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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) Casualty Update 24 Nov 2015 [PDF]
• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Colonel Warren via teleconference from Baghdad, Iraq DoD 24 Nov 2015 -- Colonel Steve Warren, Operation Inherent Resolve Spokesman; Captain Jeff Davis, Director, Defense Press Office
• Anti-ISIL Forces Make Gains in Iraq, Syria AFPS 24 Nov 2015 -- Forces fighting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant continue to make progress in Iraq and Syria, the Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman said today.
• Military Strikes Target ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 24 Nov 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.
• DoD Official: No U.S. Military Involved in Russian Aircraft Downing AFPS 24 Nov 2015 -- The United States and NATO support Turkey's right to defend its airspace and sovereignty, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook told reporters today following the downing of a Russian military aircraft by the Turkish military.
• Bagram ammo Airmen bring the boom to combat airpower AFNS 24 Nov 2015 -- In a far corner of the base, behind fences, checkpoints and armed guards, rests one of the most explosive places on Bagram Airfield.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Carter, French Counterpart Discuss Countering ISIL AFPS 24 Nov 2015 -- Defense Secretary Ash Carter began his meeting at the Pentagon today with the French defense minister by expressing his condolences over the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant's "horrific" Nov. 13 attacks on Paris, and he reiterated the U.S. commitment to strengthen shared efforts against the terrorists, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook told reporters.
• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook in the Pentagon Briefing Room DoD 24 Nov 2015 -- Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook
• Deputy Secretary Discusses Bilateral Meetings After Halifax Forum AFPS 24 Nov 2015 -- Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work had a chance over the weekend to meet face-to-face with a range of U.S. allies and partners and to get their impressions of international situations that affect them directly.
• Marine Corps awards $225 million contract to develop Amphibious Combat Vehicles USMC News 24 Nov 2015 -- The Marine Corps awarded contracts to two manufacturers to build prototypes for the Engineering, Manufacturing and Development (EMD) of the Amphibious Combat Vehicle Phase 1, Increment 1 (ACV 1.1), worth a total of $225 million Nov. 24 at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia.
• AF chief scientist testifies before Congress on autonomy in future defense systems AFNS 24 Nov 2015 -- The chief scientist of the Air Force testified before the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities on Capitol Hill Nov. 19.
• USNS Maury Completes Acceptance Trials NNS 24 Nov 2015 -- USNS Maury (T-AGS 66) completed Acceptance Trials, Nov. 6, following a week of extensive ship tests and underway events.
• Tactical Excellence by Design NNS 24 Nov 2015 -- While the adage 'use it or lose it' has been applied to physical and mental skills, it is also applicable to the Navy's warfighting. After 15 years of ground wars, the surface Navy has been relegated to the background, a different role than it saw in the battles of World War II.
• Headquarters Nuclear post elevated to 3-stars, new leader assumes duties AFNS 24 Nov 2015 -- The Air Force passed another important milestone Nov. 20 as Lt. Gen. Jack Weinstein, the new deputy chief of staff for strategic deterrence and nuclear integration at the Pentagon, assumed his new duties.
• MARSOC, 2nd CEB improves link between MAGTF, Special Operations Forces USMC News 24 Nov 2015 -- U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command continued to improve and strengthen the link between Special Operations Forces and Marine Air Ground Task Force, enhancing their interoperability during back-to-back 10-day exercises in the Gulf Coast region, Oct. 27 – Nov. 17.
• Japanese Admiral Embarks Ronald Reagan as Sea Combatant Commander During AnnualEx 16 NNS 24 Nov 2015 -- The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force's (JMSDF) Commander, Escort Flotilla 2, Rear Adm. Hidetoshi Iwasaki, assumed the role of Sea Combat Commander (SCC) on board the U.S. Navy's only forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) during Annual Exercise (AE) 16, Nov. 16-22.
• USS Fort Worth Passes One-Year Mark On Maiden Deployment NNS 24 Nov 2015 -- USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) surpassed the one-year mark on her scheduled 16-month rotational deployment to Singapore in support of the Indo-Asia-Pacific rebalance, Nov. 17.
• NATO Backs Turkey But Seeks to Lower Tensions With Russia VOA 24 Nov 2015 -- NATO says it stands with Turkey following an emergency meeting in Brussels of its 28 ambassadors requested by Ankara to discuss the downing a Russian warplane Tuesday by Turkish jets .
• Statement by the NATO Secretary General after the extraordinary NAC meeting NATO 24 Nov 2015 -- The North Atlantic Council has just held a meeting, an extraordinary meeting. And we have been updated by the Turkish Ambassador on the recent events. I have also spoken to Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.
• NATO Secretary General statement following his meeting with President Gjorge Ivanov of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia NATO 24 Nov 2015 -- I just had an excellent meeting with President Ivanov where we discussed Skopje's path toward NATO membership and political developments in the country.
• North Korea slams South Korea's latest military war game Press TV 24 Nov 2015 -- North Korea has slammed the South for holding live-fire drills despite Pyongyang's earlier warnings, labeling it the "most vicious military provocation aimed at confrontation."
• November 24, 2015 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 24 Nov 2015

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for November 24, 2015

Other Conflicts

• 24 November 2015 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 24 Nov 2015
• Central Yemeni city of Taiz under virtual siege, 200,000 need water, food - UN relief chief UN News 24 Nov 2015 -- The situation in the central Yemeni city of Taiz has worsened amid intensified fighting since September, with 200,000 civilians living under virtual siege, in dire need drinking water, food, medical treatment, and other life-saving aid, the top United Nations relief official said today.
• UN: more than 21 million people in Yemen need basic humanitarian aid UN News 24 Nov 2015 -- Some 21.2 million people in Yemen – or 82 per cent of the population – require some kind of assistance to meet their basic needs, according to a recently-published overview of the country's humanitarian needs for the next year carried out by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
• Obama supports Turkey after it shot down Russian jet Press TV 24 Nov 2015 -- President Barack Obama has expressed US support for Turkey after it shot down a Russian warplane near Syria-Turkey border, saying Ankara has the right to defend its airspace.
• Russian FM calls off forthcoming visit to Turkey Press TV 24 Nov 2015 -- The Russian foreign minister has canceled his forthcoming visit to Turkey planned for November 25 in the wake of Ankara's downing of a Russian fighter jet near the Syrian border.
• Turkish Jets Down Russian Warplane; Moscow Denies Plane Violated Turkish Airspace RFE/RL 24 Nov 2015 -- Turkish fighter jets shot down a Russian warplane, saying it had violated the country's airspace, but Moscow said the aircraft had never strayed from Syrian territory and President Vladimir Putin called it 'a stab in the back.'
• Ban concerned over downing of Russian plane by Turkish Air Force, urges measures to lower tensions UN News 24 Nov 2015 -- The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is seriously concerned over the downing of a Russian military jet by the Turkish Air Force earlier today, and has urged all relevant parties to take urgent measures with a view to de-escalating tensions, according to his spokesperson.
• Obama, Turkey's Erdogan Confer on Downing of Russian Warplane VOA 24 Nov 2015 -- Hours after the Turkish shootdown of a Russian warplane along the Syria-Turkey border, U.S. President Barack Obama and Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed on the need to de-escalate tensions and prevent further incidents.
• Turkey Defends Decision To Shoot Down Russian Jet; Putin Calls It 'Stab In The Back' RFE/RL 24 Nov 2015 -- Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has defended Turkey's shooting down of a Russian fighter jet at the border with Syria, saying Ankara has the right 'to take all kinds of measures' against border violations according to international law.
• Putin Accuses Turkey of 'Stabbing' Russia 'in the Back' After Fighter Downed VOA 24 Nov 2015 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Turkey of 'stabbing' Russia 'in the back' and supporting terrorism after Turkish F-16s shot down a Russian Su-24 fighter jet on border with Syria.
• Russia deploys missile cruiser off Syria, says will target threats Press TV 24 Nov 2015 -- Moscow has deployed a missile cruiser off the coast of Syria after Turkish warplanes downed a Russian fighter jet near the Syrian-Turkish border.
• Syria: UN envoy meets opposition groups on effort to broker ceasefire, political transition UN News 24 Nov 2015 -- Stepping up efforts to broker a ceasefire in Syria, the United Nations Special Envoy for the country, Staffan de Mistura, is briefing various opposition groups on latest international efforts to end a five-year conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands and driven millions from their homes.
• Iraq Closes Airspace in Kurdish North for Russian Missiles VOA 23 Nov 2015 -- Iraq has shut down two airports in the northern Kurdish region of the country in anticipation of Russian cruise missiles crossing Iraqi airspace to hit multiple targets in neighboring Syria.
• Canada to Announce Plan to Bring in 25,000 Syrian Refugees VOA 24 Nov 2015 -- Newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will announce Tuesday his plan to resettle 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of the year.
• South Sudan Troops Begin Withdrawal from Juba VOA 24 Nov 2015 -- South Sudan's foreign minister has again said his government is committed to the implementation of the peace agreement signed last August between rebels loyal to former vice president Riek Machar and the Juba government led by President Salva Kiir.
• UN urges deployment of more S Sudan peacekeepers Press TV 24 Nov 2015 -- UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for the deployment of an extra number of 1,100 peacekeeping forces to South Sudan as unprecedented level of violence continues to grip the African country.
• US must not be allowed to talk of Iraq disintegration: Leader ISNA 24 Nov 2015 -- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said the US must not be allowed to speak of disintegrating Iraq.
• Iraq forces gain more grounds against Daesh in Ramadi Press TV 24 Nov 2015 -- Iraqi military forces and volunteer fighters have retaken more than half of the areas controlled by the Takfiri Daesh terrorists in the city of Ramadi, west of the country.
• Israel Approves New Jewish Settlements VOA 24 Nov 2015 -- An Israeli official said Tuesday Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has approved the marketing of land for 454 houses in two Jewish settlements in East Jerusalem.
• Kerry Seeks to Lower Israeli-Palestinian Tensions VOA 24 Nov 2015 -- Secretary of State John Kerry is in Israel for talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials on ways to curb spiraling violence and restore security.
• Taiwan to monitor Japanese military deployment near Diaoyutais CNA 24 Nov 2015 -- Taiwan said Tuesday that it will keep a close eye on developments in the East China Sea following a report that Japan plans to deploy about 500 troops on an island some 150 kilometers from the disputed Diaoyutai Islands.
• Mali: UN civilian staffer killed in attack, Ban reaffirms commitment to peace efforts UN News 24 Nov 2015 -- A civilian staff member of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali was killed today in an explosive device attack on a convoy, but the world Organization will not be deterred from its efforts to bring peace to the West African, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said.

News Reports

• Remarks by President Obama and President Hollande of France in Joint Press Conference The White House 24 Nov 2015
• Obama, Hollande Review Anti-ISIL Campaign AFPS 24 Nov 2015 -- The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant's Nov. 13 terror attacks in Paris represented an assault on all liberal democracies and all nations must cooperate to destroy ISIL, President Barack Obama said at the White House today.
• Obama: U.S., France 'United' Against Terror RFE/RL 24 Nov 2015 -- U.S. President Barack Obama said the United States and France 'stand united' against terrorism, adding that the Islamic State militant group and its ideology 'pose a serious threat to all of us.'
• Hollande Goes to White House Seeking Cooperation Against Militants VOA 24 Nov 2015 -- French President Francois Hollande's push to get world powers to work more closely together to fight Islamic State militants comes to Washington Tuesday as he meets with U.S. President Barack Obama.
• U.S. Warns Travelers Of 'Increased Terrorist Threats' RFE/RL 24 Nov 2015 -- The United States has issued a rare worldwide travel alert warning its citizens of 'increased terrorist threats' following the November 13 Paris attacks, claimed by Islamic State (IS) militants, that left 130 people dead.
• Obama Directs Security Team to 'Intensify' Anti-IS Efforts VOA 24 Nov 2015 -- In a meeting Tuesday with his National Security Council, U.S. President Barack Obama called for increased coalition airstrikes against the Islamic State.
• U.S. Urges Allies To Step Up Efforts Against Islamic State RFE/RL 24 Nov 2015 -- The United States is pushing for greater contributions from its allies in the fight against Islamic State (IS) militants following a string of terrorist attacks claimed by the extremist group.
• IS Group Claims Sinai Hotel Attack That Killed 4 VOA 24 Nov 2015 -- Islamic State militants claimed responsibility Tuesday for killing a judge, two policemen and a civilian in a suicide bombing at a hotel in the northern Sinai Peninsula, a jihadist stronghold.
• State of Emergency Declared in Tunisia After 12 Killed in Bus Attack VOA 24 Nov 2015 -- At least 12 people were killed in Tunisia's capital Tuesday when an explosion hit a bus carrying members of the country's elite presidential guard, the Interior Ministry said.
• Competing Claims of Responsibility for Mali Hotel Attack VOA 24 Nov 2015 -- Malian authorities have asked the public for help in identifying two gunmen killed in the terrorist attack that killed 21 people at a Bamako hotel Friday, amid conflicting claims of responsibility from multiple jihadist groups active in Mali.
• Al-Shabab Official Threatens Pro-Islamic State Fighters VOA 24 Nov 2015 -- For months, a struggle has brewed within Somali militant group al-Shabab over whether to shift loyalties from longtime ally al-Qaida to Islamic State.
• Homeland Security Defends US Refugee Security Vetting VOA 24 Nov 2015 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is defending its ability to screen refugee applicants following the deadly attacks in Paris, and officials there say that state governors who want to refuse Syrian refugees on security grounds have unfounded fears.
• Soviet Spy To Be Freed From U.S. Custody After 30 Years RFE/RL 24 Nov 2015 -- A former U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) employee convicted in 1986 of spying for the Soviet Union is set to be freed after three decades in federal custody.
• Top Pyongyang Official Sent for 'Re-education' Over Power Plant VOA 24 Nov 2015 -- North Korea's leader is believed to have sent one of his top aides to a farm for 're-education' over the poor construction of a power plant near the North Korean border with China.
• Two Koreas Prepare for Working-level Talks VOA 24 Nov 2015 -- South and North Korea on Tuesday exchanged lists of delegations that will attend working-level talks this week.
• Food prices rise sharply after fighting disrupts Afghan harvest IRIN 24 Nov 2015 -- Food prices are shooting up in Afghanistan as the harvest has been halted in the country's breadbasket in the northern province of Kunduz, where farmers have fled fighting and fields are infested with explosives.
• New European border restrictions on refugees, migrants violate human rights, Ban warns UN News 24 Nov 2015 -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned Balkan States today that border restrictions based on a refugee's or migrant's nationality infringed human rights, with the United Nations refugee agency reporting that 1,000 people are already stranded, 60 of them on hunger strike and 11 reportedly stitching up their mouths in protest.
• Supreme Leader: Iran backs gov'ts withstanding hegemonic powers IRNA 24 Nov 2015 -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday that the Islamic Republic of Iran backs the governments withstanding the hegemonic powers.
• Supreme Leader calls for enhanced ties with Iraq IRNA 24 Nov 2015 -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday called for enhanced ties between Tehran and Baghdad.
• Iran hopes to start constructing more phases in N. plant in early 2016 ISNA 24 Nov 2015 -- Head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran(AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi expressed the hope that construction of Phase 2 and Phase 3 of Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant would be started jointly with Russia by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (which ends on March 20, 2016).
• Iran, IAEA session starts in Vienna ISNA 24 Nov 2015 -- The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Iranian officials gathered in Vienna to discuss the latest developments in the Islamic Republic's nuclear case.
• Iran, IAEA hold constructive talks on JCPOA implementation: Araqchi Press TV 24 Nov 2015 -- An Iranian nuclear negotiator says he held "constructive and good" talks with the UN nuclear agency chief Yukiya Amano on how to implement a nuclear agreement reached between Iran and six world powers in July, Press TV reports.
• News Analysis: Crimean Tatars Push Kyiv's Hand On Recovering Crimea RFE/RL 24 Nov 2015 -- When activists prevented authorities from repairing destroyed power lines that sent electricity from the Ukrainian mainland to Crimea - which was annexed by Russia in 2014 - they threw down a serious challenge to Kyiv.
• Russia Threatens to Cut Off Gas, Coal to Ukraine VOA 24 Nov 2015 -- Russia threatened Tuesday to cut off natural gas and to halt coal deliveries to Ukraine, worsening a dispute over a power blackout in Crimea.
• China's largest and most powerful new rocket the Long March 5 shown to public People's Daily 24 Nov 2015 -- The launching crew training rocket called the Long March 5, China's largest and most powerful rocket, is moved to a launching tower at the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center in south China's Hainan province on Nov.23.