Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
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News Reports

Current Operations

• Stalling Strategy? Long-Delayed Afghan Peace Talks Hit By New Obstacles RFE/RL 19 Aug 2020 -- Afghanistan's controversial pledge to free the last of some 400 Taliban prisoners was supposed to be the final hurdle before the launch of long-delayed peace talks between the two warring sides.
• Two Killed In Kabul Bombings After Deadly Rocket Attacks RFE/RL 19 Aug 2020 -- Police say two sticky bombs that targeted Afghan government employees in Kabul killed two people on August 19 and wounded two others.
• Iran FM says Tehran ready to contribute to Afghan peace process Press TV 19 Aug 2020 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has voiced his country's readiness to contribute to the Afghan peace process.
• Rocket attacks in Afghan capital killed 3, injured 16 Press TV 19 Aug 2020 -- At least three people were killed and 16 others were injured in a string of rocket attacks that hit the Afghan capital of Kabul on Tuesday, authorities have announced.
• Iran Rejects US Accusation Of Paying Taliban To Kill American Troops In Afghanistan Radio Farda 19 Aug 2020 -- The newly appointed spokesman for the Islamic Republic Foreign Ministry has dismissed the the U.S. accusation that Tehran has paid the Taliban in Afghanistan to kill American troops as "groundless allegations".
• Defense Personnel Among First to Deliver Aid to Lebanon DoD News 19 Aug 2020 -- When almost 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrate exploded in Beirut, it caused a humanitarian catastrophe that killed more than 200 people and wounded tens of thousands.
• USS Nitze Interdicts Millions in Drugs US Navy 19 Aug 2020 -- The Arleigh Burke-class Destroyer USS Nitze (DDG 94) with embarked U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) seized 82 kilograms of suspected cocaine and 2,961 pounds of suspected marijuana, July 29.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Army tests versatile unmanned aircraft at Yuma Proving Ground Army News 19 Aug 2020 -- The United States military has used unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for decades, and increasingly counts on them to perform dangerous missions that save Soldiers' lives.
• Army Guard aviators modernize with new high-tech aircraft Army News 19 Aug 2020 -- New York Army National Guard helicopter pilots, crews and Soldiers welcomed the arrival of the first two of 20 new UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters at their flight facilities at Islip MacArthur and Albany International Airports Aug. 18.
• US demonstrates airpower in Indo-Pacific region with simultaneous bomber missions US Air Force 19 Aug 2020 -- Demonstrating airpower, bomber and fighter aircrew assigned and deployed to Pacific Air Forces launched four B-1B Lancers, two B-2 Spirit Stealth Bombers and four F-15C Eagles as they conducted Bomber Task Force missions simultaneously with joint and allied partners within the Indo-Pacific region over the course of 24 hours, August 17.
• Hill AFB Airmen demonstrate combat flexibility, reliability of F-35 during deployments US Air Force 19 Aug 2020 -- For 16 months, Airmen from the 388th Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base have been deployed in combat with the F-35A Lightning II and they continue to find ways to improve the capability of America's most advanced fifth-generation fighter.
• US Warship Arrives in Crete as Greece-Turkey Standoff Escalates VOA 19 Aug 2020 -- The massive American warship, the USS Hershel Woody Williams, has arrived in the Greek island of Crete, on a mission to keep an eye on escalating tensions between NATO allies Greece and Turkey over energy rights in the eastern Mediterranean. The US vessel joins others from the European Union and Russia, raising concerns among some in Greece about what a military buildup could mean.
• U.S., Japan Build on 60 Years of Regional Cooperation US Navy 19 Aug 2020 -- The USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group joined Japan's Murasame-class destroyer JS Ikazuchi (DD 107) to conduct joint integrated operations in the Philippine Sea, Aug. 15, as part of ongoing shared commitments to regional stability through cooperation.
• NAVSUP Weapon Systems Support's Early Collaboration Critical to FFG(X) Readiness, Sustainment US Navy 19 Aug 2020 -- As the Navy evolves new weapons systems, NAVSUP Weapon Systems Support–the Navy's Program Support Inventory Control Point–remains the fleet's supply support advocate from the drawing board to the battle space. Critical to the success of any new weapon system acquisition program is early, effective, and agile collaboration among myriad stakeholders to address program requirements, issues, challenges and opportunities. NAVSUP WSS is taking the lead in its supply support role and engaging all stakeholders to ensure the new FFG(X) weapon system, commonly known as the Fast Frigate, is set up for initial and future sustainment success.
• USS Scout Decommissions US Navy 19 Aug 2020 -- Mine countermeasures ship USS Scout (MCM 8) recognized nearly 30 years of naval service during a decommissioning ceremony at Naval Base San Diego, Aug. 19.
• New Space Force Is at Forefront of Technology DoD News 19 Aug 2020 -- The Space Force can learn what adversaries are doing before any other nation knows because of the Defense Department's exquisite intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, the mobilization assistant to the chief of space operations said.
• US Marines Debut 'Eyes in the Sky' RQ-21A Drone in Australia Amid Joint Training Sputnik 19 Aug 2020 -- The US Marine Corps' RQ-21A Blackjack drone took to the skies Down Under for the first time earlier this month as part of delayed annual bilateral training between Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 3 and members of the Australian Defense Force.
• Readout of Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark T. Esper's Meeting with Minister of Defense of the Republic of Iraq Jumaah Saadoon DoD 19 Aug 2020
• NATO clears historic ordnances inside Norwegian fjord NATO 19 Aug 2020 -- TROMSO, Norway -- Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG 1) has concluded a historical ordnance disposal operation, enhancing knowledge about the seabed by working in Norwegian waters and contributing to the Norwegian compiled historic ordnance database.
• UK, NATO Navy Shadowed 9 Russian Warships During Passage Via North Sea Sputnik 19 Aug 2020 -- Navy of the United Kingdom and NATO has escorted a group of nine Russian warships during transit through the North Sea close to the UK territorial waters, the UK Royal Navy said in a press release on Wednesday.
• NATO Secretary General discusses eastern Mediterranean, Libya with Foreign Minister of Turkey NATO 19 Aug 2020 -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg spoke by telephone with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavusoglu on Wednesday (19 August 2020). They discussed recent developments in the eastern Mediterranean, as well as in Libya.
• Russian Fighter Scrambled to Intercept US Spy Plane Over Baltic Sea, Military Says Sputnik 19 Aug 2020 -- A Russian fighter jet was scrambled to intercept a US reconnaissance plane over the Baltic Sea, the National Centre for Defence Control (NDCC) said Wednesday.
• PLA Western Theatre Command deploys troops for flood rescue in west China PLA Daily 19 Aug 2020 -- Over the past few days, China's western and southwestern areas including Sichuan, Chongqing, Gansu and Shaanxi have seen frequent heavy rains and floods. In response to the urgent disaster relief situation in many places, the PLA Western Theatre Command and the local provincial governments, based on the principles of deploying troops as quickly and reasonably as possible, dispatched a commanding team to the disaster relief area to coordinate the disaster relief operations.
• Photo: Chinese Submarine Spotted Entering Hidden Cave Base Sputnik 19 Aug 2020 -- A recent satellite photo managed to capture a Chinese submarine entering a cave base on Hainan Island, at the northern end of the South China Sea.
• Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh asks Naval Commanders to deliberate on key focus areas; India PIB 19 Aug 2020 -- Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh addressed Naval Commanders on the inaugural day of the Naval Commanders' Conference on 19 August 2020. He complimented the men and women of Indian Navy for their role in protecting the maritime interests of the nation and expressed confidence in the Indian Navy's preparedness to meet any challenge through a proactive response in deploying its ships and aircraft.
• Top commander: Iran's defense industry strongly supports nat'l security IRNA 19 Aug 2020 -- Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri said on Wednesday that the defense industry is strongly supporting the armed forces to defend the independence and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
• Ninety-sixth joint patrol on Mekong River kicks off Global Times 19 Aug 2020 -- Law-enforcement authorities from China, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand joined forces on Tuesday for the start of the 96th Mekong River joint patrol.
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany | 8/19/2020 The White House 19 Aug 2020

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Aug. 19, 2020

Other Conflicts

• 19 August 2020 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 19 Aug 2020
• Humanitarian Workers Face Unprecedented Violence, UN Says VOA 19 Aug 2020 -- The United Nations reports humanitarian workers are facing unprecedented levels of violence while putting their own lives at risk in order to provide life-saving aid to millions of civilians caught in situations of crisis. This year's World Humanitarian Day honors and pays tribute to these thousands of unsung, real life heroes.
• Chinese Boats Return to S. China Sea as Beijing's Fishing Ban Ends Radio Free Asia 19 Aug 2020 -- Chinese fishing vessels are pouring back into disputed waters after China ended its annual summer fishing ban in the South and East China Seas, satellite imagery shows, which could heighten tension in the region as fishing fleets compete for declining fish stocks.
• Joint Incidents Assessment Team Issues Statement Regarding Allegations against Coalition Forces SPA 19 Aug 2020 -- Official Spokesman of the Joint Incidents Assessment Team (JIAT) in Yemen Legal Counsellor Mansour Al-Mansour refuted a number of claims raised by global bodies and international organizations on errors allegedly committed by the Coalition Forces to Support Legitimacy in Yemen during their military operations inside Yemen.
• Millions of Yemenis facing death amid lack of funding, UN warns Press TV 19 Aug 2020 -- The United Nations has warned that millions of Yemenis are facing death amid lack of funding that forced the organization to shut or severely cut half of its major programs in Yemen.
• Russian Investigative Committee Opens Case Over Death of Russian General in Syria Sputnik 19 Aug 2020 -- The Russian Investigative Committee has opened a case over the death of a Russian Armed Forces general in Syria and the injury of two more servicemen, the committee said in a statement.
• Russian major general dies, two servicemen injured in roadside blast in eastern Syria Press TV 19 Aug 2020 -- A Russian major general has lost his life and two servicemen have sustained injuries when an improvised explosive device went off near their military convoy in Syria's eastern province of Dayr al-Zawr.
• Several rockets strike US military base in eastern Syria: SANA Press TV 19 Aug 2020 -- Syrian state media say a US military base located near an oilfield in the eastern part of the Arab country has come under a rocket attack.
• Militants Continue Shelling Settlements in Syria's Northern Provinces, Russian Military Says Sputnik 19 Aug 2020 -- The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham* terrorist group has shelled settlements in the Syrian provinces of Aleppo and Idlib, the head of the Russian Defence Ministry's Centre for Syrian reconciliation said at a daily briefing on Tuesday.
• Syria constitutional reform talks, hold promise for new social contract UN News 19 Aug 2020 -- Constitutional reform talks between Syria's Government and opposition leaders next week in Geneva, offer an opportunity to reconcile differences and establish a social contract with people across the country, who are desperate for progress after more than nine years of war, the Special Envoy told the Security Council on Wednesday.
• Gaza's only power plant shuts down due to fuel shortage Global Times 19 Aug 2020 -- A Palestinian official in the Gaza Electricity Distribution Company announced on Tuesday that the only power station in the Gaza Strip has completely stopped operation due to fuel shortage.
• Israeli Defense Tanks Attack Hamas Posts in Gaza Strip Sputnik 19 Aug 2020 -- Israel Defense Forces (IDF) tanks attacked Hamas posts in the Gaza Strip on Thursday local time.
• Libya's oil ports may reopen to fix power cuts: Haftar associate Press TV 19 Aug 2020 -- A rebel commander linked to Libya's military strongman Khalifa Haftar says the country's eastern oil ports could reopen in a bid to repair local power shortages.
• Libya to Export Only Oil Accumulated in Terminals, LNA Says Sputnik 19 Aug 2020 -- Libya, following the resumption of the operation of oil facilities, will export only oil accumulated in port terminals, crude produced at deposits will not be exported, Libyan National Army spokesman Major General Ahmad al-Mismari said.
• Libya: UN human right chief appoints independent investigators to probe abuses UN News 19 Aug 2020 -- UN-led efforts to address serious rights violations in Libya, received a boost on Wednesday with the appointment of three independent investigators to document abuses in the war-torn country.
• PM Khan: Pakistan can't recognize Israel until Palestine gets its rights, state Press TV 19 Aug 2020 -- Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan says his country will never recognize Israel until the issue of Palestine is resolved days after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reached a normalization deal with Israel.
• Armed Violence Displaces More Than 1 Million in Burkina Faso VOA 19 Aug 2020 -- The U.N. refugee agency reports the number of internally displaced people in Burkina Faso now has topped 1 million, with more than 450,000 people, newly displaced this year.
• Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi, Army Chief Trade Blame Over Stalled Peace Process Radio Free Asia 19 Aug 2020 -- Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi and its powerful military chief traded blame Wednesday for four years of fruitless efforts to end the country's long-running civil wars, airing contrasting views within the government as it opened peace talks with 10 ethnic armies in the capital in Naypyidaw.
• Six Civilians, Policeman in Myanmar's Rakhine Arrested For Ties to Rebel Arakan Army Radio Free Asia 19 Aug 2020 -- Government forces in Myanmar's Rakhine state arrested six civilians including a female schoolteacher on Wednesday, accusing them of ties to the rebel ethnic Arakan Army and charging them under Myanmar's counter-terrorism law, sources in the country said.
• Sudan Axes Foreign Ministry Spokesman Over Israel Peace Deal Comments Sputnik 19 Aug 2020 -- The spokesman said on Tuesday that Khartoum was looking forward to establishing diplomatic relations with Tel Aviv after the UAE became the first Arab nation in decades to do so. Sudan's Foreign Ministry publicly rejected his account.
• Sudan Fires Foreign Ministry Spokesman After Israel Statement VOA 19 Aug 2020 -- The spokesman for Sudan's foreign ministry was fired Wednesday, a day after telling a media outlet that Sudan is getting ready to sign an agreement with Israel to normalize relations between the two countries.
• Lack of Protection, Justice Blamed for Persistent Violence in Nigeria's Kaduna State VOA 19 Aug 2020 -- It's a roughly three-hour drive from the main city of Kaduna to Kurmin Masara village in southern Kaduna state, the latest hot spot for the sectarian violence that seems to plague northwestern Nigeria.
• Cameroon Says Former Separatist Fighters Escaping From Disarmament Centers VOA 19 Aug 2020 -- Cameroon authorities are searching for more than 130 former separatist fighters who recently escaped from disarmament, demobilization and re-integration centers. The ex-rebels had turned themselves in to the rehabilitation centers but later escaped after complaints about poor facilities and a shortage of basic needs. Despite their initial voluntary surrender, Cameroon authorities still consider the former rebels a security threat.
• Cameroon Women Protest Insecurity, Gruesome Murder of Civilians VOA 19 Aug 2020 -- Dozens of women in Cameroon's English-speaking southwest are protesting today against recent violence by suspected rebels. Women in the town of Buea say they are increasingly victims of the region's four-year separatist conflict.

News Reports

• 'An Aggressive, Multifaceted Effort': Five Highlights From The U.S. Senate Report On Russian Interference RFE/RL 19 Aug 2020 -- The fifth and final volume of the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee's investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election landed with a reverberating thud, adding yet more to the din and rancor that has made this year's election unlike any previous one.
• Trump Denies Collusion After Senate Report Finds Evidence Of Russia's 2016 Election Interference RFE/RL 19 Aug 2020 -- U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee's final report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election showed he had not colluded with Russia or Ukraine.
• U.S. Senate report reveals more details between Trump campaign and Russia in 2016 People's Daily 19 Aug 2020 -- U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday released the final volume of its bipartisan investigation report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
• Ex-FBI Lawyer Admits To Altering Document During Russia Probe RFE/RL 19 Aug 2020 -- A former FBI lawyer pleaded guilty on August 19 to altering a document used to obtain a secret surveillance warrant as part of the bureau's early probe into whether President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign colluded with Russia.
• Attorney General Barr Delivers Opening Remarks at Press Conference Announcing Updates to Operation Legend US Dept. of Justice 19 Aug 2020
• Attorney General William P. Barr Announces Updates on Operation Legend at Press Conference in Kansas City, Missouri US Dept. of Justice 19 Aug 2020 -- At a press conference in Kansas City, Missouri, today, Attorney General William P. Barr announced updates on Operation Legend.
• US Authorities Arrest Nearly 1,500 in Joint Crime Fighting Initiative VOA 19 Aug 2020 -- Federal and local authorities have arrested nearly 1,500 people as part of a joint violent crime fighting initiative launched last month in major U.S. cities grappling with a rise in homicides and shootings, U.S. Attorney General William Barr announced Wednesday.
• Russia rebukes Norway for expelling diplomat Press TV 19 Aug 2020 -- Russia's Embassy in Norway has expressed its protest to Oslo following the expulsion of a Russian diplomat on suspicion of having links to a spy case.
• Norway Expels Russian Diplomat Following Spy Arrest, Moscow Calls It 'Unjustified' RFE/RL 19 Aug 2020 -- Norway has expelled a Russian diplomat linked to the case of a Norwegian national recently arrested on espionage charges.
• Norway Expels Russian Diplomat Amid Espionage Allegations Sputnik 19 Aug 2020 -- Police in Norway detained a 50-year-old Norwegian male, accused of giving secret information to a foreign country that "could harm Norway's fundamental interests", on 15 August. The arrested man allegedly met with a Russian intelligence officer.
• Mutiny in Mali US Dept. of State 19 Aug 2020 -- "The United States strongly condemns the August 18 mutiny in Mali as we would condemn any forcible seizure of power."
• Mali coup: UN peacekeeping mission 'must and will continue' operations UN News 19 Aug 2020 -- The United Nations continues to monitor the ongoing situation in Mali, where soldiers arrested the President and several members of his cabinet in a military coup on Tuesday.
• Mali Coup Leaders Promise Elections in 'Reasonable' Time VOA 19 Aug 2020 -- Soldiers who toppled Mali's president in a coup Tuesday are pledging to hold new elections within what they say is a "reasonable" time.
• Mali President Resigns After Arrest by Rebel Soldiers VOA 19 Aug 2020 -- President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita resigned late Tuesday night, hours after he was arrested by mutinous soldiers following months of political turmoil in the West African nation.
• Detained Malian president Keita announces resignation Global Times 19 Aug 2020 -- Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, currently detained by mutinous Malian soldiers in a military camp, announced late Tuesday his resignation and the dissolution of the National Assembly and Prime Minister Boubou Cisse's government.
• Mali in crisis: President resigns after arrest in military coup Press TV 19 Aug 2020 -- Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has announced his decision to resign and dissolve the parliament in order to avoid "bloodshed," following his arrest by mutinous soldiers.
• Malian Opposition Vows to Cooperate With Coup Leaders on Transition Period – Reports Sputnik 19 Aug 2020 -- The Malian opposition has promised to cooperate with the leaders of the coup on organizing the transition period in the country, local media reported.
• Mali President Resigns Following His Detention by Mutinying Armed Forces Officers Sputnik 19 Aug 2020 -- On Tuesday morning, a group of officers from the Malian armed forces staged a mutiny, capturing the country's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and prime minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga and reportedly taking control of the capital Bamako.
• Briefing With Under Secretary for Political Affairs David Hale On His Recent Trip to Lebanon US Dept. of State 19 Aug 2020
• UN Tribunal Verdict Failed to Provide Answers to Hariri Assassination, Arab Analysts Say VOA 19 Aug 2020 -- Arab leaders and analysts have expressed dismay and disappointment over the U.N.-backed tribunal's verdict on the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Analysts consider the killing to be a seismic event that changed the region's history. It led to the Syrian military's expulsion from Lebanon after 30 years of exerting full domination over the country. They also say the ruling failed to provide needed answers, 15 years on, as to who was behind the assassination.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on August 19, 2020 PRC MofA 19 Aug 2020
• Pompeo's Success in Prague Seen as Warning Sign for Beijing VOA 19 Aug 2020 -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's warm reception in Prague last week reflects welcomed U.S. investment in the country and shared democratic values. Shortcomings in both areas, meanwhile, are seen as contributing to the decline of a once-promising relationship between Prague and Beijing.
• Australian Relations With China Deteriorate As Beijing Probes Wine Imports VOA 19 Aug 2020 -- China has launched an anti-dumping investigation into Australian wine imports, as trade tensions between Beijing and Canberra continue to fester.
• National security law helps Hong Kong integrate into national development: commissioner of Chinese foreign ministry in HKSAR People's Daily 19 Aug 2020 -- The law plugs national security loopholes in Hong Kong, and Hong Kong will be able to focus on developing the economy, improving people's livelihood and further integrating into national development, providing global investors with a safer, stabler and more predictable business environment and brighter prospects for cooperation.
• Hong Kong Erases Banned Political Groups From School Teaching Materials Radio Free Asia 19 Aug 2020 -- Educational publishers in Hong Kong have begun erasing references to banned political groups and inserting positive references to the ruling Chinese Communist Party, as authorities there begin rolling out "patriotic education" in the city's schools.
• Suspension or Termination of Three Bilateral Agreements With Hong Kong US Dept. of State 19 Aug 2020 -- The Chinese Communist Party has taken drastic steps to erode the high degree of autonomy that Beijing itself promised to the United Kingdom and the people of Hong Kong for 50 years under the UN-registered Sino-British Joint Declaration.
• Splits Emerge Among Hong Kong Pro-Democracy Parties Over Boycott Pledge VOA 19 Aug 2020 -- Hong Kong's pan-democratic lawmakers are debating whether they should accept the government's offer to extend their terms by a year, following an announcement that the upcoming Legislative Council elections would be delayed because of COVID-19 concerns.
• Nation shifts to targeted monetary policy People's Daily 19 Aug 2020 -- China has suspended its large-scale monetary easing, as the economy is recovering, and shifted to innovative monetary measures to channel funds into weak sectors in a more targeted way, while guarding against financial risks, policy analysts said on Tuesday.
• China deals with 64,000 of corruption involving mafia-like groups: law enforcement agency Global Times 19 Aug 2020 -- China has stepped up its efforts to protect people's security and maintain social stability by eliminating the country's mafia-like organizations and "protective umbrellas" that shelter criminal gangs, a news conference stated on Wednesday in Beijing.
• China crushes over 3,000 groups of gang crimes in targeted campaign People's Daily 19 Aug 2020 -- Police in China have busted 3,291 groups involved in gang-related crimes since the launch of a targeted campaign in 2018, the national office against organized crime said Wednesday.
• U.S. identifies warship that sailed through Taiwan Strait CNA 19 Aug 2020 -- A U.S. warship that recently sailed through the Taiwan Strait has been identified as the USS Mustin, a destroyer, according to a Facebook post by the U.S. Seventh Fleet on Wednesday.
• PLA sends stern warning to US warship for transit in Taiwan Straits Global Times 19 Aug 2020 -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command said Wednesday it sent naval and air forces to track and monitor the movements of the USS Mustin destroyer as it sailed through the Taiwan Straits on Tuesday and warned the US against making frequent negative moves on the Taiwan question.
• US move seriously undermines peace in Taiwan Strait: Spokesman PLA Daily 19 Aug 2020 -- The US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Mustin sailed through the Taiwan Strait on August 18, which was tracked and monitored by the naval and aerial forces under the Chinese PLA Eastern Theater Command (ETC) for the entire course, said Senior Colonel Zhang Chunhui, spokesman for the PLA ETC , in a written statement published on Wednesday.
• Taiwan to Ban Chinese Media Apps Over Security Concerns Radio Free Asia 19 Aug 2020 -- Authorities in Taiwan are set to fully ban Chinese streaming platforms iQiyi and Tencent from operating on the democratic island, removing a final loophole that had routed their content via Hong Kong-listed partner companies.
• Hard Labor For 50 North Korean Arts College Students Among 200 Caught in Prostitution Raid Radio Free Asia 19 Aug 2020 -- Authorities in North Korea have sent more than 50 female students of two prominent Pyongyang performing arts colleges to a labor camp for their alleged involvement in a prostitution ring that catered to the capital city's elites, sources in the country told RFA Wednesday.
• Rodong Sinmun on Party's Intention in Flood Damage Recovery Work KCNA 19 Aug 2020 -- Rodong Sinmun Wednesday in an article says that it is the firm will of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea to take the whole responsibility for taking care of the flood-afflicted people now that they are suffering hardship due to a natural disaster and to concentrate all efforts on recovery from flood damage to relieve their pain as early as possible.
• Kushner Makes Peace Overture to Iran as Trump Seeks Negotiations if Re-elected VOA 19 Aug 2020 -- Jared Kushner, the senior adviser to President Donald Trump, is calling on Iran to make peace with Washington as Trump predicts there will be a quick return to U.S.-Iran negotiations if he is re-elected in November.
• Trump: US Will Seek Snapback of Sanctions on Iran at UN VOA 19 Aug 2020 -- President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the United States will seek a "snapback" of all international sanctions on Iran at the United Nations, one week after failing to persuade Security Council members to extend an expiring arms embargo beyond mid-October.
• The United States Designates Mahan Air Facilitators US Dept. of State 19 Aug 2020 -- Today, the United States continued its maximum pressure campaign against Iran by designating two companies and one individual for procuring parts for Mahan Air, a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity. Mahan Air has a long record of ferrying weapons and terrorists around the world for Iran.
• Treasury Designates Key Actors in Mahan Air Illicit Procurement Operations US Treasury 19 Aug 2020 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is designating UAE-based Parthia Cargo and Delta Parts Supply FZC for their material support of Iranian airline Mahan Air. OFAC is also designating UAE-based Iranian national Amin Mahdavi for owning or controlling Parthia Cargo.
• Iranian National and U.A.E. Business Organization Charged with Criminal Conspiracy to Violate Iranian Sanctions US Dept. of Justice 19 Aug 2020 -- Amin Mahdavi, 53, an Iranian national living in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Parthia Cargo LLC, a freight forwarding company located in the UAE, were charged in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia with participating in a criminal conspiracy to violate U.S. export laws and sanctions against Iran.
• US sanctions UAE companies citing ties with Iranian airline Mahan Press TV 19 Aug 2020 -- The United States has imposed sanctions on some UAE-based companies, alleging they had ties with Iran's Mahan Air.
• U.S. Poised For Diplomatic Wrangle At UN Over 'Snapback' Of Iran Sanctions RFE/RL 19 Aug 2020 -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on August 19 that the United States will "soon" seek a return of all international UN sanctions on Iran, in a move that could spell the end of 2015 Iran nuclear accord and plunge the UN Security Council into crisis.
• Trump: US to Restore All 'Snapback' Sanctions on Iran Sputnik 19 Aug 2020 -- On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said he intends to restore all economic sanctions against Iran, which were reimposed in 2018 when Trump accused Tehran of breaking the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal.
• Us' new effort doomed to failure; those who left JCPOA cannot use Resolution 2231 mechanism: Iran ISNA 19 Aug 2020 -- Iran's President called the new US attempt to use a mechanism of Resolution 2231 to undermine the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) already failed and stressed, "The United States is not a member of the JCPOA now to be able to use this mechanism, and all parties have already condemned this US attempt".
• Iran's FM says U.S. "miscalculations" led to its int'l failure People's Daily 19 Aug 2020 -- Iran's foreign minister said that the U.S. "miscalculations" in major international issues resulted in its global failure, Press TV reported on Tuesday.
• 'Fully valid': US top diplomat desperately makes case for snapback against Iran Press TV 19 Aug 2020 -- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is desperately trying to make the case for the use of snapback against Iran from an internationally backed deal that his boss, President Donald Trump, quit in 2018.
• US cannot cross a bridge it burned: Rouhani says of push for 'snapback' sanctions Press TV 19 Aug 2020 -- Iran's President Hassan Rouhani says the US will once again fail in its new push to invoke the so-called snapback provision in the 2015 nuclear deal and re-impose all UN sanctions against Tehran.
• Saudi Arabia issues desperate call for extension of anti-Iran UN arms ban Press TV 19 Aug 2020 -- The Saudi regime has issued a desperate call for the extension of a UN arms embargo against Iran only days after the UN Security Council said a resounding 'No' to a US resolution seeking an illegal extension of the embargo.
• What The U.A.E.-Israel Deal Means For Iran Radio Farda 19 Aug 2020 -- Iran has reacted angrily to the United Arab Emirates' (U.A.E.) decision to normalize ties with Israel, a move that could increase pressure on Tehran amid suggestions by U.S. and Israeli officials that other Persian Gulf states could follow suit.
• Offical: Fuel cargo to Venezuela seized by US never belonged to Iranian IRNA 19 Aug 2020 -- Head of the Presidential Office Mahmoud Vaezi dismissed the US claim of confiscating four Iranian tankers and said it is every country's right to buy and sell oil in international waters.
• Exile Group Urges US To Route Proceeds From Iran's Confiscated Fuel To Workers On Strike In Iran Radio Farda 19 Aug 2020 -- Iranian Revival, a pro-monarchy political action group also known as Farashgard, is urging United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to donate the proceeds from the sale of confiscated Iranian gasoline tankers to support the families of striking workers in Iran.
• Iran plans second ocean port on Sea of Oman: PMO Press TV 19 Aug 2020 -- Iranian port authorities say the country is planning to build a second ocean port as trade keeps booming in Chabahar on the Sea of Oman.
• Iran disbands large group of arms traffickers in Alborz province near Tehran Press TV 19 Aug 2020 -- The Iranian Intelligence Ministry says its forces have disbanded a large group of arms traffickers in north-central Alborz province that borders Tehran.
• Iran Parliament To Go Ahead With Questioning Rouhani Over His Economic, Foreign Policies Radio Farda 19 Aug 2020 -- Majles Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said this on Wednesday, August 19 following a constitutional warning issued by Jabbar Kouchaki Nejad, a lawmaker for Rasht in the Majles.
• Ukraine Says Iran Must First Reveal The Full Truth About Downing Of Airliner Radio Farda 19 Aug 2020 -- Ukraine's deputy foreign minister has told Radio Farda that Kyiv most of all seeks the truth about the downing of its airliner by Iran and monetary compensation is a secondary goal.
• Belarus Leader Threatens Criminal Charges Against Opposition VOA 19 Aug 2020 -- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is threatening to bring criminal charges against opposition leaders, as hundreds defied police and turned out in Minsk for another night of protests.
• Political Foe of Belarus President Urges EU to Reject Election Results VOA 19 Aug 2020 -- A political opponent of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko urged European Union leaders Wednesday not to recognize the country's recent presidential election, declaring it was rigged in favor of Lukashenko.
• Belarusian Protesters Defy Lukashenka As EU Rejects Election Result RFE/RL 19 Aug 2020 -- Hundreds of Belarusian protesters gathered in Minsk on August 19 in defiance of a new push by President Alyaksandr Lukashenka to clear the streets of the capital on the 11th day of rallies against his rule as the European Union refused to recognize the reelection of the longtime authoritarian president and said it will soon impose sanctions on his government.
• China respects Belarus's development path, opposes external forces creating divisions: Chinese FM Global Times 19 Aug 2020 -- China does not want to see chaos in Belarus and opposes outside forces creating divisions and instability in the country, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.
• Putin rejects pressure on Belarusian leadership in phone call with Macron People's Daily 19 Aug 2020 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron discussed "the aggravated situation" in Belarus in a phone conversation Tuesday, the Kremlin has said.
• Belarus' Lukashenko says opp. attempting coup with formation of transitional council Press TV 19 Aug 2020 -- Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko has accused the opposition of attempting to stage a coup by forming a council to supposedly oversee a political transition in the country.
• Belarusians Vent Postelection Anger Against Schools, Teachers That Backed Results RFE/RL 19 Aug 2020 -- As the political crisis in Belarus continues to unfold, citizens across the country are expressing disappointment and anger -- not only for the government of President Alyaksandr Lukashenka, but for the people they depended on to prepare them and their children for the future -- teachers.
• Lukashenka Orders Ministry To Stem Unrest In Belarus, Tighten Border Controls RFE/RL 19 Aug 2020 -- Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka has instructed the Interior Ministry to prevent unrest in the country and tighten border controls to keep purported foreign influences from fomenting instability in the face of an 11th day of street protests and strikes over a controversial presidential election.
• Joint Statement on the U.S.-Iraq Strategic Dialogue US Dept. of State 19 Aug 2020 -- The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and the Republic of Iraq.
• U.S. Announces Humanitarian Assistance for Iraq US Dept. of State 19 Aug 2020 -- Today in Washington, the United States announced nearly $204 million in additional humanitarian assistance for the people of Iraq, Iraqi refugees in the region, and to generous communities hosting them.
• Secretary Michael R. Pompeo And Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein At a Press Availability US Dept. of State 19 Aug 2020
• US Gives Iraq $200M in Additional Humanitarian Aid VOA 19 Aug 2020 -- The United States is giving an additional $204 million in humanitarian assistance to Iraqi citizens, Iraqi refugees and refugee hosting communities, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday.
• Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Chairs Cabinet's Virtual Session SPA 19 Aug 2020 -- The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired here today the Cabinet's virtual session.
• How Two U.S. Religious Aid Workers May Have Helped A Ukrainian Tycoon Launder Millions RFE/RL 19 Aug 2020 -- In the early 1990s, Mordechai Korf and Uriel Laber traveled to Ukraine as Jewish humanitarian volunteers as the country gained its independence and ended Soviet restrictions on religion.
• Opposition Urges EU to Follow Suit in Cambodia After Decision to Pursue Sanctions For Belarus Radio Free Asia 19 Aug 2020 -- The European Union should sanction officials responsible for human rights abuses in Cambodia, the country's banned opposition party said Wednesday, citing the bloc's decision to prepare a list of Belarusian officials to be hit with sanctions following a post-election crackdown on demonstrators.
• Jordan: Closing teachers' union, detaining officials, 'serious' rights violations UN News 19 Aug 2020 -- Jordan must reverse the decision to close a 140,000-strong teachers' union and detain its leaders, independent UN human rights experts said on Wednesday, while also urging the authorities to lift gag orders prohibiting public discussion of the case.
• UN Makes $1.6 Billion Appeal for Sudan VOA 19 Aug 2020 -- United Nations officials in Sudan have sent out an urgent appeal for $1.6 billion to provide life-saving assistance to citizens, including hundreds of thousands of people affected by floods. Recent flooding caused by heavy rain has affected 17 of Sudan's 18 states.