Defense and foreign ministers from more than 30 nations are gathering in Washington to plan the next steps in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) group and to determine what more they can do as the fights for key cities in Iraq and Syria move forward.
US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter was scheduled to meet with his counterparts yesterday to discuss how they can accelerate the campaign and build on some of the momentum, particularly in Iraq.
The Washington meeting comes as Iraqi security forces, aided by the coalition, are preparing to encircle and eventually attempt to retake Mosul.
France and the US are preparing a coordinated strike against the IS group in Mosul, French government spokesman Stephane Le Foll said in Paris yesterday.
“[French Minister of Defense] Jean Yves Le Drian is in Washington. He is preparing with the Americans a coordinated attack on Mosul,” le Foll said on France Info radio.
The meeting of defense ministers at Joint Base Andrews was to be the fourth time that Carter has convened an anti-IS coalition meeting.
Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said Carter would talk about the military campaign and how it can be accelerated.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State John Kerry is to host a joint meeting of defense and foreign ministers in the counter-IS coalition today for the first time.
They are expected to talk about the coordination of political and military efforts, including counter-terrorist financing.
Additional reporting by Reuters
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
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DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old