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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF / OND / OEF / OIR / OFS Casualty Update 28 Oct 2016 [PDF]
• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Col. Dorrian via Teleconference from Bagdad, Iraq DoD 28 Oct 2016 -- Presenters: Colonel John Dorrian, Operation Inherent Resolve Spokesman; Captain Jeff Davis, Director, Defense Press Office
• Coalition Strikes Hit ISIL Terrorists in Iraq, Syria AFPS 28 Oct 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.
• Update: air strikes against Daesh UK MOD 28 Oct 2016 -- British forces have continued to conduct air operations in the fight against Daesh
• Russia, U.S. Coalition Planes Have Near Miss Over Syria RFE/RL 28 Oct 2016 -- U.S. officials say a Russian fighter jet came dangerously close to a U.S.-led coalition aircraft over Syria earlier this month.
• US Air Force Claims Russian Jets Flew Dangerously Close to US Planes Over Syria Sputnik 28 Oct 2016 -- US Air Force Central Command chief Lt. Gen. Jeff Harrigian claimed on Friday that a Russian military aircraft flew dangerously close to a US jet over Syria on October 17.
• USS Iwo Jima Returns Home from Haiti Relief NNS 28 Oct 2016 -- Sailors aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) returned to their homeport of Naval Station Mayport, Oct. 28, after conducting humanitarian assistance and disaster relief as part of Joint Task Force (JTF) Matthew.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Department of Defense Releases Budget Figure for 2016 Military Intelligence Program (MIP) DoD 28 Oct 2016 -- The Department of Defense released today the Military Intelligence Program (MIP) appropriated top line budget for FY 2016. The total MIP budget, which included both the base budget and Overseas Contingency Operations appropriations, was $17.7B billion.
• Carter to Implement 3 Recommendations from Defense Innovation Board AFPS 28 Oct 2016 -- Earlier this month Defense Secretary Ash Carter's new Defense Innovation Board recommended to the department several novel practices for improving innovation at the Pentagon, and today he announced that he would implement three of them.
• 31st MEU completes fall patrol, returns to Okinawa USMC News 28 Oct 2016 -- The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit returned to White Beach Naval Base, Okinawa, Japan after a successful Fall Patrol, Oct. 28.
• Navy to Commission Submarine Illinois NNS 28 Oct 2016 -- The Navy will commission its newest fast attack submarine, the future USS Illinois (SSN 786), during an 11 a.m. EDT ceremony Saturday, Oct. 29, at Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut.
• Makin Island ARG, 11th MEU conduct Sustainment Training in Hawaii NNS 28 Oct 2016 -- The Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group and 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit conducted amphibious sustainment training on Oahu and the island of Hawaii, Oct. 19-23, after departing Naval Base San Diego, Oct. 14, for a scheduled deployment to the U.S. 3rd, 5th and 7th Fleet areas of responsibility.
• U.S. Marine Corps, Constellation, P&G collaborate to achieve Navy's first 'Net Zero' energy military base NNS 28 Oct 2016 -- Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) has awarded a $170 million, 23-year energy savings performance contract to Constellation, a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation, for an energy conservation and distributed generation project that will enable the Marine Corps Logistics Base (MCLB) in Albany, Ga., to reduce energy use, increase energy security, and meet energy demands from renewable sources.
• US Navy Developing Variety of Shallow-Water Submarine Drones - Carter Sputnik 28 Oct 2016 -- US Navy scientists and engineers are creating prototypes for a fleet of undersea drones that can slip into areas now off-limits to manned submarines, US Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Friday at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington, DC think tank.
• US Troops Deployment Contradicts Norway's Peacetime Foreign Military Base Policy Sputnik 28 Oct 2016 -- Norway's decision to host 330 US Marines on its soil contradicts the Northern European state's policy against foreign military bases, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Friday.
• Moscow pledges response to NATO build-up near Russia's borders Press TV 28 Oct 2016 -- Russia has warned that Moscow would take necessary measures in response to NATO's planned build-up near Russian frontiers.
• Russian Warships Refueling At Sea After Canceling Spanish Port Call RFE/RL 28 Oct 2016 -- A flotilla of Russian warships en route to the eastern Mediterranean has been refueling at sea near the Strait of Gibraltar.
• Russia to Continue Army's Modernization, Funds Allocated - Finance Minister Sputnik 28 Oct 2016 -- Russia will continue to modernize its armed forces in 2017 and has already allocated funds for this purposes in the country's budget, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said Friday.
• North Korean Leader Orders Full-Fledged Probe Into Failed Missile Launch Sputnik 28 Oct 2016 -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered to create a special investigation team to examine the causes of the recent missile launch failure, media reported on Friday, referring to the head of a North Korean dissident group.
• US to Go Beyond THAAD Deployment in S Korea if N Korea Threat Persists Sputnik 28 Oct 2016 -- US will further promote the THAAD missile systems deployment in South Korea in case North Korean threat persists, US Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken said Friday.
• Army UAV missing in mountainous area in Chiayi CNA 28 Oct 2016 -- An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) went missing while undergoing a routine training in a mountainous part of Chiayi County on Thursday, the Army Aviation and Special Forces Command confirmed Friday.
• UN Resolution Calls for Ban on Nuclear Weapons VOA 28 Oct 2016 -- U.N. member states have voted overwhelmingly on a measure that could lead to a ban on nuclear weapons.
• October 28, 2016 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 28 Oct 2016

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for October 28, 2016

Other Conflicts

• 28 October 2016 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 28 Oct 2016
• UN must strengthen regional partnerships to promote stability and defuse tensions, Ban tells Security Council UN News 28 Oct 2016 -- Highlighting the complex challenges confronting global peace and security, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today emphasized the urgent need for a collective response by the international community that draws on regional and global partnerships.
• INTERVIEW: New global compact "should make a difference" in lives of refugees and migrants – outgoing UN Special Adviser UN News 28 Oct 2016 -- The adoption of what has been dubbed the "New York Declaration" should make a difference in the lives of refugees and migrants, an outgoing UN Special Adviser has underscored.
• Tensions Boil: Beijing Accuses Japan of Endangering Chinese Aircraft Sputnik 28 Oct 2016 -- On Thursday the Chinese Defense Ministry accused Japan of targeting and endangering the safety of Beijing's military aircraft. Tokyo and Beijing are in the midst of a long-standing dispute over a group of islands in the East China Sea, called Diaoyu by China and Senkaku in Japan.
• Half of Yemen's Conflict-Ridden Population Living in Crisis VOA 28 Oct 2016 -- The World Food Program warns half of Yemen's 24 million people are living in a state of crisis, with more than seven million going hungry every day. The WFP says it urgently needs more than a quarter-billion dollars to provide food aid to people suffering from hunger, war and disease.
• Saudis resorting to media flimflam over missile attack: Ansarullah Press TV 28 Oct 2016 -- Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement has strongly dismissed claims that the recent missile attack against Saudi Arabia was aimed at Islam's holiest and most revered site, emphasizing that the Saudi regime is restoring to media hype to justify its military aggression against its southern neighbor.
• Saudi, Qatar seek to recruit Algeria in Yemen Press TV 28 Oct 2016 -- Saudi Arabian and Qatari army chiefs have met with their Algerian counterpart, asking Algiers to send its servicemen to Yemen, where Riyadh has been leading an unbridled military campaign since March 2015.
• Yemeni forces fire ballistic missile at Saudi Arabia's Jeddah airport Press TV 28 Oct 2016 -- Yemeni army forces and allied fighters from Popular Committees have reportedly launched a locally designed and manufactured ballistic missile towards an area deep inside Saudi Arabia in response to the Riyadh regime's atrocious aerial bombardments against the crisis-hit Arab country.
• Amid escalating conflict in Yemen, UN-associated migration agency launches 150 million regional appeal UN News 28 Oct 2016 -- Warning that the situation in Yemen is growing more dire every day, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the lead United Nations-affiliated agency on migration issues, launched today a regional appeal for nearly $150 million to help provide desperately needed assistance to the country's people trapped amid the escalating conflict.
• Militant shelling kills at least 15 civilians in western Aleppo Press TV 28 Oct 2016 -- At least 15 civilians are killed and some 100 others injured as foreign-backed militants shell western Aleppo after launching a massive offensive to break the Syrian government's siege over the city.
• UN report on Syria chemical arms unconvincing: Russia Press TV 28 Oct 2016 -- Russia says a UN-led investigation accusing the Syrian government of chemical attacks is "unconvincing" and full of contradictions which fails to present solid evidence to support the claim.
• Syria Rebels Launch Counteroffensive In Aleppo; Russia Hosts Syrian, Iranian Ministers RFE/RL 28 Oct 2016 -- Syrian activists say rebel fighters have launched a large-scale offensive in Aleppo, trying to break the government's siege of opposition-held, eastern districts.
• Russia Dismisses Documentation Of Syrian Gas Attacks, Rejects Sanctions RFE/RL 28 Oct 2016 -- Russia has dismissed as "unconvincing" a United Nations report finding that Syrian forces carried out three chemical attacks, and said no sanctions should be imposed.
• Putin Declines Russian MoD's Request on Need to Restart Airstrikes in Aleppo Sputnik 28 Oct 2016 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin declined the Russian General Staff's request to renew airstrikes on militant positions in eastern Aleppo in Syria, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday.
• Militants' Shelling Kills 43, Wounds 96 in West Aleppo in 72 Hours - Russian MoD Sputnik 28 Oct 2016 -- Militants' shelling over the past 72 hours killed more than 40 residents of western Aleppo, Syria, and wounded nearly 100, the Russian General Staff said Friday.
• Russian Military Asks Putin to Allow Renewed Strikes on Militants - Gen Staff Sputnik 28 Oct 2016 -- On October 20 a humanitarian pause was introduced in the embattled city of Aleppo, however, the Russian military has asked president Putin for permission to renew airstrikes in the area "due to the fact that civilians continue to die" there.
• Those Behind Chemical Weapons Usage in Syria to Bear Responsibility -DoS Sputnik 28 Oct 2016 -- Those involved in Syrian chemical weapons usage must be held responsible, US Department of State spokesperson said in a release on Friday.
• Turkey Not to Fight in Syrian Raqqa Alongside Kurdish Units Sputnik 28 Oct 2016 -- In case Kurdish units take Raqqa, Turkey is not going to take part in the military liberation.
• Syria: UN chief condemns reported school attack in western Aleppo UN News 28 Oct 2016 -- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the reported attack today on a school in the western part of Syria's Aleppo city that killed a number of children.
• Syrian Rebels Battle for Control of Aleppo VOA 28 Oct 2016 -- Syrian rebel groups say they have begun their large-scale offensive in Aleppo to break the government's siege on neighborhoods in the eastern part of the divided city.
• Allies Resist US Plan to Attack Raqqa VOA 28 Oct 2016 -- A proposed U.S.-backed offensive on the Islamic State terror group's Syrian stronghold of Raqqa is encountering problems, because Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan insists the Syrian-Kurdish YPG – the only militia currently up to the task – can play no part.
• Experts Doubt Many High-level IS Leaders Are Staying in Mosul VOA 28 Oct 2016 -- There is a growing sense that by the time Iraqi forces finish wresting control of the key city of Mosul from Islamic State fighters, few if any of the terror group's top leaders will be there.
• Iraqis Clear Areas Outside Mosul Before Advancing To Liberate City AFPS 28 Oct 2016 -- In the operation to liberate Iraq's second-largest city from the control of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, Iraqi and Kurdish forces continue clearing and back-clearing areas around Mosul before they advance to the city, the Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman told reporters today.
• Russia to help Iraq stop Daesh militants fleeing Mosul to Syria Press TV 28 Oct 2016 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has warned that Daesh terrorists are leaving the northern Iraqi city of Mosul in droves and heading to neighboring Syria, voicing Moscow's eagerness to work with the Iraqi government to stop the exodus.
• Daesh abducts 1000s near Mosul to use them as human shields: UN Press TV 28 Oct 2016 -- Daesh terrorists have abducted tens of thousands of civilians from near Mosul to use them as human shields as government forces inch closer to the city proper in an operation to retake it, the UN says.
• UN Decries IS 'Mass Executions, Human Shields' In Mosul RFE/RL 28 Oct 2016 -- The office of UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein has said that militants of the extremist organization Islamic State (IS) have executed at least 232 people in the embattled Iraqi city of Mosul.
• Iraqi Forces Discover Daesh-Built Long Tunnel, Bomb Factory in Mosul - Reports Sputnik 28 Oct 2016 -- Iraqi security forces have discovered a 1.8-mile tunnel and a bomb-making facility built by Daesh militants in Mosul, Al Sumaria broadcaster reported citing its sources.
• Nearly 8,000 families abducted by ISIL from Mosul vicinity – UN rights office UN News 28 Oct 2016 -- Credible reports suggest that the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh) has been forcing tens of thousands of people from their homes in sub-districts around Mosul, including nearly 8,000 families the group abducted, since the operations to restore Iraqi Government control over Mosul began on 17 October, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said today.
• Thousands of Iraqi Civilians Abducted, Hundreds Executed in Battle for Mosul VOA 28 Oct 2016 -- The U.N. human rights office reports Iraqi civilians are increasingly being used as pawns by Islamic State militants in their battle for Mosul. The agency says it has received credible reports of hundreds of executions, mass abductions, and the use of civilians as human shields.
• FARC rebels, Colombia govt. adjust peace deal Press TV 28 Oct 2016 -- The government of Colombia and rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) say they have made adjustments to a peace treaty that was rejected in a plebiscite, and will continue to make more modifications until they reach a solution.
• Colombia suspends talks with ELN rebel group Press TV 28 Oct 2016 -- Colombia's second biggest rebel group has killed two civilian truck drivers in a "terrorist attack," the country's military says, hours after Bogota suspended peace talks with the group.
• Colombian President Postponing Historic Talks With ELN Rebels Sputnik 28 Oct 2016 -- Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has said he was postponing peace talks with the National Liberation Army (ELN) rebel group as it had failed to confirm it was going to release a hostage it was holding.
• Rohingya women say Myanmar soldiers raped them amid crackdown Press TV 28 Oct 2016 -- Dozens of Rohingya Muslim women in Myanmar's Rakhine state say government forces have committed acts of rape or sexual assault against them.
• UN expert urges international community to continue to address human rights challenges in Myanmar UN News 28 Oct 2016 -- The United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, called upon the international community today to not forget about ongoing human rights challenges in the country, including continued detention of political prisoners, the constitutional guarantee of 25 per cent of seats in Parliament to the military, and increasing unrest and discrimination against Muslim communities.
• 6 people, including 3 civilians, killed in east Ukraine clashes Press TV 28 Oct 2016 -- Six people, including three civilians, have been killed in clashes between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russians in eastern Ukraine.
• Israel is denying Palestine's right to development, says UN human rights expert UN News 28 Oct 2016 -- The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, Michael Lynk, has declared that Israel is denying Palestine's right to development by creating rampant poverty, "epic" unemployment, and economic stagnation.
• UN chief set to open next month 'crucial phase' of negotiations on Cyprus UN News 28 Oct 2016 -- The Turkish Cypriot leader and the Greek Cypriot leader will head to Switzerland early next month for a meeting that will be opened by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and will kick-off an intensive week of negotiations of the Cyprus talks, a senior UN envoy announced today.
• Somali Officials Vow to Retake Puntland Town VOA 28 Oct 2016 -- Somali regional authorities in Puntland are vowing to retake a town captured by pro-Islamic State militants this week.
• ICC May be Flawed, But It's Far From Finished in Africa VOA 28 Oct 2016 -- South Africa and Burundi have sent letters of intent to withdraw from the International Criminal Court to the U.N. secretary-general. Gambia says it will do the same.
• Withdrawal from International Criminal Court could send 'wrong message' - UN chief UN News 28 Oct 2016 -- Expressing regret over the intention of three African countries to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for strengthening the Court from within its processes.

News Reports

• Facing Pressure at Home, Islamic State Focuses on SE Asia VOA 28 Oct 2016 -- As the Islamic State terror group faces territorial losses in the Middle East, there are signs that the group is increasing its cooperation with local militant groups in Southeast Asia.
• Trump Criticizes Clinton For Speaking 'Very Badly' Of Putin RFE/RL 28 Oct 2016 -- U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has criticized Democratic rival Hillary Clinton for speaking "very badly" of Russian President Vladimir Putin, remarks that follow Clinton's recent allegations that the Kremlin is trying to tilt the election in her opponent's favor.
• U.S. Authorities Rule Ex-Kremlin Official Mikhail Lesin's Death An Accident RFE/RL 28 Oct 2016 -- U.S. authorities have ruled the death of former Kremlin media boss Mikhail Lesin an accident, saying a nearly year-long investigation determined that "acute" alcohol intoxication was a contributing factor and that the case is now closed.
• Death of Ex-Putin Aide in DC Ruled Accidental VOA 28 Oct 2016 -- U.S. authorities said Friday that the unexplained death last year of a Russian media executive in a Washington hotel was accidental and caused partly by alcohol poisoning after days of heavy drinking.
• Investigation into the Death of Mikhail Lesin Has Closed US Dept. of Justice 28 Oct 2016 -- The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, with assistance from the FBI, have concluded a comprehensive investigation into the death last year of Mikhail Lesin, 57, a Russian political figure, media executive and adviser to Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia.
• Is Chechnya's Ramzan Kadyrov Still in Moscow's Favor? VOA 28 Oct 2016 -- Ramzan Kadyrov, the man President Vladimir Putin picked more than a decade ago to rule the southern Russian republic of Chechnya, is a rare case of a low-level provincial official overshadowing Moscow-based politicians and celebrities.
• CPC Central Committee with Xi as "core" leads China to centenary goals People's Daily 28 Oct 2016 -- the ruling status, reform and opening up, market economy and other external factors -- it had to address the dangers rocking the boat, including the slacking of officials, incompetence, isolation from the people and corruption, it noted.
• China's Xi Jinping Gets Power Boost, Named Core of the Party VOA 28 Oct 2016 -- China's communist party has wrapped up high-level political meetings in Beijing, bestowing the prestigious title of core of the party on the country's increasingly powerful leader, Xi Jinping.
• China Calls Reports of Allegedly Stealing Pentagon's Secrets 'Irresponsible' Sputnik 28 Oct 2016 -- Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang dismissed on Friday media reports alleging Chinese spies have stolen Pentagon secret plans for a possible conflict with China, calling them irresponsible.
• China to launch Long March-5 carrier rocket in November People's Daily 28 Oct 2016 -- China's largest carrier rocket, the Long March-5, will make its first trip into space in early November this year.
• Two California Men Among Those Charged in Scheme to Smuggle Military Aircraft Parts and Defense Items to Iran US Dept. of Justice 28 Oct 2016 -- Zavik Zargarian, 52, of Glendale, California, and Vache Nayirian, 57, of Lakeview Terrace, California, were arrested Wednesday morning on federal charges for their alleged role in a scheme to smuggle millions of dollars' worth of military aircraft parts and other potential defense items to Iran in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR).
• Pakistan expels India diplomat in tit-for-tat move Press TV 28 Oct 2016 -- Pakistan has declared an Indian diplomat persona non grata and given him 48 hours to leave the country, in a tit-for-tat move that comes a day after India said it would deport a Pakistani official.
• Pakistan police clash with supporters of Imran Khan Press TV 28 Oct 2016 -- Pakistani police have clashed with supporters of popular opposition leader Imran Khan, firing tear gas at protesters who defied a ban on public gatherings.
• Pakistan Detains Activists, Bans Rallies; Opposition Vows Showdown RFE/RL 28 Oct 2016 -- Pakistani police have detained dozens of supporters of opposition leader Imran Khan and banned public rallies, triggering clashes with opposition activists in parts of Islamabad.
• Security Experts: China Tried to Hack US-Taiwan Defense Conference VOA 28 Oct 2016 -- U.S. network security experts say Chinese hackers recently launched a network attack targeting people attending a U.S.-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference.
• Taiwan-U.S. ties will remain strong: new AIT chairman CNA 28 Oct 2016 -- The new chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) vowed Friday during a visit to Taiwan to further strengthen the already strong ties between the United States and Taiwan.
• Violations of freedom of expression and the media continue in Belarus - UN rights expert UN News 28 Oct 2016 -- Human rights violations are growing worse in Belarus, according to a new report by the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the country, Miklós Haraszti, which he presented to the UN General Assembly today.
• Turkey sentences pro-Kurdish mayor to one year in jail Press TV 28 Oct 2016 -- The mayor of the city of Siirt in southeastern Turkey has been sentenced to one year in prison for "disseminating terrorist propaganda."
• Mass Suspensions of Teachers Stoke Concern in Turkey's Kurdish Region VOA 28 Oct 2016 -- Educators in Turkey are at the center of a crackdown, with more than 12,000 teachers suspended for alleged links to the Kurdish PKK rebel group.
• In Moldova's Presidential Poll, A Country Torn Between East And West RFE/RL 28 Oct 2016 -- Moldovans head to the polls this weekend for a presidential election that could hint at whether the country's current aspirations lie more with the European Union or Russia.
• UN expert panel cites crimes against humanity committed by Eritrean authorities dating back 25 years UN News 28 Oct 2016 -- Eritrean officials have committed crimes against humanity since 1991, including enslavement, imprisonment, enforced disappearances, torture, other inhumane acts, persecution, rape and murder, a member of the former United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the country reported to UN Member States.
• Ban urges all parties in Venezuela to reduce polarization and engage sincerely in dialogue process UN News 28 Oct 2016 -- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed the Vatican's joining of the ongoing initiative by former Heads of State and Government to promote dialogue between the Government of Venezuela and the country's political opposition, under the auspices of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR).
• General Assembly elects 14 members to UN Human Rights Council UN News 28 Oct 2016 -- The General Assembly today elected, by secret ballot, 14 States to serve on the Human Rights Council, the United Nations body responsible for the promotion and protection of all human rights around the globe.