKSAR government for better law enforcement.
• Natl security law for HK deters foreign troublemakers Global Times 01 Jul 2020 -- The highly anticipated national security law for Hong Kong has begun to have a powerful deterrent effect on foreign forces involved in meddling in Hong Kong affairs, and they would become the prime targets of the law for endangering China's national security. The law goes after acts of secession, subversion of state power, terrorist activities, and collusion with foreign or external forces to endanger national security.
• Official denies national security law treats HK as "one country, one system" Global Times 01 Jul 2020 -- The national security law for Hong Kong perfectly combines the "one country" principle with respect for the differences in the "two systems," said Zhang Xiaoming, deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, denying that the law violates "one country, two systems."
• First arrest made since National Security Law for Hong Kong came into force Global Times 01 Jul 2020 -- A man was arrested for holding a Hong Kong Independence flag in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Wednesday, violating the National Security Law. This is the first arrest made since the law has come into force.
• HKSAR national security law to boost "one country, two systems" practice: official People's Daily 01 Jul 2020 -- The law on safeguarding national security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) will help the practice of "one country, two systems" go steady and far, a Chinese official said Wednesday.
• National security law shows central government's commitment to "one country, two systems", high trust in HK: HKSAR chief executive People's Daily 01 Jul 2020 -- The Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) shows the central government's commitment to "one country, two systems" and high trust in the HKSAR, HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Wednesday.
• Official: National security law for HKSAR a milestone for 'One Country, Two Systems' People's Daily 01 Jul 2020 -- The national security law for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) marks a milestone in advancing "One Country, Two Systems," said Zhang Xiaoming, deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, on Wednesday.
• HKSAR LegCo president, members support passage of law on safeguarding national security in HK People's Daily 01 Jul 2020 -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Tuesday warned the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority in Taiwan not to undermine the prosperity and stability of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
• Liaison office of China's central gov't in HKSAR supports national security law in HKSAR People's Daily 01 Jul 2020 -- The Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Tuesday voiced firm support for the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the HKSAR.
• Law on safeguarding national security in Hong Kong takes effect People's Daily 01 Jul 2020 -- The Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) took effect at 11:00 p.m. local time on Tuesday.
• Macao SAR gov't firmly supports law on safeguarding national security in HK People's Daily 01 Jul 2020 -- The Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) government said Tuesday that it firmly supports the passage of the law on safeguarding national security in the Hong Kong SAR.
• Law on safeguarding national security in HK strong guarantee for prosperity, stability: commissioner's office of Chinese foreign ministry in Macao SAR People's Daily 01 Jul 2020 -- The office of the commissioner of Chinese foreign ministry in the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) firmly supports the passage of the law on safeguarding national security in the Hong Kong SAR, the office said in a statement on Tuesday.
• National security law for HKSAR starts new chapter in "one country, two systems": Commissioner's office of Chinese foreign ministry People's Daily 01 Jul 2020 -- The Office of the Commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) said on Tuesday the passage of the law on safeguarding national security in the HKSAR and its promulgation has started a new chapter in the enduring success of "one country, two systems."
• China adopts law on safeguarding national security in Hong Kong PLA Daily 01 Jul 2020 -- Chinese lawmakers Tuesday voted to adopt the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
• China unveils details of national security law for Hong Kong Press TV 01 Jul 2020 -- China has unveiled the details of the new national security law for Hong Kong, which has taken effect in the semi-autonomous city amid Western criticism.
• New National Security Office in Hong Kong to Target Foreign Forces Sputnik 01 Jul 2020 -- With the passage of the law on safeguarding national security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), several new departments and units will be established to handle national security cases.
• UK tries to make good on its threat on Hong Kong Press TV 01 Jul 2020 -- Following China's decisive move to assert its sovereignty on Hong Kong, the British government has apparently made good on its threat to offer citizenship to millions of Hong Kong residents.
• Hong Kong: Boris Johnson Promises BNO Passport Holders a Route to Citizenship Sputnik 01 Jul 2020 -- On 30 June, the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC) approved the National Security Law that provides from three years to life imprisonment for conspiring with foreign states or foreign organisations to undermine national security.
• Mainland warns Taiwan against undermining stability of Hong Kong People's Daily 01 Jul 2020 -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Tuesday warned the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority in Taiwan not to undermine the prosperity and stability of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
• Beijing Retaliates Against US, Orders Four American News Outlets to Provide Info on China Operations Sputnik 01 Jul 2020 -- In response to the US listing of four Chinese news agencies as "foreign missions" last month, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has demanded paperwork from four American media outlets on their operations in China: CBS, National Public Radio (NPR), the Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI).
• China Orders US Media to Hand Over Operational Records After US Move Radio Free Asia 01 Jul 2020 -- China on Wednesday ordered four U.S. media organizations to hand over details of their operations in the country in retaliation over widening U.S. restrictions on its state media, which Washington says are propaganda organizations run by the ruling Chinese Communist Party.
• China announces reciprocal restrictions on US media bureaus Global Times 01 Jul 2020 -- China demands that the China-based branches of Associated Press, United Press International (UPI), CBS and NPR declare in written form the information about their staff, finance, operation and real estate in China within 7 days starting from Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry announced.
• China Targets US News Outlets VOA 01 Jul 2020 -- China said Wednesday it has demanded that four American news organizations disclose details about their business operations in the country in response to what it called U.S. "suppression" of Chinese state-run news outlets.
• Pompeo's attempt to cut ties between CPC and Chinese people a pipe dream: FM Global Times 01 Jul 2020 -- The Chinese Foreign Ministry blasted Mike Pompeo after the US Secretary of State deplorably attacked the Communist Party of China (CPC) and China's political system.
• U.S. politicians must stop smearing China: spokesperson People's Daily 01 Jul 2020 -- China on Tuesday urged some U.S. politicians to immediately stop smearing China and interfering in China's internal affairs by creating rumors under the pretext of Xinjiang.
• At 99, CPC governance legitimacy shines brighter in time of global uncertainty PLA Daily 01 Jul 2020 -- The Communist Party of China (CPC) is embracing its 99th anniversary as it leads the country's homestretch toward building a moderately prosperous society in all respects despite the impact of COVID-19 and a global economic recession.
• Commerce Releases Xinjiang Supply Chain Business Advisory US Dept. of Commerce 01 Jul 2020 -- The Department of Commerce, along with the Departments of State, the Treasury, and Homeland Security, are issuing a business advisory to highlight risks and considerations for businesses with supply chain exposure to entities engaged in forced labor and other human rights abuses in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China (PRC).
• 'It's Time For Action' From Global Community Over Abuses in Xinjiang: US State Dept Spokesperson Radio Free Asia 01 Jul 2020 -- Morgan Ortagus, U.S. Department of State spokesperson since April 2019, spoke with Alim Seytoff, director of RFA's Uyghur Service, on Wednesday about Washington's efforts to hold China accountable for its policies of persecution in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), including the extrajudicial incarceration of some 1.8 million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in a vast network of internment camps since early 2017. The former Fox News contributor, who also served as a public affairs officer at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and an intelligence analyst for the U.S. Department of Treasury, said that following U.S. President Donald Trump's enactment of legislation that allows for sanctions of Chinese officials deemed responsible for rights abuses in the XUAR, Washington's allies and Muslim-minority nations should take similar actions against Beijing. Ortagus also welcomed calls for international experts to be granted unfettered access to the XUAR to investigate reports of violations and dismissed China's claims that its crackdown on Uyghurs is being done in the name of counter terrorism.
• US Warns Firms Over Potential Supply Links to Xinjiang Rights Abuses Radio Free Asia 01 Jul 2020 -- The U.S. on Wednesday warned firms to shun supply chains linked to forced labor, mass detention and other abuses against Uyghurs in northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urging executives to weigh the "reputational, economic, and legal risks of supporting such assaults on human dignity."
• US Issues Business Advisory Over Human Rights Abuses in China VOA 01 Jul 2020 -- The United States on Wednesday issued a business advisory to U.S. companies alerting them to potential risks of maintaining supply chains associated with documented human rights abuses in China's western Xinjiang province.
• Issuance of the Xinjiang Supply Chain Business Advisory US Dept. of State 01 Jul 2020 -- "Today, the U.S. Department of State, along with the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the U.S. Department of Commerce, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is issuing an advisory to caution businesses about the risks of supply chain links to entities that engage in human rights abuses, including forced labor in Xinjiang and elsewhere in China."
• China's Long-Term Plan to Shape the Future of Technology VOA 01 Jul 2020 -- In a rare twist to Washington's long-standing restrictions on the Chinese tech giant Huawei, the Commerce Department recently reversed its ban preventing U.S. firms from working with Huawei on developing new technical standards.
• China's last BDS satellite enters long-term operation mode PLA Daily 01 Jul 2020 -- The newly-launched last satellite of China's BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) successfully entered the long-term operation mode on July 1, announced the Xi'an Satellite Control Center.
• Another Trump-Kim Meeting Before November? South Korea Hopes So VOA 01 Jul 2020 -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in says he hopes U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will hold another summit before the U.S. presidential election in November.
• Arms Embargo Extension For Tehran Takes Center Stage In U.S.-Iranian Tensions RFE/RL 01 Jul 2020 -- A confrontation is heating up between Tehran and Washington over the possible extension of a five-year arms embargo against Iran that is due to expire in four months.
• Pompeo Defends Arms Embargo, Says Iran 'Cannot Be Trusted' Radio Farda 01 Jul 2020 -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo intensified his efforts on Wednesday, July 1, to defend Washington's position against lifting the international arms embargo on Iran.
• Khamenei's Allies Attack His Critic, Defend His Record Radio Farda 01 Jul 2020 -- Tehran's Friday Prayer Imam and member of the influential Assembly of Experts (A.E.), Ahmad Khatami, has stepped in to defend the Islamic Republic Supreme Leader's economic record.
• Iran Lawmakers Want To Set Up 'Garlic And Lentil' Caucus In Parliament Radio Farda 01 Jul 2020 -- A member of Iran's parliament, Majles, says that the Board of Directors of the legislative body has so far received about 100 requests for forming parliamentary factions.
• Iran resumes gas exports to Turkey after pipeline fixed Press TV 01 Jul 2020 -- The Iranian Oil Ministry says it has resumed exports of natural gas to Turkey despite reports in the media suggesting that exports could stop for good because of price disputes.
• Iran's Rough Road In Iraq Radio Farda 01 Jul 2020 -- Iran's influence in Iraq through proxy groups appears to be facing serious challenges as the new Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kazemi is trying to control pro-Iranian Shiite militia groups, while some shift their loyalty from Iran to Ayatollah Ali Sistani.
• Battle for the Gold: Venezuelan Rivals President Maduro and Western-Backed Guaido Tussle for Power Sputnik 01 Jul 2020 -- Venezuela's Central Bank filed a claim in a commercial court in London earlier in June to force the Bank of England to transfer some $1.13 billion-worth of its gold, stored there for safekeeping, to enable President Nicolas Maduro to fund Caracas's COVID-19 pandemic response.
• UN Urges End To 'Crackdown' On Civil Society In Belarus Ahead Of Presidential Vote RFE/RL 01 Jul 2020 -- United Nations experts are urging the Belarusian government to abandon its "policy of arbitrary arrests, violence, and intimidation" against political activists, rights defenders, journalists, and bloggers ahead of a presidential election on August 9.
• Ukrainian Central Bank Chief Resigns, Cites 'Political Pressure' RFE/RL 01 Jul 2020 -- The governor of Ukraine's central bank, Yakiv Smoliy, says he is resigning because of "systematic political pressure that denied fulfillment" of his duties.