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• OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 15 May 2014 [PDF]
• Afghan presidential election goes to second round Iran Press TV 15 May 2014 -- Afghanistan politicians Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani will face off in their country's second round of presidential election after both garnered the most votes in the first round.
• Afghanistan: UN mission welcomes release of presidential election results UN News Centre 15 May 2014 -- The United Nations mission in Afghanistan has welcomed today's announcement of the final results of the recent presidential election and stressed the importance of cooperation between the electoral institutions and candidates ahead of the run-off scheduled for next month.
• Libya threat: US sends Marines to Italy Iran Press TV 15 May 2014 -- US officials announced the deployment of approximately 200 Marines from Spain to southern Italy to join the "crisis response" force ready to defend the embassy in Tripoli, Libya.
• U.S. Navy Helicopters Assist CAL FIRE in San Diego County Firefighting Efforts NNS 15 May 2014 -- Six flight crews from the 'Merlins' of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 3 provided firefighting support to California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) in response to wildfires throughout San Diego County May 15.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Air Force moves closer to KC-46A beddown AFNS 15 May 2014 -- The Air Force is a step closer to bedding down its anticipated fleet of KC-46A Pegasus aerial tankers.
• Official Describes Joint Information Environment's Value AFPS 15 May 2014 -- With cyber woven into all of the traditional domains, warfighters need a secure and effective single security architecture with standardized networks, a senior Joint Staff official said here yesterday.
• Dempsey, Fang Meet to Strengthen U.S.-China Military Relations AFPS 15 May 2014 -- U.S. and Chinese military leaders had good discussions on subjects they agreed upon – such as North Korea – and subjects they didn't – such as the South China Sea – during meetings at the Pentagon today.
• Naval War College Conference Addresses Counterproliferation AFPS 15 May 2014 -- Proliferation of weapons of mass destruction is a major challenge to global security, and representatives from 21 nations addressed the problem this week during a meeting that ended today at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.
• Remarks by Secretary Hagel and Minister Ya'alon at a Troop Event at Hatzor Air Force Base DoD 15 May 2014 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel; Israeli Minister of Defense Moshe Ya'alon
• Joint Press Conference with Secretary Hagel and Israeli Minister of Defense Moshe Ya'alon DoD 15 May 2014 -- Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel; Israeli Minister of Defense Moshe Ya'alon
• Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Martin E. Dempsey and People's Liberation Army of China Chief of the General Staff General Fang Fenghui DoD 15 May 2014 -- Department of Defense Joint Press Conference by General Dempsey and General Fang in the Pentagon Briefing Room
• MWSS-271 hones communication abilities USMC News 15 May 2014 -- Members of Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 conducted their annual Communication Exercise, May 5 – 9 at Marine Corps Auxiliary Landing Field Bogue, N.C.
• DOD Makes Audit Progress but Challenges Remain AFPS 15 May 2014 -- The Defense Department has made progress in efforts to improve financial management and begin preparing auditable financial statements, but challenges stand between the Pentagon and its 2014 and 2017 audit deadlines, DOD’s inspector general said this week.
• Aviano Airmen support Army mission to Poland AFNS 15 May 2014 -- Airmen from Aviano Air Base recently supported a series of troop movements in partnership with U.S. Army Europe's Land Forces Assurance exercises.
• Dempsey Welcomes Chinese Counterpart to Pentagon AFPS 15 May 2014 -- The Defense Department went all out to welcome Chinese Gen. Fang Fenghui to the Pentagon today.
• NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen outlines readiness action plan in Bratislava NATO 15 May 2014 -- NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen stressed that NATO will continue to stand up for freedom and security in light of the Ukraine crisis. "We already have more planes in the air, more ships at sea and more exercises on the ground … We are also considering the longer-term implications of Russia's actions for what we do in NATO," the Secretary General said at the Bratislava Global Security Forum on Thursday (15 May 2014). In a keynote speech, he outlined an Alliance readiness action plan in preparation for the Wales Summit in September.
• NATO to start deploying its bases in Eastern Europe in September VoR 15 May 2014 -- The United States will consider the possibility of deployment of NATO military bases in Poland, and a decision on this issue can be made in September during the alliance summit in Wales, Stephen Mull the United States Ambassador to the Republic said .
• HMS Dragon arrives in Cardiff UK MOD 15 May 2014 -- With HMS Dragon's arrival in Cardiff, and the 2014 NATO Summit around the corner, the spotlight is on Wales.
• May 15, 2014 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 15 May 2014
• Gaggle en route Andrews Air Force Base from New York by Press Secretary Jay Carney The White House 15 May 2014

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• 15 May 2014 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 15 May 2014
• Friends of Syria Core Group (London 11) Communique US Dept. of State 15 May 2014
• Syrian Rebels Use Tunnel to Attack Military Base VOA 15 May 2014 -- Syrian rebel fighters have blown up a government military base in northern Idlib province by tunneling under the besieged outpost and setting off explosives. Rebels recently used a similar method to destroy a checkpoint near the same base and a government army barracks in a hotel in Syria's largest city of Aleppo.
• Russia urges to set date for new round of Syria talks in Geneva VoR 15 May 2014 -- The Russian president's special representative for the Middle East and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov called for determining the date of the third round of Syria talks as soon as possible without wasting time. 'The date of the third round should have been determined a long time ago. We believe that no time should be wasted because this vacuum will be filled by radicals,' Bogdanov said. 'We should continue the negotiation process in Geneva and be patient. Such a large number of contacts between Syrians will develop into a new quality and will help to work out mutually acceptable solutions. We must not lose heart,' he added.
• Moscow expects Syrian chemical weapons' removal to be completed by UN, OPCW deadline - Russian FM VoR 15 May 2014 -- The Russian Foreign Ministry hopes that the process of chemical disarmament of Syria will be completed within the timeframe set by the United Nations Security Council (UN SC) and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). 'We hope that the removal process will be finally completed as soon as this is enabled by the security situation, and within the timeframe set by the UN SC and OPCW decisions,' Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Aleksandr Lukashevich said at a briefing in Moscow on Thursday.
• Envoy pledges UN support for Nigeria's efforts towards release of abducted schoolgirls UN News Centre 15 May 2014 -- The United Nations is committed to supporting Nigeria's efforts to ensure the release of the schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram militants, the world body's newly-appointed envoy to the country said today, as he announced that the UN has initiated preparation of a "support package" that will include assistance for affected families and the girls after their release.

News Reports

• Background Briefing on Ukraine US Dept. of State 15 May 2014
• US, Britain: Tough Sanctions Against Russia if Ukraine Vote Is Disrupted VOA 15 May 2014 -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and British Foreign Secretary William Hague say the United States and European Union will hit Russia with far tougher economic sanctions if it tries to disrupt next week's presidential election in Ukraine. Kerry and Hague discussed the crisis in Ukraine Thursday in London with foreign ministers from France, Italy, and Germany.
• Putin expects more active EU role in solving Ukraine gas debt problem VoR 15 May 2014 -- Russia is disappointed by the absence of EU specific proposals on solving the Ukraine gas debt problem and expects European countries to play a more active role in this process, President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday. In a special address to European leaders, Putin said that Russia's decision to demand advance payments for natural gas deliveries to Ukraine was a forced measure.
• Russia forced to supply gas to Ukraine upon prepayment only - Putin VoR 15 May 2014 -- There was no choice over the decision to demand pre-payment from Ukraine, and Moscow is prepared for dialogue to normalize the situation, said Russian President Vladimir Putin. 'I would like to point out once again. This (transition to a pre-payment system) is a forced one,' he said in a message distributed by the Kremlin's press-service. Ukraine's gas debt has rocketed to $3.508 billion from $2.237 billion over a month, added the President.
• 11 Ukraine soldiers killed in clashes with militia near Slavyansk, Kramatorsk VoR 15 May 2014 -- The people's mayor of Slavyansk, Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, claims that Ukraine's security forces suffered heavy losses during clashes with militiamen outside of Slavyansk and Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine, on Wednesday evening.
• Donetsk gives Ukraine forces ultimatum for withdrawal Iran Press TV 15 May 2014 -- Self-defense forces in Ukraine's eastern region of Donetsk have issued an ultimatum for the Kiev military troops to withdraw from the province within 24 hours.
• Kiev violating Geneva agreement: Russia Iran Press TV 15 May 2014 -- Russia has said Ukraine's failure to jump-start the national reconciliation process is in violation of the April 17 Geneva agreement.
• Ukraine Government Reports Military Success Against Separatists RFE/RL 15 May 2014 -- The Ukrainian government says its security forces have destroyed two bases used by pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country.
• Russia warns of retaliation against West bans: Lavrov Iran Press TV 15 May 2014 -- Russia has warned that it may consider taking retaliatory measures if the West's "hysterical" policy of sanctions against Moscow over the crisis in Ukraine continues.
• Moscow Uses Divide-And-Conquer Strategy With Crimean Tatars RFE/RL 15 May 2014 -- A small group of activists and local residents will gather in Kazan this weekend to mark the 70th anniversary of Josef Stalin's brutal deportation of the Crimean Tatars in 1944.
• Thai army chief warns military 'may use force' if unrest continues VoR 15 May 2014 -- Thailand's army chief warned Thursday that the military may 'use force' if political violence escalates in a six-month crisis which has left 28 people dead and hundreds wounded. 'If violence continues the military may need to come out... to restore peace and order,' General Prayut Chan-O-Cha said in rare official statement, adding his troops 'may need to use force to resolve the situation'.
• Iran Says Ready To Supply Natural Gas To Europe RFE/RL 15 May 2014 -- Good diplomats find opportunities in crises, and Iran's policymakers seem to be following the rule.
• China Blames 'Religious Extremists' for Xinjiang Province Attack VOA 15 May 2014 -- Chinese authorities on Thursday blamed 'religious extremists' for a deadly knife and bomb attack in Urumqi, the capital of the restive Xinjiang province.
• Egypt's legal system needs reform, UN and African experts say after mass death sentences UN News Centre 15 May 2014 -- In the wake of the second wave of mass death sentences handed down in Egypt last month, a group of African and United Nations human rights experts today called on authorities to bring the country's legal system into compliance with international and regional standards.
• US to purchase Russian rocket engines after 2016 VoR 15 May 2014 -- Russia's Energomash is going to export new rocket engines RD-181 for Antares launch systems to the US after 2016, the manufacturer's executive director Vladimir Solntsev said on Thursday, according to Itar-Tass.