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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 20 May 2014 [PDF]
• Afghanistan: UN mission welcomes release of preliminary results from provincial polls UN News Centre 20 May 2014 -- The top United Nations official in Afghanistan today welcomed the release of preliminary results in the country's provincial council election and lauded the "real community engagement" seen in the polls.

Defense Policy / Programs

• U.S. Wants to Advance Military Relations With China Despite Hacking Incident AFPS 20 May 2014 -- A day after the Justice Department charged five members of China's military with hacking into computer networks of American companies, a Defense Department spokesman said the Pentagon wants to continue developing military relations with Beijing.
• Hagel Stands Behind Tough Budget Proposal, Spokesman Says AFPS 20 May 2014 -- Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel stands firmly behind tough budget choices made in the 2015 Fiscal Year Defense Budget request as lawmakers return to Washington to take up defense spending.
• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Admiral Kirby in the Pentagon Briefing Room DoD 20 May 2014 -- Presenters: Rear Admiral John Kirby, Press Secretary
• NATO Defense Chiefs to Discuss Russia, Afghanistan AFPS 20 May 2014 -- Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will discuss the situation in Eastern Europe, Europe's southern flank, and the way forward in Afghanistan during meetings with NATO's uniformed leaders in Brussels this week.
• U.S. troops to take part in Jordanian exercise USMC News 20 May 2014 -- U.S. forces along with those from more than 20 other nations will begin military exercises in Jordan next week.
• USS Theodore Roosevelt Fires Weapons During Combat Systems Ship Qualification Trials NNS 20 May 2014 -- The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt's (CVN 71) close in weapons system (CIWS) successfully tracked and fired upon a mobile surface target during a Combat System Ship Qualification Trial (CSSQT) surface gun exercise (GUNEX), May 19.
• US Navy 'Shaping Events' in South China Sea VOA 20 May 2014 -- The United States' top naval officer said the Navy's growing presence in the Asia-Pacific region is beginning to show results and shape events, but acknowledges it will be 'a long-term effort.' Admiral Jonathan Greenert, the Chief of Naval Operations, said he hopes the U.S. Navy will be able to expand cooperation with India once its new government takes its place.
• NATO Allies and partners assist Bosnia and Herzegovina in flood disaster relief NATO 20 May 2014 -- Following a request by the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EARDCC), over 20 NATO and partner countries have offered assistance for ongoing flood relief efforts
• NATO and Armenia committed to solid partnership NATO 20 May 2014 -- NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Tuesday (20 May 2014) thanked Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and Minister of Defence Seyran Ohanyan for Armenia's steadfast contribution to the Alliance's KFOR operation in Kosovo and to ISAF, as well as for Armenia's commitment to contribute to the Alliance's Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan post-2014.
• UK joins new space partnership UK GOV 20 May 201 -- The UK has joined forces with Australia, Canada and the US to share expertise and resources dedicated to space operations.
• Iraqi Leader to Discuss New Arms Supply Contracts With Putin RIA Novosti 20 May 2014 -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki plans to discuss new arms contracts during an upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iraqi parliamentarian Muhammad al-Akili told RIA Novosti.
• Russian Army to Train Military Personnel to Operate Drones RIA Novosti 20 May 2014 -- Russian defense experts will train the country's soldiers to operate the latest unmanned aerial vehicles, the Defense Ministry said Tuesday.
• Russian servicemen to take part in int'l military drills in Mongolia VoR 20 May 2014 -- More than 65 units of military hardware belonging to troops of the Russian Eastern military district will take part in the active stage of a drill for liquidation of assumed 'illegal armed formations' in the framework of international maneuvers 'Selenga-2014', the press service of the Eastern Military District told ITAR-TASS, quoting an agreement reached by Russia and Mongolia in the second round of consultations on the joint maneuvers.
• 2 Russian Glonass Navigation Satellites to Undergo Maintenance RIA Novosti 20 May 2014 -- Two Russian Glonass navigation satellites will be temporarily deactivated for a day to undergo maintenance, the Glonass System Control Center said Tuesday.
• All Russian Glonass Satellites Fully Functioning After Maintenance RIA Novosti 20 May 2014 -- Two satellites of Russia's Glonass navigation system deactivated Monday for maintenance are again fully functional, the Glonass System Control Center said Tuesday.
• Russia to Turn Crimean Military Hardware Over to Ukraine By End of Year RIA Novosti 20 May 2014 -- The Russian Defense Ministry plans to turn over all Ukrainian military equipment that was stationed in Crimea by the end of this year, Deputy Defense Minister General Dmitry Bulgakov told RIA Novosti Tuesday.
• Ukrainian gov't asks US for armament disposed after military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan VoR 20 May 2014 -- The self-appointed Ukrainian government has requested the US to extend the list of goods supplied for the Ukrainian armed forces. The Ukrainian government wants to receive armored vehicles, arms, body armors and special equipment for intelligence purposes, RIA Novosti says, citing Defense News newsweekly.
• May 20, 2014 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 20 May 2014
• Press Briefing by the Press Secretary Jay Carney, 5/20/14 The White House 20 May 2014

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for May 20, 2014

Other Conflicts

• 20 May 2014 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 20 May 2014
• Iran rejects Afghan recruitment report in US paper Iran Press TV 20 May 2014 -- Iran has dismissed as "totally baseless" recent accusations leveled in a US newspaper about the Islamic Republic's recruitment of Afghan refugees for war in Syria.
• Syria 'opposition' self-proclaimed defense minister quits Iran Press TV 20 May 2014 -- The self-proclaimed defense minister of Syria's foreign-sponsored opposition has stepped down following reports of profound disappointment with the body's head.
• Less hope of return for new wave of Iraqi refugees in Jordan IRIN 19 May 2014 -- So frenzied was Hyam Hussnie's late night escape on a desert highway that she could not believe that when she arrived in Jordan "my children were still alive and with me."
• S Korea fires warning shots after North crosses disputed border VoR 20 May 2014 -- A South Korean naval ship fired warning shots Tuesday after three North Korean patrol boats crossed over the disputed maritime border in the Yellow Sea, military officials said, according to AFP. The North Korean boats, which normally serve to keep fishing boats on the right side of the boundary, crossed into South Korean waters at 07:00 GMT, the South's joint chiefs of staff said.
• Libya's Rival Factions Ramp Up Battle for Control VOA 20 May 2014 -- Libya's embattled parliament was set to reconvene Tuesday, as rival factions battle for control of the fractured country.
• Clashes between Yemen army, Houthis kill 25 Iran Press TV 20 May 2014 -- More than two dozen people have been killed in fresh clashes between Yemeni security forces and Houthi fighters near the city of Amran, medical sources say.
• Donors pledge $600 million to bolster UN-led aid response to South Sudan crisis UN News Centre 20 May 2014 -- International donors today pledged more than $600 million dollars in aid to South Sudan at a conference hosted by Norway and the United Nations aimed at preventing famine and upholding human rights in the world's newest country which has been ravaged by months of fighting.
• Renewed violence in northern Mali threatens to destabilize entire sub-region, senior UN official warns UN News Centre 20 May 2014 -- Briefing the United Nations Security Council in the wake deadly violence that rocked the northern Malian town of Kidal this past weekend, the top UN official in the country urged all parties today to take immediate steps to de-escalate tensions and avoid further provocation to keep the long-troubled region from sliding back into crisis.
• With half its health centres in Syria destroyed, UN agency adapts to meet needs of Palestinian refugees UN News Centre 20 May 2014 -- The health department of the UN agency assisting Palestinian refugees across the Middle East today reported that more than half of its health centres in Syria are destroyed or non-functional, even as life expectancy is on the rise for Palestinians in the region with a growing ageing population suffering from sedentary lifestyles.

News Reports

• Thai Military Declares Martial Law, Seeks 'Peace and Order' VOA 20 May 2014 -- Thailand's military has declared martial law, saying it did so to keep 'peace and order' after months of sometimes violent anti-government protests, the army chief said.
• Thai PM voices support for fresh election on August 3 VoR 20 May 2014 -- Thailand's caretaker Prime Minister Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan on Tuesday called for fresh polls on August 3 in a bid to end the nation's political turmoil, after the military imposed martial law across the kingdom. Niwattumrong told reporters that the government had written to the Thai Election Commission proposing the new date and hoped to 'submit a royal decree' next week for the king to endorse a new national vote.
• Kiev targets Slavyansk residential areas Iran Press TV 20 May 2014 -- Ukraine's government troops stationed outside the country's eastern city of Slavyansk in the Donetsk region have targeted residential areas of the city.
• Akhmetov Decides To Stop Separatism In Donetsk RFE/RL 20 May 2014 -- Rinat Akhmetov, Ukraine's richest man, normally prefers shadows to sunlight. But that's changed in the past week, with a series of strikes and noisy protests calling for the ouster of pro-Russian separatists from his native Donetsk. In the latest demonstration on May 20, the billionaire called on Donetsk residents to stage daily protests until the self-declared 'Donetsk People's Republic,' the driving force behind the May 11 self-rule referendum, was eliminated.
• Miners Enter The Fray In Eastern Ukraine RFE/RL 20 May 2014 -- The shrill wails of sirens resounded throughout Ukraine's eastern rust belt on May 20, a rallying call for miners and steelworkers to unite against separatists seeking to take over their region.
• Federalists Take Over 11 Election Commissions in Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk Regions RIA Novosti 20 May 2014 -- The Ukrainian Central Election Commission has announced that self-defense forces has captured 11 district election commissions in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the Ukrainian news agency UNIAN reported Tuesday.
• Over 50 Injured, 3 Dead in Ukraine's Slaviansk Since Start of Military Op RIA Novosti 20 May 2014 -- More than 50 people have been taken to hospitals since the start of the military operation in Ukraine's Slaviansk, the head of the health department of the city council said Tuesday.
• Russia Calls for Ukraine to Implement OSCE Roadmap Ahead of Elections RIA Novosti 20 May 2014 -- Ukraine must implement the roadmap of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and halt domestic military actions or the upcoming presidential election may aggravate the crisis in the country, Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin said Tuesday.
• Some 10,000 people in Ukraine now affected by displacement, UN agency says UN News Centre 20 May 2014 -- The United Nations refugee agency estimated today that 10,000 people, most ethnic Tatars, but also Ukrainians, Russians and mixed families, have fled Crimea and restive eastern Ukraine to other parts of the country, out of fear of insecurity or persecution.
• Russian troops near Ukraine return to bases: Moscow Iran Press TV 20 May 2014 -- The Russian Defense Ministry says the country's troops stationed near the border with Ukraine are dismantling their camps and preparing to return to their bases.
• Russia Withdraws Troops From Ukrainian Border RIA Novosti 20 May 2014 -- Russia has started a pullback of its troops from temporary bases near the Ukrainian border, Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov said Tuesday.
• Medvedev Says Russia Not Obliged to Guarantee Ukraine's Territorial Sovereignty RIA Novosti 20 May 2014 -- Russia is not obligated to guarantee the territorial sovereignty of Ukraine because it never took on that obligation, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Tuesday.
• Russia Ready to Inform West of Drills near Ukrainian Border - Medvedev RIA Novosti 20 May 2014 -- Moscow is prepared to inform the West of troop deployment near the border with Ukraine, but the issue of the time and place of holding military drills within Russian territory is a domestic entitlement, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Tuesday.
• Russian PM Says Claims of Moscow Planning to Attain Parts of Ukraine – Propaganda RIA Novosti 20 May 2014 -- Confirmation that Russia has plans to claim any part of Ukraine is propaganda and the comparison with the situation with Crimea is inappropriate, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Tuesday.
• Russia: Troops Pulling Back from Ukraine Borders VOA 20 May 2014 -- Russia's Defense Ministry says its 40,000 army troops near the Ukraine border have started dismantling their positions.
• Russian troops coming back after military exercises on border with Ukraine VoR 20 May 2014 -- On the order by Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu formations of Russian Armed Forces which conducted military exercises in regions bordering Ukraine are coming back to their permanent bases, the press service of the Russian Defense Ministry told TASS on Tuesday.
• U.S. Treasury Sanctions 12 More Russians Under 'Magnitsky Act' RFE/RL 20 May 2014 -- The U.S. Treasury has announced sanctions against 12 more Russians for alleged human rights abuses, including prison officials who allegedly withheld medical care from a man who uncovered tax fraud in Russia.
• Can Russia Unplug From The World? RFE/RL 20 May 2014 -- When a Moscow official, bemoaning the state of Russian childhood, recently called for a return to the days of the Iron Curtain, she put her finger on the precise dilemma faced by Kremlin strategists looking to persuade their 21st-century citizenry that it's time to turn back the clock.
• US court finds London-based cleric guilty on terrorism charges Iran Press TV 20 May 2014 -- A US federal court in New York City has found an Egyptian-born Islamic cleric guilty on charges of kidnapping and supporting terrorism around the world.
• FM spokeswoman dismisses any halt in nuclear talks IRNA 20 May 2014 -- Foreign Minister spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham dismissed any halt in Iran's nuclear talks with the G5+1 and said negotiations between the two sides are going on.
• Britain's MI5 accused of complicity in torture Iran Press TV 20 May 2014 -- Britain's domestic spying apparatus MI5 has been accused of complicity in torture.
• CIA vows not to use fake vaccination programs to cover spy operations VoR 20 May 2014 -- The White House has promised the United States will not use vaccination programs as cover for spy operations - after the move was attempted during the hunt for Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, AFP reports. As Pakistan suffers a resurgence of polio, a top White House official pledged in a letter dated May 16 that intelligence agencies would foreswear the tactic, which is partly blamed for the spread of the crippling disease.
• Cisco CEO warns Obama NSA spying threaten the entire US tech industry Iran Press TV 20 May 2014 -- Cisco's CEO John Chambers has asked US president Barack Obama to consider new rules preventing agencies hijacking networking equipment at it moves through the supply chain — or risk undermining confidence in the multi-billion dollar US technology sector.
• China suspends cyber working group activities with U.S. to protest cyber theft indictment People's Daily 20 May 2014 -- China on Monday decided to suspend activities of the China-U.S. Cyber Working Group as U.S. announced indictment against five Chinese military officers on allegation of cyber theft.
• China Warns of More Repercussions Over US Cyber Indictments VOA 20 May 2014 -- China has lodged a protest with the U.S. Ambassador in Beijing in response to accusations that five Chinese military officers engaged in cyber theft and espionage targeting American companies and labor groups. China also says it could take further steps in response to the indictments.
• China slams US 'double standards' on hacking Iran Press TV 20 May 2014 -- Chinese Defense Ministry slams the United States for double standards, amid a cyber-espionage row between the two sides.
• Proton Rocket Crash Investigation Could Lead to Staff Changes RIA Novosti 20 May 2014 -- The investigation into a recent Proton-M rocket failure that destroyed the advanced Express-AM4R telecommunications satellite could result in a staff reshuffle, Roscosmos Head Oleg Ostapenko told RIA Novosti Tuesday.
• Telemetry Shows Pressure Drop in Failed Proton's Third Stage Control Engine RIA Novosti 20 May 2014 -- Moments before the Proton-M rocket was lost last week, a sharp pressure drop was recorded in the piping of its third stage control engine, Russia's space chief said on Tuesday.
• Death toll from MERS in Saudi Arabia hits 173 Iran Press TV 20 May 2014 -- The death toll from the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) has hit 173 in Saudi Arabia since its appearance in the country two years ago.
• Synthetic drugs flooding market, new UN study shows UN News Centre 20 May 2014 -- "An unprecedented expansion" of synthetic drugs is taking an ever-greater share of the illicit drugs market, according to a new report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).