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News Reports

Current Operations

• Briefing With Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad On the Afghanistan Peace Negotiations US Dept. of State 11 Sep 2020
• Pompeo Says Afghan Peace Talks Likely To Be 'Contentious' RFE/RL 11 Sep 2020 -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said upcoming Afghan peace talks are likely to be "contentious," but that they are the only way forward if Afghans are to find peace after decades of conflict.
• Afghan Rivals Gather in Qatar for Historic US-Backed Peace Talks VOA 11 Sep 2020 -- Representatives of Afghanistan's warring factions have gathered in Qatar for historic U.S.-brokered peace negotiations starting Saturday that aim to find a political settlement to the South Asian country's long war.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Statement from AFRICOM Commander U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend on 9/11 & Current Threats AFRICOM 11 Sep 2020 -- Statement attributable to U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, U.S. Africa Command commander
• Senior Defense Officials Discuss 2030 Missile Defense DoD News 11 Sep 2020 -- Three senior Defense Department officials took part in a discussion about missile defense capabilities in 2030 and the demands of tomorrow at the Missile Defense 2030 symposium.
• Navy to Christen Submarine Montana DoD 11 Sep 2020 -- The Navy will christen one of its newest attack submarines, the future USS Montana (SSN 794), during a 10 a.m. EDT ceremony Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, at Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries, in Newport News, Virginia.
• Military Must Continue Progress to Deter Competitors DoD News 11 Sep 2020 -- The U.S. military has seen tremendous progress in readiness, equipment, processes and personnel over the past five years, and the United States must continue on that road in order to deter Russia and China, a top Defense Department official said.
• DOD Awards Contracts for COVID-19 Reusable Isolation Gowns DoD 11 Sep 2020 -- Today, the Department of Defense, on behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services, signed contracts with a maximum value of $136 million with five American businesses to manufacture up to 15 million Covid-19 reusable isolation gowns for the replenishment of the HHS-managed Strategic National Stockpile.
• DOD announces $2.9 million in Defense Production Act Title III COVID-19 Actions DoD 11 Sep 2020 -- Today the Department is announcing two Defense Production Act Title III actions to sustain and strengthen essential domestic industrial base capabilities and defense-critical small businesses.
• Secretary Esper and General Milley Remarks at Pentagon 9/11 Remembrance DoD 11 Sep 2020 -- Joint Chiefs Of Staff Chairman General Mark Milley; Secretary Of Defense Mark T. Esper
• Joint Press Statement for the 18th Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue DoD 11 Sep 2020 -- The Republic of Korea (ROK) Ministry of National Defense (MND) and the United States (U.S.) Department of Defense (DOD) held the 18th Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue (KIDD) September 9-10, 2020.
• Intersessional Meeting of the U.S.-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue DoD 11 Sep 2020 -- Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Dean Thompson and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs David Helvey joined their Indian counterparts today for a virtual Intersessional Meeting of the U.S.-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue.
• The Maldives and U.S. Sign Defense Agreement DoD 11 Sep 2020 -- Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for South and Southeast Asia Reed Werner and Maldivian Minister of Defense Mariya Didi signed the "Framework for U.S. Department of Defense-Maldives Ministry of Defence Defense and Security Relationship" in Philadelphia on September 10.
• Readout of Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark T. Esper's Phone Call With Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina DoD 11 Sep 2020
• US Navy to Hold 'Valiant Shield' War Games Near Guam With Over 100 Aircraft Sputnik 11 Sep 2020 -- Massive new war games later this month will feature a US aircraft carrier, amphibious assault ship and dock landing ship, as well as more than 100 aircraft, the US Pacific Fleet announced on Friday.
• Pentagon Eyeing Greece as 'Alternative' if Erdogan Closes Incirlik Base - US Senator Sputnik 11 Sep 2020 -- As relations between Turkey and the United States continue to worsen, US commanders and lawmakers are beginning to look for options for repositioning the substantial military assets at Incirlik Air Base in southern Turkey. One option, a US senator recently said, is the Navy's base at Souda Bay, on the Greek island of Crete.
• Bombers, Marine F-35s join Point Blank 20-4 exercise US Air Force 11 Sep 2020 -- More than 50 aircraft from the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Marine Corps, the Royal Air Force and the Royal Netherlands Air Force participated in exercise Point Blank 20-04 over the North Sea, Sep. 10.
• Fleet Logistics Center Pearl Harbor Proves Navy's Ability to Project Joint Combat Power Globally US Navy 11 Sep 2020 -- To move warfighting equipment of an entire Army infantry brigade from one side of the globe to another takes time, manpower, planning and joint force collaboration.
• U.S. Indo-Pacific Command forces come together for Valiant Shield 2020 US Navy 11 Sep 2020 -- U.S. Indo-Pacific Command forces are participating in exercise Valiant Shield (VS), Sept. 14-25, on Guam and around the Mariana Islands Range Complex.
• U.S., Allied Forces Conduct Exercise Pacific Vanguard US Navy 11 Sep 2020 -- Maritime forces from Australia, Japan, Republic of Korea, and the United States met in the waters off the coast of Guam, to conduct cooperative maritime exercise Pacific Vanguard Sept. 12.
• Pentagon to Rescind Order Dissolving Stars and Stripes Newspaper VOA 11 Sep 2020 -- The Pentagon says it will rescind its order for a government-funded, independent military newspaper to cease publication by September 30, nearly a week after President Donald Trump tweeted that he would stop budget cuts from his own administration that would have closed Stars and Stripes.
• Russian Su-27 Plane Scrambled to Intercept US Planes Over Black Sea Sputnik 11 Sep 2020 -- Russian Su-27 plane intercepted two US planes over the Black Sea, the Russian national defence control centre said Friday.
• US Strategic Bombers B-52h Simulated Strikes Against Russia in August, Military Says Sputnik 11 Sep 2020 -- US strategic bombers B-52H held drills in late August, during which they simulated strikes against Russia by cruise missiles from Estonia and Canada, Col. Gen. Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces Sergei Surovikin said Friday.
• PLA carriers crucial in reunification-by-force Taiwan operation Global Times 11 Sep 2020 -- After the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) conducted intensive aerial and naval exercises near Taiwan for two consecutive days on Wednesday and Thursday, the military on the island is fearing a potential island encirclement patrol by the PLA's two aircraft carriers, Taiwan media said on Friday.
• PLA Tibet military command adopts drones for logistics support in drills amid China-India border clash Global Times 11 Sep 2020 -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Tibet Military Command recently adopted UAVs - or drones - to provide logistics support for its troops that are currently stationed at an elevation of 4,500 meters completing exercise drills, with some military analysts believing the decision to employ such innovative technologies showcases the PLA's new modernized logistics support means while also exhibiting that China is prepared for potential conflict while engaging in negotiations with India.
• China to dispatch troops for military drills in Russia People's Daily 11 Sep 2020 -- The Chinese military will send personnel to Russia's Astrakhan Region to participate in the Kavkaz-2020 strategic military drills scheduled for Sept. 21-26, China's Ministry of National Defense announced on Thursday.
• New regulations mark improvement of Party building in Chinese military: official PLA Daily 11 Sep 2020 -- The newly introduced regulations marked new progress in Party building within the Chinese military, according to a leading official with the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission (CMC).
• Chinese peacekeeping contingent to Lebanon carries out construction task along the Blue Line PLA Daily 11 Sep 2020 -- To improve the patrolling conditions during rainy season and provide convenience for local people's daily commute, the 19th batch of Chinese peacekeeping multifunctional engineer contingent to Lebanon started its first construction task along the Blue Line on the Lebanon and Israel border based on the annual construction plan of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), on September 9, local time.
• Iran military drone chases away intruding US spy plane, combat drones during naval drills Press TV 11 Sep 2020 -- Iran's military says it has intercepted three US aircraft that had intruded into the country's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) in violation of rules that regulate large-scale naval exercises.
• Iran holds second day of naval exercises with drone, cruise missile strikes Press TV 11 Sep 2020 -- Iranian Army forces have held the second day of large-scale naval exercises with drone and cruise missile strikes in the country's southern waters.
• Iran Deploys Submarine, Cruise Missile In Exercises Radio Farda 11 Sep 2020 -- The Iranian navy on Friday deployed homegrown military equipment including a submarine and a cruise missile on the second day of exercises near the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
• Japan to Develop New Missile Defence Plan After Abandoning Aegis Ashore Systems, Abe Says Sputnik 11 Sep 2020 -- The Japanese government will develop a new plan for its missile defence systems by the end of the current year, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Friday, in the wake of Tokyo's decision in June to abandon the deployment of two US-made Aegis Ashore systems.
• China should not underestimate Taiwan's will to defend itself: Tsai CNA 11 Sep 2020 -- President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Friday warned China not to underestimate Taiwan's will to defend itself and the determination of the Taiwanese people to safeguard their free and democratic way of life.
• Chinese spy ship spotted off Taiwan's east coast for two days CNA 11 Sep 2020 -- A reconnaissance vessel of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has been spotted off Taiwan's east coast over the past two days during a Taiwanese missile testing exercise, a military source said Friday.
• Lao Army Launches TV Station Paid For by China Radio Free Asia 11 Sep 2020 -- The Lao People's Army has launched a television station funded entirely by the country's powerful northern neighbor China, Lao media sources say. The station, Lao Army Television Channel 7, began broadcasting content on Sept. 9 from its building in the capital Vientiane.
• Massive explosions strike Jordanian military munitions depot, cause major fire Press TV 11 Sep 2020 -- A series of powerful blasts have ripped through a military munitions depot in desert east of Jordan's second-largest city of Zarqa.
• Secretary Michael R. Pompeo Remarks to Traveling Press US Dept. of State 11 Sep 2020

Defense Industry

• Contracts for September 11, 2020

Other Conflicts

• 11 September 2020 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 11 Sep 2020
• Pompeo Again Slams Chinese 'Aggression,' Says US Is Committed to SE Asia Radio Free Asia 11 Sep 2020 -- United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday reaffirmed Washington's commitment to Southeast Asia and accused China of "aggression" in the South China Sea and manipulating the flow of the Mekong River in a time of drought.
• Philippine, Chinese Defense Leaders Discuss South China Sea 'Differences' Radio Free Asia 11 Sep 2020 -- Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe met behind closed doors with his Philippines counterpart in Manila on Friday, on the heels of similar visits to Malaysia and Indonesia, discussing "a range of issues" affecting defense ties, including the South China Sea, the Philippines side said.
• China Arrests Drug Traffickers Near Fiery Cross Reef in South China Sea Radio Free Asia 11 Sep 2020 -- China has announced that its coast guard and an anti-narcotics unit conducted a rare drug bust in the middle of the Spratly Islands last month, seizing a ship and making six arrests, in the latest show of Beijing's claim to jurisdiction over disputed waters in the South China Sea.
• Tehran slams as 'baseless' UN report of Iran's arms shipments to Yemen Press TV 11 Sep 2020 -- Iran's Foreign Ministry has slammed as "baseless" a report published by the United Nation's Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) alleging Tehran has been sending arms to war-torn Yemen.
• Syrian air defense units intercept, destroy Israeli missiles over Aleppo Press TV 11 Sep 2020 -- Syrian air defenses have thwarted another Israeli act of aggression against the war-ravaged Arab country, and shot down a number of "hostile" missiles in the skies over the strategic northwestern province of Aleppo.
• Bahrain and Israel: UK responds to announcement of normalisation UK FCDO 11 Sep 2020 -- The Foreign Secretary has issued a statement on the announcement of the normalisation of relations between Bahrain and Israel.
• Trump: Bahrain to Recognize Israel VOA 11 Sep 2020 -- President Donald Trump announced on Friday that the Gulf Kingdom of Bahrain has agreed to recognize Israel, following a similar deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates last month. The agreement is another sign of the shifting dynamic in the Middle East, one that brings Arab nations closer to Israel and is seen as isolating Palestinians.
• Remarks by President Trump on the Announcement of Normalization of Relations Between Israel and the Kingdom of Bahrain The White House 11 Sep 2020
• Historic Agreement Between Israel and the Kingdom of Bahrain US Dept. of State 11 Sep 2020
• President Donald J. Trump Has Brokered a Historic Deal Between Israel and the Kingdom of Bahrain The White House 11 Sep 2020
• Chinese-Indian foreign ministers reach consensus beyond expectations; peace depends on India keeping promise: expert Global Times 11 Sep 2020 -- The joint statement and five-point consensus reached by both Chinese and Indian foreign ministers in Moscow on Thursday evening marked a substantial step in cooling down the current border situation, exceeding the expectations of most international observers and creating favorable conditions for a possible future meeting between the leaders of the two countries, Chinese experts told the Global Times on Friday.
• Joint press release published to de-escalate border tensions and keep dialogue after China-India FMs meeting in Moscow Global Times 11 Sep 2020 -- A joint press release was announced after the meeting between Chinese and Indian foreign ministers in Moscow on Thursday, to de-escalate border tensions, and keep dialogue.
• China, India reach consensus on easing border tensions PLA Daily 11 Sep 2020 -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Indian counterpart S. Jaishankar reached a five-point consensus on the developments in the border areas as well as on bilateral relations, according to a joint press statement released here on Thursday.
• China, India agree to take steps for 'peace' on contested border Press TV 11 Sep 2020 -- China and India say they have agreed to take steps to restore "peace and tranquility" on their disputed Himalayan border, where escalated tensions prompted the two nuclear powers to accuse each other of committing border aggression.
• India, China Agree to Protect Existing Border Agreements, Avoid Escalation of Tensions Sputnik 11 Sep 2020 -- The Indian Minister of External Affairs, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, met in Moscow on Thursday on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to discuss the simmering tensions between New Delhi and Beijing.
• UN registers sharp spike in Israeli demolitions of Palestinian houses Press TV 11 Sep 2020 -- The United Nations (UN)'s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says there has been a sharp increase in the number of Palestinian houses being demolished by Israel in the occupied West Bank during the coronavirus pandemic.
• Indonesia Urged to Ensure Adequate Aid to Rohingya After Three Die Radio Free Asia 11 Sep 2020 -- Indonesia should ensure that nearly 300 Rohingya migrants who landed in Aceh province this week are given adequate health care and aid, Amnesty International said Friday, as officials announced three of the new arrivals had died after suffering lung infections.
• Future Unclear for Myanmar Army Deserters in Netherlands VOA 11 Sep 2020 -- Details are emerging about how two privates in the Myanmar army who confessed on video to committing atrocity crimes ended up in the Netherlands.
• Turkey decries European statement in support of Greece as 'biased' Press TV 11 Sep 2020 -- Turkey has decried as "biased" a statement issued by European countries in which they threatened sanctions against Ankara in a dispute with Greece over maritime boundaries.
• Turkey Slams Southern EU States' Declaration Supporting Greece Amid EastMed Tensions Sputnik 11 Sep 2020 -- The Turkish Foreign Ministry has condemned the declaration adopted at the Summit of the Southern EU Countries that expressed full support and solidarity with Cyprus and Greece in the face of Turkey's drilling activity in the Eastern Mediterranean and also proposed expanding sanctions against Ankara.
• France's Macron Says Southern Europe Ready for Dialogue With Turkey Sputnik 11 Sep 2020 -- French President Emmanuel Macron said the heads of the Southern Countries of the European Union bloc, also known as the Med7 were willing to conduct a responsible dialogue with Turkey in the wake of toughened Eastern Mediterranean tensions.

News Reports

• Microsoft Says Russian, Iranian, Chinese Hackers Target Biden, Trump Campaigns RFE/RL 11 Sep 2020 -- U.S. tech giant Microsoft says hackers linked to Russia, Iran, and China have targeted people and organizations tied to both U.S. President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden.
• Tehran Refutes Microsoft's Claims That Iranian Hackers Targeted US Election Candidates Sputnik 11 Sep 2020 -- Microsoft's claim that Iranian hackers launched cyberattacks targeting candidates in the upcoming United States presidential election are untrue, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said in a statement to the CNN broadcaster.
• DHS Public Action Plan to Implement Strategic Framework for Countering Terrorism and Targeted Violence (CTTV Framework) DHS 11 Sep 2020 -- In September 2019, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued its Strategic Framework for Countering Terrorism and Targeted Violence (CTTV Framework) and now offers this corresponding Public Action Plan demonstrating the Department's efforts to combat emerging threats and improve information sharing.
• Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Moscow, September 11, 2020 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 11 Sep 2020
• Russia prepares additional request to Germany on Navalny case Press TV 11 Sep 2020 -- Moscow has prepared an additional request to demand legal assistance from Germany in the case of Alexei Navalny, amid groundless accusations about Russia's involvement in purported poisoning of the opposition figure.
• Russian Interior Ministry Wants To Question Navalny In Germany RFE/RL 11 Sep 2020 -- Russia's Interior Ministry wants to question opposition politician Aleksei Navalny in Berlin, where he is being treated after German doctors reported "unequivocal evidence" that he was poisoned with the military-grade nerve agent Novichok, contradicting their Russian counterparts who said they had found no trace of poison.
• In Russia's Far East, A Rare Protest Movement Refuses To Be Cowed RFE/RL 11 Sep 2020 -- In this remote Russian city near the border with China, political protests have become a daily ritual. On weekday evenings, dozens of people march along the main road, cursing the Kremlin as cars swerve past and amused passersby take photos. On Saturdays, a carnivalesque mood takes over with thousands treading a circuit around the city center, chanting, "We need the support of the whole country!"
• Early Voting Under Way In Russian Regional Elections Seen As Key Test For Ruling Party RFE/RL 11 Sep 2020 -- Two days of early voting have begun in many regions across Russia that are holding local elections ahead of the main and final day of balloting on September 13.
• Akhmed Zakayev, Former Member Of Chechen Separatist Government, Says His Relatives Detained In Chechnya RFE/RL 11 Sep 2020 -- A former top official in Chechnya's separatist government, Akhmed Zakayev, who resides in London, says his relatives have been detained in Chechnya after a video statement he posted online condemning the humiliation of a teenage activist.
• The Week In Russia: Poison And Geopolitics, Anarchy And Dictatorship RFE/RL 11 Sep 2020 -- As usual, there was talk to the effect that Russia might get through the month of August without any momentous events this year. After all, hadn't enough already happened in 2020, not just in Russia but around the world?
• Joint statement by the foreign ministers of the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China, Moscow, September 11, 2020 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 11 Sep 2020 -- The Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China, in the spirit of relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation that are entering a new era, and based on a common vision of the current international situation and key problems, urge the international community to promote cooperation, deepen understanding, stand up against new challenges and threats by collective efforts and facilitate global political stability and global economic recovery.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on September 11, 2020 PRC MofA 11 Sep 2020
• The United States Expresses Concern Over Hong Kong Democracy Activists Held in Guangdong Province US Dept. of State 11 Sep 2020 -- "The United States is deeply concerned that twelve Hong Kong democracy activists, arrested two weeks ago off the coast of Hong Kong by Guangdong Maritime Police, have been denied access to lawyers of their choice."
• As Many as Eight Internment Camps Operating in Xinjiang Region Where Disney Filmed 'Mulan' Radio Free Asia 11 Sep 2020 -- As many as eight internment camps may be operating in Turpan (in Chinese, Tulufan), local police said, as calls to boycott a Disney film shot partly in the ancient Silk Road City grew Friday, citing its links to entities responsible for repressing Uyghurs in China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR).
• China slaps reciprocal restrictions on US embassy, consular staff Global Times 11 Sep 2020 -- China has taken reciprocal restrictions on diplomats and other personnel at the US embassy and consulates in China, including the US consulate in Hong Kong region, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Friday.
• China imposes 'reciprocal' restrictions on all US diplomats Press TV 11 Sep 2020 -- China's Foreign Ministry says Beijing will impose 'reciprocal restrictions' on all American diplomats in mainland China and Hong Kong in response to Washington's earlier restrictive measures amid tense ties between the two countries.
• US annulment of Chinese nationals' visas is 'blatant political persecution,' says FM Global Times 11 Sep 2020 -- The US has seriously infringed on the human rights of Chinese nationals and brought grave consequences for the personnel and cultural exchanges between the two countries, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Thursday, slamming the US annulment of more than 1,000 visas for Chinese nationals as "blatant political persecution and racial discrimination."
• U.S. Ambassador Accuses China's Huawei Of Misleading Romanian People RFE/RL 11 Sep 2020 -- The U.S. ambassador to Bucharest has accused Huawei and the Chinese Embassy of continuing "to try to mislead the people of Romania" while accusing some Romanian press outlets of publishing Chinese propaganda.
• Chinese Dissident Property Tycoon Defends Himself at Trial Radio Free Asia 11 Sep 2020 -- Property tycoon Ren Zhiqiang, who was detained and expelled from the ruling Chinese Communist Party after penning an article highly critical of general secretary Xi Jinping, was planning to plead not guilty at his trial on Friday, sources told RFA.
• Hong Kong Catholics 'Divided' Over Response to National Security Crackdown Radio Free Asia 11 Sep 2020 -- Catholic priests in Hong Kong have been asked to avoid "instigating hatred and social disorder" by their bishop, as the local Catholic diocese appeared to signal it wouldn't oppose a draconian national security law imposed on the city by Beijing.
• Chinese media draws KMT protest over 'suing-for-peace' allegation CNA 11 Sep 2020 -- Taiwan's main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) on Friday denounced the Chinese state-owned broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) for tagging a planned visit to China for a cross-Taiwan Strait forum later this month as a move to "sue for peace" amid the tense standoff in the strait.
• Department of Justice Announces Charges of North Korean and Malaysia Nationals for Bank Fraud, Money Laundering and North Korea Sanctions Violations US Dept. of Justice 11 Sep 2020 -- The Department of Justice announced a criminal complaint charging Ri Jong Chol, Ri Yu Gyong, North Korean nationals, and Gan Chee Lim, a Malaysia national. The three were charged with conspiracy to violate North Korean Sanctions Regulations and bank fraud, and conspiracy to launder funds.
• DPRK Advancing by Dint of Army-Civilian Unity KCNA 11 Sep 2020 -- Recently, Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un entrusted the reconstruction of the Komdok area damaged by Typhoon No. 9 to the People's Army once again.
• U.S. Military Chief in Korea Confirms North Korean Kill Zone on China Border Radio Free Asia 11 Sep 2020 -- North Korea has set up a shoot-to-kill zone along its border with China to prevent citizens from crossing into China and bringing the coronavirus back with them should they return, the senior U.S. commander on the Korean peninsula said this week.
• US senator had warned Trump Soleimani assassination could trigger 'almost total war' Press TV 11 Sep 2020 -- US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham had reportedly warned President Donald Trump of the escalation of Washington-Tehran tensions into an "almost total war" before Trump ordered the assassination of top Iranian anti-terror commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad earlier in the year.
• Iran holds run-off parliamentary vote amid strict COVID-19 measures Press TV 11 Sep 2020 -- Iranian voters have voted across the country in run-off parliamentary elections in which 10 seats are up for grabs in the 290-seat Majlis.
• 22 Human Rights Organizations Call for UN Investigation into Suppressing Iranian Protesters Radio Farda 11 Sep 2020 -- In a joint letter to the leaders across the globe, 22 international human rights organizations are advocating for the establishment of a select committee at the next gathering of the UN's Council of Human Rights to investigate "the grave violation of human rights in Iran" during and after the November 2019 protests.
• 'It Is Time To Help': Belarusian Opposition Leader Rebukes EU For Failure To Act Against Lukashenka RFE/RL 11 Sep 2020 -- A leading Belarusian opposition official has called on the European Union to live up to its commitment to support democracy and announce that it will stop recognizing the rule of strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka at the end of a three-month transition period.
• Putin, Lukashenka To Hold First Face-To-Face Talks Since Postelection Crisis RFE/RL 11 Sep 2020 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka will meet next week to hold their first face-to-face talks since a wave of demonstrations demanding the longtime Belarusian leader step down erupted following his disputed reelection last month.
• U.S. Says Kremlin Risks Turning Belarusian People Against Russia By Backing Lukashenka RFE/RL 11 Sep 2020 -- U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun has said Russia risks losing the friendship of the Belarusian people if the Kremlin continues to back authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
• Belarus: UN chief deeply concerned over use of force against peaceful protesters UN News 11 Sep 2020 -- Secretary-General António Guterres on Friday expressed deep concern over the continued use of force against peaceful protestors in Belarus and detention of those exercising their legitimate democratic rights.
• Trump brags of saving Saudi Crown Prince over murder of Khashoggi Press TV 11 Sep 2020 -- US President Donald Trump brags he shielded Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over the gruesome murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, according to an explosive new book.
• 'I Saved His A**': Trump Admits to Helping Saudi Crown Prince Duck Consequences of Khashoggi Murder Sputnik 11 Sep 2020 -- US President Donald Trump has admitted that he led a multi-year charge to take congressional heat off of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, who ordered the brutal murder of 59-year-old Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, according to a new excerpt from renowned journalist Bob Woodward's forthcoming book "Rage."
• Cambodia Arrests Another Activist For 'Incitement' as UN, Rights Group Slam Government Repression Radio Free Asia 11 Sep 2020 -- Cambodia has arrested yet another rights activist for "incitement" as the United Nations and a major human rights group lambasted the country's government Friday for repressing voices critical of Prime Minister Hun Sen's leadership.
• UN Agency Condemns Cambodia's Repression of Human Rights Defenders VOA 11 Sep 2020 -- The U.N. human rights office is condemning what it calls growing repressive measures by the Cambodian government that stifle freedom of expression and assembly practiced by the country's human rights defenders.
• Bulgarians Gather For 64th Day Of Anti-Government Protests, Demand Resignations RFE/RL 11 Sep 2020 -- Anti-government protesters returned to the streets of the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, pressing demands for the resignation of the government and the prosecutor-general.
• South Sudan, Sudan Address Economic Crises VOA 11 Sep 2020 -- South Sudan's central bank said Friday that it planned to ban the use of foreign currency nationwide to prevent further depreciation of the South Sudanese pound against the U.S. dollar after prices of food and other basic commodities have skyrocketed in recent weeks and months.
• UN, IRC Step Up Emergency Aid to Flood-Devasted Sudan VOA 11 Sep 2020 -- U.N. and international agencies are stepping up emergency operations in response to deadly flooding in Sudan, which has left hundreds of thousands homeless
• Mali Junta Leaders Resume Three-Day Summit on Plan for Transition Government VOA 11 Sep 2020 -- Leaders of Mali's military junta will resume their three-day "national consultation" Friday to outline a transition to a civilian government, a month after deposing President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.
• Switzerland: Draft anti-terrorism law sets 'dangerous precedent', rights experts warn UN News 11 Sep 2020 -- A proposed new anti-terrorism law in Switzerland could set a dangerous precedent for the suppression of political dissent worldwide, a group of five independent UN human rights experts warned on Friday.
• WHO warns against potential Ebola spread in DR Congo and beyond UN News 11 Sep 2020 -- Ebola is spreading in a western province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), raising fears that the disease could reach neighbouring Republic of Congo and even the capital, Kinshasa, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.