Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Obama Praises Progress In Afghanistan RFE/RL 05 May 2012 -- U.S. President Barack Obama has called for renewed focus on "nation building" at home after a decade of war in Afghanistan.
• Obama Praises Military, Highlights 'New Chapter in Afghanistan' AFPS 05 May 2012 -- In his weekly address today, President Barack Obama discussed his trip to Afghanistan, where he signed a historic agreement setting the stage for a long-term partnership.
• Panetta Notes Afghanistan Progress in Wide-ranging Interview AFPS 05 May 2012 -- Progress in Afghanistan was among the topics Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta discussed in a wide-ranging interview this week with Bloomberg Television's Judy Woodruff.
• Building Afghanistan Army News 05 May 2012 -- Learning from the past and doing the right things in the right way for Afghanistan are the center of a joint NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan, Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers decision to implement more austere construction standards in Afghanistan.
• U.S. spy aircraft kills 10 in NW Pakistan IRNA 05 May 2012 -- A U.S. spy aircraft fired missiles into a house in Pakistan's North Waziristan tribal region and killed at least 10 people early Saturday morning, tribesmen said.
• Pakistan condemns U.S. drone attack IRNA 05 May 2012 -- Pakistan has condemned in the strongest terms the U.S. drone attacks in North Waziristan Saturday morning, which killed at least 10 people, the Foreign Ministry said.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Defendants Refuse to Respond at 9/11 Arraignment AFPS 05 May 2012 -- Five defendants facing arraignment here today in what has been called the biggest post-9/11 terrorism case refused to respond to the judge in court.
• Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Other '9/11 Masterminds' in Court RIA Novosti 05 May 2012 -- The arraignment of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other people accused of masterminding the 9/11 attacks in the United States got complicated when they appeared before a U.S. military court at Guantanamo to be charged on Saturday, the BBC reported.
• 9/11 Attack Mastermind, Co-Plotters Arraigned at Guantanamo VOA 05 May 2012 -- The arraignment hearing for the five Guantanamo detainees accused of plotting the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States hit a snag Saturday, as the suspects carried out what appeared to be a silent protest against the proceedings.
• ACC confident in F-22 AFNS 05 May 2012 -- Gen. Mike Hostage, commander of Air Combat Command, talked with media here April 30 about the national security imperative for the F-22, the status of efforts to identify a root cause for unexplained physiological incidents, and risk mitigation efforts since the Raptor's return to flying operations in September 2011.
• Thousands treated, partnerships formed during Operation Pacific Angel-Laos AFNS 05 May 2012 -- Thirty American military members, along with partners from the Lao People's Democratic Republic and the U.S. Embassy, treated more than 3,650 patients, renovated five health clinics and schools, and shared medical and engineering expertise with each other during Operation Pacific Angel-Laos here, April 23-28 .
• Security forces enhances situational awareness with Arctic command, control innovation AFNS 05 May 2012 -- Airmen at Thule Air Base are adopting a new land mobile radio system, enhancing their communications capabilities.
• Russia, Kazakhstan Sign Helicopter Repair Deal RIA Novosti 05 May 2012 -- Russia and Kazakhstan signed an agreement on Saturday to provide after-sale services and repair of Russian helicopters in the Central Asian country.
• Taiwan receives U.S. letter of answer for F-16A/B upgrade CNA 05 May 2012 -- Taiwan's Air Force Command Headquarters said Saturday that it has received a letter of answer from the United States concerning Taiwan's request to upgrade its F-16 jet fighter fleet.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• Russia to Keep Supporting Syrian Peace Settlement Plan RIA Novosti 05 May 2012 -- Russia will keep backing the peaceful settlement plan in Syria, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday.
• UN Mission Chief in Syria Cautiously Optimistic VOA 05 May 2012 -- The U.N. mission in Syria is a small contingent trying to monitor a very large conflict. Violence continues in Homs, Hama, Damascus and elsewhere despite a cease-fire agreed to by the government and the opposition last month.
• Explosions in Syria Leave 5 Dead VOA 05 May 2012 -- A series of explosions rocked Syria Saturday, leaving at least five people dead as a U.N. observer mission continued efforts to monitor a frayed cease-fire between the government and the opposition brokered by international envoy Kofi Annan.

News Reports

• Japan Starts Work to Shut Down Last Reactor RIA Novosti 05 May 2012 -- The Hokkaido Electric Power company has started work to shut down Japan's last nuclear reactor and leave the country nuclear-free, the generator said on Saturday.
• Japan Without Nuclear Power As Last Reactor Shut Down RFE/RL 05 May 2012 -- Japan is without nuclear power as the last of its working reactors has been switched off for routine maintenance checks.
• Calm Returns to Cairo Following Deadly Clashes VOA 05 May 2012 -- Calm returned to Cairo on Saturday after Egypt's military rulers imposed an overnight curfew following clashes Friday that left a soldier dead and about 300 people injured.
• Russia Develops Revolutionary Ammonia Rocket Engine RIA Novosti 05 May 2012 -- Power engineering manufacturer Energomash has started development of a new rocket engine which could vastly reduce the cost of rocket launches and avoid the need to produce hydrogen for fuel, the makers say.
• U.S. Launches Advanced Military Communications Satellite RIA Novosti 05 May 2012 -- The United States Air Force has launched an advanced communications satellite, the second in a new satellite network designed to improve U.S. ability to control its military forces around the globe, the Space.com online portal reported.