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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 22 Apr 2014 [PDF]
• Combating food insecurity and displacement in drought-hit parts of Afghanistan IRIN 22 Apr 2014 -- Last year, Afghanistan's Ghor Province lost thousands of its inhabitants. Many fled due to conflict, but others fled due to a more subtle threat: drought.
• Discussions Continue on Post-2014 Troop Strength in Afghanistan AFPS 22 Apr 2014 -- Discussions are continuing within the Obama administration on how many U.S. troops could remain as a residual force in Afghanistan next year after the current U.S.-led NATO mission ends, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said today.
• US considers less than 10,000 troops in Afghanistan after 2014: Officials Iran Press TV 22 Apr 2014 -- The United States is considering keeping less than 10,000 troops in Afghanistan after 2014, White House officials briefed on the issue say.
• USS Taylor to Enter Black Sea NNS 22 Apr 2014 -- The Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate USS Taylor (FFG 50), homeported in Mayport, Fla., will enter the Black Sea April 22 to promote peace and stability in the region.
• USS Bonhomme Richard Completes Search and Rescue Mission in Korea NNS 22 Apr 2014 -- With concurrence from South Korean commanders, the U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) is departing waters around Jindo, South Korea April 22 after assisting with search and rescue operations near the site of the Korean passenger ferry Sewol.
• US Defends Support of Attacks on Yemeni Militants VOA 22 Apr 2014 -- The United States is not talking about the details of the reported American drone strikes that the Yemeni government says helped kill 55 al-Qaida militants in the last several days. The U.S. Defense Department, however, says it is has 'good reason' to continue to work with the Yemenis to combat the threat presented by the terrorist group known as al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Rear Admiral Kirby in the Pentagon Briefing Room DoD 22 Apr 2014 -- Presenter: Press Secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby
• 11th MEU and PHIBRON 5 unite for first at-sea period USMC News 22 Apr 2014 -- Marines and sailors with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Amphibious Squadron 5 (PHIBRON 5) completed two weeks of sea-based predeployment training off the coast of San Diego, April 18.
• U.S. Troops to Arrive in Baltic Region for Exercises AFPS 22 Apr 2014 -- A company-sized element of the U.S. Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team -- about 150 soldiers -- will arrive in Poland tomorrow to begin a bilateral infantry exercise with Polish troops, the Pentagon press secretary said today.
• Hagel to Visit Mexico, Guatemala to Affirm U.S. Commitment AFPS 22 Apr 2014 -- Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel begins a three-day trip to Mexico and Guatemala tomorrow to meet with allies and partners in the Western Hemisphere and affirm America's commitment to the region, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said here today./li>
• CLDJ Expansion Reveals Energy Efficiency NNS 22 Apr 2014 -- Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, a U.S. Navy-managed forward operating site, reduced its energy consumption in surprising ways as the camp evolves from an expeditionary to an enduring base.
• Space Command leader calls for innovation amid budget cuts AFNS 22 Apr 2014 -- Innovation and cost-saving ideas will help ensure the Air Force keeps its warfighting readiness despite significant, ongoing budget cuts, said the commander of Air Force Space Command.
• Russian Nuclear Inspectors Tour Demolished US Launch Facilities RIA Novosti 22 Apr 2014 -- Russian nuclear inspectors visited the US Malmstrom Air Force Base earlier this month to verify that 18 nuclear missile launch facilities had been demolished as part of a 2011 arms control treaty, FOX TV has reported.
• Sky-high security: JGSDF showcases latest air-defense systems with U.S. forces USMC News 22 Apr 2014 -- Marines with Marine Air Control Group 18, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, hosted Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members with the 15th Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment who showcased new air-defense equipment April 16 at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma.
• Full Power: Alternative Energy Partnerships Flourish in Asia NNS 22 Apr 2014 -- As President Barack Obama begins a trip to Asia to coordinate with allies and reconfirm America's strategic pivot to the Pacific, officials at the Office of Naval Research (ONR) emphasized April 22 the Asia-Pacific Technology and Education Partnership (APTEP) as an example of strong and growing ties between the United States and its allies in the region.
• Combined Resolve II to exercise Army's European Rotational Force Army News 22 Apr 2014 -- The U.S. Army's European Rotational Force will participate in a major exercise alongside NATO allies and partner-nation forces at the Army's Grafenwoehr and Hohenfels Training Areas in southeastern Germany, May 1-June 30, 2014.
• NATO minesweepers leave Kiel for Baltic Sea patrol NATO 22 Apr 2014 -- A multinational group of four NATO minesweepers and a supply vessel left the German port of Kiel on Tuesday (22 April 2014) to deploy to the Baltic Sea to enhance maritime security and readiness in the region. The five ships are part of the Standing NATO Mine Counter-Measures Group One (SNMCMG1). "The Group's presence contributes to regional maritime security," said General Philip M. Breedlove, Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR).
• Russia's GLONASS Fully Restored After System Failure RIA Novosti 22 Apr 2014 -- Russia's Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) has resumed normal operations after suffering an outage earlier this month caused by a malfunctioning satellite, the leading research institute of the Russian Space Agency said Tuesday.
• Russia to Build Network of Modern Naval Bases in Arctic - Putin RIA Novosti 22 Apr 2014 -- Russia will build a unified network of naval facilities on its Arctic territories to host advanced warships and submarines as part of a plan to boost protection of the country's interests and borders in the region, President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday.
• Russia Shows Off World-Leading Security Bots for Missile Bases RIA Novosti 22 Apr 2014 -- The new Russian mobile security robot Taifun-M, designed to provide security at strategic missile facilities, has been shown on the Russian Vesti news program.
• Arctic is in focus of Russia's special interests - Putin VoR 22 Apr 2014 -- The Arctic region has been and remains to be within the focus of Russia's special interests, says Russian President Vladimir Putin. 'Virtually all aspects of national security, including the military-political, economic, technological, environmental, and resource spheres - are concentrated here.
• Pakistan test fires short range nuclear-capable ballistic missile IRNA 22 Apr 2014 -- Pakistan successfully test-fired a nuclear-capable ballistic missile on Tuesday, the military said.
• Pakistan test-fires nuke-capable missile Iran Press TV 22 Apr 2014 -- Pakistan's military says it has successfully test-fired a short-range missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
• Simulated attack by China's aircraft carrier part of Han Kuang drills CNA 22 Apr 2014 -- Taiwan is set to include an attack by China's first aircraft carrier in computer-aided war games next month as part of the annual Han Kuang series of military exercises, a defense official said Tuesday.
• April 22, 2014 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 22 Apr 2014
• Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Jay Carney Aboard Air Force One En Route Oso, Washington, 4/22/2014 The White House 22 Apr 2014

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for April 22, 2014
• Moscow Won't Let Russia's Defense Industry to Suffer Over Western Sanctions - Medvedev RIA Novosti 22 Apr 2014 -- Russia's Defense Industry will not suffer because of the sanctions imposed by the European Union and the United States, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Tuesday.

Other Conflicts

• 22 April 2014 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 22 Apr 2014
• Over 86% of chemicals removed from Syria - OPCW VoR 22 Apr 2014 -- Over 86 percent of chemicals have been removed from Syria up to date, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said on Tuesday, April 22. 'The chemicals were immediately boarded onto cargo ships upon arrival at the port and removed from the country,' the OPCW said.
• Syria Sets Presidential Election Amid Reports of Chemical Weapons Use VOA 22 Apr 2014 -- Syria has announced that it will hold presidential elections June 3, despite an ongoing civil war that has killed more than 150,000 people in the past three years and forced about 1.5 million to flee. The announcement comes as the West investigates rebel allegations that the government has been using chemical weapons against the opposition.
• Statement by the Press Secretary on South Sudan The White House 22 Apr 2014
• South Sudan: UN says surging violence claimed lives of children, worsened malnutrition among survivors UN News Centre 22 Apr 2014 -- Confirming that children were killed in South Sudan during recent brutal attacks on displaced civilians or as a result of being recruited by armed groups, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned today that the surging violence is exacerbating an already "very dangerous" malnutrition crisis.
• S Sudan rebel leader denies killing civilians Iran Press TV 22 Apr 2014 -- South Sudan's rebel leader Riek Machar has dismissed allegations that his forces were behind an alleged massacre in the oil-rich state of Unity last week.
• Need to ramp up aid response in Nigeria's violence-torn northeast IRIN 22 Apr 2014 -- Security fears, a lack of humanitarian actors on the ground and a perception that Nigeria's government can handle its crises without help, are leaving many of the thousands displaced by Boko Haram violence in the northeast short of food, with little to no access to health care or basics like clean water and blankets.
• Somalia: UN envoy condemns murder of second lawmaker in less than 48 hours UN News Centre 22 Apr 2014 -- Following the murder earlier today of Somali parliamentarian Abdiaziz Isaaq Mursal – the second lawmaker to be killed in less than 48 hours in Mogadishu – the top United Nations official in the country strongly condemned the incident and pledged the world body's resolve in standing by the Somali people as they worked to build a stable, peaceful country.

News Reports

• Ukraine Leader Urges Crackdown as Peace Efforts Falter VOA 22 Apr 2014 -- Ukraine's acting president accused Russia of aiding "terrorists," urging a crackdown on pro-Moscow separatists in the east on Tuesday that could hamper international efforts to defuse the crisis.
• Presidential Hopeful Tymoshenko Talks to Pro-Russian Separatists VOA 22 Apr 2014 -- Ukrainian presidential hopeful Yulia Tymoshenko held private talks with pro-Russian separatist leaders in eastern Ukrainian Tuesday, in a bid to break the deadlock between them and the government in Kyiv. She says more dialogue will be needed for a clash to be averted.
• US Vice President Pledges Support for Ukraine VOA 22 Apr 2014 -- U.S. Vice President Joe Biden is calling for Russia to live up to its recent agreement to resolve the crisis in Ukraine, adding that the country is 'in the struggle for its very future.' Biden also warned Kyiv it must tackle the 'cancer of corruption.'
• US intentionally drove Ukraine to regime change – Russia's envoy to UN VoR 22 Apr 2014 -- The US who invested $5 billion in 'supporting democracy' in Ukraine was seeking for a more radical settlement of the Ukrainian crisis than the EU, which resulted in a regime change in the country, Russia's UN envoy Vitaly Churkin said in an interview with 'Rossiya 24' TV channel Tuesday, RIA Novosti reports.
• Geneva deal on Ukraine unlikely to be implemented soon - Russian envoy to UN VoR 22 Apr 2014 -- Russian permanent envoy to the UN Vitaly Churkin doubts that the agreements on the crisis in Ukraine concluded recently at a Geneva meeting would be implemented anytime soon. 'Surely, it would be naive to expect that all this would happen quickly,' Churkin said in an interview on Rossiya-24 news television channel.
• US ready to give $15 million to Ukraine for combatting corruption - Biden VoR 22 Apr 2014 -- US is ready to help Ukraine to regain stolen assets and to combat corruption. Meeting with representatives of the Kiev public today, US Vice President Joe Biden said that his country is ready to assign 15 million dollars to Ukraine for these purposes. 'Later this month the US Attorney General, who will be one of the organizers of the international forum, will discuss the return of stolen assets,' Biden said.
• OSCE to enlarge observers number in Ukraine to 500 VoR 22 Apr 2014 -- The number of OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) special mission observers in Ukraine will be enlarged to 500, in order to implement the Geneva agreement, representatives of the Russian delegation said on Tuesday. Initially, the mission will comprise 100 observers, but the number may further be enlarged to 500.
• Ukraine's security service confiscates 12 tons of foreign ammo VoR 22 Apr 2014 -- Over one million rounds of foreign-manufactured ammunition has been withdrawn from illegal trafficking by Ukraine's Security Service, the agency's press service announced Tuesday. Officials revealed that the ammunition, weighing over 12 tons, had been delivered to a company in Kiev in late January and registered for use with hunting rifles. An expert examination nevertheless ruled that the rounds were intended for military weapons.
• Biden Vows Support For Ukraine; Yatsenyuk Condemns 'Shameful' Actions RFE/RL 22 Apr 2014 -- U.S. Vice President Joe Biden has vowed support for Ukraine, which he said 'is in a struggle for its very future.'
• Ukraine's President Calls For Relaunch Of 'Antiterrorist' Operation In East RFE/RL 22 Apr 2014 -- Ukraine's acting President Oleksandr Turchynov has called for the relaunch of an 'antiterrorist' operation against pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine, citing the death of a politician from his party in the region.
• Biden Tells Ukrainian Leaders That U.S. Stands With Them RFE/RL 22 Apr 2014 -- Speaking on a visit to Kyiv, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said that the United States stands ready to help Ukraine's economy but that more must be done to fight the 'cancer' of corruption.
• St. George Ribbon Gains Second Meaning Amid Widening Ukrainian Crisis RIA Novosti 22 Apr 2014 -- A World War II commemorative campaign named after the Ribbon of St. George will launch in Moscow on Thursday amid the ongoing tensions in southeastern Ukraine, where the ribbon has become a powerful symbol of resistance to the Kiev regime.
• US to Help Ukraine Gain Energy Independence from Russia – Biden RIA Novosti 22 Apr 2014 -- Washington will help crisis-hit Ukraine reduce its dependence on gas supplies from neighboring resource-rich Russia, US Vice President Joe Biden told reporters after talks with Ukrainian officials in Kiev on Tuesday.
• Ukraine Notifies Russia on Implementation of Geneva Accords RIA Novosti 22 Apr 2014 -- Kiev has sent Moscow a note on the implementation of last week's Geneva agreement aimed at resolving the crisis in Ukraine, the country's acting Foreign Minister Andrii Deshchytsia wrote on Twitter Tuesday.
• US Announces $50Mln Aid Package for Ukraine RIA Novosti 22 Apr 2014 -- Washington will provide Ukraine with a new $50 million aid package to help with economic and political reforms, the White House told Reuters during a visit to Kiev by Vice President Joe Biden Tuesday.
• Ukraine's Security Service Confiscates 12 Tons of Foreign Ammo RIA Novosti 22 Apr 2014 -- Over one million rounds of foreign-manufactured ammunition has been withdrawn from illegal trafficking by Ukraine's Security Service, the agency's press service announced Tuesday.
• OSCE Urges Russia, EU, US to Help Implement Geneva Agreement on Ukraine RIA Novosti 22 Apr 2014 -- OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Didier Burkhalter has urged Russia, the EU and the US to support the implementation of last week's Geneva agreement on settling the crisis in Ukraine, the organization said in a statement Tuesday.
• Ukrainian Politician Says Elite Police Offered $200,000 to Return to Duty RIA Novosti 22 Apr 2014 -- Ukrainian presidential candidate Oleh Tsarev claims the country's interim authorities offered members of the disbanded elite Berkut police force up to $200,000 to return to duty, the Moskovskiy Komsomolets newspaper reported Tuesday.
• US urges N Korea to refrain from new nuclear test VoR 22 Apr 2014 -- The United States said on Tuesday it was closely monitoring the situation on the Korean peninsula following reports that North Korea may be planning another nuclear test and it urged Pyongyang not to take any step that would threaten regional peace, Reuters reports.
• South Korea says North may be close to nuclear test VoR 22 Apr 2014 -- North Korea could well be preparing to carry out its fourth nuclear test, South Korea's Defense Ministry said Tuesday, citing a significant step up in activity at the North's main test site.
• Kim Jong Un Guides Flight Training of Unit of KPA Air and Anti-Air Force KCNA 22 Apr 2014 -- Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army (KPA) Kim Jong Un, first secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and first chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK, guided a flight training of KPA Air and Anti-Air Force Unit 188 honored with the title of O Jung Hup-led Seventh Regiment on Monday.
• Lukashenka Urges Belarusians To Learn From Ukraine's 'Mistakes' RFE/RL 22 Apr 2014 -- In his annual address to the nation, President Alyaksandr Lukashenka has told Belarusians to 'learn from the mistakes' of their neighbors.
• US National Intelligence's boss bans his employees from contacts with journalists VoR 22 Apr 2014 -- The Director of the US National Intelligence James Clapper has forbidden his subordinate employees to discuss any issues concerning intelligence with journalists unless under a special permission. This is what his order that was issued on March 20 and became available to the press on April 21 says.
• Georgia Says Russia Releases Three Spies RFE/RL 22 Apr 2014 -- Georgia says Russia has freed three Georgians who were arrested on espionage charges after the 2008 war between the neighboring states.
• Court orders US to open up on drone attacks VoR 22 Apr 2014 -- The US government must make public secret papers justifying drone attacks against suspected terrorists, including American citizens, a New York federal appeals court ordered Monday. The case was brought by The New York Times and two of its journalists in a Freedom of Information Act case supported by the American Civil Liberties Union.
• Iraqi Premier Accuses Saudi Arabia of Supporting Terrorism RIA Novosti 22 Apr 2014 -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has slammed Saudi Arabia for supporting Middle Eastern terrorists, saying the policy has exacerbated the problems faced by Baghdad.
• Iraqi premier accuses Saudi Arabia of supporting terrorism VoR 22 Apr 2014 -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has slammed Saudi Arabia for supporting Middle Eastern terrorists, saying the policy has exacerbated the problems faced by Baghdad. Speaking in an interview with al-Manar TV on Monday, the politician stressed that Saudi Arabia's cherished dream to topple the regimes in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon will never come true.
• Repeated shrine visits reflect Japanese politicians' infatuation with militarism People's Daily 22 Apr 2014 -- BEIJING, April 22 -- Despite fresh protests from Beijing and Seoul, a Japanese cabinet minister and nearly 150 lawmakers on Tuesday paid homage to a war shrine, showing their infatuation with militarism and aggravating regional tensions.