Stars and Stripes Daily Headlines

www.stripes.com February 2, 2023 | View in browser   Philippine leaders ‘accelerate’ military cooperation with US, grant more base access U.S. troops will have access to four more military sites in the Philippines under plans announced by the two countries on Thursday. Read more > Fear of China trumps nationalist fervor in latest chapter of complicated US-Philippine relationship Fear of Chinese expansionism and a change in administration in Manila have led to the agreement to expand the U.S. military presence in the Philippines — unthinkable decades ago but with major strategic implications as tension with China rises. Read more > Army cavalry exercise in Germany puts novel navigation to the test At the annual Dragoon Ready exercise, the 2nd Cavalry Regiment rolled out wearable devices connected to the Army’s Integrated Tactical Network. It shows maps and troop positions in real time, and allows users to call for fire and relay intelligence. Read more >   Air Force says PCS moves continue after concerns of pause mount among airmen The Air Force is processing new assignments and scheduled permanent-change-of-station moves are still going according to plan, the service said, following numerous social media posts referring to a pause in processing the movements of airmen. Read more >   French forces with US aid seize weapons said to be bound for Yemen The U.S. military’s eyes in the sky helped French special operations forces seize thousands of rifles and anti-tank missiles on a vessel in the waters of the Middle East, defense officials said. Read more > DOD civilian health care tour in Japan ends with raucous meeting on Okinawa DOD civilians described a lack of staff, long waits, Japanese providers refusing to treat Americans and prohibitively high upfront costs when that treatment is available. Read more >   US, South Korean fighters and bombers fly over Yellow Sea for year’s first joint air-power drill South Korean F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters drilled with U.S. F-35Bs, F-22 Raptors and B-1B Lancer bombers over the Yellow Sea, the Ministry of National Defense said. Read more >   China adds 22 ships to world’s largest coast guard fleet, Japanese news agency says The Chinese coast guard, already the largest in the world, is set to expand even further with the addition of more than 20 warships, according to a Japanese news agency. Read more >   Two Fort Bliss soldiers charged with murder in separate deaths Spc. Francisco R. Cardenas, 26, is accused of providing fentanyl to another person, and the person died; Spc. Mason Klippert, 25, is charged with murder and manslaughter in the death of a child who was younger than 16. Read more >   Afghanistan watchdog: US must consider whether aid dollars are helping Taliban The government’s watchdog for Afghanistan reconstruction said Thursday that the Taliban is growing ever more oppressive, and lawmakers need to consider whether too many U.S. aid dollars are ending up in their hands. Read more >   Navy ends medical testing on sheep at Wisconsin university People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals claimed a small victory after learning the Navy ended years of what the group called “crude” medical testing on sheep at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Read more >   FOLLOW US STRIPES.COM | EUROPE | JAPAN | KOREA | OKINAWA | GUAM © 2022 Stars and Stripes · 633 3rd St. NW Suite 500, Washington, DC 20001-3050