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Current Operations

• OIF / OND / OEF / OIR / OFS Casualty Update 16 Nov 2017[PDF]
• 18 killed in Afghan bomb attack near political gathering Press TV 16 Nov 2017 -- At least 18 Afghan people, including policemen and civilians, have lost their lives in a bombing near a hotel in the country's capital, Kabul.
• Suicide Bomber Kills At Least 11 At Kabul Rally For Northern Governor RFE/RL 16 Nov 2017 -- At least 11 people have been killed in a suicide attack on a Kabul rally by supporters of Mohammad Atta Noor, the powerful governor of Afghanistan's northern Balkh Province.
• Suicide Blast Hits Afghan Political Gathering in Kabul VOA 16 Nov 2017 -- At least 10 people have been killed and many more wounded by a suicide bomb attack near a political gathering in the Afghan capital, Kabul.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Department of Defense Press Briefing by Pentagon Chief Spokesperson Dana W. White and Joint Staff Director Lt. Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. in the Pentagon Briefing Room DoD 16 Nov 2017 -- Presenter: Pentagon Chief Spokesperson Dana W. White and Joint Staff Director Lt. Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr.
• Dunford: U.S. Military Advantage Over Russia, China Eroding AFPS 16 Nov 2017 -- The U.S. military advantage against near-peer competitors is eroding, and America must invest in capabilities to ensure deterrence, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said at Tufts University's Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in Massachusetts earlier this week.
• Media Availability with Secretary Mattis en route to Colorado Springs, Colorado DoD 16 Nov 2017 -- Presenter: Defense Secretary Jim Mattis
• Army Chief: No Reduction of Standards to Meet Recruiting Goals AFPS 16 Nov 2017 -- Despite news to the contrary, the Army will not be recruiting bipolar personnel, the Army's chief of staff said here yesterday, even if those individuals apply for a waiver.
• For the first time, Army sensors can detect aircraft damage as it occurs Army News 16 Nov 2017 -- For the first time ever, a team of researchers successfully developed and tested networked acoustic emission sensors that can detect airframe damage on conceptual composite UH-60 Black Hawk rotorcraft.
• Readout of Deputy Secretary of Defense Shanahan's Meeting with Ugandan Minister of Defense Adolf Mwesige DoD 16 Nov 2017
• Carl Vinson Strike Group Completes Sustainment Exercise NNS 16 Nov 2017 -- The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group completed a three-week sustainment training exercise off the coast of Southern California, Nov. 16.
• US starts drill with Japan near Korean Peninsula Press TV 16 Nov 2017 -- Japan and the United States have started conducting a 10-day joint naval drill in southern Japan, despite North Korea's warnings that the exercises seriously risk triggering an actual war.
• US, Japan Naval Forces Annual Exercise Seen as Signal to Pyongyang VOA 16 Nov 2017 -- U.S. and Japanese naval forces have begun their annual bilateral training exercise, seen as a show of force amid North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile tests.
• Queen to commission namesake aircraft carrier in just three weeks, Defence Secretary announces on flight-deck UK MOD 16 Nov 2017 -- Her Majesty the Queen will formally commission her namesake aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, into the Royal Navy fleet in just three weeks' time.
• UK extends support to peacekeeping in South Sudan UK MOD 16 Nov 2017 -- The UK is extending the deployment of Royal Engineers to the UN Mission in South Sudan for an additional year, until April 2020.
• PLA builds strong army in new era People's Daily 16 Nov 2017 -- Less than a month after the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the Chinese military has taken measures to become "world-class."
• China develops its own electromagnetic catapult for fighter jets People's Daily 16 Nov 2017 -- China has developed its own version of a cutting-edge device previously possessed only by the United States and is poised to use it to boost its aircraft carrier fleet's combat capability.
• Over Half of Bundeswehr's Leopard 2 Tanks Not Operational Sputnik 16 Nov 2017 -- More than half of the German Bundeswehr's Leopard 2 tanks are not ready for operation, local media reported Thursday.
• Indian Army Demands Early Completion of Tunnels Along Chinese-Indian Border Sputnik 16 Nov 2017 -- Nine tunnels have been listed as priority projects by the Indian Army, as they would provide better connectivity to possible flashpoints along the border with China. Tunnels, unlike roads or high mountain passes, would enable swift all-weather transport of troops and reinforcements.
• Indian Navy Enrolls Domestic Firm to Locally Produce Sonar Systems Sputnik 16 Nov 2017 -- The portable diver detection sonar will be manufactured by Tata Power SED in India with the transfer of technology from DSTI Israel.
• Russia begins deliveries of advanced T-90 battle tanks to Iraqi army Press TV 16 Nov 2017 -- Russia's main battle tank manufacturer, Uralvagonzavod, has started delivering advanced T-90 battle tanks to the Iraqi army under a major deal struck between Moscow and Baghdad earlier this year.
• U.S. congressional commission urges support for Taiwan's defense CNA 16 Nov 2017 -- A U.S. congressional commission on Wednesday recommended that the administration of President Donald Trump give more support to Taiwan's efforts to enhance its defense capabilities by adopting such steps as inviting Taiwan to military exercises and increasing high-level exchanges with Taiwan's military.
• Haiti Prepares to Introduce Its Revived Military VOA 16 Nov 2017 -- More than two decades after Haiti's leader disbanded its army, with its history of violent coups, the Caribbean nation is about to unveil a reconstituted military.
• Air War Missile Center 2017 Exercises Wrap up SPA 16 Nov 2017 -- The Joint Exercises (Air War Missile Center 2017) were concluded, at Al-Dhafra Air Base, in Abu Dhabi, with participation of several brotherly and friendly countries.
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, 11/16/2017, #32 The White House 16 Nov 2017

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for November 16, 2017

Other Conflicts

• 16 November 2017 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 16 Nov 2017
• Beijing and Manila Agree to Solve South China Sea Dispute with Words, Not Wars Sputnik 16 Nov 2017 -- To mark their improving relations China and The Philippines have inked a series of agreements strengthening diplomatic and economic ties - including one to avoid any military conflict in the disputed South China Sea, once a flashpoint between the two nations.
• UN agency chiefs call for immediate lifting of humanitarian blockade in Yemen UN News 16 Nov 2017 -- With much of Yemen's air, sea and land entry points closed, heads of three United Nations agencies on Thursday called for immediate lifting of such blockade in the conflict-ravaged southern Arabian country so that lifesaving humanitarian supplies can pass.
• UN Agencies Renew Pleas to Lift Blockade on Yemen VOA 16 Nov 2017 -- Three United Nations agencies have renewed pleas to a Saudi-led coalition to lift a blockade that has halted the flow of essential supplies into Yemen, warning that the lives of "untold thousands" of people are at stake.
• Security Council again fails to extend panel investigating use of chemical weapons in Syria UN News 16 Nov 2017 -- Two draft resolutions – one sponsored by the United States and another led by Bolivia – were defeated in the United Nations Security Council Thursday, blocking renewal of the international inquiry into chemical weapons attacks in Syria.
• Russia, US Reject Rival Chemical Weapons Resolutions on Syria VOA 16 Nov 2017 -- Russia on Thursday vetoed a U.S.-sponsored Security Council resolution that would have extended the international probe into chemical weapons use in Syria.
• Daesh has lost 95% of territory in Iraq, Syria: US-led coalition Press TV 16 Nov 2017 -- The US-led military coalition, which is purportedly fighting the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in Syria and Iraq, says the terror outfit has already lost 95 percent of the cross-border "caliphate" it declared three years ago in the two Middle Eastern countries.
• Russian foreign minister says US intervention in Syria illegal Press TV 16 Nov 2017 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has slammed a US claim that Washington is conducting military operations in Syria under a UN mandate, saying the American intervention is illegal.
• Syria sends reinforcements to Bukamal in last anti-Daesh push Press TV 16 Nov 2017 -- Syrian government forces have dispatched reinforcements to the eastern town of Bukamal in Syria's Dayr al-Zawr province to fully purge the city of Daesh terrorists.
• Kurdish militants aim to capture Syrian region, not fighting Daesh: Turkish FM Press TV 16 Nov 2017 -- The Turkish foreign minister says a US-backed Kurdish militant group fighting in northern Syria aims to conquer the region under the cover of battling the Daesh Takfiri terror group.
• Russia Vetoes U.S.-Led Move To Extend UN Chemical-Weapons Probe In Syria RFE/RL 16 Nov 2017 -- Russia has vetoed a U.S.-written resolution in the United Nation Security Council to extend the mandate of an investigation program to determine who is behind chemical-weapons attacks in Syria.
• Pentagon Rebuffs Russia's Proposal of Joint Actions Against Daesh in Syria Sputnik 16 Nov 2017 -- Pentagon rejected Russia's proposal to conduct joint actions against Daesh in Syria saying that the targeting process of the US-led coalition against the terrorist group is independent of third party input.
• UN plan for post-conflict transition in Libya makes headway, Security Council told UN News 16 Nov 2017 -- The political process for a successful post-conflict transition in Libya has made significant headway over the past two months, the United Nations envoy for the North African country said Thursday.
• HRW reveals: Myanmar soldiers gang-raping Rohingya Press TV 16 Nov 2017 -- The Human Rights Watch (HRW) says security forces in Myanmar have been committing widespread gang rape against Rohingya Muslim women and girls during the past three months as part of a campaign of "ethnic cleansing" against the minority group in the country's Rakhine State.
• HRW Accuses Myanmar's Soldiers of Systematically Raping Rohingya Women Sputnik 16 Nov 2017 -- The HRW has issued a report shedding light on sexual violence against Rohingya women.
• UN envoy urges greater support for Rohingya victims of sexual violence UN News 16 Nov 2017 -- Following a visit to Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar, where hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar have settled in makeshift camps, a United Nations envoy has called for enhanced measures to protect and assist victims of sexual violence among the displaced population.
• Kyiv Welcomes 'Any Steps' By Russia To Revive Exchanges With Separatists RFE/RL 16 Nov 2017 -- Ukraine's main security agency says it welcomes "any steps" by Russia that would facilitate exchanges of people held by Kyiv and the Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.
• S. Sudan President Reconciles With Former Army Chief VOA 16 Nov 2017 -- South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and his former army chief of staff apparently have reconciled, a week after a tense standoff in Juba threatened to escalate into violence.
• Armenia, Azerbaijan Dispute Partnership Language Over Nagorno-Karabakh RFE/RL 16 Nov 2017 -- A dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the wording of a potential one-paragraph statement on the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh has delayed completion of a final declaration for next week's Eastern Partnership summit sponsored by the European Union.
• In Colombia, UN political chief urges parties to 'stay the course' set out in peace accord UN News 16 Nov 2017 -- More must be done to ensure that the remarkable gains of the first phase of Colombia's peace process are maintained, the top United Nations political official has said, wrapping up a visit to the country with an appeal to all Colombians to rally behind the accord, especially to ensure that former combatants are reintegrated into civilian life.
• Three militant killed, 74 arrested in Egypt's raids in Sinai Press TV 16 Nov 2017 -- Egyptian military has launched a major counter-terrorism operation in the restive Sinai Peninsula, killing three militants and arresting 74 others.
• Conflicts, climatic change drive food insecurity and undernourishment in sub-Saharan Africa - UN UN News 16 Nov 2017 -- Adverse climatic conditions, a sluggish global economy and conflicts are key factors driving food insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa, the United Nations agriculture agency said on Thursday.

News Reports

• President Mugabe refuses to resign after meeting generals Press TV 16 Nov 2017 -- Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has refused to cede power to the military which has seized power in the southern African country and put him under house arrest.
• Zimbabwe opposition leader returns home after coup Press TV 16 Nov 2017 -- Zimbabwe's opposition leader and former prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai has returned to the African country to following an effective coup against long-time President Robert Mugabe.
• Zimbabwe's Political Future in Limbo VOA 16 Nov 2017 -- Zimbabweans faced a second day of political uncertainty Thursday, with rumors surfacing about how and when President Robert Mugabe would relinquish control after nearly four decades in power.
• Zimbabwe on Edge Amid Negotiations After Military Takeover VOA 16 Nov 2017 -- Zimbabweans are hoping for a speedy and smooth resolution to their nation's sudden political crisis, as opposition figures, civil society and religious groups urge longtime President Robert Mugabe to step down in the wake of a military takeover.
• Doing Nothing, Trump May Witness US Goal in Mugabe's Ouster VOA 16 Nov 2017 -- Without lifting a finger, the Trump administration may be witnessing the culmination of nearly two decades of U.S. efforts to pry Zimbabwe from the powerful grasp of its authoritarian President Robert Mugabe.
• UN chief calls for calm in Zimbabwe, underlines need to resolve political differences peacefully UN News 16 Nov 2017 -- United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is closely following developments in Zimbabwe, and has called for continued calm in the southern African country, the UN Spokesman said Thursday.
• Russia Calls Spain's Accusations It May Have Meddled In Catalonia Vote 'Hysteria' RFE/RL 16 Nov 2017 -- Russia has dismissed allegations from Spanish leaders that it may have spread "disinformation" that helped precipitate a crisis over Catalonia's vote for independence last month.
• Cambodia High Court Dissolves Opposition Party, Cementing One-party Rule VOA 16 Nov 2017 -- Cambodia's Supreme Court has dissolved the country's main opposition party in a ruling likely to cement Prime Minister Hun Sen's already expansive grip on power.
• Kenya Supreme Court Hears Challenges to Election Re-run VOA 16 Nov 2017 -- Kenya's Supreme Court is in its last day of hearing arguments on two petitions contesting results of the October 26 presidential election. Incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta was declared winner by a landslide after challenger Raila Odinga urged his supporters to boycott the poll, which was a re-run of the August election the court declared invalid.
• Delegation to DPRK unrelated to Trump's visit: China People's Daily 16 Nov 2017 -- China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday denounced rumors that the timing of the country's special envoy's visit to the DPRK is related to U.S. President Donald Trump's recent visit to China, adding that such practice is merely a long-standing tradition.
• Singapore suspends trade ties with North Korea over UN sanctions Press TV 16 Nov 2017 -- Singapore has announced that it would suspend trade ties with North Korea as of November 8.
• Pentagon Chief Reveals US Condition for Launch of Talks With North Korea Sputnik 16 Nov 2017 -- While tensions between North Korea and the US are far from over, there is still a glimmer of hope that the conflict might be resolved in a diplomatic way.
• UK Reportedly Ready to Pay 450 Mln Pound Debt to Iran Sputnik 16 Nov 2017 -- The UK is planning to give back to Iran the money it paid for military equipment in order to free a British mother, who is locked in jail in Tehran, the Telegraph newspaper reported on Thursday.
• Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova, Moscow, November 16, 2017 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 16 Nov 2017
• WADA Says Russia Still Not Complying With Anti-Doping Rules RFE/RL 16 Nov 2017 -- The World Anti-Doping Agency dealt a blow to Russia's hopes of being cleared to compete at next year's Winter Olympics by declaring it still is not complying with anti-doping mandates - a decision which Moscow called "unfair."
• Senior U.S. Diplomat Warns Of Russia's 'Clear, Real' Threat To The West RFE/RL 16 Nov 2017 -- A senior U.S. State Department official says Russia's actions over the past decade have shown that Moscow's willingness to violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other nations is "real" and not "simply rhetorical."
• Russian Lawmakers: 9 US-Funded News Outlets Could Be Forced to Register as 'Foreign Agents' VOA 16 Nov 2017 -- Russia said Thursday it has warned nine United States government-funded news operations they will probably be designated "foreign agents" under new legislation in retaliation to a U.S. demand that Kremlin-supported television station RT register as such in the United States.
• Saudi Arabia blackmailing detained princes to fill state coffers: Report Press TV 16 Nov 2017 -- A new report says Saudi Arabia has offered deals to detained princes and businessmen to fill depleted state coffers.
• 'Unity, solidarity and collaboration' can turn tide on terrorism, bolster human rights, says UN chief UN News 16 Nov 2017 -- Noting that at least 11,000 terrorist attacks occurred in more than 100 countries last year, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres stressed on Thursday that "terrorism is fundamentally the denial and destruction of human rights."
• Old Rivals India, China Nurture New Rivalry in Satellite Launch Business Sputnik 16 Nov 2017 -- The Indian Space Research Organization says it is ready to further slash its fee for launching satellites after China announced its plans to bring prices down to $5,000 a kilogram.
• Iranian-Turkish Relations Deepen with Shared Regional Goals VOA 16 Nov 2017 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is due to attend a summit with Iranian and Russian leaders to discuss Syria.
• US Announces Arrests of 267 MS-13 Gang Members in Latest Sweep VOA 16 Nov 2017 -- U.S. law enforcement officials announced on Thursday the arrest of 267 members of MS-13, a violent gang the Trump administration has vowed to get off America's streets.