TSgt. Kristoffer M. Solesbee, 32, of Citrus Heights, Calif., and SSgt. Joseph J. Hamski, 28, of Ottumwa, Iowa, died in operations in Afghanistan, announced Defense Department officials. The two airmen were killed on May 26 in the Shorabak district of Kandahar province of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device. Both airmen were EOD technicians. Solesbee was assigned to the 775th Civil Engineer Squadron at Hill AFB, Utah. Hamski was a member of the 52nd CES at Spangdahlem AB, Germany. (See also KTXL report from Sacramento, Calif., and WHO report from Des Moines, Iowa.)
Earlier this week, the People’s Republic of China confirmed it is halting its nuclear arms control talks with the U.S., in retaliation for the U.S. continuing to sell arms to Taiwan. The move reinforces a “pattern of behavior” from Beijing, experts say.