Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Update: air strikes against Daesh UK MOD 14 Oct 2020 -- The RAF are continuing to take the fight to Daesh in Iraq and Syria.
• Afghan Forces Suffer Fresh Casualties in Helicopter Collision, Battlefield Hostilities VOA 14 Oct 2020 -- Officials in Afghanistan said Wednesday two military helicopters collided and crashed in the embattled southern Helmand province, killing at least nine people aboard.
• Military helicopters collide in Afghanistan's Helmand during operation against Taliban Press TV 14 Oct 2020 -- At least nine people lost their lives after two Afghan military helicopters collided in midair in Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand.
• Nine Killed After Two Afghan Military Choppers Crash In Helmand Province RFE/RL 14 Oct 2020 -- Afghanistan's Defense Ministry says two of its helicopters have crashed in the southern province of Helmand due to "technical issues," killing nine people aboard.
• Thousands displaced by fighting in southern Afghanistan UN News 14 Oct 2020 -- Thousands of people have been displaced and critical health services interrupted, after fighting erupted last weekend between security forces and Taliban fighters in the southern Afghan province of Helmand, the UN humanitarian office has reported.

Defense Policy / Programs

• 94th Civil Support Team trains on Army News 14 Oct 2020 -- The thick air inside a musty shipping container feels well over 100 degrees in the midday Guam heat. Still, a team of three 94th Civil Support Team members from the Guam National Guard are in full HAZMAT suits, working away as cool as cucumbers.
• For candid Soldier feedback when evaluating new gear, Army looks to EXFOR Army News 14 Oct 2020 -- When a company wants to sell the Army a new rifle, drone or other piece of gear, the Army has Soldiers assess it first and give honest feedback on whether they find it good, great, or not great at all.
• Michigan Air National Guard supports California wildfire response US Air Force 14 Oct 2020 -- Members of the 110th Operations Group at Battle Creek Air National Guard Base volunteered to assist firefighters battling the California wildfires that began in late August. This year alone, more than four million acres have burned in California, leaving families and communities in ruins.
• Joint Communique of the 52nd U.S.-Republic of Korea Security Consultative Meeting DoD 14 Oct 2020 -- The 52nd United States (U.S.)-Republic of Korea (ROK) Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) was held in Washington, D.C., on October 14, 2020.
• 5GAT Drone Ready for First Flight DoD News 14 Oct 2020 -- The Fifth Generation Aerial Target will take its first flight later this month at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, following nearly flawless completion of ground-based testing in September.
• US Navy Wants to Lease Norway's Abandoned Submarine Cave Base on Barents Sea Sputnik 14 Oct 2020 -- The US Navy wants to lease an abandoned Norwegian cave base on the edge of the Barents Sea to run submarine patrols on Russia's doorstep, according to a recent report.
• Enduring Lightning III exercise brings together U.S., Israeli air forces US Air Force 14 Oct 2020 -- U.S. Air Forces Central and the Israeli Air Force conducted exercise Enduring Lightning III Oct. 12, in the skies over Israel. It was the third joint exercise between the two countries involving the F-35 Lightning II.
• USS Paul Hamilton Returns Home from 9-month Deployment US Navy 14 Oct 2020 -- The guided-missile destroyer USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60) crew had extra cause to celebrate the Navy's birthday this year, as the ship returned to San Diego, Oct. 13, from a successful nine-month deployment to the U.S. 5th and 7th Fleet areas of operation.
• US Navy Reluctant to Build Sixth Generation Jet After F-35 Fiasco, Naval Operations Chief Says Sputnik 14 Oct 2020 -- The US military does not have the time or money to waste on any ill-thought-out, enormously expensive and long-delayed sixth-generation fighter plane project like the F-35 fifth-generation jet, Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Michael Gilday told a Defence One State of the Navy podcast on Tuesday.
• US Navy Looks Back to Arleigh Burke Class as Model for Next Destroyers Sputnik 14 Oct 2020 -- The US Navy is looking back to its veteran DDG-51 class of Arleigh Burke missile destroyers as the model for its next generation of main surface warships instead of the more recent Zumwalt-class, Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Admiral Michael Gilday told a Defence One State of the Navy podcast.
• US ready to extend arms control pact with Russia: Pompeo Press TV 14 Oct 2020 -- US secretary of state says his country is ready to extend the New START nuclear arms control treaty after expiration.
• U.S., South Korea Reaffirm Shared Defense Cooperation DoD News 14 Oct 2020 -- Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper welcomed South Korean Defense Minister Suh Wook, reaffirming the strength of the U.S.-South Korea alliance, during an enhanced honor cordon and bilateral meeting at the Pentagon today.
• Russia rejects conditional US offer to extend New START Press TV 14 Oct 2020 -- Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov has rejected as "unacceptable" a proposal by the United States to condition the extension of the New START arms control treaty on the freezing of Russian and US nuclear weapons at the current levels.
• Russia Ready to Include 2 Out of 5 New Weapons in New START Treaty, FM Lavrov Says Sputnik 14 Oct 2020 -- Russia is ready to include two weapons out of five in the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) with the United States, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday.
• Russia Sees 'No Prospects' For Extending Nuclear Pact With U.S. RFE/RL 14 Oct 2020 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Moscow doesn't see any prospects for extending the New START arms-control treaty with the United States, though it plans to carry on with negotiations on the subject.
• Two Tu-160s Flew Over Barents, Norwegian, North Seas, Defence Ministry Says Sputnik 14 Oct 2020 -- Two strategic missile carriers Tu-160 flew over the Barents, Norwegian and North Seas, escorted by aircraft from the Royal Air Force and the Royal Norwegian Air Force, the Russian Defence Ministry reports.
• Russian Navy Based in Kamchatka on Alert Amid Approaching Cyclone Sputnik 14 Oct 2020 -- The Russian Pacific Fleet, based on the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Far East, has been put on alert after being threatened by the imminent approach of a devastating cyclone.
• Japan Unveils New 'Taigei' Submarine to Be Deployed by Self-Defence Army in 2022 Sputnik 14 Oct 2020 -- Japan has unveiled on Wednesday a new submarine, named Taigei, that the country's Maritime Self-Defence Force (MSDF) will include in their fleet in March of 2022, Japanese news agency Kyodo reported.
• Pompeo Promises 'Robust' Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia VOA 14 Oct 2020 -- Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made clear the U.S. is strengthening its ties with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, announcing plans to build a new U.S. Embassy in the capital, Riyadh.
• Saudi Arabia Inaugurates First Home-Made HSI32 Speed Interceptor Boat System and First Floating Dock SPA 14 Oct 2020 -- The Ministry of Defense and the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) announced the launch and localization of the first locally-manufactured HSI32 speed interceptor boats as well as the commissioning of the first Floating Dock.
• Latest US arms sale to Taiwan 'cannot change PLA edge' Global Times 14 Oct 2020 -- The US is making another arms sale to the island of Taiwan, featuring aerial drones and anti-ship missiles, a day after it moved ahead with the sales of a truck-based rocket launcher, long-range air-to-ground missiles and F-16 sensor pods.
• US raising risk of conflict with China by advancing drone, missile sales to Taiwan: Report Press TV 14 Oct 2020 -- The Trump administration is raising the risk of conflict with China by selling more sophisticated military equipment to Taiwan.
• US moves forward on arms sales to Taiwan despite Chinese opposition Press TV 14 Oct 2020 -- The United States is reportedly moving forward with three advanced weapons sales to Taiwan in a move that is likely to enrage China and increase tensions between the two world powers.
• Submarine Coronavirus Outbreak Reported on UK's HMS Vigilant Stationed in US Sputnik 14 Oct 2020 -- The submarine crew reportedly left the vessel to go to bars and restaurants in Georgia, United States, where the Kings Bay US base is located.
• UK and Qatar commit to a stronger defence relationship UK MOD 14 Oct 2020 -- Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and his Qatari counterpart have committed to strengthening the UK-Qatar defence relationship during a joint visit to RAF Coningsby today.
• Secretary Michael R. Pompeo at a Press Availability US Dept. of State 14 Oct 2020

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Oct. 14, 2020

Other Conflicts

• 14 October 2020 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 14 Oct 2020
• Chinese Survey Ship Shows Up Off the Coast of Central Vietnam Radio Free Asia 14 Oct 2020 -- China has sent a survey ship with a coast guard escort into Vietnamese waters of the South China Sea, ship tracking data show.
• Joint Incidents Assessment Team Issues Statement Regarding Allegations against Coalition Forces SPA 14 Oct 2020 -- Official Spokesman of the Joint Incidents Assessment Team (JIAT) in Yemen Legal Counsellor Mansour Al-Mansour refuted a number of claims raised by global bodies and international organizations on errors allegedly committed by the Coalition Forces to Support Legitimacy in Yemen during their military operations inside Yemen.
• Release of American Hostages Held in Yemen US Dept. of State 14 Oct 2020 -- Today, we join with all Americans in welcoming the release of two U.S. citizens from Houthi custody in Yemen.
• Israel Confirms September Attacks on Syrian Military Targets Sputnik 14 Oct 2020 -- The Israeli armed forces conducted strikes on Syrian military targets back in September, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman for Arab media, Avichay Adraee, confirmed on Wednesday.
• Displaced Syrians Heading Home From Notorious al-Hol Camp VOA 14 Oct 2020 -- The first Syrians to be released from the al-Hol displaced persons camp in the country's northeast are on their way home, raising new questions about security and their ability to integrate back into society.
• Azerbaijan Confirms Strike Inside Armenian Territory; Russia Renews Call For Diplomatic Solution RFE/RL 14 Oct 2020 -- Azerbaijan has confirmed striking a missile-launch site in Armenia that Baku claims was being used to target civilian areas, marking the first time in a two-week escalation in fighting that it has acknowledged hitting targets inside Armenian territory.
• Five Key Things To Know About Nagorno-Karabakh RFE/RL 14 Oct 2020 -- Tucked among the peaks and arid plateaus of the South Caucasus, at the crossroads of centuries of empires, Nagorno-Karabakh is yet again at the center of a violent struggle, as Azerbaijan and Armenia pound each other in what has turned into the worst spasm of fighting since a 1994 cease-fire ended all-out war.
• Fighting Over Nagorno-Karabakh Spells Spike For Twitter And Its Hashtag Narratives RFE/RL 14 Oct 2020 -- Nearly as quickly as the deadly fighting burst out around Azerbaijan's breakaway region late last month, the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides' Twitter defenders were out in force and tagging with a vengeance.
• Iran ready to play more active role in settling Azerbaijan-Armenia dispute: Vaezi IRNA 14 Oct 2020 -- Head of Iran's Presidential Office Mahmoud Vaezi described development of Tehran-Baku relations as in line with the wishes of the two nations and common interests of the two governments, saying that Iran is ready to play a more active role in resolving disputes between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
• Nagorno-Karabakh war missile hits Heris county in East Azarbaijan province IRNA 14 Oct 2020 -- An official with East Azarbaijan Governorate General said on Tuesday that a missile fired by the conflicting sides in Nagorno-Karabakh war hit Heris County, 70 kilometers northeast of Tabriz.
• Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: Armenia, Azerbaijan continue to trade fire, blame Press TV 14 Oct 2020 -- Fighting between Azeri and Armenian forces over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh territory is continuing despite a recent ceasefire, with the two sides repeatedly accusing each other of violating the truce.
• Red Cross warns of humanitarian, health crisis in Karabakh Press TV 14 Oct 2020 -- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has warned of humanitarian and health crisis in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region amid continued fighting between Azerbaijan and Armenia despite a ceasefire.
• Lavrov Calls for Deployment of Russian Peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh as Tensions Escalate Sputnik 14 Oct 2020 -- Earlier in the day, the Armenian Defence Ministry said that it "reserves the right" to attack any military facility in Azerbaijan after saying that Baku had hit military equipment on Armenian territory.
• Armenian MoD Says It Reserves Right to Attack Any Military Facility on Azerbaijani Territory Sputnik 14 Oct 2020 -- Both Armenia and Azerbaijan have accused each other of conducting attacks after the sides agreed to a ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh, beginning on 10 October.
• Three Myanmar Ruling Party Candidates Abducted in Rakhine State Radio Free Asia 14 Oct 2020 -- An unidentified armed group abducted three candidates from Myanmar's ruling party as they campaigned in rural areas of southern Rakhine state on Wednesday, spiriting the men away in a speedboat and cursing them as traitors, witnesses and a party official said.
• Myanmar: 'Shocking' killing of children allegedly used as human shields UN News 14 Oct 2020 -- UN agencies in Myanmar have expressed 'sadness' and 'shock' over the killing of two boys, allegedly used as human shields by security forces in the country's northern Rakhine province, earlier this month.
• Residents In Pakistan Tribal Region Continue Protest Demanding Release Of Detainees RFE/RL 14 Oct 2020 -- A sit-in protest by residents of Pakistan's remote North Waziristan tribal district continued for a second consecutive day on October 14 as they demanded the release of all the locals allegedly detained by security forces following a roadside bombing last month.
• China opposes India building bridges, warns of further tension in border areas People's Daily 14 Oct 2020 -- A commander-level meeting between China's Southern Xinjiang Military District chief and India's 14 Corps commander is held on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control at the China-India border, June 6, 2020. /Xinhua
• Talks begin to resolve disputed Lebanon-Israel maritime border UN News 14 Oct 2020 -- The UN Secretary-General has welcomed the launch of ground-breaking discussions on Wednesday, over the disputed maritime border between Lebanon and Israel in the eastern Mediterranean, following a framework agreement between the two nations at the beginning of the month.
• Joint Statement on the Launch of the Israel-Lebanon Maritime Talks US Dept. of State 14 Oct 2020 -- The text of the following statement was released by the Government of the United States and the Office of the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon.
• Lebanon, Israel hold 1st round of indirect demarcation talks Press TV 14 Oct 2020 -- Delegations from Beirut and Tel Aviv have taken part in an opening round of indirect negotiations on the demarcation of Lebanon's southern maritime border with the occupying entity, and agreed to meet again in two weeks.
• Israel, Lebanon Launch Maritime Border Talks VOA 14 Oct 2020 -- Israel and Lebanon have launched indirect talks about their disputed sea border.
• After normalization, expanding settlements: Israel approves more units Press TV 14 Oct 2020 -- For the first time since the conclusion of normalization deals with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain, Israel has approved the construction of over 1,300 new settler units across the occupied West Bank.
• Turkey survey ship resumes Mediterranean operations, prompting outcry Press TV 14 Oct 2020 -- Turkey has sent a survey ship back to waters contested with Greece in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, prompting an outcry from Athens and its Western allies.
• German Foreign Minister Maas Says 'Extremely Surprised' by Turkey's Actions Sputnik 14 Oct 2020 -- German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said he was "extremely surprised" by the latest actions of Turkey after successfully bringing the contradictions between Turkey and Greece onto the path of diplomacy.
• US State Department Names Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues Radio Free Asia 14 Oct 2020 -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday named Robert A. Destro, a veteran human rights advocate and civil rights attorney, to serve as the department's Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, a position that had gone unfilled since 2017.
• Philippine Communist Leadership Orders Guerrillas to Go After Chinese Firms Radio Free Asia 14 Oct 2020 -- The outlawed Philippine communist party directed its armed wing on Wednesday to target Chinese companies involved in infrastructure projects, including state-backed firms that the United States has blacklisted for their part in Beijing's militarization in the South China Sea.
• India Frees Top Kashmiri Leader VOA 14 Oct 2020 -- A former chief minister in Indian Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti, vowed to continue a struggle for restoration of the region's autonomy on her release from detention by Indian authorities after 14 months.
• Continued violence strains Colombia peace process, Security Council hears UN News 14 Oct 2020 -- Enormous challenges remain on the road to lasting peace in Colombia, where despite ongoing attacks and stigmatization, the vast majority of former FARC-EP fighters who laid down their weapons under a 2016 peace agreement with the Government, remain engaged in the reintegration process, the head of the UN mission in the South American country says.

News Reports

• Report: COVID-19 Used As Pretext To Crack Down On Internet Freedom RFE/RL 14 Oct 2020 -- Internet freedom has declined for the 10th consecutive year as governments around the world are using the coronavirus pandemic as a "cover" to expand online surveillance, crack down on dissent, and build new technological systems to control society, Freedom House says in a new report.
• Report Tracks How Governments Fighting COVID Are Increasing Surveillance VOA 14 Oct 2020 -- Governments around the world have used the COVID-19 pandemic as their reason for expanding digital surveillance and collecting more data from their citizens, according to a report published Wednesday.
• Kremlin won't tolerate EU approach toward Russia over Navalny case Press TV 14 Oct 2020 -- The Kremlin says Russia is not ready to tolerate the European Union's approach toward Moscow after the union imposed sanctions against the country over the alleged poisoning of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny.
• EU Reportedly Agrees To Sanctions On Russian Officials, Entity Over Navalny Poisoning RFE/RL 14 Oct 2020 -- The European Union has agreed to impose sanctions against six people and one entity over the poisoning of Russian opposition politician Aleksei Navalny with a Soviet-style chemical agent in August, diplomats have been quoted as saying.
• Ex-Governor Of Russia's Udmurtia Region Sentenced To 10 Years For Bribe-Taking RFE/RL 14 Oct 2020 -- The former governor of Russia's Udmurtia region has been convicted of bribe-taking and sentenced to 10 years in prison.
• China Is Biggest Long-Term Threat to Britain, Says UK Spy Chief VOA 14 Oct 2020 -- The head of Britain's domestic spy agency outlined Wednesday a cauldron of threats the country is facing, including from Islamist militancy to rising right-wing extremism, but he emphasized the biggest long-term challenge is presented by China.
• MI5 boss: UK faces a 'nasty mix' of terror and espionage threats Press TV 14 Oct 2020 -- In his first public address since becoming the Director General of the Security Service (MI5), Ken McCallum has talked about a growing threat from violence by terror groups and espionage by foreign intelligence services.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on October 14, 2020 PRC MofA 14 Oct 2020
• Release of the Hong Kong Autonomy Act Report US Dept. of State 14 Oct 2020 -- The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has systematically dismantled the autonomy that Beijing promised to the Hong Kong people and the world in a UN-registered treaty. Through the imposition of the National Security Law, the CCP has crippled democratic institutions, human rights, judicial independence, and individual freedoms in Hong Kong.
• Accusing China of interfering in US policy via think tanks shows US politicians' hypocrisy, weakness: Chinese FM Global Times 14 Oct 2020 -- In response to the US Department of State's accusation that the Chinese government is trying to interfere with US foreign policy through think tanks, Chinese FM spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Wednesday stressed that cultural and people-to-people exchanges between Chinese and US think tanks are transparent and legal, and the accusation reveals certain US politicians' hypocrisy and weakness.
• China elected to Human Rights Council for 2021-2023 Global Times 14 Oct 2020 -- China on Tuesday was elected as a member of the Human Rights Council for the term 2021-2023 in the election held at the 75th United Nations General Assembly.
• Xi Jinping Sets Out Economic Plan to Replace Hong Kong With Shenzhen Radio Free Asia 14 Oct 2020 -- Ruling Chinese Communist Party general secretary Xi Jinping on Wednesday laid out plans to have the mainland Chinese city of Shenzhen at the heart of an integrated economic zone that will include the former colonial cities of Hong Kong and Macau.
• Xi charts Shenzhen's new mission Global Times 14 Oct 2020 -- With a new blueprint laid out by Chinese President Xi Jinping, Shenzhen, the southern city that has been viewed as a paragon of China's economic miracle over the past 40 years, is now embarking on another historic mission - to lead the country's process of socialist modernization, build a new pattern to deepen reform, and expand opening-up on all fronts.
• Shenzhen granted new role in 'one country, two systems' Global Times 14 Oct 2020 -- President Xi Jinping on Wednesday further elevated the role of Shenzhen, a pioneer of China's decades of reform and opening-up that lifted the country from poverty to global prominence, giving the city a historic mission to further implement the "one country, two systems" through integrated development with the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions.
• Xi summarizes experience of Shenzhen and other SEZs' reform and opening up Global Times 14 Oct 2020 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed the valuable experience from the development miracles of the special economic zones (SEZs) including Shenzhen, while delivering a speech at a gathering marking the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Shenzhen SEZ on Wednesday.
• U.S. Navy destroyer passes through Taiwan Strait: defense ministry CNA 14 Oct 2020 -- A United States Navy destroyer transited through the Taiwan Strait Wednesday, marking the 10th such passage this year, the Ministry of National Defense said in a statement.
• Two more alleged Taiwanese spies 'confess' on China's CCTV CNA 14 Oct 2020 -- Two more Taiwanese nationals found guilty by Chinese courts of spying for Taiwan's government made public "confessions" on Chinese state television Tuesday night.
• 80-Day Campaign Begins in DPRK KCNA 14 Oct 2020 -- The 80-day campaign has begun in the DPRK.
• Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un Inspects Rehabilitation Site in Komdok Area of South Hamgyong Province KCNA 14 Oct 2020 -- Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and supreme commander of the armed forces of the DPRK, inspected the rehabilitation site in the Komdok area of South Hamgyong Province.
• FM Spox: US presidents use Iran as campaign cudgel IRNA 14 Oct 2020 -- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh in a message stressed the fact that presidents of the United States have used Iran as their campaign cudgel.
• End of arms embargo next week, big success for Iran: Vaezi IRNA 14 Oct 2020 -- Head of Iran's Presidential Office Mahmoud Vaezi described Wednesday the Oct 18 lifting of arms embargo on Tehran as a big success for the country.
• Rouhani : Decade-old cruel sanctions against Iran to end next Sunday IRNA 14 Oct 2020 -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani congratulated Iranians over the end of ten years of cruel arms sanctions against the nation - to take place next Sunday - and said this will come as a result of Iran's struggle against the US in the past four years.
• Unjust arms embargo on Iran to be lifted from Sunday: President Rouhani ISNA 14 Oct 2020 -- Emphasizing that the government is not unaware of the pain, problems and sufferings of the people for a moment, Iran's President assured that all members of the government will do their best to solve the problems and provide the necessary goods and foreign currency needs of the country and are proud to serve the people.
• Rouhani: Iran entitled to free arms trade in days with UN ban expiry Press TV 14 Oct 2020 -- President Hassan Rouhani says Iran will be free to trade weapons as of Sunday after the United States failed in its attempts to secure an extension of the United Nations arms embargo against the Islamic Republic.
• Iran to Enjoy Free Arms Trade Under Nuclear Deal Starting on Sunday, President Says Sputnik 14 Oct 2020 -- Iran will become free to sell and buy weapons starting Sunday as the UN arms embargo will be terminated under the 2015 nuclear deal despite the active resistance from the United States, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday.
• Iran denies cyber attacks on government systems was massive Press TV 14 Oct 2020 -- Iran's telecoms ministry has dismissed reports that the country's computer systems were target of a massive and coordinated cyber attack on Tuesday, saying the attack only targeted systems in two government agencies.
• Zarif says Iran expects Japan to prevent 'illegal' US move to block its access to overseas funds Press TV 14 Oct 2020 -- Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has called on Japan and other countries to stand up to US efforts to block Iran's access to its overseas funds needed to buy medicine and foodstuff for the Iranian people amid the coronavirus pandemic.
• Iran's funds in Iraq over $5 billion: Top banker Press TV 14 Oct 2020 -- Iran's central bank governor Abdolnaser Hemmati says he is "hopeful" his visit to Baghdad on Monday and successful talks with Iraqi officials would enable Tehran to use more than $5 billion of its funds in the country.
• Amidst Coronavirus Charity Donations Drop In Iran Radio Farda 14 Oct 2020 -- The Director-General of the state-run Endowment (Awqaf) Organization in Golestan province, Ruhollah Soleimani Fard, says that the coronavirus epidemic has sharply reduced donations to the imamzadehs, or mausoleums, attributed to the descendants of the Twelver-Shi'ite Imams.
• International 'Milk Tea Alliance' Faces Down Authoritarian Regimes Radio Free Asia 14 Oct 2020 -- Young campaigners for democracy across Asia are increasingly turning to international support on social media via the #MilkTeaAlliance hashtag, issuing calls for support as protesters in Thailand and Hong Kong face off with authoritarian regimes.
• Myanmar Election Officials Disqualify Two More Candidates Radio Free Asia 14 Oct 2020 -- With just more than three weeks before voting, Myanmar election authorities have disqualified two more opposition party candidates, saying they did not meet citizenship requirements under the country's election statutes.
• Secretary Michael R. Pompeo and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud After Their Meeting US Dept. of State 14 Oct 2020
• Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Chairs Cabinet's Virtual Session SPA 14 Oct 2020 -- The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Prime Minister, chaired today the Cabinet's virtual session.
• Man Who Attacked Paris Police Officer Sentenced to 28 Years VOA 14 Oct 2020 -- A Paris court on Wednesday handed down a 28-year jail term to the Algerian man who attacked a police officer with a hammer in 2017 as officers guarded Notre Dame Cathedral.
• EU Pushes for Progress on Brexit in Talks With Johnson Ahead of Landmark Summit Sputnik 14 Oct 2020 -- European Council President Charles Michel said on Wednesday he had held talks with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission head Ursula Von Der Leyen, ahead of the upcoming landmark European Council meeting, and the bloc once again reiterated the need for progress on Brexit.
• Kyrgyz parliament approves new PM in bid to resolve post-poll crisis Press TV 14 Oct 2020 -- Kyrgyzstan's parliament has approved populist politician Sadyr Zhaparov as prime minister in an effort to bring an end to the political turmoil in the Central Asian state.
• Kyrgyz President Says He Will Step Down Only After A Repeat Of Parliamentary Polls RFE/RL 14 Oct 2020 -- Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov will resign only after the Central Asian nation holds a rerun of its parliamentary elections, his spokeswoman said on October 14, a stance that might reignite tensions in the country.
• Kyrgyz Parliament Confirms Japarov as Prime Minister Sputnik 14 Oct 2020 -- The Kyrgyz parliament on Wednesday unanimously approved the structure and programme of the cabinet headed by Prime Minister Sadyr Japarov, a Sputnik correspondent reported.
• Mass anti-government rally kicks off in Thailand Press TV 14 Oct 2020 -- Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of Thailand's capital, Bangkok, to rally toward the government headquarters to reiterate calls for an overhaul of the administration and the resignation of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha.
• Director Fires Back In 'Hairdresser' Scandal In North Macedonia Over EU Education Funds RFE/RL 14 Oct 2020 -- The head of a national agency to channel European Union educational funds into projects in North Macedonia has rejected calls for her resignation amid accusations that her organization misallocated some 270,000 euros ($317,000) in funding by steering it to a hairdresser.
• Twenty-Four Defendants, Including Alleged Aryan Circle Gang Members and Associates Indicted on Racketeering, Firearms, and Drug Charges in Multiple States US Dept. of Justice 14 Oct 2020 -- Five indictments in three different states were unsealed today indicting a total of twenty-four defendants, including alleged Aryan Circle (AC) gang members and associates, on charges of racketeering conspiracy, violent crimes in aid of racketeering, drug conspiracy, and unlawful firearms trafficking.
• Ugandan Police Raid Opposition Party Offices, Take Election-Related Documents VOA 14 Oct 2020 -- Ugandan police and military forces armed with door cutters, AK-47 guns, tear gas canisters and batons stormed offices of the National Unity Platform party in Kampala on Wednesday.