Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
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News Reports

Current Operations

• Statement on Russian Forces' Breach of Deconfliction Arrangement in Syria DoD 27 Aug 2020 -- Statement attributed to: Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Jonathan Hoffman on the Russian Forces' Breach of Deconfliction Arrangement in Syria:
• Russia blames US for tense confrontation in Syria Press TV 27 Aug 2020 -- Moscow has blamed Washington for a tense confrontation in Syria after the US reported injuries among its troops in a "collision" with a Russian vehicle, saying the incident happened when the US military tried to hinder a Russian patrol there.
• Russia Claims Convoy Rammed U.S. Military In Syria In Self-Defense RFE/RL 27 Aug 2020 -- The Russian Defense Ministry claims a Russian patrol in Syria acted in self-defense when a vehicle in a military convoy rammed a coalition vehicle carrying U.S. soldiers.
• Pentagon Expects Return to Deconfliction After 'Unfortunate Encounter' With Russian Troops in Syria Sputnik 27 Aug 2020 -- On Thursday, a spokesperson for the US Department of Defense said the US expects a "return to routine" in eastern Syria following a clash with a Russian patrol that left four US service members injured.
• Russian Military Chief Holds Talks With US Gen. Milley on Recent Incident in Syria Sputnik 27 Aug 2020 -- Russian Chief of the General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov spoke with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley about the recent incident with the US troops and Russian military police in Syria, the Russian Defence Ministry said Thursday.
• US-Russia Skirmish in Northern Syria Leads to Minor US Injuries VOA 27 Aug 2020 -- U.S. coalition and Russian military patrols narrowly avoided a serious mishap in the north of Syria Tuesday when vehicles from each side appeared to have tried to outrun each other in a wheat field in northeastern Hasakah province.
• Afghan Leaders: US-Backed Peace Talks with Taliban to Begin Next Week VOA 27 Aug 2020 -- Top leaders in Afghanistan announced Thursday that U.S.-backed peace talks with the Taliban insurgency will start next week to negotiate a political settlement to the country's long conflict.
• Taliban Chief Negotiator Denies Intra-Afghan Talks Are Set To Start Next Week RFE/RL 27 Aug 2020 -- Abdullah Abdullah, the chairman of Afghanistan's High Council for National Reconciliation, said on August 27 that intra-Afghan talks will begin next week, bringing together representatives of both the Taliban and the Afghan government.
• The Rise Of Mullah Yaqoob, The Taliban's New Military Chief RFE/RL 27 Aug 2020 -- Mohammad Yaqoob was virtually unknown five years ago when the Taliban disclosed the mysterious death of his father and its founder, Mullah Mohammad Omar.
• Taliban kill four civilians during clashes with Afghan forces Press TV 27 Aug 2020 -- Taliban militants have killed four civilians during clashes with Afghan forces in the central flood-hit Parwan province, local officials say.
• Nevada Air Guard MAFFS activation extended as western wildfires rage US Air Force 27 Aug 2020 -- Nevada Air National Guard aircrew equipped with the U.S. Forest Service's Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System saw their firefighting activation orders extended as fires continue to threaten life and property across California.
• Louisiana National Guard responds to Hurricane Laura Army News 27 Aug 2020 -- Hundreds of members of the Louisiana National Guard were assisting first responders in the response to Hurricane Laura Thursday.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Texas National Guard, Egypt begin SPP relationship Army News 27 Aug 2020 -- On Aug. 24, Texas and the Arab Republic of Egypt took the first step in forming a long-term partnership under the National Guard's State Partnership Program.
• SOUTHCOM, South American Defense Leaders Meet Virtually To Discuss Partnering During Pandemic US Navy 27 Aug 2020 -- U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) hosted defense leaders from South America Aug. 27 during the first virtual South America Defense Conference (SOUTHDEC), focused on how to strengthen defense partnerships in a pandemic environment.
• Arson Suspected as Cause of USS Bonhomme Richard Fire, Navy Sailor Questioned Sputnik 27 Aug 2020 -- A US defense official claims an ongoing federal probe into the July 12 fire that extensively damaged the USS Bonhomme Richard has led to suspicions of arson and the questioning of one sailor.
• Readout of Secretary Esper's Call With Papua New Guinea Minister for Defense Saki Soloma DoD 27 Aug 2020
• Secretary Meets Sailors, Observes Ops During RIMPAC Visit DoD News 27 Aug 2020 -- Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper visited sailors aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Essex to experience the Rim of the Pacific exercise – a multinational operation involving 10 nations.
• New US Space Force Technology Beats Satellite Jamming Attempts in Recent Test Sputnik 27 Aug 2020 -- The US Space Force announced on Monday it had completed its first test of a new anti-jamming system that would help the Pentagon's satellite network operate while its signals are under attack.
• Joint Statement on the Seventh Meeting of the Japan-U.S. Comprehensive Dialogue on Space US Dept. of State 27 Aug 2020 -- The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and Japan on the occasion of the Seventh Meeting of the Japan-U.S. Comprehensive Dialogue on Space.
• NATO Secretary General and Chancellor Merkel discuss current security challenges NATO 27 Aug 2020 -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg held a series of high-level meetings in the German capital Berlin on Wednesday and Thursday (26-27 August).
• Keynote speech by NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană at the Emerging Europe online debate, titled "Emerging Europe and the United States: Towards 2030". NATO 27 Aug 2020
• U.S. Blacklists Russian Entities For Chemical, Biological Weapon Research RFE/RL 27 Aug 2020 -- U.S. authorities have imposed "blacklist" restrictions on three Russian military and civilian scientific facilities, citing their alleged involvement in chemical and biological weapons research.
• US Condemns China Drills After Reported 'Carrier Killer' Missile Test in South China Sea Radio Free Asia 27 Aug 2020 -- The United States on Thursday accused China of further destabilizing the situation in the South China Sea after it test-fired ballistic missiles near the disputed Paracel Islands, in what an analyst called an apparent demonstration of China's ability to hit ships in the open ocean.
• DOD Statement on Recent Chinese Ballistic Missile Launches DoD 27 Aug 2020 -- "The Department of Defense is concerned about the People's Republic of China (PRC) recent decision to conduct military exercises, including the firing of ballistic missiles, around the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea on August 23-29.
• Reported PLA anti-ship ballistic missile launches 'show saturated attack capability' Global Times 27 Aug 2020 -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Wednesday launched multiple anti-ship ballistic missiles into the South China Sea in a military exercise, overseas media reported. The missile launches, if true, demonstrated the PLA's ability to hit maritime targets with powerful ballistic missiles from multiple directions in coordinated, saturated attacks against which there is no defense, analysts said on Thursday.
• China Launches 4 Missiles into South China Sea VOA 27 Aug 2020 -- Beijing has fired missiles into the disputed waters of the South China Sea, escalating U.S.-China tensions amid U.S. sanctions aimed at punishing companies that helped bolster China's continued militarization of the region.
• China fires anti-ship ballistic missiles into South China Sea in warning to US Press TV 27 Aug 2020 -- China has launched two ballistic missiles, including one known as the "aircraft carrier killer," into the South China Sea, in a clear warning to the United States, which has been ratcheting up tensions in the strategic waterway.
• China's recent military exercises not targeted at any country PLA Daily 27 Aug 2020 -- China's recent military exercises in waters of the Yellow Sea and the South China Sea are not targeted at any country, said Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense of China, at a regular press conference on Thursday.
• China's MoD Says Recent Drills Don't Target Any Country Sputnik 27 Aug 2020 -- The day before, the South China Morning Post reported that the country's military had fired two missiles, including an "aircraft-carrier killer", into the South China Sea on the morning of August 26, "sending a clear warning to the United States".
• Esper Discusses Moves Needed to Counter China's Malign Strategy DoD News 27 Aug 2020 -- The international, rules-based system that has brought security and stability to much of the globe is under duress, Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper said in Honolulu today.
• China opposes and is unafraid of US provocations: Defense Spokesperson PLA Daily 27 Aug 2020 -- "Recently, the US has increased its efforts to pressurize and provoke China. The Chinese stance is always clear in this regard: we oppose and are unafraid of the US provocations," said Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of National Defense, at a regular press conference on Thursday.
• US should view China's growth with rational mind: Defense Spokesperson PLA Daily 27 Aug 2020 -- Senior Colonel Wu Qian, a spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense of China, urged the US to view China's growth with a rational mind, while making comments on the current China-US military ties and the future high-level military exchanges during a press conference on Thursday.
• US 'walking on thin ice' with spy plane flight People's Daily 27 Aug 2020 -- Chinese experts warned that the United States military is "walking on thin ice" by allowing one of its U-2 spy planes to trespass into a no-fly zone over Chinese live-fire military drills, calling the move extremely provocative and prone to misjudgement.
• Chinese military academies enroll over 12,000 high school graduates in 2020 PLA Daily 27 Aug 2020 -- China's 27 military universities, colleges, and academies have enrolled more than 12,000 high school graduates this year, a military spokesperson said on Thursday.
• China not to allow US to cause trouble: Defense Ministry Press TV 27 Aug 2020 -- China's Defense Ministry says the country will not "dance to the tune" of the United States or allow it to "cause trouble," as Washington ramps up hostile posturing against Beijing, including in the South China Sea.
• Maiden voyage of China-built Type 075 amphibious assault ship a success: Defense Ministry Global Times 27 Aug 2020 -- The Chinese Navy's first Type 075 amphibious assault ship has successfully completed its first sea trial, China's Ministry of National Defense announced on Thursday.
• U.S. makes public photo of refueling of Taiwan's aircraft CNA 27 Aug 2020 -- Military planes between Taiwan and the United States conducted air refueling missions in U.S. airspace recently, according to a photo posted by the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) on its Facebook page on Thursday.
• Turkey to stage new naval drill, accuses France of bullying Press TV 27 Aug 2020 -- Turkey has announced new naval exercises near its shores after accusing France of "bullying" as escalating tensions between Ankara and Athens in the eastern Mediterranean Sea over gas and oil exploration risked turning into a military standoff.
• Six Greek F-16 Fighter Jets Take Part in Eunomia Joint Drills Off Cyprus, Reports Say Sputnik 27 Aug 2020 -- Six Greek F-16 fighter jets took part on Thursday in joint Eunomia aeronautical exercises of Greece, Cyprus, Italy and France that are taking place south of Cyprus, the Ekathimerini newspaper reported.

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Aug. 27, 2020

Other Conflicts

• 27 August 2020 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 27 Aug 2020
• US sanctions won't deter China from seeking legal rights in S.China Sea, trade: experts Global Times 27 Aug 2020 -- The US on Wednesday sought to further escalate tensions with China, as it moves to sanction two dozen Chinese companies that it claims help build artificial islands in the South China Sea, compounding several hot-button issues in the bilateral relationship, from the South China Sea to military to trade.
• Joint Forces Command of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen: Interception, Destruction of A Ballistic Missile Launched Towards the Kingdom SPA 27 Aug 2020 -- A 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 ballistic missile launched systematically and deliberately by the terrorist Houthi militia to target civilians and civilian objects in (Najran)."
• Saudi-Led Coalition Intercepts Missile Launched Toward Najran - State Media Sputnik 27 Aug 2020 -- Saudi state media reported late on Thursday that the country had intercepted a missile fired by the Yemeni Houthis toward the city of Najran, Saudi Arabia.
• 'Widespread' COVID-19 transmission, limited testing, deepen Syria's humanitarian woes UN News 27 Aug 2020 -- COVID-19 is having a dramatic impact on health services in Syria, where limited testing is obscuring the real extent of the pandemic, the UN's Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator said on Thursday.
• Syrian Constitutional Talks Resume After COVID-19 Threat Fades VOA 27 Aug 2020 -- Negotiations to draft a new constitution for Syria have resumed at U.N. headquarters in Geneva. They were temporarily suspended after four members of the Constitutional Committee tested positive for COVID-19 Monday.
• UN Struggles to Meet Humanitarian Needs in Northern Syria VOA 27 Aug 2020 -- The United Nations said Thursday that it is struggling to meet massive and growing humanitarian needs in northern Syria after losing access to a vital border crossing last month, at a time when the country's economy is collapsing and COVID-19 is spreading.
• Iraqi President Salih calls on Turkey to stop cross-border incursions, respect sovereignty Press TV 27 Aug 2020 -- Iraqi President Barham Salih has called on Turkey to stop its ongoing operation in the country's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region against hideouts of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militant group, saying the cross-border offensive is violating Iraq's sovereignty.
• China, India agree to further ease border tension: Defense Spokesperson PLA Daily 27 Aug 2020 -- Since the Galwan Valley clash, China and India have held several rounds of talks through military and diplomatic channels, and progress has been made in disengaging the frontline troops of both sides, said Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, when introducing the current China-India border situation and commenting on the two sides' military ties at a regular press conference on Thursday.
• China, India agree to further de-escalate border tensions: spokesman PLA Daily 27 Aug 2020 -- China and India have agreed to further ease tensions in the border area, a Chinese military spokesman said Thursday.
• India, China Reaffirm Commitment to Complete Troop Disengagement Along LAC Sputnik 27 Aug 2020 -- Indian and Chinese diplomats have held another meeting and reaffirmed their commitment to work toward complete disengagement of troops along the Line of Actual Control, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said on Thursday.
• News of Swiss Agreement Allowing Deportations to China Raises Concerns for Tibetans Radio Free Asia 27 Aug 2020 -- A previously little-known agreement between Switzerland and China allowing Chinese officials access to Chinese nationals applying for asylum in the European country has come up for renewal, prompting concerns that the law may be used to expel Tibetans and other ethnic minorities fleeing persecution by Beijing.
• COVID-19 Spread Adds to Woes of War Refugees in Myanmar's Rakhine State Radio Free Asia 27 Aug 2020 -- After 20 months of war and years of communal tensions, the people of western Myanmar's Rakhine state face a new threat from surging COVID-19 infections since mid-August that many fear could spread to thousands of refugees sheltering in overcrowded camps, lawmakers and health officials said Thursday.
• UN rights expert calls for ceasefire, commitment from all stakeholders to ensure free elections in Central African Republic UN News 27 Aug 2020 -- The UN's expert on human rights in the Central African Republic (CAR) issued a series of recommendations on Wednesday to ensure that citizens – after years of civil unrest – can freely decide the future of their country during presidential elections on 27 December.
• Boko Haram massacres 75 people in Nigeria: Report Press TV 27 Aug 2020 -- At least 75 members of a community have been killed by the Boko Haram terrorist group in Nigeria's northeastern province of Borno, a report says.
• Islamic Jihad says ready to respond to any Israeli escalation in Gaza Press TV 27 Aug 2020 -- The Palestinian resistance movement Islamic Jihad has warned Israel against further escalation of its attacks against the besieged Gaza Strip, saying it stands fully prepared to respond to any act of aggression by the regime's military.
• Cambodia Distributes New Map of Border With Vietnam Despite Claims it Cedes Land to Hanoi Radio Free Asia 27 Aug 2020 -- Cambodia on Thursday distributed a newly drawn topographical map of the country's shared border with Vietnam to local authorities and submitted it to the United Nations for recognition, despite ongoing allegations that the government has allowed Vietnam to encroach on Cambodian territory.
• Greece says ready for conditional de-escalation with Turkey in Mediterranean Press TV 27 Aug 2020 -- Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis says Athens is ready for a "significant de-escalation" in the eastern Mediterranean if Turkey stops its "provocative actions" in the area.

News Reports

• Israel establishing intelligence bases on Yemeni island in cooperation with UAE: Report Press TV 27 Aug 2020 -- Israel, in cooperation with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is to build intelligence-gathering bases on a Yemeni island in a strategic area overlooking the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a new report says, four years after Tel Aviv began to build its largest spy base in the region.
• Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Moscow, August 27, 2020 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 27 Aug 2020
• Russian Prosecutors Claim There's No Sign Of Crime In Navalny Case RFE/RL 27 Aug 2020 -- Russian prosecutors said on August 27 that they have no indication so far that a criminal act has been committed against Aleksei Navalny, and requested that German medics treating the opposition leader share his medical records.
• Russia arrests serviceman for passing state secrets to Ukraine Press TV 27 Aug 2020 -- The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has arrested a serviceman in the province of Siberia for passing state secrets to Ukraine.
• Russia Detains Soldier on Suspicion of Espionage for Ukraine in Siberia Sputnik 27 Aug 2020 -- A soldier in the Russian Strategic Missile Forces was detained in the Siberian city of Barnaul on suspicion of passing defence secrets to Ukraine, the Federal Security Service (FSB) said Thursday.
• US illegal sanctions over S. China Sea shows its hegemonic logic: FM Global Times 27 Aug 2020 -- The imposition of illegal sanctions on two dozen Chinese firms over false accusations of China militarizing the South China Sea reflects the hegemonic logic and power politics of the US, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at Thursday's media briefing.
• US sanctions on firms over S.China Sea to have little impact, show its exhausted tricks: experts Global Times 27 Aug 2020 -- Recent US sanctions on two dozen Chinese companies and certain individuals involved in infrastructure construction in the South China Sea are "illegal" and "hegemonic," which won't deter China from pursuing its legitimate territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the sea, observers said.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on August 27, 2020 PRC MofA 27 Aug 2020
• Pompeo: Reports of Chinese vessels near Galapagos 'deeply troubling' Press TV 27 Aug 2020 -- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said reports of hundreds of Chinese vessels near the Galapagos Islands are "deeply troubling."
• Pompeo Says Reports of Over 300 Chinese Vessels Near Galapagos 'Deeply Troubling' Sputnik 27 Aug 2020 -- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday that the United States finds reports of several hundred Chinese vessels near the Galapagos Islands disabling tracking systems and leaving marine debris to be very concerning.
• Chinese Coast Guard Seizes Boat, Arrests 12 Hong Kong Protesters Radio Free Asia 27 Aug 2020 -- Authorities in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong have detained more than 10 people believed to be Hong Kong activists fleeing to the democratic island of Taiwan amid a national security crackdown in their home city.
• Mainland maritime police seize HK rioters at sea upon escaping Global Times 27 Aug 2020 -- Chinese mainland maritime police arrested more than 10 people suspected of illegally crossing the border in waters under mainland jurisdiction, among whom Hong Kong media reported was an anti-government rioter who violated the national security law for Hong Kong and was released on bail pending investigation.
• Mainland Affairs Council urges Hong Kongers to enter Taiwan legally CNA 27 Aug 2020 -- People from Hong Kong should follow existing legal channels if they wish to move to Taiwan, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said on Thursday, following a report of Hong Kongers being caught by China's coast guard while trying to flee to the island in a speed boat.
• Former Detainees in Kashgar Draw Low Salaries, Forfeit Half of Wages to Old Internment Camps Radio Free Asia 27 Aug 2020 -- Ten Uyghur former detainees who earn half the salaries of their fellow employees at a shipping firm in Kashgar (in Chinese, Kashi) city, in far western China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), additionally must forfeit nearly 50 percent of their wages to their old internment camp, according to sources.
• Thwarting cross-Straits exchanges hurts Taiwan's development: MOFCOM Global Times 27 Aug 2020 -- Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities in the island of Taiwan have been trying to thwart exchanges and cross-Straits cooperation for some time, and that will only curb the growth of Taiwan's economy, the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) spokesperson Gao Feng told reporters on Thursday, responding to whether the cross-Straits Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) will continue.
• China opposes any official exchanges and military ties between US and Taiwan: Defense Spokesperson PLA Daily 27 Aug 2020 -- "Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, China resolutely opposes any form of "Taiwan independence" separatist actions and any form of official exchanges and military ties between the US and the Taiwan region, this stance is clear and definite," said Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of National Defense, at a monthly regular press conference on Thursday.
• North Korean City Evacuates House-Dwellers to Apartment Buildings Ahead of Typhoon Bavi Radio Free Asia 27 Aug 2020 -- Authorities in the North Korean city of Sinuiju ordered people living in flimsy houses to evacuate to sturdier apartment buildings to prepare for Typhoon Bavi, causing friction between the evacuees and tenants, sources across the Yalu river border in China told RFA Thursday.
• United States Files Complaint to Forfeit 280 Cryptocurrency Accounts Tied to Hacks of Two Exchanges by North Korean Actors US Dept. of Justice 27 Aug 2020 -- "China urges the US to immediately stop provocations, strictly manage and control its maritime and air military operations, strictly restrain the behaviors of its front-line naval and air forces, so as to avoid any contingency," said Senior Colonel Li Huamin, spokesperson for the Southern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), in a written statement on Friday.
• Preparations for Operation of Pyongyang General Hospital Brisk in DPRK KCNA 27 Aug 2020 -- With the construction of the Pyongyang General Hospital, the preparations for its operation and putting its medical service on an intellectual and IT basis are progressing apace in the DPRK.
• Iran shows good faith in cooperation with IAEA IRNA 27 Aug 2020 -- The two-day visit of Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi to Tehran wound up with satisfactory and win-win outcome for both sides.
• Iran agrees to give IAEA access to 2 requested locations People's Daily 27 Aug 2020 -- Iran agrees to give UN nuclear watchdog access to two specified locations for inspections of "possible" nuclear activities.
• China hails Iran-IAEA agreement to resolve issues, criticizes 'unilateral bullying' Press TV 27 Aug 2020 -- China welcomes recent arrival at an agreement by Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog to resolve some issues specified by the agency, berating coercive attempts that seek to prevent such dialog-powered cooperation.
• Who Are The Potential Reformist Candidates For Iran's 2021 Presidential Election? Radio Farda 27 Aug 2020 -- Most assessments and predictions so far about Iran's next presidential elections have taken a conservative victory for granted.
• China Resumes Reporting Oil Imports From Iran In July Radio Farda 27 Aug 2020 -- The latest Chinese Customs' data show the country imported about 120,000 barrels of oil per day from Iran in July, worth a total of $134 million, after showing zero imports in June.
• Lawmakers In Iran Abuse Their Power To Receive Free Housing And Cars Radio Farda 27 Aug 2020 -- A former lawmaker in Iran says some legislators in the current parliament "exert pressure" to use government-owned cars and properties for free while receiving money for these expenses through their supplemental pay.
• Deliberate silencing of peaceful voices in Iraq 'unacceptable', says UN human rights chief UN News 27 Aug 2020 -- A new UN report launched on Thursday highlights human rights violations and abuses that were committed during recent demonstrations in Iraq and calls for immediate action for justice.
• Putin urges Belarus authorities, opposition to find way out of crisis Press TV 27 Aug 2020 -- Russia's President Vladimir Putin urges Belarus' officials and opposition to resolve their differences towards ending the political turmoil that has followed the ex-Soviet republic's elections.
• Putin Backs Minsk's Response To Protesters, Says Russian Troops Prepared To Deploy RFE/RL 27 Aug 2020 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has praised Minsk's response to postelection protests -- claiming after he announced Moscow's preparations to bolster President Alyaksandr Lukashenka's regime with Russian security forces that the Kremlin is more "neutral" on the Belarusian crisis than the United States or the European Union.
• Dozens Of Demonstrators, Journalists Detained In Minsk As Opposition Protests Continue RFE/RL 27 Aug 2020 -- Belarusian police have detained dozens of protesters and journalists working for local and foreign media in the capital, Minsk, as demonstrations and strikes challenging the results of this month's presidential election continued for a 19th day.
• Lukashenko Claims 3Mln People Attended Protests in His Support Across Belarus Sputnik 27 Aug 2020 -- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Thursday the number of his supporters who had taken to the streets across the country amid the post-election unrest was around 3 million people, which he describes as a "great force."
• NATO Chief Calls on Belarus President to 'Respect Fundamental Rights' VOA 27 Aug 2020 -- NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday the alliance is "watching developments in Belarus closely," and that NATO supports "a sovereign and independent Belarus."
• Star Student Epitomizes Myanmar Discrimination Against Rohingya Minority Radio Free Asia 27 Aug 2020 -- For Myanmar high school students, passing their matriculation exam with distinction is a near guarantee of getting into a university, even if not the school of their choice.
• Pakistan Attempts Balance Ties With China, US VOA 27 Aug 2020 -- Pakistan's government has long said it is trying to maintain good relations with both China and the United States, despite rising tensions between Beijing and Washington. But Prime Minister Imran Khan was blunt in one of his recent public statements about where the two relationships are heading.
• Saudi Arabia detains in-law of ex-top intel agent in exile: Family Press TV 27 Aug 2020 -- The regime in Riyadh detained another relative of a former senior intelligence official in exile, who has recently sued Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at a US court over an assassination attempt against him, the family says.
• Arson, Apparent Surveillance Send Chilling Message to Ukraine's Investigative Journalists VOA 27 Aug 2020 -- Grainy surveillance video shows a person walking toward a car belonging to Ukrainian investigative news team Schemes moments before the vehicle ignites.
• Former Mali President Set Free by Military That Seized Power From Him Sputnik 27 Aug 2020 -- Earlier this week, the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) suspended Mali's membership following a recent coup in the West African country.
• Jordan exploiting coronavirus pandemic to quell protests against opposition crackdown: HRW Press TV 27 Aug 2020 -- Human Rights Watch (HRW) says Jordanian authorities are taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic to suppress ongoing public protests against the detention of leading members of the opposition-run teachers' union.
• Families of Missing Thai Activists Call For Criminalizing Enforced Political Disappearances Radio Free Asia 27 Aug 2020 -- Almost three months into the alleged abduction of Wanchalearm Satsaksit, a prominent Thai activist who was last seen in Cambodia, his family members and those of other missing Thais on Thursday urged the government to pass a bill that criminalizes enforced political disappearances.
• UNESCO launches Beirut recovery fund for culture, heritage and education UN News 27 Aug 2020 -- To support the rehabilitation of schools, historic heritage buildings, museums and the creative economy, which suffered extensive damage in the deadly explosions that shook Beirut earlier this month, the head of the UN cultural agency on Thursday launched an international fund-raising appeal.
• Tanzanian Opposition Parties Allege Candidates Have Been Unfairly Disqualified VOA 27 Aug 2020 -- Several opposition parties in Tanzania allege that hundreds of their candidates have been dubiously disqualified from participating in the October 28 general election.
• South Sudan Residents Protest Oil Facilities VOA 27 Aug 2020 -- Residents around South Sudan's Palouch and Melut oil fields in Upper Nile state demonstrated Wednesday for a third consecutive day against environmental pollution caused by the oil companies. The protesters blocked the doors of at least two oil companies and shut down roads and the airstrip in Palouch.