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Current Operations

• OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 11 Jan 2013 [PDF]
• Afghan Forces Accelerate Taking Security Lead in Country AFPS 13 Jan 2013 -- Afghan forces will take the lead for security throughout Afghanistan this spring rather than at mid-year, President Barack Obama announced at a White House news conference today.
• Obama, Karzai Agree on Foreign Support Role VOA 11 Jan 2013 -- U.S. President Barack Obama and President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan have committed to transitioning foreign forces into an advise and support role in the coming months.
• Afghan, Coalition Force Arrests Taliban Leader in Baghlan AFPS 11 Jan 2013 -- A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban leader in the Burkah district of Afghanistan's Baghlan province today, military officials reported.
• Karzai To Meet With Obama RFE/RL 11 Jan 2013 -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai was due to meet with President Barack Obama in Washington for talks on the future of Afghanistan -- including how many U.S. troops will remain in Afghanistan after the planned withdrawal of foreign combat forces at the end of 2014.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Air Force News Briefing by Secretary Donley and General Welsh on the State of the Air Force in the Pentagon Briefing Room DoD 11 Jan 2013 -- Presenter: Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley; General Mark A. Welsh III, Air Force Chief of Staff; and Brigadier General Les Kodlick, Director Of Public Affairs, U.S. Air Force
• Air Force Leaders Call for End to 'Budget Gymnastics' AFPS 13 Jan 2013 -- The government's "ongoing budget gymnastics" are having an effect on service members, Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley said here today.
• Smaller Air Force Will Protect Quality, Readiness AFPS 13 Jan 2013 -- To roll with unprecedented strategic and fiscal challenges, the best path forward for the Air Force is to become smaller to protect a high-quality, ready force, top Air Force officials said today.
• Air Force Leaders Will Deliver Budget Guidance to Force in Days AFPS 13 Jan 2013 -- Air Force leaders will deliver guidance to the force in a few days to begin prudent planning for the uncertain budget environment ahead, Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley said here today.
• State of the AF is 'strong' AFNS 11 Jan 2013 -- The Air Force's top leaders said today the service has accomplished much while dealing with many challenges in the last year.
• AF releases new 'vision' document AFNS 11 Jan 2013 -- The Air Force released a new Vision document today outlining the force's vision and way forward.
• Viability of industrial base concern for Army aviation Army News 11 Jan 2013 -- With already declining budgets, a potential sequester later this year, and a difficult economy, sustaining the industrial base that provides the Army with aircraft and aviation logistics support is a complex problem.
• Army aviation facing 'exciting, uncertain future' Army News 11 Jan 2013 -- The current fiscal environment poses significant challenges for Army aviation, as well as the rest of the Army and the Defense Department, said Lt. Gen. James O. Barclay III, deputy chief of staff, G-8.
• Corps breaks ground on phase 2 of Fort Stewart hospital expansion Army News 11 Jan 2013 -- Officials with Fort Stewart, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District, Winn Army Hospital, and prime contractor McCarthy Building Company broke ground on phase two of a large-scale hospital expansion project, Jan. 10, 2013.
• Conventional, SOF aviation to continue collaboration as Army downsizes Army News 11 Jan 2013 -- Army aviation special operations forces and conventional aviation forces will continue to collaborate and forge bonds that will become tighter as the Army downsizes, SOF and other commanders said today.
• DoD, DHHS conduct joint exercise in preparation of inauguration Army News 11 Jan 2013 -- Members of Joint Task Force -- National Capital Region Medical Command and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services performed a tent fitting exercise at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, on Jan. 3.
• Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Africa Deploys USMC News 11 Jan 2013 -- Marines and sailors with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Africa deployed from Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., Jan. 8, 2013.
• Marines return to amphibious roots USMC News 11 Jan 2013 -- Swimming has been part of the Marine Corps since its birth in 1775. Marines stormed their first beach during the Revolutionary War. They turned the tide in Korea when they landed at Inchon in 1950, and their skill in water remains key today.
• CNO Releases 2013 Message to the Fleet NNS 11 Jan 2013 -- Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert released his New Year video message to the fleet in his blog Jan. 11.
• Fleet Forces, PacFlt Announce Details of Uniform Working Groups NNS 11 Jan 2013 -- Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces (USFF) and Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet (CPF) distributed a message to commanders and commanding officers Jan. 11 that announces the agendas of two uniform working groups.
• Amphibious Force U.S. 7th Fleet Turns 70 NNS 11 Jan 2013 -- The staff of Amphibious Force U.S. 7th Fleet celebrated its 70th anniversary with a ceremony at White Beach Naval Facility.
• US Navy Sub in Persian Gulf Collision RIA Novosti 11 Jan 2013 -- A US nuclear submarine collided with a merchant ship while operating in the Persian Gulf, the US Fifth Fleet said in a statement.
• Sandy Response Reaffirms Value of Dual-status Commanders AFPS 11 Jan 2013 -- The response to Superstorm Sandy reaffirmed the value of a new command structure that Army Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr., the U.S. Northern Command commander, calls one of the most important initiatives to improve defense support of civilian authorities in more than a decade.
• Former Russian Defense Minister Refuses To Answer Questions RFE/RL 11 Jan 2013 -- Former Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov has again refused to answer investigators' questions over a multimillion-dollar property fraud case.
• Russian Navy Holds Syria Exercises RIA Novosti 11 Jan 2013 -- Ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet and Baltic Fleets are to start exercises off the coast of Syria the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday.
• Ex-Defense Minister Serdyukov Declines to Testify RIA Novosti 11 Jan 2013 -- Former Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov refused to testify on Friday when investigators questioned him over a massive fraud case at a state defense firm, citing his Constitutional right not to testify against himself.
• UK Defence ministers visit Armed Forces overseas UK MOD 11 Jan 2013 -- Two UK Defence ministers have travelled to Afghanistan and the Middle East to visit British Service personnel on operations.
• RAF Typhoon aircraft exercise in UAE UK MOD 11 Jan 2013 -- Typhoon aircraft of 6 Squadron have been exercising with a multinational contingent at Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates.
• January 11, 2013 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 11 Jan 2013

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for January 11, 2013

Other Conflicts

• 11 January 2013 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 11 Jan 2013
• UN boosts efforts to help over 600,000 displaced Syrians facing harsh winter conditions UN News Centre 11 Jan 2013 -- The United Nations refugee agency today said today it is implementing measures to help more than 600,000 displaced Syrians weather harsh winter conditions, while warning that the number of people fleeing the violence in the Middle Eastern country continues to grow.
• Brahimi discusses his Syria proposal with Salehi IRNA 11 Jan 2013 -- The UN-Arab League Special Envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi has met and discussed his proposal for the resolution of Syria crisis with the Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi, a diplomat said on Thursday.
• Larijani stresses establishment of peace in Syria IRNA 11 Jan 2013 -- Majlis (Parliament) Speaker Ali Larijani in a message released on Thursday, stressed establishment of peace and stability in Syria and praised Syrian government's role in the release of the kidnapped Iranian pilgrims.
• UN-Arab League envoy urges speedy resolution to end bloodshed in Syria UN News Centre 11 Jan 2013 -- The Joint Special Representative of the United Nations and the Arab League on the Syrian crisis, Lakhdar Brahimi, today renewed his call for a "speedy end" to the bloodshed and destruction in the Middle Eastern country, where tens of thousands of people have died in almost two years of violence.
• Failure of Syria Talks Signal Conflict May Be Long Struggle VOA 11 Jan 2013 -- As senior U.S. and Russian negotiators - along with the United Nations peace envoy - again failed to find a breakthrough in Syria talks on Friday, analysts say a solution could be a long time coming.
• Lebanon Wants Help to Deal With Syrian Refugees VOA 11 Jan 2013 -- The Lebanese government plans to keep its border with Syria open to refugees, but it wants more aid from other Arab states and the international community. To that end, the Lebanese government has called for an urgent meeting of the Arab League in Egypt.
• Syria Talks End With No Breakthrough VOA 11 Jan 2013 -- International envoy Lakhdar Brahimi says talks with senior U.S. and Russian officials in Geneva ended Friday without a breakthrough about how to end the civil war in Syria.
• France Launches Airstrikes in Mali to Support Government VOA 11 Jan 2013 -- France has carried out airstrikes in Mali to support government forces trying to stem advances by Islamist militants.
• MALI: Panic in Mopti as rebels move southward IRIN 11 Jan 2013 -- Following the takeover by Islamist rebels of Konna, a town 55km from Mopti in central Mali, hundreds of residents are fleeing to areas further south, according to eye-witnesses.
• UN Security Council Calls to Speed Up Mali Force Deployment RIA Novosti 11 Jan 2013 -- The UN Security Council called to speed up the deployment of an international military contingent to liberate northern Mali from Islamist rebels and Tuareg separatists.
• Mali: UN Security Council expresses 'grave concern' over reports of rebel military activity UN News Centre 11 Jan 2013 -- The United Nations Security Council has expressed grave concern over the reported military movements and attacks by terrorist and extremist groups in northern Mali, in particular their capture of the city of Konna.
• Foreign Troops Arrive in Mali to Battle Islamists VOA 11 Jan 2013 -- The Malian army says troops from Nigeria, Senegal and France have arrived in the country to help the army battle Islamist militants.
• UN envoy calls on international community to engage more with Central African Republic UN News Centre 11 Jan 2013 -- In the wake of agreements reached today to end a rebellion in the Central African Republic (CAR), the United Nations envoy for the country today said that the international community now needs to engage more forcefully, both diplomatically and financially, to pull the CAR from the brink.
• CAR Rebels Agree to Ceasefire During Peace Talks VOA 11 Jan 2013 -- The rebel coalition that has seized one-third of the Central African Republic (CAR) during its month-long rebellion has agreed to a temporary, one-week ceasefire. The agreement was reached during peace talks with the government that are underway in Gabon. Residents of CAR's capital, Bangui, say they want peace at any cost.
• UN-African Union peacekeeping mission alarmed over tribal fighting in Darfur's Jebel Amer area UN News Centre 11 Jan 2013 -- The United Nations-African Union peacekeeping mission in the Sudanese region of Darfur today expressed alarm over tribal fighting in the Jebel Amer area, which has led to casualties and displaced thousands of people.
• MOFA calls for restraint on disputed islands in East China Sea CNA 11 Jan 2013 -- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Friday called for restraint and rationality in handling the dispute over the Diaoyutai Islands and urged the parties involved not to adopt unilateral action that could heighten tensions in the region.
• ISRAEL-OPT: Aid agencies tread gingerly in Area C IRIN 11 Jan 2013 -- As night descends in the Jordan Valley in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), a family in the village of Ras Al-Ahmar lights a small paraffin lamp in the tent they call home.
• Over 2,000 people flee Myanmar following latest bout of violence in Rakhine state – UN UN News Centre 11 Jan 2013 -- More than 2,000 people have fled Myanmar's northern Rakhine state and Bangladesh on boats run by smugglers putting their lives at risk, the United Nations refugee agency said today, warning that the situation of those displaced by the violence in Rakhine grows more desperate every day.
• Peace Talks Restart in Congolese Dispute VOA 11 Jan 2013 -- Peace talks between the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the M23 rebel group have officially resumed. The restart came days after the rebels announced they would proceed with the dialogue even if the government did not agree to a ceasefire in the disputed area of eastern Congo.
• Pakistan Protests Attacks Along Indian Border VOA 11 Jan 2013 -- Pakistan has lodged a strong protest against what it said are repeated, unacceptable and unprovoked attacks on Pakistani soldiers by the Indian army.

News Reports

• Venezuelans Vow Loyalty to Chavez as He Misses Inauguration RIA Novosti 11 Jan 2013 -- Tens of thousands of Venezuelans swore an oath of loyalty to President Hugo Chavez, who missed his inauguration on Thursday due to health problems, local media reported.
• Iran will defeat enemies in economic war: Speaker IRNA 11 Jan 2013 -- The Islamic Republic of Iran will defeat enemies in economic war, Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said on Friday.
• Pakistan Mourns Hundreds Killed in Multiple Bomb Blasts VOA 11 Jan 2013 -- Pakistan's southwestern province of Baluchistan on Friday declared three days or mourning after multiple bombings there killed almost 100 people and injured dozens more.
• Secretary-General 'strongly condemns' multiple deadly attacks in Pakistan UN News Centre 11 Jan 2013 -- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon "strongly condemns" the multiple attacks that took place in Quetta and the Swat Valley, in Pakistan, which reportedly killed at least 100 people and injured at least 200 more, according to his spokesperson.
• Associate of Arms Dealer Bout Arrested RIA Novosti 11 Jan 2013 -- A US-Syrian man accused of conspiring with convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout has been arrested in Australia at the behest of the United States, which is seeking to extradite the suspect.