Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• US Calls Death of al-Qaida Official a Major Setback for Terror Group VOA 26 Oct 2020 -- The United States has confirmed the death of a high-ranking al-Qaida official in Afghanistan, describing it as a major setback for the group despite some initial confusion in reporting about his seniority.
• US Airstrike Kills 5 Taliban Fighters in Afghanistan VOA 26 Oct 2020 -- The United States said Monday it had conducted an airstrike in central Afghanistan, killing at least five Taliban insurgents.
• US bombs Taliban outpost in central Afghanistan Press TV 26 Oct 2020 -- The United States has carried out a fresh airstrike against a Taliban militants' outpost in central Afghanistan despite the ongoing talks with the group's representatives in Doha, Qatar, aimed at restoring peace and security to the country.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Defense Department Awards University Consortium for Applied Hypersonics Contract DoD 26 Oct 2020 -- The Department of Defense announced it will be awarding Texas A&M University's Engineering Experiment Station $20 million per year over a 5-year period to establish and manage a University Consortium for Applied Hypersonics (UCAH).
• DOD Awards Applied Hypersonics Contract to Texas A&M University DoD News 26 Oct 2020 -- Texas A&M University's Engineering Experiment Station, or TEES, has been awarded a $20 million per year contract to establish and manage a University Consortium for Applied Hypersonics, or UCAH.
• DOD Research & Engineering Leaders Brief Reporters on the University Consortium for Applied Hypersonics DoD 26 Oct 2020 -- Dr. Mark Lewis, Director Of Defense Research And Engineering For Modernization; Dr. Gillian Bussey, Director, Joint Hypersonics Transition Office
• 7th Fleet Staff Join 12th Marine Regiment for Live Fire Exercise US Navy 26 Oct 2020 -- Staff members from U.S. 7th Fleet visited Combined Arms Training Center (CATC) Camp Fuji to learn about equipment and concepts associated with emergent Expeditionary Advanced Base operations.
• DOD and HHS Award $33 Million Contract to Tecan to Establish Domestic Production Capacity of Disposable Pipette Tips DoD 26 Oct 2020 -- On October 26, 2020, the Department of Defense (DOD), in coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), awarded Tecan a $33 million contract to establish U.S. based industrial production capacity of disposable pipette tips for COVID-19 testing.
• Naval Hospital Harnesses Power of Sun to Increase COVID-19 Protection DoD News 26 Oct 2020 -- With patient and staff safety being paramount, one command has gone solar for additional safeguards in providing safe care to all in need.
• 36th annual U.S.-Brazil army-to-army staff talks secure readiness, friendship between two partners Army News 26 Oct 2020 -- During World War II, after Brazil allowed the United States to place military bases on its territory, Germany and Italy retaliated and began attacking merchant ships from the South American nation.
• Fight and Deliver: 31st MEU, America ARG Build an Integrated Blue-Green Team USMC News 26 Oct 2020 -- Over the course of a recent deployment, the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and America Amphibious Ready Group enhanced interoperability between the Navy-Marine Corps team, challenging old patterns and finding new ways to integrate capabilities.
• Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron 15 Gets Battle "E" Award US Navy 26 Oct 2020 -- The "Blackhawks" of Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron (HM) 15 were presented the prestigious Battle Efficiency, or Battle "E" award for the second consecutive year in a ceremony at the squadron's hangar aboard Norfolk Naval Station Oct. 26.
• India, U.S. Begin Meetings in New Delhi DoD News 26 Oct 2020 -- The relationship between the world's two largest democracies is among the most consequential of the 21st century, administration officials said in a phone call before the "two-plus-two" meeting between U.S. and Indian officials in New Delhi.
• Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh holds bilateral delegation level meeting with his US counterpart Mark Esper; Both aides to sign agreement of BECA during the visit India PIB 26 Oct 2020 -- Dr. Mark T. Esper, Hon'ble Secretary of Defence of the United States of America is visiting India for the 2+2 Ministerial Meeting. Today Shri Rajnath Singh, Hon'ble Raksha Mantri had a bilateral meeting with him in South Block, New Delhi.
• Readout of the Bilateral Engagement With India Minister of Defense Rajnath Singh DoD 26 Oct 2020
• NATO Deputy Secretary General and Allied Parliamentarians discuss NATO today and in 2030 NATO 26 Oct 2020 -- On Monday (26 October 2020), NATO's Deputy Secretary General Mircea GEOANA engaged with members of the NATO Parliamentary assembly on current and future security challenges for the Alliance.
• US INF withdrawal increases risk of renewed nuclear arms race: Putin Press TV 26 Oct 2020 -- President Vladimir Putin of Russia says the United States' last year "grave mistake" in abandoning a landmark nuclear treaty with Moscow threatens the world with the risk of another nuclear arms race as the Kremlin puts forth a proposal to negotiate new verification measures with Washington.
• Su-27 Fighter Intercepts French Bombers Over Black Sea - Russian MoD Sputnik 26 Oct 2020 -- The Russian Ministry of Defense announced on Monday that a Russian Air Force Su-27 fighter had intercepted several French attack aircraft in international airspace over the Black Sea.
• Russia's Su-27 Intercepts German Patrol Aircraft and US Spy Plane Over Baltic Sea, MoD Says Sputnik 26 Oct 2020 -- Last week, the Russian Defence Ministry stated that Russian fighters had intercepted two strategic bombers of the US Air Force over the Bering Sea.
• PLA issues new equipment to protect frontline soldiers from extreme weather in Xinjiang and Tibet Global Times 26 Oct 2020 -- Chinese patrol soldiers in the plateau areas have been equipped with new equipment and suits, including glare-reducing lenses, multifunctional kettles and cold protective suits, to protect them from extreme weather, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Daily reported Monday.
• Chinese military achieves solid progress in strengthening civilian staff force PLA Daily 26 Oct 2020 -- Recently, the shortlist of candidates who have passed the unified examinations of public recruitment of civilian personnel for the Chinese military in 2020 was released. Next, interviews will be held by the employing units as scheduled.
• Chinese peacekeepers conclude cleanup and assistance mission in Beirut PLA Daily 26 Oct 2020 -- A 41-member detachment of the 19th Chinese peacekeeping multi-functional engineer contingent to Lebanon concluded the cleanup and reconstruction assistance in Beirut, the capital city of Lebanon on October 23, after the huge explosions at the Beirut Port, and returned to the mission area in South Lebanon last Friday.
• Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO) - RGM-84L-4 Harpoon Surface Launched Block II Missiles DSCA 26 Oct 2020 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO) of up to one hundred (100) Harpoon Coastal Defense Systems (HCDS) and related equipment for an estimated cost of $2.37 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.
• Trump administration approves nearly $2.4 billion in arms sales to Taiwan Press TV 26 Oct 2020 -- The administration of US President Donald Trump has approved nearly $2.4 billion in arms sales to Taiwan despite opposition from China.
• Taiwan Says Chinese Warplanes Are Crossing a Median Line, But Is There a Median Line? VOA 26 Oct 2020 -- A median line cited by Taiwan's military, when it wards off Chinese fighter jets, has never become a formal agreement, giving the Chinese side license to cross it without violating any agreement, analysts in Taipei say.
• Army to replace aging M41A3 tanks in Lieyu garrison CNA 26 Oct 2020 -- The Army Command Headquarters on Monday confirmed that it has plans to replace the existing aging fleet of M41A3 tanks stationed at the Kinmen Defense Command's Lieyu Garrison Battalion by June 2021.
• 'Combat readiness week' kicks off to test military preparedness CNA 26 Oct 2020 -- A five-day, four-night "combat readiness week" kicked off late Monday at military bases across the country to test the Armed Forces' combat preparedness, a military source said Monday.
• Taiwan 'deeply regrets' China's threat against U.S. arms suppliers CNA 26 Oct 2020 -- Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Monday expressed "deep regrets" in response to Beijing's threats to sanction American companies that participate in the United States' latest round of arms sales to Taiwan.
• Taiwan supply plane completes trip to Pratas following row with Hong Kong CNA 26 Oct 2020 -- A civilian aircraft from Taiwan chartered by the military successfully completed a flight to the Dongsha Islands in the South China Sea Monday, 11 days after a previously scheduled trip was cut short by Hong Kong air traffic controllers for no apparent reason.
• Beijing Says It Will Impose Sanctions on Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon Over Arms Sales to Taiwan Sputnik 26 Oct 2020 -- Last week, the Chinese Foreign Ministry vowed an appropriate and necessary response after the United States had approved arms sales to Taiwan worth about 1.8 billion dollars.
• China slaps sanctions on Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon over arms sales to Taiwan island Global Times 26 Oct 2020 -- China has decided to sanction firms including Lockheed Martin, Boeing Defense, Raytheon as well as individuals and entities that are involved in arms sales to the island of Taiwan, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Monday.
• China may restrict rare-earth imports, issue financial blockades over US arms sale to Taiwan: analysts Global Times 26 Oct 2020 -- China announced to sanction firms including Lockheed Martin, Boeing Defense, Raytheon as well as individuals and entities that are involved in arms sales to the island of Taiwan.
• China to sanction Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon over US Taiwan arm sales Press TV 26 Oct 2020 -- China and the United States seem to be headed toward a new high in tensions, with Beijing announcing plans to slap sanctions on major American firms involved in arms sales to Taiwan
• Greece Plans to Expand Defence Agreement With US or Sign New One, Foreign Minister Says Sputnik 26 Oct 2020 -- Greece is planning to expand the current defence cooperation agreement with the United States or sign a new one, Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias told the parliament on Sunday.
• Remarks by President Trump After Air Force One Arrival | Allentown, PA The White House 26 Oct 2020

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Oct. 26, 2020

Other Conflicts

• 26 October 2020 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 26 Oct 2020
• Philippine Fishermen: Basing Coast Guard Ships in Western Pacific is Washington's Right Radio Free Asia 26 Oct 2020 -- A U.S. plan to permanently base Coast Guard ships in the western Pacific – which includes the contested South China Sea – is an assertion that no country, especially China, can claim international waters as its own, but the move may also fuel tensions, a Filipino fishermen's group said Monday.
• China Lurks Around Disputed South China Sea Features For Months on End Radio Free Asia 26 Oct 2020 -- China's coastguard and maritime militia are nothing if not persistent when it comes to making their presence felt around hotly disputed reefs and islets in the South China Sea.
• Yemeni forces hit Saudi Arabia's Abha International Airport in new retaliatory strike Press TV 26 Oct 2020 -- Yemeni armed forces have once again launched an attack against a strategic facility in Saudi Arabia's southwestern region of Asir, in retaliation for the Riyadh regime's military campaign and tight blockade against the crisis-hit country.
• The Joint Forces Command of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen: Interception, Destruction of Bomb-Laden UAV Launched by Terrorist, Iran-Backed Houthi Militia Toward the Kingdom SPA 26 Oct 2020 -- Statement by the Official Spokesman of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen COL Turki Al-Malki
• The Joint Forces Command of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen: Interception, Destruction of Bomb-Laden UAV Launched by Terrorist, Iran-Backed Houthi Militia Toward the Kingdom SPA 26 Oct 2020 -- Statement by the Official Spokesman of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen COL Turki Al-Malki
• The Joint Forces Command of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen: Interception, Destruction of Bomb-Laden UAV Launched by Terrorist, Iran-Backed Houthi Militia Toward the Kingdom SPA 26 Oct 2020 -- Statement by the Official Spokesman of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen COL Turki Al-Malki
• Russian airstrikes kill 78 Turkish-backed militants in Syria's Idlib: SOHR Press TV 26 Oct 2020 -- Dozens of Turkish-backed Takfiri militants have been killed in Syria's troubled northwestern province of Idlib when Turkish fighter jets carried out a string of airstrikes against the positions of terror groups operating in the area.
• Reports: Russian Air Strikes Kill Dozens In Northwestern Syria RFE/RL 26 Oct 2020 -- Suspected Russian air strikes on a camp in northwestern Syria run by Turkish-backed militia fighters have reportedly killed at least 50 people and wounded scores of others.
• Airstrike in Syria's Idlib Province Reportedly Kills Over 40 Militants Sputnik 26 Oct 2020 -- An airstrike conducted by the Russian Aerospace Forces in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib has killed more than 40 terrorists and injured at least 60 others, Syria's Al Watan newspaper reported on Monday, citing health sources in Idlib.
• Airstrike on Syrian Rebel Base Kills at Least 50 VOA 26 Oct 2020 -- War monitors say an airstrike on a rebel training camp in northwestern Syria on Monday killed more than 50 Turkish-backed fighters and wounded at least 90.
• Daesh Shells Idlib De-Escalation Zone in Syria 39 Times, Reconciliation Center Reports Sputnik 26 Oct 2020 -- Militants of the Daesh group* carried out 39 attacks on the Idlib de-escalation zone in Syria, Rear Adm. Alexander Grinkevich, deputy head of the Russian Defense Ministry's Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria, said at a briefing.
• Armenia, Azerbaijan Trade Accusations for Violating Cease-fire VOA 26 Oct 2020 -- A third cease-fire in the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh seems to have collapsed Monday, again failing to end four weeks of fighting over the disputed territory.
• Nagorno-Karabakh conflict; Baku, Yerevan disappointed with Western solutions IRNA 26 Oct 2020 -- Azeri-Armenian conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh is getting worse and out of control, while the two sides have been disappointed with the Western solutions to end bloodshed.
• Karabakh conflict: US-brokered truce breaks down as Yerevan, Baku trade blame Press TV 26 Oct 2020 -- A new humanitarian ceasefire, brokered by the United States this time, has been violated within hours of coming into force in an attempt to put an end to weeks of heavy fighting in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
• Warring Sides In Conflict Over Nagorno-Karabakh Accuse Each Other Of Violating Latest Cease-Fire RFE/RL 26 Oct 2020 -- Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each other of violating a new humanitarian cease-fire to halt fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh shortly after it took effect on October 26.
• Libya's NOC Announces Restoration of All Oil Fields, Ports Operation Sputnik 26 Oct 2020 -- Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) announced on Monday the resumption of work at all of the country's oil fields and ports following the lifting of a force majeure event at the El Feel oil station.
• Ceasefire in Libya US Dept. of State 26 Oct 2020 -- "We welcome the announcement of Libyans signing a nationwide, immediate ceasefire agreement at the UN-facilitated 5+5 Joint Military Commission talks in Geneva on October 23."
• Libya ceasefire: UN relaunches inclusive political forum, amid growing 'sense of hope' UN News 26 Oct 2020 -- The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has announced the launch of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum, following the signing of a permanent ceasefire agreement in the strife-torn country.
• US Envoy Urges Fresh Approach to Middle East Peace VOA 26 Oct 2020 -- U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Kelly Craft touted recent U.S.-brokered breakthroughs in normalizing relations between Israel and three Arab countries on Monday, and urged her U.N. Security Council colleagues to shed their "decades-old approaches" to Middle East peace and reconsider President Donald Trump's proposal.
• Israel, Lebanon to Start Maritime Border Talks VOA 26 Oct 2020 -- U.S.-mediated maritime border talks between Lebanon and Israel start in earnest on Wednesday, following a recent opening ceremony. Technically in a state of war and with no diplomatic relations, both countries claim some 860 square kilometer of the eastern Mediterranean's potentially hydrocarbon rich waters.
• Coronavirus 'feeds off instability', disrupting Israel-Palestine peace efforts UN News 26 Oct 2020 -- The UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process reminded the Security Council on Monday of the Secretary-General's renewed appeal for a global ceasefire to respond to COVID-19, highlighting that the "the virus feeds off instability".
• Hamas denounces Sudan's normalization with Israel Press TV 26 Oct 2020 -- The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has denounced Sudan's current junta for its decision to follow suit amid normalization of relations between certain Persian Gulf Arab countries and the Israeli regime.
• Sudan's transitional government plunged into quagmire of betrayal, normalization: Hezbollah Press TV 26 Oct 2020 -- The Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement has roundly condemned Sudan's interim government for agreement to normalize full diplomatic ties with Israel, saying authorities in the Northeast African state are stuck in the quagmire of treason and normalization with the Tel Aviv regime.
• Sudan: Normalization With Israel Was US Condition But Will Be Beneficial VOA 26 Oct 2020 -- Sudan's transitional government said the decision to normalize relations with Israel was a necessary move that will benefit the Sudanese people economically.
• Greece Concerned by Arms Supply to Turkey, Ankara's 'Expansionist' Ambitions, Foreign Minister Says Sputnik 26 Oct 2020 -- Athens is concerned by arms supply to Turkey, as these weapons are used to destabilise all regional countries, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said on Monday following a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov.
• Greece Accuses Turkey of 'Fueling Tensions', Violating International Law in Eastern Mediterranean Sputnik 26 Oct 2020 -- Turkey's calls for a dialogue on the disputed areas of the Eastern Mediterranean are nothing but empty words, while Ankara's continued geological explorations in the area escalate the existing tensions, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said on Monday.
• New Japanese Prime Minister Suga Says Determined to Resolve Dispute With Russia Sputnik 26 Oct 2020 -- Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said at his policy speech to parliament on Monday that his government will seek to resolve the territorial dispute with Russia.
• UN shocked and outraged over horrific attack on school in Cameroon UN News 26 Oct 2020 -- The United Nations has strongly condemned Saturday's attack on a school in southwestern Cameroon, which claimed the lives of eight children, and wounded another twelve.
• Cameroon Condemns Killing of School Children, Calls for Investigation VOA 26 Oct 2020 -- There has been widespread condemnation in Cameroon over an attack on a school in the southwestern town of Kumba Saturday that left seven children dead. Locals marched through Kumba Sunday calling for an investigation and for the killings of innocents to stop.

News Reports

• Trump to fire Esper, Haspel, Wray if he wins 2020 race: Sources Press TV 26 Oct 2020 -- US President Donald Trump has list of top intelligence officials that he will reportedly fire if he wins reelection in the presidential race.
• Text of a Letter from the President to the Speaker of the House and Certain Congressional Committees The White House 26 Oct 2020
• Text of a Letter from the President to Certain Congressional Committees The White House 26 Oct 2020
• Trump Informs Congress US Rescinds Sudan's Designation as Sponsor of Terrorism Sputnik 26 Oct 2020 -- US President Donald Trump has sent Congress a letter formally informing the lawmakers that his administration has rescinded Sudan's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism.
• From Cold War to Gray War: Internet Conflict Intensifying VOA 26 Oct 2020 -- A former top security adviser to Boris Johnson has revealed that Britain has launched recently a series of covert cyber-based attacks on Russian leaders and their interests to "impose a price greater than one they might have expected" for their cyber-offensive against the West.
• China makes historic progress over 13th Five-Year Plan period under Xi's leadership People's Daily 26 Oct 2020 -- The Chinese economy's exceptional recovery from the impact of COVID-19 may have surprised many overseas observers, but it is just one of a host of achievements China has made during its 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020).
• 19th CPC Central Committee holds 5th plenary session in Beijing People's Daily 26 Oct 2020 -- The 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) started its fifth plenary session in Beijing on Monday.
• Key meeting set to address domestic, external challenges Global Times 26 Oct 2020 -- Top officials of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Monday convened a key policy meeting that would set the trajectory of the country's social and economic development in the coming five years and outline vision for the next 15 years, which would offer a clear window into how China plans to tackle a litany of domestic and external challenges and what the emerging global power aims to achieve in the medium-to-long term.
• Ruling Chinese Communist Party Paves Way for 'Circular Economy', Greater State Role Radio Free Asia 26 Oct 2020 -- Authorities in Beijing tightened security on Monday, taking dissidents on out-of-town trips, as the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) met to change the course of Chinese economic policy for the first time in four decades, RFA has learned.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on October 26, 2020 PRC MofA 26 Oct 2020
• China Imposes New Restrictions on US News Outlets in Retaliatory Move Against Washington Sputnik 26 Oct 2020 -- As Washington steps up restrictive policies against Chinese owned media outlets, Beijing has periodically introduced rules which require US media outlets to register details with the authorities in a tit-for-tat response.
• China's 'Dark' Fishing Fleet Lays Waste to Global Ecosystems Radio Free Asia 26 Oct 2020 -- China's fleet of illegal fishing vessels is netting multimillion-dollar catches in Korean, Taiwanese, and Japanese waters, in defiance of international bans and treaties, and has been blamed for a sharp fall in squid populations.
• Lawmakers Urge Trump Administration to Expedite Visas, Refugee Status For Uyghurs Radio Free Asia 26 Oct 2020 -- Dozens of lawmakers called on the Trump administration Monday to expedite the visa applications, grant refugee status, and ensure the protection of Uyghurs already in the U.S., noting that the ethnic group faces "heightened risk from persecution" by the Chinese government.
• North Korea Punishes Unauthorized Mask Makers Hoping to Profit From COVID-19 Demand Radio Free Asia 26 Oct 2020 -- North Korea is cracking down on companies that manufacture coronavirus facemasks without a license, a move that sources told RFA said was aimed at protecting factories in the capital Pyongyang and stopping provincial factories from cashing in on surging mask demand.
• Cash-Strapped North Korea Orders Workers in China to Pay Into 'Loyalty Fund' Radio Free Asia 26 Oct 2020 -- Authorities in North Korea have ordered trade workers dispatched by the government to China to pay "loyalty funds" to help Pyongyang deal with shortfalls brought on by the prolonged coronavirus pandemic, even as the workers struggle to make ends meet during a year-long downturn in commerce, sources in China told RFA.
• IAEA chief calls for diplomacy to preserve JCPOA IRNA 26 Oct 2020 -- Director General of the Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi in a message hailed his outstanding meeting with German foreign minister and called for diplomacy to preserve Iran nuclear deal.
• Germany: European troika still wants JCPOA to be maintained IRNA 26 Oct 2020 -- German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas in a joint press conference with Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi announced that the European troika's continues efforts to preserve the nuclear deal with Iran.
• US Slaps New Sanctions on Iran, Targets Ministry of Petroleum and Top Official Sputnik 26 Oct 2020 -- The United States has expanded sanctions against Iran, targeting the country's ministry of petroleum along with 10 other entities, two other vessels and eight individuals including the minister of petroleum, the National Iranian Oil Company and National Iranian Tanker Company were also blacklisted, according to the US Treasury.
• United States Sanctions Iranian Energy Institutions Supporting the IRGC-QF US Dept. of State 26 Oct 2020 -- Instead of using its natural resource wealth to improve living conditions for the Iranian people, the Iranian regime prefers to pawn its oil to fund the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) and support its terror proxies as they sow chaos and destruction around the Middle East. We will not let that happen.
• Treasury Sanctions Key Actors in Iran's Oil Sector for Supporting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force US Treasury 26 Oct 2020 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is designating the Iranian Ministry of Petroleum, the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), and the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, a counterterrorism authority, for their financial support to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), an entity designated under E.O. 13224.
• Iranian Army Chief of Staff Dismisses Washington's Bid for Negotiations as 'Non-Starter' Sputnik 26 Oct 2020 -- Chief of Staff of the Iranian armed forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri on Monday called the idea of holding talks with the US "a non-starter," saying that Washington's proposal for the negotiations with Tehran was a tactic to force Iran to surrender to the US.
• US at economic, military war with anyone refusing to submit to its whims: Iran's Zarif Press TV 26 Oct 2020 -- Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the United States has spent most of its history in war and does not hesitate to wage economic and military wars against those who do not submit to its whims.
• Iran China Trade Plummets Further Despite Grand Plans Radio Farda 26 Oct 2020 -- Official data released by Iran's major trading partners, including China, show the continuing widespread impact of U.S. government sanctions on Tehran's foreign trade and the significant decline in Iranian exports to these countries in the first nine months of 2020.
• Tsikhanouskaya: 'National Strike' In Belarus Has Only Just Begun RFE/RL 26 Oct 2020 -- Belarusian opposition candidate Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya says a nationwide strike to ratchet up pressure on Alyaksandr Lukashenka to step down "has only just begun and will continue to strengthen," after thousands of workers, students, and pensioners took to the streets across Belarus.
• Opposition Announces National Strike in Belarus VOA 26 Oct 2020 -- Belarus's opposition called a countrywide general strike on Monday — the latest in a series of efforts to dislodge longtime leader Alexander Lukashenko from power following what opponents say was a rigged presidential election in the former Soviet republic last August.
• Treasury Prohibits Cuban Military from Processing Remittance-Related Transactions US Treasury 26 Oct 2020 -- Today, the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) amended the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (CACR) to remove Cuba's military-run entities from the remittance process.
• Erdogan Calls for Boycott of French Goods VOA 26 Oct 2020 -- Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told Turkish citizens to boycott French goods in response to what he says is France's "anti-Islam" agenda.
• Muslim Anger Aimed At France Grows Over Cartoon Row RFE/RL 26 Oct 2020 -- France faces a growing backlash over images being displayed in the country of the Prophet Mohammad, which some Muslims consider blasphemous.
• NASA Scientists Discover Water in Sunlit Areas of Moon VOA 26 Oct 2020 -- The U.S. space agency, NASA, reported Monday it has confirmed water can be found in sunlit areas of the moon, indicating water may be far more widespread than previously thought.
• UK-EU trade talks extended, says Downing Street People's Daily 26 Oct 2020 -- Talks on the future relationship between the United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union (EU) will continue in London until Wednesday, Downing Street said Sunday.
• Monitors Say Ukraine's Local Vote Was Generally Transparent, Cite 'Widespread' Allegations Of Vote-Buying RFE/RL 26 Oct 2020 -- International observers say local elections in Ukraine, in which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and the Servant Of The People party appear to have suffered a blow, were "well-organized and transparent," but cite concerns such as "widespread" allegations of vote-buying and lack of objectivity in the domestic media.
• Malaysian king calls for end of "politicking" COVID-19 fight People's Daily 26 Oct 2020 -- Malaysia's King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah on Sunday urged the country's politicians to stop "politicking" the COVID-19 fight when Malaysia continues to fight the COVID-19 outbreak.
• Malaysia's King Rejects PM's Request to Declare State of Emergency VOA 26 Oct 2020 -- Malaysia's King Al-Sultan Abdullah has rejected Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's request to declare a state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Calls for Malaysian PM to step down after king rejects emergency bid Press TV 26 Oct 2020 -- Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is facing calls to resign in a new power struggle following King Abdullah's rejection of his call for an emergency status to contain the coronavirus crisis.
• Cambodia's Hun Sen Threatens Family Members, Associates of Opposition Protest Leader Radio Free Asia 26 Oct 2020 -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Tuesday threatened family members of an exiled opposition leader who called for a protest outside China's embassy in Phnom Penh on Friday, reminding him that his wife and children still live in the capital and could be subject to action by the courts.
• Analysis: Kyrgyz Judiciary Seemingly Moving In Step With New Leader Japarov RFE/RL 26 Oct 2020 -- Kyrgyzstan's courts have never been truly impartial and the country's presidents have often used the courts to punish their political foes, media outlets, and individual journalists.
• Acting Kyrgyz President Japarov Announces Move To Become Eligible For New Vote RFE/RL 26 Oct 2020 -- Acting Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov says he will step down before the end of the year to become eligible to run in a presidential election in January 2021.
• Press Freedom Groups Accuse Tanzania of Squeezing Media Ahead of Elections VOA 26 Oct 2020 -- Press freedom groups and journalists have accused Tanzania's government of silencing critics of President John Magufuli ahead of the October 28 election. Tanzanian authorities this year suspended a number of media groups from broadcasting or publishing, raising concerns about growing censorship.
• Peace, Development at Stake in Ivory Coast Election VOA 26 Oct 2020 -- The West African nation of Ivory Coast is seeing pockets of violence ahead of an October 31 election, with analysts worried about further clashes. Opposition parties announced a boycott of the election and urged civil disobedience among their supporters. The unrest has raised concerns in the region and brought a halt to tourism.