COVID-19 - Daily News

03 September 2020 Military News

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Current Operations

Afghanistan: Near-record violence risks derailing imminent talks between Government and Taliban UN News 03 Sep 2020 -- The UN's top official in Afghanistan has warned that with the formal launch of direct peace negotiations imminent, near-record violence in the country is creating an atmosphere of mistrust that risks derailing long-sought talks between the Government and the Taliban.
Afghan government says almost all Taliban prisoners freed, ready for talks Press TV 03 Sep 2020 -- The Afghan government has released the remaining 400 Taliban prisoners, the final hurdle in long-delayed peace talks between the two warring sides.
Afghanistan to send 7 Taliban inmates to Qatar: Report Press TV 03 Sep 2020 -- Afghanistan will move seven Taliban prisoners to Qatar, a report says, a few days ahead of peace talks between Kabul and the militant group in the Persian Gulf state.
Kabul Says Almost All Taliban Prisoners Released, Ready For Talks RFE/RL 03 Sep 2020 -- Afghan authorities say they expect peace negotiations to start soon after they released the remaining 400 Taliban prisoners they had been detaining, except "a few" because of opposition from other countries.
Afghan Prisoner Swap Ends, Peace Talks to Finally Begin VOA 03 Sep 2020 -- Authorities in Afghanistan said Thursday the last group of about 400 Taliban prisoners has been released, concluding a protracted swap between the two adversaries and finally setting the stage for Afghan rivals to launch peace talks brokered by the United States.

U.S. Africa Command donates COVID supplies to Ghana AFRICOM 03 Sep 2020 -- Accra, GHANA -- U.S. Africa Command donated approximately $75,000 in COVID-19 supplies to the Ghana Armed Forces Aug. 28.

Tennessee Guard reaches milestone in COVID-19 testing Army News 03 Sep 2020 -- Soldiers and Airmen with the Tennessee National Guard, who are working diligently alongside Tennessee's Department of Health, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, and various other state and local agencies have successfully administered over 300,000 COVID-19 tests since March.

Defense Policy / Programs

UN dismayed over U.S. sanctions on top International Criminal Court officials People's Daily 03 Sep 2020 -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday noted "with concern" the imposition by the United States of sanctions against the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and another senior official, in the latest of a series of unilateral policy moves against the body.
ICC condemns "unprecedented, serious" U.S. economic sanctions People's Daily 03 Sep 2020 -- International Criminal Court (ICC) condemns the economic sanctions imposed by the United States on the court's prosecutor and a member of her Office, ICC said on Wednesday in a press release.
EU defends ICC after US sanctions on prosecutor Press TV 03 Sep 2020 -- The European Union says it will defend the International Criminal Court (ICC) after Washington slapped sanctions on the Hague-based tribunal's top prosecutor probing whether American forces committed war crimes in Afghanistan.
UN condemns US sanctions on ICC officials Press TV 03 Sep 2020 -- The United Nations has condemned "unprecedented" sanctions imposed by the United States on International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor over investigation into US war crimes in Afghanistan.

NAVCENT Medical Personnel Embed with Bahrain Ministry of Health to Manage Pandemic Response US Navy 03 Sep 2020 -- U.S. Navy medical personnel assigned to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) have partnered with the Kingdom of Bahrain's Ministry of Health (MOH) since April 2020, in an effort to coordinate coronavirus (COVID-19) mitigation efforts and ensure full compliance with the partner nation's public health guidelines.
AUAB, Qatar sign agreement on air space operations CENTCOM 03 Sep 2020 -- An Air Traffic Control Letter of Agreement was signed by U.S. personnel, the Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF) and Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) to better work together to ensure safe air space operations at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar.
Crisis response: CLB-31, 31st MEU prepare NCO's to lead the way USMC News 03 Sep 2020 -- U.S. Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 31, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, attend a class about the CLB's role in non-combatant evacuation operations and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief aboard USS New Orleans (LPD 18).
Keel Authenticated for Future USNS Harvey Milk US Navy 03 Sep 2020 -- The keel for the future USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO 206), the Navy's second John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oiler, was laid at General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (GD NASSCO), Sep. 3.
USS Arleigh Burke Commanding Officer Relieved US Navy 03 Sep 2020 -- Rear Adm. Craig Clapperton, Commander, Carrier Strike Group TWELVE, relieved Cmdr. John Gaines, commanding officer (CO) of USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51), Sep. 3, due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command.
Naval Information Warfare Systems Command Urges Need for Industry Partners at Small-Business Event US Navy 03 Sep 2020 -- Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR) leadership virtually joined government and industry professionals during the 32nd Annual Department of the Navy (DoN) Gold Coast Small Business Procurement Event, August 31 to September 2, to educate businesses nationwide in how to effectively collaborate with defense in the development and delivery of warfighting capabilities now and in the future.
Navy Commissions Naval Support Facility Redzikowo US Navy 03 Sep 2020 -- The Navy's newest shore installation, Naval Support Facility (NSF) Redzikowo, was officially commissioned on Sept. 3 at a ceremony in front of U.S. and Polish dignitaries.
Navy Accepts Delivery of USNS Newport US Navy 03 Sep 2020 -- The U.S. Navy accepted delivery of the twelfth Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) vessel, USNS Newport (T-EPF 12), Sep. 2.
USS Carl Vinson Arrives at San Diego Homeport US Navy 03 Sep 2020 -- The Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) arrived at Naval Air Station North Island, Sept. 2, concluding the ship's homeport shift from Washington to California.
DOD Sites Selected for Phase III COVID-19 Vaccine Trials: Five Medical Treatment Facilities in National Capital Region, San Antonio, and San Diego to Participate DoD 03 Sep 2020 -- As part of the Operation Warp Speed (OWS) goal to deliver safe and effective vaccines and therapeutics by January 2021, five DoD locations have been identified to participate in the Phase III trial evaluating the vaccine candidate AZD1222 under development by AstraZeneca.
Collision between US Navy Destroyer Fitzgerald and Philippine-Flag Container Ship ACX Crystal NTSB 03 Sep 2020 -- About 0130 (local time) on June 17, 2017, the US Navy Destroyer Fitzgerald with 315 persons on board was southbound at a speed of about 22.1 knots in the bay of Sagami Nada off Japan's Honshu Island after departing the US Navy Base at Yokosuka, Japan, bound for the Philippines.

Canadian CF-188 jets start enhanced Air Policing Mission in Romania NATO 03 Sep 2020 -- The Canadian Armed Forces Air Task Force – Romania formally received their readiness certification from NATO during a certification ceremony held at the Romanian Air Force Base Mihail Kogalniceanu. This certification allows the Task Force to officially begin their enhanced Air Policing mission on Saturday, 5 September.
NATO Secretary General statement on technical talks for de-confliction in the Eastern Mediterranean NATO 03 Sep 2020 -- Following my discussions with Greek and Turkish leaders, the two Allies have agreed to enter into technical talks at NATO to establish mechanisms for military de-confliction to reduce the risk of incidents and accidents in the Eastern Mediterranean. Greece and Turkey are valued Allies, and NATO is an important platform for consultations on all issues that affect our shared security. I remain in close touch with all concerned Allies to find a solution to the tensions in the spirit of NATO solidarity.

China firmly opposes U.S. report on Chinese military PLA Daily 03 Sep 2020 -- The Chinese military Wednesday firmly opposed an "extremely erroneous" report by the U.S. Department of Defense on China's military, saying it is fraught with a zero-sum game mindset and Cold-war mentality.
China opposes US release of report hyping 'Chinese military threat' PLA Daily 03 Sep 2020 -- The People's Liberation Army opposes the United States' Pentagon releasing a report hyping up the so-called "Chinese military threat". It also promises to take further action in accordance with the development of the situation, the Ministry of National Defense said in a statement on Wednesday.
16th batch of Chinese peacekeeping engineer contingent all arrives in Sudan PLA Daily 03 Sep 2020 -- The second echelon of 115 members of the 16th Chinese peacekeeping engineer contingent arrived in Khartoum, capital of Sudan on August 31 for their 5-month peacekeeping mission. As of now, all the members have arrived in their mission areas.

Counter-drone tech and state-of-the-art radar for the RAF UK MOD 03 Sep 2020 -- RAF Typhoons are to be equipped with next generation radar thanks to a £317 million investment, Defence Minister Jeremy Quin today announced.

Press Briefing by Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany | 9/3/2020 The White House 03 Sep 2020

Defense Industry

Contracts For Sept. 3, 2020

Other Conflicts

3 September 2020 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 03 Sep 2020

What's behind tougher U.S. stance on South China Sea? People's Daily 03 Sep 2020 -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's ban on exercises with the United States in the South China Sea is without doubt a blow to Washington and its relationship with its hitherto ally.

Conflict in Syria requires political solution without foreign interference: Lavrov tells UN envoy Press TV 03 Sep 2020 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has stressed the need for a political solution to the conflict in Syria, saying the settlement of the conflict must be in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2254 and without foreign interference.

Libya arms embargo totally ineffective: UN official Press TV 03 Sep 2020 -- A United Nations (UN) official has warned of "blatant" violations of the arms embargo on conflict-ridden Libya, where warring sides have been receiving direct and indirect support from foreign patrons.
Russia Denies Involvement As UN Slams Arms Shipments, Foreign Mercenaries In Libya RFE/RL 03 Sep 2020 -- The top UN official for Libya says foreign backers of the war-wracked country's rival governments have ramped up weapons shipments in violation of an international arms embargo.

Roadside Bombing In Northwestern Pakistan Kills Three Soldiers RFE/RL 03 Sep 2020 -- A Pakistani official says a roadside explosion in the northwestern South Waziristan tribal district has left three soldiers dead and another wounded.
Experts: Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan Merger with Splinter Groups 'Bad News' for Pakistan VOA 03 Sep 2020 -- While reconciliation efforts between the government and the Taliban are still underway in Afghanistan, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has announced a reunification with Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JuA) and Hizbul Ahrar – a move that experts warn could be the beginning of increasingly hostile activities against Pakistan.

Civilians Accuse Military of Brutality in Cameroon's Anglophone Regions VOA 03 Sep 2020 -- Cameroon's military has detained hundreds of people in the country's troubled northwest as they search for separatists following the killing of a police officer this week. Locals accuse the military of carrying out revenge attacks, including looting and burning shops, in the English-speaking region – a charge the military denies.

Security Crisis in Rural Nigeria Prompts Calls for Action VOA 03 Sep 2020 -- It was dusk on July 24 when Emmanuel Ali said he heard the gunshots. A group of armed men entered his village in Nigeria's Kaduna state, he said, and began setting fire to homes.

Uganda Refugee Aid Groups Cry Foul Over Government Suspensions VOA 03 Sep 2020 -- Refugee aid groups in Uganda are crying foul after the government suspended more than 200 of them, three quarters of the total, for non-compliance with rules and permits. A U.N. special advisor on gender and displacement welcomed the suspensions as a move toward better transparency and regulation. But some activists worry the suspensions could impact 1.4 million refugees who reside in Uganda.

Arakan Army Accuses Myanmar of Using COVID-19 to Ramp Up Military Pressure Radio Free Asia 03 Sep 2020 -- The leader of the rebel Arakan Army has accused the Myanmar government of exploiting a surge in coronavirus cases to expand the military presence and tighten travel restrictions in conflict-ridden Rakhine state, causing more civilian suffering.

5 suspected leftist rebels, marine soldier killed in Philippine clash People's Daily 03 Sep 2020 -- Five suspected leftist rebels and a government soldier were killed in fierce fighting in Palawan province of the Philippines on Thursday, a military official said.

News Reports

U.S. Senators Seek Sanctions On Russia For Election Interference RFE/RL 03 Sep 2020 -- Democratic senators are urging the U.S. Treasury Department to impose sanctions on Russian organizations and individuals for interfering in the 2020 presidential election, saying such a "direct message" to Russian President Vladimir Putin is long overdue.

DHS Combats Potential Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Attack DHS 03 Sep 2020 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) continues to prepare against ever evolving threats against the American homeland, most recently highlighting efforts to combat an Electromagnetic Pulse attack which could disrupt the electrical grid and potentially damage electronics.

Turkey: Top IS Militant Suspected of Planning Attack on Hagia Sophia Arrested VOA 03 Sep 2020 -- The Turkish police said they have arrested Mahmut Ozden, a major Islamic State (IS) figure in Turkey suspected of planning an attack on the newly converted Hagia Sophia mosque in Istanbul.
Uzbeks Among Alleged IS Members Apprehended In Turkey RFE/RL 03 Sep 2020 -- Several Uzbek nationals have been arrested along with dozens of other alleged members and supporters of the Islamic State (IS) group in Turkey.

Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Moscow, September 3, 2020 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 03 Sep 2020
Alleged poisoning of Russian opposition leader a 'grave concern', says chemical weapons watchdog UN News 03 Sep 2020 -- The allegation that Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned by a Cold War-era nerve agent is "a matter of grave concern", the head of the UN-backed Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said on Thursday.
Kremlin tells West not to rush to judgement on Russia over Navalny Press TV 03 Sep 2020 -- Russia says the West should not rush to judge it over the alleged poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, adding that there are no grounds to accuse the country of the crime, as talk have intensified in the West of punishing Moscow.
Kremlin Rejects Accusations it Was Behind Poisoning of Russian Opposition Leader VOA 03 Sep 2020 -- The Kremlin rejected accusations it was behind the sudden illness of a leading Russian opposition politician, one day after a highly anticipated German investigation concluded Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny had been poisoned by a Soviet-produced military grade nerve agent.
'It's A Whole New Situation': Russia's Liberal Opposition Determined To Keep Fighting During Navalny's Absence RFE/RL 03 Sep 2020 -- Much of the Russian electorate is still seething over a package of constitutional amendments that were foisted on the country this spring, and could pave the way for President Vladimir Putin to remain in power until 2036. And anger against the ruling United Russia party over a reviled reform that raised retirement ages has not abated.
Pressure Grows For Merkel To Reconsider Germany-Russia Pipeline After Navalny Poisoning RFE/RL 03 Sep 2020 -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel is facing growing pressure to toughen her stance toward Russia after her government announced that it had "unequivocal evidence" showing gravely ill Kremlin-critic Aleksei Navalny had been poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent.

Date Set For Trial Of Alleged Killer of Former Chechen Rebel Commander In Berlin RFE/RL 03 Sep 2020 -- A date has been set for the trial of a Russian citizen suspected in killing of a Georgian national and former Chechen rebel commander in Berlin in last year.

Bulgarian Survivor Of Suspected Russian Poison Attack Decries Suspended Probe RFE/RL 03 Sep 2020 -- Bulgarian arms dealer Emilian Gebrev fell into a coma in Sofia in April 2015 after someone smeared the door handles of his car with a substance similar to Novichok - the nerve agent that hospitalized former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny.

Chinese president makes indirect response to US-led attacks on CPC at 75th anniversary of WWII victory Global Times 03 Sep 2020 -- The Chinese people will never agree on any attempt by any person or force to distort the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and smear the nature and the purpose of the CPC, Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is also the general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said at a symposium commemorating the 75th anniversary of the end of WWII.
Xi stresses carrying forward great spirit of resisting aggression PLA Daily 03 Sep 2020 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday stressed carrying forward the great spirit of resisting aggression in the new era and striving to achieve national rejuvenation.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference on September 3, 2020 PRC MofA 03 Sep 2020
FM dismisses Pompeo's accusations on China's COVID-19 cover-up Global Times 03 Sep 2020 -- Actions speak louder than words and the truth will always turn out to be true, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying on Thursday in response to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's recent statements accusing China of covering up the death toll from its COVID-19 epidemic.
Trump Administration Imposes Restrictions on Chinese Diplomats VOA 03 Sep 2020 -- The U.S. State Department has imposed a new set of restrictions on Chinese diplomats working in the United States.
Chinese embassy in US slams latest restrictions on Chinese diplomats Global Times 03 Sep 2020 -- The embassy of China in the US said it firmly opposes the US decision to impose more restrictions and obstacles on Chinese diplomatic and consular personnel in the country on the grounds of so-called reciprocity in US-China diplomatic ties.
China to give 'legitimate responses' if US implements curbs on diplomats Press TV 03 Sep 2020 -- China says it will give "legitimate responses" to the United States if Washington proceeds with a plan to impose new restrictions on Chinese diplomats.
US Clamps Down on Chinese Diplomatic Exchanges as Students' Visas Revoked Radio Free Asia 03 Sep 2020 -- The State Department is tightening restrictions on Chinese government-backed activities on U.S. soil, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo calling on universities to end the practice of having Confucius Institutes, cultural and language-teaching centers funded and run by Beijing, embedded on their campuses by the end of the year.
Lam's remarks on 'separation of powers' serve as remedial lessons for HK society Global Times 03 Sep 2020 -- After Carrie Lam, Chief Executive of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, told the media that there has never been a "separation of powers" in Hong Kong, some legal experts in Hong Kong began debating whether Beijing misunderstood the concept, while experts from the Chinese mainland said Lam's point serves as "remedial lessons" in understanding the constitutional order of the city.
Mongolian Schools Stay Empty Amid Ongoing Protests as Chinese Police Seek 'Troublemakers' Radio Free Asia 03 Sep 2020 -- Schools and classrooms remained largely empty across the northern Chinese region of Inner Mongolia on Thursday, amid an ongoing civil disobedience movement protesting plans to end Mongolian-medium teaching in the region's schools.
Inner Mongolians Boycott Classes to Protest Chinese Language Policy VOA 03 Sep 2020 -- Tuesday marked the first day of school in China's northern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, but a boycott of classes left many classrooms and playgrounds empty. Hundreds of ethnic Mongolian students, parents and teachers are protesting a new bilingual education policy they say will endanger Mongolian language and culture.

Taiwan visit doesn't violate 'one China' policy: Czech Senate president CNA 03 Sep 2020 -- Czech Senate President Miloš Vystrčil on Thursday insisted he did not cross Beijing's "red line" with his visit to Taiwan and vowed that bilateral cooperation will continue.

Smugglers Still Ply Trade on North Korea's China Border Despite Shoot-on-Sight Orders Radio Free Asia 03 Sep 2020 -- Economic hardship is driving North Koreans who live near China to break strict quarantine rules to move goods across the border in spite of recent orders by authorities that anyone approaching the frontier will be shot, local sources say.
Kim Tok Hun Inspects Recovery from Flood Damage in Kangwon Province KCNA 03 Sep 2020 -- Kim Tok Hun, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and premier of the DPRK Cabinet, made a field survey of the recovery from flood damage in Kimhwa and Phyonggang counties of Kangwon Province.
Top nuke envoys of S.Korea, U.S. hold phone talks over DPRK issues People's Daily 03 Sep 2020 -- Top nuclear envoys of South Korea and the United States held phone talks on Wednesday over issues on the Korean Peninsula, according to Seoul's foreign ministry.

Araghchi: JCPOA members have consensus to counter US illegal meaures IRNA 03 Sep 2020 -- Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Abbas Araghchi said there is a consensus among the remaining parties to the 2015 nuclear deal, also known as the JCPOA, to confront the illegal moves by the US to return UN sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
Rouhani hails Iran's "historic" success against U.S. attempts to restore UN sanctions People's Daily 03 Sep 2020 -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani celebrated on Wednesday the Iranian diplomacy's "historic" success against the U.S. efforts at the UN Security Council to restore UN sanctions on Iran.
It is common belief that US cannot cannot trigger sanctions snapback against Iran: China Press TV 03 Sep 2020 -- The Chinese ambassador to Tehran has stressed the US ineligibility to trigger the so-called snapback provision in the 2015 nuclear deal aimed at re-imposing UN sanctions against Iran, describing the fact as a "common belief."
Pompeo Talks With Swiss Counterpart Ahead Of Official Visit To Tehran, Thanks For Serving As Protecting Power Radio Farda 03 Sep 2020 -- In a statement on Wednesday the U.S. State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has in a phone thanked Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis as the U.S. protecting power in Iran and assistance in repatriating imprisoned U.S. citizens from Iran.
Imposing Sanctions on Entities for Engaging in Transactions Related to Iran's Petroleum and Petrochemical Industry US Dept. of State 03 Sep 2020 -- Today, the Department of State imposed sanctions on five entities under section 3(a)(ii) of Executive Order (E.O.) 13846 for knowingly engaging in a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of petroleum or petroleum products from Iran.
Treasury Sanctions Companies for Enabling the Shipment and Sale of Iranian Petrochemicals US Treasury 03 Sep 2020 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated six entities for their support to Triliance Petrochemical Co. Ltd. (Triliance), an entity designated by Treasury in January 2020, and related activities.
U.S. Sanctions 11 Companies It Says Have Enabled Sales, Shipments Of Iranian Oil RFE/RL 03 Sep 2020 -- The United States has imposed sanctions on 11 foreign companies for their alleged help in the export of Iranian oil and petrochemical products in violation of U.S. sanctions.
US Sanctions Companies for Allegedly Supporting Iranian Petrochemical Company VOA 03 Sep 2020 -- The United States has sanctioned several companies for allegedly allowing the shipment and sale of Iranian petrochemicals.
House-Arrested Iran Reformist Leader's Family Deny He Encourages Election Participation Radio Farda 03 Sep 2020 -- The family of Mehdi Karroubi, one of the leaders of Iran's Green Movement who has been under house arrest without being officially charged since February 2011, say that he has been granted opportunities to meet people outside his home, but denied that he has encouraged people to vote in next year's presidential election.

Paval Latushka: A Belarusian Diplomat Turned Protester RFE/RL 03 Sep 2020 -- For years Paval Latushka was a devoted politician and civil servant. He was a spokesman at Belarus's Foreign Ministry, the country's culture minister, and then, toward the end of his bureaucratic career, served as the ambassador to a handful of European countries. He was rarely, if ever, in the limelight.

China or US ? Philippines Foreign Policy Plays Both Sides VOA 03 Sep 2020 -- The Philippines, an old U.S. ally and more recent friend of China, is awkwardly bouncing one superpower off the other on its way to a neutral foreign policy that will give the Southeast Asian country benefits from both sides, specialists say.

Serbia, Kosovo Leaders Make 'Progress' In First Day of White House Talks RFE/RL 03 Sep 2020 -- Kosovar Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti says his meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on September 3 at the White House was a "big step" toward concluding an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia.
Serbia, Kosovo Leaders In White House For Talks That Focus On Economy, Job Creation RFE/RL 03 Sep 2020 -- Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovar Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti have arrived at the White House to attend a meeting as part of long-running negotiations between the Balkan rivals.

Reports Of Vote-Buying And Criminal Finances Cast Ominous Shadow Over Kyrgyz Elections RFE/RL 03 Sep 2020 -- Since the early 1990s, Kyrgyzstan has been called an "island of democracy" in Central Asia, a relative statement that, despite some setbacks, remains true today.
Kyrgyzstan Registers 15 Parties For October Parliamentary Elections RFE/RL 03 Sep 2020 -- A parliamentary election campaign Kyrgyzstan is set to officially begin on September 4, with 15 political parties to contest 120 seats in the Jogorku Kenesh, or the Supreme Council.

Tajikistan's Ruling Party Officially Nominates President Rahmon To Run For Sixth Term RFE/RL 03 Sep 2020 -- Tajikistan's ruling People's Democratic Party has officially nominated President Emomali Rahmon, already the longest-serving leader in the former Soviet Union, to run for another term.

Turkmen In U.S. Protest Berymukhammedov's Plan To Change Constitution RFE/RL 03 Sep 2020 -- Dozens of Turkmen citizens have held rallies in Washington, as well as in the cities of Houston and Pittsburgh, protesting the plan by Turkmenistan's authoritarian leader, Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, to introduce amendments to the constitution, the details of which remain unknown in the tightly-controlled Central Asian nation.

Recent Developments in Venezuela US Dept. of State 03 Sep 2020 -- The Maduro regime's announcement of conditional dismissal of criminal charges against roughly one-third of the political prisoners it holds does not solve, nor even address, Venezuela's underlying political crisis. Hundreds of political prisoners remain, and like those now offered house arrest or an end (for the moment) to their criminal cases, none of these Venezuelans should ever have been imprisoned for a single day.

Myanmar Ruling Party Defends Kayah Chief Minister After Impeachment, Ouster Radio Free Asia 03 Sep 2020 -- Myanmar President Win Myint on Thursday removed the chief minister of Kayah state, two days after state lawmakers voted to impeach him over the alleged misuse of public funds from renting out state machinery and land designated by the legislature as public space.
Rohingya Refugee Groups in Bangladesh Urge Myanmar to Allow Them to Vote Radio Free Asia 03 Sep 2020 -- Rohingya rights groups in Bangladesh published an open letter to Myanmar election officials on Thursday urging them to allow all Myanmar nationals, including Rohingya refugees, to vote in and contest that country's general election Nov. 8, community leaders told BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service.

Ethiopia Demands Explanation on US Aid Cut VOA 03 Sep 2020 -- Ethiopian officials are demanding an explanation from the U.S. after it announced this week it would cut millions of dollars in aid after Ethiopia's decision to begin filling a reservoir at a massive hydropower dam on the Nile River. Egypt and Sudan are opposed to the dam, which they fear could reduce their water supply.

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