DBON - September 27, 2020

TOPICS & SOURCES: 

Russia and China blocked the official release of a report by U.N. experts on Libya that accused its warring parties and their international backers -- including Russia -- of violating a U.N. arms embargo, U.N. diplomats said Friday. (https://www.foxnews.com/world/russia-china-block-release-of-un-report-criticizing-russia) 

The U.S. imposed export restrictions on Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp., taking aim at another prominent Chinese technology company. (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-27/u-s-imposes-restrictions-on-exports-to-china-s-top-chipmaker?srnd=premium&sref=Ig8525Pv) 

Hong Kong residents renewed or applied for British National (Overseas) passports in record numbers last year as anti-government protests erupted in the city. (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-27/hong-kongers-seek-u-k-bno-passports-in-record-numbers-scmp?sref=Ig8525Pv) 

Iran lost $150 billion of revenue since U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from a the nuclear deal and reimposed sanctions on its economy, President Hassan Rouhani said in a state tv broadcast. (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-26/u-s-sanctions-cost-iran-s-economy-150-billion-rouhani-says?sref=Ig8525Pv) 

Lebanon’s prime minister-designate stepped down after failing to form a government, leaving the nation rudderless as it struggles to recover from a devastating explosion at its main port last month. (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-26/lebanon-pm-designate-steps-down-says-unable-to-form-government?srnd=politics-vp&sref=Ig8525Pv) 

The violence in the Himalayas between India and China points to a rapidly deteriorating relationship. (https://www.brinknews.com/tension-escalates-in-the-himalayas-between-india-and-china/) 

Imran Khan, the prime minister of Pakistan, devoted a large portion of his prerecorded U.N. speech aired Friday to assail India, reflecting the entrenched antagonism between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/25/world/middleeast/UN-mideast-palestinians-israel.html) 

President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority used his U.N. speech on Friday to request the United Nations to convene a conference in early 2021 to help solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/25/world/middleeast/UN-mideast-palestinians-israel.html) 

Washington has threatened to close its embassy in Baghdad over near-daily attacks on its interests in Iraq. (AFP.COM: