Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Nearly Dozen Killed In Roadside Bombing In Northern Afghanistan RFE/RL 05 Aug 2020 -- An Afghan official says at least 11 people have been killed in a roadside bombing in the country's north.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Navy Breaks Ground on New Archival Complex US Navy 05 Aug 2020 -- Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) held a groundbreaking ceremony Aug. 5, at the Washington Navy Yard to mark the start of the construction of a new Operational Archives and Repository Complex.
• U.S. Navy Escorts Army Logistics Support Vessels Out of 5th Fleet after 20 Year Tour of Duty US Navy 05 Aug 2020 -- U.S. Navy warships assigned to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT), escorted two U.S. Army Frank S. Besson class logistics support vessels (LSV), assigned to U.S. Army Central Command (ARCENT), as they transited out of the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations (AOO), July-August. The two LSVs, Major General Charles P. Gross (LSV 5) and Specialist 4 James A. Loux (LSV 6), had been forward deployed to the region for 20 years in support of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) tasking, and were departing Kuwait as a result of an Army-wide restructuring and asset allocation.
• DOD Awards $104 Million for Procurement of Syringes in Support of U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign DoD 05 Aug 2020 -- On August 4, the Department of Defense's (DOD) Joint Acquisition Task Force (JATF), in support of the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Strategic National Stockpile (SNS), awarded $104 million in contracts to procure syringes and safety needles, enabling the nationwide administration of a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved COVID-19 vaccine, once one is available.
• HHS, DOD Collaborate With Johnson & Johnson to Produce Millions of COVID-19 Investigational Vaccine Doses DoD 05 Aug 2020 -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Defense (DoD) announced an agreement with the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, to demonstrate large-scale manufacturing and delivery of the company's COVID-19 vaccine candidate. Under the terms of the agreement, the federal government will own the resulting 100 million doses of vaccine.
• Esper Discusses COVID-19, Inclusion, National Defense Strategy DoD News 05 Aug 2020 -- Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper discussed the National Defense Strategy and U.S. great-power competition, the challenges COVID-19 brought to the Defense Department and his initiatives on diversity and inclusion in a virtual address to the Aspen Security Conference.
• Stratcom Chief: Attack on U.S. Would Be 'A Very Bad Day' for Adversary DoD News 05 Aug 2020 -- To deter U.S. adversaries in the 21st century, those adversaries must know that any attack on the United States will result in a very bad day for them, the commander of the U.S. Strategic Command said.
• Ongoing Defense Department Reforms Align With National Defense Strategy DoD News 05 Aug 2020 -- The Defense Department is responsible for defending the nation and its interests around the globe, and must also be ready to help partners and allies as well. Maintaining the lethal, combat-ready force to carry out that mission is expensive.
• New Footage of US Hypersonic Glide Body Impacting Target Unveiled by the Army Sputnik 05 Aug 2020 -- On 19 March, the United States successfully tested a common hypersonic glide body (C-HGB) on the island of Kauai in Hawaii. The test, according to the Pentagon, marked a "major milestone" in the US path to acquiring hypersonic weaponry.
• 36th CRG hosts exercise Machete Green US Air Force 05 Aug 2020 -- COVID-19 has disrupted many plans for governments, businesses and military operations but in some ways has created unique opportunities.
• Mobility Airmen transport humanitarian aid to Nicaragua US Air Force 05 Aug 2020 -- Airmen assigned to the 22nd Airlift Squadron delivered equipment and supplies to Managua, Nicaragua, July 26 during a Denton Program mission.
• US cargo plane lands in Israel in support of the regime's Iron Dome Press TV 05 Aug 2020 -- US Army Futures Command has confirmed that a cargo plane has landed in Israel to support the regime's so-called Iron Dome system.
• Russia Says Fighter Intercepted U.S. Surveillance Planes Over Black Sea RFE/RL 05 Aug 2020 -- Russia says a fighter jet intercepted two U.S. military surveillance planes in the Black Sea -- the latest in a series of midair encounters between U.S., NATO, and Russian forces.
• Russian Su-27 Intercepts US RC-135 and Poseidon Aircraft Over Black Sea, MoD Says Sputnik 05 Aug 2020 -- Russian airspace control systems have been detecting numerous air targets approaching the country's border over neutral waters in the Black Sea for several weeks.
• PLA Army's attack helicopters conduct sea-crossing assault drills on Navy warship Global Times 05 Aug 2020 -- Z-10 attack helicopters attached to the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Army recently conducted a series of sea-crossing assault drills on a Navy warship. The combination of Army helicopters and Navy warships can significantly boost the PLA's amphibious, vertical landing capability and will play a vital role in potential military operations on the island of Taiwan, military analysts said on Wednesday.
• PLA 1st amphibious assault ship appears on maiden voyage, photos show Global Times 05 Aug 2020 -- China's first Type 075 amphibious assault ship appears to have embarked on its first sea trial on Wednesday, judging from online videos, pictures, and a sea trial notice in relevant waters by the Maritime Safety Administration.
• PLA brigade improves battlefield support efficiency via data flow PLA Daily 05 Aug 2020 -- In a recent live-fire exercise, the logistic support department of a brigade under the PLA 79th Group Army greatly reduced the fuel supplement time for troops in maneuver, through coordinated multi-dimensional supply.
• Video: China's Type 075 Helicopter Carrier Sets Sail for First Sea Trials Sputnik 05 Aug 2020 -- China's first amphibious assault ship, the Type 075 landing helicopter dock (LHD), has been put to sea for the first time on Wednesday.
• Photos: China Tests 'Carrier Killer' Ballistic Missile as US Fires Off Minuteman III ICBM Sputnik 05 Aug 2020 -- The United States and the People's Republic of China have both recently test-fired long-range ballistic missiles. Although the US has nearly 20 times the number of nuclear weapons as China, the Trump administration has insisted Beijing be included in any new arms control treaties.
• Pilot Dead After Air Force Fighter Crashes in Central Argentina Sputnik 05 Aug 2020 -- The plane belonged to the Fifth Villa Reynolds Air Brigade of the Argentine Air Force. The causes and circumstances of the crash are not immediately clear.
• Secretary Michael R. Pompeo At a Press Availability US Dept. of State 05 Aug 2020

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Aug. 5, 2020

Other Conflicts

• 5 August 2020 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 05 Aug 2020
• In Nod To Russia, U.S. Condemns Foreign Military Involvement In Libya RFE/RL 05 Aug 2020 -- The United States has said it is "deeply troubled" by growing violence in Libya and called on foreign powers to end their proxy war in the troubled North African nation.
• Myanmar Villagers Flee Into China to Escape New Fighting Radio Free Asia 05 Aug 2020 -- More than 100 villagers fled their homes in Myanmar's northern Shan state into China as fighting broke out between ethnic Shan rebels and government forces, sources said Wednesday.
• Pakistan's Khan slams 'oppressor' India over Kashmir Press TV 05 Aug 2020 -- Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan says India's move last year to revoke Kashmir's autonomous status was a "crime against humanity," describing New Delhi as an "oppressor and aggressor."
• Pakistan unveils new map with all of disputed Kashmir as own territory Press TV 05 Aug 2020 -- Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan has approved a "new political map" of the country that marks the Indian-controlled part of the disputed Kashmir region as Pakistani territory.
• India Reaching a 'Blind Alley' in Kashmir, Asserts Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan Sputnik 05 Aug 2020 -- Prime Minister Imran Khan addressed the legislature of Pakistan-administered Kashmir on Wednesday to express solidarity with the people of India-administered Kashmir on the first anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370, changing the temporary status of Jammu and Kashmir.
• Independent rights experts call on India to remedy 'alarming' situation in Jammu and Kashmir UN News 05 Aug 2020 -- UN-appointed independent human rights experts have called for urgent action in India's Jammu and Kashmir, amid concerns of ongoing abuses against civilians there.
• One Year Later, Human Rights Violations Continue in Indian Kashmir VOA 05 Aug 2020 -- One year after India revoked partial independence for a territory under its control, residents and human rights groups say the situation in Indian-controlled Kashmir remains deeply disturbing.
• Victims of Suspected Boko Haram Attack on Cameroon IDP Camp Need Urgent Help VOA 05 Aug 2020 -- The United Nations refugee agency says victims of a suspected Boko Haram terror attack on an IDP camp in Cameroon's Far North region remain unprotected and in need of urgent help. At least 18 people were killed and 11 others injured.

News Reports

• Portland Riots Read-out: August 5 DHS 05 Aug 2020
• Rewards for Justice - Reward Offer for Information on Foreign Interference in U.S. Elections US Dept. of State 05 Aug 2020 -- The U.S. Department of State's Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program, which is administered by the Diplomatic Security Service, is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification or location of any person who works with or for a foreign government for the purpose of interfering with U.S. elections through certain illegal cyber activities.
• Briefing With Special Envoy Lea Gabrielle On the GEC Special Report: Pillars of Russia's Disinformation and Propaganda Ecosystem US Dept. of State 05 Aug 2020 -- Special Briefing by Lea Gabrielle, Special Envoy and Coordinator of the Global Engagement Center
• UK to send emergency relief to Lebanon UK FCO 05 Aug 2020 -- Following yesterday's explosion at Beirut Port, the UK has today announced a package of emergency support to Lebanon.
• Lebanon Declares 2-Week State of Emergency After Deadly Blast VOA 05 Aug 2020 -- Lebanon's cabinet declared a two-week state of emergency Wednesday in Beirut and ordered the military to place anyone under house arrest who was involved in warehousing explosive material that detonated at the city's port, devastating entire neighborhoods and killing scores of people.
• Over 73 killed, 3,000 injured as huge explosions rock Lebanon's capital People's Daily 05 Aug 2020 -- Two huge explosions rocked Lebanese capital Beirut on Tuesday, leaving at least 73 people dead and 3,000 others injured.
• After Beirut blast, Lebanon puts port officials under house arrest Press TV 05 Aug 2020 -- Lebanon is to put all port officials, who oversaw storage and security since 2014, under house arrest amid suspicions that negligence of the dangers that are posed by storing ammonium nitrate led to the unprecedented blast that hit the capital Beirut earlier.
• Hezbollah urges unity to overcome 'national tragedy' Press TV 05 Aug 2020 -- The Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement has called for unity to overcome what it describes as "national tragedy" following a deadly blast in Beirut.
• Pundits In Iran Concerned Over Beirut Blast Repercussions Radio Farda 05 Aug 2020 -- Tehran turns off the lights of its highest monument, the Milad Tower, Wednesday night August 5 in solidarity with Lebanon, as analysts and politicians in Tehran have reacted to the Tuesday's massive blast in Beirut.
• Death Toll Rises In Beirut Blast Linked To Seized Russian-Owned Ship RFE/RL 05 Aug 2020 -- The death toll from a massive explosion that ripped across the Lebanese capital has climbed to 135 as investigators search the wreckage of the port of Beirut for clues to the cause of the blast.
• Lebanon: Support for hospitals top UN priority in the wake of deadly blast UN News 05 Aug 2020 -- The United Nations is working closely with the authorities in Lebanon to support ongoing response in the aftermath of the massive deadly explosion that rocked Beirut on Tuesday, destroying large swathes of the capital.
• US Intel Agency Urges Military Personnel to Turn Off Cellphone Location Data Over Security Concerns Sputnik 05 Aug 2020 -- The US National Security Agency (NSA) issued new guidance on Tuesday advising military and intelligence-community personnel to turn off location-sharing services on their cellphones to prevent security breaches.
• US Lawmakers Ask 6 Top Universities to Hand Over Records of Foreign Donations VOA 05 Aug 2020 -- Three members of the U.S. Congress are asking six of the nation's top universities to hand over records of donations they have accepted from certain foreign nations, including China and Russia, citing concerns that these multimillion-dollar donations present a growing national security threat.
• Taiwanese businessman charged over work with Chinese intelligence CNA 05 Aug 2020 -- Taipei District Prosecutors Office on Wednesday charged a Taiwanese businessman with violating the National Security Act, for his alleged work on behalf of Chinese intelligence, specifically arranging meetings with officials from Taiwan's government and military.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin's Regular Press Conference on August 5, 2020 PRC MofA 05 Aug 2020
• US-China war no longer inconceivable: Australia PM Press TV 05 Aug 2020 -- Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison says a war between the United States and China is "no longer inconceivable."
• China to make cool-headed, sensible response to US impulsive moves, anxiety: FM Global Times 05 Aug 2020 -- China is ready to make cool-headed and sensible response to the impulsive moves and anxiety of the US side, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Wednesday.
• Chinese Foreign Minister Says Beijing Not Interested in Diplomatic War With US Sputnik 05 Aug 2020 -- Beijing is not interested in a diplomatic war with Washington although China stands ready to defend itself if necessary, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told the state-run Xinhua news agency on Wednesday.
• China urges Australian bilateral 'friendly organization' to abandon anti-China activists Global Times 05 Aug 2020 -- The Chinese Foreign Ministry said the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations, a foreign affairs agency set up by the Australian government, should not allow anti-China activists to join in the foundation and urged it to correct its mistakes and show sincerity after reports said that members of the foundation were found to receive financial backing by the US government and have ties with illegal cult.
• France's wrong remarks on HK unacceptable: Chinese embassy in France Global Times 05 Aug 2020 -- China cannot accept France's wrong remarks on Hong Kong, and urges France to stop using the national security law for Hong Kong to interfere in China's internal affairs, the Chinese embassy in France said.
• NPC to help LegCo avoid 'vacuum period' Global Times 05 Aug 2020 -- China's top lawmakers are expected to soon make a legitimate and reasonable arrangement in accordance with the Constitution over the outgoing Legislative Council (LegCo) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to avoid a potential "vacuum period" resulting from the postponed LegCo election.
• In Hong Kong, Some Activists Fear Academic Freedom Will Suffer Under National Security Law VOA 05 Aug 2020 -- When lecturer Shiu Ka-Chun received a letter from his university last week, he was shocked to find that he had been effectively fired.
• China Agrees to Fishing Moratorium Off Galapagos Islands, Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry Says Sputnik 05 Aug 2020 -- China has agreed to observe a temporary fishing moratorium off the coast of the Galapagos Islands, the Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry said in a press release on Wednesday.
• China plans to launch 2 more meteorological satellites in 2021 Global Times 05 Aug 2020 -- China plans to launch two more meteorological satellites in 2021, sources with the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation said Wednesday.
• US Health Secretary to Visit Taiwan in First Top-Level Visit For Years Radio Free Asia 05 Aug 2020 -- U.S. health secretary Alex Azar is to make the first cabinet-level visit of a U.S. official to Taiwan in six years, as Washington vows to take more steps to boost the democratic island, which China has threatened to invade.
• US Health Secretary to Visit Taiwan, Prompting Angry Response from China VOA 05 Aug 2020 -- U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar will visit Taiwan "in the coming days," a move that has angered China, which considers the self-ruled island a part of the Chinese mainland.
• U.S. plans first Cabinet-level visit to Taiwan in 6 years (update) CNA 05 Aug 2020 -- Alex Azar, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), will visit Taiwan in the coming days, the first trip to Taiwan by a Cabinet-level U.S. official in six years, the department said Tuesday.
• U.S. health secretary to meet Tsai on visit to Taiwan: MOFA CNA 05 Aug 2020 -- United States Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Alex Azar will meet with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on an upcoming visit to the country, according to Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).
• Azar's Taiwan visit intensifies provocation Global Times 05 Aug 2020 -- The US health secretary's scheduled visit to the island of Taiwan in a few days, which marks the highest level visit by a US official in more than four decades, shows that Washington is likely to send more officials from sensitive departments, such as foreign affairs and defense, to visit the island, Chinese mainland experts said.
• China urges US to halt official contact with Taiwan island Global Times 05 Aug 2020 -- China firmly opposes official exchanges between the US and Taiwan island, and has lodged solemn representations with the US side in Beijing and Washington, the Chinese foreign ministry said, while urging the US not to send wrong signals to Taiwan secessionists.
• In affront to China, US announces highest-level visit to Taiwan in decades Press TV 05 Aug 2020 -- The United States says Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar will travel to Taiwan in the coming days, marking the highest-level visit to the self-ruled island in decades, amid escalatory posturing toward China.
• Video Appears to Confirm Reports of Deadly Blasts in North Korea's Hyesan City Radio Free Asia 05 Aug 2020 -- A video showing a series of explosions in North Korea's Hyesan city earlier this week has emerged, appearing to confirm South Korean media reports and defector accounts of blasts that claimed more than a dozen lives in the city on the border with China.
• Family Of Opposition Figure Says He Was Abducted By Iran Intelligence In Dubai Radio Farda 05 Aug 2020 -- The relatives of Jamshid Sharmahd, an Iranian opposition figure say that he was abducted by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence of the Islamic Republic while visiting Dubai.
• US introduces anti-Iran resolution to extend arms embargo on Tehran Press TV 05 Aug 2020 -- The Untied States has introduced an anti-Iran resolution in the UN Security Council in an attempt to extend a soon-to-expire arms embargo on the country.
• US Circulates New Text Of Resolution Against Iran To UNSC Members Radio Farda 05 Aug 2020 -- The U.S. has circulated the text of a new resolution to Security Council members calling on them to support the extension of the U.N. arms embargo against Iran, Bloomberg News which obtained a copy of the text reported on Wednesday.
• Chinese, Russian Banks Refuse Transactions With Iran Radio Farda 05 Aug 2020 -- A member of Iran's Chamber of Commerce has said that China's Kunlun Bank is refusing to deal with Iran, as warnings from the international watchdog, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) regarding banking ties with the Islamic Republic have become tougher this year.
• Pompeo's Warning Against Closer China-Iran Ties Highlights Dilemma for Beijing VOA 05 Aug 2020 -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's latest warning that China would destabilize the Middle East by deepening ties with U.S. foe Iran is raising questions about how far Beijing will go to boost its partner Tehran in an emerging deal that would heighten U.S.-China tensions.
• Official Admitted Iran Ignores Suppression Of Chinese Muslims, Former Lawmaker Claims Radio Farda 05 Aug 2020 -- Outspoken former lawmaker Ali Motahari on Wednesday said a high-ranking Foreign Ministry official has admitted to him that Iran remains silent about the suppression of Chinese Muslims -- mainly Uyghurs -- because of economic dependence on China.
• Indian PM takes part in controversial Hindu ceremony at site of destroyed mosque Press TV 05 Aug 2020 -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken part in a controversial ceremony for the laying of the foundation of a Hindu temple at the site of a destroyed mosque.
• Modi Lays Temple Foundation Stone Marking Victory for Hindu Nationalist Party VOA 05 Aug 2020 -- In a ceremony watched by millions of Indians on television, Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered prayers and laid the foundation stone for a grand Hindu temple to be built in the northern town of Ayodhya on the site of a mosque demolished by Hindu radicals.
• Tik...Tok: Pakistan's Media Crackdown Expands To Cyberspace RFE/RL 05 Aug 2020 -- Critics say the space for free speech is shrinking in Pakistan, where officials are accused of expanding restrictions on the free flow of information to social-media sites.
• Independent Election Monitors Detained In Belarus During Early Voting RFE/RL 05 Aug 2020 -- Independent observers who've been monitoring early voting in the Belarusian presidential election have been detained across the country after documenting numerous violations of the election law.
• The Accidental Candidate In Belarus Who Is Trying To Unseat 'Europe's Last Dictator' RFE/RL 05 Aug 2020 -- Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who is hoping to unseat Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka, Europe's longest-serving leader who has been called the continent's last dictator, stepped up to the microphone, gazed out at the crowd, and apologized.
• Belarusian Authorities Cancel Opposition Campaigning Ahead Of Election RFE/RL 05 Aug 2020 -- Belarusian authorities have again canceled campaign events by presidential contender Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya ahead of the August 9 election, claiming that repair work needed to be carried out where the political rallies were to be held.
• Elections In Belarus: How Lukashenka Won And Won And Won And Won And Won RFE/RL 05 Aug 2020 -- The election in 1994 that brought Alyaksandr Lukashenka to power in Belarus was arguably the first and last election in the former Soviet republic that met some Western norms. In fact, a U.S. commission hailed it as a "first step toward more pluralistic democracy and a free market system."
• Moscow Threatens 'Sad Consequences' After Belarus Arrests Russian Mercenaries Near Minsk RFE/RL 05 Aug 2020 -- Russia has issued a thinly veiled threat against Belarus over the detention of 33 Russian mercenaries who were arrested at gunpoint near the capital, Minsk, last week.
• Belarus Leader Warns of Violence Ahead of Weekend Presidential Elections VOA 05 Aug 2020 -- In a winding state of the nation speech before lawmakers on Tuesday, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko warned that political enemies at home and abroad were planning violence ahead of the country's upcoming presidential elections – and vowed his government would not tolerate a street revolution.
• Discrimination, Lack of Rights Motivate Muslim Candidates in Myanmar Elections Radio Free Asia 05 Aug 2020 -- Muslim candidates will compete in Myanmar's parliamentary elections in greater numbers than they did in the last elections five years ago, with some of the current 25 contenders in November's race openly advocating for Muslim minority rights in the predominantly Buddhist country.
• Ukrainian Tycoons Lost Their Expansive U.S. Steel Business To Bankruptcy. What Role Did Washington Play? RFE/RL 05 Aug 2020 -- Over the course of a decade, Ukrainian tycoon Ihor Kolomoyskiy and a business partner built a U.S. steel business worth about half a billion dollars.
• Trump administration to keep backing Venezuelan opposition figure: Official Press TV 05 Aug 2020 -- The administration of US President Donald Trump will continue to extend support to Venezuelan opposition figure Juan Guaido even after the upcoming parliamentary elections in Venezuela that the opposition plans to boycott, an American official says.
• Colombia's top court orders house arrest for ex-president in fraud case Press TV 05 Aug 2020 -- Colombia's Supreme Court has ordered house arrest for former president Alvaro Uribe as it investigates allegations of witness tampering and procedural fraud against him, in the first ever such ruling in the country's modern history.
• Former Colombian President Uribe Placed Under House Arrest VOA 05 Aug 2020 -- Colombia's Supreme Court has ordered former President Alvaro Uribe to be placed under home detention while he is being investigated on charges of fraud and witness tampering.
• The United States Imposes Sanctions on Zimbabwean Businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei US Dept. of State 05 Aug 2020 -- Two years ago, Zimbabwean authorities launched a violent crackdown against citizens who were protesting flawed elections. That same government has yet to hold anyone accountable for the six protestors who were killed that day. To mark the anniversary of their deaths, today the United States is taking action to fight corruption in Zimbabwe.
• Treasury Sanctions Corrupt Zimbabwean Businessman US Treasury 05 Aug 2020 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Kudakwashe Regimond Tagwirei (Tagwirei) for providing support to the leadership of the Government of Zimbabwe, as well as Sakunda Holdings for being owned or controlled by Tagwirei.
• US Treasury Announces New Sanctions on Ally of Zimbabwe's Mnangagwa VOA 05 Aug 2020 -- The U.S. Treasury has imposed financial sanctions on an alleged Zimbabwean government ally who it says used corruption to rake in millions of U.S. dollars.
• Cambodia's PM Hun Sen 'Misreading' EU as Withdrawal of Trade Preferences Looms Radio Free Asia 05 Aug 2020 -- Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen is wrong to assume the EU will stop at partial trade sanctions if he does not end a crackdown on voices critical of his government, observers said Wednesday, a week ahead of a planned return of tariffs to around one-fifth of Cambodian exports to the bloc.
• Armenia Adopts Law Limiting Broadcast of Foreign Media Sputnik 05 Aug 2020 -- Armenian President Armen Sarkissian has signed a law limiting public multiplex options for foreign broadcasters, the presidential press service said.
• Serbia Turns the Tables, Investigates the Investigative Journalists VOA 05 Aug 2020 -- Five years ago, Serbia's Anti-Corruption Agency opened a money laundering investigation into Sinisa Mali, who was then mayor of the capital, Belgrade.