Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Marines continue infrastructure growth in Afghanistan USMC News 14 Apr 2012 -- Marines with Support Company, 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward) worked tirelessly toward the completion of a 12 kilometer stretch of road.

Defense Policy / Programs

• President's Principal Environmental Advisor visits Northwest NNS 14 Apr 2012 -- President Barack Obama's principal environmental advisor and Chair of the White House council on environmental quality, visited Naval Base Kitsap (NBK) Bangor, April 13.
• State Contract for Borey-Class Submarines Faces Delays RIA Novosti 14 Apr 2012 -- A contract to build Borey class submarines, the most costly of the 2012 state defense orders, faces delays over pricing, the Kommersant daily said on Saturday citing shipbuilding and defense sources.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• At Least Seven Die in Syria's Protest Crackdown RIA Novosti 14 Apr 2012 -- At least seven people were killed in various Syrian cities during opposition protests on Friday, Arab media reported citing opposition sources.
• Syrian Forces 'Shell Homs,' Break Truce - Activists RIA Novosti 14 Apr 2012 -- Syrian troops shelled two central districts of the battered city of Homs throughout the night, al Jazeera television reported on Saturday, citing activists.
• UN Security Council Adopts Plan to Send Observers to Syria RIA Novosti 14 Apr 2012 -- The UN Security Council unanimously adopted on Saturday the draft resolution to send a group of unarmed observers to Syria to oversee the ceasefire, CNN reported in a live coverage from the 15-nation meeting.
• Syria: Security Council authorizes deployment of advance military observer team UN News Centre 14 Apr 2012 -- The Security Council today authorized the sending of an advance team of up to 30 unarmed military observers to Syria to report on the implementation of a full cessation of armed violence, pending the deployment of a United Nations supervision mission that will be tasked with monitoring the ceasefire.
• UN Sending Truce Observers to Syria VOA 14 Apr 2012 -- The United Nations Security Council unanimously gave the go ahead Saturday for a small group of observers to be deployed to Syria to monitor a fragile truce between the government and armed opposition fighters. Some last-minute negotiations were required to win the full 15-nation council's approval.
• Ban repeats appeal for end to conflict in conversation with Sudan's foreign minister UN News Centre 14 Apr 2012 -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today spoke with Sudan's Foreign Minister Ali Ahmed Karti and emphasized the need for an immediate de-escalation of the ongoing conflict with South Sudan, noting that there can be no military solution to the dispute.
• Sudan's Army Moves on Oil Town Seized by South Sudan VOA 14 Apr 2012 -- Sudan says it has launched a counterattack toward a key town in a major oil-producing region, occupied earlier this week by South Sudanese forces.

News Reports

• N.Korea Wastes Millions on Rockets while People Starve - Obama RIA Novosti 14 Apr 2012 -- U.S. President Barack Obama lashed at the North Korean leadership on Saturday for spending millions of dollars on rockets 'that don't work,' while the country's population is 'starving.'
• Kim Jong Un Issues Order on Promoting Military Ranks of KPA Commanding Officers KCNA 14 Apr 2012 -- Kim Jong Un, supreme commander of the Korean People's Army, on Friday issued Order No. 009 on promoting the military ranks of KPA commanding officers.
• National Meeting Marks Centenary of Birth of President Kim Il Sung KCNA 14 Apr 2012 -- A national meeting took place with splendor at Kim Il Sung Stadium here Saturday to celebrate the centenary of birth of President Kim Il Sung.
• Russia, China stress diplomatic resolution of Iran's nuclear issue IRNA 14 Apr 2012 -- Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov underscored diplomatic resolution of Iran's nuclear issue at a joint media interaction after their meeting here on Friday.
• Ashton says 5+1 carries new strategy in ongoing talks with Iran IRNA 14 Apr 2012 -- The European Union Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton said the 5+1 will appear in the nuclear talks in Istanbul with a new strategy.
• Iran's knockout response to any invasion, army commander IRNA 14 Apr 2012 -- Iran's Army Commander Major General Ataollah Salehi said on Saturday that the country's armed forces will give a knockout response to any invasion in the twinkling of an eye.
• First round of talks between Iran and G5+1 ends IRNA 14 Apr 2012 -- The first round of talks between Iran and the G5+1 ended in Istanbul on Saturday.
• Ashton's spokesman: 1st round of Iran-G5+1 talks constructive IRNA 14 Apr 2012 -- Spokesman for The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherin Ashton on Saturday described the 2.5-hour plenary session of Iran-G5+1 talks in Istanbul as constructive.
• Iran Nuclear Talks Start In Istanbul RFE/RL 14 Apr 2012 -- EU officials say that talks between Iran and six world powers in Istanbul on Tehran's nuclear program have begun in a 'positive atmosphere.'
• Iran, World Powers Resume Nuclear Talks RIA Novosti 14 Apr 2012 -- Six world powers and Iran launched a new round of talks on Saturday in a bid to end the deadlock over the country's disputed nuclear program, al Jazeera television reported.
• Finnish Professor Charged with Spying for Russia RIA Novosti 14 Apr 2012 -- Authorities in Denmark have charged a Finnish academic with aiding alleged Russian spies in Copenhagen, Finland's national broadcaster YLE has said.
• After Coup, Guinea-Bissau Factions Seek Unity Government VOA 14 Apr 2012 -- In Guinea-Bissau, coup leaders have told the country's political leaders to begin forming a military-backed transitional 'government of unity.' This move came less than 48 hours after soldiers seized power and arrested the interim president and his opponent, who were about to begin campaigning for a runoff election later this month. The future of Guinea-Bissau, one of the most unstable countries in West Africa, remains as uncertain as ever.