U.S. to increase anti-IS funds 50% to $7.5 billion: PentagonFebruary 2, 2016 - 18:33 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The United States will spend $7.5 billion - a 50% increase - to fund the fight against the Islamic State group, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said Tuesday, February 2, according to AFP. "Because we are accelerating the campaign, (the Pentagon) is backing that up in our budget with a total of $7.5 billion dollars in 2017, 50 percent more than 2016," Carter said in a speech in Washington. "This will be critical as our updated coalition military campaign plan takes hold." Carter also announced the United States will spend $3.4 billion next year to counter "Russia's aggression" and boost the U.S. presence in eastern European nations. "We're reinforcing our posture in Europe to support our NATO allies in the face of Russia's aggression," Carter said, noting that the $3.4 billion was a quadrupling of funds from last year. "That'll fund a lot of things. More rotational U.S. forces in Europe, more training and exercises with our allies, more prepositioned warfighting gear, and infrastructure improvements to support it." Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. Aram I supports Karekin II’s “patriotic position” Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I has expressed support for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. |