The United States will withdraw nearly twelve thousand troops (DW) from Germany in a multibillion-dollar operation that will cut U.S. forces in the country by nearly one-third, the Defense Department announced. More than six thousand service members will return to the United States, while the remaining troops will re-deploy to other European countries as the U.S. European Command headquarters shift (WSJ) from Germany to Belgium. 

Defense Secretary Mark Esper framed the plan, which he said is liable to change, as a way to strengthen (NPR) the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), deter Russia, and improve U.S. strategic abilities. However, President Donald J. Trump tweeted (NYT) that the shake-up is a response to German business with Russia and delinquency in paying NATO fees. German officials, U.S. Democrats and Republicans, and military experts criticized the move as a blow to U.S.-German relations that could weaken NATO and advantage Russia (DW).

Hong Kong’s government blocked twelve pro-democracy candidates (NYT), including four incumbents, from running in its September 6 legislative elections. The government said the grounds for disqualification included opposing a new national security law imposed by Beijing.
 
This CFR Backgrounder looks at democracy in Hong Kong.
 
Malaysia/Philippines: Tensions have flared (Straits Times) between the two countries over the Malaysian state of Sabah, located on the island of Borneo. Both governments’ foreign ministers defended their countries’ claims to the area on Twitter, perpetuating a dispute that began during British colonial rule.

Prime Minister Imran Khan’s special assistants on health and digital policy stepped down (Dawn) after the government revealed the assets and dual nationalities of twenty aides. Zafar Mirza, the former health assistant, also cited tensions between unelected and elected cabinet members and barriers to reforming Pakistan’s health system as reasons for his resignation.
 
Afghanistan: U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is meeting with Afghan government and Taliban officials in Kabul today ahead of a cease-fire between the two sides. The Taliban announced (TOLO) it would release imprisoned government personnel, bringing its total released prisoners to one thousand, by the start of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha tomorrow.

The United States imposed sanctions (Al-Monitor) on fourteen additional entities and individuals in Syria, including influential businessman Wasim al-Qattan and President Bashar al-Assad’s teenage son. The crackdown is part of a push to cut off foreign investment to Syria, weaken Assad’s hold on power, and prevent him from rebuilding the country after nine years of war.
 
This CFR In Brief discusses whether Assad’s regime can survive new threats, including U.S. sanctions.
 
Saudi Arabia: The Saudi government has imposed stringent coronavirus-containment measures (AFP) for this year’s Hajj, the annual pilgrimage that draws Muslim worshippers to the city of Mecca. The measures include slashing the number of pilgrims by more than 99 percent.

Mahmoud Dicko, the cleric leading Mali’s protest movement, expressed confidence (Reuters) that the country’s political crisis can be resolved without the resignation of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. The coalition organizing the protests, of which Dicko is not a member, has called for Keita to resign. Meanwhile, a group of lawmakers said they would not step down (Reuters) as called for in the Economic Community of West African States’ (ECOWAS) plan to resolve the crisis.
 
Zimbabwe: The government agreed to pay a total of $3.5 billion (Herald) to four thousand white farmers whose farms were repossessed to redress the unequal distribution of land during the colonial era.

Belarus alleged that two hundred Russian mercenaries entered the country (NYT) to interfere in its August 9 presidential election. Thirty-three Russian fighters were detained, according to state-owned media.

Argentine President Alberto Fernandez unveiled a new bill (MercoPress) to reform the country’s judiciary, accused of pro-government leanings, by nearly quadrupling the number of federal courts. The opposition deemed it an attempt to manipulate the court system. The legislature’s lower house, where the government lacks a majority, could prevent the bill’s passage.
 
Bolivia: More than five hundred police officers have been infected (Reuters) with the coronavirus as forces in La Paz and El Alto work to collect the bodies of people who died of the virus. Bolivia’s health service and forensic institutes have crumpled due to the death toll, an official said.

Federal agents safeguarding federal facilities in Portland, Oregon, amid anti-racism protests will  begin withdrawing (WSJ) from the downtown area but remain in the city, according to Governor Kate Brown. The Trump administration’s deployment of the forces has elicited strong local and state government pushback and allegations that agents inflamed violence and injured protesters. Meanwhile, the administration said it will deploy federal agents to Cleveland, Detroit, and Milwaukee.