Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• US Hails Much-Awaited Breakthrough in Afghan Peace Talks VOA 02 Dec 2020 -- Delegates of warring sides in Afghanistan announced Wednesday they had agreed on a framework for their peace negotiations aimed at ending the country's protracted conflict.
• NATO Welcomes Success in Doha as Kabul, Taliban Reach Agreement on Talks Framework, Stoltenberg Says Sputnik 02 Dec 2020 -- NATO welcomes the breakthrough that the Afghan government and the Taliban have reached in Qatar's Doha, as the sides finalized the agreement on the framework of the peace talks, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday.
• Afghan government, Taliban reach 'preliminary' deal on rules for peace talks Press TV 02 Dec 2020 -- Afghanistan's government and the Taliban militant group have reached a preliminary deal that sets out rules for further talks, the first written agreement between the two sides since the US-led invasion of 2001.
• Afghan Government, Taliban Reach 'Milestone' Deal In Peace Talks RFE/RL Gandhara 02 Dec 2020 -- Afghan government officials and Taliban representatives say they have agreed on a preliminary deal to press on with peace talks, their first written agreement in 19 years of war.
• The United States Welcomes Major Milestone in Afghanistan Peace Negotiations US Dept. of State 02 Dec 2020 -- The United States welcomes the Agreement announced today by the negotiating teams from the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Taliban. This Agreement is a major milestone in the Afghanistan Peace Negotiations that have been underway since September 12, 2020.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Trump Threatens to Veto Major Defense Bill Unless Law Protecting Tech Companies is Axed VOA 02 Dec 2020 -- U.S. President Donald Trump is threatening to veto a major defense spending and policy bill unless it includes eliminating a law protecting internet companies from liability for material posted by users.
• U.S. Marines exploit captured anti-armor missile system from Syria CENTCOM 02 Dec 2020 -- U.S. Marine Corps Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians completed a multi-day exploitation of illicit ordnance recently turned over by Syrian Democratic Forces in Syria, here.
• Milley Makes Case for U.S. Military Keeping Up With Global, Technology Changes DoD News 02 Dec 2020 -- The geopolitical world has changed mightily over a generation, but that is nothing compared with the changes in technology, and the U.S. military must keep pace to defend the nation, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said today.
• DOD Consolidates IT Services to Improve Efficiency DoD News 02 Dec 2020 -- A 2018 analysis by the Defense Department chief information officer and the Defense Information Systems Agency found inefficiencies in DOD information technology delivery, the principal deputy CIO said.
• 403rd Wing weathers record storm season US Air Force 02 Dec 2020 -- The 2020 Atlantic and Pacific hurricane season, at least technically, came to an end Nov. 30.
• U.S. Warship USS Donald Cook Completes Black Sea Patrol US Navy 02 Dec 2020 -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) began its south-bound international strait transit en route to the Mediterranean Sea after conducting Black Sea maritime security operations enhancing regional maritime stability, combined readiness, and naval capability with NATO allies and partners in the region, December 2, 2020.
• USS Seawolf Visits Gibraltar US Navy 02 Dec 2020 -- The Seawolf-class fast-attack submarine USS Seawolf (SSN 21), conducted a scheduled port visit in Gibraltar, Dec. 1.
• Logistics Center in Yokosuka Completes Three-Year Pipeline Project US Navy 02 Dec 2020 -- Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Fleet Logistics Center (FLC) Yokosuka joined with Gilbane Building Company to complete a pipeline repair project at Defense Fuel Service Point (DFSP) Hakozaki.
• Foreign Ministers address NATO 2030, Afghanistan, Russia, security in the Black Sea region, and the rise of China NATO 02 Dec 2020 -- NATO foreign ministers concluded two days of virtual meetings on Wednesday (2 December 2020) to discuss key issues, including NATO's adaptation, Russia's military build-up, the rise of China, and Afghanistan.
• Online press conference by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg following the second day of the meetings of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs NATO 02 Dec 2020
• NATO chief calls for renewed agreement between U.S., Russia on nuclear arms control People's Daily 02 Dec 2020 -- The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) deemed it necessary to have a renewed agreement between the United States and Russia on the limitation of nuclear warheads, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday.
• Secretary Pompeo's Participation in the NATO Foreign Ministerial US Dept. of State 02 Dec 2020
• Foreign Secretary underlines UK commitment to NATO UK FCDO 02 Dec 2020 -- The Foreign Secretary spoke this week at the virtual NATO Foreign Ministers' meeting and underlined the strengths of the Alliance
• Its China Ties Corroding, Australia to Sign Military Deal with US Ally Japan VOA 02 Dec 2020 -- Australia plans to sign a military exchange deal with U.S. ally Japan so troops from both sides could pool their firepower if needed to counter China, which has become enmeshed in disputes with Australia over the past two weeks.
• Australia 'binds to US chariot' by developing hypersonic missiles Global Times 02 Dec 2020 -- After Australia announced plans to develop hypersonic cruise missiles with its ally the US on Tuesday, Chinese military experts said on Wednesday that China has no intention to make Australia a "military foe" but the latest move of developing missiles with the US could make Australia a potential threat to China.
• New-type hospital ship commissioned to PLA Navy PLA Daily 02 Dec 2020 -- PLA Navy's new hospital ship Nanyi-13 was officially commissioned at a military port on China's Yongshu Reef, Nansha Islands on November 30, 2020.
• PLA commissions hospital ship at Nansha Islands, showcases regional presence Global Times 02 Dec 2020 -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy recently commissioned a newly developed hospital ship, which will serve as a mobile medical force in the Nansha Islands in the South China Sea in missions including military and civilian medical support, international humanitarian aid and emergency rescue.
• 'Victim complex' drives NATO to view China as a rival Global Times 02 Dec 2020 -- North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) foreign ministers will hold a virtual session on Wednesday, with the attendance of non-NATO colleagues, to address a rising China that has become a "full-spectrum systemic rival," for which analysts warned China to get prepared for possible coercion from the organization and its non-member partners although NATO's influence and relevance have been declining.
• Taiwan likely to acquire two key submarine technologies next month CNA 02 Dec 2020 -- The head of the military's top research unit said Wednesday that Taiwan is likely to acquire two key components next month as part of its ongoing construction of the nation's first indigenous submarine.
• Military to visit Israel in 2021 to learn about its reserve system CNA 02 Dec 2020 -- Taiwan's military will send a delegation to Israel next year to learn about that country's reserve force system as it prepares to overhaul its own reserve forces, a senior defense official said Wednesday.
• Royal Australian Air Force and Royal Air Force formalise cooperation Australia DOD 02 Dec 2020 -- Chief of Air Force has announced the signing of the Air Cooperation Framework with the Royal Air Force formalising the two services' long standing collaboration.
• Vice Chief of the Army Staff Addresses Bangladesh National Defence College on Security Challenges Post COVID -19 Pandemic India PIB 02 Dec 2020 -- Lt Gen SK Saini, the Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS) addressed the participants of National Defence Course Bangladesh on "Security Challenges Post COVID – 19 Pandemic" via a virtual platform on 02 December 2020. Earlier in his career, the VCOAS had attended the National Defence College Bangladesh in 2011. The address covered the impact of Corona virus on the emerging world and focused on its impact on military, the security challenges and his views on ways and means to tackle them.
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany The White House 02 Dec 2020

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Dec. 2, 2020

Other Conflicts

• 2 December 2020 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 02 Dec 2020
• UN Appeals for Record $35 Billion as COVID-19 Wreaks Havoc VOA 02 Dec 2020 -- The United Nations is appealing for a record $35 billion to provide a humanitarian lifeline to 165 million of the world's most vulnerable, needy people in 56 countries.
• Russia deploys advanced S-300 missile system to island disputed with Japan Press TV 02 Dec 2020 -- Russia says it has deployed its advanced S-300V4 air defense missile system for combat duty on one of four islands in the Kuril chain disputed with Japan.
• Russia Deploys Air-Defense Missiles To Disputed Kurile Islands RFE/RL 02 Dec 2020 -- The Russian military has announced the deployment of advanced air-defense missiles to the Kurile Islands claimed by Japan.
• UN Warns 20,000 Mercenaries and Foreign Fighters Active in Libya as Humanitarian Crisis Grows Sputnik 02 Dec 2020 -- The United Nations estimates that some 20,000 mercenaries are now fighting in Libya, obstructing any progress to end nearly a decade of war with a national government that includes rival armies on opposite ends of the nation, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Wednesday.
• Foreign fighters a 'serious crisis' in Libya, UN mission chief tells high stakes political forum UN News 02 Dec 2020 -- The 20,000 foreign fighters now in Libya represent "a serious crisis" and "a shocking violation of Libyan sovereignty", UN Acting Special Representative Stephanie Williams said on Wednesday, during the latest meeting under the country's political dialogue forum.
• Myanmar Military, Arakan Army Leaders Held Online Chat Last Month, Says AA Radio Free Asia 02 Dec 2020 -- Senior leaders of Myanmar's military and the rebel Arakan Army held an online conference call late last month to discuss elections and food aid in Rakhine state, contacts aimed at "building trust" during a de facto ceasefire in the western state, a spokesman for AA told RFA on Wednesday.
• Bangladesh Hopes to Start Sending Rohingya Refugees to Remote Island This Week Radio Free Asia 02 Dec 2020 -- Bangladesh hopes to begin moving Rohingya from crowded camps along its southeastern border with Myanmar to a remote Bay of Bengal island this week, officials and refugees said Wednesday, although human rights groups have criticized the plan.
• Two More Tribal Elders Shot Dead In Northwestern Pakistan; Six Total Killed This Week RFE/RL Gandhara 02 Dec 2020 -- Gunmen killed two tribal elders in a remote Pakistani district, bringing to six the number of elders killed in the country's troubled northwestern tribal region this week.
• Joint Press Statement on Ukraine UK FCDO 02 Dec 2020 -- Joint Press Statement on Ukraine by the United Kingdom, United States and Estonian Missions to the UN
• Human Rights Watch Accuses Azerbaijan of Abusing Armenian POWs VOA 02 Dec 2020 -- Human Rights Watch accused Azerbaijani forces Wednesday of brutalizing some Armenian troops captured in the conflict over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
• Armenia Lifts Ban On Rallies, Other Restrictions Imposed Over Karabakh Fighting RFE/RL 02 Dec 2020 -- Armenian authorities have lifted some restrictions on public rallies and strikes, restrictions imposed more than two months ago amid fierce fighting over the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region.
• Putin Calls On Leaders Of CSTO Member States To Support Armenia's Prime Minister RFE/RL 02 Dec 2020 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has called on the leaders of member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) to support Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, who has been under pressure in Yerevan for signing a Russian-brokered agreement that stopped a war in the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region last month.
• Ethiopian Government and UN strike deal for 'unimpeded' humanitarian access in Tigray UN News 02 Dec 2020 -- The UN on Friday announced that agreement has been reached with the Ethiopian Government to allow "unimpeded, sustained and secure access" for humanitarian supplies to reach those in need across areas now under its control in Tigray.
• UN, Ethiopia Agree on Humanitarian Aid for Tigray Region VOA 02 Dec 2020 -- The United Nations said Wednesday it has reached an agreement with Ethiopia to provide humanitarian aid in the country's northern Tigray region, where a month of conflict has worsened an existing humanitarian crisis.
• Nearly 100k Eritrean refugees urgently need food, medicine in Ethiopia's Tigray: UN Press TV 02 Dec 2020 -- The United Nations (UN) has warned that close to 100,000 Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia's conflict-ridden region of Tigray face severe food shortages.
• UN, Nigerian Authorities: More Bodies Recovered After Boko Haram Massacre VOA 02 Dec 2020 -- Nigerian authorities say they are trying to rescue at least 10 women who were abducted by Boko Haram militants in an attack over the weekend that left at least 43 people dead.
• UN chief reiterates two-state solution to Israeli-Palestinian conflict Global Times 02 Dec 2020 -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday reiterated the world body's position of two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
• Moldovan President-Elect Sandu Says Territorial Integrity Important In Talks On Breakaway Region RFE/RL 02 Dec 2020 -- Moldovan President-elect Maia Sandu, a pro-European economist who rode an anti-corruption platform to defeat Russia-friendly incumbent Igor Dodon, says her country's sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected in solving the ongoing issue of the breakaway Transdniester region that is controlled by Moscow-backed separatists.
• Lebanon Wants Talks With Israel on Maritime Border to Be Successful, President Aoun Says Sputnik 02 Dec 2020 -- Lebanon has expressed hope that the US-mediated talks with Israel on the demarcation of the disputed maritime border are productive as this may contribute to stability in the country's south, President Michel Aoun said on Wednesday at a meeting with high-ranking US officials.

News Reports

• A New White House Spokeswoman, An Old Photo, And A Message About Russian Propaganda RFE/RL 02 Dec 2020 -- Six years ago, the woman who was the face of the U.S. State Department was subjected to constant trolling on the Russian-language Internet, not to mention derision from the state-controlled satellite channel that used to be known as Russia Today.
• European Rights Court Finds Russia Denied Physicist Fair Trial In Treason Case RFE/RL 02 Dec 2020 -- The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on December 1 ruled that Russia violated a top physicist's right to a fair trial in a 2014 trial on treason and fraud charges.
• 'People With Initiative': Across Russia, Opposition Elected Officials Say Ruling Party Is Playing Hardball RFE/RL 02 Dec 2020 -- "Those in power don't like people with initiative - particularly if they are honest and independent," said Vyacheslav Galinov, an independent member of the local council in Guryevsk, a city of some 25,000 people in southwestern Siberia.
• China seeking influence in Biden administration: US intel official Press TV 02 Dec 2020 -- A top US intelligence official says China has stepped up efforts gain more influence within the incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference on December 2, 2020 PRC MofA 02 Dec 2020
• US to Detain Cotton Imports Produced by Xinjiang Paramilitary Group, Citing Forced Labor Concerns Radio Free Asia 02 Dec 2020 -- The U.S. announced Wednesday that it will detain all shipments containing cotton and cotton products originating from the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC)—a key paramilitary group in northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR)—citing forced labor abuses.
• DHS Issues Detention Order on Cotton Products Made by Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Using Prison Labor DHS 02 Dec 2020 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced today that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel at all U.S. ports of entry will detain shipments containing cotton and cotton products originating from the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC).
• China calls on US to avoid politicizing securities regulation Global Times 02 Dec 2020 -- China firmly opposes US actions to politicize securities regulation, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Wednesday, when asked about a bill proposed by US Congress that could force Chinese companies to forego their listings on American stock exchanges.
• Taiwan backs Australian wine campaign in stand against China CNA 02 Dec 2020 -- Taiwanese diplomats and officials are taking part in a global campaign to purchase Australian wines as the country stands against intense pressure from China, which has imposed heavy taxes on Australian wine as Sino-Australia tension has intensified.
• Patience, Engagement Key to Rebuilding Australia's Damaged Ties with China, Expert Says VOA 02 Dec 2020 -- China is engaging in a so-called "tongue war" against Australia as an example to other countries, according to analysts. Relations have deteriorated in recent years over allegations of Chinese interference in Australian politics and cyberespionage. There's been disagreement over Beijing's military expansion in the South China Sea and democracy in Hong Kong. Canberra's call for a global investigation into the origins of the new coronavirus — first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan — was interpreted as an infuriating slight against China.
• Three anti-government figures sentenced to jail in Hong Kong Press TV 02 Dec 2020 -- Three anti-government figures in Hong Kong have been sentenced to prison for inciting violent rallies in the Chinese territory last year.
• Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow, Ivan Lam Jailed For Protest Outside Police HQ Radio Free Asia 02 Dec 2020 -- A court in Hong Kong on Wednesday handed down jail terms of up to 13-and-a-half months to three prominent democracy activists for their role in a mass protest that laid siege to police headquarters on June 21, 2019 for several hours.
• Dominic Raab Urges China Not to 'Stifle' Hong Kong Opposition Leaders as UK-China Ties Hit New Lows Sputnik 02 Dec 2020 -- Britain's foreign secretary made the comments just hours after the sentencing of three high-profile activists in China's top special administrative region amid worsening ties between London and Beijing.
• Sentencing of 3 Hong Kong activists: Foreign Secretary's statement UK FCDO 02 Dec 2020 -- Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab comments on the situation in Hong Kong following the sentencing of three pro-democracy activists.
• Three Hong Kong Activists Jailed Over 2019 Protests VOA 02 Dec 2020 -- Hong Kong's influential pro-democracy activists Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow and Ivan Lam were sentenced Wednesday to jail terms after pleading guilty to unlawful assembly charges in connection with the city's pro-democracy protests last year.
• Joshua Wong and fellow HK secessionists sentenced over police HQ siege Global Times 02 Dec 2020 -- Hong Kong secessionist Joshua Wong Chi-fung has been sentenced to 13.5 months in prison on two charges related to the siege of police headquarters in June 2019. Fellow secessionist Agnes Chow received 10 months, and Ivan Lam seven months.
• Prison sentence against HK activists regrettable: Taiwan government CNA 02 Dec 2020 -- Taiwan's government said Wednesday it is regrettable that three pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong were sentenced to prison in a court ruling that was damaging to freedom, stability and prosperity in the special administrative region of China.
• Sentence of Joshua Wong, fellow HK secessionists rings bell for HK youngsters Global Times 02 Dec 2020 -- The sentences given on Wednesday to three high-profile Hong Kong secessionists, including Joshua Wong and Agnes Chow, were termed by observers as an "alarm-ringing" lesson for the city's youngsters, some of whom have been poisoned by the rioters' bad influence.
• China's fertility rate falls below warning line, population may decline Global Times 02 Dec 2020 -- Comments by Chinese Minister of Civil Affairs Li Jiheng that the nation's total fertility rate has fallen below the warning line and the population development has entered a critical turning point have sparked wide public discussion, with Chinese demographers warning that China's population will start to decline in the next few years, with little chance of reversing the trend.
• China Proposes New Restrictions on Foreigners, Religious Services VOA 02 Dec 2020 -- China's government is considering requiring foreign visitors who want to hold a religious activity to first provide extensive information about who is attending and what they are reading, before the service can receive government permission.
• China's Chang'e-5 lands on moon to retrieve samples People's Daily 02 Dec 2020 -- China's Chang'e-5 spacecraft successfully landed on the near side of the moon late Tuesday and sent back images, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced.
• U.S. commission proposes raising status of AIT director CNA 02 Dec 2020 -- A commission created by the United States Congress to monitor security and trade issues between the U.S. and China has recommended that the director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) be nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, in effect treating it as an ambassadorial nomination.
• North Korea Sends Anti-Aircraft Units to Chinese Border to Stop Illegal Border Crossers Radio Free Asia 02 Dec 2020 -- North Korea has deployed anti-aircraft guns on some parts of its border with China, the latest tactic aimed at preventing people from escaping, and stopping corruption among other soldiers there, sources in the country told RFA.
• 'Comrade' Kim Jong-un: North Korea Releases Official Biography Sputnik 02 Dec 2020 -- Kim Jong-un is the third generation supreme leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. His private life has always been a matter of discussion for the western world. Kim's childhood and adolescence are still something of a mystery that amplifies his charisma and image as the nation's leader.
• Iran's intelligence ministry identifies Fakhrizadeh assassins: Gov't spokesman IRNA 02 Dec 2020 -- Government spokesman Ali Rabiei said on Wednesday that Iran's Intelligence Ministry has already launched investigation into assassination of top Iranian scientist Martyr Mohsen Fakhrizadeh and identified perpetrators of the terrorist attack.
• Iran intelligence Ministry identifies individuals involved in scientist assassination: Govt. spokesman Press TV 02 Dec 2020 -- The Iranian administration says the country's Intelligence Ministry has identified the individuals involved in the assassination of senior scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.
• Israel behind assassination of Iranian scientist: US official Press TV 02 Dec 2020 -- A senior American official has acknowledged that the Israeli regime was behind the assassination of an Iranian scientist, CNN reports.
• Strategic Patience Or 'Tough' Action? Tehran Grapples With Response To Assassination Of Top Nuclear Scientist Radio Farda 02 Dec 2020 -- The assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, who was believed to have been at the heart of Iran's past, covert Iranian nuclear activities, has put the Islamic republic in a difficult spot.
• Gov't doesn't agree with parliament's decision, considers it harmful for diplomatic activities: President Rouhani ISNA 02 Dec 2020 -- Expressing satisfaction with the submission of the budget bill for the year 1400 to the Islamic Consultative Assembly on time, Iranian President rejected some media speculations about the reason for the his non presence in the Majlis for presenting the budget bill and said that he did not attend due to the resolutions of the National Task Force Against Coronavirus.
• Rouhani says his admin. opposed to Majlis emergency bill on sanctions Press TV 02 Dec 2020 -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says his administration is opposed to an action plan against sanctions that is under discussion at the Parliament, saying the emergency bill, if passed into law, will be detrimental to the diplomatic process aimed at reviving the 2015 nuclear deal.
• Iran's Guardians Council Approves Law To Harden Nuclear Stance RFE/RL 02 Dec 2020 -- An Iranian constitutional watchdog has approved a law requiring the government to suspend United Nations inspections of the country's nuclear facilities and step up uranium enrichment beyond the limit set under the 2015 nuclear agreement between Tehran and world powers if sanctions are not eased in one month.
• Rouhani Slams Iranian MPs for 'Harmful' Nuclear Revival Plan, Adopted After Top Scientist's Killing Sputnik 02 Dec 2020 -- The bill adopted by Iranian MPs would have suspended UN inspections and required the government to resume enriching uranium to 20 percent if European countries fail to shield Tehran from the US sanctions imposed by President Donald Trump after he left the Iranian nuclear deal in 2018.
• US to Rejoin JCPOA for Further Talks If Iran Resumes Compliance With Nuclear Deal, Biden Says Sputnik 02 Dec 2020 -- Joe Biden, the projected US president-elect, confirmed to the New York Times his intention to return the United States to the Iran nuclear deal during his tenure and hold follow-up negotiations if Tehran returns to strict compliance with the agreement.
• China calls for faithful implementation of JCPOA People's Daily 02 Dec 2020 -- The maintenance and implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) should be the basic prerequisite for any political solution to the Iranian nuclear issue, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.
• Iran urges world community to stand up to US' illegal sanctions amid battle against deadly virus Press TV 02 Dec 2020 -- Iran's permanent representative to Vienna-based international organizations has called on the international community to stand up to the US' coercive measures to force Washington to halt its illegal sanctions against countries amid the coronavirus pandemic that has gripped the entire world.
• Iran drafts budget for next fiscal year as economy diversifies away from oil Press TV 02 Dec 2020 -- The administrative government of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has presented a draft budget bill to the parliament amid efforts to decrease the country's reliance on oil despite forecasts suggesting that Iran would earn more from crude sales in the next fiscal year beginning March 21.
• Brazil Resumes Uranium Production at Caetite Site, Nuclear Power Company Says Sputnik 02 Dec 2020 -- Brazil has resumed uranium production in Caetite, a municipality in eastern Brazil, to generate power in the country, the Industrias Nucleares do Brasil (INB), which produces fuel for nuclear power plans, said.
• Israeli Lawmakers Give Preliminary Approval to Dissolve Knesset, Paving Way for New Election Sputnik 02 Dec 2020 -- Previously, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu refused to pass a budget and renew the coalition's power-sharing deal with the Blue and White party of Defence Minister Benny Gantz.
• Kazakh Political Party Stops Accepting New Members After Opposition Figure's Call To Support It RFE/RL 02 Dec 2020 -- Kazakhstan's Aq Zhol (Bright Path) political party has suspended accepting new members after exiled opposition politician Mukhtar Ablyazov called on his supporters to vote for the party in upcoming parliamentary elections in order to weaken the ruling Nur Otan party.
• British Court Freezes Billions Tied To Alleged Kazakh Bank Theft RFE/RL 02 Dec 2020 -- A court in the United Kingdom has frozen up to $5 billion in assets tied to the alleged theft of billions of dollars from Kazakhstan's BTA Bank.
• European Space Agency Signs Deal to Remove Debris from Orbit VOA 02 Dec 2020 -- The European Space Agency (ESA) has signed a $102 million contract with a Swiss start-up company to purchase a unique service: the first-ever removal of an item of space debris from orbit.
• Joint Communique by Officials of the Government of the United States and the Interim Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela US Dept. of State 02 Dec 2020 -- The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and the Interim Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
• Venezuela's Maduro 'to step down if opposition wins parliamentary polls' Press TV 02 Dec 2020 -- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says he will step down from his post if his party loses to the opposition in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
• Venezuelan President Maduro Reveals His Plans If Opposition Wins Parliamentary Elections Sputnik 02 Dec 2020 -- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has signalled a readiness to resign if the opposition forces win the upcoming parliamentary vote.
• Designation of Lucio Rodriguez Serrano under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act US Dept. of State 02 Dec 2020 -- The Department of State joins the Department of the Treasury in announcing the designation of Mexican national Lucio Rodriguez Serrano pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act) for engaging in various illicit activities on behalf of Rafael Caro Quintero, a notorious Mexican narcotics trafficker and the mastermind behind the murder of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena in 1985.
• Treasury Sanctions Close Associate of Notorious Drug Trafficker Rafael Caro Quintero US Treasury 02 Dec 2020 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Mexican national Lucio Rodriguez Serrano ("Rodriguez Serrano") as a Specially Designated Narcotics Trafficker pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act). Rodriguez Serrano engages in various activities on behalf of Rafael Caro Quintero, a major Mexican narcotics trafficker and the mastermind behind the murder of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena in 1985. Caro Quintero remains a fugitive from U.S. justice.
• U.S. Law Enforcement Takes Action Against Approximately 2,300 Money Mules In Global Crackdown On Money Laundering US Dept. of Justice 02 Dec 2020 -- The U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and six other federal law enforcement agencies announced the completion of the third annual Money Mule Initiative, a coordinated operation to disrupt the networks through which transnational fraudsters move the proceeds of their crimes.
• Facebook, Google Complicit in Vietnam's Repression of Online Freedom – Amnesty Report Radio Free Asia 02 Dec 2020 -- U.S.-based tech giants Facebook and Google are "complicit in industrial-scale repression" in Vietnam by helping the communist government in Hanoi block content, according to a new report released this week by Amnesty International.
• Long-Serving Vietnamese Political Prisoner Vows Hunger Strike 'Till Death' Radio Free Asia 02 Dec 2020 -- Jailed Vietnamese democracy advocate Tran Huynh Duy Thuc has launched a new hunger strike, his second in the last two months, demanding that his 16-year sentence for subversion be reduced in line with a law enacted after he was sentenced, and vowing to continue till he dies, sources say.
• EU Envoys Agree To 'Magnitsky' Sanctions Regime RFE/RL 02 Dec 2020 -- European Union ambassadors on December 2 gave their green light to establish a sanctions regime that would target human rights violators worldwide.
• EU Permanent Representatives Approve New Human Rights-Related Sanctions Regime, Source Says Sputnik 02 Dec 2020 -- The new EU sanctions regime for violation of human rights globally has been approved by the committee of permanent representatives of EU states (Coreper), a source in the EU told Sputnik.
• Thai Prime Minister Not Guilty; Protesters Decry Justice System VOA 02 Dec 2020 -- Thailand's highest court on Wednesday acquitted Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha of wrongdoing linked to his stay in an army house long after he retired from the military, a case that could have seen him removed from office and offered a way out from a political crisis engulfing the kingdom.
• Thai court rules in favor of PM, more protests likely Press TV 02 Dec 2020 -- Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has won a legal battle in a conflict-of-interest case that had been brought by opposition politicians and could have seen him thrown out of office.
• Sudan's Oil Reserves Estimated at 6 Billion Barrels, Undersecretary of Energy Ministry Reports Sputnik 02 Dec 2020 -- Undersecretary of the Sudanese Ministry of Energy and Mining Hamed Suleiman Hamed said that his country's oil reserves are estimated at 6 billion barrels, indicating that his ministry has prepared 25 square kilometers for immediate investment by both local and foreign companies.
• UN chief launches plan to revitalise Beirut as 'beating heart of Lebanon' UN News 02 Dec 2020 -- Against the "grim background" of tragic explosions that destroyed much of central Beirut in early August, the UN chief on Wednesday offered a new multi-agency plan to help the Lebanese people move forward, following months of political gridlock.
• Montenegrin Parliament Opens Debate On New Cabinet RFE/RL 02 Dec 2020 -- Montenegro's parliament has opened debate on the cabinet of newly appointed Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic, the first government in three decades that will not be run by President Milo Djukanovic's Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS).
• Nigeria's Police Reform Efforts Under Scrutiny VOA 02 Dec 2020 -- Lekki Toll Gate, a nondescript toll plaza on a busy Lagos highway, has become a rallying cry for Nigerians demanding police reform.
• Uganda's Wine Demands End to Interference in His Presidential Campaign VOA 02 Dec 2020 -- Presidential candidate Bobi Wine filed a complaint with Uganda's election commission after police fired tear gas and rubber bullets Tuesday at his supporters, sending at least five to the hospital.
• Kenya says Chinese infrastructure projects in Kenya are viable People's Daily 02 Dec 2020 -- Chinese infrastructure projects being undertaken in Kenya are viable because they will have a positive effect on the economy, a senior government official said on Tuesday.