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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF / OND / OEF / OIR / OFS Casualty Update 25 Apr 2018 [PDF]
• Taliban 'to focus on killing, capturing' US forces Press TV 25 Apr 2018 -- The Taliban militant group in Afghanistan has announced the start of its so-called spring offensive, saying it will look out for US forces to "kill" or "capture."
• 'Capture or Kill': Taliban Threatens to Attack US Forces in Afghanistan Sputnik 25 Apr 2018 -- The group has announced its plans to launch the so-called "spring offensive," partly amid Donald Trump's decision to increase the US presence in the war-torn Central Asian country.
• Afghan Taliban Launches New Spring Offensive VOA 25 Apr 2018 -- The Taliban insurgency announced the commencement of its annual spring offensive in Afghanistan, dealing a blow to weeks of renewed hopes for possible peace negotiations. The move comes as preparations are gaining momentum to organize long-delayed Afghan parliamentary and district council elections scheduled for October 20.
• World Bank Disputes US Audit of Afghan Reconstruction Program VOA 25 Apr 2018 -- The World Bank has disputed U.S. government findings that billions of dollars of donor funds flowing into Afghanistan are at risk due to lack of oversight and transparency.

Defense Policy / Programs

• US, British Army Signal Soldiers exercise technical, tactical interoperability at Stoney Run Army News 25 Apr 2018 -- U.S. Army and British Army Signal Soldiers are building interoperability, trust and relationships through technical and tactical skills training during exercise Stoney Run in the Sennelager Training Area.
• U.S. Department of State Debars 168 Persons for Violating or Conspiring To Violate the Arms Export Control Act US Dept. of State 25 Apr 2018 -- On April 25, 2018, the U.S. Department of State published a Federal Register notice of 168 persons and entities who have been statutorily debarred for convictions of violating, or conspiring to violate, the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751, et seq.).
• Mobility Airmen deliver a mission of love to Guatemala AFNS 25 Apr 2018 -- When emergencies happen in the U.S., the sirens of fire trucks and ambulances coming to the rescue can be comforting. Thanks to a C-17 Globemaster III crew from Travis Air Force Base, California, indigenous Mayans in Tecpan, Guatemala, will now hear that same sound of hope and help.
• Air Cavalry, 'Sky Soldiers' Test New Air Assault Concept AFPS 25 Apr 2018 -- As the setting sun marked the start of another spring evening at the training area here, the roar of helicopter turbine engines competed against the thrumming rhythm of rotor blades beating the air as 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division soldiers began their work.
• Mattis Asks House Committee to Build on Recent DoD Successes AFPS 25 Apr 2018 -- Operationally and financially, the Defense Department has had a good year and Defense Secretary James N. Mattis urged the House Appropriations Committee's defense subcommittee to build on this.
• USNS Mercy arrives in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka NNS 25 Apr 2018 -- U.S and partner nation service members participating in Pacific Partnership 2018 arrived in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka aboard the U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), April 25.
• Essex ARG, 13th MEU Begin Integrated training NNS 25 Apr 2018 -- Sailors from Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and Marines assigned to 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) commenced the ARG/MEU exercise (ARGMEUEX) off the coast of California, April 24.
• Pentagon's King Stallion Chopper at 'High Risk' of Remaining Sidelined Sputnik 25 Apr 2018 -- Sikorsky's CH-53K heavy lift helicopter is showing symptoms of having caught the "over budget, behind schedule" disease plaguing other Defense Department programs like the F-35 Lighting II and the Ford-class aircraft carrier.
• Pentagon Aims to Reverse Loss of US Military Advantage to Russia - Mattis Sputnik 25 Apr 2018 -- The new US National Defense Strategy has a priority goal of reversing the loss of the United States' military advantage to Russia and China, Defense Secretary James Mattis said in a congressional testimony on Wednesday.
• US Troops Send First Convoy Over German Public Roads in 15 Years – Pentagon Sputnik 25 Apr 2018 -- An armored convoy including tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles used German public roads for the first time in 15 during the recently completed Combined Resolve exercise, the US Department of Defense said in a press release.
• Marshall Center, Law Enforcement Leaders Discuss Counter-Crime Strategies AFPS 25 Apr 2018 -- Almost 100 mid- to top-level law enforcement specialists and parliamentarians from 52 nations have a better understanding of the strategic-level approaches needed to counter transnational criminal organizations when they return home April 28.
• Background Briefing With Senior State Department Official on Acting Secretary Sullivan's Trip to the NATO Foreign Ministerial US Dept. of State 25 Apr 2018 -- Special Briefing by Senior State Department Officials
• China warns Taiwan of more action after drills Press TV 25 Apr 2018 -- China says a series of recent military drills conducted near Taiwan was aimed at sending an "extremely clear" message to the self-ruled island that Beijing would be ready to take action against any separatist bid.
• Indian Navy Gets Third Landing Craft Utility Amphibious Ship at Andaman Island Sputnik 25 Apr 2018 -- The vessel can carry over two hundred personnel, including sailors and troops from ship to shore and vice versa, in the eventuality of an amphibious warfare near the strategically important Strait of Malacca.
• Police brace for protests against pension reform bill CNA 25 Apr 2018 -- More than 1,000 police officers have been deployed to the Legislative Yuan in Taipei to deal with protesters rallying against a military pension reform plan who plan to hold an overnight vigil at the site.
• Russia starts production of S-400 missile systems for Turkey Press TV 25 Apr 2018 -- Russia has started production of S-400 surface-to-air missile defense systems for Turkey under an agreement concluded between the two countries late last year.
• Russia Starts Production of S-400 Missile Systems for Turkey Sputnik 25 Apr 2018 -- Russia has started producing S-400 air defense missile systems for Turkey, Russian state arms and military equipment exporter Rosoboronexport Director General Alexander Mikheev told Sputnik on Wednesday.
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Sarah Sanders The White House 25 Apr 2018

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for April 25, 2018

Other Conflicts

• 25 April 2018 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 25 Apr 2018
• Yemenis slam Saudi regime for assassination of political leader Press TV 25 Apr 2018 -- Yemeni people have held a massive rally in the port city of Hudaydah to condemn the assassination of President of Yemen's Supreme Political Council Saleh al-Samad in a recent Saudi airstrike.
• Saudi Arabia confirms it killed senior official of Yemen's Houthi movement Press TV 25 Apr 2018 -- Saudi Arabia confirms that it has been behind the airstrike that killed the President of Yemen's Supreme Political Council Saleh al-Samad last week.
• UN-EU conference raises $4.4 billion for war-ravaged Syria; leaders underscore need for political solution UN News 25 Apr 2018 -- International donors at a United Nations-European Union humanitarian conference pledged nearly $4.4 billion on Wednesday to fund critical aid programmes in war-torn Syria throughout 2018.
• Donors Pledge $4.4 Billion in Aid for Syria, Neighboring Countries VOA 25 Apr 2018 -- International donors will pledge $4.4 billion dollars in humanitarian aid for Syria and neighboring countries that have sheltered refugees this year, a senior U.N. official says.
• Syria shot down 46 US missiles: Russia Press TV 25 Apr 2018 -- The Syrian air defense was able to successfully shot down 46 cruise missiles that the US, France and the UK fired at it on April 14, a senior Russian military commander says, rejecting American claims that all of the missiles hit their targets.
• Pay for US military presence in Syria or lose Washington support: Saudi to Qatar Press TV 25 Apr 2018 -- Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir says Qatar must pay for the US military presence in Syria if it wants to sustain Washington's support.
• Illegal foreign presence in Syria serves to revive terrorism front: Iranian official Press TV 25 Apr 2018 -- Iran's top security official says the illegitimate military presence of certain countries in Syria is meant to put the Takfiri terrorists, who have suffered defeat in the region, back on their feet.
• Israel vows to destroy Russian s-300 missiles in Syria if warplanes are targeted Press TV 25 Apr 2018 -- Israel's minister of military affairs says it will destroy Russian S-300 air defense systems in Syria if they down Tel Aviv regime planes over the war-torn nation.
• EU Urges Russia, Iran, Turkey To Press For Pause In Syria Conflict RFE/RL 25 Apr 2018 -- EU foreign-policy chief Federica Mogherini has called on Russia, Iran, and Turkey to do more to scale down the fighting in Syria.
• EU's Mogherini on Syria: It's Necessary to Stop Trying to Split Country Sputnik 25 Apr 2018 -- The European Union foreign policy chief commented Wednesday on the situation around Syria and the Iran nuclear deal in the wake of the meeting between the presidents of France and the United States on the issue.
• UN team to visit Myanmar's Rakhine next week Press TV 25 Apr 2018 -- A United Nations Security Council delegation tasked with measuring the impact of the Rohingya refugee crisis is gearing up to tour Rakhine state, a senior government official has revealed.
• US Probing Alleged Atrocities Against Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims VOA 25 Apr 2018 -- The U.S. government is conducting an intensive investigation into allegations of heinous crimes against Rohingya Muslims in the Southeast Asian nation of Myanmar.
• Egypt's army says 3 soldiers, 30 militants killed in Sinai Press TV 25 Apr 2018 -- Egypt's army said on Wednesday that three soldiers and 30 Takfiri militants have been killed in the past week in the restive Sinai Peninsula amid an ongoing military campaign against the Daesh terrorist group.
• Insufficient Funds: Sweden Drops Largest African Intel Unit, UN Commitment Sputnik 25 Apr 2018 -- Despite the deteriorating situation in the African nation of Mali, the Swedish contingent of about 250 soldiers, which is part of a major UN mission and was intended to continue until at least 2022, will be closed down next year due to insufficient funding. The initiative's annual cost has been estimated at about $105 million.

News Reports

• Hostility Toward Media No Longer Limited To Authoritarians, Watchdog Warns RFE/RL 25 Apr 2018 -- The media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is warning that violations of press freedom are no longer the practice of authoritarian regimes and dictatorships.
• White House Rejects US Press Freedom Downgrade VOA 25 Apr 2018 -- The White House is rejecting accusations President Donald Trump and his administration are hampering freedom of the press in the United States.
• European Commission To Call Out Russia For 'Information Warfare' RFE/RL 25 Apr 2018 -- The European Commission is set to single out Russia directly for what it calls Moscow's "information warfare" as part of EU efforts to fight back against online disinformation campaigns considered a threat to European security.
• Certain states play into hands of terrorists by using military force: Russia president Press TV 25 Apr 2018 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin says certain countries play into the hands of terrorists and endanger regional security by bypassing international law and resorting to military force.
• Armenia opposition figure urges more rallies to finish 'revolution' Press TV 25 Apr 2018 -- A senior opposition figure in Armenia has called on his supporters to take to the streets in the capital, Yerevan, to "finish the revolution," declaring that he is ready to be the country's next prime minister.
• Armenian Party Quits Ruling Coalition As Pashinian Leads New Protests RFE/RL 25 Apr 2018 -- The long-dominant Republican Party's junior partner has quit Armenia's ruling coalition, calling for the election of a prime minister with "the people's confidence" as new opposition protests erupted in Yerevan.
• DPRK's suspension of missile tests should lead to 'irreversible' commitment to ban nuclear testing - UN-backed treaty body UN News 25 Apr 2018 -- The world's nuclear proliferation watchdog has welcomed the announcement by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to suspend its nuclear and missile tests and shut down its Punggye-ri atomic test site.
• Analysts Call for Sign of North Korean Sincerity VOA 25 Apr 2018 -- North Korea should give up five nuclear bombs, which would make up an estimated ten percent of its estimated arsenal, to prove it is serious this time around about halting its nuclear program. This would be an initial trust building step in the long-term negotiation process to follow, according to a proposal from Bruce Bennett, a defense analyst and expert on the North Korea military at the RAND Corporation research organization in California.
• Trump sees to deal with DPRK in 'very open and honorable fashion' People's Daily 25 Apr 2018 -- U.S. President Donald Trump said in Washington on Tuesday that he hopes the United States could deal with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in a "honorable fashion."
• Trump says DPRK top leader "honorable" People's Daily 25 Apr 2018 -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday called the top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un "very honorable."
• Macron Urges US Lawmakers to Keep Iran Nuclear Deal Intact VOA 25 Apr 2018 -- French President Emmanuel Macron urged U.S. lawmakers Wednesday to ensure that the United States does not to abandon the deal to restrain Iran's nuclear weapons development.
• Britain says working with allies on new Iran measures Press TV 25 Apr 2018 -- The UK says it is working closely with allies to address issues relating to Iran, backing French President Emmanuel Macron's talks with the US president at the White House.
• White House in no position to decide for Middle East: President Rouhani Press TV 25 Apr 2018 -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has slammed US interventions in the Middle East, saying the White House is not in a position to make decisions for all nations in this region.
• There is no alternative to Iran nuclear deal: Kremlin Press TV 25 Apr 2018 -- The Kremlin has thrown its weight behind the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran, saying there is no alternative to the accord amid US threats to kill the international document.
• Zarif: Iran will likely exit nuclear deal, if US does so Press TV 25 Apr 2018 -- Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says Iran will "mostly likely" abandon the 2015 nuclear deal should the United States choose to withdraw from the multilateral agreement.
• Iran's Rohani Questions 'Right' To Seek New Nuclear Deal, Criticizes Trump RFE/RL 25 Apr 2018 -- Iranian President Hassan Rohani has voiced doubts about the legitimacy of demands for a fresh nuclear agreement between world powers and Tehran, after the leaders of the United States and France called for a "new" deal.
• EU, Germany, Britain, Russia Say Iran Deal Should Be 'Preserved' RFE/RL 25 Apr 2018 -- The current agreement with Iran is working effectively to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons and should not be abandoned, EU foreign-policy chief Federica Mogherini has said after the leaders of the United States and France called for a "new" deal.
• Macron: France Will Not Leave Iran Nuclear Deal Sputnik 25 Apr 2018 -- Earlier on Tuesday, the French president said after the meeting with his US counterpart Donald Trump that Paris wants to work on a new nuclear deal with Iran.
• France won't leave Iran nuclear deal, Macron tells US Congress Press TV 25 Apr 2018 -- French President Emmanuel Macron says his country will not leave the Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), amid US efforts to persuade European parties to the agreement to withdraw from it.
• Russia Sees No Alternative to Nuclear Deal With Iran - Kremlin Sputnik 25 Apr 2018 -- The Kremlin has commented on French President Emmanuel Macron's statement on readiness to work on a new Iran nuclear deal as well as the situation in Armenia in the wake of the opposition protests that resulted in the resignation of Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan.
• Man in moon may soon be Chinese People's Daily 25 Apr 2018 -- China's space authority said on Tuesday it plans to build a manned scientific research outpost on the moon.
• China's space station expected to reach out-of-this-world standard People's Daily 25 Apr 2018 -- Certain technologies used to build China's first space station, the Tiangong, are expected to surpass those used in establishing the International Space Station (ISS), chief engineer of China's manned space program Zhou Jianping said on Wednesday.
• UK to rival EU's Galileo space project by own satellite system Press TV 25 Apr 2018 -- Britain is considering setting up a satellite navigation system as a rival to the EU's €10bn Galileo project after being shut out of key elements of the program, a report says.
• UN-backed programme logs record high cocaine seizures at seaports in Latin America and the Caribbean UN News 25 Apr 2018 -- UN-trained law enforcement units have intercepted huge shipments of illegal drugs being trafficked through seaports this year, including 2.8 tons of cocaine at Brazil's Port Santos, the largest such seizure in the port's history
• Turkey Faces 'New Refugee Wave' After Nearly 30,000 Afghans Arrive RFE/RL 25 Apr 2018 -- Turkey says nearly 30,000 Afghans have entered the country since the start of the year, in what Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu called "a new refugee wave."
• New Kyrgyz Government Sworn In, New Prosecutor-General Approved By Lawmakers RFE/RL 25 Apr 2018 -- A new Kyrgyz government has been sworn in in parliament less than a week after the previous government was dismissed.
• South Sudan president refuses to resign as demanded by opposition Press TV 25 Apr 2018 -- South Sudan's President Salva Kiir has dismissed calls by the country's opposition to step down, saying there is no logic in signing a peace agreement with the opponents and then resign as president.
• Qatar-Saudi Spat Aggravated by Trump Remark VOA 25 Apr 2018 -- Comments by U.S. President Donald Trump about "immensely wealthy Gulf states" having to "pay more for their protection," has stirred a firestorm between rivals Qatar and Saudi Arabia. According to Saudi media, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Jubeir is claiming the Qatari government would "fall in under a week," if the United States removed its airbase from Doha.