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Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 26 Apr 2005 [PDF]

• Transcript: Defense Department Briefing with Secretary Rumsfeld and Gen. Myers 26 Apr 2005 -- Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld and Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Richard B. Myers
• Task Force Baghdad raids net notorious terrorists MNF-I/MNC-I 26 Apr 2005 -- Task Force Baghdad Soldiers have conducted a series of offensive operations against terrorists in the Baghdad area since April 24, resulting in the capture of four individuals believed to have direct links to recent violent attacks.
• Suspected terrorists detained in As Sadiyah MNF-I/MNC-I 26 Apr 2005 -- Iraqi army and Task Force Liberty Soldiers detained two suspected terrorists in As Sadiyah in Diyala Province during a series of raids the night of April 25.
• BHR Sailors Help Fellow Sailors on Iraqi Oil Terminals Navy NewsStand 26 Apr 2005 -- Sailors from the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) (BHR) donated more than 150 pounds of goods to Sailors providing a 24-hour security presence on the Iraqi Al Basrah and Khawr Al Amaya Oil Terminals April 4.

• U.S./Afghanistan: U.S., UN Say Alleged Afghan Drug Lord Supported Taliban Regime RFE/RL 26 Apr 2005 -- U.S. authorities in New York have arrested a reputed Afghan drug lord who is accused of providing explosives, weapons, and militia fighters to the Taliban regime. Haji Bashar Noorzai is charged with trying to smuggle more than $50 million worth of heroin into the United States. He is one of 10 people and organizations on a U.S. list of most-wanted drug traffickers.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Airmen receive panoramic night-vision goggles AFPN 26 Apr 2005 -- Nighttime missions are about to get a whole lot clearer, and that is only the beginning of a much-anticipated acquisition program here.
• C-17s get state-of-the-art home AFPN 26 Apr 2005 -- When the 452nd Air Mobility Wing here welcomes eight C-17 Globemaster IIIs later this year, the aircraft will be maintained in an environmentally friendly hangar that is larger than a football field and incorporates advanced construction technology.
• Spangdahlem Airmen train with new high-tech weapon AFPN 26 Apr 2005 -- The sound of gunfire ricocheting off concrete walls is an everyday occurrence for Airmen at the combat arms training and maintenance unit here.
• U.S., Japanese Airmen train together during air refueling AFPN 26 Apr 2005 -- American fighter pilots are helping Japanese airmen expand their F-15 Eagle combat capabilities during hands-on air-to-air bilateral refueling training here.
• Successful failure: Army chief recalls 'Desert One' 25 years later Army News 26 Apr 2005 -- Twenty-five years ago this week, then-Capt. Peter Schoomaker stood in the Iranian desert on a moonlit night at a place called Desert One.
• New technology helps clear away unexploded ordnance Army News 26 Apr 2005 -- New technology now being used at Fort A.P. Hill, Va., promises to revolutionize unexploded ordnance removal and even generate revenue from recycling the material.
• SECNAV Emphasizes Ethics in Congressional Hearing Navy NewsStand 26 Apr 2005 -- Secretary of the Navy Gordon England emphasized ethical leadership during his testimony at his confirmation hearing in April before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
• U.S. Marines train Georgian military for operations in Iraq USMC News 26 Apr 2005 -- About 530 Georgian soldiers, clad in new desert camouflage utilities, stood before a large crowd April 23 during the opening ceremony for the Georgian Sustainment and Stability Operations Program.
• FAST Marines fire Baharia range, keep anti-terrorism capabilities sharp and ready USMC News 26 Apr 2005 -- Atrophy is defined as 'a wasting away, deterioration, or diminution of something due to lack of use.' It's a condition Marines in Iraq won't experience.
• Iraq-bound Soldiers receive new equipment via Rapid Fielding Initiative Army News 26 Apr 2005 -- New equipment is being issued under the Rapid Fielding Initiative for 4th Infantry Division Soldiers preparing to head back to Iraq.
• Carl Vinson Leads West Coast Carriers, Earns Battle 'E' Navy NewsStand 26 Apr 2005 -- The crew of USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) was awarded the 2004 Battle Efficiency Award (Battle "E") for West Coast carriers April 18.
• USS Carney Participates in Turkish Maritime Festival Navy NewsStand 26 Apr 2005 -- Approximately 330 U.S. Sailors from the guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) are participating in the first Turkish Marmaris International Maritime Festival here in April.

• Global Arms-Trafficking Network Designated by United States Washington File 26 Apr 2005 -- Several individuals and a number of companies linked to a major international arms dealer and war profiteer have been designated for sanctions by the U.S. Treasury Department.

• RUSSIA APPROVES STATUS AND TERMS OF STATIONING FOR BASE IN KYRGYZSTAN RIA Novosti 26 Apr 2005 -- The Russian government approved the agreement between Russia and Kyrgyzstan on the status and terms of stationing the Russian airbase in Kyrgyzstan, according to the governmental public affairs news release issued on Tuesday.
• Georgia: Tbilisi, Moscow Report Breakthrough Over Russian Military Bases RFE/RL 26 Apr 2005 -- Just days ago, Moscow and Tbilisi blamed each other for scuttling talks on the withdrawal of Russian military bases in Georgia. But now both sides are reporting progress on the issue.
• US-GEORGIAN SUMMIT WILL NOT AFFECT WITHDRAWAL OF RUSSIAN MILITARY BASES RIA Novosti 26 Apr 2005 -- The US-Georgian summit on May 10 will not have a direct impact on the upcoming withdrawal of Russian military bases from the Georgian territory, announced Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zurabishvili.
• RUSSIAN BASES' PULLOUT FROM GEORGIA STARTS NEW RELATIONS RIA Novosti 26 Apr 2005 -- Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zurabishvili said she hopes that the withdrawal of the Russian bases from Georgia will signify the start of a new stage in bilateral relations.
• RUSSIA-UKRAINE AN-70 PLANE TRIALS POSSIBLE BY YEAR END RIA Novosti 26 Apr 2005 -- Full-scale trials of the Russian-Ukrainian plane An-70 are possible by the end of this year, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said following talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Anatoli Gritsenko.
• BORDER-GUARDS OF RUSSIA AND USA TO DISCUSS JOINT ACTIONS ON THE PACIFIC RIA Novosti 26 Apr 2005 -- A delegation of the 17th US Coast Guard District, headed by commander Rear Admiral James Olson, arrived at Kamchatka on Tuesday.

• DR Congo: Security Council calls on parties to maintain support for political transition UN News Centre 26 Apr 2005 -- As the political transition in the strife-torn Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) enters a key phase, the United Nations Security Council today urged the country's parties to maintain their commitment to a peaceful and inclusive process.
• Security Council hears call for expanded UN peacekeeping mandate in Côte d'Ivoire UN News Centre 26 Apr 2005 -- To meet the requests of Ivorian leaders for greater United Nations assistance in resolving post-conflict issues, the Security Council would need to expand the peacekeeping mission's mandate to include supervising elections, policing rebel-held areas and funding the rehabilitation of former combatants, a South African official said today.

• Memorandum of Understanding on the Joint Theatre Movement Staff (JTMS) Multinational Integrated Logistic Unit (MILU) Signed Today NATO 26 Apr 2005 -- On 26 April 2005, a Memorandum of Understanding for the formation and sustainment of a JTMS MILU to perform theatre movement co-ordination duties in support of a NATO operation or exercise was signed at a formal ceremony that took place in conjunction with the meeting of the Senior NATO Logisticians' Conference (SNLC).

• State Department Briefing, April 26 Washington File 26 Apr 2005 -- Syria/Lebanon, Togo, Latin America, Iraq/Italy, Europe, Bolton/previous testimony on Syria, China
• White House Daily Briefing, April 26 Washington File 26 Apr 2005 -- Social Security, Tom DeLay, Senate filibuster/judicial nominations, Russia

Defense Industry

• BAE Systems Successfully Demonstrates Wolfpack BAE Systems 26 Apr 2005 -- NASHUA, New Hampshire -- BAE Systems recently completed its final demonstration of the current phase of the WolfPack program to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and other government officials at the Fallon Range Training Complex in Nevada.
• General Dynamics Awarded $62.5 Million for Abrams Integrated Management Materials General Dynamics 26 Apr 2005 -- The U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command has awarded General Dynamics Land Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), a $62.5 million contract for the material associated with the production of 75 Abrams Integrated Management (AIM) tanks. Initial funding authorized under the contract was $31.25 million.
• Turkey to Upgrade Lockheed Martin F-16 Fleet with Advanced Systems Lockheed Martin 26 Apr 2005 -- The governments of the United States and Turkey signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) for the systems upgrade of Turkish F-16 aircraft at an estimated total value of $1.1 billion. Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] will be the principal contractor for the program.
• Northrop Grumman Completes First Major Aircraft Component of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Northrop Grumman 26 Apr 2005 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has completed the first major component of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, demonstrating manufacturing concepts that will become critical once initial production begins in 2007.
• Northrop Grumman Celebrates Network-Centric Milestones Northrop Grumman 26 Apr 2005 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) and the U.S. Navy moved closer Monday to realizing the Navy's network-centric war-fighting vision with the joint celebration of the "keel-start" of the first E-2D Advanced Hawkeye test aircraft and the first deliveries of Improved Capability III EA-6B Prowler electronic-attack aircraft.
• Orbital Successfully Completes Final Developmental Flight For U.S. Navy's "Coyote" Sea-Skimming Target Missile Orbital Sciences Corp. 26 Apr 2005 -- Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB) announced today that it successfully flight-tested the final development vehicle in the U.S. Navy's GQM-163A "Coyote" Supersonic Sea-Skimming Target (SSST) system for the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) on April 22, 2005.
• APAR shines again in live firing tests Thales 26 Apr 2005 -- Once again, the Thales Anti Air Warfare suite proved its status as most advanced naval defence system in the world. During live missile firing tests held by the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) in March 2005, the APAR radar system successfully guided two Evolved SeaSparrow Missiles (ESSM) and two Standard Missiles (SM2) simultaneously to various targets, destroying them all.

Other Conflicts

• DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations 26 Apr 2005
• CONGO: Ex-rebels attack UN convoy IRIN 26 Apr 2005 -- A group of former rebels, known as the Ninjas, fired guns into the air and held a grenade to the face of a UNESCO official during an attack on a UN convoy in the southern part of the Republic of Congo, a UN official told IRIN on Tuesday.
• DRC: Army preparing 10 brigades ahead of general elections IRIN 26 Apr 2005 -- At least 10 brigades of the new Congolese army are being prepared to help with the country's reunification process, especially during elections planned for later this year, the army's chief of general staff, Lt-Gen Kisempia Kisungilanga, told IRIN on Monday.
  
  
• BURUNDI: Thousands disarmed since December, UN official says IRIN 26 Apr 2005 -- Burundi has disarmed and demobilised 7,282 former combatants since December 2004 under an ongoing programme that includes their reintegration into society, a military spokesman for the UN Mission in Burundi (ONUB) has said.
• Former Rebel Group Withdraws From Burundi's Power-Sharing Government VOA News 26 Apr 2005 -- Burundi's ambassador to Kenya says the withdrawal of a former Hutu rebel group from the power-sharing government will not affect the government's functioning or upcoming elections.
  
  
• COTE D IVOIRE: Warring sides may soon disarm but can they ever bury the hatchet? IRIN 26 Apr 2005 -- A programme of disarmament is to kick off in war-torn Cote d'Ivoire in mid-May and afterwards former enemies will be reunited into a single national army. But soldiers on both sides of the front line are uneasy about how this will actually work.
  
  
• Burned Villages, Scorched Earth In West Darfur VOA News 26 Apr 2005 -- The UN refugee agency says abandoned villages in West Darfur are being burned by Janjaweed militias, apparently in an attempt to prevent displaced people from returning home.

News Reports

• Syrian Government informs UN of troop pullout UN News Centre 26 Apr 2005 -- The Syrian Government has informed United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan by letter that it has withdrawn its troops from Lebanon, a UN spokesman said today.
• Syria Says 'Last' Soldier Withdrawn From Lebanon VOA News 26 Apr 2005 -- Syria says it has withdrawn its last soldier from Lebanon, following an official ceremony near the Lebanon-Syria border. The event symbolically brought to a close Syria's 29-year military occupation.
• Syria Informs UN Lebanon Withdrawal Complete VOA News 26 Apr 2005 -- Syria's U.N. Ambassador Fayssal Mekhdad came to the Security Council chamber Tuesday to confirm that the pullout was, in his words "full and complete."

• 'Missing' Tajik Opposition Leader Reportedly Arrested RFE/RL 26 Apr 2005 -- Tajikistan's prosecutor-general, Bobojhon Bobokhonov, announced today that Tajik security services have taken custody of Makhmadruzi Iskandarov, leader of the opposition Democratic Party of Tajikistan.
• TAJIKISTAN: Demining delayed due to lack of money IRIN 26 Apr 2005 -- Tajikistan's demining programme for 2005 has been delayed due to lack of money.

• Annan calls for end to incitement in Togo after reported post-election violence UN News Centre 26 Apr 2005 -- Voicing grave concern over reported violence in Togo after Sunday's presidential elections and today's announcement of preliminary results, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has called on all sides to refrain from any further incitement.
• TOGO: Protesters spill onto streets as Eyadema's son declared president IRIN 26 Apr 2005 -- Faure Gnassingbe, the candidate for Togo's ruling party and the son of the late veteran president Gnassingbe Eyadema, was declared winner of the presidential election on Tuesday.
• TOGO: Furious opposition say won't accept former ruler's son as new president IRIN 26 Apr 2005 -- Protesters threw up flaming barricades across Togo's capital and a furious opposition urged people to resist after Faure Gnassingbe, son of the late long-ruling president, was declared winner of a presidential poll marred by violence and fraud allegations.

• US Begins Dealing with New Ecuador Government VOA News 26 Apr 2005 -- The United States has begun official dealings with Ecuador's new government of President Alfredo Palacio, which took office last week after the ouster of Lucio Gutierrez.

• Sea Launch Successfully Delivers Spaceway to Orbit Boeing 26 Apr 2005 -- Sea Launch Company today successfully delivered DIRECTV's Spaceway F1 satellite to orbit, completing the launch of the heaviest commercial satellite to date. Early data indicate the spacecraft is in excellent condition.