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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 07 Apr 2011 [PDF]
• NATO and Libya - Operational Media Update: 06 April 2011
• Libyan Rebels: Deadly Airstrike Likely Friendly Fire VOA 07 Apr 2011 -- A Libyan opposition commander says a deadly airstrike on rebel tank positions may be a case of friendly fire.
• Libyan Rebels Seek Answers After Another Air Strike VOA 07 Apr 2011 -- Libyan opposition forces fighting the government of Moammar Gadhafi say their forces were attacked by war planes Thursday near the oil town of Brega, 800 kilometers east of Tripoli. Some rebels have blamed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which is enforcing a no-fly zone over Libya. But an opposition spokesperson says the attack may have been by pro-Gadhafi forces.
• NATO Airstrike Kills At Least 2 Libyan Rebels VOA 07 Apr 2011 -- At least two Libyan rebels were killed on Thursday when a NATO airstrike hit one of their tank positions near the eastern town of Brega, leaving dozens wounded.
• NATO delivers update on Libya operations UK MOD 07 Apr 2011 -- Speaking in Naples, the deputy commander of NATO's operations in Libya has delivered an update on the situation.
• French Special Forces deployed in Libya - paper RIA Novosti 07 Apr 2011 -- French Special Forces units have been deployed in a remote desert area in south-western Libya, where they have allegedly carried out a raid against Al Qaeda militants or arms smugglers, the Algerian El Khabar newspaper said on Thursday.
• 'Gaddafi attacks Libyan oil field' NATO 07 Apr 2011 -- Statement by NATO Joint Force Command Naples
• Austin Notes Progress Over Eight Years in Iraq AFPS 07 Apr 2011 -- With the last U.S. forces remaining in Iraq scheduled to depart by year's end, Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III reflected today on the steps forward he's seen in three tours of duty here.
• Gates Discusses Post-2011 U.S.-Iraqi Relations AFPS 07 Apr 2011 -- As the drawdown of remaining U.S. forces in Iraq nears, any U.S. military presence to remain in Iraq beyond this year would be geared toward specific kinds of assistance the Iraqi government requests and would involve 'far fewer forces' than the 47,000 U.S. service members in Iraq today, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell told reporters here today.
• Gates Thanks Soldiers for Success in Iraq AFPS 07 Apr 2011 -- During what he said probably is his last visit to Iraq, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today told U.S. soldiers here that they and their predecessors have been part of an 'extraordinary success story.'
• Media Availability with Secretary Gates in Baghdad, Iraq DoD 07 Apr 2011 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates
• Remarks by Secretary Gates During Troop Visit at U.S. Division Center Camp Liberty, Baghdad, Iraq DoD 07 Apr 2011 -- Presenter: Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates
• Bagram Airmen provide humanitarian assistance after landslide AFNS 07 Apr 2011 -- Airmen from the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron here delivered more than 17,000 pounds of supplies to Afghanistan's Balkh province April 7.
• Task Force Phoenix supports largest air assault in RC-East Army News 07 Apr 2011 -- Fierce lightning shattered the night sky March 25 as a U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter's 350-pound blades sliced through the air, producing a continuous rain of thunder over the otherwise quiet Galuch Valley.
• Mosque opening symbolizes hope, partnership in Kandahar Army News 07 Apr 2011 -- Residents of Arghandab district, Kandahar province came together in celebration, yesterday, as villagers and International Security Assistance Forces participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony for a new mosque in Tarok Kolache.
• Soldiers fire first precision-guided mortar in Afghanistan Army News 07 Apr 2011 -- Soldiers at Forward Operating Base Kushamond March 26 fired a 120mm Precision Guided Mortar Munitions round for the first time in Afghanistan.
• Suicide Bombers Storm Afghan Police Complex VOA 07 Apr 2011 -- Suicide bombers and gunmen have stormed a police compound in southern Afghanistan, killing six members of the Afghan security forces.
• Forces Conclude Operations Near Pakistan Border AFPS 07 Apr 2011 -- Afghan and coalition forces concluded operations in the Marawara district of Kunar province today after clearing out insurgent fighters near the villages of Sarowbay, Barawarlow Kalay, Shirugay, Kowtgay and the surrounding area, military officials reported.
• ANALYSIS: Afghan police - civilians or combatants? IRIN 07 Apr 2011 -- Discrepancies in the number of civilian casualties of war in Afghanistan and the varying levels of blame attributed to warring parties by the UN and human rights organizations could, in part, be due to different interpretations of the legal status of the Afghan National Police (ANP).
• Pakistan rejects US report on militancy IRNA 07 Apr 2011 -- Pakistan's army has rejected a US report that Pakistan is avoiding direct conflict with the militants in the tribal areas and that Pakistan still has no 'clear path' to defeat militants on its soil.
• Pakistan disputes U.S. report on terror campaign IRNA 07 Apr 2011 -- Pakistan Thursday disputed assessment in a U.S. report that Pakistan still has no 'clear path' to defeat militants on its soil and that Pakistan is avoiding direct conflict with the militants in the tribal areas.
• Essex ARG Concludes Operation Tomodachi Support NNS 07 Apr 2011 -- The Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) concluded its participation in Operation Tomodachi April 7 after conducting nearly three weeks of humanitarian assistance/disaster relief (HADR) operations with the Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF).
• USS McCain In Yokosuka to Resupply for Operation Tomodachi NNS 07 Apr 2011 -- USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) returned to Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY) March 29, to resupply before heading back out to participate in relief efforts near Sendai, Japan.
• NAF Misawa NGIS Concludes Support of Operation Tomodachi NNS 07 Apr 2011 -- Navy Gateway Inns & Suites (NGIS) and Bachelor Housing are concluding their support of Operation Tomodachi this week as things return to normal at Naval Air Facility Misawa (NAFM), April 7.
• 31st MEU conducts Operation 'Field Day' USMC News 07 Apr 2011 -- More than 300 Marines and sailors with 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, worked through rain, snow, and freezing temperatures cleaning Oshima Island during Operation 'Field Day', April 1-6.

Defense Policy / Programs

• DoD News: Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn III Message to DOD Workforce on Potential Government Shutdown DoD 07 Apr 2011 -- "The department remains hopeful that a government shutdown will be averted. The President has made it clear that he does not want a government shutdown, and the administration is working to find a solution with which all sides can agree. However, prudent management requires that we plan for an orderly shutdown should Congress be unable to pass a funding bill before our current funding expires on April 8."
• Deputy Defense Secretary Releases Shutdown Guidance AFPS 07 Apr 2011 -- The Defense Department is hopeful that a government shutdown will be averted, but is releasing guidance to help plan for an orderly process if a shutdown becomes necessary, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said in a memo issued today.
• Officials Discuss DOD's Government Shutdown Plans AFPS 07 Apr 2011 -- Military personnel will report to duty as normal if the U.S. government shuts down tomorrow night, Pentagon officials said today.
• Shutdown Could Affect Young Troops Most, Gates Says AFPS 07 Apr 2011 -- While emphasizing that service members eventually will receive the pay they would earn during a government shutdown, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates acknowledged here today that if the government shuts down for a week starting tomorrow, their mid-month paychecks would include only the pay they earned for the first week of the month.
• DoD News: Senior Executive Service Appointments And Reassignments DoD 07 Apr 2011
• USS Memphis Retires From U.S. Navy Fleet NNS 07 Apr 2011 -- Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Memphis (SSN 691) and her crew of 13 officers and 121 enlisted personnel arrived at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) in Maine April 7 to complete the process of being retired from the U.S. Navy fleet.
• Integrated Logistics Overhaul Completed Aboard USS Hue City NNS 07 Apr 2011 -- A six-month Integrated Logistics Overhaul (ILO)was completed onboard USS Hue City (CG 66)March 9.
• Guam Military Buildup Projects Continue NNS 07 Apr 2011 -- Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Marianas awarded three contract task orders, April 7 under previously awarded multiple award construction contracts (MACC) in support of the Guam military buildup effort. Two of the task orders were awarded to small businesses.
• Navy, Community Leaders Welcome French Ship FS Prairial NNS 07 Apr 2011 -- The French military surveillance ship FS Prairial (F 731) made a port call at pier 9 at Aloha Tower Marketplace on, April 1.
• HSV 2 Swift Heading Home After Completing SPS 2011 NNS 07 Apr 2011 -- The joint military and civilian crew aboard High Speed Vessel Swift (HSV 2) is en route to Naval Station Mayport, Fla., after a 155-day deployment to Central and South America in support of Southern Partnership Station (SPS) 2011.
• Revised Family Readiness Group Instruction and New Handbook Released NNS 07 Apr 2011 -- Chief of Naval Personnel, in conjunction with Commander, Navy Installations Command and U.S. Fleet Forces Command, announced the release of the revised family readiness group (FRG) instruction and the new FRG handbook, April 6.
• Port Royal Participates in Koa Kai NNS 07 Apr 2011 -- The guided-missile cruiser USS Port Royal (CG-73), along with more than 12 ships, squadrons and submarines homeported in Hawaii, participated in the week-long exercise Koa Kai 11-2 in the waters surrounding the Hawaiian Islands, March 31-April 5.
• Navy Delivers Aid to Haiti NNS 07 Apr 2011 -- The joint military and civilian crew aboard High Speed Vessel Swift (HSV 2) delivered 286,000 pounds of food to Haiti in support of Southern Partnership Station (SPS) 2011, April 6.
• Koa Kai Trains Above, Below and on Sea Near Hawaii NNS 07 Apr 2011 -- Surface Navy and other combatant units are participating in an integrated training environment called Koa Kai 11-2 in waters surrounding the Hawaiian Islands, March 31 to April 5.
• Scott AFB to become 'one stop C-21 shop' AFNS 07 Apr 2011 -- The 458th Airlift Squadron here will become the Air Force's sole C-21 formal training unit within the next four months.
• Guard Should Remain an Operational Reserve, Leaders Say AFPS 07 Apr 2011 -- As part of the Total Force, the National Guard has successfully transformed into an operational force and must not be put back on the shelf in a strategic reserve status, the chief of the National Guard Bureau said here last week.
• DADT Repeal Training Proves Caliber of Military, Leaders Say AFPS 07 Apr 2011 -- Two months into training to allow gay men and lesbians to serve openly in the military, the leaders of all four services say implementation is going well – something they attribute to the caliber of today's service members.
• U.S. Forces, Assets Safe After New Japan Quake AFPS 07 Apr 2011 -- U.S. forces in Japan providing support after a devastating earthquake and tsunami last month appear to have dodged a bullet as yet another earthquake rocked northeast Japan today.
• Reserve unit completes yearlong Basic Combat Training mission Army News 07 Apr 2011 -- There is no difference between active-duty and Army Reserve drill sergeants, said the commander of the 434th Field Artillery Brigade, which is responsible for training new Soldiers at Fort Sill.
• OK National Guard unit trains at Camp Shelby Army News 07 Apr 2011 -- Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center has welcomed additional troops for mobilization training in preparation for their mission in support of overseas contingency operations. Their training will be ongoing through the end of June.
• MPs test drive new armored security vehicles Army News 07 Apr 2011 -- Faster and lighter than a Stryker. More protected than a humvee. A smoother ride than a Mine-Resistant Armor-Protected vehicle. More suppressive firepower than all three.
• U.S. and ROK forces train in defense of South Korea USMC News 07 Apr 2011 -- Pacific theater-based Marine squadrons here concluded their portion of exercise Foal Eagle 2011 March 26.
• VMU-1 trains to keep eyes in sky over South Korea USMC News 07 Apr 2011 -- The participating Marine squadrons concluded their portion of exercise Foal Eagle 2011, March 26. Portions of the exercise involving other U.S. and Republic of Korea units are scheduled to run until April 30.
• Aviation reinvented Naval operations post WWII USMC News 07 Apr 2011 -- Since the invention of the cannon, naval power was dependent on ships carrying the most powerful guns. From the ship-of-the-line of the 17th century to the Dreadnought-style battleship of the 20th, victory depended on the size, range and firepower of the guns.
• 1st Space Brigade Sends 3 Teams in Theater Army News 06 Apr 2011 -- The 1st Space Brigade recently hosted a farewell ceremony at the Peterson Air Force Base theater for 16 Soldiers who will deploy into U.S. Central Command theater of operations to support overseas contingency operations.
• Gates Expects Troops to Take 'Don't Ask' Repeal in Stride AFPS 07 Apr 2011 -- As the services conduct training to pave the way for implementing repeal of the law that bans gay men and lesbians from serving openly in the military, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told soldiers here today that he expects service members will take the change in stride.
• Secretary Discusses Women in Combat, Keeping Leaders AFPS 07 Apr 2011 -- The policy on women serving in combat hasn't kept up with reality, and the military needs to find ways to keep its young, combat-seasoned leaders, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told soldiers here today.
• Probe into Russian Su-27 jet crash could take 30 days RIA Novosti 07 Apr 2011 -- It would take Russian investigators at least a month to establish the cause of an accident with a Su-27SM Flanker fighter jet that crashed in Russia's Far East on Wednesday, a military source said.
• New cruise missile production line to be launched: Vahidi IRNA 07 Apr 2011 -- Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi said here on Thursday that a new production line of cruise missile will be launched in the current Iranian calendar year.
• Chinese aircraft carrier could threaten Taiwan: Navy veteran CNA 07 Apr 2011 -- China's first aircraft carrier could be assigned to its South China Sea fleet, allowing it to move in areas surrounding southern and eastern Taiwan, a scenario that would pose 'a certain threat' to the country, a Navy veteran said Thursday.
• April 7, 2011 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 07 Apr 2011
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney and Deputy Director for Management at the Office of Management and Budget Jeff Zients, 4/7/2011 The White House 07 Apr 2011

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for April 07, 2011
• BAE SYSTEMS RECEIVES ORDER TO DELIVER 40 MK 38 GUN SYSTEMS TO THE U.S. NAVY BAE Systems 07 Apr 2011 -- BAE Systems has received a one-year award from the U.S. Navy to deliver 40 Mk 38 Mod 2 Gun Systems in 2011 and 2012. This will increase the total number of Mk 38 Mod 2 Systems in the Navy's fleet to more than 220. This is the first year of a four-year Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract, with a total value of more than $165 million.
• BAE Systems Selected to Demonstrate Tactical Laser System for the U.S. Navy BAE Systems 07 Apr 2011 -- BAE Systems has received a contract valued at $2.8 million from the U.S. Navy to demonstrate a Tactical Laser System (TLS) that can be integrated with existing U.S. Navy gun mounts.
• BAE Systems Wins U.S. Navy Ship Repair Contract for Six Ticonderoga Class Guided Missile Cruisers BAE Systems 07 Apr 2011 -- BAE Systems Ship Repair has been awarded a multi-ship, multi-option (MSMO) dry dock contract by the U.S. Navy to maintain six Ticonderoga class (CG 47) guided missile cruisers, either home-ported in or visiting the Norfolk, Virginia area. Included in the five-year contract is the execution planning, modernization, maintenance and repair work for the USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55), USS San Jacinto (CG 56), USS Normandy (CG 60), USS Monterey (CG 61), USS Anzio (CG 68) and USS Vella Gulf (CG 72).
• Oshkosh Defense to Provide HEMTT Underbody Armor Kits, LVSRs to Support Recovery Missions Oshkosh 07 Apr 2011 -- Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK), will deliver more than 400 underbody armor protection kits for the Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT) A4 vehicles following its first order for the armor from the U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command (LCMC).
• British Team Completes 600mph Ejection Tests for F-35 Aircraft BAE Systems 07 Apr 2011 -- A British industry team led by BAE Systems has completed the final tests on the ejection or escape system for all variants of the F-35 Lightning II combat aircraft. The system has been certified as safe for flight after a series of rigorous tests. The escape system, used in emergency situations, ensures pilots can eject safely and will be fitted to all 3000+ F-35 aircraft which will be flown by armed forces across the globe.
• EADS North America expands Space and related product activities in the U.S. EADS 07 Apr 2011 -- EADS North America today announced that it has further integrated and expanded the company's Space and related product activities in the U.S., supporting government agencies, private sector customers and academia.
• A400M contract amendment finalised with customer nations EADS 07 Apr 2011 -- EADS and Airbus welcome the conclusion of contract amendment negotiations with OCCAR and the seven A400M launch customer nations.
• Northrop Grumman Navigation Capabilities Exceed Requirements for Automated Aerial Refueling Program Flight Tests Northrop Grumman 07 Apr 2011 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) Relative Navigation system exceeded accuracy requirements during recent flight tests for the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory's Automated Aerial Refueling (AAR) program. The tests were conducted in collaboration with the Air Force Flight Test Center's Test Operations Combined Test Force, the 190th Air Refueling Wing of the Kansas Air National Guard and the Calspan Corporation.
• SLAMRAAM Successfully Intercepts Targets in Two Test Firings Raytheon 07 Apr 2011 -- Raytheon Company's (NYSE: RTN) SLAMRAAM (Surface Launched Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile) system successfully destroyed an unmanned aerial vehicle target and intercepted a cruise missile target at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. The limited user test-firing data will be used to validate key system capabilities and potential enhancements in addition to providing operational assessment.

Other Conflicts

• 7 April 2011 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 07 Apr 2011
• Vital lifeline opens up for trapped Libyans as UN vessel arrives with aid UN News Centre 07 Apr 2011 -- A United Nations ship carrying life-saving food, medical supplies, doctors and other relief items arrived today at the Libyan port of Misrata, opening up a humanitarian lifeline to civilians trapped in an area that has seen continuous and heavy fighting between forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Al-Qadhafi and rebels seeking his ouster.
• Concerned at worsening plight of civilians, Ban urges end to attacks by Libyan forces UN News Centre 07 Apr 2011 -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on Libyan forces to halt their attacks on civilians amid the deteriorating humanitarian situation in several cities across the North African nation, including Misrata, Brega and Zintan.
• EGYPT-LIBYA: Stranded at the border - and frustrated IRIN 07 Apr 2011 -- Liberian migrant James Saah, 40, sells bottles of perfume and soap from a makeshift stall in no-man's land between Libya and Egypt, near the Egyptian border town of Saloum. He fled Libya, where he was working in a foundry, three weeks ago, and is fed up.
• Press Conference by Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator on Situation in Côte d'Ivoire United Nations 07 Apr 2011
• Ouattara Orders Blockade of Ivorian Presidential Residence VOA 07 Apr 2011 -- Forces backing Ivory Coast's internationally recognized president, Alassane Ouattaraare, are blockading the presidential compound where the country's incumbent leader is refusing to surrender.
• UN's Ban: Ivory Coast's Gbagbo Must Go VOA 07 Apr 2011 -- As clashes continue in Ivory Coast, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has again demanded that embattled incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo cease efforts to cling to power. Ban met with members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Thursday on Capitol Hill.
• Top UN relief official sounds alarm after 'deeply troubling' visit to Côte d'Ivoire UN News Centre 07 Apr 2011 -- The United Nations relief chief sounded the alarm today about the humanitarian situation inside Côte d'Ivoire, saying emergency aid is needed now to help hundreds of thousands of civilians caught up in the deadly violence that has engulfed the West African country.
• Ouattara Forces Resume Fight for Presidential Residence in Ivory Coast VOA 07 Apr 2011 -- Forces backing Ivory Coast's internationally recognized president are fighting for control of the presidential residence where the country's incumbent leader is refusing to surrender.
• Israeli PM: Missile Defense System Shoots Down 2 Rockets VOA 07 Apr 2011 -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country's new missile defense system has successfully shot down two rockets fired into Israel from Gaza.
• UN chief voices concern at escalating violence in Gaza and southern Israel UN News Centre 07 Apr 2011 -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon voiced concern today at the escalating violence in the Middle East, with Palestinian militants firing rockets into southern Israel and Israeli military forces carrying out subsequent strikes in the Gaza Strip.
• Israel Shells Gaza Following School Bus Strike VOA 07 Apr 2011 -- Israeli troops have shelled targets in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, after suspected Gaza militants fired a projectile that hit a school bus in southern Israel, wounding two people.
• Kenya, Somalia Strengthen Ties to Stabilize Somalia, Region VOA 07 Apr 2011 -- With the mandate of Somalia's Transitional Federal Government due to expire in August, Somali Prime Minister Mohammed Abdullahi Mohammed was in Nairobi Thursday to discuss regional security with his Kenyan counterpart, Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
• Preventing genocide only real way to honour Rwandan victims - Ban UN News Centre 07 Apr 2011 -- The only way to truly honour the memory of the more than 800,000 people who perished in Rwanda 17 years ago is to ensure that such tragedies never occur again, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, as the United Nations observed the annual day of remembrance of the victims of the genocide.

News Reports

• Fukushima Plant Operator: Nitrogen Pumping Operation Going Well VOA 07 Apr 2011 -- A plan to inject nitrogen into the containment vessel around reactor 1 at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant appears to be working, the plant owner said Thursday. Higher pressure levels have been measured inside the vessel, indicating the nitrogen is going in as intended.
• US Envoy Criticizes Proposed Cuts of US Funds to UN VOA 07 Apr 2011 -- The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, warned Thursday that the United States will lose influence abroad, if Congress approves a proposal to withhold funding for the global body. She also said Washington is pushing to nullify a recent U.N. human rights report that was critical of Israel's actions in Gaza.
• Official: 284 mln drug addicts spend $320 bln on drugs annually RIA Novosti 07 Apr 2011 -- There are over 284 million drug addicts worldwide who spend about $320 billion a year to buy illegal narcotics, the head of Mexico's federal police said.
• Niger: Ban welcomes 'landmark' inauguration of democratically elected President UN News Centre 07 Apr 2011 -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed today's inauguration of a democratically elected President in Niger, describing it as a 'landmark achievement' in restoring constitutional order in the poor West African nation.
• International Criminal Court judge warns Kenyan suspects on incitement UN News Centre 07 Apr 2011 -- 7 April 2011 – A judge at the International Criminal Court (ICC) today warned suspects accused of being involved in post-election violence in Kenya three years ago that arrest warrants could be issued against them if they instigated further unrest through inflammatory speech.
• Amnesty International: Many Bahraini Protesters Shot, Some at Close Range VOA 07 Apr 2011 -- The global rights group Amnesty International has a fact-finding team in Bahrain this week. Members have been meeting with government officials, human rights advocates and opposition members in an effort to investigate reports that the government used undue force in its crackdown on protesters.
• Ukraine President Urges Modernization, 'Democratic System' In Annual Address RFE/RL 07 Apr 2011 -- Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has presented his annual state-of-the-nation address to parliament, emphasizing the need to modernize, combat corruption, and maintain Ukraine's neutral status.
• Russia looks to grab half of world space launch market RIA Novosti 07 Apr 2011 -- Russia needs to increase its presence on the global space market and increase its share of launches from 40% to 50%, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.
• Putin touts Russia's growing investment in space programs RIA Novosti 07 Apr 2011 -- The Russian government earmarked about 200 billion rubles ($7 billion) in funding for space programs in 2010-11, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.
• NASA plans to use ISS in preparation for flights to Mars RIA Novosti 07 Apr 2011 -- The work on the International Space Station will be the focus of the U.S. human space program for the next decade and it will be the first step in preparation for future manned flights to Mars, the head of NASA said.
• Russian Soyuz spacecraft docks with orbital station RIA Novosti 07 Apr 2011 -- The Russian Soyuz TMA-21 piloted spacecraft docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday, Russia's Mission Control said.
• One Year Later, Kyrgyz Revolution Under Threat RFE/RL 07 Apr 2011 -- Shots fired by government forces rang out over the voices of protesters in Kyrgyzstan's capital, Bishkek, one year ago today, marking the start of the uprising that toppled President Kurmanbek Bakiev.
• Supporters Of Ousted President 'Seek Revenge,' Kyrgyz Prime Minister Warns RFE/RL 07 Apr 2011 -- Kyrgyzstan's prime minister has used the anniversary of the unrest that led to President Kurmbanek Bakiev's ouster to warn of possible 'revenge' attempts by the former leader's supporters.
• Russia hands over new declassified Katyn massacre files to Poland RIA Novosti 07 Apr 2011 -- The Russian Prosecutor General's Office handed over to Poland on Thursday 11 volumes of declassified documents related to the massacre of over 20,000 Polish prisoners of war in Western Russia in 1940, a spokesman for the prosecutor's office said.
• Global food prices fall, but still significantly higher than a year ago - UN UN News Centre 07 Apr 2011 -- Food prices have dropped for the first time after eight months of continuous rise, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported today, pointing out, however, that the prices are still 37 per cent higher than they were in March of last year.