Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) Casualty Update 01 Jul 2015 [PDF]
• U.S., Coalition Continue to Target ISIL in Syria, Iraq AFPS 01 Jul 2015 -- U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Update: air strikes in Iraq UK MOD 01 Jul 2015 -- British forces have continued to conduct air operations to assist the Iraqi government in its fight against ISIL.
• 14 killed in US drone strike in eastern Afghanistan Press TV 01 Jul 2015 -- More than a dozen people have lost their lives in an assassination strike carried out by a US unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in Afghanistan's eastern province of Nangarhar.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Secretary Carter and Gen. Dempsey in the Pentagon Briefing Room DoD 01 Jul 2015 -- Presenters: Secretary of Defense Ash Carter and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Martin E. Dempsey
• Dempsey: Other Nations Gaining on US Military Supremacy VOA 01 Jul 2015 -- The top U.S. military officer said Wednesday that while the United States is still the world's most powerful fighting force, other countries are starting to close the gap.
• Dempsey Releases National Military Strategy AFPS 01 Jul 2015 -- The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff cannot predict exactly where the next threat to the United States and its interests may come from, but he knows it will happen faster than in the past and the U.S. military must be prepared.
• Upgraded AWACS platform tested at Northern Edge AFNS 01 Jul 2015 -- Calmly soaring at 30,000 feet in the midst of nearly 100 fighters, bombers and refueling tankers executing a battle scenario, an E-3G Sentry (AWACS) surveys every aircraft in a 300-mile radius, calling out commands, verifying target hits and sending aircraft back home safely.
• 5,000 days of war AFNS 01 Jul 2015 -- It's been 5,000 days of struggle, rugged landscapes, blood and sweat.
• Kendall: JIEDDO Move Will Protect Hard-Earned Capabilities AFPS 01 Jul 2015 -- Improvised explosive devices have been a rapidly evolving and deadly menace in many parts of the world as terrorists employ these homemade bombs against military forces and civilian populations.
• Military, Federal, Private-Sector Partners Key to Cyber Guard 15 AFPS 01 Jul 2015 -- Cyberspace and critical infrastructure operators and experts from more than 100 organizations spanning government, academia, industry and the international coalition participated in the fourth annual Cyber Guard exercise, June 8-26.
• Readout of Deputy Secretary of Defense Bob Work's Meeting with Icelandic Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade Gunnar Bragi Sveinsson DoD 01 Jul 2015
• Exercise Khaan Quest 2015 closing USMC News 01 Jul 2015 -- Closing ceremonies commenced today at the Five Hills Training Area in Tavantolgoi, Mongolia, marking the official end to Exercise Khaan Quest 2015.
• Five PC Ships Conduct Test and Proficiency Fire NNS 01 Jul 2015 -- Five coastal patrol ships (PC) that have been outfitted with the Griffin Missile System (GMS) conducted a test and proficiency fire June 26-28.
• USNS Comfort Reaches Mid-Deployment for Continuing Promise 2015 Mission NNS 01 Jul 2015 -- The Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) celebrated the mid-deployment mark upon arrival in Panama City, Panama, June 30, for the crew's first liberty port during Continuing Promise 2015 (CP-15).
• USS San Antonio Visits Iceland NNS 01 Jul 2015 -- The amphibious transport dock ship USS San Antonio (LPD 17) arrived in Reykjavik, Iceland, for a routine port visit, July 1.
• Pentagon Plots New Exploits for US Navy's Joint High Speed Vessel Sputnik 01 Jul 2015 -- What was originally designed as a rapid-response transport ship, the US Navy's Joint High Speed Vessel will now be used in a broad range of functions throughout the world's oceans.
• NATO's turn against Russia plotted long before Ukraine events - diplomat TASS 01 Jul 2015 -- NATO's return to the Cold War era security perception was planned long before the Ukrainian crisis, Russia's envoy to the alliance, Alexander Grushko, said on Tuesday.
• Russian Navy to get 18 new class corvettes - commander TASS 01 Jul 2015 -- Russia's first new class corvette of Project 22800 for the naval forces will be laid down by the end of the current year, and the Navy will get a total of 18 such ships, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy Admiral Viktor Chirkov said on Wednesday.
• Naval ships construction delayed due to import replacement - Russia's Navy chief TASS 01 Jul 2015 -- The delay in constructing vessels for Russia's Navy comes only due to the need to replace imported parts, Russia's Navy commander-in-chief Viktor Chirkov has said, stressing that there are no other reasons.
• Russia to build landing ships to replace Mistral class vessels - Navy commander TASS 01 Jul 2015 -- Russia will build its own landing ships to replace the Mistral class helicopter carriers it ordered in France, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy Admiral Viktor Chirkov said on Wednesday at the International Maritime Defence Show (IMDS-2015) in St. Petersburg.
• Russia ready to return over 20 Ukrainian ships based in Crimea to Ukraine TASS 01 Jul 2015 -- Russia is ready to hand over more than 20 Ukrainian warships that are still based in Crimea to Ukrainian military when such a decision is made, a source at the General Staff of the Russian Navy told journalists on Wednesday.
• Russia supplies no military products to Kiev that may be used for aggression - deputy PM TASS 01 Jul 2015 -- Russia has terminated military cooperation with Ukraine back during the anti-government protests in Independence Square and it does not supply to Ukraine any military products that may be used in operations against civilians, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin told the State Duma during question time on Wednesday.
• China holds army drills to enhance air defence ability People's Daily 01 Jul 2015 -- The People's Liberation Army (PLA) began a series of air-ground combat drills in Gansu Province, northwest China, on Wednesday.
• Belarus Warns Against 'Clattering Arms' at Its Borders Sputnik 01 Jul 2015 -- Alexander Lukashenko sent a message to countries he called 'our ill-wishers, if they are still around,' against increasing military activities near the country's borders.
• Commander: Iranian ground forces ready to nip foreign threats in bud IRNA 01 Jul 2015 -- Islamic Republic of Iran's Ground Force Commander Brigadier General Ahmad Reza Pourdastan underscored that the Armed Forces would give swift and proportional response to any enemy threats.
• £150M cannon contract signed for UK armoured fighting vehicles UK MOD 01 Jul 2015 -- The Defence Secretary has announced that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded a £150 million contract to supply a new cannon capability for the UK Armed Forces.
• Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Josh Earnest en route Nashville, TN, 7/1/2015 The White House 01 Jul 2015
• July 1, 2015 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 01 Jul 2015

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for July 01, 2015
• Russia's military-industrial complex development unaffected by sanctions - deputy PM TASS 01 Jul 2015 -- The Russian military-industrial complex continues its positive development despite Western sanctions, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said on Wednesday.
• Portfolio of export orders for Russian defense industry stands at $49 billion - deputy PM TASS 01 Jul 2015 -- The portfolio of export orders for Russian defense companies stands at $49 billion, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said on Wednesday.

Other Conflicts

• 1 July 2015 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 01 Jul 2015
• Japan to enhance surveillance system over disputed islands People's Daily 01 Jul 2015 -- The Japanese government has affirmed a new guideline to enhance its surveillance and guard system over its remote islands, as well as disputed territories with its neighboring countries.
• 1,466 Iraqis were killed in terror, violence and conflict in June IRNA 01 Jul 2015 -- According to casualty figures released by UNAMI, a total of 1,466 Iraqis were killed and another 1,687 were injured in acts of terrorism, violence and armed conflict in June 2015, UN Information Center said Wednesday.
• Dozens of ISIL militants slain in clean-up operations in Iraq Press TV 01 Jul 2015 -- Iraqi security forces together with volunteer fighters have killed dozens of ISIL terrorists during separate mop-up operations across the country.
• Ex-U.S. Envoy To Iraq Says Iran Playing 'Unhelpful' Role RFE/RL 01 Jul 2015 -- A former U.S. ambassador to Iraq has accused Iran of playing an 'unhelpful' and 'very damaging' role in Iraq by furthering sectarian tensions.
• WFP to cut food aid to Syrian refugees in Lebanon, Jordan Press TV 01 Jul 2015 -- The World Food Programme (WFP) says it will halve the value of food vouchers for Syrian refugees in Lebanon in July and may halt such aid for those in Jordan the following month due to a funding crisis.
• Syrian Kurds warn Turkey against military intervention Press TV 01 Jul 2015 -- The main Kurdish party in Syria has warned Turkey against any military intervention, saying the Kurds are prepared to repel any aggression.
• Syria Kurds regain control of Tal Abyad in Syria's Raqqa Press TV 01 Jul 2015 -- Syrian Kurdish fighters have regained full control of the northern Syrian border town of Tal Abyad in Raqqa Province from ISIL Takfiri militants.
• Amid funding shortfalls, UN agency to make food aid cuts to Syrian refugees UN News 01 Jul 2015 -- A severe lack of funding is forcing the United Nations to implement deeper cuts in food assistance to vulnerable Syrian refugees across Lebanon and Jordan, the Organization has confirmed.
• Security Council urges Libyan parties to agree on government of national accord UN News 01 Jul 2015 -- Reiterating that there can be no military solution to the crisis in Libya, the United Nations Security Council today urged the parties to the conflict to agree on a Government of National Accord and sign the proposal presented by the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) "in the coming days."
• Islamic State Claims Attacks that Kill 20 Egyptian Soldiers in Sinai VOA 01 Jul 2015 -- Egypt's Islamic State affiliate claimed responsibility for a wave of attacks Wednesday in the Sinai Peninsula that security officials said killed at least 20 soldiers.
• Recalling 'responsibility to protect' UN pays tribute to victims of Srebrenica genocide UN News 01 Jul 2015 -- During a high-level commemorative event in New York, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today paid tribute to the victims of the Srebrenica genocide, perpetrated 20 years ago, and which, he said, "will forever weigh on the collective conscience of the international community."
• Russia Opposes UN Measure On Srebrenica As 'Divisive' RFE/RL 01 Jul 2015 -- Russia slammed a draft United Nations resolution on the Srebrenica genocide as divisive June 30, and said it would present its own measure to mark 20 years since the massacre.
• Ukraine: UN scales up food assistance in country's crisis torn eastern region UN News 01 Jul 2015 -- The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said today it will scale up its emergency operation in eastern Ukraine to provide 500,000 conflict-affected people in the region with food assistance until the end of the year.
• Donetsk People's Republic Announces Demilitarized Zone in Shirokino Sputnik 01 Jul 2015 -- The authorities of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic have unilaterally declared the village of Shirokino in eastern Ukraine a demilitarized zone.
• UN rights chief urges concerted action to tackle Boko Haram's 'extensive and far-reaching' abuses UN News 01 Jul 2015 -- Describing a pattern of vicious and indiscriminate attacks by Boko Haram in north-east Nigeria that stretched back years, the United Nations human rights chief today urged the international community to help the subregion begin to repair the damage, and specifically appealed to Nigerian authorities to ease abortion restrictions for women and girls who had been sexually enslaved, raped and forced into so-called 'marriages" by Boko Haram fighters.
• UN Report Exposes Widespread Boko Haram Atrocities VOA 01 Jul 2015 -- A damning report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights graphically details a pattern of vicious and widespread atrocities committed by Boko Haram militants in northeastern Nigeria and neighboring Cameroon, Chad and Niger. In an update at the U.N. Human Rights Council of Boko Haram violations, the high commissioner condemns reported abusive treatment of Boko Haram victims by Nigerian security forces and regional authorities.

News Reports

• Statement by the President on the Re-Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with Cuba The White House 01 Jul 2015
• Presidential Letter -- Re-establishing Diplomatic Relations and Permanent Diplomatic Missions The White House 01 Jul 2015
• Statement on Cuba US Dept. of State 01 Jul 2015 -- Remarks by John Kerry, US Secretary of State
• Background Briefing on Re-establishment of Diplomatic Relations With Cuba US Dept. of State 01 Jul 2015
• Rapprochement Opens New, Uncertain Chapter in US-Cuba Relations VOA 01 Jul 2015 -- In 1961, Wayne Smith was a young diplomat on his first foreign posting in Havana, and his final duties included shutting down the U.S. Embassy, destroying documents and helping evacuate Americans.
• Global Chatter Greets US-Cuba Announcement VOA 01 Jul 2015 -- The restoration of full diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba sparked overwhelmingly positive reactions around the world, except in the United States, where opinions diverged widely.
• Obama announces embassy opening in Cuba, calls on Congress to lift embargo Press TV 01 Jul 2015 -- President Barack Obama has called on Congress to lift the United States decades-old embargo on Cuba after he announced that Washington and Havana will open embassies in each other's countries.
• US, Cuba Move to End Decades of Political Isolation VOA 01 Jul 2015 -- For decades, Washington's policy toward Cuba has been punctuated by economic embargoes, diplomatic isolation and covert efforts to undermine the Cuban government.
• Obama: Kerry to Raise US Flag Over Embassy in Havana VOA 01 Jul 2015 -- President Barack Obama said Wednesday the United States and Cuba have agreed to reestablish diplomatic relations and plan to reopen embassies in Washington and Havana later this month, in the latest move to end years of hostility between the two countries.
• US Urged to Keep Up Pressure on Cuba Rights VOA 01 Jul 2015 -- As the U.S. and Cuba move ahead with their historic normalization of bilateral ties, human rights groups have been urging Washington to keep up the pressure on Havana to improve its dismal rights record.
• Presidential Candidates Weigh In on US Cuba Policy VOA 01 Jul 2015 -- Most of the candidates currently seeking the Republican Party's nomination for president have been long been opposed to the Obama administration's moves toward re-establishing diplomatic relations with Cuba.
• UN Nuclear Chief Heads to Iran VOA 01 Jul 2015 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says his government has invited Yukiya Amano, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, to Tehran to work with Iranian officials on "how to proceed," as Iran nuclear negotiators continue talks in Vienna.
• Xi praises survey workers, urges devotion from CPC members People's Daily 01 Jul 2015 -- President Xi Jinpinghas called on members of the Communist Party of China (CPC) to maintain loyalty and devotion to the Party and the people, on the 94th anniversary of CPC's founding.
• Fleeing conflicts, record numbers of migrants and refugees crossed Mediterranean so far in 2015 - UN UN News 01 Jul 2015 -- War, conflict or persecution forced most of the 137,000 desperate people who made the perilous journey to cross the Mediterranean Sea into Europe during the first six months of 2015, making this primarily a refugee crisis, a new report from the United Nations refugee agency said today.
• Nigeria's Buhari Gets Mixed Review After First Month in Office VOA 01 Jul 2015 -- In the first month since his inauguration, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has tweaked military strategy and shaken up the state oil company, but has yet to appoint a Cabinet.
• Report: Nearly 1,400 Public Executions in N. Korea Since 2000 VOA 01 Jul 2015 -- North Korea publicly executed close to 1,400 citizens since 2000, according to a South Korean government-run institute.
• UN Ebola response mission flags importance of staying vigilant as virus resurfaces in Liberia UN News 01 Jul 2015 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) today reported that Ebola had resurfaced in Liberia after a teenager who died earlier this week tested positive for the disease in the West African country that had been declared free of Ebola transmission just two months ago.