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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Over 615 Daesh members surrendered in Afghanistan in two weeks Press TV 16 Nov 2019 -- More than 615 members of the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group have surrendered to the government forces in Afghanistan in the past two weeks due to a ramp-up in the army's anti-terror operations in the Asian country, the Afghan military says.
• Two Federal Prosecutors Shot And Killed Near Kabul RFE/RL 16 Nov 2019 -- KABUL -- Two federal prosecutors have been shot dead by unidentified gunmen as they were driving to Bagram Airfield, north of the capital, Kabul.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Trump Announces Pardons for US Soldiers Accused of War Crimes Sputnik 16 Nov 2019 -- US President Donald Trump has moved to issue at least two pardons to US military service members involved in multiple cases associated with charges of war crimes.
• Trump Pardons Two U.S. Army Officers Accused Of War Crimes In Afghanistan RFE/RL 16 Nov 2019 -- U.S. President Donald Trump has issued pardons to two U.S. Army officers accused of war crimes in Afghanistan, action that critics say undermines the country's military justice system.
• Joint Communiqué of the 51st ROK-U.S. Security Consultative Meeting DoD 16 Nov 2019 -- The 51st Republic of Korea (ROK)-United States (U.S.) Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) was held in Seoul, on November 15, 2019. ROK Minister of National Defense Jeong Kyeongdoo and U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper led their respective delegations, which included senior defense and foreign affairs officials. On November 14, 2019, ROK Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Park Hanki and U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, presided over the 44th U.S.-ROK Military Committee Meeting (MCM).
• US, Norwegian student pilots train together in first allied F-35 basic course US Air Force 16 Nov 2019 -- In a span of eight demanding months, four 62nd Fighter Squadron student pilots – two U.S. and two Norwegian – will learn the ins-and-outs of the F-35A Lightning II as they train through the first-ever allied F-35 basic flight course, or B-course, beginning as novices and developing into proficient and lethal fighter pilots.
• User Friendly: Russian Su-57 Jet Has Better Interface Than US F-35 or F-22 - Air Force General Sputnik 16 Nov 2019 -- The Russian aircraft is a fifth-generation air superiority stealth fighter that performed its maiden flight back in 2010. It is currently in the final stage of development and is expected to be available after 2020.
• Russia Declassifies Soviet-Era Document Ordering Creation of First Naval Cruise Missile Sputnik 16 Nov 2019 -- P-5 is considered to be "an ancestor" of modern-day Russian cruise missiles - like Kalibr or Biryuza, used by Russia's military against various terrorist groups in the Middle East.
• Chinese PLA Navy uses civilian ship to supply warships Global Times 16 Nov 2019 -- The naval wing of the People's Liberation Army conducted a drill using a civilian ship to supply warships, which is seen as a new approach to facilitate warship supplies in distant waters.
• North Korea's Kim Observes Exercise Involving Air And Anti-Aircraft Force - Reports Sputnik 16 Nov 2019 -- North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un has observed military drills in the form of a contest involving flight commanders and pilots from the country's Air and Anti-Aircraft Force, KCNA reported on Saturday.
• India Test-Launches Nuclear-Capable Missile With Range of Over 3,000 Km Sputnik 16 Nov 2019 -- The Agni missile series is the country's main strategic weapon capable of delivering a wide variety of warheads, including nuclear ones, to hit targets ranging from 2,000 to 3,500 kilometres away.
• MiG-29K Fighter Aircraft Crashes in Goa - Indian Naval Sources Sputnik 16 Nov 2019 -- The aircraft involved in the crash was a training version of the fighter jet. Both pilots have managed to eject safely.
• Enhanced defense power sole way to counter US sanctions: Iran defense minister Press TV 16 Nov 2019 -- Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami has stressed the importance of making more efforts to bolster the country's development in various fields, saying boosting defense capabilities is the only viable option to counter the US sanctions.
• Iran producing laser air defense system, to increase range and precision of cruise missiles: General Press TV 16 Nov 2019 -- Iran's deputy defense minister says Iran is producing a laser air defense system and plans to increase the range and precision of its cruise missiles.
• US asks Japan to pay more to host its bases NHK 16 Nov 2019 -- A US magazine says the administration of President Donald Trump has asked Japan to pay a much greater share of the cost to host US military bases.
• Trump reportedly asks Tokyo for $8 billion to keep US troops in Japan Press TV 16 Nov 2019 -- US President Donald Trump has asked Tokyo to quadruple its annual payments for American forces stationed in Japan, as part of his administration's policy to push Washington's allies to increase their defense spending.
• US Pressing Japan to Pay 300% More for American Troops Deployment – Reports Sputnik 16 Nov 2019 -- The Trump Administration has already stepped up pressure on its NATO allies, namely Germany and Canada, to increase defence spending. Now the US wants to get more from its closest allies in Asia, Tokyo and Seoul, which are already paying billions to cover the cost of stationing tens of thousands of American troops.
• Ukrainian Cabinet OKs Purchase of 20 Patrol Ships From France to Boost Border Security Sputnik 16 Nov 2019 -- The Ukrainian government has green-lighted a project to boost the maritime border security that will see the country purchase 20 patrol vessels from French shipbuilding company OCEA within three years, the Interior Ministry said.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• Syrian president says U.S. presence in Syria to generate resistance People's Daily 16 Nov 2019 -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said the U.S. military presence in Syria would generate a resistance until its withdrawal from the country, state news agency SANA reported Friday.
• Armed resistance will force US troops out of Syria: Assad Press TV 16 Nov 2019 -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has said that American troops occupying Syria will face "military resistance" that will force them to leave the country.
• Bomb Attack in Northern Syria Reportedly Kills 18, Injures 27 Sputnik 16 Nov 2019 -- Earlier this month, an explosion in Syria's Tal Abyad, near the Turkish border, claimed the lives of 14 people, including seven civilians.
• UN Probe Into Airstrikes in Northwestern Syria Looking at 7 Specific Incidents Sputnik 16 Nov 2019 -- A UN commission, which is currently investigating airstrikes on humanitarian facilities in Syria's northwestern region, is examining seven such events, a UN source told Sputnik.
• UN to Follow Up on Member State Data on Hospital Bombings in Syria's Idlib - Spokesman Sputnik 16 Nov 2019 -- The United Nations will evaluate relevant information provided by its member states including Russia that could be used in the investigation led by the special board of inquiry into alleged aerial bombings of hospitals in Syria's Idlib, UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said in a press briefing on Friday.
• Russian Military Police Patrol Syria's Aleppo, Hasakah Provinces Sputnik 16 Nov 2019 -- The Russian military police continued on Friday to patrol communities in the northern Syrian provinces, said Major General Yuri Borenkov, head of the Defence Ministry's Reconciliation Centre in Syria.
• Israel bombs Gaza for second day after submitting to truce Press TV 16 Nov 2019 -- Israel has carried out fresh air raids on the Gaza Strip in violation of a ceasefire that ended a flare-up marked by dozens of Palestinians killed in bombings and hundreds of rockets launched at Israeli cities.
• IDF Carries Out Fresh Strikes on Gaza After Rocket Fire Sputnik 16 Nov 2019 -- The clashes between the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and Palestinian militants started earlier this week after a rocket strike from Gaza resulted in a series of airstrikes by the IDF.
• IDF Says Intercepted Two Rockets Fired From Gaza Strip Sputnik 16 Nov 2019 -- Both missiles have been intercepted by the Israeli military, Israeli Dafence Forces reported on its Twitter page.

News Reports

• Senior White House Official Testifies Privately in Trump Impeachment Probe VOA 16 Nov 2019 -- A senior White House budget official arrived on Capitol Hill Saturday to testify behind closed doors before congressional investigators who are conducting an impeachment inquiry against U.S. President Donald Trump.
• Trump adviser Roger Stone guilty on all charges Press TV 16 Nov 2019 -- Roger Stone, an adviser to US President Donald Trump, has been found guilty on all counts in connection to Russia's alleged meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
• Freed Norwegian Spy Frode Berg to Go Home As Soon As Possible – Prime Minister Sputnik 16 Nov 2019 -- Convicted Norwegian spy Frode Berg will come home after being released into Lithuania from Russia as soon as possible, Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg said Friday.
• Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un Watches Combat Flight Contest-2019 KCNA 16 Nov 2019 -- Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and supreme commander of the armed forces of the DPRK, watched "the combat flight contest-2019 of the flight commanding officers of the Air and Anti-Aircraft Force of the Korean People's Army."
• Iran FM chides India for giving in to US 'bullying': Report Press TV 16 Nov 2019 -- Iran's foreign minister says India has actually put itself "on the receiving end" of US "bullying" caving in to illegal sanctions and ending oil imports from country.
• Iran Disappointed with India's Lack of 'Resilience' in the Face of US Pressure Sputnik 16 Nov 2019 -- Iran has expressed disappointment with India for adhering to US sanctions, saying it expected its long standing ally to be more resilient in the face of Washington's bullying. Iran has also voiced concerns on the slow development of the Chabahar port that India is constructing.
• Iran Government Fuel Price Hike Sparks 2nd Day of Violent Protests VOA 16 Nov 2019 -- Iranian protesters are on the streets in dozens of towns and cities across the country as anger spreads following a government decision to double the price of fuel. The protests appear to have gained momentum after the top Shi'ite cleric in neighboring Iraq, Ayatollah Ali Sistani, sided with protesters in a Friday prayer sermon delivered by one of his followers.
• Iran parliament may revise gasoline price hike: MP Press TV 16 Nov 2019 -- Members of the Iranian parliament, known as Majlis, have protested a government decision to increase the price of gasoline at short notice, saying they will submit a motion to revise the controversial move.
• In Hong Kong, Chinese Soldiers' 'Voluntary' Street Cleaning Stirs Worries VOA 16 Nov 2019 -- Dozens of Chinese People's Liberation Army soldiers helped clear protester barricades from a street Saturday, emerging from their barracks for the first time since protests engulfed the semiautonomous Chinese territory five months ago.
• PLA cleaning up rioters' mess an appropriate move Global Times 16 Nov 2019 -- Dozens of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Hong Kong Garrison soldiers, in their casual clothes, Saturday afternoon cleaned up the mess on the road left by rioters nearby the Hong Kong Baptist University. Such social work was applauded by local residents passing by, and analysts said the cleaning up activity is in line with related laws.
• Chinese Soldiers Clear Hong Kong Streets of Debris, Roadblocks Sputnik 16 Nov 2019 -- ?China has maintained a PLA garrison in the special administrative region since the 1997 handover of Hong Kong by the United Kingdom. Locals rarely see PLA personnel since they are mostly staying in their bases and barracks. Their last outing came in 2018 when they were deployed to clear the damages left by Typhoon Mangkhut.
• Xi Warning May Prompt Harsher Crackdown in Hong Kong, Analysts Say VOA 16 Nov 2019 -- The Hong Kong government is probably considering measures to strengthen its crackdown on anti-government protesters after Chinese President Xi Jinping issued a direct warning, urging the city to "end violence and restore order," analysts say.
• Inside Campus Fortresses, Hong Kong Students Prep for Battle VOA 16 Nov 2019 -- Student protesters are barricading themselves at universities across Hong Kong, stockpiling makeshift weapons and turning campuses into what look like war zones. It marks a dangerous new phase in Hong Kong's 5-month-old anti-government protests.
• Hong Kong residents rally in support of police as violence escalates Press TV 16 Nov 2019 -- Residents of the Chinese territory of Hong Kong have taken to the streets against rioting and the recent escalation of violence, in a move to express support for the police, who have recently become a prime target of attacks by masked protesters.
• HK university heads criticized for condoning rioters Global Times 16 Nov 2019 -- Heads of nine Hong Kong universities for the first time issued a joint statement on Friday accusing the government of not meeting protesting students' demands and not taking effective measures to stop violence on campuses in the past few days, which was criticized by experts and students from the mainland as a fence-sitting act by the university heads.
• China launches first nuclear heating project Global Times 16 Nov 2019 -- Haiyang in East China's Shandong Province has become the country's first city that is heated by a nuclear power plant, an environmentally friendly way.
• US Expands Sanctions to 5 Sub-Entities Owned by Cuban Military - Pompeo Sputnik 16 Nov 2019 -- The United States has added five sub-entities owned by the Cuban military to its list of entities with which direct financial transactions are forbidden, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement on 16 November, as Cuba commemorates Havana's 500th anniversary.
• Yellow Vest Protesters Mark Anniversary With Rallies, Violence VOA 16 Nov 2019 -- France's yellow vests staged demonstrations Saturday to mark the one-year anniversary of a protest movement for greater economic justice that once captured international headlines.
• Iraq Closes Southern Border With Iran at Tehran's Request - Reports Sputnik 16 Nov 2019 -- The news comes amid protests over rising fuel prices in Iranian cities and months-long demonstrations in Iraq.
• Iraqi Protesters Seize Ground in Central Baghdad VOA 16 Nov 2019 -- Protesters pushed closer Saturday to a protected area in central Baghdad that houses parliament and several foreign embassies, officials said.
• Pakistani Prime Minister Khan Says He Holds 'No Grudge' Against Ex-PM Nawaz Sharif - Reports Sputnik 16 Nov 2019 -- Pakistan's opposition Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N) had earlier sought unconditional permission to take the ailing former premier to London for treatment, warning Prime Minister Imran Khan that if anything happened to Sharif, he would be responsible for it.
• Repression, use of force risk worsening Bolivia crisis: UN human rights chief UN News 16 Nov 2019 -- The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights is urging authorities in Bolivia to ensure security forces comply with international standards on the use of force following the deaths of at least five protestors on Friday.
• Five Pro-Morales Protesters Killed in Clashes in Bolivia - Reports Sputnik 16 Nov 2019 -- On Friday, the Bolivian capital saw residents of the neighbouring city of El Alto marching through La Paz to demand the resignation of self-proclaimed President Jeanine Anez, media reported.
• Bolivia Crisis Could 'Spin out of Control' - UN Rights Chief Sputnik 16 Nov 2019 -- Bolivia has been rocked by clashes in the wake of the presidential election last month, which saw President Evo Morales win a fourth term in office. As turmoil brewed, Morales stepped down from his post and fled to Mexico. Bolivia's Second Vice Speaker of the Senate Jeanine Áñez proclaimed herself the nation's interim president.
• Ex-minister Safadi emerges new pick for Lebanon PM Press TV 16 Nov 2019 -- Lebanese parties have agreed to nominate Mohammad Safadi, a wealthy Lebanese businessman and former finance minister, to become prime minister, media reports say.
• Czechs Hold Mass Protest Against Prime Minister On Eve of Velvet Revolution Anniversary RFE/RL 16 Nov 2019 -- PRAGUE -- Around 250,000 Czechs attended a rally in Prague against Prime Minister Andrej Babis on the eve of the 30th anniversary of the country's Velvet Revolution.