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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• DOD Anticipates Significant Troop Reduction in Afghanistan DoD News 22 Sep 2020 -- Based on the current conditions in Afghanistan, the Defense Department expects there will be fewer than 5,000 U.S. military service members in that country by the end of November, said David F. Helvey, who is currently performing the duties of assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs.
• U.S. Envoy Says Violence In Afghanistan 'Too High,' Expects More Peace Talks Setbacks RFE/RL 22 Sep 2020 -- A senior U.S. envoy for Afghanistan on September 22 warned that violence there remains unacceptably high and Washington expects more setbacks in ongoing peace talks between Taliban militants and the Afghan government.
• Pentagon Planning 'Condition-Based' Full Withdrawal From Afghanistan by May 2021 Sputnik 22 Sep 2020 -- US President Donald Trump, in his re-election campaign, promised to end America's "endless wars", particularly vowing to reduce the US military presence in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Defense Policy / Programs

• USS Ross Completes PASSEX with Baltic NATO Partners US Navy 22 Sep 2020 -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) executed a passing exercise (PASSEX) with Baltic navy partners on Sept. 19, 2020.
• NRL-built Argon Fluoride Laser Marks Breakthrough, Sets New Energy Record US Navy 22 Sep 2020 -- The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory research team set a new energy record on March 5 using an argon fluoride laser. This energy is twice the previous record.
• AI Aids DOD in Early Detection of COVID-19 DoD News 22 Sep 2020 -- The Defense Threat Reduction Agency and Defense Innovation Unit are applying commercial technology for early detection of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2, which causes the COVID-19 coronavirus disease.
• Air Force update for COVID-19 US Air Force 22 Sep 2020
• Readout of Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Dr. James Anderson's Bilateral Engagement With Ghanaian Minister of Defense Hon. Dominic Nitiwul DoD 22 Sep 2020
• US troops to stay longer in Lithuania: Defense minister Press TV 22 Sep 2020 -- A new battalion of US military forces, equipped with tanks and other armored vehicles, is to be deployed to Lithuania in November and will remain there until next June, the country’s defense minister says.
• US Air Force Reveals B-1B Lancer Readiness Rate Has Tripled Since Last Year Sputnik 22 Sep 2020 -- In the past year, the US Air Force has considerably improved the functionality of its B-1B Lancer bomber fleet, tripling the number of aircraft available for flying on a given day.
• ‘Serious Security Threat’: Beijing Claims US Spy Planes Posed as Airliners Over 100 Times in 2020 Sputnik 22 Sep 2020 -- In light of increased attention being brought on the activities of US spy planes near China, Beijing has accused the US of disguising them as civilian airliners more than 100 times in 2020 alone, calling the practice a “serious security threat” and warning it poses a danger to actual civilian aircraft.
• NASA, DOD Agree to Collaborate More Closely in Space DoD News 22 Sep 2020 -- While advancing plans for unprecedented lunar exploration under the Artemis program, NASA also is building on a longstanding partnership with the Defense Department according to a memorandum of understanding announced today by Space Force Gen. John W. "Jay" Raymond and NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine.
• NATO Secretary General discusses security challenges with the Swedish Foreign Minister NATO 22 Sep 2020 -- In a face-to-face meeting on Tuesday (22 September), Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg thanked Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde for Sweden’s contributions to international security and its long-standing partnership with NATO.
• Russian Su-30 Fighter Crashes in Tver Region Sputnik 22 Sep 2020 -- According to preliminary reports from the Russian Defence Ministry, the incident occurred during a training mission.
• Russian Icebreaker Arktika, Dubbed The 'Nuclear Titanic,' Sets Off On Maiden Arctic Voyage RFE/RL 22 Sep 2020 -- The Arktika, Russia's new nuclear-powered icebreaker championed by the Kremlin as the largest and most-powerful of its kind in the world, has set sail on its maiden voyage to the Arctic as part of the country’s efforts to tap the region's commercial potential.
• Russia Says Time Running Out For Talks With U.S. Over New START Treaty RFE/RL 22 Sep 2020 -- Russia says it hasn't given the United States any new deadlines in talks over the New START treaty, the last remaining bilateral nuclear-arms pact, but there can't be any pause in discussions, as time is running out.
• Putin Decrees 'Military-Political Work' For Russian National Guard RFE/RL 22 Sep 2020 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the introduction of "military-political work" in the country's National Guard, paving the way for Soviet-style ideological political education within its ranks.
• Successful Flight Test of ABHYAS India PIB 22 Sep 2020 -- Successful flight test of ABHYAS - High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) was today conducted by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) from the Interim Test Range, Balasore in Odisha. During the trials, two demonstrator vehicles were successfully test flown. The vehicle can be used as target for evaluation of various missile systems.
• Iran has no military presence in region, only supplies defense know-how: Armed Forces spokesman Press TV 22 Sep 2020 -- Iran has only provided Yemen with the know-how in the defense sector, says the spokesman for the Iranian Armed Forces, dismissing claims about the Islamic Republic’s military presence and ‘intervention’ in the region.
• Iran capable of thwarting any threat at any place: Defense minister Press TV 22 Sep 2020 -- Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami says the Islamic Republic’s 1980-88 Sacred Defense against an invasion by a Western-backed Iraq has resulted in "valuable" achievements.
• U.S., Israeli Defense Relationship 'Stronger Than Ever,' Esper Says DoD News 22 Sep 2020 -- BY Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper promised Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz that the United States would maintain Israel's qualitative edge in the Middle East.
• Esper Says US Committed to Preserving Israel's Qualitative Military Edge in Middle East Sputnik 22 Sep 2020 -- The United States is committed to preserving Israel's qualitative military edge (QME) in the Middle East, US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper said before a meeting with Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz at the Pentagon.
• Chinese warplanes enter Taiwan's ADIZ for 5th time in 6 days CNA 22 Sep 2020 -- Two Chinese military Y-8 anti-submarine airplanes entered Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Tuesday, the Air Force Command Headquarters said, the fifth intrusion of its kind in six days since Sept. 17.
• Taiwan conducts joint air defense drill against Chinese invasion CNA 22 Sep 2020 -- Taiwan's military conducted a joint air defense drill on Tuesday simulating a response to an enemy air attack, involving all of Taiwan's air bases, as well as naval and surface-to-air missile units, according to the Military News Agency.
• President Tsai pledges to defend Taiwan's airspace CNA 22 Sep 2020 -- Taiwan will not allow others to display military might in its territorial airspace, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) pledged Tuesday while touring an Air Force fighter squadron in Penghu that sits on the front lines of the country's air defenses.
• Turkey Embarks on Naval Buildup, Stoking Tensions VOA 22 Sep 2020 -- Turkey is in the midst of a major naval construction program, seeking to restore regional maritime influence lost since the collapse of the Ottoman empire, and the project is already generating regional tensions.
• Remarks by President Trump Before Marine One Departure The White House 22 Sep 2020
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany The White House 22 Sep 2020

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Sept. 22, 2020

Other Conflicts

• Philippine Leader Tells UN 2016 Arbitration Award on South China Sea ‘Beyond Compromise’ Radio Free Asia 22 Sep 2020 -- The Philippine president made a strident statement Tuesday on the South China Sea to the United Nations General Assembly, describing a 2016 arbitral tribunal award that struck down virtually all of China’s claims in the disputed waters as “beyond compromise.”
• Humanitarian Pledges Must Be Met, Houthis Must Stop Hostilities to Stabilize Yemen US Dept. of State 22 Sep 2020 -- Deputy Secretary of State Steve Biegun and Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale participated in a meeting last Thursday with United Nations Security Council members, Kuwait, Sweden, and Germany on the margins of the UN General Assembly to discuss the Yemen civil war that has resulted in a humanitarian disaster.
• Families of Missing IS Victims Beg for Answers as New Mass Graves Discovered in Northeast Syria VOA 22 Sep 2020 -- As local authorities in northeastern Syria announce the discovery of new mass graves belonging to the victims of Islamic State in Raqqa, families whose loved ones disappeared during the group's control over the region hope they might finally get some answers.
• Gasoline Shortages Bite as Ordinary Syrians Try to Recover from 9 Years of Conflict VOA 22 Sep 2020 -- Long gasoline lines have many ordinary Syrians fuming, adding a fresh layer of hardship to lives that are already fraught with suffering. Syria's oil minister blames U.S. sanctions for the fuel shortages, but some analysts point to poor infrastructure maintenance.
• Turkey condemns EU ‘bias’ in Libya-related sanctions Press TV 22 Sep 2020 -- Turkey says the European Union (EU) has acted with “bias” by imposing sanctions on a Turkish firm over its alleged violation of a United Nations (UN) arms embargo on Libya.
• Myanmar: Mounting child death toll during Rakhine village assaults must end, urges rights expert UN News 22 Sep 2020 -- The assaults by security forces in Myanmar on villages in Rakhine state “need to stop”, and a ceasefire should be declared immediately, said the UN independent rights expert on the situation across the country on Tuesday.
• China, India agree to stop sending more troops to frontline: China's Defense Ministry Global Times 22 Sep 2020 -- China and India agreed to stop sending more troops to the frontline, refrain from unilaterally changing the situation on the ground, and avoid taking any action that may complicate the situation, Chinese National Defense Ministry spokesperson Wu Qian said on Tuesday, after a series of border clashes between the two countries since May, and escalating tensions in recent months.
• JOINT PRESS RELEASE OF THE 6TH ROUND OF SENIOR COMMANDERS’ MEETING BETWEEN INDIA AND CHINA India PIB 22 Sep 2020 -- On September 21, the Indian and Chinese Senior Commanders held the 6th round of Military Commander-Level Meeting.
• India rejects high status of dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir Press TV 22 Sep 2020 -- An Indian official has rejected an assertion by Pakistan’s foreign minister that the dispute over Kashmir region is a global matter high on the agenda of the United Nations (UN).
• Part of Bigger Strategy? China’s Military Build-up Along India’s Border Doubles in 3 Years - Report Sputnik 22 Sep 2020 -- India expressed concern over the presence of Chinese troops in the Ladakh region during the meeting of foreign ministers in Moscow on the side-lines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation on 10 September. New Delhi pointed out that there was no credible explanation for the deployment from the Chinese side.
• Hamas says UN has failed to defend Palestinians against Israel Press TV 22 Sep 2020 -- The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has censured the United Nations for inaction in the face of Israel’s aggressive policies, calling on the world body to "rectify" its mistakes and help end Israeli atrocities.
• Violence leaves more than 300,000 ‘completely reliant’ on assistance in northern Mozambique UN News 22 Sep 2020 -- Worsening conflict, combined with a precarious humanitarian situation, has forced more than 300,000 people to flee their homes and villages in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province, leaving them completely reliant on humanitarian assistance, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) has said.
• US Offers $5 Million Reward for Arrest of Colombia Rebel Leader VOA 22 Sep 2020 -- The United States is offering a reward up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest of a leader of the National Liberation Army (ELN) rebel group in Colombia.

News Reports

• Remarks by President Trump to the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly The White House 22 Sep 2020
• Speaking at UN, Trump accuses China of spreading COVID-19 Press TV 22 Sep 2020 -- US President Donald Trump has once again blamed China for the COVID-19 pandemic and called on Beijing to be punished for its handling of the disease.
• Trump Tells UN to Hold China Accountable for Coronavirus VOA 22 Sep 2020 -- U.S. President Donald Trump called on the United Nations to “hold China accountable for their actions” in a speech to the world body’s General Assembly Tuesday.
• At UN, Venezuela, Cuba rebuke US hegemony Press TV 22 Sep 2020 -- Venezuela and Cuba have called on the international community to put up a united front and fight the United States’ hegemony and its blockade against nations at a time of global crises, including the coronavirus pandemic.
• Major Powers Spotlight COVID-19 Response at UNGA VOA 22 Sep 2020 -- As the U.N. General Assembly annual debate got under way Tuesday, combating and eliminating the coronavirus pandemic was the foremost preoccupation of the world's major powers.
• Venezuela in latest bid to recover ‘seized’ gold reserves Press TV 22 Sep 2020 -- Venezuela has stepped up its efforts to recover nearly a billion pounds’ worth of gold currently held by the Bank of England, the UK's central bank.
• The United States Sanctions Additional Individuals Involved in the Illegitimate Maduro Regime’s Attempts to Corrupt Democratic Elections in Venezuela US Dept. of State 22 Sep 2020 -- Today, the United States is sanctioning, José Bernabé Gutiérrez Parra, Miguel Antonio José Ponente Parra, Guillermo Antonio Luces Osorio, Chaim José Bucaran Paraguan, and Williams José Benavides Rondón for their complicity in enabling Maduro’s efforts to rob the people of Venezuela of their right to choose their leaders in free and fair elections.
• Treasury Continues Pressure on Illegitimate Regime Officials Undermining Democracy in Venezuela US Treasury 22 Sep 2020 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated five key figures that have facilitated the illegitimate Maduro regime’s efforts to undermine democracy in Venezuela. These
• Russian FM sees no alternative to multilateralism amid growing discord in int'l community People's Daily 22 Sep 2020 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday that there is no alternative to multilateralism, calling on governments to reaffirm their commitment to the UN Charter and find collective solutions to global problems.
• Russia says Navalny’s allies removed evidence Press TV 22 Sep 2020 -- Russia says its efforts to investigate the case of opposition figure Alexei Navalny, who is alleged to have been poisoned, face challenges as his allies have removed evidence from the country and as Germany has failed to provide his medical records.
• Putin Submits Package of Bills to Parliament to Legislate Amendments to Constitution Sputnik 22 Sep 2020 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has submitted to the Russian parliament's lower house a bill "On the Prosecution", amendments to the laws "On Foreign Intelligence" and "On Security" in pursuance of amendments to the Russian constitution, the head of the State Duma Committee on State-Building and Legislation said.
• Chinese Foreign Ministry Denies Arrested New York Policeman Worked for Beijing Sputnik 22 Sep 2020 -- The allegation that recently-arrested New York City Police Department officer Baimadajie Angwang worked for the Chinese government is completely untrue, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday.
• Statement by H.E. Xi Jinping President of the People’s Republic of China At the General Debate of the 75th Session of The United Nations General Assembly Global Times 22 Sep 2020
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin's Regular Press Conference on September 22, 2020 PRC MofA 22 Sep 2020
• China Releases Details on Its Own Unreliable Entity List VOA 22 Sep 2020 -- China's Ministry of Commerce has released long-awaited provisions on its "unreliable entity list," in a move seen as a countermeasure to similar actions taken by Washington.
• Chinese Property Tycoon Ren Zhiqiang Sentenced to 18-Year in Corruption Case VOA 22 Sep 2020 -- A court in Beijing Tuesday gave Chinese property tycoon Ren Zhiqiang, who once referred to China’s top leader, Xi Jinping, as a “clown,” an 18-year prison sentence and a fine of $620,000 after finding him guilty of corruption, bribery, embezzlement of public funds and abuse of power as an executive of a state-owned enterprise.
• Former property tycoon Ren Zhiqiang sentenced to 18 years for corruption, bribery, abuse of power Global Times 22 Sep 2020 -- Former property mogul Ren Zhiqiang was sentenced to 18 years and fined 4.2 million yuan ($620,000) for corruption, bribery, embezzlement of public funds, and abuse of power as state-owned company personnel, a Beijing court announced Tuesday.
• Ex-China official gets 18-year jail term for corruption Press TV 22 Sep 2020 -- A former Chinese Communist Party official and property tycoon in China has been sentenced to a long prison term and a heavy fine for corruption, embezzlement, and abuse of power.
• Beijing Court Sentences Real Estate Tycoon to 18 Years in Prison for Corruption Sputnik 22 Sep 2020 -- Beijing No 2 Intermediate People's Court on Tuesday sentenced Ren Zhiqiang, the former chairman of the state-owned Huayuan Real Estate Group and a vocal critic of Chinese President Xi Jinping, to 18 years in prison on corruption charges.
• HK police revise rules to counter fake journalists, a move overdue Global Times 22 Sep 2020 -- Hong Kong police said they will redefine the criteria for "media representatives," who are allowed to cover incidents with police, and recognize only news media registered with the Hong Kong SAR government, or internationally recognized foreign media, in a bid to allow frontline law enforcers to identify real journalists during their operations and provide assistance efficiently.
• Hong Kong's role of bridge between mainland, world incomparable: HKSAR gov't official People's Daily 22 Sep 2020 -- Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government Paul Chan said on Tuesday that Hong Kong continues to be the unique business bridge between the mainland and the rest of the world.
• Hong Kong Journalists Condemn Police Controls on Press Passes Radio Free Asia 22 Sep 2020 -- Journalists' associations in Hong Kong on Tuesday hit out at changes to regulations enabling the city's police force to decide who is an accredited journalist.
• Hong Kong Detainees ‘Allocated Lawyers’ From Official List: Reports Radio Free Asia 22 Sep 2020 -- Twelve Hong Kong activists detained by the mainland Chinese authorities as they tried to escape to the democratic island of Taiwan by speedboat have been allocated officially approved lawyers, sparking concerns that they may have accepted the arrangement under duress.
• Hong Kong 12 Face ‘Atmosphere of Terror’ in China Custody – Activist Hu Jia Radio Free Asia 22 Sep 2020 -- Twelve Hong Kong citizens aged 16 to 33 are being held on suspicion of "illegal immigration" at the Yantian Detention Center in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, which borders Hong Kong. They were intercepted by the China Coast Guard after they tried to escape by speedboat to the democratic island of Taiwan last month. All 12 are suspected of committing crimes in Hong Kong, according to the city's security bureau, with 10 of them wanted for manufacturing or possessing explosives, arson, rioting, assaulting police officers, or possession of offensive weapons.
• Trump Hits China Over Coronavirus, Environment at Opening of UN General Assembly Radio Free Asia 22 Sep 2020 -- U.S. President Donald Trump attacked China during his address to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Tuesday, accusing Beijing of failing to contain the coronavirus, polluting the world, and manipulating trade, while Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping voiced veiled criticism of Washington.
• US House Passes Bill Banning Imports From China Made With Uyghur Forced Labor Radio Free Asia 22 Sep 2020 -- The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill on Tuesday to that would block imports from in northwestern China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) unless proof can be shown that they are not linked to forced labor.
• Why Are Central Asian Countries Silent About China's Uyghurs? RFE/RL 22 Sep 2020 -- The Central Asian governments have tried to stay out of Beijing's ruthless campaign against Uyghurs and other minorities in China's western region of Xinjiang, officially known as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
• China may be using Zhenhua database to target, exploit Taiwanese: scholar CNA 22 Sep 2020 -- There is a possibility that China is using information from a massive database of influential figures to identify individuals and institutions in Taiwan that could be exploited, according to American researcher Christopher Balding.
• Taiwan slams China's denial of median line as breaking status quo CNA 22 Sep 2020 -- Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) blasted Beijing on Tuesday for breaking the status quo after it claimed that the median line of the Taiwan Strait does not exist.
• China warns US on recent Taiwan moves People's Daily 22 Sep 2020 -- China vowed to take legitimate countermeasures against political provocations by the United States, including measures targeting relevant individuals, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Monday.
• Iranian Parliamentarians To Receive Luxury Cars And Interest Free Loans Radio Farda 22 Sep 2020 -- A member of the Iranian Majlis Parliament, Hossein Ali Haji Deligani, has confirmed that Iranian legislators receive "Dena Plus" luxury sedans.
• Pres. Rouhani: Today is time to say “no” to bullying and arrogance IRNA 22 Sep 2020 -- Iran's President Hassan Rouhani outlined the US hostile policies towards Iran including very harsh sanctions and, addressing the world, said "Today is the time to say “no” to bullying and arrogance. The era of dominance and hegemony is long over. Our nations and children deserve a better and safer world based on the rule of law. "
• President Rouhani addresses 75th UNGA speech IRNA 22 Sep 2020 -- Iran's President Hassan Rouhani addressed the 75th General Assembly of the United Nations here on Tuesday which convened via video conference.
• Defiant Rohani Tells UN That U.S. Can Impose 'Neither Negotiations Nor War' RFE/RL 22 Sep 2020 -- Iran's president, Hassan Rohani, told the UN General Assembly on September 22 that Tehran rejected U.S. efforts to make his country "a bargaining chip in U.S. elections and domestic policy."
• Iran’s reaction to US to be legitimate based on right of self-defence: Khatibzadeh ISNA 22 Sep 2020 -- Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Saeed Khatibzadeh said, “According to the right of ‘legitimate self-defence’ which is a recognized right in international law and order, Iran’s response to any US’ insurgency against our country will be decisive and undoubted”.
• Next US administration will have no choice but to surrender to Iranian nation: Rouhani Press TV 22 Sep 2020 -- President Hassan Rouhani reasserts Iran’s determination to hold onto its independence and domestic freedom under whatever circumstances, expressing confidence that the next administration in Washington will inevitably surrender to the Iranian nation’s resilience.
• Russia says ‘not afraid of US sanctions’ over arms trade with Iran Press TV 22 Sep 2020 -- Russia has played down the US threat of sanctions over any arms trade with Iran following the expiry of a UN arms embargo that Washington failed to keep in place, saying such bans cannot stop the growth of Moscow-Tehran defense cooperation.
• Khamenei Hails Ceasefire With Iraq 40 Years Ago Radio Farda 22 Sep 2020 -- On Monday, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei praised the eight-year Iran-Iraq war as "one of the most rational events in Iran's history" and described accepting the UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 598, which ended the war, as "the (one of) most rational decisions made."
• Venezuela: Aggressive US sanctions won’t hinder free trade with Iran Press TV 22 Sep 2020 -- Caracas has denounced the latest US sanctions against Venezuela and Iran as an act of “aggression,” saying such “arrogant” actions cannot prevent the South American country from exercising its right to forge economic relations with Iran or any other state.
• US announces Iran sanctions as its unilateral attempt at UN widely ignored Global Times 22 Sep 2020 -- The United States on Monday announced fresh sanctions and measures against entities and individuals related to Iranian nuclear and conventional weapons programs, a move to support its self-claimed UN snapback sanctions widely ignored by the international community.
• Iran ready to exchange prisoners with US: Zarif ISNA 22 Sep 2020 -- Iranian Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif announced that Iran is ready to exchange prisoners with the US.
• Myanmar Parties Say Electoral Body Censored Their Campaign Speeches for Public TV Radio Free Asia 22 Sep 2020 -- Two small political parties in Myanmar have accused the country's election commission of censoring their campaign speeches to be aired on state broadcast media before general elections in November, in what rights activists say is a violation of freedom of speech in the nascent democracy.
• Report: Violations Mar Lead-Up to Myanmar's National Election VOA 22 Sep 2020 -- A U.N. official documenting the human rights situation in Myanmar warned that the country's national election on November 8 will be neither free nor fair, and will not accurately reflect the will of the people.
• PM Modi's address to the United Nations General Assembly India PIB 22 Sep 2020
• EU Demands UK Drop Changes to Withdrawal Agreement as British Parl't Passes Internal Market Bill Sputnik 22 Sep 2020 -- As European Union ministers met in Brussels on Monday ahead of a summit of heads of government later this week, the UK Parliament pressed on with draft legislation to override the Northern Ireland Protocol of the EU Withdrawal Agreement.
• EU Urges Ukraine To Work 'Constructively' With IMF To Unlock Brussels Aid RFE/RL 22 Sep 2020 -- The European Union’s top diplomat said on September 22 that Kyiv needs to work “constructively” with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to secure EU aid to cope with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Court in Cambodia Sentences Seven Opposition Activists to Jail For ‘Treason’ Radio Free Asia 22 Sep 2020 -- A court in Cambodia sentenced seven activists with the country’s banned opposition party—including a new mother—to between five and seven years in prison Tuesday for “treason,” as the party’s acting president vowed to return home from self-imposed exile, despite an aborted earlier attempt.
• Vietnam Court Convicts 20 on Terrorism, Explosives Charges in Two-Day Trial Radio Free Asia 22 Sep 2020 -- A court in southern Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday sentenced 20 people to prison terms ranging from two to 24 years on terrorism charges for their role in the bombing two years ago of a police station in the city, according to media sources.
• Cameroon Security Surround Opposition Leader’s House, Teargas Protesters VOA 22 Sep 2020 -- Cameroon police have surrounded the home of opposition leader Maurice Kamto and detained an unknown number of his supporters. Kamto, who accuses President Paul Biya of stealing the 2018 presidential election from him, called for protests Tuesday against regional elections and Biya's leadership of the country. Authorities deployed riot police and troops, some of whom used tear gas on the protesters.
• Dirty Money, Criminal Cash: Bank Leaks Allege Vast Scale of Global Fraud VOA 22 Sep 2020 -- Leaked documents allege that some of the world’s largest banks have allowed $2 trillion worth of suspicious or fraudulent activity to take place, including money laundering for criminal gangs and terrorists.
• Italy's Coalition Government Fends off Salvini VOA 22 Sep 2020 -- Italy’s fragile coalition government breathed a collective sigh of relief Tuesday after voters denied the country’s populist leader Matteo Salvini the major electoral breakthrough he was seeking in hotly contested regional elections.