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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 24 May 2013 [PDF]
• Three Afghan National Police headquarters facilities now complete in Western Afghanistan Army News 24 May 2013 -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed construction of three Afghan Uniform Police headquarters facilities in Western Afghanistan, well ahead of schedule.
• Breedlove Encourages 'Big-Picture' Focus on Afghanistan AFPS 24 May 2013 -- Media coverage focused on violence and other challenges in Afghanistan loses sight of the larger picture of progress and promising developments, Air Force Gen. Philip M. Breedlove said after returning from his first trip there as supreme allied commander for Europe.
• Afghanistan: UN condemns terrorist attack on partner agency's compound UN News Centre 24 May 2013 -- The top United Nations official in Afghanistan strongly condemned the terrorist attack on a compound of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in central Kabul, which earlier today wounded three of the agency's staff, one seriously.
• Afghan air force improves casualty evacuation capability AFNS 24 May 2013 -- While the Afghan air force continues to take the lead and ownership of combat operations, they have also rapidly risen to the challenge of improving casualty evacuation, or CASEVAC, procedures by using both the Mi-17 helicopter and Cessna 208 aircraft.
• Combined Force Arrests Taliban Facilitator in Kandahar AFPS 24 May 2013 -- An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban facilitator and two other insurgents during an operation in the Dand district of Afghanistan's Kandahar province today, military officials reported.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Obama Pushes to Close Gitmo, Defends Drone Strikes RIA Novosti 24 May 2013 -- US President Barack Obama renewed his commitment to closing the US military detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba during a wide-ranging speech on US counterterrorism policy Thursday, calling on Congress to lift restrictions on transferring detainees at Guantanamo and defending the controversial use of drone strikes overseas as necessary and legal, but announcing new restraints on targeted killings.
• UN human rights expert welcomes shift in President Obama's counter-terrorism policy UN News Centre 24 May 2013 -- An independent United Nations human rights expert has welcomed what he said was a ground-breaking speech by President Barack Obama in which the United States leader laid out principles governing the use of counter-terrorism measures such as targeted killings.
• Pakistan slams US drone strikes as violation of its sovereignty Iran Press TV 24 May 2013 -- Islamabad has reiterated its strong opposition to the ongoing CIA-operated deadly campaign of drone strikes inside Pakistani soil.
• Pakistan Reiterates Opposition to US Drone Strikes VOA 24 May 2013 -- Pakistan has reiterated its opposition to U.S. drone strikes on its territory, after U.S. President Barack Obama justified 'constrained' drone usage to save lives.
• Defense Department Press Briefing on the State of the Air Force in the Pentagon Briefing Room DoD 24 May 2013 -- Presenter: Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley; Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III; and Director of Air Force Public Affairs Brig. Gen. Les Kodlick
• Commission on AF structure to meet AFNS 24 May 2013 -- The National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force will hold its first public hearing Tuesday, June 4th, 2013 in the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, D.C.
• Donley: Sequestration Hits Air Force Readiness, Modernization AFPS 24 May 2013 -- Sequestration has hit the Air Force particularly hard, impacting its force structure, readiness and modernization, senior Air Force leaders said here today.
• DivEast leaders prepare NG Soldiers for U.S./Australia joint mission Army News 24 May 2013 -- When members of the 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, California National Guard, arrive in Afghanistan in a few months, they will join and support the Australian Defense Force in a variety of roles. To prepare the 79th, Lt. Col. Christopher Kuhn, commander of the 158th Infantry Brigade's 3rd Battalion, 315 Engineer Regiment, traveled from Camp Shelby Miss., to Townsville Australia to participate in and observe the Australian's mission rehearsal activity.
• Ohio National Guard unit prepares for complex logistical tasks in Kuwait Army News 24 May 2013 -- Providing all the food, fuel, ammunition, and other supplies across an entire theater of operations is the complex training task the Springfield, Ohio-based 371st Sustainment Brigade has prepared to do here.
• Echo Battery deactivate​s, awaits nation's call USMC News 24 May 2013 -- More than 100 Marines and sailors of Echo Battery, 2nd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, stood at Dewey Square for their last formation together, May 21, 2013.
• Obama: Sexual Assaults Threaten Military Strength VOA 24 May 2013 -- President Barack Obama says he is determined to stop sexual assault in the U.S. military. Obama addressed the problem Friday in a commencement speech at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
• USS Hartford to Receive the 2012 Arleigh Burke Fleet Trophy Award NNS 24 May 2013 -- The Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Hartford (SSN 768) has been named the Atlantic Fleet's recipient of the prestigious Arleigh Burke Fleet Trophy. The announcement was made by Adm. Jonathan Greenert, Chief of Naval Operations, May 17.
• Carter Says Better Buying Power 2.0 Key to Managing Sequestration AFPS 24 May 2013 -- Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter underscored yesterday the importance of the Better Buying Power 2.0 initiative in the wake of sequestration's effects on the Defense Department.
• Kendall: Better Buying Power 2.0 Aims to Improve Acquisition AFPS 24 May 2013 -- The new initiatives outlined in the Defense Department's Better Buying Power 2.0 effort are intended to improve the efficiency of the complicated business of defense acquisition, a senior Pentagon official said yesterday.
• DISA Team Develops New STIG Process AFPS 24 May 2013 -- While recent spotlights have focused on the Defense Information Systems Agency's Field Security Operations approval of Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs) for the latest in enterprise technologies, one approval stands out by representing a paradigm shift in the agency's business processes.
• 9th Engineer Support Battalion prepares for deployment to Afghanistan USMC News 24 May 2013 -- Many Marines have served valiantly during combat operations in Afghanistan. The lessons learned are continuously passed from one generation of Marines to the next, laying the foundation for less experienced Marines to deploy to Afghanistan, complete the mission, and return home safely.
• Sea Knight makes final flight USMC News 24 May 2013 -- A CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262 made its final flight May 20 after flying from Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to Camp Kinser where it will await final disposition.
• USS Antietam Awarded Battle 'E' NNS 24 May 2013 -- The crew of the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Antietam (CG 54) was awarded the 2012 Battle Effectiveness ('E') Award for Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 5, May 21.
• USS George Washington Hosts Inaugural Luncheon to Welcome Carrier Air Wing Five NNS 24 May 2013 -- The food service team aboard the U.S. Navy's forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) hosted an inaugural welcome luncheon for Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 at Naval Air Facility (NAF) Atsugi, Japan, May 22.
• Admiral in Hawaii sends BZ to his forward-deployed ships NNS 24 May 2013 -- Rear Adm. Frank Ponds sent a Bravo Zulu message May 23 to commanding officers and crews of his forward-deployed ships from Hawaii operating in the Seventh Fleet area of operation, USS Chosin (CG 65), USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93) and USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60).
• Russian Navy Shipbuilding Program 'at Risk' - Deputy PM RIA Novosti 24 May 2013 -- The Russian government is ready to step in to sort out the crisis in Russian naval shipbuilding which is threatening to derail the defense procurement program, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said on Friday.
• Russian Defense Contracts Up for Review RIA Novosti 24 May 2013 -- Defense Ministry contracts signed under former Minister Anatoly Serdyukov are to be thoroughly examined and if necessary, audited, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said on Friday.
• Secretary General pays visit to Bucharest for talks with Romanian officials NATO 24 May 2013 -- NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen discussed the Allied-led mission in Afghanistan, Smart Defence and NATO's Open Door policy in talks with top Romanian government officials in Bucharest on Friday (24 May 2013). "Romania is a committed Ally and a strong contributor to our operations," the Secretary General said. "The dedication and determination of your forces is displayed daily in Afghanistan and in Kosovo."
• Demand Grows for Global Ban on 'Killer Robots' VOA 24 May 2013 -- United Nations' special rapporteur on executions has joined calls for a moratorium on so-called 'killer robots' - automated weapons systems which critics fear may one day operate independently from human commanders. It may sound like something from a sci-fi movie - but campaigners say the threat is real and the robots already exist.
• Bullying in Turkish Military Becomes a Human Rights Issue VOA 24 May 2013 -- Violent conduct within the Turkish military was long considered a taboo subject. But the military leadership is now facing serious accusations. More than 900 Turkish soldiers have committed suicide over the past 10 years, and a growing number of families of suicide victims are taking the issue to court.
• Uganda Leader Replaces Army Chief in Succession Dispute VOA 24 May 2013 -- Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has replaced his army chief amid tensions with the military over an alleged plan to install his son as successor.

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for May 24, 2013

Other Conflicts

• 24 May 2013 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 24 May 2013
• How To: Get medical aid kits to Aleppo, Syria IRIN 24 May 2013 -- Getting humanitarian supplies into conflict zones like Syria is no mean feat, often requiring negotiations with warring parties, braving insecurity and facing repeated delays and logistical challenges.
• Concern for Syrians stuck at Jordanian border IRIN 24 May 2013 -- Thousands of people are gathering in villages in southern Syria, unable to seek refuge in Jordan because of insecurity along the border or, according to some, new Jordanian security measures.
• Syria army can conduct successful operations at will: Germany's BND Iran Press TV 24 May 2013 -- Germany's foreign intelligence agency says the Syrian army is capable of conducting successful operations against the foreign-backed militants 'at will.'
• Iran dismisses claims about military presence in Syria Iran Press TV 24 May 2013 -- An Iranian deputy foreign minister has rejected claims about Tehran's military presence in Syria, dismissing the allegations as a "blame game" orchestrated by the Syrian opposition groups.
• Iraqi Volunteers Join Both Sides Of War In Syria RFE/RL 24 May 2013 -- No one knows precisely how many Iraqi volunteers are crossing the border to fight in Syria, but it is clear there are enough to keep a steady stream of corpses returning home for burial.
• Russia Says Syria Government Agrees In Principle To Conference RFE/RL 24 May 2013 -- Russia's Foreign Ministry says Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government has agreed in principle to attend an international peace conference in Geneva proposed by Russia and the United States.
• 5 Obstacles to Peace in Syria RIA Novosti 24 May 2013 -- Ten months after the bloodshed in Syria was formally recognized as a civil war by the Red Cross, Moscow and Washington are finally working together to end it, at least in terms of public diplomacy. The plan is to hold a conference – tentatively scheduled for June – where the Syrian regime and the opposition would negotiate, work out a transitional government and reroute the war into a political settlement.
• Russia: Syria Agrees to Participate in Conference VOA 24 May 2013 -- Russia says the Syrian government has agreed in principle to attend a proposed international peace conference on the country's future.
• In Boko Haram Offensive, Nigerian Forces on Familiar Ground VOA 24 May 2013 -- It has been less than 10 days since the Nigerian military began what it calls a "massive" offensive against Boko Haram, the extremist Islamist militant group that claims ties to al-Qaida and recently captured portions of the country's northeast.
• Demining on hold in Senegal's Casamance Region IRIN 24 May 2013 -- Demining has been halted in southern Senegal's Casamance Region after 12 deminers were taken hostage by fighters with the separatist Movement of Democratic Forces in Casamance (MFDC) on 3 May.
• Continuing push for Great Lakes peace, UN chief in Uganda after visit to Rwanda UN News Centre 24 May 2013 -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today thanked the Government of Uganda for its contribution to peace and security in Africa, travelling alongside World Bank President Jim Yong Kim on a first-of-its-kind visit to support a recent peace accord and promote economic development in the Great Lakes region.
• Kerry Urges Hard Decisions After Meetings with Israeli, Palestinians VOA 24 May 2013 -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has ended a two-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories Friday by urging their leaders to make the hard decisions needed to revive the Middle East peace talks

News Reports

• Moscow Welcomes N.Korea's Bid to Return to Nuclear Talks RIA Novosti 24 May 2013 -- Russia regards reports that North Korea is willing to return to six-party talks on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula as a "positive development," a senior Russian diplomat said Friday.
• North Korea Envoy Wraps Up Visit to China VOA 24 May 2013 -- An envoy from North Korea concluded his visit to Beijing Friday after a series of meetings hailed by Chinese media as a step forward in talks between the two countries.
• Iran Prepares Itself for June Presidential Vote By Stepping Up Security Measures RFE/RL 24 May 2013 -- Iran's clerical establishment has made it clear that it will not condone the insubordination that marked the country's last presidential contest, and has taken steps over the interim to ensure the 2013 election goes as planned.
• Cleric urges presidential hopefuls to be committed to their pledges IRNA 24 May 2013 -- Tehran's substitute Friday Prayers Leader Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Movahedi Kermani said that presidential candidates should be committed to their pledges to people.
• Rezaei says will continue talks with P5+1 if elected Iran Press TV 24 May 2013 -- Iranian Independent presidential candidate Mohsen Rezaei says if elected president he will continue the talks with the P5+1 group of world powers mainly focusing on Iran's nuclear energy program.
• US adds 20 individuals, firms to Iran sanctions blacklist Iran Press TV 24 May 2013 -- The US Treasury has put 20 more companies and individuals on its blacklist of sanctions for allegedly contributing to Tehran's nuclear energy program and helping the country bypass illegal sanctions.
• Gharazi says hostile US policy behind Iran's nuclear issue Iran Press TV 24 May 2013 -- Iran presidential candidate, Mohammad Gharazi, says the West's standoff with Iran over its nuclear energy program is the result of the hostile US policy toward the Iranian nation and government.
• Study Identifies Risks of Human Spread of H7N9 Bird Flu VOA 24 May 2013 -- A new study finds that the recently discovered H7N9 bird flu virus, which has been circulating among poultry flocks in eastern China, can be transmitted among ferrets, small mammals that provide a laboratory model for human contagion.
• Taiwanese H7N9 patient recovers, discharged from hospital CNA 24 May 2013 -- A Taiwanese man who is the only person in the country found to have contracted the deadly H7N9 bird flu virus has recovered and was discharged from National Taiwan University (NTU) Hospital Friday.
• Taiwan receives H7N9 candidate vaccine viruses from U.S. CNA 24 May 2013 -- Taiwan has received a shipment of candidate vaccine viruses from the United States to develop a vaccine against human infections of H7N9 avian influenza, the Department of Health (DOH) said Friday.
• Taiwan thanks U.S. for help in H7N9 vaccine efforts CNA 24 May 2013 -- Taiwan's de facto ambassador to the United States King Pu-tsung expressed his appreciation to America Friday for helping his country in its efforts to produce a vaccine against human infections of the H7N9 avian influenza virus.
• Deploring attacks in Niger, Security Council says perpetrators must be brought to justice UN News Centre 24 May 2013 -- The Security Council today condemned "in the strongest terms" the two terrorist attacks that occurred on Thursday in Niger, and underlined the need to bring the perpetrators to justice.