Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Trump redoubles vow to withdraw troops from Iraq Press TV 20 Aug 2020 -- US President Donald Trump has once again promised Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi to withdraw the few US troops who are still in Iraq.
• Trump Tells Iraqi Prime Minister US Troops Will Be 'Leaving Shortly' VOA 20 Aug 2020 -- Sitting alongside the new Iraqi prime minister in the Oval Office, President Donald Trump promised that thousands of U.S. troops in his guest's country will "be getting out" and "we'll be leaving shortly," but there was no announcement of a specific time frame.
• Fresh Afghan Violence Kills 34 Combatants, Civilians VOA 20 Aug 2020 -- Officials in Afghanistan say clashes between security forces and the Taliban insurgency, and a roadside bomb blast have killed about three dozen people, including civilians.
• Afghan President Says 'All Barriers Removed' For Taliban Talks Despite Uncertainty On Prisoner Release RFE/RL 20 Aug 2020 -- Afghan President Ashraf Ghani says that "all barriers and excuses have been removed" ahead of expected peace talks between the government in Kabul and the Taliban militants.
• More Than 20 Afghans Killed, Wounded In Taliban Attacks RFE/RL 20 Aug 2020 -- Afghan officials say Taliban militants have killed at least 18 people and wounded eight others in two fresh attacks in Takhar and Nangarhar provinces.
• Trump Says Washington Would Retaliate If Bounties On U.S. Troops Confirmed RFE/RL 20 Aug 2020 -- U.S. President Donald Trump vowed on August 20 to retaliate if countries were found to have offered bounties for attacks on U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
• Federal Government of Somalia, AFRICOM target al-Shabaab AFRICOM 20 Aug 2020 -- In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted an airstrike targeting one terrorist in the vicinity of Kurtun Warey, Somalia, Aug. 20. The terrorist, who has a history of working with explosives, was making preparations to emplace Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) on a public road.
• AFRICOM Carries Out Airstrike Targeting al-Shabaab Militant Sputnik 20 Aug 2020 -- US Africa Command (AFRICOM) announced on Thursday it had carried out an airstrike against an al-Shabaab militant in Somalia.

Defense Policy / Programs

• DOD Announces $17.4 Million in Defense Production Act Title III COVID-19 Actions DoD 20 Aug 2020 -- Today, the Department announces four Defense Production Act Title III actions to sustain and strengthen essential domestic industrial base capabilities in molecular diagnostic testing, satellite communications, laser electronics, and aircraft engine repair.
• Remarks by Secretary Esper and General Milley at USSPACECOM Change of Command DoD 20 Aug 2020 -- Secretary Of Defense Mark T. Esper; Joint Chiefs Of Staff Chairman General Mark Milley
• Remarks by Secretary Esper and General Milley at the NORAD/NORTHCOM Change of Command DoD 20 Aug 2020 -- Secretary Of Defense Mark T. Esper; Joint Chiefs Of Staff Chairman General Mark Milley
• Fifteenth Air Force activates, consolidates ACC's conventional forces US Air Force 20 Aug 2020 -- Fifteenth Air Force activated Aug. 20, integrating wings and direct reporting units from Twelfth Air Force and Ninth Air Force to form a new Numbered Air Force responsible for generating and presenting Air Combat Command's conventional forces.
• CHAMPION, SCOUT, ARDENT Decommission After Distinguished Service US Navy 20 Aug 2020 -- Avenger-class mine countermeasure ships USS Champion (MCM 4), USS Scout (MCM 8) and USS Ardent (MCM 12) recognized nearly 30 years of naval service during decommissioning ceremonies onboard Naval Base San Diego this week.
• DEFENSE INNOVATION UNIT ANNOUNCES sUAS PRODUCT AVAILABILITY TO PROVIDE SECURE, CAPABLE SMALL UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS FOR CRITICAL USES ACROSS THE GOVERNMENT: Culmination of an 18-Month Effort Will Spur Stronger U.S. Drone Industrial Base For Future Innovation DoD 20 Aug 2020 -- The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), a Department of Defense (DOD) organization that accelerates commercial technology for national defense, announced the availability of five U.S.-manufactured drone configurations to provide trusted, secure small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) options to the U.S. Government. 
• Ellen M. Lord, Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, Briefs Media at the Pentagon DoD 20 Aug 2020 -- Ellen M. Lord, Undersecretary Of Defense For Acquisition And Sustainment
• DOD Developing Small, Unmanned Aerial System for Warfighters DoD News 20 Aug 2020 -- For the first time, the Defense Department and the entire federal government will have access to secure, trusted, and American-made commercial drones on the General Service Administration schedule, Acting Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Michael Kratsios announced at a virtual event hosted by the Defense Innovation Unit.
• Pentagon Gives 5 US Companies Approval for Drone Sales Sputnik 20 Aug 2020 -- Five US drone manufacturers have received the Pentagon's approval for military sales as part of a broader effort to enhance national security and avoid using systems manufactured in China, the Pentagon's Defense Innovation Unit said in a statement on Thursday.
• DOD Can Lead Microelectronics Manufacturing Back to U.S. DoD News 20 Aug 2020 -- For a variety of reasons, while many of the microelectronics available in the United States are designed here, they are manufactured overseas. This presents problems for national security, and for the Defense Department, the undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment said.
• DOD Partners With Agencies to Use AI for Disaster, Humanitarian Relief DoD News 20 Aug 2020 -- The Defense Department is partnering with other agencies to develop deep-learning artificial intelligence algorithms to provide near-real-time data to improve the decision-making of first responders engaged in natural disasters and humanitarian assistance efforts.
• Leaders Extol U.S., Canadian Cooperation in Defense of North America DoD News 20 Aug 2020 -- Top U.S. and Canadian defense leaders applauded the combined efforts of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command in defending the continent as leadership of the two commands changed hands.
• 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade conducts Alert Contingency MAGTF rapid deployment drill USMC News 20 Aug 2020 -- 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade Marines conducted a Joint Humanitarian Assistance Survey Team rapid deployment drill in support of continued Alert Contingency Marine Air Ground Task Force training here, August 18.
• US Air Force May Have Accidentally Revealed Interest in Nuke-Armed Hypersonic Missiles Sputnik 20 Aug 2020 -- Eyebrows already askew were raised even further last week when the US Air Force quietly but quickly withdrew a request for information that seemed to suggest it was looking to build a hypersonic nuclear weapon.
• Russian jets intercept U.S. planes over Baltic, Black seas People's Daily 20 Aug 2020 -- Russian fighter jets on Wednesday intercepted three U.S. reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic and Black seas, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
• Rare Glimpse of Chinese Sub Outside Concealed Bunker Near South China Sea Radio Free Asia 20 Aug 2020 -- A rare sighting by Radio Free Asia of a Chinese nuclear-powered attack submarine, captured in a satellite image at the entrance of an underground base, hints at how China can marshal considerable undersea power on the doorstep of the disputed South China Sea.
• Xi instructs army to complete follow-up tasks of flood control, disaster relief PLA Daily 20 Aug 2020 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), has instructed the armed forces to make unremitting efforts to complete the follow-up tasks of flood control and disaster relief.
• PLA special operations soldiers conduct island-landing training in East China Sea PLA Daily 20 Aug 2020 -- Recently, a special combat brigade under the 72nd Group Army of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) conducted the sea-crossing and island-landing training in waters of East China Sea, including maneuvering on rigid-hull inflatable boat (RHIB), swimming in battle gears, armed cross-country race, island-landing and cliff-climbing, etc., in a bid to test the comprehensive combat capabilities of the service members under extreme conditions.
• PLA navy conducts mine-hunting countermeasures training in East China Sea PLA Daily 20 Aug 2020 -- Recently, a formation of minesweeping ships attached to a mine-countermeasures ship group of the navy under the Eastern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) conducted comprehensive mine-countermeasures (MCM) training in waters of East China Sea for several consecutive days, focusing on over 10 subjects including reconnaissance for underwater targets, clearing passage through minefield, clearance of naval mines in key waters, etc.
• Chinese spy ship spotted near Taiwan during missile tests: source CNA 20 Aug 2020 -- A Chinese reconnaissance vessel was seen recently off the east coast of Taiwan, during a series of live-fire missile tests conducted by the Taiwan military's top research institute, a military source said Thursday.
• Washington Warns India Against Major Arms Deals with Russia Sputnik 20 Aug 2020 -- The United States is warning India against purchasing significant Russian weapons like advanced anti-aircraft systems or fighter jets as they may impede its defence cooperation with the West, US Assistant Secretary of State Clarke Cooper told reporters on Thursday.
• Iran Unveils Two New Missiles Amid U.S. Tensions RFE/RL 20 Aug 2020 -- Iran has displayed what it described as two new ballistic and cruise missiles, in defiance to U.S. calls that Tehran halt its missile program.
• Iran Unveils New Ballistic Missile Named After Slain Quds Head Soleimani Sputnik 20 Aug 2020 -- In late June, Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi announced that Tehran would soon begin manufacturing a new class of supersonic cruise missiles to complement the subsonic weapons currently in service in the country.
• Iran unveils ballistic, cruise missiles on Defense Industry Day Press TV 20 Aug 2020 -- Iran unveils a host of state-of-the-art defense achievements, including long-range ballistic and cruise missiles, designed and manufactured by experts at home as the Islamic Republic marks National Defense Industry Day.
• Iran Unveils Homegrown Ballistic, Cruise Missiles Ahead Of US Move At UN Radio Farda 20 Aug 2020 -- Iran unveiled on Thursday two new homegrown ballistic and cruise missiles, amid tension with the United States over the U.S. move to reimpose U.N. sanctions and restore the arms embargo against the country.
• IRGC: Iran's new missiles symbol of defense, invasion deterrence doctrine IRNA 20 Aug 2020 -- The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in a statement on Thursday called the unveiling of the missiles of "Martyr Haj Qasem Soleimani" and "Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis" as a symbol of Iran's determination to follow up its defense doctrine of deterrence and perseverance in the path of the two martyred commanders of the Islamic Resistance.
• Iran unveils turbofan, two missile products IRNA 20 Aug 2020 -- Iran unveiled a fourth-generation of turbofan engines and two ballistic and cruise missile products on Thursday.
• President Rouhani: Iran world's 14th military power IRNA 20 Aug 2020 -- President Hassan Rouhani, speaking on the occasion of Iran's National Defense Day on Thursday, said that in the past five years, the country has moved up in defense power from rank 23 to 14.
• Armoured vehicles to test electric technology UK MOD 20 Aug 2020 -- New hybrid technology is being tested on the Army's Foxhound and Jackal 2 vehicles following a £3 million investment from the MOD.
• Abu Dhabi Requested Sale of F-35 Jets Before Pact With Israel, UAE Foreign Minister Says Sputnik 20 Aug 2020 -- The UAE-Israel peace agreement was announced in principle a week ago. If concluded, the deal will make the UAE the third Arab country to conclude a full peace agreement with Israel after Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994.
• Trump Says UAE Bid to Buy F-35 Fighter Jets From US 'Under Review' Sputnik 20 Aug 2020 -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE), which has agreed to a peace deal with Israel, would like to buy the Lockheed McDonnell-Douglas F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter and the United States is already reviewing the possibility of selling it to them, President Donald Trump told a White House press conference.
• Secretary Michael R. Pompeo At a Press Availability US Dept. of State 20 Aug 2020

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Aug. 20, 2020

Other Conflicts

• 20 August 2020 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 20 Aug 2020
• Daesh, al-Qaeda conducted 320+ attacks in Yemeni province in 5 years: Ministry Press TV 20 Aug 2020 -- The Daesh and al-Qaeda terrorist groups carried out more than 320 attacks in Yemen's province of al-Bayda during the past five years, Yemen's Interior Ministry says.
• The Joint Forces Command of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen: Interception, Destruction of A Bomb-Laden (UAV), And (1) Ballistic Missile Launched by the Terrorist, Iran-Backed Houthi Militia Toward the Kingdom SPA 20 Aug 2020 -- Statement by the Official Spokesman of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen COL Turki Al-Malki
• Joint Forces Command of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen: Interception, Destruction of A Bomb-Laden (UAV) Launched Toward the Kingdom SPA 20 Aug 2020 -- Statement by the Official Spokesman of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen COL Turki Al-Malki said that the "Joint Coalition forces have intercepted and destroyed this evening (Thursday) a bomb-laden UAV launched by the terrorist Houthi militia from the Capital (Sana'a) to target civilians and civilian objects in the Southern Region."
• Syria Sanctions Designations US Dept. of State 20 Aug 2020 -- Tomorrow will mark the seventh anniversary of the Assad regime's chemical weapons attack in Ghouta which killed over 1,400 Syrians.
• Treasury Sanctions Senior Syrian Government Officials US Treasury 20 Aug 2020 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury continued the U.S. government's campaign of pressure to compel the Bashar Al-Assad (Assad) regime to end its attacks against the Syrian people.
• US Sanctions Senior Syrian Officials on Eve of Anniversary of Ghouta Gas Attack VOA 20 Aug 2020 -- The United States has sanctioned six government, financial and military supporters of the Assad regime, including two senior government officials, the U.S. State and Treasury departments announced. The measures enacted Tuesday include sanctions on Syria's presidential media adviser Luna Al Shibl and senior Ba'ath party official Mohamad Amar Saati.
• US Imposes Syria-Related Sanctions on 6 People, Including Assad's Press Officer, Treasury Says Sputnik 20 Aug 2020 -- The United States has imposed new Syria-related sanctions on six individuals including President Bashar Assad's press officer Luna al-Shibli, the Treasury Department said in a statement on Thursday.
• Tribes vow to fight US-backed militants in northeastern Syria Press TV 20 Aug 2020 -- A number of Arab clans, tribes and national elites have voiced their support for popular resistance forces against US troops and their allies, accusing the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and other militant groups of stealing the country's resources.
• UN envoy Ja'afari: West subverts political process in Syria Press TV 20 Aug 2020 -- Syria's permanent representative to the United Nations says some permanent members of the Security Council are desperately attempting to undermine the political process in Syria.
• Unidentified gunmen shoot dead US-backed SDF militant in Syria's Dayr al-Zawr Press TV 20 Aug 2020 -- Unidentified armed men have shot and killed a militant affiliated with the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Syria's eastern province of Dayr al-Zawr as security situation is deteriorating in areas controlled by the US-sponsored and Kurdish-led militants.
• Militants Shell Towns in Syria's Aleppo, Russian Military Says Sputnik 20 Aug 2020 -- Militants from the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham* terrorist group have attacked a settlement in the Syrian province of Aleppo, Rear Admiral Alexander Shcherbitsky, the head of the Russian Defence Ministry's centre for Syrian reconciliation, said on Wednesday.
• India 'to withdraw 10,000 paramilitaries from Jammu and Kashmir' Press TV 20 Aug 2020 -- India's Ministry of Home Affairs has reportedly ordered the immediate withdrawal of at least 10,000 paramilitary forces from the disputed Himalayan region of Jammu and Kashmir.
• Militants take hundreds hostage in northeastern Nigeria Press TV 20 Aug 2020 -- Daesh-linked militants have taken hundreds of hostages after overrunning a town in northeastern Nigeria.
• Mass Abduction in NE Nigeria Shows Jihadists Have Not Gone Away VOA 20 Aug 2020 -- Jihadists linked to Islamic State have abducted hundreds of people in a town in northeastern Nigeria. Local militia say the armed group came with more than 20 trucks on Tuesday evening to take away the hostages. Security experts say the abduction signifies an attempt by jihadists to re-establish their strongholds in the region after years of military campaigns.
• Tibetan Crowds at Lhasa Festival Smaller This Year, With Officials Citing 'COVID' Fears Radio Free Asia 20 Aug 2020 -- A major religious festival is being held this week in Tibet's regional capital Lhasa under heavy security, with fewer numbers of Tibetans allowed to attend this year because of official concerns over the possible spread of coronavirus, according to Tibetan sources.
• France Carries on With Counter-Terrorism Operation Barkhane Despite Mali Military Coup Sputnik 20 Aug 2020 -- France's security forces are proceeding with the counter-terrorism operation Barkhane in Africa's Sahel region, despite the recent military takeover in the Western African country of Mali, French Defence Minister Florence Parly said on Thursday.
• The importance of fair elections, security and humanitarian assistance in Somalia UK FCO 20 Aug 2020 -- Statement by Ambassador James Roscoe, UK Acting Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the Security Council briefing on the situation in Somalia

News Reports

• Navarro's accusation 'completely groundless'; China not interested in US election: FM Global Times 20 Aug 2020 -- China has no interest in interfering in the 2020 US presidential election, and remarks by White House trade advisor Peter Navarro accusing the Democratic Party and the Communist Party of China of being in cahoots in the 2020 US presidential election to beat Donald Trump are "completely groundless," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.
• France Keeping Close Eye on Mali After Coup VOA 20 Aug 2020 -- France is calling for an immediate return to civilian rule in Mali following a military coup in the West African nation this week. The former colonial power has worked to stabilize the country since leading a 2013 military operation to oust extremists in the north.
• UN Security Council strongly condemns mutiny in Mali People's Daily 20 Aug 2020 -- The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday strongly condemned the mutiny, which happened in Kati, Mali on Tuesday and led to the arrest of Malian president, prime minister and several other members of government by some mutineers.
• AU chairperson condemns unconstitutional change of government in Mali People's Daily 20 Aug 2020 -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, in his capacity as African Union (AU) Chairperson, on Wednesday condemned the unconstitutional change of government in Mali.
• African Union suspends Mali following coup Press TV 20 Aug 2020 -- The African Union (AU) has suspended Mali's membership a day after mutinous soldiers staged a coup in the West African country and forced President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita to step down.
• AU Chief Urges Mali Coup Leaders to Release President VOA 20 Aug 2020 -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, speaking as chairman of the African Union, is condemning the unconstitutional change of government in Mali.
• Mali to Elect Transition President From Military, Civilians, Junta Spokesman Says Sputnik 20 Aug 2020 -- Mali will set up a transition council that will be headed by "a transition president", who can be either a military or a civilian following the military coup in the country, spokesman for the National Committee for the Salvation of the People Colonel Major Ismael Wague said on Thursday in an interview with France 24 broadcaster.
• Mali coup: Democratic order must be restored 'as fast as possible' UN News 20 Aug 2020 -- The UN on Thursday called for the "constitutional and democratic order" to be restored as soon as possible across Mali, following the military coup, and reiterated a call to respect the rule of law, and refrain from violence.
• Experts: ECOWAS Decision to Close Borders with Mali Will Hurt Regional Trade, Stability VOA 20 Aug 2020 -- Members of the Economic Community of West African States, or ECOWAS, shut down all their land and air borders with Mali on Wednesday after its president announced his resignation following a military mutiny. ECOWAS said in a statement that it will also halt trade relations with Mali.
• Mutinous Malian soldiers set up transitional governing body Global Times 20 Aug 2020 -- Mali's mutinous soldiers on Wednesday announced the creation of the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP) to lead a political transition toward general elections following the resignation of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and the dissolution of the National Assembly and the government.
• How can the UN help prevent another Beirut disaster? UN News 20 Aug 2020 -- The devastation caused by the Beirut explosions on 4 August has focused attention on the risks involved in the transportation and storage of dangerous goods around the world. The UN is at the forefront of international efforts to reduce these risks and save lives.
• Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Moscow, August 20, 2020 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 20 Aug 2020
• Efforts Under Way To Send Comatose Kremlin Critic Navalny Abroad For Treatment RFE/RL 20 Aug 2020 -- Efforts are under way to evacuate outspoken Kremlin critic Aleksei Navalny from Siberia to Germany for treatment after he has fallen into a coma, suspected of having been poisoned.
• Russian Health Authorities Say Navalny's Condition Currently Steadily Serious Sputnik 20 Aug 2020 -- The Ministry of Health of Russia's Omsk Region said on Thursday doctors assessed Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny's current condition as steadily serious after he suffered an acute health condition during a flight earlier in the day.
• Russian Opposition Leader Hospitalized After Suspected Poison Attack VOA 20 Aug 2020 -- Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny is in serious condition at a Siberian hospital after falling ill from what his press spokeswoman said appeared to be deliberate poisoning.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on August 20, 2020 PRC MofA 20 Aug 2020
• Chinese diplomats urge right path for US Global Times 20 Aug 2020 -- Senior Chinese diplomats, on many occasions, have warned against the attempts by some US politicians that damage bilateral ties, as these moves have pushed the world's most important bilateral relations toward deeper confrontation.
• US Ends Trio of Legal, Financial Pacts with Hong Kong VOA 20 Aug 2020 -- The Trump administration has suspended or terminated three bilateral agreements with Hong Kong in its latest response over the new national security law imposed on the semi-autonomous city by China.
• US ends extradition treaty with Hong Kong amid escalating tensions with China Press TV 20 Aug 2020 -- The United States has suspended three bilateral agreements with Hong Kong related to extradition and tax exemptions, in yet another move that escalates tensions with China.
• Hong Kong New Security Law Prompts Security Measures on US Campuses Radio Free Asia 20 Aug 2020 -- Universities in the United States are responding to a draconian national security law imposed on Hong Kong by China with warnings about "politically sensitive content" for students who risk reprisals under the law.
• Jimmy Lai stands trial as protesters outside court call him 'traitor' Global Times 20 Aug 2020 -- Hong Kong secessionist media tycoon Jimmy Lai encountered indignant local protesters calling him a "traitor" as he went on trial on Thursday for suspicion of threatening a journalist in 2017, which showed a sharp contrast to the US President Donald Trump's comments on him one day before when Trump called Lai a "wonderful gentlemen" and "brave man."
• China hits back as US, Five Eyes allies sanction Hong Kong Global Times 20 Aug 2020 -- China reacted against the US which motivated its allies from the Five Eyes alliance to sanction Hong Kong, by suspending the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's mutual judicial assistance with the US and its closest allies.
• HKSAR govt condemns US move to suspend agreements, including extradition treaty, rejects being used as pawn Global Times 20 Aug 2020 -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has strongly condemned the US decision to suspend or terminate three bilateral agreements, including the extradition treaty with the city, which is widely seen as a move to create trouble in China-US ties, using Hong Kong as a pawn.
• China's top Party school asks faculty members to draw lessons from Cai's case, strictly observe political discipline Global Times 20 Aug 2020 -- The Party School of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee has asked its faculty members to draw profound lessons from the case of Cai Xia, a retired professor from the school, after school authorities announced on Monday to rescind Cai's Party membership and revoke her retirement benefits because she made remarks that damaged the country's reputation and seriously violated the Party's political discipline.
• Three Gorges Dam sees largest flood peak since its construction Global Times 20 Aug 2020 -- The Three Gorges Dam has seen the largest flood peak since the construction of the reservoir, reaching 75,000 cubic meters per second at 8 am on Thursday. Eleven of the reservoir's spillway holes have since been opened, discharging a record 49,200 cubic meters of water per second.
• China makes multi-faceted efforts to ensure grain security People's Daily 20 Aug 2020 -- Since mid-July, Huang Xiaoping has been busy working in his 110-hectare paddy field, harvesting early rice and sowing for the next season.
• Shanghai Sets Up Food Waste Tip-Off Hotline Amid Food Security Concerns Radio Free Asia 20 Aug 2020 -- Local authorities in China are scrambling to implement a presidential political campaign against food waste, as the country struggles to address food security concerns.
• No safety concerns in China-Saudi nuclear energy cooperation: Chinese FM Global Times 20 Aug 2020 -- The Chinese Foreign Ministry said there is no cause for concern toward the nuclear energy cooperation between China and Saudi Arabia, at Thursday's media briefing.
• Majority of 19,000 People to Be Placed in Jobs are Xinjiang Camp Detainees Radio Free Asia 20 Aug 2020 -- The majority of tens of thousands of people from a southeastern prefecture of China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) who will be hired to do construction work in coming years are currently detained in internment camps, according to a source from the job center that is placing them.
• 'This Persecution is a Cultural Genocide': British Holocaust Educator on Rights Abuses in Xinjiang Radio Free Asia 20 Aug 2020 -- Jaya Pathak, 22, is a British national of Indian descent who studies pharmacy at Brighton University in London, U.K. She is a regional Ambassador for the Holocaust Educational Trust in the U.K. and also a co-founder and deputy editor of a youth initiative called Yet Again. Using her social media, Pathak often speaks out against modern atrocities and posts on past Holocaust victims. One of her recent Twitter threads was entitled "How to help the Uyghur community from the U.K.," which attracted nearly 1,000 retweets and some 1.6k likes.
• China to launch 4 ocean-observation satellites in 2 years People's Daily 20 Aug 2020 -- China will launch four ocean-observation satellites within the coming 16 months, according to China Youth Daily.
• Gaofen-7 high-precision Earth observation satellite goes into service: developer Global Times 20 Aug 2020 -- China's Gaofen-7, a new Earth observation satellite, officially entered into service on Thursday, with "beyond imagination" applications, from measuring the height of Mount Qomolangma (Mount Everest) in the Himalayas, to spotting illegal construction hidden in forests, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp (CASC) said on Thursday.
• Taiwan slams China, Somalia for criticism of Somaliland office CNA 20 Aug 2020 -- Taiwan's foreign ministry on Thursday responded to criticism from China and Somalia on the exchange of offices between Taiwan and Somaliland, slamming their promotion of the "one China principle" and "one Somalia principle."
• North Korean Elite Troops Deployed in Layers at the Sino-Korean Border Radio Free Asia 20 Aug 2020 -- North Korea has deployed Special Forces soldiers and guards in four layers along the Sino-Korean border in Ryanggang province to prevent illegal crossings during the coronavirus pandemic and to keep watch over regular border guards to rein in on smuggling, sources from the area told RFA.
• Political Decision to Be Recorded as Another Special Event in Militant Course of Glorious WPK: On Convening 8th Congress of WPK KCNA 20 Aug 2020 -- The 6th Plenary Meeting of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea was held at the office building of the Central Committee of the Party, the supreme general staff of the Korean revolution, on Aug. 19, Juche 109 (2020).
• Participants in Plenary Meeting of WPK Central Committee Visit Kumsusan Palace of Sun KCNA 20 Aug 2020 -- The participants in the 6th Plenary Meeting of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun on Wednesday evening to pay homage to President Kim Il Sung and Chairman Kim Jong Il.
• 8th Congress of WPK to Be Convened KCNA 20 Aug 2020 -- A decision of the 6th Plenary Meeting of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea was made on August 19.
• Measures Taken for Stabilizing Life of Flood Victims KCNA 20 Aug 2020 -- A work for stabilizing the life of flood victims is going on in Taechong-ri of Unpha County, North Hwanghae Province, the DPRK.
• ICT Minister: Iran to launch 5 satellites by year end IRNA 20 Aug 2020 -- Minister of Communications and Information Technology Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi said five satellites will be launched with coordination of Iran's Defense Ministry by the end of the current Iranian year (will end on March 20, 2021).
• US Triggers Return of Iran Sanctions at UN VOA 20 Aug 2020 -- Secretary of State Mike Pompeo formally notified the United Nations on Thursday that the United States is initiating a "snapback" of all international sanctions on Iran dating back to 2006.
• Pompeo Warns Russia, China Against Opposing US Move To Reimpose Iran Sanctions Radio Farda 20 Aug 2020 -- Ahead of his planned U.N. visit on Thursday to trigger the mechanism for re-introduction of all U.N. sanctions on Iran, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo threatened Iran's allies Russia and China with sanctions if they refuse to endorse the U.S. move.
• US Formally Demands UN Restore Iran Sanctions as Several JCPOA Members Reject Proposal Sputnik 20 Aug 2020 -- The US has formally attempted to invoke the "snapback" function at the United Nations that would automatically restore the arms embargo against Iran in 30 days if the body takes no further action to halt it.
• US to Hold Accountable Violators of Reinstated UN Sanctions Against Iran, Pompeo Says Sputnik 20 Aug 2020 -- The United States is determined to enforce UN sanctions it intends to reinstate against Iran and penalize any violator, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in an interview.
• Pompeo Accuses European Allies of 'Siding With Ayatollahs' Over Iran Sanctions Stance Sputnik 20 Aug 2020 -- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo slammed Washington's European allies in a Thursday news conference from the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), claiming that while officials from Germany, France and the UK have privately expressed support for the extension of the arms embargo on Iran, they publicly "chose to side with ayatollahs."
• Russia Will Not Recognize US Notice to UNSC as Sanctions Snapback Against Iran, Envoy to UN Says Sputnik 20 Aug 2020 -- Russia will not recognize US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's notice to the UN Security Council on Iran as the beginning of the procedure to re-impose sanctions against the Islamic Republic, Russia's Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia told reporters on Thursday.
• China: US not allowed to use snapback IRNA 20 Aug 2020 -- The Deputy Director of the Chinese Foreign Ministry's Information Department said on Thursday in a press conference that the US has withdrawn from Iran nuclear deal and does not have the right to activate snapback.
• US knocked over the head by allies as it tries to snap back Iran sanctions Press TV 20 Aug 2020 -- The United States' most prominent Western allies refuse to fall into step with its push to snap back the United Nations sanctions against Iran.
• Zarif: US has no right to abuse JCPOA mechanisms to restore Iran sanctions Press TV 20 Aug 2020 -- Iran's foreign minister says the United States has no right to abuse mechanisms enshrined in a 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and six world powers to restore UN sanctions against the Islamic Republic after they were lifted under the accord.
• FM Zarif: US effort to snap back Iran sanctions discredits UN Security Council Press TV 20 Aug 2020 -- Iran's foreign minister says an effort launched by the United States to restore UN sanctions against the Islamic Republic on the strength of the so-called "snapback" mechanism under a 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and six world powers will undermine international mechanisms and discredit the UN Security Council.
• Iran's UN envoy: US will be humiliated again if it tries to snap back Iran sanctions Press TV 20 Aug 2020 -- Iran's permanent ambassador to the United Nations says if the United States tries to use the Iran nuclear deal's snapback mechanism to restore sanctions against the country, it will be humiliated again as the international community has already rejected Washington's bid.
• AEOI: Iran has taken great steps towards 190k-SWU uranium enrichment Press TV 20 Aug 2020 -- The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) says it has taken "great steps" towards enriching uranium at the level of 190,000 separative work units (SWUs).
• Iran Increases Capacity to Enrich Uranium Amid US Plans to Reimpose Sanctions Sputnik 20 Aug 2020 -- The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) on Thursday announced that the Middle Eastern country has increased capacity to enrich uranium in light of Washington's plan to reinstate sanctions against Tehran.
• Head Of Khamenei Charity In Iran 'Apologizes' For Exposing Top Officials, Entities Radio Farda 20 Aug 2020 -- The head of a wealthy, state-sponsored charity in Iran has apologized Wednesday for his controversial and revealing remarks earlier naming officials who received real estate holdings by orders of the Supreme Leader.
• Iran Authorities Knew About Dissident Executions, 1988 Amnesty Appeal Reveals Radio Farda 20 Aug 2020 -- A historical appeal of Amnesty International highlighted by one of the human rights watchdog's Iran researchers has proven that Iranian authorities were aware of the execution of dissidents between July 10 and August 16 in 1988, which set the scene for the mass execution of thousands of political prisoners later that year.
• Iran Jailed, 'Coerced' Canadian Facebook Whiz To Turn Informant, He Says RFE/RL 20 Aug 2020 -- Thirty-seven-year-old Facebook engineer Behdad Esfahbod has made the same wintertime trip every year since 2015.
• Iranian FM Zarif Calls on UN Security Council to Prevent US From Reimposing Iran Sanctions Sputnik 20 Aug 2020 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif sent a letter to the UN Security Council calling on the members to prevent the United States from attempting to re-impose United Nations sanctions against Iran because it is not anymore a participant in the 2015 nuclear agreement.
• US Sanctions 2 UAE-Based Companies for Aiding Iranian Airline VOA 20 Aug 2020 -- The U.S. government has imposed new sanctions against two companies based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for providing material support to Iran's biggest airline.
• Iran summons UAE envoy to protest shooting incident, seizes trespassing Emirati vessel Press TV 20 Aug 2020 -- Iran summons the United Arab Emirates' chargé d'affaires in Tehran over a recent deadly shooting by the Emirati coast guard against Iranian fishing dhows, and an Emirati vessel trespassing the country's waters in a separate development.
• Iran Says Ships Seized, Fishermen Killed In Gulf Incident With U.A.E. RFE/RL 20 Aug 2020 -- Iran says it has it seized a United Arab Emirates ship for violating its territorial waters earlier this week and that U.A.E. coastguards killed two Iranian fishermen on the same day.
• Trump's son-in-law Kushner makes peace overture to Iran Press TV 20 Aug 2020 -- Jared Kushner, the senior adviser to the While House and US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, has made an overture to Iran, after Trump has predicted that he will "have a deal" with Tehran within a month if he is re-elected in November.
• Remarks by President Trump and Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi of the Republic of Iraq Before Bilateral Meeting The White House 20 Aug 2020
• Joint Statement of President Donald J. Trump and Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi The White House 20 Aug 2020
• Supporting the Aspirations of the Belarusian People US Dept. of State 20 Aug 2020 -- "The United States has been inspired by the display of peaceful expression of the Belarusian people seeking to determine their own future. We stand by our long-term commitment to support Belarus' sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the aspirations of the Belarusian people to choose their leaders and to choose their own path, free from external intervention."
• Pompeo: US Stands by Belarusian People, Backs International Efforts to Examine Election VOA 20 Aug 2020 -- The United States on Thursday defended Belarusian protesters and said it supported international efforts to examine the recent contested election, which gave President Alexander Lukashenko his sixth term in office.
• EU Sanctions Belarus Officials, But Lacks Leverage Against 'Europe's Last Dictator' VOA 20 Aug 2020 -- As protesters continue to take to the streets in Belarus following a disputed August 9 election, Europe says it will impose sanctions on Belarusian officials it says were involved in vote-rigging and in the violent crackdown on opposition demonstrations.
• EU rejects Belarus election results, readying sanctions against Minsk Press TV 20 Aug 2020 -- The European Union (EU) has rejected the results of Belarus' presidential election, claiming it was not "free and fair" and saying it would soon impose sanctions on Belarusian officials.
• Belarusian president urges western powers to focus on their own problems People's Daily 20 Aug 2020 -- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said Wednesday that western leaders should focus on their own problems rather than the political situation in Belarus, state news agency BelTA reported.
• Pressure on Belarusian president, external interference 'counterproductive': Putin tells EU Press TV 20 Aug 2020 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that any pressure on Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko or external interference in the internal affairs of Belarus will be counterproductive.
• Belarus Prosecutors Open Probe Against Founders Of Opposition Council As Protests Continue RFE/RL 20 Aug 2020 -- Belarusian prosecutors on August 20 opened a criminal investigation into the founders of an opposition council set up to negotiate the transition of power amid huge protests challenging the "rigged" results of a presidential election earlier this month that gave President Alyaksandr Lukashenka a fresh six-year term.
• 'Have You Seen This Person?': Activists In Belarus Say Dozens Unaccounted For Amid Political Crisis RFE/RL 20 Aug 2020 -- Kanstantsin Shyshmakou, the head of the local military history museum in the medieval southwestern Belarusian city of Vaukavysk, was one of two members of his local election commission to refuse to sign off on the results of Belarus's contentious August 9 vote.
• Mekong Countries Must Confront China Over Dam Impact, Experts Say Ahead of China-Led Meeting Radio Free Asia 20 Aug 2020 -- China's extensive damming of the upper Mekong River has reduced water flows, threatening downstream countries Cambodia and Vietnam with environmental harm and food shortages, said experts in advance of a summit meeting of the multilateral Mekong-Lancang Cooperation group.
• Kyrgyz Court Upholds 18-Year Jail Term For Ex-PM RFE/RL 20 Aug 2020 -- The Bishkek city court has upheld a lower court's sentencing of former Kyrgyz Prime Minister Sapar Isakov to 18 years in prison for corruption.
• Beleaguered Bulgarian Prime Minister's 'Restart' Looks Like A Nonstarter RFE/RL 20 Aug 2020 -- After weeks of mass demonstrations against oligarchic control over Bulgaria's government and judicial system, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov is trying to placate protesters by proposing what he calls a "restart" of democracy.
• Maduro Extends Venezuelan Oil Industry Reform Commission's Operation by Six Months Sputnik 20 Aug 2020 -- The operation of the Venezuelan oil industry reform commission has been extended by six months, President Nicolas Maduro said.
• National Salvation Rebels Kill Six Presidential Bodyguards in South Sudan VOA 20 Aug 2020 -- The National Salvation Front (NAS) is claiming its forces killed six bodyguards assigned to South Sudan's Vice President James Wani Igga during an attack at Lo'bonok village nearly 90 kilometers from the capital, Juba.
• South Sudan's Central Bank Has No More Foreign Cash Reserves VOA 20 Aug 2020 -- South Sudan's Central Bank has run out of foreign cash reserves and there is nothing the bank can do to stop the South Sudanese pound from further depreciating against the U.S. dollar, according to a senior bank official.