Friday, July 23, 2021

Cuba | July 23, 2021

 1 - White House News in Chinese (weebly.com)

2 - White House News in Chinese (weebly.com)

“This is just the beginning — the United States will continue to sanction individuals responsible for oppression of the Cuban people,” Biden said in a statement. 

​US sanctions Cuba officials over protest response, Biden warns more to come

The United States imposed sanctions on Cuba’s defense minister and a special forces unit Thursday for repressing peaceful protests, a step President Joe Biden warned is “just the beginning” of punitive measures against Havana.

Jul 23 - The US Treasury Department said its Office of Foreign Assets Control froze the assets of minister Alvaro Lopez Miera and the Special National Brigade (SNB), a division of Cuba’s interior ministry, in relation to human rights abuses committed during a crackdown on protests on the island earlier in July.

“This is just the beginning—the United States will continue to sanction individuals responsible for oppression of the Cuban people,” Biden said in a statement.

The sanctions were imposed under the Magnitsky act, which allows a US president to take action against human rights abuses and corruption...     more details


FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Measures on Cuba

JULY 22, 2021•STATEMENTS AND RELEASES

​“The United States stands with the brave Cubans who have taken to the streets to oppose 62 years of repression under a communist regime.”

– President Biden

more details




Biden administration sanctions Cuban regime in wake of protests

Jul 23 - The Treasury Department announced in a press release that it was designating Alvaro Lopez Miera, who leads Cuba's Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, as well as the National Special Brigade of the Ministry of the Interior -- known locally as the Boinas Negras or the "black berets" -- "in connection with the repression of peaceful, pro-democratic protests in Cuba that began on July 11."

"The Cuban people are protesting for the fundamental and universal rights they deserve from their government," Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement. "Treasury will continue to enforce its Cuba-related sanctions, including those imposed today, to support the people of Cuba in their quest for democracy and relief from the Cuban regime."

The Boinas Negras are an elite Cuban special forces unit that the government has deployed to crack down on protesters following the widespread anti-government demonstrations on the communist island.

Lopez Miera and the unit were sanctioned under authorities of the Global Magnitsky Act -- which allows for sanctions against those involved in significant human rights abuses or corruption.

Cuba's foreign minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla responded angrily to the announcement on Twitter
...     more details
Corps General Álvaro López Miera is a Cuban military and political leader and the incumbent Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba.

Cuba Appoints New Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces

Cuba Council of State appointed Army Corps General Alvaro Lopez Miera as new minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces

Published on April 15, 2021

The Cuban Council of State appointed as the new minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces Army Corps General Alvaro Lopez Miera, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of the island (PCC).

At the proposal of the First Secretary of the political organization, Army General Raúl Castro, and the President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel, the Council decided to relieve Army Corps General Leopoldo Cintra Frías, who had served as head of that ministry since 2011.

In the official note released Thursday, the Council of State recognizes the career of Cintra Frías, who, in addition to being a Hero of the Republic of Cuba, ‘treasures an extensive and brilliant record of service to the Homeland.’

It also notes that from an early age, the former minister served as a combatant in the Rebel Army, alongside the historic leader Fidel Castro and fulfilled ‘honorable internationalist missions and high responsibilities’.

On the other hand, the official text also highlights Alvaro Lopez’s career as an officer, who from a very young age also joined the defense of the country and fulfilled important tasks in other nations.

Army Corps General Leopoldo Cintra Frías will be assigned other tasks, the note said.     source from

U.S. donates 500,000 Rapid Diagnostic Tests to Sri Lanka for early COVID-19 detection

Jul 23 - The United States donated 500,000 Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) as part of its commitment to support Sri Lanka’s fight against COVID-19. These tests, worth 300 million Sri Lankan rupees (USD 1.5 million), were delivered to the Sri Lanka Ministry of Health through the United States Government’s development arm, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). These RDTs come in addition to over 1.5 million Moderna vaccines the American people donated to Sri Lanka on Friday, July 16.

​“By enabling rapid detection of the virus, these tests donated by the American people will save lives and protect public health in Sri Lanka,” said USAID Mission Director to Sri Lanka and Maldives, Reed Aeschliman. “This donation builds on previous U.S. support to the Sri Lankan government’s pandemic response and reflects our strong, long-standing partnership”...     more
Biman Bangladesh is the national carrier of Bangladesh, operating out of Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka

Bangladesh Domestic Flights Can Only Carry International Passengers

Jul 23 -We’ve seen a lot of strange airline operations due to the global health crisis. This includes flights operating with one passenger as well the use of widebodies on short routes that typically see much smaller aircraft. Bangladesh’s latest lockdown policy, which came in to effect at 06:00 today, has resulted in another abnormal policy, where domestic flights are only allowed to carry international passengers.

A strict lockdown

With the country’s recent spike in COVID-19 cases, Bangladesh is in lockdown, with the Dhaka Tribune reporting that more severe restrictions will come into force at 08:00 local time today. This will continue through to at least midnight on August 5th with police, Bangladesh Border Guard, and the Army deployed to the streets to ensure compliance.

This lockdown will also see travel via domestic flight banned, well, mostly. There are a few exceptions, including medevac/humanitarian/relief flights, cargo flights, and the transport of international passengers...     quoted from

驻军亚太 打造无人机“蜂群” 英军要加入“大国竞争”?20210722 |《今日关注》CCTV中文国际
Jul 23, 2021

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