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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 14 May 2014 [PDF]
• US drone strikes kill over dozen in Pakistan, Afghanistan Iran Press TV 14 May 2014 -- More than a dozen people have been killed and several others severely injured in separate strikes by US killer drones in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
• Fraud investigations delay Afghan pres. election results Iran Press TV 14 May 2014 -- Afghan officials have delayed the final announcement of the presidential election results over the ongoing fraud investigations.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Forward, Ready, Now: US Airmen train with Nordic nations AFNS 14 May 2014 -- The U.S. called upon the 48th Fighter Wing to participate in a quick-response, cross-border, training exercise out of Bodo Main Air Station, Norway, May 6-8.
• Expeditionary group wraps-up Baltic deployment AFNS 14 May 2014 -- The 48th Air Expeditionary Group handed over the reins of NATO's Baltic Air Policing mission to the air forces of Poland and the United Kingdom during a ceremony at Šiauliai Air Base, Lithuania April 30.
• Dempsey: Risk, Readiness Hard to Explain, Important to Consider AFPS 14 May 2014 -- Risk and readiness are the two toughest concepts to explain, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said today.
• DOD Shows Science, Technology Success Despite Hard Year for Workforce AFPS 14 May 2014 -- Despite a year of workforce furloughs and dwindling budgets, the Defense Department's science and technology enterprise reports advances ranging from a full hypersonic weapon system and high-energy lasers to light-based brain treatments and new core capabilities in cyber warfare, senior DOD officials told a Senate panel today.
• Hagel Arrives in Israel for Consultations, Troop Talk AFPS 14 May 2014 -- Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel arrived here today for the final stop of a multi-day trip to the Middle East.
• Marines Deploy to Italy in Response to Threats in Africa AFPS 14 May 2014 -- The Defense Department has moved nearly 200 Marines to a U.S. base in southern Italy to be able to respond to what a Pentagon spokesman described as a deteriorating security situation in North Africa.
• Readout of Secretary Hagel's Meeting with His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Al-Hussein in Amman, Jordan DoD 14 May 2014
• Phoenix Express 2014 Begins NNS 14 May 2014 -- Phoenix Express 2014, a multinational maritime exercise between North African, European, and U.S. naval forces, commenced its inport phase at the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operation Training Center (NMIOTC) in Souda Bay, May 13.
• Hagel Urges Expanded Cooperation in Gulf Region AFPS 14 May 2014 -- The importance of expanded cooperation in the Gulf region was the theme of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's remarks here today at the Gulf Cooperation Council defense ministerial conference.
• Dempsey Gives Shorthand Account of Challenges U.S. Faces AFPS 14 May 2014 -- Defense strategy is complicated, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said today at the Atlantic Council, but his "elevator pitch" boils down to the mnemonic aid "2,2,2,1."
• Hagel Continues Middle East Trip in Jordan AFPS 14 May 2014 -- Following what he called a "successful" ministerial conference with the U.S.-Gulf Cooperation Council, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel left Saudi Arabia today to continue his multi-day trip to the Middle East here.
• Message to the Department of Defense from Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert O. Work DoD 14 May 2014
• 7th Fleet Ships Emphasize CUES Training NNS 14 May 2014 -- With the endorsement of Codes for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES) at the Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) in April 2014, WPNS navies have affirmed their commitment to safety during unplanned encounters at sea.
• 7th Fleet, Royal Thai Navy Leaders Discuss Operations and Common Concerns Onboard USS Blue Ridge NNS 14 May 2014 -- Senior navy leaders from the U.S. 7th Fleet and Royal Thai Navy met for a professional exchange of ideas in a variety of technical and operational topics on board the 7th Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19), May 12.
• Maritime Civil Affairs and Security Training Command to Disestablish NNS 14 May 2014 -- Maritime Civil Affairs and Security Training Command (MCAST) is scheduled to disestablish during a small internal ceremony aboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana Dam Neck Annex in Virginia Beach, Va., at 10 a.m., May 16.
• CNO visits Pakistan Chief of Naval Staff, meets with Prime Minister NNS 14 May 2014 -- Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert wrapped up a three-day visit to Pakistan, May 13, after meeting with Prime Minister Sharif and top military officials in Islamabad and Karachi.
• NATO Secretary General calls on Allies to remain vigilant to defend values NATO 14 May 2014 -- NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said that Allies had to remain vigilant and ensure they are able to defend freedom, democracy and the rule of law in Europe during his acceptance speech of this year's Czech and Slovak Transatlantic Award in Bratislava. "With its aggression against Ukraine these past few months, Russia has called into question the very values and norms upon which we have built modern Europe," the Secretary General said on Wednesday (14 May 2014).
• NATO to Boost Aid to Moldovan Army - Deputy Secretary General RIA Novosti 14 May 2014 -- The North Atlantic Treaty Organization plans to increase its aid to the Moldovan army, NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow said Wednesday.
• Ukraine Crisis Stirs Fears of New Nuclear Arms Race VOA 14 May 2014 -- U.S. forces are conducting large-scale nuclear 'deter and detect' drills this week, just days after Russia conducted similar military exercises simulating retaliatory strikes to a hypothetical U.S. or NATO nuclear attack.
• Any attempt to grant NATO membership to Ukraine would hurt European security - Lavrov VoR 14 May 2014 -- Ukraine 'is as close to civil war as you can get' and a solution must be found that satisfies all regions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. Russia has 'no intention' of sending its troops anywhere, Lavrov said in an interview today with Bloomberg Television at the Foreign Ministry building in central Moscow.
• Russian navy ships depart for joint exercise with China People's Daily 14 May 2014 -- Russian navy ships left here Wednesday for Shanghai to take part in a joint naval drill with the Chinese navy.
• Russia to Refit 2 Sierra-Class Nuclear Subs RIA Novosti 14 May 2014 -- The Russian Defense Ministry has signed a contract to refit two Soviet-era Sierra-class multipurpose nuclear submarines, the Zvezdochka shipyard said Wednesday.
• France Honoring its Mistral Contract Obligations - Lavrov RIA Novosti 14 May 2014 -- France is honoring all obligations it undertook under a contract to build Mistral-class helicopter-carrying warships for Russia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday.
• Israel Blocks Russian Warship From Docking Over Ukraine - Report RIA Novosti 14 May 2014 -- Israel has refused to allow a Russian missile ship to anchor at one of its ports to prevent straining relations with the United States in the midst of the Ukrainian crisis, Israel's Haaretz daily reported Wednesday quoting a senior Israeli official.
• France May Review Mistral Warship Contract With Russia in October RIA Novosti 14 May 2014 -- France must legally fulfill its contract with Russia for the delivery of two Mistral helicopter-carrying warships, but the decision could still be reviewed, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said while speaking in Washington on Tuesday.
• Pacific Fleet Warships Head to Shanghai for Russia-China Drills RIA Novosti 14 May 2014 -- A Russian Pacific Fleet squadron, led by the guided-missile cruiser Varyag, sailed from Vladivostok on Wednesday to participate in the Russia-China exercises Naval Interaction-2014, a military spokesman told RIA Novosti.
• Russia, Cuba Agree on Security Cooperation VOA 14 May 2014 -- Russia's Security Council and Cuba's Commission for National Security and Defense have signed a memorandum on cooperation and agreed to establish a joint working group, the secretary of the Russian Security Council said Wednesday.
• China, U.S. have more common interests than disputes: premier People's Daily 14 May 2014 -- There are far more common interests than disputes between China and the United States, Premier Li Keqiang said on Tuesday as he met with visiting U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew in Beijing.
• UN meeting targets 'killer robots' UN News Centre 14 May 2014 -- The top United Nations official in Geneva today urged bold action by diplomats at the start of the world body's first ever meeting on Lethal Autonomous Weapons (LAWS), better known as "killer robots," telling them: "You have the opportunity to take pre-emptive action and ensure that the ultimate decision to end life remains firmly under human control."

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for May 14, 2014

Other Conflicts

• 14 May 2014 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 14 May 2014
• UN-backed report reveals record 33.3 million people displaced by war last year UN News Centre 14 May 2014 -- Conflict and violence uprooted a record 33.3 million people within their countries last year, according to a new United Nations-backed report released today, which adds that 63 per cent of them are in five countries – Syria, Colombia, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Sudan.
• Report: 33 Million Now Internally Displaced Worldwide VOA 14 May 2014 -- The Norwegian Refugee Council notes about two-thirds of them a A new report says a total of 33.3 million people around the globe were internally displaced by conflict and violence as of December. That number includes 8.2 million driven from their homes during 2013 alone.
• McCain says US should send troops to Nigeria to rescue schoolgirls Iran Press TV 14 May 2014 -- Republican Senator John McCain says the United States should send troops to Nigeria to rescue over 200 girls abducted by Boko Haram takfiri militants.
• Fact Sheet: Boko Haram and U.S. Counterterrorism Assistance to Nigeria US Dept. of State 14 May 201
• Background Briefing on the Situation in West Africa US Dept. of State 14 May 2014
• Obama says Assad has no place in Syria's future Iran Press TV 14 May 2014 -- US President Barack Obama says Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has lost his legitimacy and he has no place in the country's future.
• Syria army gains more ground in Aleppo Iran Press TV 14 May 2014 -- The Syrian army has gained more ground from foreign-backed Takfiri militants in the province of Aleppo amid ongoing heavy clashes between the two sides.
• Philippines Accuses China of Developing Land on Disputed Reef VOA 14 May 2014 -- The Philippines says China is developing land on a disputed reef in the hotly contested Spratly Islands of the South China Sea.
• Protests Target Chinese Factories in Vietnam VOA 14 May 2014 -- Vietnamese authorities have called for calm after thousands of workers in South Vietnam attacked factories believing them to be Chinese-owned.
• Burundi political infighting could derail country's peacebuilding efforts - UN official UN News Centre 14 May 2014 -- The political situation in Burundi remains tense with limited political space not conducive to protection of human rights, a United Nations envoy today told the Security Council today, warning that as the country approaches elections in 2015, there is a possibility of violence.
• South Sudan: UN Mission welcomes deal to resolve conflict in long-troubled Pibor UN News Centre 14 May 2014 -- The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has welcomed the signing of an agreement between the Government and the South Sudan Democratic Movement/Army (Cobra Faction) on the peaceful resolution of the conflict in Greater Pibor County, Jonglei state.
• Kachin IDPs need shelter assistance IRIN 14 May 2014 -- Thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Myanmar's northern Kachin State are in urgent need of shelter assistance ahead of this year's mid-May to mid-September monsoon, local aid groups and agencies warn.
• Improved mental health care for refugees in Israel IRIN 14 May 2014 -- Thousands of African refugees and asylum seekers in Israel suffering from trauma and depression after fleeing abuses in their home country or surviving torture camps in Egypt are now getting improved mental health care, though more needs to be done, say refugee groups.
• UNICEF: CAR a Fragile Country VOA 14 May 2014 -- UNICEF's Representative to the Central African Republic said children have fallen victim to malnutrition and recruitment as child soldiers. He warned the conflict has growing regional implications.

News Reports

• Ukraine Holds National Unity Talks Without Separatists VOA 14 May 2014 --Ukraine launched talks Wednesday on national unity without the participation of pro-Russian separatists who are seeking autonomy from Kyiv in the country's east and southeast.
• Helicopters used in eastern Ukraine don't bear UN symbols - Ukrainian Defense Ministry VoR 14 May 2014 -- The Ukrainian Defense Ministry has denied the Russian authorities' statements that military helicopters bearing UN symbols are used in the military operation in the eastern regions of Ukraine. 'Indeed, we are using white helicopters that previously fulfilled peacekeeping tasks. However, they bear an emblem of the Ukrainian armed forces,' the press service for the Ukrainian Defense Ministry told Interfax.
• Self-defense units in Slavyansk, Kramatorsk claim to have killed 8 Ukrainian gov't troops, destroyed several armored vehicles VoR 14 May 2014 -- Self-defense units opposing the de facto Kiev authorities in Slavyansk and Kramatorsk, the Donetsk region of Ukraine, claim to have killed at least 8 troops and destroyed several armored vehicles belonging to the government forces early on Wednesday.
• Ukraine on brink of civil war: Russia FM Iran Press TV 14 May 2014 -- Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has warned that Ukraine is on the brink of a civil war, as Kiev is set to hold talks over the country's crisis.
• Ukraine to hold 'national unity' talks Iran Press TV 14 May 2014 -- Ukraine's interim authorities are set to hold "national unity" talks without leaders from the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, amid growing concerns about the country's future.
• Ukraine Opens 'National Unity' Talks Amid Report Of New Attack RFE/RL 14 May 2014 -- The Ukrainian government has launched roundtable talks in an effort to de-escalate the crisis in the country's east.
• Crimea Ready to Provide Humanitarian Aid to Ukraine's Luhansk, Donetsk Regions RIA Novosti 14 May 2014 -- Crimea is ready to provide humanitarian assistance to Ukraine's Luhansk and Donetsk regions, Chairman of the Supreme Council of Crimea Vladimir Konstantinov said Wednesday.
• Russia Has Strong Suspicions of US Mercenary Activity in Ukraine - Lavrov RIA Novosti 14 May 2014 -- Moscow believes information that Western, first and foremost American, mercenaries are operating in Ukraine to be true, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday.
• Russia Baffled by UN-Labeled Helicopters Used in Ukraine's Crackdown RIA Novosti 14 May 2014 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called Wednesday for an explanation as to why the Kiev authorities used a helicopter with UN signage during special operations in southeastern Ukraine.
• Slaviansk Protesters to Move from Defense to Offense RIA Novosti 14 May 2014 -- Federalization supporters in Slaviansk intend to move from a defensive to offensive strategy, the press secretary of the people's mayor told RIA Novosti.
• Crimea Open to Closer Ties With Ukraine's Breakaway Regions RIA Novosti 14 May 2014 -- Crimean authorities are ready to cooperate with Ukraine's breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, Crimean Prime Minister Sergei Aksyonov said Wednesday.
• UN, Kiev in Talks Over UN-Marked Choppers Used in Crackdown RIA Novosti 14 May 2014 -- The United Nations is in talks with authorities in Kiev who apparently have been using UN-marked helicopters in a military operation against Ukraine's restive southeastern territories, according to the RT news channel.
• Russian, European Lawmakers Interested in Dialogue on Ukraine RIA Novosti 14 May 2014 -- Sergei Naryshkin, the speaker of Russia's lower house of parliament, emphasized Wednesday the importance of dialogue between Russian and foreign lawmakers, and said more contacts were planned in the near future.
• Lavrov Says Hysterical US Policy Makes Russia Consider Appropriate Response RIA Novosti 14 May 2014 -- Russia will be obliged to take retaliatory measures if the West continues its sanctions policy, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday.
• GPS Expert Dismisses Russian Threat To Suspend Operations RFE/RL 14 May 2014 -- One of the creators of the U.S.-based Global Positioning System (GPS) has dismissed a threat by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dimitry Rogozin to suspend the work of U.S. ground systems in Russia, saying it would not have any effect on users, except for possibly Russians themselves.
• Russia Aims To Quit International Space Station After 2020 RFE/RL 14 May 2014 -- Three crew members have returned to Earth after spending half a year aboard the International Space Station (ISS), as Russia raises questions about the future of the orbiting laboratory.
• Soyuz Space Capsule Returns Astronauts Safely to Earth RIA Novosti 14 May 2014 -- Three astronauts made a safe return to Earth from the International Space Station on Wednesday, landing in Kazakhstan in a Soyuz TMA-11M capsule, a spokesman for the Mission Control Center told RIA Novosti.
• Zarif outlines issues raised in talks with Ashton IRNA 14 May 2014 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif outlined the details of the issues raised in his meeting with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.
• Iran fully prepared to reach nuclear deal by July 20: Araqchi IRNA 14 May 2014 -- Iran is determined to reach an agreeement with the six western powers on its peaceful nuclear program before the July 20 deadline, Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said here at a press briefing late Tuesday evening.
• Iran, P5+1 begin key nuclear talks to draft final deal Iran Press TV 14 May 2014 -- Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany have kicked off a fresh round of talks over Tehran's nuclear energy program aimed at drafting a final comprehensive deal.
• We Will Finally Settle Accounts with Park Geun Hye Group: NDC of DPRK KCNA 13 May 2014 -- The National Defence Commission (NDC) of the DPRK Tuesday released a crucial report in which it declared it would finally settle accounts with the vicious Park Geun Hye group of hooligans.
• CPRK Spokesman Slams Reckless Outbursts of Spokesman for S. Korean Ministry of Defense KCNA 13 May 2014 -- The spokesman for the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea (CPRK) released a statement on Tuesday in denunciation of the anti-DPRK invectives let loose by the spokesman for the south Korean puppet Ministry of Defense.
• UK's GCHQ faces legal challenge over spying malware Iran Press TV 14 May 2014 -- Britain's eavesdropping agency, the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), is facing a legal challenge for using a spy malware to hijack electronic devices without their users' consent.