Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 31 Jul 2012 [PDF]
• Airstrike Kills Several Insurgents in Afghanistan AFPS 31 Jul 2012 -- An Afghan and coalition security force called in an airstrike that killed several insurgents during an operation to arrest a Taliban leader in the Muqer district of Afghanistan's Ghazni province.
• Press Briefing by Major General Stephen Day, Deputy Chief of Staff Plans, ISAF Joint Command NATO 31 Jul 2012
• French Hand Over Base In Afghanistan RFE/RL 31 Jul 2012 -- French troops have handed over their military base near Kabul to the Afghan National Army as part of the pullout of 2,000 French combat soldiers by the end of the year.
• ISAF Troops Reportedly Blew up Vacated Bases RIA Novosti 31 Jul 2012 -- Foreign forces in Afghanistan destroyed installations at two of their military bases in Faryab province rather than turn them over to President Hamid Karzai's forces, the Taliban said in a statement.
• Crocker: Afghanistan on Track for Next Stage in Development AFPS 31 Jul 2012 -- Afghanistan is on the right trajectory to move to the next stage in its development, U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan C. Crocker said.
• US Diplomats: Afghan, Pakistan Engagement Necessary VOA 31 Jul 2012 -- President Barack Obama's nominees for the next U.S. ambassadors to Pakistan and Afghanistan testified before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
• Pakistan, US Sign NATO Supply Deal VOA 31 Jul 2012 -- Pakistani and U.S. officials have formally signed an agreement allowing NATO supply trucks to travel through Pakistan into Afghanistan through the end of 2015.
• U.S., Pakistan Sign New NATO-Supply Agreement RFE/RL 31 Jul 2012 -- Pakistan and the United States have signed a deal regulating the shipment of U.S. troop supplies to and from Afghanistan.
• U.S., Pakistan Formalize NATO Transit Deal RIA Novosti 31 Jul 2012 -- The United States and Pakistan signed on Tuesday a deal formalizing an agreement on NATO supplies to Afghanistan through Pakistani territory.
• Making money without marijuana: Afghan farmers enabled to grow legal crops Army News 31 Jul 2012 -- With assistance from the U.S. Agency for International Development and U.S. Army civil affairs, farmers in Afghanistan now network with traders to sell legal crops.
• Reserve aerial firefighting aircraft return to Colorado AFNS 31 Jul 2012 -- A favorable fire outlook has prompted the U.S. Forest Service to allow the 302nd Airlift Wing's two Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System-equipped C-130 Hercules to return.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Eighth Army charts revolutionary mission change Army News 31 Jul 2012 -- The U.S. Army's top operational headquarters in South Korea is charting a revolutionary mission change as the U.S. military shifts its focus to the Asia Pacific region.
• Minju Joson on Projected U.S.-South Korea Joint Military Exercises KCNA 31 Jul 2012 -- The U.S. and south Korea announced that they would kick off Ulji Freedom Guardian joint military exercises across south Korea on August 20.
• F-22 Raptors deploy to Kadena AFNS 31 Jul 2012 -- F-22A Raptors from the 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., deployed to Kadena Air Base, Japan, and arrived July 28 local time.
• Pacom Weighs Pre-Prepositioning Logistics for Disaster Response AFPS 31 Jul 2012 -- PACOM is eyeing opportunities to pre-position some of the logistics assets being drawn down in Afghanistan to support a future disaster response or other contingency in the Asia-Pacific region.
• Reservists Support Naval Expeditionary Force Intelligence During RIMPAC 2012 NNS 31 Jul 2012 -- As exercise Rim of the Pacific 2012 entered the final weeks, a coordinated tactical phase, designed by a Navy Reserve intelligence team, helped drive the scenario.
• Army developing new aircraft maintenance technologies at research lab Army News 31 Jul 2012 -- Researchers at the Army's corporate laboratory are testing new technologies it created for the Federal Aviation Administration that could give commercial and military maintenance programs earlier warning of problems.
• Tennessee Battalion Readies to Train Jordanian Army Army News 31 Jul 2012 -- The 181st Field Artillery Battalion recently mobilized, trained and deployed to the country of Jordan, to provide infantry and border security trainer mentor assistance to the Jordanian Army.
• Blue Ridge Welcomes 25th Commanding Officer NNS 31 Jul 2012 -- USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) held a change of command ceremony July 27.
• USS Emory S. Land and USS Buffalo Visit Thailand NNS 31 Jul 2012 -- Submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) arrived in Pattaya, Thailand for a port call July 27.
• Hellenic Naval Officers Embark USS Farragut NNS 31 Jul 2012 -- Two Hellenic naval officers arrived aboard USS Farragut as part of a midshipmen foreign exchange program, July 23.
• Combat Cargo takes on full-size responsibility USMC News 31 Jul 2012 -- The Peleliu Amphibious Ready Group faces a full-sized logistical challenge every time they prepare to leave port.
• Carr Celebrates 27th Anniversary since Commissioning NNS 31 Jul 2012 -- USS Carr celebrated the 27th anniversary of her commissioning July 27, which occurred at Todd Pacific Shipyards in Seattle, Washington.
• Navy Extends Voluntary Sea Duty Program, Considers High Year Tenure Waivers NNS 31 Jul 2012 -- The Navy is extending the Voluntary Sea Duty Program for an additional year and adding High Year Tenure waiver consideration as an incentive for senior enlisted Sailors who volunteer.
• NAVFAC Southeast Awards $7.5 million Contract to Small Business NNS 31 Jul 2012 -- Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast awarded a $7.5 million contract to The R-A-M Professional Group, July 26, a small business out of Jacksonville, Fla., for professional planning services throughout NAVFAC Southeast's area of responsibility (AOR).
• Panetta to Discuss Iran with Israeli Allies AFPS 31 Jul 2012 -- U.S. defense officials will discuss the threat Iran poses to the Middle East and the world with Israeli officials during a visit to the close Middle Eastern ally today.
• Russia Considers New Benefits for Army Conscripts RIA Novosti 31 Jul 2012 -- In a move to make army service more attractive for citizens and cut the number of conscription dodgers, the Russian government is considering additional benefits for army conscripts, including easier access to higher education in Russia and abroad, as well as to state civil sector jobs, Russian daily Izvestia reported on Tuesday.
• RAF Kinloss becomes Kinloss Barracks UK MOD 31 Jul 2012 -- RAF Kinloss marked the end of an era last week as the base was handed over to the Army and became Kinloss Barracks.
• Chinese Naval Boats Enter Black Sea For First Time RFE/RL 31 Jul 2012 -- Officials at the Russian and Ukrainian defense ministries say Chinese naval vessels have entered the Black Sea for the first time ever.
• MOD experts to help Iraqis destroy legacy chemical weapons UK MOD 31 Jul 2012 -- Scientists from the Ministry of Defence are to provide training which will support the Iraqi Government's efforts to dispose of remnants of the chemical weapons amassed during Saddam Hussein's regime.
• Daily Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney, 7/31/12 The White House 31 Jul 2012
• U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing, July 31, 2012 US Dept. of State 31 Jul 2012

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for July 31, 2012

Other Conflicts

• Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, 31 July 2012 United Nations 31 Jul 2012
• Russia Upgrades Status of Syrian Conflict RIA Novosti 31 Jul 2012 -- The Russian government has upgraded the status of the Syrian conflict, adding the country to the list of nations 'in the state of emergency or military conflict,' in line with a decree issued by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.
• Clashes Between Army, Opposition Continue in Aleppo RIA Novosti 31 Jul 2012 -- The Syrian army continues its crackdown on opposition forces in Aleppo, the country's industrial and financial center, Syria's state TV reported on Tuesday.
• Fighting Continues in Syria VOA 31 Jul 2012 -- Syrian opposition activists have reported widespread clashes Tuesday, including continued fighting in the country's largest city, Aleppo.
• Number of Syrians displaced by conflict continues to rise, UN refugee agency reports UN News Centre 31 Jul 2012 -- With armed violence continuing unabated in parts of Syria, thousands of people are fleeing their homes on a daily basis.
• Israel Charges Golan Heights Man with Espionage for Syria RIA Novosti 31 Jul 2012 -- A Druze resident of the Golan Heights have been charged with spying for Syria, Israel's Shin Bet internal security service said in a statement.
• Taiwan wants to join code of conduct discussion over South China Sea CNA 31 Jul 2012 -- Taiwan should be included in the discussion of the code of the conduct for the South China Sea.
• Taiwan reasserts sovereignty over South China Sea islands CNA 31 Jul 2012 -- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reasserted Taiwan's sovereignty over islands in the South China Sea, following news that Japan will help the Philippines boost its maritime security mechanisms.
• ECOWAS to Visit Mali as Government Formation Deadline Passes VOA 31 Jul 2012 -- An official of the Economic Community of West African States said a team of the sub-regional bloc and its partners is scheduled to visit Mali to assess the progress of the formation of a coalition government demanded by regional leaders.
• Ahead of visit to region, UN refugee chief calls for increased support for displaced Malians UN News Centre 31 Jul 2012 -- A United Nations top official today urged the international community to boost its support for the hundreds of thousands of Malian refugees who have fled to neighbouring countries due to recent violence.
• Mali Government Condemns Islamist Executions in North VOA 31 Jul 2012 -- Mali's interim government has condemned the stoning death of two people by Islamist militants who control the country's north.
• Tens of Thousands Flee North Kivu VOA 31 Jul 2012 -- The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, says that since April, its staff on the ground has witnessed tens of thousands of people fleeing their homes in the North Kivu province of eastern DRC.
• Security Council extends mandate of UN-African Union Darfur peacekeepers UN News Centre 31 Jul 2012 -- The Security Council extended for another year the mandate of the joint United Nations-African Union peacekeeping force in Darfur.
• UN Renews Darfur Force, Cuts Troops VOA 31 Jul 2012 -- The United Nations Security Council extended the mandate for the U.N.-African Union peacekeeping force in Sudan's Darfur region, but the Council voted to reduce the number of U.N. troops and police in Darfur.
• KENYA: Dadaab fire highlights emergency preparedness gap IRIN 31 Jul 2012 -- Large quantities of foodstuffs and other goods were destroyed by a fire on 29 July at the main market in one of the camps making up Dadaab refugee complex in eastern Kenya.
• Côte d'Ivoire: human rights-based solutions key to resolving displacement, says UN expert UN News Centre 31 Jul 2012 -- Internally displaced persons in Côte d'Ivoire need durable solutions based on a human rights approach to be able to rebuild their lives, a United Nations independent expert said today.

News Reports

• Executive Order - Authorizing Additional Sanctions With Respect To Iran The White House 31 Jul 2012
• Message - Authorizing Additional Sanctions With Respect To Iran The White House 31 Jul 2012
• Statement by the President on the Announcement of Additional Sanctions Related to Iran The White House 31 Jul 2012
• Fact Sheet: Sanctions Related to Iran The White House 31 Jul 2012
• Obama Imposes New Sanctions on Iran VOA 31 Jul 2012 -- President Barack Obama has announced new sanctions on Iran, just as the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate are preparing to introduce their own legislation.
• U.S. Announces New Sanctions Against Iran RFE/RL 31 Jul 2012 -- The United Sates has imposed sanctions on banks in China and Iraq that the White House says have helped Iran evade international sanctions.
• U.S. Lawmakers Reach Agreement On Tougher Iran Sanctions RFE/RL 31 Jul 2012 -- Negotiators from the U.S. House and Senate have reached agreement on a new round of sanctions against Iran.
• Clinton Africa Trip Seen as Move to Counter Chinese Influence VOA 31 Jul 2012 -- US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is scheduled to meet Senegal President Macky Sall Wednesday at the state of her six-nation Africa visit.
• China Dismisses US Religious Freedom Report VOA 31 Jul 2012 -- China's state media are lashing out at the United States for releasing a report saying that religious freedom deteriorated in China in the past year.
• DPRK Will Answer U.S. Moves for New War with Sacred War KCNA 31 Jul 2012 -- The army and people of the DPRK will answer the U.S. moves for a new war with a just and sacred war to firmly defend the dignity of the nation and put an end to the history of division.
• DPRK Will Take Corresponding Measures against Terrorism: CPRK KCNA 31 Jul 2012 -- The Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea issued the following statement.
• FM Spokesman on at U.S. Anti-DPRK Smear Campaign KCNA 31 Jul 2012 -- A spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK issued the following statement.
• Choe Yong Rim Visits Flood-hit Areas KCNA 31 Jul 2012 -- DPRK Premier Choe Yong Rim went to Songchon County to acquaint himself with the state of rehabilitation from flood damage.
• UN Aid Workers Assess North Korea's Flooded Regions VOA 31 Jul 2012 -- A U.N. humanitarian agency says it has sent aid workers to two North Korean regions hit by severe floods to determine the need for relief supplies.
• India's 7 states plunge into darkness as Northern Grid collapsed: Report IRNA 31 Jul 2012 -- India's seven states plunged into darkness for 8-9 hours as Northern Grid collapses on Monday at 0200 hours (IST) Indian Standard Time. Around 370 million people were affected.
• India Blackout Affects over 670 Mln People RIA Novosti 31 Jul 2012 -- A major power outage in India affected about 670 million people on Tuesday, a day after huge grid failures first gripped Asia's third-largest economy, NDTV channel reported.
• Half of India Suffers Massive Power Outage VOA 31 Jul 2012 -- India suffered a second day of a massive power breakdown that affected nearly half the country on Tuesday. India experienced its worst-ever power crisis, leaving more than 650 million people without electricity.
• Reactor Shutdown in South Korea Raises Blackout Fears VOA 31 Jul 2012 -- As northern India suffers another problem with widespread power outages affecting hundreds of millions of people, there are concerns South Korea that it could also face blackouts in the coming weeks.
• Tymoshenko Tax Evasion Trial Postponed Again RFE/RL 31 Jul 2012 -- A court in Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine has again postponed the tax-evasion trial of jailed former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
• Ukraine's Controversial Language Bill Goes to President RIA Novosti 31 Jul 2012 -- The controversial bill granting the Russian language official status in about half of Ukraine's regions, has been submitted for signature to the president of Ukraine, the country's parliament said on its website on Tuesday.
• Press Round Table with Secretary Panetta and Ambassador Patterson in Cairo, Egypt DoD 31 Jul 2012
• Panetta: New Egyptian President is 'His Own Man' AFPS 31 Jul 2012 -- Egyptian President Muhammad Mursi 'is his own man' and is committed to implementing democratic reforms in his country, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said here today.
• UN envoy in Iraq urges authorities to avoid violence in relocating Iranian exiles from camp UN News Centre 31 Jul 2012 -- The UN top official in the Middle Eastern country urged the authorities to avoid violence in resolving the situation of more than 1,000 Iranian exiles currently located in a camp in Iraq.
• Russian Space Freighter Departs From Orbital Station RIA Novosti 31 Jul 2012 -- Russian Progress M-15M cargo spacecraft undocked early on Tuesday from the International Space Station (ISS) to depart on a three-week scientific mission before being buried in the Pacific.