Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• US troops injured in interaction with Russian forces in Syria Press TV 26 Aug 2020 -- A number number of US forces in Syria were injured during an interaction with the Russian troops, Reuters reported, quoting two US officials.
• US troops injured in 'collision' with Russian forces in Syria Press TV 26 Aug 2020 -- A number of US troops have been wounded during a 'collision' with Russian forces in northeastern Syria, the first time American casualties have been reported in such an encounter, US officials say.
• Four US Troops Injured After Alleged Altercation With Russians in Syria, Reports Say Sputnik 26 Aug 2020 -- Four US soldiers were reportedly wounded during an altercation with Russian troops in northern Syria, US media outlet Politico reported on Wednesday, citing a draft Defence Department statement and an unnamed source.
• Pakistan Upbeat About Prospects of Afghan Peace Talks VOA 26 Aug 2020 -- Pakistan said Tuesday it was "hopeful" about prospects of U.S.-backed peace talks between Afghanistan's warring parties to end the country's long conflict.
• Taliban Announces New Department For Intra-Afghan Talks RFE/RL 26 Aug 2020 -- The Taliban has formed a new 20-member department responsible for holding intra-Afghan talks, as well as negotiations with the United States.
• Afghan Taliban delegation, Pakistani FM discuss Afghan peace process: foreign ministry People's Daily 26 Aug 2020 -- A delegation of the political representatives of the Afghan Taliban met Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in Islamabad on Tuesday and discussed progress in the Afghan peace process and the early start of intra-Afghan negotiations, the Foreign Ministry of Pakistan said.
• Federal Government of Somalia, AFRICOM target al-Shabaab AFRICOM 26 Aug 2020 -- In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted one (1) airstrike targeting al-Shabaab terrorists after they attacked partner forces from a building in the vicinity of Dar as Salam, Somalia, Aug. 24.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Defense Secretary Addresses Free and Open Indo-Pacific at APCSS (Courtesy Transcript) DoD 26 Aug 2020 -- Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper
• USS Winston S. Churchill Completes Maneuvering Exercises with Hellenic Navy US Navy 26 Aug 2020 -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81) executed maneuvering exercises with the Hellenic Navy in the Mediterranean Sea, Aug. 24, 2020.
• U.S. 4th Fleet Hosts Staff Talks with Brazilian Naval Delegation US Navy 26 Aug 2020 -- Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet, Rear Adm. Don Gabrielson, hosted delegates from the Brazilian Navy for the annual Maritime Staff Talks (MST) August 25.
• DOD Seeks Reform in Delivering Improved Training, Education DoD News 26 Aug 2020 -- Defense Department leaders in the fields of training and education discussed reform efforts the department is pursuing to more effectively and efficiently deliver various types of learning to its uniformed and civilian personnel.
• Esper Shares U.S. Vision for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific Region DoD News 26 Aug 2020 -- Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper arrived in Hawaii, beginning a trip to explain America's vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific and to honor the World War II generation that made a peaceful region possible.
• Partnership Aims to Bolster Military Readiness, Protect Environment DoD News 26 Aug 2020 -- "The Sentinel Landscape is an idea that has the possibility of uniting people, protecting our ecosystem and enabling our military mission. We can come together on this idea of a secure future." – Hilary Swain, Archbold Biological Station, Florida
• US Army Issues Open Call for Companies to Improve Resupply System of Howitzers Sputnik 26 Aug 2020 -- The US Army is recruiting a number of small business innovators to explore how the service may be able to improve the rate of fire of its self-propelled howitzers.
• Failure to Renew US-Russia New START Treaty Adds Billions to Defense Costs, Budget Office Says Sputnik 26 Aug 2020 -- The cost for several US nuclear modernization options expands by hundreds of billions of dollars if Washington and Moscow fail to extend the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) treaty beyond its February 2021 expiration, the Congressional Budget Office said in a report on Wednesday.
• US Navy Releases First Photos in Five Years of Secretive Seawolf-Class Attack Sub Sputnik 26 Aug 2020 -- A US Navy submarine typically based in the Pacific and used for intelligence-gathering visited Tromsø, Norway, last week, just days before Russian rocket tests are expected to happen nearby. The photos published by the Navy are the first seen of any Seawolf-class sub in five years.
• Fourth Fighter Squadron wraps up training in Alaska US Air Force 26 Aug 2020 -- The 388th Fighter Wing's 4th Fighter Squadron, along with Reservists from the 419th FW, returned to Hill Air Force Base, Aug. 22, after three weeks of training in Alaska, including Red Flag 20-3 at Eielson Air Force Base.
• Green Flag Little Rock 20-09 advances warfighting capabilities US Air Force 26 Aug 2020 -- The 34th Combat Training Squadron recently hosted Green Flag Little Rock 20-09, a joint exercise allowing unique integration between units from both mobility and combat air forces at Little Rock Air Force Base and Alexandria International Airport, Louisiana, Aug. 17-23.
• Doorstep statement by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg ahead of the informal meeting with EU Defence Ministers NATO 26 Aug 2020
• US Media Says Russia Could Market T-14 Armata as High-Tech Drone Tank Sputnik 26 Aug 2020 -- Russia began mass production of the T-14 Armata main battle tank earlier this month, with plans in the works to create an export version. The new tank, which has been field-tested in Syria, was first unveiled to the public during the 2015 Victory Day Parade in Moscow.
• Russian MiG-31 Fighter Jet Intercepts Norwegian Aircraft Over Barents Sea Sputnik 26 Aug 2020 -- The day before, the National Defence Management Centre stated that Russia's MiG-31 fighter jet was scrambled to intercept a Royal Norwegian Air Force plane over the Barents Sea.
• Russian Mi-28NM Helicopter Testing New Types of Guided Weapons Sputnik 26 Aug 2020 -- New types of guided weapons with longer range are being tested on the Mi-28NM helicopter, senior trial pilot and head of flight service at the national center for the helicopter-building, Sergey Maslov said.
• US conducts provocative close-up recon on PLA drills two days in a row Global Times 26 Aug 2020 -- By sending an RC-135S ballistic missile-detection plane to spy on Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) drills in the South China Sea on Wednesday, the US has deployed its spy aircraft to gather intelligence on two separate PLA exercises two days in a row, following another occasion on Tuesday that saw a U-2 high-altitude aircraft provocatively trespass into a no-fly zone of a live-fire drill by the PLA Northern Theater Command that risked a misfire accident.
• US provokes again with ballistic missile-detection plane near PLA drills in S.China Sea: think tank Global Times 26 Aug 2020 -- A US RC-135S reconnaissance aircraft on Wednesday flew near ongoing Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) drills in the South China Sea, one day after another US spy plane, a U-2, trespassed into another PLA exercise restricted zone. The US is increasing the frequency of its close-up reconnaissance of PLA drills in order to pry about the PLA's capabilities, which is provocative, brings the risk of accidents, and could lead to escalation, Chinese experts warned.
• Y-20 completes first heavy equipment airdrop in plateau areas PLA Daily 26 Aug 2020 -- The Y-20 strategic transport aircraft attached to the PLA Air Force completed the first heavy equipment airdrop in plateau areas in a recent real combat training exercise. This means that Chinese airborne troops have possessed strong maneuverability in the plateau areas and greatly improved their capabilities in defense and firepower, which would enable them to conduct large-scale assaults with heavy equipment.
• Beijing Reportedly Fires 2 Missiles Into South China Sea in 'Warning' to US Sputnik 26 Aug 2020 -- China fired two missiles into the South China Sea on Wednesday in an act of "warning" to the United States after a US spy plane intruded its army's no-fly airspace, a source close to the Chinese military told the South China Morning Post newspaper.
• Beijing Says US Spy Plane Entered China's Airspace During Army Drills Sputnik 26 Aug 2020 -- The day before, the Chinese Defence Ministry reported that a US U-2 reconnaissance plane flew into a no-fly zone of China's Northern Military District during military drills.
• China's Defense Ministry condemns U.S. plane in no-fly zone PLA Daily 26 Aug 2020 -- China deems the U.S. U-2 plane's entrance into a no-fly zone as a purely provocative act, said a Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Wu Qian on Tuesday.
• Russian-Indian Brahmos Missile Orders Grew $1Bln in 6 Months Despite Pandemic Sputnik 26 Aug 2020 -- The Russian-Indian missile joint venture Brahmos saw a $1 billion increase in orders in six months since the beginning of the year despite the coronavirus pandemic, the company's co-director, Aleksandr Maksichev said.
• Japan - AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles DSCA 26 Aug 2020 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Japan of thirty-two (32) AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) with support for an estimated cost of $63 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.
• United Kingdom - Hellfire Missiles DSCA 26 Aug 2020 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of the United Kingdom three hundred ninety-five (395) AGM-114R2 Hellfire missiles with support for an estimated cost of $46 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.
• UK to scale back F35 stealth fighter jets purchase Press TV 26 Aug 2020 -- Barely a day after it was revealed that the UK military is considering relinquishing its entire tank and armored vehicle fleets it is being reported that Britain may significantly scale back on the purchase of the F35 stealth multirole combat aircraft.
• UK push for landmark UN resolution to agree responsible behaviour in space Gov.UK 26 Aug 2020 -- The UK's proposed UN resolution aims to broker an international consensus on responsible behaviour in space – agreed by countries around the world at the UN - and is the only initiative of its kind in the world.
• Turkey, US Conduct Joint Exercise in E.Mediterranean Amid Tensions With Greece Sputnik 26 Aug 2020 -- The navies of Turkey and the United States have conducted joint drills in the Eastern Mediterranean in parallel with the increased presence of the European navy in the area, the Turkish Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.
• Turkey says conducted drills with US in eastern Mediterranean Press TV 26 Aug 2020 -- Turkey says it has conducted military drills with a US Navy destroyer in the eastern Mediterranean, amid a dispute with Greece over maritime boundaries and offshore energy rights.
• UN again calls for full ratification of nuclear test-ban treaty UN News 26 Aug 2020 -- Achieving a nuclear-free world is the best way to honour lives devastated by these weapons, the UN disarmament chief told a virtual meeting held on Wednesday to commemorate the International Day against Nuclear Tests, observed annually on 29 August.
• Who Are Syria's National Defense Forces? VOA 26 Aug 2020 -- The United States last week imposed sanctions against military, government and financial supporters of the Syrian regime for their role in persecuting civilians in the war-ravaged country.

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Aug. 26, 2020

Other Conflicts

• 26 August 2020 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 26 Aug 2020
• Commerce Department Adds 24 Chinese Companies to the Entity List for Helping Build Military Islands in the South China Sea US Dept. of Commerce 26 Aug 2020 -- The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) in the Department of Commerce (Commerce) added 24 Chinese companies to the Entity List for their role in helping the Chinese military construct and militarize the internationally condemned artificial islands in the South China Sea.
• U.S. Imposes Restrictions on Certain PRC State-Owned Enterprises and Executives for Malign Activities in the South China Sea US Dept. of State 26 Aug 2020 -- "The United States supports a free and open South China Sea. We respect the sovereign rights of all nations, regardless of size, and seek to preserve peace and uphold freedom of the seas in a manner consistent with international law. In July, I announced an updated policy regarding Beijing's unlawful maritime claims in the South China Sea and emphasized that the United States was prepared to take firm action to oppose Beijing's campaign of bullying."
• Briefing With Senior State Department and Commerce Officials On State Department Visa Restrictions Placed on Individuals from the People's Republic of China and Commerce Department Restrictions Placed on Chinese Corporate Entities US Dept. of State 26 Aug 2020
• US Sanctions Chinese Companies Over South China Sea Island-Building Radio Free Asia 26 Aug 2020 -- The United States on Wednesday announced it has placed sanctions on 24 Chinese companies and individuals within those companies for their part in constructing China's artificial islands in the South China Sea.
• US Blacklists 24 Chinese Companies for 'Helping to Build Military Islands' in South China Sea Sputnik 26 Aug 2020 -- Earlier this week, the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) introduced a fresh round of sanctions against China's Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC) amid allegations of human rights abuses.
• US Sanctions Chinese Companies Over South China Sea Dispute VOA 26 Aug 2020 -- The United States imposed sanctions Wednesday on 24 Chinese companies and several people who allegedly participated in building and militarizing disputed artificial islands in the South China Sea.
• US sanctions Chinese individuals, firms over South China Sea dispute Press TV 26 Aug 2020 -- The United States has blacklisted 24 Chinese companies and individuals over their actions related to disputed islands in the South China Sea.
• Vietnam Weighs World Court Arbitration Against China if Maritime Diplomacy Fails VOA 26 Aug 2020 -- Vietnam is exploring the launch of an international arbitration case against China over a series of mishaps in a disputed sea if diplomacy fails, analysts believe.
• Philippines Welcomes US Presence to Maintain Order in South China Sea Radio Free Asia 26 Aug 2020 -- Manila's top diplomat said Wednesday the Philippines would continue to patrol the South China Sea and call on the United States for support under the Mutual Defense Treaty, if necessary, in response to China's accusations that such actions were "illegal provocations."
• UAE-backed Yemeni separatists pull out of talks over Saudi-brokered power-sharing deal with Hadi loyalists Press TV 26 Aug 2020 -- Militants affiliated with Yemen's so-called Southern Transitional Council (STC), who are backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), have withdrawn from talks over a power-sharing deal brokered by Saudi Arabia with rival Saudi-backed militiamen linked to former president, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.
• Astana guarantor states censure Israeli aggression on Syrian soil Press TV 26 Aug 2020 -- Iran, Russia and Turkey – the three guarantor states of the Astana peace process – have blasted Israel's continued attacks on Syria as well as the illegal US seizure of the Syrian oil.
• Russia, Iran, Turkey Issue Joint Statement on Syria Condemning Israeli Attacks, US Theft of Oil Sputnik 26 Aug 2020 -- The statement was formulated on the sidelines of the meeting of the Syrian Constitutional Committee, a United Nations-facilitated negotiating platform aimed at reconciling the Syrian government and the opposition and establishing an enduring peace in the war-torn country.
• Two Civilians Killed in Turkish Drone Airstrike in Northern Iraq Sputnik 26 Aug 2020 -- Two civilians were killed in the result of an airstrike launched by a Turkish unmanned aerial vehicle late on Tuesday on a car in the town of Khana Sor located in the northern Iraqi province of Nineveh, the official Security Media Cell has said.
• Greek, Turkish Leaders Dig in Their Heels in Mediterranean Dispute VOA 26 Aug 2020 -- Greek and Turkish leaders dug in their heels Wednesday even after their foreign ministers proposed talks to settle rival claims to energy-rich sections of the Mediterranean.
• Turkey's Erdogan warns Greece against taking 'path to ruin' Press TV 26 Aug 2020 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey would not give up "what it deserves" in the Mediterranean Sea, warning Greece against making mistakes that would pave the way to its "ruin," as the two countries remain locked up in a dispute over energy resources in the sea.
• Greek, Turkish Foreign Ministers Say They are Ready for Talks VOA 26 Aug 2020 -- Greece and Turkey say they are ready for talks to settle rival claims to an energy-rich section of the Mediterranean, but the hostility was clear when the foreign ministers of both countries called for dialogue Tuesday.
• Myanmar Army Acknowledges Killing of Civilian That Sparked Big Protest in Shan State Radio Free Asia 26 Aug 2020 -- The Myanmar military has admitted that its soldiers were responsible for the killing of a civilian amid a clash with a local ethnic army in restive northern Shan state in late June, which prompted a protest by thousands of local residents demanding justice for the slain noncombatant.
• Address root causes of the Rohingya refugee crisis, urges UN chief UN News 26 Aug 2020 -- UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for greater attention to the Rohingya refugee crisis – which entered its fourth year – and for addressing the root causes of the conflict.
• Mladic Defiant in Appeal of Life Sentence for War Crimes VOA 26 Aug 2020 -- A hostile and defiant Ratko Mladic appeared in a U.N. court in the Hague Wednesday to appeal his 2017 life sentence for war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity committed in the early to mid-1990s.
• Former Bosnian Serb Commander Blasts UN Court As 'Child Of Western Powers' RFE/RL 26 Aug 2020 -- Former Bosnian Serb military leader Ratko Mladic has dismissed the UN court hearing his appeal against a life sentence for genocide as a "child of the Western powers," as a two-day hearing wrapped up in The Hague, Netherlands.
• Sudan PM to Pompeo: Govt. has no mandate to normalize with Israel Press TV 26 Aug 2020 -- Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has dashed America's hopes for quick normalization with Israel, saying his government has no mandate to establish ties with Tel Aviv and any such a decision should wait until after the transitional period ends in the African country.
• China's Abuses in Tibet Highlighted on Billboards in New York, London Radio Free Asia 26 Aug 2020 -- A Tibet advocacy group has launched a campaign this week to raise awareness of China's human rights abuses in Tibet, with billboards set up in New York and London in places where millions of people are expected to see them, the group said on Wednesday.
• Lebanon's Supreme Defense Council Slams 'Israeli Aggression' Along Border Sputnik 26 Aug 2020 -- Earlier, Israel struck Lebanese movement Hezbollah's observation posts in response to shots fired from Lebanon.
• US 'Hopeful' UAE-Israel Accord Will Advance Regional Peace VOA 26 Aug 2020 -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday he is hopeful the recent agreement between the United Arab Emirates and Israel to normalize relations will help advance Middle East peace, amid what Washington says is Iran's "malign influence."

News Reports

• Remarks of Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen on Malign Foreign Influence in U.S. Elections Presented at Center for Strategic and International Studies US Dept. of Justice 26 Aug 2020 -- Remarks as Prepared for Delivery
• Minneapolis Woman Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Provide Material Support to Al-Qa'ida US Dept. of Justice 26 Aug 2020 -- Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers and U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota Erica H. MacDonald today announced the guilty plea of Tnuza Jamal Hassan, 22, to attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization (al-Qa'ida). Hassan entered her guilty plea this morning before Judge Patrick J. Schiltz in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
• Before He Fell Ill, Navalny's Every Move Was Tracked. What About The Poisoning? RFE/RL 26 Aug 2020 -- When Aleksei Navalny arrived in Novosibirsk earlier this month to meet with local opposition activists, security services in the Siberian city were already tracking his moves.
• Putin's Chef Says He Will Collect Debt Owed By Comatose Navalny RFE/RL 26 Aug 2020 -- Kremlin-connected Russian businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin says he intends to collect a debt from comatose Aleksei Navalny and his shuttered Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) if the opposition activist survives what European doctors say was a poisoning.
• Johnson applies pressure on Russia over alleged 'poisoning' of Navalny Press TV 26 Aug 2020 -- Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, is using the alleged poisoning of Russian opposition politician, Alexei Navalny, to pile on more pressure on Moscow.
• Russia says no grounds yet to probe allegations of Navalny's poisoning Press TV 26 Aug 2020 -- Russia says there are still no grounds for a probe of the alleged poisoning of opposition figure Alexei Navalny, who is in a medically-induced coma at a German hospital.
• Kremlin Says Navalny's Hospitalization Shouldn't Hurt Ties With West RFE/RL 26 Aug 2020 -- The Kremlin says it does not want the hospitalization of Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny to damage relations between Moscow and the West, but is opposed to saying that Navalny was "poisoned" until medical tests confirm finding a specific toxin in his body.
• Senior US Diplomat Aims to Bridge Differences with Moscow Over Oppposition Leader Poisoning, Belarus VOA 26 Aug 2020 -- The second-most senior U.S. diplomat wrapped up talks with top Russian officials in Moscow Wednesday – capping a two-day visit aimed at bridging differences over issues including the ongoing political crisis in Belarus and the sudden illness of a leading Russian political opposition figure from what appears to be a poisoning.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on August 26, 2020 PRC MofA 26 Aug 2020
• Chinese FM spokesperson hits back at US defense chief's groundless accusations against PLA Global Times 26 Aug 2020 -- In response to the US Defense Secretary's provocative comments that the Pentagon is preparing for China, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs presented one piece of advice, two facts and three questions to squash his groundless accusation against China, saying that any US politicians who respect the facts will get straight answers to their questions.
• Starting a "new Cold War" is to reverse course of history, kidnap world: Chinese FM People's Daily 26 Aug 2020 -- Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here Tuesday that starting "a new Cold War" is to reverse the course of history and kidnap the whole world.
• On China's Continued Coercion of the United Kingdom US Dept. of State 26 Aug 2020 -- The United States is dismayed to learn that the Chinese Communist Party's coercive bullying tactics against our friends in the United Kingdom continues.
• Senior Chinese envoy warns Australia of 'shadow' over ties Press TV 26 Aug 2020 -- A top Chinese diplomat has warned Australia of a "shadow" over the relations between Beijing and Canberra, saying Australia's support for the United States in calling for an investigation into the origins of the new coronavirus prodded Washington to put more pressure on China.
• HK lawmakers' arrest could disqualify them: local legislator Global Times 26 Aug 2020 -- The arrest of opposition lawmakers Lam Cheuk Ting and Ted Hui Chi-fung could lead to their disqualification as LegCo lawmakers, according to Hong Kong legislator Junius Ho Kwan-yiu.
• HK police arrest 16, including two opposition lawmakers Global Times 26 Aug 2020 -- Hong Kong police arrested 16 people on Wednesday morning, including two opposition lawmakers Lam Cheuk Ting and Ted Hui Chi-fung.
• Hong Kong Residents Set Sights on UK as Safe Haven From Crackdown Radio Free Asia 26 Aug 2020 -- Hong Kong residents wishing to escape months of protest-related violence and tear gas, or fleeing potential persecution under China's "national security" crackdown on dissent in the city, are increasingly viewing the U.K. as a safe haven.
• Hong Kong Police Arrest Opposition Lawmakers Who Criticized Them Radio Free Asia 26 Aug 2020 -- Police in Hong Kong on Wednesday arrested two pro-democracy lawmakers who have been strongly critical of police violence during last year's protest movement, as the city's Democratic Party condemned the move as a form of political intimidation.
• Two Hong Kong Pro-Democracy Lawmakers Arrested VOA 26 Aug 2020 -- Two Hong Kong pro-democracy lawmakers have been arrested and charged in relation with anti-government protests last year that rocked the semi-autonomous city.
• Nation remains committed to reform, opening-up People's Daily 26 Aug 2020 -- Forty years ago, China created four special economic zones in the southeastern coastal cities of Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Shantou in Guangdong province and Xiamen in Fujian province as part of the country's opening-up drive to encourage foreign investment and boost economic growth.
• Xi confers flag on China's police force PLA Daily 26 Aug 2020 -- President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, on Wednesday conferred the police flag on China's police force, ordering them to be loyal to the Party, serve the people and be impartial in law enforcement and strict in discipline.
• Both Biden, Trump Condemn China's Treatment of Uighur Muslims VOA 26 Aug 2020 -- Both U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and President Donald Trump are newly condemning China's treatment of its Uighur Muslim minority, with Biden calling it genocide.
• US Weighs Genocide Label Over China's Treatment of Uyghurs Radio Free Asia 26 Aug 2020 -- U.S. officials are considering whether to formally label as "genocide" China's treatment of ethnic Uyghurs in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, where Chinese authorities have put as many as 1.8 million members of the Muslim minority group into reeducation camps, U.S. media said Wednesday.
• Dutch Government Formally Accepts Complaints From Uyghur Exiles Over Chinese Intimidation Radio Free Asia 26 Aug 2020 -- The Dutch government has formally accepted complaints from nearly five dozen ethnic Uyghur Dutch nationals living in the Netherlands detailing what they say are direct threats and intimidation by representatives of the Chinese police and Beijing, according to members of the group.
• North Korea Orders Troops and Police to Shoot Citizens Who Approach the Chinese Border Radio Free Asia 26 Aug 2020 -- North Korea has ordered military units and police to shoot on sight anyone in the country who goes within one kilometer (0.6 miles) of the Sino-Korean border, the latest of Pyongyang's draconian measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, sources in the country told RFA Wednesday.
• 17th Enlarged Meeting of Political Bureau and 5th Meeting of Executive Policy Council of 7th Central Committee of WPK Held KCNA 26 Aug 2020 -- The 17th enlarged meeting of the Political Bureau of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and the 5th Meeting of the Executive Policy Council of the 7th Central Committee of the WPK took place at the office building of the Central Committee of the WPK on August 25.
• For Trump or Biden, N. Korea is the Problem that Won't Go Away VOA 26 Aug 2020 -- U.S. President Donald Trump may have redefined what is possible when it comes to the United States' relationship with North Korea, whether it was threatening to "totally destroy" the country or becoming the first sitting American head of state to meet and later claim he "fell in love" with its leader.
• Three Texans, One New Yorker Indicted for Conspiracy to Sell Sanctioned Iranian Petroleum to Refinery in China for Millions in Profit US Dept. of Justice 26 Aug 2020 -- Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania William M. McSwain announced that the following defendants were indicted on charges of conspiracy, violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), and money laundering conspiracy based on their attempt to transact in sanctioned Iranian petroleum:
• Iran Allows IAEA Access To 'Suspected' Nuclear Sites Amid US Pressure Radio Farda 26 Aug 2020 -- Iran has agreed to allow access to IAEA inspectors to two sites, one near Isfahan and another close to Tehran, where the agency suspects undeclared nuclear activities have taken place.
• Iran To Allow Access To Suspected Nuclear Sites RFE/RL 26 Aug 2020 -- Iran has agreed to allow inspections of two sites where nuclear activities are suspected to have taken place in the past, easing diplomatic pressure on Tehran as the United States seeks to reimpose UN sanctions.
• Iran, UN Watchdog Agree on Inspection of Suspected Nuclear Sites VOA 26 Aug 2020 -- Iran and the U.N.'s nuclear monitoring agency have agreed on the inspection of two suspected former nuclear sites, where undeclared nuclear material might have been stored or used.
• Salehi: Iran, IAEA open new chapter of cooperation IRNA 26 Aug 2020 -- Head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi hailed his constructive talks with Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Mariano Grossi, saying Iran and the IAEA opened new chapter of cooperation.
• Rouhani urges IAEA to show technical necessity of maintaining JCPOA to world IRNA 26 Aug 2020 -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani stressed the significant responsibility of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) towards the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and called on its Director General to explain the need for maintaining the document to the world in technical terms.
• Iran, IAEA issue joint statement on nuclear cooperation IRNA 26 Aug 2020 -- Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) issued a joint statement on nuclear cooperation while the agency's chief Rafael Mariano Grossi wrapped up his stay in Tehran holding talks with the Iranian officials.
• Rouhani underlines enhanced Iran-IAEA cooperation, recent agreement Press TV 26 Aug 2020 -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani underlines the need for further cooperation between Tehran and the UN nuclear agency, hailing the agreements reached during the visit of the IAEA head to the country.
• Iran voluntarily grants IAEA access to two locations specified by UN agency Press TV 26 Aug 2020 -- Iran has agreed to grant the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) access to two sites specified by the UN nuclear agency.
• Iran 'Voluntarily' Grants Access To 'Suspected" Sites To IAEA Inspectors Radio Farda 26 Aug 2020 -- Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi and Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Agency Ali-Akbar Salehi announced in a joint statement on Wednesday that Iran will "voluntarily" provide the international atomic watchdog with access to two locations suspected of historical nuclear activity.
• FM Zarif : How can the world still take US foreign policy seriously? IRNA 26 Aug 2020 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in a message referred to attempts made by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo with regard to normalizing Sudan-Israel ties and the US criteria to remove a country from terror list, asking how can the world still take US foreign policy seriously?
• Iran urges JCPOA parties to block US efforts to use UNSC as tool for own sake Press TV 26 Aug 2020 -- Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh calls on the remaining parties to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal not to allow the US to use the UN Security Council as a tool to advance its own agenda.
• Iran: UNSC consensus once again proved US isolation Press TV 26 Aug 2020 -- Tehran says the overwhelming consensus among members of the UN Security Council (UNSC) against the US's push to reinstate all anti-Iran UN sanctions proves Washington's isolation once again.
• UN Security Council President Rejects US Demand To Restore Iran Sanctions Radio Farda 26 Aug 2020 -- The president of the UN Security Council (UNSC) has rejected Washington's demand to snap back international sanctions on Tehran that were lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal.
• Iran Complains To International Maritime Organization About Seizure Of Fuel Tankers Radio Farda 26 Aug 2020 -- The Deputy Head of Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization (IPMO), Jalil Eslami, said on Wednesday that the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has promised to investigate the seizure of several tankers carrying Iranian fuel to Venezuela.
• Rouhani Says Sanctions Cost Government 900 Trillion Rials In Revenues Radio Farda 26 Aug 2020 -- Iran President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday that the country's revenue has been reduced by 900 trillion rials (roughly equivalent to $214 billion) since the United States re-imposed sanctions on Iran in May 2018, maintaining that despite that loss, Iran is "still standing on its feet."
• Supporting economic and political stability in Iraq UK FCO 26 Aug 2020 -- Statement by Ambassador James Roscoe, Acting UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the Security Council briefing on the situation in Iraq
• Facing pandemic, economic and political challenges, Iraq Government 'operating in the eyes of multiple storms at once' UN News 26 Aug 2020 -- The COVID-19 pandemic is aggravating deep-rooted economic, social and political challenges in Iraq, but elections in 2021 – if credible - could open a new chapter for the Middle East nation after years of conflict and strife, the UN's top official in the country said Wednesday.
• Iraq, Jordan, Egypt Discuss Closer Ties VOA 26 Aug 2020 -- It was a highly touted summit, with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustapha Kadhimi reaching out to potential allies Egypt and Jordan in what appeared to be a bid to loosen Iran's grip on Iraqi politics. Pro-Iranian militias have been accused of interfering in Iraqi government decisions and attacking protesters who oppose them.
• Polish Envoy, Regional Experts Eye Russia's Options in Belarus VOA 26 Aug 2020 -- Poland's top diplomat in Washington is calling for Russia to avoid any unilateral action to end a wave of protests against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, saying the crisis can best be dealt with by a united effort of the international community.
• 'No Work Is Worth Being Silent': Belarusian Athletes Increasingly Turning Against Lukashenka RFE/RL 26 Aug 2020 -- In the days since popular protests erupted in Belarus following the disputed election that Alyaksandr Lukashena was declared the winner of, a string of cultural luminaries have joined the opposition: theater directors, musicians, the country's beloved Nobel laureate.
• Belarusian Nobel Laureate Refuses to Answer Questions in Opposition Probe VOA 26 Aug 2020 -- Nobel Prize-winning author and Belarusian opposition activist Svetlana Alexievich refused to answer questions Wednesday after Belarusian investigators summoned her for questioning over allegations of criminal activities committed by a newly formed opposition group with which she is associated.
• Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Chairs Cabinet's Virtual Session SPA 26 Aug 2020 -- The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired here today the Cabinet's virtual session.
• Cambodia's Appeals Court Denies Bail for Union Leader Rong Chhun Radio Free Asia 26 Aug 2020 -- The Cambodian Appeals Court Wednesday denied a bail request for detained union leader Rong Chhun, citing concerns that he might repeat the actions that led to his arrest if he were released, his lawyer told reporters after the ruling.
• Tajik President Nominated For Sixth-Straight Term RFE/RL 26 Aug 2020 -- Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, already the longest-serving leader in the former Soviet Union, has been nominated to run for the presidency once again.
• Bulgarian Justice Minister Tenders Resignation As Anti-Government Protests Continue RFE/RL 26 Aug 2020 -- Bulgarian Justice Minister Danail Kirilov has tendered his resignation after "a conversation" with Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, the Bulgarian government said in a statement on August 26.
• Refugees at risk of hunger and malnutrition, as relief hit in Eastern Africa UN News 26 Aug 2020 -- UN World Food Programme (WFP) has been forced to reduce its food and cash assistance for refugees in Eastern Africa by up to 30 per cent, the agency has said, voicing fears that the reductions could worsen in the coming months unless urgent additional funding is received in time.
• US Top Diplomat Pompeo Visits Bahrain, UAE VOA 26 Aug 2020 -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he spoke Wednesday with officials in Bahrain about "the importance of Gulf unity and countering Iran's malign influence in the region."
• US Criticizes Turkey for Hosting Hamas Leaders VOA 26 Aug 2020 -- The Trump administration says it strongly objects to Turkey's recent hosting of two leaders of Hamas, which the United States regards as a terrorist group.