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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Airstrikes Continue Against ISIL in Syria, Iraq AFPS 31 Dec 2014 -- U.S. and partner-nation military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq today, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported.
• Pentagon Confirms Death of High-ranking al-Shabab Militant AFPS 31 Dec 2014 -- Pentagon officials confirmed today that a high-ranking member of the al-Shabab militant group in Somalia was killed in a Dec. 29 airstrike.
• UAV Strikes to Continue in Afghanistan Despite Mission End: Former Official Sputnik 31 Dec 2014 -- US drone strikes targeting the Taliban and other insurgent groups will continue despite the official end of NATO combat operations in Afghanistan, a former CIA official told Sputnik.

Defense Policy / Programs

• U.S. Sends Five Guantanamo Prisoners To Kazakhstan RFE/RL 31 Dec 2014 -- The United States has transferred five prisoners from the military prison at Guantanamo Bay to Kazakhstan for resettlement.
• Air combat exercise Iron Hand 15-2 enhances interoperability in Europe AFNS 31 Dec 2014 -- Pilots from all U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa's fighter airframes came together at Spangdahlem Air Base in December to participate in a five-day training exercise called Iron Hand 15-2.
• Iwo Jima Arrives in Civitavecchia, Italy NNS 31 Dec 2014 -- Amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) pulled in to Civitavecchia, Italy for a scheduled port visit Dec. 30, 2014.
• USS New York to Spend New Year's in Haifa, Israel NNS 31 Dec 2014 -- The San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS New York (LPD 21) arrived in Haifa, Israel for a scheduled port visit Dec.31, 2014.
• NATO Financing of Ukrainian Military to Deepen Crisis: Diplomat Sputnik 31 Dec 2014 -- The North-Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) financial assistance aimed at building up Ukraine's military capabilities will worsen the current economic crisis and harm the process of peaceful reconciliation in the country, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Vasily Nebenzya said.
• China Launches New Meteorological Satellite: Reports Sputnik 31 Dec 2014 -- The Fengyun-II 08 satellite, launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province, will be used to collect meteorological and environmental information. The data will be used for weather forecasting and climate monitoring, Xinhua reported.
• Int'l airlines' activities in China's ADIZ undisturbed People's Daily 31 Dec 2014 -- Activity in China's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) has not been disturbed since the ADIZ was established a year ago, said an air force spokesman on Tuesday.
• Mohammad Rasoulallah military drill ends IRNA 31 Dec 2014 -- The six-day Mohammad Rasoulallah (PBUH) military drill concluded in Oman Gulf in south of Iran on Wednesday.
• Iraq, Iran sign deal on defense cooperation ISNA 31 Dec 2014 -- Iran and Iraq signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to create national Army in Iraq and protect territorial integrity and security in the country.
• China launches frigate for Bangladesh navy People's Daily 31 Dec 2014 -- A new-type of frigate built for the Bangladesh Navy was launched in the riverside city of Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province on Tuesday.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• Turkey route for smuggling weapons to Iraq, Syria terrorists: UN Iran Press TV 31 Dec 2014 -- The UN says Turkey is being used as a main route for smuggling weapons to terrorist groups operating in Iraq and Syria.
• Palestinian President Signs Bid to Join ICC VOA 31 Dec 2014 -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas signed a Palestinian request to join the International Criminal Court, a day after a bid for independence by 2017 failed at the United Nations Security Council.
• Palestinians Look to ICC After Failed UN Statehood Bid VOA 31 Dec 2014 -- Palestinian leaders say they will look to join the International Criminal Court to pursue action against Israel, a day after their bid for statehood failed in the United Nations Security Council.
• 'Silent emergency' in South Sudan as protracted conflict displaces millions of cattle – UN UN News Centre 31 Dec 2014 -- As South Sudan's livestock owners flee the country's conflict, a "silent emergency" has emerged threatening the very fabric of society and further undermining social stability, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned today as it announced a scale-up in its livestock interventions in the embattled nation.
• UN investigates civilian obstruction of peacekeepers in southern Lebanon UN News Centre 31 Dec 2014 -- The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has reported that a patrol of peacekeepers was obstructed on Tuesday afternoon by a group of civilians who used motor vehicles to block a road near the village of Ramyah.

News Reports

• Afkham: New US sanctions against Geneva agreement IRNA 31 Dec 2014 -- Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham said new anti-Iran US sanctions are against Washingtons commitments and violate the Geneva nuclear Action Plan.
• Iran blasts new US sanctions ISNA 31 Dec 2014 -- Iran slammed the recent US sanctions, reiterating that the measure runs counter to the US commitments based on the Geneva Deal.
• Iran receives $490 million of blocked assets ISNA 31 Dec 2014 -- The Central Bank of Iran (CBI) received the first $490 million installment of the third phase of releasing its frozen assets.
• New US Sanctions Against Iran Violate Geneva Nuclear Deal: Iranian Diplomat Sputnik 31 Dec 2014 -- The United States is violating the Geneva interim nuclear deal by imposing new sanctions against Iranian entities and individuals, the Iranian Foreign Ministry's spokesperson said Wednesday during a press conference.
• Kremlin Foe Navalny Challenges House-Arrest Order RFE/RL 31 Dec 2014 -- Kremlin opponent Aleksei Navalny has challenged a court order confining him to house arrest until the suspended sentence he was handed on December 30 enters into force.
• Moscow Advises US to Not Politicize Criminal Cases on Navalny Sputnik 31 Dec 2014 -- Moscow has advised Washington and Brussels to drop their attempts to pressure the Russian judicial system or to politicize individual criminal cases in regard to the latest sentence brought against anti-Kremlin blogger Alexei Navalny, a Russian Foreign Ministry human rights ombudsman said Wednesday.
• Russian Opposition Leader Detained for Trying to Join Protest VOA 31 Dec 2014 -- Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been detained after trying to join his supporters in central Moscow Tuesday protesting his sentencing on fraud charges earlier in the day.
• 'A Can-Do Person': How The West Reacted To Putin 15 Years Ago RFE/RL 31 Dec 2014 -- On December 31, 1999, Russian President Boris Yeltsin abruptly resigned and named his prime minister, Vladimir Putin, as his acting replacement. Putin was a virtual unknown to many in the West, having only been appointed prime minister the previous August.
• Lithuania detains army officer over 'espionage activities' Iran Press TV 31 Dec 2014 -- Lithuanian authorities have detained a senior air force officer who allegedly conducted deep-cover espionage activities for Russia, officials say.
• CIA Whistleblower Being Treated Like 'Traitor' Sputnik 31 Dec 2014 -- A former CIA case officer has gone public with claims of retaliation against her from the bureau after she tried to report her concerns over the misconduct of colleagues in the intelligence service.
• Defense Attorneys Challenge Arrest of Mumbai Attacks Suspect VOA 31 Dec 2014 -- Defense attorneys in Pakistan have alleged the government rearrested the suspected leader of the 2008 Mumbai attacks on "fake" charges to appease India. Authorities in Pakistan appear to have a problem because the release of the man could further raise tensions with India and attempting to influence the judiciary could draw massive criticism at home.
• President Xi stresses more reform, rule of law in New Year address People's Daily 31 Dec 2014 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping underscored the need to continue efforts to advance reform and rule of law in 2015 in his New Year speech on Wednesday, comparing them to 'a bird's two wings'.
• Most intense Ebola transmission in West Africa reported in western Sierra Leone – UN UN News Centre 31 Dec 2014 -- The number of Ebola cases is fluctuating in Guinea, decreasing in Liberia and showing signs the increase has slowed in Sierra Leone, the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) reported today as the UN development agency said it is helping the Liberian Government build border posts to cut the cross-border spread of infection in West Africa.
• Hong Kong Culls Tons of Chinese Poultry Amid Bird Flu Fears: Reports Sputnik 31 Dec 2014 -- Hong Kong authorities on Wednesday started culling approximately 15,000 chickens imported from China in an effort to stop the spread of bird flu, Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) reported.
• Saudi King Abdullah hospitalized for medical tests Iran Press TV 31 Dec 2014 -- Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud has been hospitalized for 'medical tests,' a royal court says.
• Why Is Azerbaijan So Important To U.S., Europe? RFE/RL 31 Dec 2014 -- Government officials in Europe and the United States have offered only muted criticism of Azerbaijan throughout a year of rampant human rights violations that included the arrest of journalists and activists and the closure of numerous NGOs.
• The Gambia: UN chief urges respect for rule of law amid reports of coup attempt UN News Centre 31 Dec 2014 -- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has reiterated his "principled condemnation" of all attempts to seize power through unconstitutional means following reports of an attempted coup in The Gambia.