Military Space News, Nuclear Weapons, Missile Defense

December 15, 2016

China boosts defenses on S.China Sea islets: US experts
Washington (AFP) Dec 14, 2016
New satellite imagery shows China has apparently installed "significant" defensive weapons on a series of artificial islands it built in the South China Sea, a US-based think tank said Wednesday. Beijing has created seven islets in the Spratly Islands in recent years, built up from much smaller land protuberances and reefs. Although Beijing has said it does not intend to militarize the contested waters of the South China Sea, ongoing satellite imagery has shown the installation of military equip ... read more

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China warns Taiwan over independence after Trump call China warned Taiwan that declaring independence would be a "dead end", state media said Wednesday, after the island's democratically elected president phoned Donald Trump in a precedent-breaking move. ... more		China pledges funds to decongest Philippine jail: gov't China has pledged funds for a new detention facility in the Philippines as part of its support for President Rodrigo Duterte's drug war, the Philippine jail chief said Wednesday. ... more		Sri Lanka to sell loss-making port to China Sri Lanka hopes to sell part of its loss-making $1.4 billion harbour to a Chinese company in January to help pay off crippling debts, the ports minister said Wednesday. ... more
				N. Korea calls time on 200-day mass mobilisation North Korea on Thursday wrapped up a 200-day mass mobilisation campaign aimed at boosting an economy struggling with upgraded UN sanctions imposed after its two nuclear tests this year. ... more		Gunning for science and power in N. Korea In North Korea's heavily militarised society, even learning the periodic table can be done at the barrel of a gun. ... more

With Aleppo advance, Syria army sweeps up conscripts After Mohammed Walo's Aleppo neighbourhood was recaptured by Syria's army, he crossed into the well-stocked government-held west for groceries. On the way back, he was stopped at a checkpoint and conscripted. ... more		Pentagon updates war manual to better protect civilians The US Defense Department on Tuesday released an updated version of its military war rules that now includes extra language aimed at reducing civilian casualties. ... more		Firefly lands first private US spaceship on the Moon European satellite launcher set for first commercial blast off SpaceX eyes Monday for eighth test of Starship from Texas		IS fighters may have seized air-defense weapons in Palmyra Islamic State fighters possibly seized air-defense weapons when they recaptured the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra, a US general said Wednesday, adding a potential complication to the coalition's air war. ... more
				US blacklists alleged IS backer, money exchanges The United States on Tuesday announced financial sanctions against money exchanges in Iraq and Syria and an individual financier, all accused by US authorities of funneling cash to the Islamic State group. ... more		Yahoo reveals new hack, this time a billion-plus users Yahoo said Wednesday personal data from over a billion users was stolen in a hack dating back to 2013 - twice as big as another breach disclosed just three months ago. ... more

Develop commercial strategies for the global deployment of SMRs and Advanced Reactors

Colombia pardons 110 FARC rebels The Colombian government has pardoned at least 110 FARC rebels as part of a peace deal to end a 52-year conflict, the justice minister said Wednesday. ... more		Syria rebels announce new evacuation deal for Aleppo Syrian rebels announced a new evacuation deal for Aleppo civilians and the injured on Wednesday, after shelling and air strikes sent terrified residents running through the city's streets. ... more		Beyond the burn: Harvesting dead wood to reduce wildfires and store carbon Helium Found in Earth's Core Suggests New Insights into Planetary Formation Rescue efforts enter third day at India avalanche site		Velodyne LiDAR makes breakthrough for tiny, low cost solid-state LiDAR sensors Velodyne LiDAR has announced a groundbreaking design for a solid-state LiDAR sensor that can deliver a subsystem cost of under $50 U.S. when sold in high-volume manufacturing scale. The techno ... more
Boeing delivers digital flight deck upgrades to NATO fleet Boeing delivered the first 14 E-3A Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft with cockpit upgrades for NATO's fleet. ... more		DCNS begins final M51 missile adaptation for French submarines DCNS Group has began M51 missile adaptation work for the last of three French ballistic nuclear submarines scheduled for the upgrade. ... more		Popular Chinese Muslim website shuttered after Xi Jinping petition One of China's most popular online communities for Muslims has been shuttered after posting a petition asking Chinese President Xi Jinping to stop his "brutal suppression" of activists, the letter's authors told AFP Wednesday. ... more		US cancels weapons transfers to Saudi over Yemen campaign The White House has blocked the transfer of precision munitions to ally Saudi Arabia, amid anger about the civilian death toll from the kingdom's bombing campaign in Yemen. ... more

	After IS ouster, Iraqis flock to new hospital When it was ruled by jihadists, residents of Qayyarah in northern Iraq had to travel for hours through checkpoints if they needed medical treatment. ... more		Iraqi gains reveal huge scale of IS arms industry Factories churning out tens of thousands of munitions and an entire street turned into a conveyor belt for car bombs: advances by Iraqi forces around Mosul have laid bare the scale of the Islamic State group's arms industry. ... more

US Treasury chief pushes Canada, Mexico to match tariffs on China

New process accelerates rock-based carbon capture at low cost

Researchers confirm spinning atomic nuclei exhibit quantum properties

China warns Trump of 'crushing his own toes' on Taiwan		Rex Tillerson, oilman with Putin ties, to lead State Dept		Putin calls for peace treaty with Japan ahead of visit		Iran eyes nuclear-powered ships after US sanctions move		Envoys discuss N. Korea amid political flux in US, S. Korea
Taiwan calls on youths to join army as China threat looms		US cancels weapons transfers to Saudi over Yemen campaign		U.S. Air Force taps Leidos for JMPS engineering services		South Korea receives 60 KEPD 350K missiles for deployment		Raytheon contracted to repair F/A-18 weapon assemblies

NASA Runs First-Ever Test of New Jet Engine Tech

Australia, France sign defense information-sharing treaty

U.S. Army to begin Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle testing

Kremlin blames lack of US cooperation for Palmyra blow

Colombia court approves fast-track peace reforms

Drone strike kills IS figures in Syria, some with Paris attack ties

Mosul: images of war for a war of images

Status of main battle fronts in Syria and Iraq

China offers Philippines weapons for drug war

Netanyahu wants to discuss Iran deal options with Trump

Beijing warns Trump over One China policy

China slams Japan after jets targeted with 'decoy flares'

China fighter jet claim 'untrue': Japan

First Israeli F-35 jets to land as Trump blasts costs

US State Dept approves slew of ME defense deals

US should be ready for war extending to outer space says USAF commander

Trump puts Chinese ties at risk while wooing Russia

John Kelly, the Marine General to head Homeland Security

Indonesia, India pledge closer maritime ties

'Fear is palpable' among US climate scientists over Trump moves

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