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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
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Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Afghan-Pakistani Border Crossing Closed After Clashes RFE/RL 15 Oct 2018 -- A major border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan remained closed on October 15 following clashes between the two countries' security forces, leaving hundreds of people and vehicles stranded on both sides.
• Pakistan's Fencing of Afghan Border Remains Source of Mutual Tensions VOA 15 Oct 2018 -- Pakistan's unilateral installation of a robust fence on its largely porous border with landlocked Afghanistan this week sparked fresh military clashes between the uneasy neighbors, and provoked Islamabad to close a busy southwestern crossing point.
• 116th ACW deploys Airmen to distribute food, water for Hurricane Michael relief AFNS 15 Oct 2018 -- Airmen from the 116th Air Control Wing, Georgia Air National Guard, deployed from Robins Air Force Base Oct. 15, to help distribute food and water to citizens affected by Hurricane Michael in Seminole County, Georgia.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Natick's exoskeleton work is a powerful step toward the future of Soldier lethality Army News 15 Oct 2018 -- With exoskeleton technology, the Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center, or NSRDEC, is helping Soldiers to step into future.
• 38th Infantry Division rocks Warfighter exercise Army News 15 Oct 2018 -- The Soldiers of the 38th used their real-world skills in virtual battlefield scenarios to defeat an enemy during a nine-day warfighter exercise at Camp Atterbury in October.
• Media Availability with Secretary Mattis en route to Vietnam DoD 15 Oct 2018 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis
• Airmen parajump into Chièvres Air Base for the first time in 51 years AFNS 15 Oct 2018 -- Airmen from the 424th Air Base Squadron at Chièvres Air Base, Belgium welcomed Airmen from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Oct. 4, in a way not seen in over a half century.
• F-35 ITF conducts first Shipborne Rolling Vertical Landing on HMS Queen Elizabeth NNS 15 Oct 2018 -- The first ever Shipborne Rolling Vertical Landing (SRVL) was carried out Saturday with an F-35B conducting trials onboard the new British aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth. The UK is the only nation currently planning to use the maneuver, which will allow jets to land onboard with heavier loads, meaning they won't need to jettison expensive fuel and weapons before landing.
• ESG-3 Visits Naval Postgraduate School NNS 15 Oct 2018 -- Expeditionary Strike Group 3 and the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) met to discuss Littoral Combat Force Implementation and Integration Initiative (LCF-I3) in Monterey, California, on October 9, 2018.
• USNS Comfort Conducts Mass Casualty Training Exercise NNS 15 Oct 2018 -- Doctors, nurses and other embarked medical personnel aboard the hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) conducted a mass casualty training exercise in preparation for visiting medical sites in Central and South America, Oct. 13.
• USNS Comfort Departs for Medical Assistance Mission in South and Central America NNS 15 Oct 2018 -- U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) departed Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, Oct. 10, on an 11-week medical assistance mission to South and Central America where personnel will work closely with host-nation health and government partners in Ecuador, Peru, Colombia and Honduras.
• US weapons sales surge by one-third under Trump's policies Press TV 15 Oct 2018 -- The United States has sold over $55 billion of weapons during the 2018 fiscal year, a sharp year-on-year increase in the wake of President Donald Trump's push to encourage more US arms sales.
• Trump Plan to Export Coal, Gas Through Naval Bases Threatens US Security Sputnik 15 Oct 2018 -- The Trump administration's new plan to export coal through military bases on the US West Coast undermines national security and ignores environmental laws, Washington State Governor Jay Inslee said in a statement on Monday.
• Stoltenberg, Scaparrotti Talk Deterrence Aboard Aircraft Carrier USS Truman AFPS 15 Oct 2018 -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Army Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe and commander of U.S. European Command, made a statement about deterrence just by their presence aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman in the North Sea during an Oct. 12 news conference.
• EU Ministers Approve New Chemical-Weapons Sanctions Regime RFE/RL 15 Oct 2018 -- EU foreign ministers have approved a new sanctions regime targeting people and entities using chemical weapons all around the world.
• Kim Refuses to Provide Lists of Nuclear Sites to US - Reports Sputnik 15 Oct 2018 -- North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un refused to provide the list of the Asian nation's nuclear facilities to US State Secretary Mike Pompeo until the signing of a declaration ending the 1950-1953 Korean War, media reported citing sources.
• Iran seeking global peace, self-defense: Defense Minister ISNA 15 Oct 2018 -- Iran has shown once more that while feeling responsible, it is seeking global peace and remains to be committed to human rights and international obligations and the country never abandon its firm position in self-defense, Iran's Defense Minister said Monday.
• DND likely to acquire Swedish-made fighter jets PNA 15 Oct 2018 -- After a thorough study and research, the Department of National Defense (DND) is most likely to buy the Swedish-made Gripenmulti-role supersonic jet fighter for the Philippine Air Force (PAF).
• Two pilots killed as Royal Saudi Air Force jet crashes during training Press TV 15 Oct 2018 -- Two Royal Saudi Air Force pilots have lost their lives when their training jet crashed during a routine mission in the kingdom's northwestern region of Tabuk.
• War games to be staged Tuesday, Wednesday CNA 15 Oct 2018 -- In response to a growing military threat from China, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) is to conduct two days of war games in eastern Taiwan from Tuesday, according to a government notice issued Monday.
• Remarks by President Trump Before Marine One Departure The White House 15 Oct 2018

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for October 15, 2018

Other Conflicts

• 15 October 2018 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 15 Oct 2018
• Iran's Growing Influence in Syria Sparks Concern VOA 15 Oct 2018 -- While Russian and Iranian-backed Bashar al-Assad's regime is consolidating its grip on most areas once controlled by various rebel groups in Syria, Iran's involvement and military footprints in the country have some experts and U.S. lawmakers concerned that Tehran might be in the process of establishing long-term presence in Syria in an effort to project regional power in the long term.
• Syrian army raises national flag on Quneitra crossing after official reopening Press TV 15 Oct 2018 -- The Syrian army has raised the national flag over Quneitra crossing on the border with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights after nearly five years since it was taken over by militant groups.
• East of Euphrates Syria's next target after liberation of Idlib: FM Press TV 15 Oct 2018 -- Syria's Foreign Minister Walid Muallem says the next target after the liberation of Idlib is to retake the area east of the Euphrates, which is held by US-backed Kurdish militants.
• "Iran to participate in reconstruction of Syria" ISNA 15 Oct 2018 -- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Bahram Qassemi stressed that Iran will participate in reconstruction of Syria.
• Iran plans private sector participation in Syria reconstruction Press TV 15 Oct 2018 -- Iran's Foreign Ministry has announced that the country plans to have its private sector participate in the reconstruction of post-war Syria.

News Reports

• Attorney General Sessions Announces New Measures to Fight Transnational Organized Crime US Dept. of Justice 15 Oct 2018 -- Attorney General Jeff Sessions today announced a series of measures to dismantle transnational criminal organizations.
• Attorney General Jeff Sessions Delivers Remarks Announcing the Creation of a Transnational Organized Crime Task Force US Dept. of Justice 15 Oct 2018
• Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein Delivers Remarks Regarding the Importance of Combatting Transnational Criminal Organizations US Dept. of Justice 15 Oct 2018
• US Designates Hezbollah, 4 Other Groups as Top Threats VOA 15 Oct 2018 -- U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Monday designated five groups, including the Lebanese Hezbollah and the Central American street gang MS-13, as "top transnational organized crime threats," targeting them for stepped up prosecutions by the Justice Department.
• Germany Deports Accomplice of 9/11 Attacks to Morocco VOA 15 Oct 2018 -- Germany has deported an accomplice of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States to his home country of Morocco.
• Ingush Leader Says Putin Told Him To Use Dialogue, Not Force, To Handle Protests RFE/RL 15 Oct 2018 -- The leader of Russia's Ingushetia region says President Vladimir Putin has made it clear to him that protesters demonstrating against a deal to redraw the border with Chechnya should not be forcefully dispersed.
• Russian Orthodox Church Holds Synod In Minsk Over Ukraine Church Issue RFE/RL 15 Oct 2018 -- Leaders of the Russian Orthodox Church were meeting in the Belarusian capital on October 15 amid a dispute over moves toward independence for the Orthodox Church in Ukraine.
• Russian Orthodox Church Breaks Ties With Constantinople Patriarchate RFE/RL 15 Oct 2018 -- The Russian Orthodox Church has decided to end its relationship with the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in protest over its endorsement of Ukraine's request for an autocephalous, or independent, church.
• Former U.S. Senate Employee Pleads Guilty to False Statements Charge US Dept. of Justice 15 Oct 2018 -- Longtime Director of Security for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Admits Lying to FBI About Disclosing Information to Reporter
• 'UK's top spy agency viewed blacks as threat' Press TV 15 Oct 2018 -- Britain's internal spying apparatus, the MI5, viewed black people as security risk and refused to give them sensitive positions, the agency's declassified documents have revealed.
• MI5 Avoided Recruiting Black Spies in the 60s, Citing 'Security Risk' - Reports Sputnik 15 Oct 2018 -- The head of MI5 at the time is said to have remarked that the risks of employing "coloured staff" originated "simply from the colour of a man's skin, which gives him a chip on his shoulder," adding that "It would be a long time before this chip is removed."
• S. Korea, DPRK start high-level talks to discuss implementation of Pyongyang Declaration People's Daily 15 Oct 2018 -- South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) kicked off high-level talks Monday in the border village of Panmunjom to discuss ways to implement the Pyongyang Declaration, which the leaders of the two Koreas announced in the latest summit in Pyongyang in September.
• S.Korea, DPRK agree to break ground for railway, road connection People's Daily 15 Oct 2018 -- South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) agreed Monday to hold a groundbreaking ceremony in late November or early December to modernize and eventually connect railways and roads across the inter-Korean border.
• Moon: World must end mistrust of Kim's bid to abandon nukes Press TV 15 Oct 2018 -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in says he has been "convinced" that the North's leader is sincere in his bid to abandon nuclear arms, urging the world community to end its "mistrust" of Kim Jong-un and reward him, instead, for his peace efforts.
• Two Koreas Agree to Start Connecting Railways in November-December – Reports Sputnik 15 Oct 2018 -- North and South Korean authorities have agreed to hold a ceremony for the launch of work on interconnecting roads and railways through the buffer zone that separates the countries in late November – early December, Yonhap news agency reported on Monday.
• Koreas Resume High-Level Talks as Moon Presses for Sanction Relief VOA 15 Oct 2018 -- North and South Korea held high-level talks within the heavily fortified demilitarized zone Monday.
• Iran rejects Trump, Bolton's baseless accusations ISNA 15 Oct 2018 -- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Bahram Qassemi has dismissed the latest anti-Iran statements made by US President Donald Trump and his national security adviser John Bolton as well as the accusations levelled in the National Strategy for Counter terrorism.
• Iran's 'accurate' plans will foil US policies: President Rouhani Press TV 15 Oct 2018 -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says the United States will not be able to continue its anti-Iran policies for long, because Tehran has drawn up "accurate plans" to counter them.
• India, Iran to Speed Up Port Construction Ahead of US Sanctions – Reports Sputnik 15 Oct 2018 -- India and Iran will rush to complete the first berth in the Iranian coast city of Chabahar to make the port there operational before US sanctions on Tehran kick in next month, The Economic Times reported Monday.
• Chinese ambassador dismisses as 'groundless' US accusation Beijing interfering in domestic affairs People's Daily 15 Oct 2018 -- China's ambassador to the U.S. has hit back at claims his country is trying to hack next month's congressional elections. Cui Tiankai's comments come amid a deepening trade war between the U.S. and China.
• US moving closer to new Cold-War era with China: Report Press TV 15 Oct 2018 -- The administration of US President Donald Trump is moving deliberately to counter what the White House views as years of unchecked Chinese aggression, signaling a new and potentially much colder era in relations between Washington and Beijing.
• Caution, Cancellations, Protests as Concerns Grow on China's Belt and Road VOA 15 Oct 2018 -- Concerns about debt diplomacy on China's expansive infrastructure megaproject – the Belt and Road – have become an increasing source of debate from Asia to Africa and the Middle East. In recent weeks, more than $30 billion in projects have been scrapped and other loans and investments are under review.
• Saudis preparing to announce Khashoggi died in interrogation: Sources Press TV 15 Oct 2018 -- The Saudi Arabian government is working on a report that would include admitting to the murder of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi during an interrogation that went wrong in the monarchy's consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul, sources says.
• Saudis to Acknowledge Columnist Khashoggi's Death - Report Sputnik 15 Oct 2018 -- The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is reportedly going to produce a report admitting that not only was a Washington Post columnist killed at its consulate building in Istanbul, but also that the murder was the result of an interrogation gone awry.
• CNN: Saudi Arabia to Admit Missing Journalist Was Killed VOA 15 Oct 2018 -- Saudi Arabia is preparing to admit that missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed, U.S. news organizations report.
• Saudi riyal at lowest level since 2016 over Khashoggi case Press TV 15 Oct 2018 -- The economic backlash for the Saudis over the disappearance of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi found new dimensions as the kingdom's currency fell to its lowest level in two years in Monday's trading.
• Turkish police say audio recording shows Khashoggi murdered Press TV 15 Oct 2018 -- Turkish police are reportedly in possession of an audio recording, which allegedly indicates that the missing Saudi dissident journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, was killed at the Saudi consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul, a Turkish official and a security source claim as Saudi Arabia still insists that it has no knowledge whatsoever regarding the fate of its national.
• Saudi king, Turkey's Erdogan discuss Khashoggi case over phone Press TV 15 Oct 2018 -- Saudi Arabia's King Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have discussed the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi as pressure builds up on Riyadh to come clean about the fate of the prominent journalist.
• Body of Vanished Saudi Journalist Might Have Been Dissolved in Acid - Reports Sputnik 15 Oct 2018 -- The Turkish police are currently examining the version alleging that the body of Saudi opposition journalist Khashoggi, who disappeared after entering the Saudi Consulate General in Istanbul, might have been dissolved in acid, the Haberturk TV reported on Monday.
• Saudi King Orders to Open Internal Investigation Into Khashoggi Case - Official Sputnik 15 Oct 2018 -- Earlier, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman declared that Turkish authorities could search the Consulate General building if necessary. Riyadh also affirmed "its total rejection of any threats and attempts to undermine it", and promised to retaliate against any possible sanctions that might be imposed against the country.
• Former CIA Director Brennan Says Claims of Innocence by Riyadh 'Ring Hollow' Sputnik 15 Oct 2018 -- Speaking in an interview for NBC, Brennan expressed his doubts about Saudi Arabia's claims of innocence in the alleged killing of journalist Khashoggi.
• Turkish and Saudi Leaders Discuss Khashoggi Disappearance VOA 15 Oct 2018 -- The leaders of Turkey and Saudi Arabia have discussed forming a joint working group to look into the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who went missing October 2 at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
• Turkey suspends almost 260 local officials amid crackdown Press TV 15 Oct 2018 -- Turkey has suspended nearly 260 senior local officials over alleged terror links and activities unrelated to their posts, the interior ministry says.
• Trump Reiterates 'No Deal' with Turkey for Pastor's Release VOA 15 Oct 2018 -- U.S. President Donald Trump has reiterated the United States did not negotiate a deal with Turkey for the release of American pastor Andrew Brunson.
• Iraqi court cancels Abadi's order on ex-Hashd al-Sha'abi head Press TV 15 Oct 2018 -- An Iraqi court has overridden an earlier decision by outgoing Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to dismiss the former head of the pro-government Popular Mobilization Units, and declare himself as the replacement.
• Ruling PTI, Opposition PML-N Each Win Four National Assembly Seats In Pakistan By-Elections RFE/RL 15 Oct 2018 -- Unofficial by-election results show that the ruling Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaf party (PTI) and the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) each appear to have won four seats in the lower house of parliament.
• World Health Organization calls crisis meeting over deadly Ebola outbreak in DR Congo UN News 15 Oct 2018 -- World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has called an Emergency Committee meeting on the Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has already claimed around 130 lives.
• China to launch first satellite for space-based gravitational wave detection next year People's Daily 15 Oct 2018 -- China plans to launch its first satellite to test the technologies of the space-based gravitational wave detection program "Tianqin" by the end of 2019.
• BepiColombo Space Mission Set to Blast Off to Hot and Mysterious Mercury Sputnik 15 Oct 2018 -- BepiColombo, Europe's first mission to Mercury - a joint endeavor of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) - is set to arrive at the planet in 2025, where it will endure temperatures as high as 350°C.
• Syria, Jordan Officially Reopen Border Crossing VOA 15 Oct 2018 -- The al-Naseeb border crossing between Jordan and Syria officially reopened Monday after a three year closure. More than 7,000 trucks used to make the crossing between Syria and Jordan daily before the passage was forced to close in 2015. Observers on both sides expressed hopes the reopening would help improve the economies in both countries.
• New Name Won't Hide Same Old Problems For Younger Macedonians RFE/RL 15 Oct 2018 -- As lawmakers in Skopje consider changing the country's name, Flora Jusufi is one of thousands of young Macedonians considering a change of countries.