Stars and Stripes Daily Headlines

www.stripes.com April 19, 2023 | View in browser   US aid to Afghanistan indirectly funding Taliban, watchdog official says John Sopko, the special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction, warned Congress on Wednesday that he cannot guarantee the U.S. is not funding the Taliban through billions of dollars in humanitarian aid. Read more > Army’s 65,000 recruit goal will be ‘a challenge’ to reach, Wormuth says The Army will have a challenge to meet its expanded enlistment goal this year, though the service is recruiting better in 2023 than last year when it fell thousands of soldiers short of its goal, Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said. Read more > Three Air Force bases selected to receive new fighter jets Air Force bases in three states are slated to add advanced and upgraded fighter planes to their fleet, the service said. Read more >   Ukraine gets more rockets, ammo and other weapons as part of new $320M US aid package Another round of weapons and equipment worth more than $300 million, including ammunition for HIMARS, artillery rounds and anti-armor capabilities, will be sent to Ukraine to help the country restock ahead of anticipated Russian assaults in the coming months. Read more >   ‘No credible evidence’ of UFO activity has been found, Pentagon official tells senators The official charged by the Pentagon to track the mystery surrounding UFOs told lawmakers on Wednesday that there is nothing unusual to see at this time. The hearing was only the second one held in Congress on the phenomenon in more than 50 years. Read more > Austin envisions NATO membership for Sweden before summertime summit Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson and said he thinks the approval process will be wrapped up by the time heads of state gather in July in Vilnius, Lithuania. Read more >   Navy nurse tends to man having seizure aboard grounded Puget Sound ferry When a recent plea for medical help came from the crew of a disabled Washington state ferry, a Navy nurse answered the call. Read more >   ‘Large-scale attack’ on Ukraine may force lethal aid from South Korea, Yoon says South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol offered some scenarios in which Seoul could provide Ukraine with lethal aid to fight its now 14-month-old war with Russia. Read more >   Army expects pair of Child Development Centers in Hawaii to ease long waits for care Construction of a $44.7 million development center at Schofield Barracks in central Oahu and a $53.1 million center at Aliamanu Military Reservation in Honolulu is expected to be completed by 2026. Read more >   Senate votes to keep new VA abortion policy in place The Senate voted down a resolution Wednesday that would have revoked a 7-month-old policy to allow abortions at heath care facilities operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Read more >   US Navy sails first drone through Mideast’s Strait of Hormuz The U.S. Navy sailed its first drone boat through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, where American sailors often face tense encounters with Iranian forces. Read more >   STRIPES.COM | EUROPE | JAPAN | KOREA | OKINAWA | GUAM © 2022 Stars and Stripes · 633 3rd St. NW Suite 500, Washington, DC 20001-3050