Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Briefing With Special Representative for Syria Engagement and Special Envoy to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS Ambassador James Jeffrey An Update on Syria US Dept. of State 13 Aug 2020
• Pentagon's Top General Warns US to Face 'Huge Problems' From Impending Daesh Resurgence Sputnik 13 Aug 2020 -- The Pentagon's top officer for the Middle East warned Wednesday that the US will face "huge problems with a massive [Daesh] resurgence" over the next decade unless Washington establishes a deradicalization initiative in the Middle East.
• US brings 40 trucks loaded with military, logistic reinforcements to Syria's Hasakah: SANA Press TV 13 Aug 2020 -- A US convoy of 40 trucks, loaded with military and logistic reinforcement, has arrived in Syria's northeastern province of Hasakah, Syria's state media reports.
• US Military Refutes Breaching Afghan Peace Deal, Calls Taliban's Claim Attention Grabber Sputnik 13 Aug 2020 -- The allegation that the United States has violated the Afghan peace agreement and used force resulting in civilian casualties is a mere attempt by the Taliban to distract attention from their own continuous violence, US Forces-Afghanistan (USFOR-A) spokesman Col. Sonny Leggett said on Thursday.
• Official: Afghan-Taliban Talks Would Need 'Maximum Flexibility' By Both Sides VOA 13 Aug 2020 -- A senior official in Afghanistan said Wednesday that a team of state representatives will begin formal peace negotiations with the Taliban in Qatar "early next week" to try to negotiate a political solution to the country's long war.

Defense Policy / Programs

• X-37B spaceplane wins Collier Trophy for advancing 'the boundaries of flight and space exploration' US Air Force 13 Aug 2020 -- The Department of the Air Force's X-37B spaceplane, a reusable, multi-purpose, system that operates without an onboard crew, won the prestigious Robert J. Collier Trophy Aug. 13 for advancing technology that pushes "the boundaries of flight and space exploration."
• Appeals Court Upholds America's All-Male Military Draft VOA 13 Aug 2020 -- A federal appeals court in New Orleans upheld America's all-male military draft system Thursday, citing a lack of authority to overturn a 1981 Supreme Court case that deemed the practice constitutional.
• DOD Focuses on Minimizing Cyber Threats to Department, Contractors DoD News 13 Aug 2020 -- Cyber threats against the United States and the Defense Department are very real, and efforts related to the department's Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification, released earlier this year, are underway to mitigate risks as they relate to both the department and contractors.
• Department of Defense Education Activity Press Briefing on the Upcoming School Year DoD 13 Aug 2020 -- Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Jonathan Rath Hoffman, Department of Defense Education Activity Director Thomas M. Brady
• DOD Tech Chief Lays Out Vision for U.S. Technology Leadership DoD News 13 Aug 2020 -- America's economic and military dominance lies in innovation, and the Defense Department's new technology chief is looking to strengthen and maintain the nation's position as the global leader in emerging technologies.
• B2 Spirit Stealth Bombers deploy to Diego Garcia, supports Bomber Task Force US Air Force 13 Aug 2020 -- Three B-2 Spirit Stealth Bombers deployed from the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, to Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia to support Pacific Air Forces' Bomber Task Force missions, Aug. 11.
• Navy Data Platform Aligns, Accelerates Supply-Chain Analytics US Navy 13 Aug 2020 -- Navy Data Platform is designed to improve data-driven decision-making at strategic and tactical levels by establishing and optimizing business processes that increase readiness through access to data and self-service analytics.
• USS Hershel "Woody" Williams Arrives in Naples, Italy, Marking First Stop in U.S. 6th Fleet US Navy 13 Aug 2020 -- The Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel "Woody" Williams (ESB 4) arrived in port Naples, Italy, for a routine logistics stop, Aug. 13, 2020.
• Golden Swordsmen Reach Halfway Point on Deployment US Navy 13 Aug 2020 -- The "Golden Swordsmen" of Patrol Squadron (VP) 47 reached the halfway point of their deployment to the U.S. 4th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility (AOR) in support of Maritime Security Operations at the end of July 2020.
• Coronavirus response: Spain completes delivery of medical assistance to Iraq NATO 13 Aug 2020 -- On Thursday 13 August 2020, the Spanish Ministry of Defence delivered disinfectants to the Iraqi authorities, in response to the global Coronavirus pandemic. A ceremony to this effect was held at the Iraqi air base of Al-Muthana, at the presence of several officials, including Brigadier General Salah from the Prime Minister National Operation Command and the Spanish Chargée d'Affaires Mrs Mariana Figueroa Sánchez.
• Russian military intercepts 2 US planes over Black Sea Press TV 13 Aug 2020 -- The Russian military says it has intercepted two US military planes as they were heading toward Russian airspace over the Black Sea.
• PLA holds consecutive, realistic drills in Taiwan Straits in response to secessionist moves Global Times 13 Aug 2020 -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command recently systematically sent troops from multiple military branches into multiple directions and organized consecutive, realistic drills in the Taiwan Straits and its northern and southern ends, the command announced on Thursday.
• PLA's 'unprecedented drills' in Taiwan Straits for deterrence, actual combat: observers Global Times 13 Aug 2020 -- The Chinese mainland openly warned Taiwan secessionists by conducting massive military drills in the Taiwan Straits on Thursday. Chinese experts said this is a clear and unprecedented deterrence toward secessionists of the island as well as the US, as the Trump administration has increased its links with the Taiwan secessionist authority, and the possibility of peaceful reunification is decreasing sharply.
• PLA's Eastern Theater Command conducts exercises in Taiwan Straits PLA Daily 13 Aug 2020 -- The People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theater Command has recently carried out combat exercises in the Taiwan Straits and surrounding waters to verify and boost its interservice joint operation capability, a military spokesman said.
• For first time, Y-20 aircraft uses civil airport to conduct cross-border delivery mission PLA Daily 13 Aug 2020 -- On August 9, a Y-20 military transport aircraft of the PLA Air Force flew from the Shenyang Taoxian International Airport to Russia with a flight of over 7,600 km, carrying a total of 57 soldiers from the PLA Northern Theater Command to participate in the International Army Games 2020.
• PLA's new amphibious bridging and ferrying system makes debut PLA Daily 13 Aug 2020 -- Recently, an engineering detachment assigned to a brigade under the 78th Group Army of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) launched the in-water training for the new wheeled self-propelled amphibious bridging and ferrying system for the first time.
• Chinese H-6J bomber's S.China Sea deployment 'to suppress US provocations' Global Times 13 Aug 2020 -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy's newly revealed bomber, the H-6J, was recently deployed on Yongxing Island in the South China Sea for the first time, foreign media reported on Wednesday. The move will enable the PLA to suppress and jam provocative US military activities in the region, and its weapons load, potentially including anti-ship ballistic missiles, provides a huge deterrence to US aircraft carriers, experts said on Thursday.
• China Showcases New H-6J Bomber During Drills in South China Sea, Reports Says Sputnik 13 Aug 2020 -- China's new Xian H-6J bomber has been demonstrated to the public for the first time during drills in the South China Sea, national media reported.
• France to bolster military presence in Mediterranean amid tensions with Turkey Press TV 13 Aug 2020 -- France has planned to increase military presence in the eastern Mediterranean, amid rising tensions between Turkey and European Union (EU) member Greece over Turkish oil and gas exploration in disputed waters in the sea.
• Indian Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Vessel 'Sarthak' launched India PIB 13 Aug 2020 -- An Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) for the Indian Coast Guard was launched and re-christened as Indian Coast Guard Ship 'Sarthak' by Ms. Veena Ajay Kumar, wife of Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar today.
• Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh launches 15 products developed by Defence PSUs and OFB; India PIB 13 Aug 2020 -- Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh launched here today four products each by OFB and BEML, two by BEL and one each by HAL, BDL, MDL, GRSE and GSL, developed by respective DPSUs/ OFB as part of 'Atma Nirbhar Bharat' week celebrations which continues till tomorrow, the 14th August 2020.
• Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh Launches Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) India PIB 13 Aug 2020 -- Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh launched the Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) through an online webinar. Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Shri Yogi Adityanath and other dignitaries were also present at the event.
• Taiwan's potential deployment of US-made missiles, mines easy to counter: experts Global Times 13 Aug 2020 -- The island of Taiwan is reportedly in discussions with the US over the purchase of cruise missiles and sea mines, and claimed they will potentially be deployed as coastal defense and amphibious landing deterrence. The intention to purchase these weapons only emphasized Taiwan's outdated war concepts and military technologies, and their potential deployment can be easily countered by the People's Liberation Army (PLA), Chinese mainland experts said on Thursday.
• US Lawmakers Have Stonewalled Arms Sales to Turkey for Two Years Over S-400 Buy - Report Sputnik 13 Aug 2020 -- According to a report by Defense News, several US lawmakers in key positions have refused to sign off on any weapons sale to Turkey since it agreed to buy the S-400 air defense system from Russia in 2017 instead of the more expensive, US-made Patriot systems.
• 'Urgent need' to stop erosion of nuclear order, major UN disarmament forum hears UN News 13 Aug 2020 -- The lack of trust and cooperation among States, and the diminished faith in "the very multilateral institution that was designed to maintain global peace and security", must be overcome, a high-level UN official told a prominent disarmament conference on Thursday.
• Azerbaijan Says Russia Has Provided Military Goods To Armenia Since Deadly Border Clashes RFE/RL 13 Aug 2020 -- Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has expressed concern that Russia has provided military supplies to Armenia in the weeks following deadly clashes along the border between the two South Caucasus countries in July.
• Text of a Notice on the Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Export Control Regulations The White House 13 Aug 2020
• Text of a Letter to the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate The White House 13 Aug 2020
• US, Slovenia to Sign 5G Joint Declaration VOA 13 Aug 2020 -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his Slovenian counterpart Anze Logar have signed a joint declaration on 5G technology.
• Joint Statement on United States – Slovenia Joint Declaration on 5G Security US Dept. of State 13 Aug 2020 -- The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and the Republic of Slovenia on August 13, 2020.
• US Secretary of State Pompeo defends Saudi arms sales after damning watchdog report on Yemen Press TV 13 Aug 2020 -- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has defended Washington's arms sales to Saudi Arabia after a watchdog report said the State Department failed to "fully assess" the risk of civilian deaths in war-torn Yemen.
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany | 8/13/2020 The White House 13 Aug 2020
• Secretary Michael R. Pompeo Remarks to Traveling Press US Dept. of State 13 Aug 2020

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Aug. 13, 2020

Other Conflicts

• 13 August 2020 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 13 Aug 2020
• US spy plane following civilian aircraft in S. China Sea risks confrontation: experts Global Times 13 Aug 2020 -- A Hong Kong-based media outlet on Wednesday reported that the US military spy aircraft E-8C was first recognized as a civilian flight during a night sortie in the South China Sea, and experts reached by the Global Times noted such a move, if confirmed, will risk involving civilian flights in military confrontations.
• Joint Forces Command of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen: Joint Coalition Forces Intercept, Destroy (1) Bomb-Laden UAV, (2) Ballistic Missiles Launched by Iran-Backed Terrorist Houthi Militia Toward the Kingdom SPA 13 Aug 2020 -- Statement by the Official Spokesman of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen COL Turki Al-Malki stated the following:
• Deaths of children in northeast Syria 'could have been averted': UNICEF UN News 13 Aug 2020 -- The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) has expressed "deep alarm" over reports that eight children – all under the age of five – have died in Syria's Al Hol camp, where several thousand children are languishing in dire conditions.
• Iraq invokes diplomatic intervention against Turkish aggression Press TV 13 Aug 2020 -- Iraq pleads for Arab intervention against Turkey's continued cross-border attacks and incursions against anti-Ankara militants that have cost the lives of two Iraqi commanders and many civilians.
• Iraq: Turkish aggression endangers national security, regional stability Press TV 13 Aug 2020 -- The Iraqi National Security Council has denounced a recent deadly drone strike by Turkey on the Arab country as a violation of good neighborly principles, saying the aggression poses a threat to Iraq's national security as well as regional stability.
• Three Rockets Strike Iraq's Balad Air Base, No Casualties Reported Sputnik 13 Aug 2020 -- Multiple rockets fired from a mobile launcher landed inside Balad Air Base in Salah ad-Din Governorate, Iraq, on Thursday evening.
• Joint Statement of the United States, the State of Israel, and the United Arab Emirates The White House 13 Aug 2020
• Remarks by President Trump Announcing the Normalization of Relations Between Israel and the United Arab Emirates The White House 13 Aug 2020
• Trump Announces 'Historic Breakthrough' Between Israel, UAE VOA 13 Aug 2020 -- Israel and the United Arab Emirates have agreed to establish full diplomatic ties as part of a U.S.-brokered deal, President Donald Trump announced Thursday.
• Trump Announces UAE to Open Diplomatic Ties with Israel VOA 13 Aug 2020 -- U.S. President Donald Trump announced Thursday that the United Arab Emirates and Israel have agreed to establish diplomatic ties, a development that is part of an agreement to stop Israel's annexation of occupied land in the West Bank sought by Palestinians for their future state.
• Palestinians rage at Israel-UAE 'normalization deal' Press TV 13 Aug 2020 -- Leading Palestinian factions have voiced their strong resentment at an "agreement" reached between Israel and the United Arab Emirates aimed at "full normalization" of their relations.
• Israel, UAE reach US-brokered agreement to establish full diplomatic ties Press TV 13 Aug 2020 -- Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have reached a deal that will lead to a full normalization of diplomatic relations between the two sides, in an agreement that US President Donald Trump apparently helped broker.
• Israel's decision to halt fuel shipments to Gaza grave act of aggression: Hamas Press TV 13 Aug 2020 -- The Palestinian Islamic Resistance movement, Hamas, has strongly condemned the Israeli regime's decision to stop fuel shipments into the Gaza Strip, describing the measure as a "grave act of aggression" that would toughen economic hardship in the besieged enclave.
• Israel attacks Gaza Strip from air, land for 2nd night in row Press TV 13 Aug 2020 -- The Israeli military has launched aerial and ground attacks against targets across the Gaza Strip for a second night in a row, while Tel Aviv tightens its grip on the blockaded territory's fishing activities and fuel imports.
• Myanmar Heads Into Next Round of Peace Talks Amid Criticism, Indecision Radio Free Asia 13 Aug 2020 -- One week before Myanmar hosts a final round of peace talks with ethnic armies before year-end elections, leader Aung San Suu Kyi's government is under fire from its military chief and critics who say a cumbersome process with little political support has made little progress in five years.
• Dialogue sole solution to dispute with Greece in eastern Mediterranean: Turkish president Press TV 13 Aug 2020 -- President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the only solution to Turkey's dispute with EU member Greece over Turkish oil and gas exploration in the eastern Mediterranean is through negotiation.
• Greek-Turkish Frigates Incident 'First Response' to Athens in Mediterranean Row, Erdogan Says Sputnik 13 Aug 2020 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that Greece got the "first response" from Turkey in the ongoing Mediterranean crisis, hinting at the recent incident between Russian and Greek frigates.
• Islamist Insurgents Capture Strategic Port in Northern Mozambique VOA 13 Aug 2020 -- Islamist insurgents have captured a strategic port in the restive province of Cabo Delgado in northern Mozambique, local military officials told VOA.
• Terrorists seize key port town in northern Mozambique Press TV 13 Aug 2020 -- Terrorist reportedly from the Takfiri Daesh group have seized a key port town in northern Mozambique following days of attacks in the gas-rich region.
• India Rebuffs 'Lies and Half-Truths' of Pakistan's Envoy to China on Jammu and Kashmir Sputnik 13 Aug 2020 -- India and Pakistan have been engaged in squabbling over Jammu and Kashmir, which both countries claim in full, but rule in part. Islamabad launched a diplomatic war against New Delhi after the latter abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution in August 2019 to strip the erstwhile state of its special status.
• The United States Imposes Visa Restrictions on Multiple Individuals Undermining Sudan's Civilian-Led Transitional Government US Dept. of State 13 Aug 2020 -- The United States continues to stand with the people of Sudan and the aspirations of the revolution that ousted former President Omar al-Bashir in April 2019.
• Nearly 130 Killed in South Sudan's Warrap State After Argument During Disarmament Exercise VOA 13 Aug 2020 -- Nearly 130 people have been killed and thousands more displaced in violence over the past week in South Sudan's Warrap state, according to a South Sudanese army spokesman.

News Reports

• UN rights experts call for accountability following Beirut's 'unprecedented' lethal explosion UN News 13 Aug 2020 -- The catastrophic blast which led to the deaths of more than 200 in Beirut on 4 August, has prompted more than three dozen independent rights experts on Thursday, to issue a call for justice and accountability on behalf of the Lebanese people.
• Lebanese president says losses from Beirut's explosions exceed 15 bln USD People's Daily 13 Aug 2020 -- Lebanese President Michel Aoun said on Wednesday that losses from the explosions that hit Beirut's port on Aug. 4 exceed 15 billion U.S. dollars, LBCI local TV channel reported.
• Lebanon's parliament approves government's state of emergency across country Press TV 13 Aug 2020 -- The parliament of Lebanon has approved a state of emergency declared by the now caretaker government, which needs the legal authority to put down riots following a catastrophic explosion that ravaged swaths of capital Beirut and pushed the cabinet to resign.
• Lebanon says its own Judiciary can handle probe into Beirut blast Press TV 13 Aug 2020 -- Lebanon's caretaker justice minister has dismissed calls for an international investigation into the recent deadly explosion in Beirut, saying the country's judiciary can handle the probe itself.
• Rebuilding Beirut Port Could Prove Controversial, Analysts Say VOA 13 Aug 2020 -- Lebanon's port of Beirut, severely damaged in the recent devastating explosion, has resumed partial operations, according to authorities.
• Lebanon Faces Brain Drain in Wake of Beirut Disaster VOA 13 Aug 2020 -- Lebanon was in dire straits before last week's blast in Beirut that shredded the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people. The country is in meltdown as it struggles to survive an economic and political crisis, exacerbated by the COVID-19 health crisis.
• US to Investigate Beirut Blast, Diplomat Says VOA 13 Aug 2020 -- U.S. senior diplomat David Hale said in Beirut Thursday the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation will join Lebanese and international investigators in a probe into the recent explosion in Lebanon's capital city that killed scores of people and injured thousands of others.
• Lebanese Parliament Speaker Calls for Speedy Formation of New Government VOA 13 Aug 2020 -- Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri called for the speedy formation of a new government Thursday as lawmakers approved the government's two-week state of emergency after the recent devastating explosion that killed scores of people and injured thousands of others.
• WHO Appeals for $76 Million to Help Lebanon VOA 13 Aug 2020 -- The World Health Organization is making a worldwide appeal for $76 million in aid to Lebanon a week after a massive explosion in Beirut devastated the port and destroyed hospitals, clinics and stores of medical supplies.
• Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Moscow, August 13, 2020 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 13 Aug 2020
• Russia Tightens Tax Screws on Super Wealthy VOA 13 Aug 2020 -- Russian leader Vladimir Putin is tightening the tax screws on the country's super-rich.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on August 13 PRC MofA 13 Aug 2020
• US Designates Confucius Institutes 'Foreign Missions' of China Radio Free Asia 13 Aug 2020 -- The United States on Thursday designated the Confucius Institute education program as a "foreign mission" of China, setting up the Chinese government-funded language teaching scheme for tougher scrutiny amid worsening relations between Washington and Beijing.
• "Confucius Institute U.S. Center" Designation as a Foreign Mission US Dept. of State 13 Aug 2020 -- Fact Sheet
• US Classifies Confucius Institute Center as Foreign Mission VOA 13 Aug 2020 -- The United States announced Thursday that it would require the center that runs the Confucius Institute to register as a foreign mission of the ruling Chinese Communist Party, alleging the group's Chinese language courses are part of a widespread campaign of influence and propaganda in the U.S.
• Briefing With Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs David R. Stilwell and Acting Director of the Office of Foreign Missions Clifton C. Seagroves On Actions Taken to Counter PRC Influence Operations US Dept. of State 13 Aug 2020
• Designation of the Confucius Institute U.S. Center as a Foreign Mission of the PRC US Dept. of State 13 Aug 2020 -- The Trump Administration has made it a priority to seek fair and reciprocal treatment from the People's Republic of China. For more than four decades, Beijing has enjoyed free and open access to U.S. society, while denying that same access to Americans and other foreigners in China.
• Is China's Fishing Fleet a Growing Security Threat? VOA 13 Aug 2020 -- China says it has banned its massive fishing fleet from catching squid in parts of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans for three months to help populations recover, after environmental groups warned the country's illegal fishing activities are devastating ecologically sensitive areas such as the Galapagos Islands.
• Apple Daily can't 'represent' free press as freedom of speech needs to comply with law: experts Global Times 13 Aug 2020 -- When Western media considered the latest arrest of Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai and the Hong Kong police's operation targeting its headquarters after the national security law for Hong Kong came into force as a "severe erosion of free press in Hong Kong," some ignored the essence of this matter, which has nothing to do with freedom of the press, and some have no idea what the fourth estate is about, observers said Thursday.
• HK commerce secretary slams US move to label local goods 'Made in China' Global Times 13 Aug 2020 -- Hong Kong Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Edward Yau Tang-wah on Thursday accused the US of violating WTO rules by deciding to label "Made in Hong Kong" goods as "Made in China" from September 25, saying Hong Kong will definitely take action to protect its rights and interests.
• Hong Kong's RTHK Takes Down Podcast Featuring Activist Who Fled City Radio Free Asia 13 Aug 2020 -- Hong Kong's government broadcaster has withdrawn a political podcast from its website after being warned that an interview with exiled democracy activist Nathan Law could be in breach of a draconian national security law imposed on the city by the ruling Chinese Communist Party.
• Despite Arrest, Hong Kong Media Tycoon Jimmy Lai Says He Won't Back Down VOA 13 Aug 2020 -- Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai, who has been released on bail after his arrest Monday, said Thursday he has accepted imprisonment as his "destiny" and that the widespread support he has received proves his struggle for democracy is a worthy cause.
• Public Toilet Erected on Former Site of Razed Xinjiang Village Mosque Radio Free Asia 13 Aug 2020 -- A public toilet has been erected on the site of a demolished mosque in Atush (in Chinese, Atushi) city, in northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), according to a local official, as part of what some observers believe is a campaign aimed at breaking the spirit of Uyghur Muslims.
• China says military drills near Taiwan were 'necessary' to defend sovereignty Press TV 13 Aug 2020 -- China's military says recent military drills near Taiwan were "necessary action" to safeguard Chinese sovereignty and territorial integrity.
• Taiwan to seek closer security ties, trade agreement with U.S.: Tsai CNA 13 Aug 2020 -- President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said on Wednesday that Taiwan will continue to work closely with the United States during her second term, with the focus on establishing a constructive security relationship, beginning negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA) and strengthening engagement with other like-minded democracies.
• China opposes U.S-Taiwan official interactions under any pretext: FM People's Daily 13 Aug 2020 -- Foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Wednesday said China firmly opposed any official interactions between the United States and Taiwan under any pretext.
• Taiwan Indicts Three Parliamentary Aides For Spying For China Radio Free Asia 13 Aug 2020 -- Prosecutors in Taiwan on Thursday indicted three former legislative aides for trying to access President Tsai Ing-wen's medical records for China's state security police.
• Former legislative aides indicted over espionage for China CNA 13 Aug 2020 -- Three former legislative aides were indicted Thursday on suspicion of involvement in developing a spy network in Taiwan for Chinese intelligence.
• Ex-legislative aides indicted for espionage released on bail CNA 13 Aug 2020 -- Two of three former legislative aides charged with spying and developing a spy network in Taiwan for China were released on bail Thursday, hours after their indictment earlier the same day.
• Newly Obtained Trump-Kim Letters May Reveal More on Unlikely Relationship VOA 13 Aug 2020 -- For more than two years, U.S. President Donald Trump has touted his close relationship and frequent personal correspondence with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. A new book may reveal just how close the relationship really is.
• North Korean Soldier Jailed for Listening to Radio Free Asia on Duty Radio Free Asia 13 Aug 2020 -- North Korean military security authorities have sent a signal corps soldier to a political prison camp for listening to Radio Free Asia broadcasts while on duty at a government ministry building in Pyongyang, sources in the country's military told RFA Thursday.
• US seizes Iranian fuel cargoes for first time: WSJ Press TV 13 Aug 2020 -- The US government has for the first time seized vessels allegedly carrying Iran's gasoline to Venezuela, the Wall Street Journal reports.
• U.S. Says Iran Briefly Seizes Oil Tanker Near Strait Of Hormuz RFE/RL 13 Aug 2020 -- The Iranian Navy has boarded and briefly seized a Liberian-flagged oil tanker near the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. military's Central Command (CENTCOM) says, amid heightened tensions between Tehran and the United States.
• US Seizes Four Iranian Tankers, Now En Route to Houston - Report Sputnik 13 Aug 2020 -- US officials told the Wall Street Journal on Thursday that the US had seized four Iranian tankers on the high seas allegedly loaded with Iranian petroleum in violation of US sanctions. The four vessels are now en route to Houston, Texas, a major petroleum port.
• Tehran's Booming Stock Market Showing Signs Of Decline For Second Day Radio Farda 13 Aug 2020 -- The general index of the Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE) fell by nearly 25,000 points on Wednesday after a drop of 65,000 on Tuesday to reach 1.97 million.
• Iran Central Bank Governor Defends Decision To Presell Crude Oil In Stock Market Radio Farda 13 Aug 2020 -- The governor of the Central Bank of Iran, Abdolnaser Hemmati, advocated for pre-selling oil to domestic buyers as the best way to address the government's budget deficit in a "healthy manner," blaming U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil exports for the deficit.
• Iran Conservatives Uncertain About Winning 2021 Presidential Election Radio Farda 13 Aug 2020 -- A divide among Iran's conservatives casts doubt whether a victory in the May 2021 election is within their reach, despite their overwhelming majority at the Iranian parliament and the fact that many of the institutions that affect the election and its results are also held by conservatives.
• UN rights experts express 'outrage' at Belarus police violence against peaceful protesters UN News 13 Aug 2020 -- UN human rights experts on Thursday, strongly criticized the level of violence being used by security forces across Belarus against peaceful protesters and journalists, following five days of demonstrations over the disputed presidential election.
• Russia says outside forces attempt to destabilize Belarus after post-election protests Press TV 13 Aug 2020 -- Russia says outside forces are clearly attempting to destabilize neighboring Belarus, which has witnessed violent protests in the past few days after President Alexander Lukashenko won the election.
• Another Casualty Of The Brutal Belarus Crackdown: Minsk's Thriving IT Sector RFE/RL 13 Aug 2020 -- Against the backdrop of Belarus's Soviet-style command economy, in which state companies dominate sectors like oil and gas, fertilizer, tractor manufacturing, and agriculture, one industry has long been an outlier: a thriving IT sector in Minsk.
• 'How Can This Be Our Country?': Claims Of Torture Abound As Belarusian Jails Swell RFE/RL 13 Aug 2020 -- In the dead of night, you can hear the muffled screams outside Minsk's Akrestina prison.
• Despite Minsk's Crackdown, Hungary Says EU Should Pursue 'Dialogue' With Belarus RFE/RL 13 Aug 2020 -- Hungary has called on the European Union to pursue "dialogue" with Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
• Nobel Laureate Alexievich Says Lukashenka Has 'Declared War' On Belarusian People RFE/RL 13 Aug 2020 -- The Belarusian Nobel Prize-winning writer Svetlana Alexievich has condemned brutal police violence against demonstrators across Belarus, saying "the authorities have declared war on their people" and the President Alyaksandr Lukashenka should step down from power to prevent a bloody civil war.
• Nonviolent Protests Proliferate, International Pressure Mounts As Belarus Crackdown Continues RFE/RL 13 Aug 2020 -- Nonviolent protest actions have been proliferating across Belarus as people continue to protest the official vote tally in the country's August 9 presidential election -- results that gave incumbent President Alyaksandr Lukashenka a landslide reelection victory.
• Belarusians Brave Beatings, Detentions As Postelection Pressure Piles On Lukashenka RFE/RL 13 Aug 2020 -- Belarusians have defied a harsh crackdown in a fourth day of protests that spilled into the night as pressure mounts on President Alyaksandr Lukashenka over a weekend vote the opposition says was rigged to extend the strongman's 26-year rule.
• Pompeo Says US May Impose Sanctions on Belarus as Protests in Country Continue Sputnik 13 Aug 2020 -- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the United States might impose sanctions on Belarus over the ongoing wave of violence in the country following the presidential election.
• France's Macron Holds Talks With Russian, Iranian Leaders Over Lebanon, Belarus RFE/RL 13 Aug 2020 -- French President Emmanuel Macron has held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss postelection violence in Belarus and the situation in Lebanon following a devastating blast in Beirut.
• US Suspends Private Charter Flights to Cuba Except for Limited Cases, Pompeo Says Sputnik 13 Aug 2020 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation barred private charter flights to Cuba on Thursday in a move designed to put more economic pressure on the Cuban government.
• US Bars Private Charter Flights to Cuba VOA 13 Aug 2020 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation barred private charter flights to Cuba on Thursday in a move designed to put more economic pressure on the Cuban government.
• Global Disruption of Three Terror Finance Cyber-Enabled Campaigns US Dept. of Justice 13 Aug 2020 -- Largest Ever Seizure of Terrorist Organizations' Cryptocurrency Accounts
• US Announces Disruption of 3 Terror Groups' Cyber Financing Campaigns VOA 13 Aug 2020 -- U.S. authorities have seized millions of dollars and hundreds of virtual currency accounts used to funnel money to al-Qaida, Islamic State (IS) and Hamas's military wing, the Justice Department announced Thursday.
• U.S. Releases Cybersecurity Advisory On New 'Drovorub' Russian Malware RFE/RL 13 Aug 2020 -- The U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) and FBI released an advisory on cybersecurity on August 13 warning about previously undisclosed Russian malware.
• US Intelligence Accuses Russian Military Hackers of Spreading Malware 'Drovorub' Sputnik 13 Aug 2020 -- The US National Security Agency (NSA) and FBI on Thursday accused Russian military hackers of deploying new malware which they believe poses a threat to the Pentagon and the defense industry.
• Israel claims it foiled N Korea-linked hack, cybersecurity firm says systems penetrated Press TV 13 Aug 2020 -- Israel says it has thwarted a hacking attack by a North Korean-linked group against its military industries, a claim challenged by a cybersecurity firm, which says the hackers penetrated the targeted systems and likely stole a large amount of classified data.
• Southcom Chief: Venezuela's Maduro at Center of 'Vicious Circle of Threats' DoD News 13 Aug 2020 -- Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, aided by allies including Cuba, Russia, China and Iran, continues to serve as a threat to the democratic freedom in neighboring nations in South America, the commander of U.S. Southern Command said.
• WHO: Congo Facing Growing Ebola Crisis VOA 13 Aug 2020 -- The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is facing a growing Ebola outbreak in its northwest Equateur province in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) says.
• Pakistan's 'Brotherly' Ties With Saudi Arabia Hit 'Rock-Bottom' RFE/RL 13 Aug 2020 -- Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have long cultivated what both Sunni Muslim countries call a "fraternal" relationship.
• UK Believes Deal With EU Can Be Reached in September Sputnik 13 Aug 2020 -- The United Kingdom believes that a deal with the European Union can be secured as soon as next month, chief Brexit negotiator David Frost said on Thursday, in the run-up to another round of talks on the future relationship.
• Kolomoyskiy's U.S. Companies Were Approved For COVID Relief Loans, Records Show RFE/RL 13 Aug 2020 -- Five American companies owned by Ukrainian tycoons who are accused of laundering money and using the misappropriated funds to help buy U.S. assets were approved for as much as $13.3 million in loans through a federal program aimed at saving jobs during the pandemic, according to U.S. government records.
• Tashkent Hires U.S. Firm To Campaign Against Boycott On Uzbek Cotton RFE/RL 13 Aug 2020 -- Documentation obtained by RFE/RL shows that Uzbek authorities have paid more than a half-million dollars to a U.S. public-relations firm to run a campaign aimed at lifting an international boycott against Uzbek cotton over the country's use of forced labor to harvest the crop.
• The Conviction of Eight Members of the Hien Phap Group in Vietnam US Dept. of State 13 Aug 2020 -- The U.S. government is deeply concerned about the Vietnam's conviction and sentencing of eight members of the Hien Phap civil society organization in Vietnam to more than 40 years in prison.
• Ex-Ecuadorian President Detained in New Criminal Probe VOA 13 Aug 2020 -- Police have detained former Ecuadorian President Abdala Bucaram for the second time in two months, this time in an organized crime probe.
• Lao News Consumers Spurn Censored State Media to Look Online, Abroad Radio Free Asia 13 Aug 2020 -- Laos state media celebrated their 70th anniversary on Thursday, but ordinary citizens say they tune out the slow and censored "voice of the Communist Party, the State and the People of Laos" in favor of social media and foreign broadcasts.
• China Lending Bangladesh Almost $1 BN For Teesta River Project Radio Free Asia 13 Aug 2020 -- Bangladesh is to receive a loan of nearly U.S. $1 billion from China for a project to maintain levels in the Teesta River during the drought season after efforts to approve a water-sharing deal with India failed, government officials said.