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Naval Special Warfare members perform a high-altitude low opening jump, during the 2022 Arctic Edge Exercise. Arctic Edge is a U.S. Northern Command biennial defense exercise designed to demonstrate and exercise the ability to rapidly deploy and operate in the Arctic. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Trey Hutcheson)

Addition of Finland and Sweden to NATO would strengthen Arctic security, improve US training, military officials say

Navy and Marine Corps officials said Wednesday that the potential inclusion of Finland and Sweden in the NATO alliance would boost U.S. military activity in the Arctic and the Baltic Sea.

Senators reach agreement on health care, benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxins

Visitors to the Fun in the Field event at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, pose by a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, launcher on April 23, 2022.

Video | Stripes in 7 for May 18, 2022

US deal with Taliban panicked Afghan military and hastened collapse, investigation finds

Islamic State in Afghanistan building capability to strike on US soil, Pentagon IG says

US troops can now renew their passports online, but not while serving overseas

more top news

Army identifies two paratroopers killed in multivehicle crash in Alaska

Stars and Stripes launches K-Town Now, featuring the latest news from the Kaiserslautern Military Community

Feds: National Guard members on state duty can join unions

Congress bestows its highest honor on WWII merchant marines

Thai archival find may resolve fate of missing WWII US flyer

No laws broken, no punishments warranted for 2019 US strike in Syria that killed civilians, Pentagon concludes

3rd Air Force in Europe says farewell to Reed

War in Ukraine casts shadow on land forces symposium in Hawaii

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Army

Gen. Charles Flynn, commander of U.S. Army Pacific, speaks with reporters during the Land Forces of the Pacific symposium at Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii, Tuesday, May 17, 2022.

War in Ukraine casts shadow on land forces symposium in Hawaii

Army’s top civilian defends Russian deterrence program, predicts more US troops could deploy to Europe

Army activates new air cavalry squadron with latest Apache helicopters in South Korea

Air Force

Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian, commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa, pins the Distinguished Service Medal on Maj. Gen. Randall Reed at Reed’s relinquishment of command ceremony on Wednesday, May 18, 2022, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

3rd Air Force in Europe says farewell to Reed

Air Force successfully fires hypersonic weapon after multiple failures last year

Second day of SkyFest brings Thunderbirds, celebration of Fairchild Air Force Base's history

Navy

The USS George Washington. The Navy’s two top officials visited the ship Washington to hear from sailors about living and working conditions while the ship is in Newport News Shipbuilding for its overhaul and refueling.

Navy secretary visits USS George Washington, promises better conditions following string of suicides

From icy waters to Greece’s wine dark sea, Kearsarge group grapples with different climates

Navy awarded nearly $500 million for Guam construction projects over past month

Space Force

This video image provided by SpaceX, a SpaceX Falcon 9 mission to launch 53 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E), takes off from Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., on Friday, May 13, 2022.

SpaceX launches Starlink satellites from California

Senators introduce legislation to create Space National Guard under Space Force

Lawmakers fight to keep US Space Command in Colorado Springs

Coast Guard

A time-lapse image shows the trajectory of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifting off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station over the Orlando Science Center observatory at dusk, Jan. 31, 2022.

Space launches vs. cruise lines: Coast Guard concludes investigation into Royal Caribbean ship

55 Cuban migrants stopped at sea off the Florida Keys in a week, Coast Guard says

First cyber systems majors to graduate from Coast Guard Academy

Marine Corps

Lance Cpl. Victor Valdez, 20, was expecting a shipment of some form of cannabis but received 11.37 grams of pills containing hydrocodone and 15.84 grams of pills containing a stimulant, phenyl-methyl-aminopropane hydrochloride. The drugs arrived at the Camp Kinser post office on Oct. 6, 2020.

Another Okinawa-based Marine gets suspended sentence for drug smuggling

Marines unveil force structure update amid opposition from retired generals about service’s direction

Police question Okinawa-based Marine about crash that killed Japanese pedestrian

theaters

U.S.

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks during meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, unseen via video link from Beijing on Wednesday, May 18, 2022. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi criticized on Wednesday what he called negative moves by Washington and Tokyo against Beijing ahead of a meeting in Tokyo next week of the leaders of the U.S., Japan, Australia and India. (Yin Bogu/Xinhua via AP)

China blasts US, Japan rhetoric ahead of Quad summit

Feds: National Guard members on state duty can join unions

Congress bestows its highest honor on WWII merchant marines

Europe

Naval Special Warfare members perform a high-altitude low opening jump, during the 2022 Arctic Edge Exercise. Arctic Edge is a U.S. Northern Command biennial defense exercise designed to demonstrate and exercise the ability to rapidly deploy and operate in the Arctic. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Trey Hutcheson)

Addition of Finland and Sweden to NATO would strengthen Arctic security, improve US training, military officials say

Russian soldier pleads guilty at Ukraine war crimes trial

In Ukraine, limbs lost and lives devastated in an instant

Asia-Pacific

FILE - In this photo taken on April 22, 2013, new recruits practice charging with bayonets at a military training center in Hsinchu County, northern Taiwan. Taiwan is considering whether it should extend its four-month compulsory military service, its defense minister said Wednesday, March 23, 2022, amid concerns about the self-governing island democracy's tensions with China, which have been underscored by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying, File)

What's behind difficult Taiwan-China relations?

Adm. Michael Gilday says Taiwan must strengthen its defenses

US troops can now renew their passports online, but not while serving overseas

Middle East

FILE - Jewish ultra-nationalists wave Israeli flags during the "Flags March," next to Damascus gate, outside Jerusalem's Old City, June 15, 2021. Israeli authorities on Wednesday, May 18, 2022, said they have given the go-ahead for flag-waving Jewish nationalists to march through the heart of the main Palestinian thoroughfare in Jerusalem's Old City on May 29, in a decision that threatens to re-ignite violence in the holy city. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean, File)

Israel approves ultranationalist Jewish march in Jerusalem

Pakistan Taliban extend truce for more talks with government

Islamic State in Afghanistan building capability to strike on US soil, Pentagon IG says

Africa

Forces loyal to Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, one of Libya’s two rival prime ministers, secure the streets of the capital, Tripoli, Tuesday May, 17, 2022. Clashes broke out in Tripoli after Dbeibah’s rival, Prime Minister Fathi Bashagha, announced his arrival in the city on Tuesday morning. But Bashagha left soon after the fighting started. (AP Photo/Yousef Murad)

Rival Libya prime minister to set up government in Sirte after Tripoli clashes

Mali arrests suspects after announcing foiled coup attempt

Clashes break out in Tripoli, drive away rival Libyan prime minister

Americas

FILE -Robert R. Summerhays, President Donald Trump's nominee for District Judge for the Western District of Louisiana gives testimony during a U. S. Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on Wednesday, April 11, 2018. Robert R. Summerhays, a federal judge hears arguments Friday, May 13, 2022 on whether the Biden administration can lift pandemic-related restrictions on immigrants requesting asylum later this month.(AP Photo/Harry Hamburg, File)

Pandemic-era asylum limits in hands of federal judge

Costa Rica's new leader takes over with a blast at the past

Havana hotel death toll at 31; dogs search for survivors

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Japan

VIDEO| Enjoy hiking, reading and soaking at Yugawara Man-yo Park

Hydrangea Temple in Chiba feasts your eyes in rainy season

A guide to Tokyo’s art stores

Okinawa

A day at Ocean Expo Park in Okinawa

MY FAVES: Good eats for a great picnic on Okinawa’s beautiful beaches

VIDEO| Okuma Beach is a must for summer, beach fun

Guam

The makings of a traditional Yapese building

VIDEO| Guam Virtual Tour: Inalåhan

Exploring Guam: Geocaching perfect way to uncover island's treasures

veterans

Senators reach agreement on health care, benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxins

The PACT Act seeks to provide an easy path to health care and benefits for veterans who served near open-air burn pits, which were used throughout the 1990s and the post-9/11 wars to burn garbage, jet fuel and other materials.

U.S. military drape a national flag over the possible remains of a WWII U.S. airman found in northern Thailand, during a repatriation ceremony Wednesday, May 18, 2022, at the U-Tapao Air Base in Rayong province, eastern Thailand. The possible human remains were found at a crash site in a rice field in northern Thailand by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency and were sent to Hawaii where they will be tested to see if they belong to a U.S. pilot who went missing in 1944. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Thai archival find may resolve fate of missing WWII US flyer

sports

Rota goalkeeper Nathan Alindog breaks up a run on goal by Aviano's Andrew Walker at the DODEA-Europe boys Division II soccer tournament at Landstuhl, Germany.

Traditional powers try to hold off contenders to thrones

Semifinals in D-I and D-III and key games in D-II will leave six teams with shots at three titles on Thursday.

American Overseas School of Rome's Clara Clayton breaks up an attack from Naples' Emma Kasparek in the DODEA-Europe girls Division II soccer championships on Tuesday, May 17, 2022, at Landstuhl, Germany.

Two teams reach finals and more close in on spots

Ramstein Royals Team Captain and mid-fielder Benjamin Brewster jumps over a slide tackle by Vilsecks Quinlan McKinney during the DODEA-Europe Soccer Championships at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, May 16, 2022. Vilseck could hold off the Royals for most of the game, but the Team found their rythm during the second half of the game for a 2-0 win.

See our photos from the DODEA-Europe soccer championships

history

Kim Ki Sam/Stars and Stripes
South Vietnam, December, 1968: A village official checks refugees against lists in an attempt to sort out suspected Communists at a camp near Dien Ban, a small village 10 miles south of Da Nang. More than 2,600 refugees who had been evacuated from 30 hamlets and 14 villages were housed at the camp, where they were cared for by and received aid from U.S. soldiers and Marines and the South Vietnamese government.

Refugees in Vietnam, 1968

South Vietnam, December 1968: A village official checks refugees against lists in an attempt to sort out suspected Communists at a camp near Dien Ban, a small village 10 miles south of Da Nang.

FILE - In this photo taken on April 22, 2013, new recruits practice charging with bayonets at a military training center in Hsinchu County, northern Taiwan. Taiwan is considering whether it should extend its four-month compulsory military service, its defense minister said Wednesday, March 23, 2022, amid concerns about the self-governing island democracy's tensions with China, which have been underscored by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying, File)

What's behind difficult Taiwan-China relations?

living

In an announcement May 10, Apple stated it was discontinuing its iconic iPod and will sell the 7th generation Touch only while supplies last. However, judging by the many models being sold on eBay, it may be some time before fans have to do without their precious music player.

Iconic iPod is gone but never forgotten

An elderly man visits a height near the U.S. Marine Air Station Futenma in Ginowan, Okinawa, Japan Sunday, May 15, 2022.

Okinawa marks 50 years of end to US rule amid protests

travel

The exterior mural at the Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa. MUST CREDIT: Photo for The Washington Post by Shane Bevel

At 80, Bob Dylan finally gets a museum

Fog rolls in toward Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Italy's famous three peaks. In contrast to Italy's historic metropolises of Rome and Florence, the mountainous northern region of Trentino, South Tyrol feels like another planet. MUST CREDIT: Photos for The Washington Post by Elizabeth Landau.

In Italy's Dolomite mountains, a peak experience for hikers

Irabu Island and the Irabu Bridge, as seen from the Makiyama Observatory Deck on Okinawa, Japan.

Okinawa, 50 years since return: Tourist-vitalized islands thrive, though not everybody is happy