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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
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Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Afghanistan begins candidate registration for elections Press TV 26 May 2018 -- Afghan authorities have started to register candidates for a long-delayed vote amid security issues that threaten the very integrity of the elections.
• UN: Two Million Afghans At Risk Of Food Insecurity RFE/RL 26 May 2018 -- At least 2 million people are at risk of severe food insecurity because of a devastating drought in Afghanistan, the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says.
• Drought Grips Two-Thirds of War-Hit Afghanistan VOA 26 May 2018 -- The United Nations says the ongoing drought has gripped two-thirds of conflict-hit Afghanistan’s 34 provinces and has put more than 2 million people at risk of becoming severely food insecure.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Colombia Becomes NATO’s First Latin American Global Partner VOA 26 May 2018 -- Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos announced Friday that his country will formally become NATO’s first Latin American "global partner," beginning next week.
• Santos: Colombia to become first Latin American NATO 'global Partner’ Press TV 26 May 2018 -- Colombia will formally join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as a "global partner" next week, becoming the first Latin American country to gain membership of the US-led military alliance.
• Coming to You With the Wash of Waves: New Russian Submarine to Merge With Ocean Sputnik 26 May 2018 -- The concept of the submarine has already been accepted and its construction is set to start in 2018, with the last unit of the first batch slated for completion by 2025.
• Russia's Minister of Defense Speaks About Su-57's Combat Debut in Syria Sputnik 26 May 2018 -- Earlier, reports surfaced suggesting that two fifth generation Russian fighter jets had arrived in Syria along with four Su-35S planes. The new jet has still not entered serial production.
• Turkey won’t yield to US pressure over S-400 deal: Russian president Press TV 26 May 2018 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has lashed out at the United States for pushing NATO member Turkey into abandoning its decision to purchase S-400 surface-to-air missile systems from Russia, saying the US pressure will not produce any results.
• Putin Slams US Over Pushing Turkey into Abandoning S-400 Deal With Russia Sputnik 26 May 2018 -- President Vladimir Putin on Friday criticized the United States for pushing back against Turkey’s decision to buy advanced surface-to-air missiles from Russia.
• CHP: Turkey to Purchase Russian S-400 Despite US Pressure Sputnik 26 May 2018 -- Turkey is likely to finalize its deal with Russia on purchasing S-400 air defense systems, despite US pressure, while making concessions in the Patriot system talks with Washington in a bid to strike a balance between the two powers, Ozturk Yilmaz, the Turkish opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) deputy chair, told Sputnik on Friday.
• China army showcases night landing, take-off ops on carrier Press TV 26 May 2018 -- Chinese media say the country’s fighter jets have carried out night landing and take-off operations on the Liaoning, China's first aircraft carrier, marking a huge step toward Beijing’s push to boost military capabilities.
• Germany Must Raise Defense Spending to Meet NATO Target – EU Commissioner Sputnik 26 May 2018 -- Germany needs to step up efforts to increase its defense budget to come closer to the spending target stipulated by NATO, EU budget commissioner Guenther Oettinger said in an interview with the Funke media group.
• Aerial fleet of Navy equipped with modern hardware IRNA 26 May 2018 -- Commander of Iranian Navy Airborne Unit Rear Admiral Mansour Rouholamini announced on Saturday his unit will be equipped with modern hardware.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• New Yemeni Foreign Minister Says Houthis Agree to Join Settlement Process Sputnik 26 May 2018 -- Yemen's Houthi movement has agreed to participate in a reconciliation process and accepted UN-backed peace proposals, Yemeni Foreign Minister Khaled Hussein Alyemany, who had become the foreign minister earlier in the week, told Saturday the Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper
• Yemeni reprisal attacks: Drones target Saudi airport' in Asir, flights canceled Press TV 26 May 2018 -- The Yemeni army says its military drones have bombarded a Saudi airport in the kingdom’s southwestern province of Asir for the second time in more than a month, forcing the authorities to suspend all flights to and from the regional airport.
• Assad Regime Intentions in the Southwest De-escalation Zone US Dept. of State 25 May 2018 -- "The United States is concerned by reports of an impending Assad regime operation in southwest Syria within the boundaries of the de-escalation zone negotiated between the United States, Jordan, and the Russian Federation last year and reaffirmed between Presidents Trump and Putin in Da Nang, Vietnam in November."
• US warns of 'firm' response ahead of Syria's anti-terror operation in Dara'a Press TV 26 May 2018 -- The US has threatened Syria with "firm and appropriate measures" as the Syrian army reportedly prepares to retake a strategic province on the border with Jordan and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
• US, Turkey agree on 'roadmap' over Syria's Kurdish Manbij city Press TV 26 May 2018 -- The US and Turkish officials have agreed on a roadmap to cooperate over the security of the northern Syrian city of Manbij following months of dispute between the two NATO allies over the presence of Kurdish militia in the region.
• 'Operation to Liberate Southern Damascus Started Last Year' – Syrian General Sputnik 26 May 2018 -- Earlier this week, the Syrian army fully liberated Damascus from terrorists. Retired Syrian Brigadier-General Hesam Hassun, in an interview with Sputnik, spoke about the future of the liberation of his country from terrorists.
• Turkey, US Agree on Roadmap for Cooperation in Syria's Manbij Sputnik 26 May 2018 -- The United States and Turkey have held talks in Ankara as part of a working group formed to settle disputes between the two nations over the presence of Kurdish militia in the Syrian city of Manbij.
• Israel warplanes target multiple Hamas positions in Gaza Strip Press TV 26 May 2018 -- Israeli fighter planes have carried out airstrikes on locations to the south of the besieged Gaza Strip, say Palestinian security sources.
• Palestinian president in hospital, condition 'excellent' Press TV 26 May 2018 -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas should still remain in hospital despite his "excellent" conditions, officials have said in the wake of rumors about his deteriorating health.
• Four militants killed in Indian-controlled Kashmir Press TV 26 May 2018 -- At least four suspected militants have been killed in a gun battle with Indian government troops after crossing into the New Delhi-controlled part of Kashmir.
• Putin, Abe Vow To Seek WWII Treaty, Solution To Island Dispute RFE/RL 26 May 2018 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged to accelerate efforts to seek a World War II peace treaty and to reach an agreement over a disputed island chain.

News Reports

• Reports: Russian Tycoon Met With Trump's Lawyer Days Before Inauguration RFE/RL 26 May 2018 -- A Russian billionaire with links to the Kremlin met with U.S. President Donald Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen at the Trump Tower in New York City less than two weeks before Trump's inauguration, media are reporting.
• Russia, Saudi Arabia Say Likely To Raise Oil Output To Curb Rising Prices RFE/RL 26 May 2018 -- Saudi Arabia and Russia are likely to agree to raise oil production next month in a bid to ease consumer worries about higher energy prices, their energy ministers have said.
• Trump: Talks Regarding June 12 Summit 'Going Very, Very Well' VOA 26 May 2018 -- Talks regarding the planned June 12 U.S.-North Korea summit in Singapore are still on track and members of the U.S. administration are working to iron out the details, President Donald Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Saturday evening.
• US-North Korea summit: Good things take time Global Times 26 May 2018 -- US President Donald Trump flip-flopped again on Friday, when he told media that the US-North Korea summit scheduled for June 12 in Singapore could still happen, and that the two sides are holding talks. "We'll see what happens," Trump said.
• North, South Korean Leaders Meet to Discuss Possible Summit VOA 26 May 2018 -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in met Saturday afternoon with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un near the two Koreas' heavily militarized border.
• Trump says U.S.-DPRK summit likely remains as scheduled People's Daily 26 May 2018 -- U.S. President Donald Trump said here on Friday that the United States will possibly reinstate the meeting with the top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un.
• US team to leave for Singapore to preparation for Trump-Kim summit: White House Press TV 26 May 2018 -- The United States is still planning to send a team to Singapore – as scheduled before -- in an attempt to prepare, should a summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un takes place, the White House says.
• South, North Korean leaders meet to discuss possible Kim-Trump summit Press TV 26 May 2018 -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in has met North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to discuss a likely summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump.
• Trump says US in 'productive talks' over North Korea summit Press TV 26 May 2018 -- US President Donald Trump says his administration was having "productive talks" with Pyongyang about reinstating a planned June 12 summit with North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un, just a day after canceling the meeting.
• Seoul Says North, South Korea Leaders Held Unannounced Second Meeting RFE/RL 26 May 2018 -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held an unannounced meeting on May 26 to discuss a possible upcoming summit between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump, the South said.
• US Team Goes to Singapore as Planned for Possible Trump-Kim Summit - White House Sputnik 26 May 2018 -- The delegation from the US administration will go to Singapore, where President Donald Trump was expected to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, to prepare for the summit in case it does take place, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said.
• North, South Korean Leaders Hold Second Meeting in Demilitarized Zone - Reports Sputnik 26 May 2018 -- South Korea's presidential office said Saturday that the country's president Moon Jae-in held a meeting with his North Korea's counterpart Kim Jong-un at the demilitarized zone.
• Spokesman: Iran's right to uranium enrichment fixed IRNA 26 May 2018 -- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said on Saturday that Iran's right to uranium enrichment has been stabilized and has become indigenized in the country.
• Defense Minister: US should take lesson from own mistakes IRNA 26 May 2018 -- Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami said on Saturday that the US officials should take lessons from their past mistakes.
• Russia stresses full commitment to JCPOA implementation IRNA 26 May 2018 -- The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that the country's representative in JCPOA joint commission meeting has reaffirmed Moscow's full commitment to implementing its obligations.
• Iran ready for even the worst situation: AEOI spokesman ISNA 26 May 2018 -- The spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Behrooz Kamalvandi stated that Iran is ready for even the worth situation, stressing on the need for Europe’s practical adherence to the claim of preserving the 2015 nuclear deal.
• Iran asserts enrichment right, says global developments foreign to Pompeo Press TV 26 May 2018 -- Iran has slammed as unacceptable US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's latest remarks about the Islamic Republic's right to uranium enrichment, saying he is a stranger to world events.
• Putin raps Trump over Iran oil sanctions move Press TV 26 May 2018 -- Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has criticized a controversial decision by US President Donald Trump to re-instate sanctions against Iran, warning that such a move would only harm the global economy.
• Trump Says China's ZTE Given A Reprieve Over Iran Sanctions Violations RFE/RL 26 May 2018 -- The U.S. government has reached a deal to put Chinese telecommunications giant ZTE Corp back in business after penalties imposed over Iran sanctions violations forced the company to shut down operations, U.S. officials and congressional aides said.
• China to launch two satellites for Pakistan next month IRNA 26 May 2018 -- Chinese government will launch two remote sensing satellites for Pakistan in June this year, local media reported.
• Chinese relay satellite brakes near moon for entry into desired orbit People's Daily 26 May 2018 -- A Chinese relay satellite Friday braked near the Moon, completing a vital step before entering a desired orbit, according to the China National Space Administration.
• Sadr Movement stance toward US unchanged: Iraqi Politician IRNA 26 May 2018 -- Iraqi Shia leader Moqtada Al Sadr underlined the fact that Sadr Movement’s position toward the US will not change.
• Iraqi cleric Sadr rejects any change in anti-US stance Press TV 26 May 2018 -- Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, whose coalition won the largest number of seats in Iraq's parliamentary elections, has reiterated his anti-US policy, saying there has been no change to the position.
• DRC Ebola Outbreak Threatens Children VOA 26 May 2018 -- The UN children’s fund warned the Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo threatens the health and well-being of children, and special care must be taken to help them survive.
• Burkina Faso Set Diplomatic Relations With China After Breaking Off Taiwan Ties Sputnik 26 May 2018 -- Burkina Faso established diplomatic relations with China shortly after the African state decided to break off ties with Taiwan, a Sputnik correspondent reported.
• Once Influential in Africa, Taiwan Loses All But One Ally VOA 26 May 2018 -- Two days after breaking ties with Taiwan, Burkina Faso re-established diplomatic relations with China on Saturday at a signing ceremony in Beijing.
• Turkish President Urges Citizens to Convert Dollar to National Lira Sputnik 26 May 2018 -- The Turkish national currency has rapidly been losing value to the US dollar this year amid upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections.
• Foreign ministry condemns China's efforts to belittle Taiwan CNA 26 May 2018 -- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Saturday issued a statement, condemning China's demands for international airlines to change Taiwan's designation on their websites.