FW: Early Bird Brief

Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible;

 and suddenly you are doing the impossible.

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From: no-reply@militarytimes.com
Subject: Early Bird Brief
Date: Thu, 30 Apr 2015 04:48:30 -0600

Having trouble viewing this email? | View it in your browser April 30, 2015 April 30, 2015     FOLLOW US Good morning and welcome to the Early Bird Brief. Please send news tips and suggestions to Early Bird Editor Oriana Pawlyk: opawlyk@militarytimes.com. Today's Top 5 1. Taliban Gains Pull U.S. Units Back Into Fight in Afghanistan (New York Times) Interviews with American and Western officials in Kabul and Washington offer a picture of a more aggressive range of military operations against the Taliban in recent months, as the insurgents have continued to make gains against struggling government forces. 2. House panel approves $612 billion authorization bill (Military Times) The House Armed Services Committee early Thursday adopted a $612 billion defense authorization bill which would radically reform military retirement but reject changes to a host of other benefit trims proposed by the Pentagon. 3. Newly released VA reports include cases of veteran harm, death (USA Today) Almost 140 investigative reports newly released by the inspector general at the Veterans Affairs Department offer a litany of instances of dysfunction or mistreatment of veterans at VA facilities across the country and show that in many cases, the department's chief watchdog trusted the VA to correct problems on its own rather than make findings public. 4. U.S. allies in Middle East ramping up support for rebel forces in Syria (Washington Post) U.S. allies in the Middle East have ramped up their support for rebels fighting against Syrian forces in recent months, potentially widening a gulf over strategy between the Obama administration and its regional partners. 5. House panel votes to keep the A-10 Warthog flying another year (The Hill) An amendment, proposed by Rep. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.), would prohibit the Air Force from taking any moves to retire the plane, something it has been trying to do for several years under budget constraints. Advertisement Yemen US patrols Strait of Hormuz after Iran seizes cargo ship (Stars & Stripes) U.S. warships and aircraft stepped up patrols Wednesday in the Strait of Hormuz after Iranian vessels seized a foreign cargo ship there in an unusual move that could raise tension between the U.S. and Iran as the two countries prepare for final talks on a nuclear deal opposed by powerful voices in the U.S. Congress. Yemen rebels and allies advance in southern city of Aden (Associated Press) Yemen's Shiite rebels and their allies advanced in the southern city of Aden on Wednesday, capturing parts of an upscale neighborhood and seizing men they accuse of fighting them from their homes. New dilemma for the Navy as it grapples with Iran at sea (Washington Post) "The United States has full authority and responsibility for security and defense of the Marshall Islands, and the Government of the Marshall Islands is obligated to refrain from taking actions that would be incompatible with these security and defense responsibilities," according to a State Department fact sheet. What that means is up for debate. Islamic State Coalition Debates Expanding ISIS Fight (New York Times) The Islamic State's efforts to expand its reach beyond Iraq and Syria have spurred a debate within the coalition that the United States has assembled to confront the group about whether it needs to broaden its campaign. Navy SEAL laughs at Islamic State's special ops video (Scoopdeck, Navy Times) The Islamic State group is trying to work on its special forces prowess. French Air Chief Sees Long Mission in Iraq (Defense News) France is operating ISR and strike operations over Iraq against the Islamic State, better known as ISIS or ISIL. In addition to ISR assets, Mercier said there are six Rafale and six Mirage fighters participating in missions. Every Man In Mosul Ordered To Grow A Beard (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) The Islamic State (IS) group has reportedly issued a decree ordering all men in the Iraqi city of Mosul to grow beards on the grounds that the shaving of facial hair is haram (forbidden) under Shari'a law. Syrian rebels battle Islamic militants near Golan Heights (Associated Press) Mainstream Syrian rebels are battling Islamists suspected of links to the Islamic State group in a southern province near the Israeli-held Golan Heights, with at least 29 people killed in days of clashes, a spokesman and activists said Wednesday. Uzbek, Chechen Militant Groups Fight Alongside Islamists In Major Syrian Offensive (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) An ethnic Uzbek militant group has posted a video showing its members fighting alongside Syrian Sunni Islamist factions in the northwestern Syrian town of Jisr al-Shughour in Idlib Province. Terrorism in Africa: The Imminent Threat to the United States (Long War Journal) Some of ISIS' most gruesome acts in North Africa have come with pointed threats against the West. Russia-Ukraine A Sticky Situation For Poroshenko As Russians Seize Candy Assets (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) Despite robust profits, Roshen has gotten nothing more than tentative nibbles -- a lack of interest that the company blames increasingly on Moscow, which this week seized nearly $40 million in assets at the confectioner's only Russian-based factory, in the southwestern city of Lipetsk. Advertisement Ukraine Separatists Rewrite History of 1930s Famine (New York Times) Under orders from the newly installed separatist governments, students are getting the sanitized Russian version, in which the famine was an unavoidable tragedy that befell the entire Soviet Union. Gazprom Says Net Income Plunged Dramatically In 2014 (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) Gazprom, which generates about 8 percent of Russia's gross domestic product, says its net income fell from about $22 billion in 2013 to $3.1 billion in 2014. Russia creates new defence company in Crimea (IHS Jane's 360) Tactical Missiles Corporation subsidiary Gidropribor Maritime Underwater Weapons is to launch the Bukhta Dvukhyakornaya State Unitary Company in the city of Feodosiya, in the eastern Crimea. US now sees Russia directing Ukraine's rebels (Associated Press) American officials briefed on intelligence from the region say Russia has significantly deepened its command and control of the militants in eastern Ukraine in recent months, leading the U.S. to quietly introduce a new term: "combined Russian-separatist forces." Industry U.S. Air Force sees launch prototype contracts as soon as September (Reuters) The U.S. Air Force said on Wednesday it could award contracts for prototypes of new U.S.-fueled launch vehicles as early as September, a key step to ending U.S. reliance on using Russian rocket engines to launch military and intelligence satellites. Raytheon GPS III ground control station years late, GAO says (Bloomberg) Raytheon "encountered problems completing software engineering, implementing cybersecurity requirements" since contract in Feb. 2010, Cristina Chaplain, an acquisition director for Government Accountability Office, tells Senate panel. Spouses to be eligible for Microsoft IT training (Military Times) Microsoft plans to expand its IT training program to military spouses, an official said. Turkey Says It 'Urgently' Needs Armed Drones (Defense News) In a surprising move, Turkey's procurement officials have set out to "urgently" acquire an unspecified batch of armed unmanned aircraft systems. Arms makers change tune on John McCain donations (Politico) McCain's PAC contributions this year, from defense giants such as Raytheon, Boeing and General Dynamics, are on par with those received by his House counterpart, Armed Services Chairman Mac Thornberry (R-Texas), who collected $75,000 from defense PACs in the first three months of the year. Harris, Thales Win Army's Rifleman Radio; Goodbye, GD (Breaking Defense) This afternoon, the Army announced it had chosen Harris and Thales to make its Rifleman Radio, the 21st century walkie-talkie that links foot troops into the Army's command network. General Dynamics and Thales had split production of the first 21,379 radios under a Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) contract, but GD had decided not to bid on the Full-Rate Production (FRP) contract. General Dynamics' first quarter results beat expectations (IHS Jane's 360) US defence contractor General Dynamics posted strong first quarter financial results on 29 April, reporting a 7.1% year on year (y/y) increase in revenues and a 17.5% increase in operating earnings. Northrop first-quarter earnings fall, but 2015 outlook raised (Reuters) U.S. arms maker Northrop Grumman Corp (NOC.N) on Wednesday said first quarter earnings were weakened by pension adjustments and tighter aerospace margins, but profits and sales topped Wall Street forecasts and the company raised its full year outlook. AFRL To Meet With Special Forces Chief On AC-130J Gunship Laser (Inside Defense) The head of the Air Force Research Laboratory's directed-energy office believes the new AC-130J Ghostrider gunship could carry a high-power, electric laser weapon, and he plans to meet with Air Force Special Operations Command chief Lt. Gen. Bradley Heithold in early May to discuss future requirements. Brazil, Venezuela evince interest in BrahMos missile (Financial Express) The supersonic cruise missile system BrahMos, which is a joint venture between India and Russia, has caught the attention of countries like Argentina, Venezuela, Chile and Brazil in Latin America and also of South Africa. U.S. Air Force plans to launch 1990s-built weather satellite (Reuters) The U.S. Air Force on Wednesday said it plans to launch an aging weather satellite at an expected cost of hundreds of millions of dollars to prevent a gap in forecasting capability and provide another competitive launch opportunity for privately held Space Exploration Technologies Inc, or SpaceX. Iranian air defence commander says long-range SAMs to be operational in a year (IHS Jane's 360) Iran will push forwards with the development of its indigenous air defence systems even though it is acquiring the S-300 from Russia, senior Iranian officials have said. Turkey Approves Regional Jet, Fighter Program (Defense News) A top Turkish government body for procurement has approved two multibillion dollar indigenous programs; one for a regional jet and the other for a national fighter aircraft. USS George H.W. Bush successfully field-tests new MAGIC CARPET software (Naval-technology.com) The US Navy's Nimitz-class supercarrier USS George H W Bush (CVN 77) has successfully field-tested the new Maritime Augmented Guidance with Integrated Controls for Carrier Approach and Recovery Precision Enabling Technologies (MAGIC CARPET) software. Russia, China to Close Joint Helicopter Construction Deal in May (Sputnik News) Russia and China plan on signing a final agreement in May after "dotting all the i's" in the joint construction of a series of helicopters, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said Tuesday. Australia To Receive JDAM-ER Wing Kits As Boeing Pursues Domestic Sales (Inside Defense) Boeing expects to deliver its first batch of production extended-range Joint Direct Attack Munition wing kits to the Royal Australian Air Force later this week followed by another delivery in September, approximately tripling the potential range of Australia's 500-pound class JDAMs to more than 45 nautical miles. India's BEL to begin installation of HMS-X sonars on Myanmar frigates (IHS Jane's 360) Indian state-owned company Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has been cleared by the Indian government to begin installing the HMS-X integrated ship sonar system on two more Aung Zeya-class guided-missile frigates belonging to the Myanmar Navy. Congress / NDAA HASC Approves Massive DoD Policy Bill (Defense News) "The bill advances the vital funding and authorities America's military requires," Thornberry said. "At a time of unprecedented threats, uncertainty, and technological change, the NDAA strives to ensure that our forces are agile, efficient, ready, and lethal." Cotton challenges Iranian's courage (The Hill) "Hey @JZarif, I hear you called me out today," Cotton tweeted. "If you're so confident, let's debate the Constitution," he continued. Speier, Turner Spar Before F-35 Measure Dies (Defense News) The House Armed Services Committee (HASC) shot down Rep. Jackie Speier's amendment to trim the Pentagon's F-35 buy, but not before the California Democrat sparred with Rep. Mike Turner. Retirement reform faces challenge from veteran lawmakers (Military Times) House lawmakers pushing for military retirement reform on Wednesday had to fight off opposition from veteran colleagues who warned against moving too fast and upsetting current service members. NDAA: Congress Seeks Reams of DoD Data (Defense News) If the House Armed Services Committee gets its way, a slew of amendments it approved Wednesday will keep Pentagon and service officials plenty busy next year. Lawmaker Says Air Force Delaying Electronic Warfare Missile (Military.com) A Florida lawmaker's bid to push the Air Force to develop new electronic weapons failed on Tuesday when the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee said the effort was technically flawed. Congressman offers A-10 compromise (Air Force Times) A Massachusetts Democrat and Iraq War veteran is pushing a compromise to let the Air Force keep flying half of its A-10 fleet and retire the rest. Lawmakers want clearer Army breastfeeding rules (Military Times) House lawmakers want clearer rules on breastfeeding in the ranks, a few weeks after the issue of public nursing caused an uproar at an Idaho Air Force Base. HASC Rejects CNO Greenert Plea On Cruisers At Markup (Breaking Defense) The House Armed Services Committee shot down a proposal to slow down its cruiser modernization plan. Offered by the top Democrat on the seapower subcommittee, Rep. Joe Courtney, the amendment stemmed from a request by the Chief of Naval Operations. Analysts Call for Bipartisan US Budget Reform (Defense News) A group of 38 defense analysts and former US Department of Defense officials from across the ideological spectrum are calling for "bold action" on the Pentagon's budget. New Bill Would Boost Whistleblower Protections for Military Sexual Assault Victims (DefenseOne) Sen. Barbara Boxer and her Democratic colleagues introduce a bill to strengthen protections for those who blow the whistle on military wrongdoing, waste, fraud and abuse - including sexual abuse. House panel urges Purple Hearts for victims of Oklahoma City (The Hill) The House Armed Services Committee approved an amendment to its defense policy roadmap that calls on the Defense Department to award the Purple Heart to six military members killed in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. Lawmakers question military's ability to protect D.C. airspace (Air Force Times) Lawmakers on Wednesday expressed a lack of confidence in the military's multilevel security system after it failed to accurately detect a gyrocopter as it breached Washington, D.C.'s protected airspace and landed on the Capitol lawn earlier this month. Iraqi Shiite cleric threatens US over budget provision (Associated Press) An influential Shiite cleric threatened Wednesday to attack U.S. interests in Iraq and abroad over a congressional provision to send arms directly to Sunni and Kurdish fighters. Bill introduced to bring more work to the Arsenal (Quad Cities) Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17), Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth (IL-8) and Congressman Dave Loebsack (IA-2) have jointly introduced the Make It At Home Act, a bill that would help increase workload at the nation's arsenals Senator wants answers from VA Secretary on the poor treatment of VA whistleblowers (Washington Post) The poor and punishing treatment of whistleblowers inside the Department of Veterans Affairs has been described as part of a "corrosive culture" that Veterans Affairs Secretary Bob McDonald has vowed to change. But whistleblowers say that change, one year later, has still not happened. Veterans CNN anchor apologizes after stating vets/violence link (Military Times) A CNN anchor offered an emotional apology to veterans on Wednesday after suggesting earlier that their post-war transition problems may play a role in violent events like the riots in Baltimore this week. Helping corpsmen, medics land civilian health jobs (Military Times) April 8, 2009, could not have been more wretched for Philip Martini: The date marked the third anniversary of his son's death in Fallujah, Iraq, and a steady, cold rain fell on Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, Illinois, where his child, Marine Lance Cpl. Philip Martini, lay buried. To fund hospital in Denver, many VA updates have to wait (Washington Post) The renovation of scores of Veterans Affairs Department projects - from improvements at a woman's center in Buffalo to the modernization of an oncology unit in Baltimore to upgrades to a mental-health services facility in Dayton, Ohio - will be put on hold in order to allocate an extra $830 million needed to finish building a vastly overbudget VA hospital in suburban Denver, according to VA internal documents. Vets tech startups offered a home in Florida (Military Times) Fort Walton Beach in Florida is hoping to become the veterans' version of Silicon Valley. Obama would veto House bill on military construction, veterans' affairs (Reuters) President Barack Obama would veto a U.S. House of Representatives bill that appropriates funds for military construction and the Department of Veterans Affairs, the White House said. Army vet called 'murderer' for serving in Afghanistan (Outside the Wire, Army Times) A veteran of the war in Afghanistan has been told he should suffer for his service. Few Vermont vets switching to private doctors (Associated Press) A new program aimed at helping veterans who live far from a Veterans Affairs medical center isn't getting much use in Vermont. Bill called 'breakthrough' in punishing retaliators against VA whistleblowers (Washington Post) The Veterans Affairs Retaliation Prevention Act provides penalties for supervisors who take revenge against whistleblowers. Retaliators would be suspended for at least 14 days for the first offense and fired for the second. NFL Draft 2015 Dreams: Ex-Army QB Trent Steelman's 2nd Chance at Making the NFL (ABC News) After graduating high school, West Point was the only Division I-A school to come knocking on Steelman's door. He happily accepted. He would play football anywhere, even if it meant joining the military, just as long as he got to play the game he loved and get one step closer to his dream of playing in the NFL. More war veterans go back to Vietnam in search of closure (CBS News) Though Thursday will mark 40 years since America's war in Vietnam ended, for many who fought there, closure has been hard to find. CBS News recently traveled back to Vietnam with veterans looking to find meaning in the war they fought. Defense Department & National Security Former US commander: Take nuclear missiles off high alert (Associated Press) Taking U.S. and Russian missiles off high alert could keep a possible cyberattack from starting a nuclear war, a former commander of U.S. nuclear forces says, but neither country appears willing to increase the lead-time to prepare the weapons for launch. Reserve brass warns of budget caps' risks (Military Times) More than a decade of wartime funding helped the military's reserve components expand far beyond their traditional mission of being a rarely used "strategic reserve." But with that money fading from the Pentagon's budget, some reserve components are struggling to maintain their operational edge. Bayer Returns as Defense Business Board Chair (Defense News) The new head of the Pentagon's Defense Business Board is an old face. A new step for EXACTO, the experimental sniper ammo that turns mid-flight (Washington Post) The Pentagon's effort to develop sniper ammunition that can turn in mid-flight has passed a new milestone, with both expert marksmen and novice shooters hitting targets in a new test, military officials said. New Chips Could Patch the Military's GPS Vulnerability (DefenseOne) The Pentagon hopes that new location technology can ward off jammers and spoofers without breaking the bank. DoD Announces Departure of General Counsel Stephen Preston (Lawfare) Preston will step down from his position as General Counsel at the end of June to join the faculty at Yale Law School. How To Hack a Military Drone (NextGov) Recent published research has given hackers a manual for breaking into unmanned systems, according to an Israeli defense company. With deadline near, lawmakers introduce bill to end NSA program (Washington Post) Almost two years after the disclosure of the government's mass collection of Americans' phone records, Congress is confronting a fast-approaching deadline to either continue the collection or end it. Army Guard remains ready in Baltimore (Army Times) The Maryland National Guard stayed with its game-plan during Day Two of its mission to back up local authorities trying to restore order in Baltimore, including enforcement of a 10 p.m. curfew on Wednesday night. Army restructures CAB in Germany, cuts 1,900 troop jobs (Army Times) The Army will restructure the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, cutting about 1,900 military positions and about 2,850 family members from Germany by September 2016, the Defense Department announced Wednesday. Baltimore Whole Foods criticized for feeding National Guard (USA Today) Whole Foods faced backlash on social media after one of the Baltimore stores posted photos of National Guard members holding free food from the grocery chain. EOD team disposes of Civil War-era round in Wash. state (Army Times) It took 150 or so years, but an Absterdam 2/3 artillery round finally went off April 22 in a small Washington city - with a little help from an Army EOD team. Texas State Guard ordered to monitor military's Operation Jade Helm 15 (Washington Post) Conspiracy theories continue to persist. Some have even hypothesized that the rioting in Baltimore is actually a cover for the military to take over through Jade Helm 15. Report: Child-care program put soldier data at risk (Army Times) Federal contractors who handled the personal information of thousands of soldiers, Army civilians and their families involved in an Army-wide child-care subsidy program did so before completing background checks or privacy training, an investigation found. Army: Protecting sage grouse could hurt military (Associated Press) Efforts to protect the greater sage grouse under the federal Endangered Species Act could hurt training operations at numerous U.S. military facilities in the West, according to a new report by the Army. Woman arrested in stabbing death of soldier's wife (Army Times) A 24-year-old woman arrested Saturday in Indiana will face first-degree murder charges in Hawaii in the stabbing death of an Army medic's wife. Driverless cars in the near future for Fort Bragg (Fayetteville Observer) The Army organization overseeing the program - the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center, or TARDEC - has said driverless technology will help decrease accidents through features that include obstacle detection, collision avoidance, lane departure, tip-over warnings and vision enhancements for low-visibility conditions. Navy Navy Moving Closer to Acquiring Devastating Ship-Killing Stealth Missiles (National Defense) Top defense contractors are poised to compete in a major industry battle to develop autonomous missiles for the U.S. Navy that can kill enemy ships at sea and demolish air-defense radar sites inland. Naval Innovation Advisory Council Launches, As Mabus Follows Up on Task Force Innovation (USNI News) The Navy and Marine Corps this week kicked off a Naval Innovation Advisory Council to coordinate and facilitate efforts to become more collectively innovative. Ship captain promoted despite crash (San Diego Union-Tribune) Vavasseur was commanding officer of the William P. Lawrence when, on a choppy day on the Red Sea, her ship handling and other factors led to a helicopter being broken apart by high waves. The two pilots, who had just landed, were killed when the helicopter was swept off the deck in September 2013. Navy considering Newport News Shipbuilding's future (Virginian-Pilot) A defense analyst said the Navy's desire to create more competition - to stifle rising costs and address changes in technology and warfare - could lead the Pentagon to encourage a future rival to Virginia's largest private employer. Navy Reserve Needs More Unrestricted Line Officers, Medical Personnel (USNI News) The chief of the Navy Reserve told a key Senate subcommittee that she is "only able to accept 25 percent of applications from separating [active] sailors" because of high retention rates in her command, but also that the reserve has had some trouble filling reserve billets for unrestricted line officers and medical professionals. Navy rules jet crash an accident (San Diego Union-Tribune) The fatal collision of two Navy F/A-18 fighters jets in September has been ruled an accident, according to a Navy investigation released to U-T San Diego this week. Air Force AF asks Congress to let it use more Russian-made rocket engines (Air Force Times) Air Force officials on Wednesday asked lawmakers to change the law so the service can use Russian-made rocket engines ordered before the 2014 invasion of Crimea and thus keep up with scheduled national security launches. Aviano F-16s deploy to Afghanistan (Air Force Times) F-16s from Aviano Air Base, Italy, have deployed to Afghanistan to provide close-air support Air Force revokes warning to Congress on A-10 cuts (Air Force Times) The Air Force has rescinded a memo it sent to Congress warning of the dangers of retiring the A-10, saying it needed to be re-evaluated. Tanker lands safely after emergency in Europe (Air Force Times) A KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 100th Air Refueling Wing at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, experienced an in-flight emergency at approximately 12:20 a.m. U.K. Time on Tuesday. It safely landed at Mildenhall at 1:20 a.m. There were no injuries. Marine Corps Billionaire David Rubenstein gives $5M to refurbish Iwo Jima sculpture (Washington Post) David Rubenstein, the billionaire philanthropist, announced that he is donating $5.37 million to refurbish the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial, the 100-ton bronze sculpture of the flag-raising at Iwo Jima during the war. Coast Guard Coast Guard wants new ships for age-old drug scourge (USA Today) The Coast Guard has a drug problem: It's having more and more trouble capturing narcotics smuggled into the U.S. because of an aging fleet that needs constant maintenance and repairs. Brass rallies for National Coast Guard Museum in fundraising drive (New London Day) In Grand Haven, Mich., known as Coast Guard City, U.S.A, a first grade class is filling a clear blue water jug with pennies to raise money for the National Coast Guard Museum planned for downtown New London. Afghanistan/Pakistan Pakistan jails 10 for Malala attack (BBC) Pakistan court jails 10 men for life for 2012 attack on education activist Malala Yousafzai, media reports say. Afghan officials warn of influx of insurgents from Pakistan (Associated Press) Afghan officials on Wednesday warned of an influx of insurgents from neighboring Pakistan into northern Afghanistan in an attempt to destabilize what has mostly been a peaceful part of the country. Middle East Saudi Arabia Gives Its Troops a Bonus As It Shakes Up Line of Succession (Quartz) At a time of political and economic upheaval, Riyadh's King Salman elevates youthful relatives with serious security and military credentials. Iran Says Negotiators To Start Drafting Final Nuclear Deal On April 30 (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says negotiators from Tehran and six world powers will start drafting a final nuclear agreement on the morning of April 30 at negotiations in New York. Annual war games in Jordan to start next week (Stars & Stripes) About 5,000 U.S. military personnel will participate in a two-week multinational exercise in Jordan next month along with key allies. Gaza Protesters Beaten and Detained by Hamas Security Officials, Witnesses Say (New York Times) A rare show of defiance against Hamas, the militant Palestinian group that controls Gaza, was quelled on Wednesday as men who appeared to be Hamas security officials beat some protesters and detained others, witnesses said. Is Hamas Training Operatives in Malaysia? (The Diplomat) Earlier this week, an Israeli newspaper cited allegations by the country's internal security service that the Palestinian militant group Hamas was training undercover operatives in Malaysia for attacks. Europe Cyprus, Greece and Egypt agree to step up 'terror' fight (Agence France-Presse) Cyprus and Greece on Wednesday agreed with Egypt on the need to step up cooperation in the fight against "terrorism" in the troubled eastern Mediterranean region. Bulgaria May Withdraw MiG-29s From Service (Defense News) Bulgarian Defense Minister Nikolay Nenchev has announced the Air Force likely will pull its 12 MiG-29 fighter jets out of service rather than proceed with what he called an "overpriced" maintenance and repair deal with Russia. Paris Attacks Spur France To Boost Budget (Defense News) President Francois Hollande announced Wednesday that France would increase its defense budget by close to ???4 billion (US $4.42 billion) over four years, in response to extremist threats after the Paris jihadist attacks. Russian spacecraft spinning out of control in orbit (Al Jazeera America) Russia's Mission Control has failed to stabilize a cargo spacecraft spinning out of control in orbit, but says it has not yet given up on saving the unmanned ship, which could hurtle into an uncontrolled descent back to Earth within days. Asia-Pacific China reports 3 killed along border with North Korea (Associated Press) A Chinese city has reported the killings of three villagers in an area where North Korean border guards have been accused of crossing over to commit thefts and slayings. Israel Deploys Emergency Med Unit to Nepal (Defense News) A 260-strong Israeli medical unit reports having treated some 100 victims of the Nepalese earthquake by Wednesday night, Nepal time, less than 12 hours after its rapid deployment of an emergency field hospital in Kathmandu. Nepali government's delays frustrate international aid workers (Washington Post) Dozens of international health-care professionals and emergency medical aid workers crammed into a small coordination office in Kathmandu on Wednesday looking for direction on how to assist in relief efforts after last weekend's devastating earthquake. North Korea Executed 15 Top Officials in 2015, South Korean Agency Says (New York Times) North Korea has executed 15 high-ranking government officials this year, as its leader, Kim Jong-un, continues to struggle to establish his monolithic authority more than three years after assuming power, the South Korean intelligence agency told lawmakers on Wednesday. Eastern Markets Fuel Rise in Global Spending (Defense News) After three years in decline, global defense spending rebounded by 1.7 percent, driven by emerging markets in the East as the West largely continues with austerity, according to analysts with the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). Japan PM offers condolences for American WWII dead (Associated Press) Declaring "history is harsh," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan offered solemn condolences Wednesday for the Americans who died in World War II as he became the first Japanese leader to address a joint meeting of Congress. Africa Nigeria: 160 more women, children rescued from Boko Haram camp (CNN) Nigerian troops rescued an additional 160 women and children from Boko Haram days after they found hundreds of other hostages, the military said Thursday. Nigeria rescues hundreds of girls - but not the missing schoolgirls (Washington Post) When news broke Tuesday that the Nigerian military had rescued nearly 300 girls and women from the Islamist group Boko Haram, Dorothy Ayuba rejoiced. After more than a year, her daughter had been found, she thought. French Army Investigates an Allegation of Sex Abuse in Central African Republic (New York Times) Amid an uproar over a leaked United Nations inquiry into allegations of child sexual abuse by French troops posted in the Central African Republic, France confirmed on Wednesday that it was looking into whether some of its soldiers had mistreated children in its former colony, but said nothing about whether or when they might face prosecution. Boko Haram rolls with the punches, remains a threat (Long War Journal) In the past few months, the tide has turned against Nigeria-based Boko Haram as coalition forces have successfully pushed the terrorist group from the majority of its strongholds. Obama increasing help to France in African terror fight (Associated Press) Obama on Wednesday ordered the release of up to $35 million in defense services to battle extremists in Mali, Niger and Chad. The Americas War court judge denies USS Cole defense lawyers full 'Torture Report' (Miami Herald) The military judge in the USS Cole death penalty trial has rejected a defense request for a full copy of the so-called "Senate Torture Report," saying case prosecutors decide what the lawyers for the accused terrorist are entitled to see. America's Police Will Fight the Next Riot With These Stink Bombs (DefenseOne) Future protestors in places like Ferguson and Baltimore could be met with a new and disgusting chemical weapon. Commentary and Analysis U.S. Doesn't Know How Many Afghans Are Fighting the Taliban (Jonathan Broder, Newsweek) After nearly a decade of training, equipping and paying for Afghanistan's security forces, the United States has no idea how many Afghan soldiers and police are currently serving or how effective they are at fighting the Taliban. Parsimonious Albion: Is the UK Going Wobbly? (Frank Hoffman in War On The Rocks) A look at the current and projected U.K. defense budgets reveals a marked reduction in that country's capacity to make a significant contribution to sustaining the international order. From Tikrit to Mosul (Peter Storey in Cicero Magazine) The battle for Tikrit was just testing the waters and a chance to learn lessons for a much bigger fight to recapture Mosul later this year. Moulton's "Compromise": Gut the A-10 for No Good Reason (Tony Carr, John Q. Public) The high expectations set for Moulton make what he's chosen to do with his newfound political capital that much more disappointing. After beginning his time in the House with a spirit of cooperation on defense issues, he's turning against someone from across the aisle who he vowed back in January to work with forthrightly in tackling the challenges of national defense. The U.S. moves forward on its no-fly list, Canada moves back (The Globe and Mail) In Canada, the law has until now required air carriers not to board anyone on a list of people who are "immediate threats to aviation security." The list is secret, but someone who has been refused boarding at least gets a letter saying he won't be boarded in the future - if he's actually on the list. He can also ask for reconsideration later. The Saudi Shake Up: Who's Out and Who's In (Siobhan O'Grady, Foreign Policy) Wednesday's appointments appear to strengthen the officials that have helped to promulgate that policy. Money Talks and Knock-Offs Walk in North Korea (William O'Connor, Daily Beast) Whatever North Korea is, it's not your run of the mill dictatorship, or so says a new book that lays bare the country's weird blend of repression and cash economy. The Good Son, Part 5: The New Normal (Steven Mayne, John Q. Public) Then the phone rings and I see his school name and the terror returns, as at any given moment things can regress and suddenly we end up back at square one. What's Past is Prologue: A Story of U.S. Army Lineage, from 1915 to 2015 (John Amble in War On The Rocks) The book's value as a work of history is self-evident: There was a fascinating story to be told, and Haskew tells it well. But in reading it, I was struck by the remarkable alignment between these officers' experiences and those of their modern-day counterparts, and between the challenges, in times of both war and peace, faced by the Army in which the class of 1915 served and that of today. 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