Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF / OND / OEF / OIR / OFS Casualty Update 18 Apr 2016 [PDF]
• Military Strikes Target ISIL Terrorists in Iraq, Syria AFPS 18 Apr 2016 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq and Syria yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• US to deploy more troops, Apache helicopters to Iraq, says Carter Press TV 18 Apr 2016 -- US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter says the US is going to deploy 217 more troops and a number of Apache helicopters to Iraq, to help Baghdad expand its military efforts against the Daesh (ISIL) terrorist group.
• US to Send More Troops, Helicopters to Help Iraq Retake Mosul VOA 18 Apr 2016 -- The U.S. is providing more than 200 additional troops and several Apache attack helicopters to assist Iraqi forces in their fight to retake the northern city of Mosul from Islamic State, Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced Monday in Baghdad.
• Remarks by Secretary Carter in a Media Availability, Baghdad, Iraq DoD 18 Apr 2016 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Ash Carter
• Remarks by Secretary Carter at a Troop Event, Baghdad, Iraq DoD 18 Apr 2016 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Ash Carter
• Analysts: Russia Plays Double Game in Afghanistan VOA 18 Apr 2016 -- Russia is increasing diplomatic contacts with the Taliban insurgent group in Afghanistan as Moscow looks to counter Islamic State (IS) gains in Central Asia and increase its influence in the nation it once occupied.
• Afghan Violence Limits Children's Access to Health, Education VOA 18 Apr 2016 -- The United Nations warned Monday that growing attacks as well as the misuse of medical and education facilities by all parties to the Afghan conflict have reduced the availability of health care, and limited children's access to these essential services in the past three years.
• U.S. Military Aids Japanese in Earthquake Aftermath AFPS 18 Apr 2016 -- U.S. military forces in Japan are providing support to relief efforts by the government of Japan as it responds in the aftermath of two damaging earthquakes that have occurred in the region, Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. Jeff Davis said here today.
• VMM-265 provides operational airlift support for Japanese government relief efforts USMC News 18 Apr 2016 -- For the first time in history, two MV-22B Ospreys deployed in support of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations in Japan April 18, 2016.
• VMM-265 arrives at MCAS Iwakuni USMC News 18 Apr 2016 -- MV-22B Ospreys with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265 (Reinforced), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, arrived at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, April 17, 2016.
• Yokota aids Japan with earthquake relief AFNS 18 Apr 2016 -- The 374th Airlift Wing sent two C-130 Hercules aircraft and aircrew to the Kyushu region April 18, supporting the government of Japan in their relief efforts for the series of earthquakes that took place in Kumamoto Prefecture and surrounding areas.

Defense Policy / Programs

• 'US to monitor Beijing's South China Sea moves' Press TV 18 Apr 2016 -- The United States Navy will keep an eye on Beijing's activities in the disputed South China Sea by means of unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV) or 'submarine drones.'
• Pentagon to Deploy Fleet of Underwater Robots in South China Sea Sputnik 18 Apr 2016 -- In the latest sign that the US has no intention to back down in the South China Sea, the Pentagon has announced plans to launch underwater drones near the Spratly archipelago.
• Army, Air Force train for short takeoff, landing AFNS 18 Apr 2016 -- Airmen from the 321st Special Tactics Squadron out of Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, and Soldiers from the 173rd Brigade Support Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade out of Vicenza, Italy, secured the Hohenfels Training Area's short takeoff and landing strip (STOL) April 13, as part of their certification at Saber Junction 16.
• PACAF Airmen stand up air contingent in Philippines AFNS 18 Apr 2016 -- Airmen assigned to the Pacific Air Forces stood up the first rotation of an air contingent at Clark Air Base, Philippines, April 16, following a joint announcement by Secretary of Defense Ash Carter and Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin in Manila that highlighted several initiatives aimed to enhance bilateral relations between the two nations.
• Crisis Response Marines help Spanish maintain aerial refueling qualifications USMC News 18 Apr 2016 -- U.S. Marine Corps KC-130J Hercules with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response- Africa flew straight and level as the F/A-18 approached from behind to receive fuel.
• Lassen, Army Pilots Complete DLQs NNS 18 Apr 2016 -- U.S. Army pilots with the 1st Battalion, 228th (1-228th) Aviation Regiment successfully completed annual deck landing qualifications (DLQs) for two of their UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters aboard Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Lassen (DDG 82), April 14.
• Exercise Max Thunder 16 launches at Kunsan AFNS 18 Apr 2016 -- U.S. Air Force, Army, Marine Corps and Navy personnel and aircraft will train with South Korean air force counterparts in the bilateral training exercise Max Thunder 16, at Kunsan Air Base April 15-29.
• DoD CIO Discusses Modernizing Networks, Consolidating Data Centers AFPS 18 Apr 2016 -- Defense Department Chief Information Officer Terry Halvorsen discussed the DoD's network modernization and data center consolidation efforts as part of the department's cyber strategy during a recent media roundtable with defense reporters.
• Technology Aids Mine Hunting During IMCMEX NNS 18 Apr 2016 -- Sailors aboard USS Sentry (MCM 3) successfully piloted an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) mounted with live explosives to destroy a training mine as part of International Mine Countermeasures Exercise (IMCMEX) April 14.
• USS Momsen Departs on Pacific Surface Action Group Deployment NNS 18 Apr 2016 -- Guided-missile destroyer USS Momsen (DDG 92) departed her homeport of Naval Station Everett for a scheduled deployment to the Western Pacific, April 15.
• Brief History of Russian Air-to-Ground Cluster Bombs Sputnik 18 Apr 2016 -- When the first bombers were used in warfare, pilots were literally dropping bombs on enemy targets by hand. A lot has changed since then and modern planes now use advanced cluster bombs, hitting targets with extreme precision and devastation from afar. Here's a closer look at the development of cluster bombs dropped from military aircraft.
• Indonesia, Philippine, Malaysia plan to conduct joint patrol People's Daily 18 Apr 2016 -- Military men from Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia will carry out a joint patrol at the countries'sea borders as threat of piracy is escalating after the abductions of 14 Indonesians in the territory, senior security official said here on Monday.
• UK Defense Ministry Admits Gaffe Over Leaked War Games Report Sputnik 18 Apr 2016 -- The UK Ministry of Defense has admitted a "communications issue" which led to a manual about a joint exercise off the Scottish coast containing codewords and "special instructions" being sent out accidentally to fishermen and ferry operators.
• US response to N Korea nuke test will be 'strong' Press TV 18 Apr 2016 -- The United States will strongly respond in the event of a fifth nuclear test by North Korea, a senior US government official says, days after Pyongyang's alleged failure to launch a ballistic missile.
• North Korea Accelerates Nuclear Testing After Sanctions VOA 18 Apr 2016 -- In the short term, there seems little the world can do to stop North Korea from conducting a fifth nuclear test in the very near future.
• South Korea's Park says North preparing for nuclear test Press TV 18 Apr 2016 -- South Korean President Park Geun-hye has said that North Korea is preparing to carry out another nuclear test.
• Indian Navy Goes Nuclear: Country's First Nuke Sub Undergoing Sea Tests Sputnik 18 Apr 2016 -- Arihant, India's first armed nuclear submarine is currently undergoing sea trials, according to a top naval official.
• Erdogan's Turkey Looks to Develop Next-Gen Drone Subsystems Sputnik 18 Apr 2016 -- Turkey's foray into drone technology comes amid increased crackdowns against political and intellectual dissent as well as on the country's Kurdish minority, while emboldening the government's imperial ambitions.
• China urges Japan to stop hyping up maritime issues People's Daily 18 Apr 2016 -- A Chinese spokesman on Monday urged Japan to stop hyping up maritime issues to avoid further disturbing the bilateral relations.
• Press Briefing by the Press Secretary Josh Earnest, 4/18/2016 The White House 18 Apr 2016
• April 18, 2016 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 18 Apr 2016

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for April 18, 2016

Other Conflicts

• 18 April 2016 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 18 Apr 2016
• South China Sea Arbitration initiated by the Philippines widely refuted People's Daily 18 Apr 2016 -- Both foreign and Chinese experts questioned and refuted the Philippines' standing on the South China Sea issue at a seminar that closed on Sunday in central China's Wuhan City.
• China Lands Military Plane on Island in Disputed S. China Sea VOA 18 Apr 2016 -- China says a military plane has landed on one of the country's man-made islands in the disputed South China Sea, the first public acknowledgement of such a mission.
• Yemen peace talks delayed: Report Press TV 18 Apr 2016 -- Monday peace talks in Kuwait aimed at ending over a year of Saudi war in Yemen have been delayed, Reuters says citing officials from the warring sides.
• Yemen Peace Talks Delayed VOA 18 Apr 2016 -- Peace talks between Yemen's warring parties have been delayed from their scheduled start on Monday, said a United Nations special envoy for the country.
• Daesh Income Drops 30% Amid Territorial Loss, Infrastructure Damage Sputnik 18 Apr 2016 -- The Daesh jihadist group's income fell by nearly a third since mid-2015 as the group has been losing its territory and suffering damages to its infrastructure amid US-led coalition airstrikes and a Russian aerial campaign against Daesh in Syria, a report revealed.
• Militants launch fresh attacks on Syria forces Press TV 18 Apr 2016 -- Militants currently engaged in peace talks with the Syrian government have begun a fresh offensive against military and civilian positions northwest of the country as accusations fly high on violations of a truce deal meant to restore calm to the country.
• No secret talks with US on Syria: Russia's Lavrov Press TV 18 Apr 2016 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says there are no secret talks between Moscow and Washington over Syria.
• Total of 64 Syrian Settlements Joined Ceasefire Since February Sputnik 18 Apr 2016 -- The Russian Defense Ministry said that the number of settlements that have joined ceasefire regime in Syria has increased to 64.
• HNC Unprepared to Engage in Syria Settlement - Damascus Delegation Sputnik 18 Apr 2016 -- The head of the Damascus delegation at the peace negotiations in Geneva claims that the decision of HNC to suspend its participation in the intra-Syrian talks proves that the HNC delegation is immature and not ready to engage in the process of political settlement.
• Syria Talks Collapse Looming as Only 3 Out of 15 HNC Members Arrive Sputnik 18 Apr 2016 -- The collapse of the intra-Syrian talks in Geneva is looming as only three out of 15 members of the Syrian opposition's Riyadh-backed High Negotiations Committee (HNC) arrived for talks with UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura.
• Syrian Opposition Believes Ceasefire Ended - Spokesperson Sputnik 18 Apr 2016 -- There is a general feeling that the ceasefire in Syria has ended, the opposition's High Negotiations Committee (HNC) spokesperson Riyad Naasan Agha told Sputnik.
• Syrian Rebels Postpone Role in Peace Talks After Truce Violations VOA 18 Apr 2016 -- The U.N.-sponsored Syrian peace talks in Geneva were plunged into crisis Monday after opposition negotiators announced they are delaying involvement in the formal negotiations until the Assad government agrees to discuss the establishment of a transitional administration in Damascus.
• Obama-Putin Hold 'Intense' Talk on Syria VOA 18 Apr 2016 -- Amid reports that Syrian peace talks are at an impasse, U.S. President Barack Obama urged his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to use his influence with the Assad regime during a phone call early Monday.
• Iraqi Kurds Want More Military Aid Against Daesh Amid Growing US Support Sputnik 18 Apr 2016 -- The Kurdish Peshmerga fighters hope for more military aid from the US-led coalition.
• Europeans Ponder Security Mission for Libya as Fighting Wracks Tripoli VOA 18 Apr 2016 -- European Union foreign and defense ministers will meet late Monday in Luxembourg to discuss a plan to send security personnel to Tripoli to help train police and border guards for Libya's new U.N.-endorsed unity government.
• UN Chief Urges Quick Formation of South Sudan Gov't VOA 18 Apr 2016 -- U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon spoke with South Sudan's president and the top rebel leader Monday, urging them to quickly establish their transitional government, seen as a vital step to ending the country's civil war.
• Death Toll Climbs to 208 in Cross-border Ethiopia Raid VOA 18 Apr 2016 -- The death toll from a raid into Ethiopia by South Sudanese gunmen has risen to 208, according to top Ethiopian officials.
• Two-state solution in Middle East 'tragically more distant' than ever, Ban tells Security Council UN News 18 Apr 2016 -- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned today that a two-state solution, which envisages peaceful co-existence of Palestine and Israel, seems more distant than it has for many decades, citing the ongoing violence, Israel's settlement activity and demolitions of Palestinian homes, and the absence of Palestinian unity.
• Jerusalem Bus Blast a Terror Attack, Officials Say VOA 18 Apr 2016 -- An Israeli police official says a bus explosion in Jerusalem Monday that wounded at least 15 people was a terror attack.
• Russia Suspends Crimean Tatar Mejlis For 'Extremist Activities' RFE/RL 18 Apr 2016 -- The Russian Justice Ministry has suspended the Crimean Tatars' highest ruling body due to what it called "extremist activities," a fresh escalation in Moscow's crackdown against a group that has broadly opposed Russia's forcible annexation of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula.
• Addressing sexual violence central to Mali peace process, UN envoy says UN News 18 Apr 2016 -- Concluding her first visit to Mali, a United Nations envoy has stressed the need to make the issue of sexual violence in conflict a central consideration of the ongoing peace process in the African country.

News Reports

• Brazil in Political Turmoil, With Rousseff Facing Removal VOA 18 Apr 2016 -- Brazil is in political turmoil awaiting reaction from President Dilma Rousseff on the launch of impeachment proceedings against her less than four months before the Olympic Games open in Rio de Janeiro.
• Majority of Brazilian Lawmakers Support President's Impeachment Sputnik 18 Apr 2016 -- Over 230 members of lower house of the Brazilian parliament have voted in support of President Dilma Rousseff's impeachment as over half – 311 – lawmakers have cast their votes during debates broadcast on the national television.
• Iran sees oil output freeze as new ban on itself Press TV 18 Apr 2016 -- Iran's Oil Minister Bijan Zangeneh on Monday described a plan to implement a freeze on the output of key oil producers as a "new sanction" against the country's oil industry.
• Iran, US at Odds Over Nuclear Sanctions Relief VOA 18 Apr 2016 -- Iran's concerns about its perceived lack of sanctions relief and Syria's faltering political talks will be focal points for Secretary of State John Kerry when he sits down for talks Tuesday with his Iranian counterpart.
• Officials Dismiss Islamic State Claims of Fighters in Bangladesh VOA 18 Apr 2016 -- The latest claim by the Islamic State (IS) that it has launched a new front in Bangladesh and its local fighters are gearing up to launch attacks on India and Myanmar has been dismissed by the government in Dhaka, which says the militant group has no presence in the South Asian nation.
• White House: Obama Unlikely to Sign 'Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act' VOA 18 Apr 2016 -- Despite calls from victims' families, the White House says President Barack Obama likely would not sign legislation that could allow countries like Saudi Arabia to be sued for any role officials may have played in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on U.S. soil.
• Colombia: UN office expands alternative development strategy to eliminate illicit crops UN News 18 Apr 2016 -- As part of an initiative providing assistance to family farms that depended on illicit crops for income, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has announced that hundreds of personnel and visitors can now purchase alternative development products on the premises of its central office in Bogota, Colombia.
• China Approves Document Regulating Business Operation by Relatives of Officials People's Daily 18 Apr 2016 -- The deepened reform that China is implementing must be "people-centric" and just, President Xi Jinping said at a meeting of the Leading Group for Overall Reform on Monday.
• Taiwan hopes to talk with China on detained nationals this week CNA 18 Apr 2016 -- Justice Minister Luo Ying-shay (羅瑩雪) said Monday that her ministry has set this week as the target for traveling to mainland China to negotiate over 45 Taiwan nationals currently detained there in connection with telephone scams in Kenya.
• Protests escalate in Baghdad as Iraqis urge reforms Press TV 18 Apr 2016 -- Thousands gathered at the entrance of a high-security compound in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on Monday as protests continue over a delay in the parliament to endorse reforms in the government.
• Iraqi premier calls for emergency parliament meeting Press TV 18 Apr 2016 -- Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has called on Iraq's parliament to convene an emergency meeting to seek a way out of the current political standstill that has almost crippled the country.
• Georgian President, Prime Minister At Odds Over Election Campaign RFE/RL 18 Apr 2016 -- With less than six months to go before parliamentary elections, a new dispute has surfaced within the ruling Georgian Dream coalition over the optimum length of the election campaign.
• Oil Price Falls In Asian Trading After Doha Talks Fail RFE/RL 18 Apr 2016 -- The price of oil tumbled on April 18 after a meeting of oil producers failed to agree a cap on output to shore up prices.
• FEATURE: UN Envoy in Haiti discusses upcoming elections and UN's transitioning role UN News 18 Apr 2016 -- Sandra Honoré is the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Haiti and head of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the country (MINUSTAH). A post she has held since 15 July 2013.
• UN food relief agency to assist one million Haitians hit by three-year drought UN News 18 Apr 2016 -- The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) announced today it will launch an emergency operation in Haiti to assist one million people devastated by three years of prolonged drought exacerbated by the El Niño weather phenomenon.
• Lawyer Denies Reports Snowden Working With Russia's FSB Sputnik 18 Apr 2016 -- Whistleblower Edward Snowden is not cooperating with any intelligence agency, including Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), his lawyer Anatoly Kucherena said Monday refuting corresponding media reports.
• Suu Kyi Reaffirms Pledge to Revamp Myanmar's Constitution VOA 18 Apr 2016 -- Aung San Suu Kyi says Myanmar's constitution needs to be amended in order to transform the former military-ruled nation into a true "federal democratic union."
• Turkey detains 101 for alleged links to cleric Gulen Press TV 18 Apr 2016 -- Turkey has detained scores of people for their alleged link to Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen whom the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan regards as an opponent.
• Turkey Detains Dozens Linked to US-Based Islamic Cleric, Erdogan Foe VOA 18 Apr 2016 -- Turkish police detained dozens of people for their alleged financial links to U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported Monday.
• Erdogan's Government Arrests Over 100 on Suspicion of Plotting Coup Sputnik 19 Apr 2016 -- More than a hundred people were detained by Turkish law enforcement on Monday over alleged links to the movement of Erdogan's ally-turned-bitter-rival Fethullah Gülen, who, in the view of Ankara, seeks to depose the current leader.
• Saudi Arabia's Curbing of Religious Police Hailed by Rights Group VOA 18 Apr 2016 -- Human Rights Watch commended Saudi Arabia on its new regulation that strips power from the often criticized religious police force.