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News Reports

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF/OND Casualty Update 13 Jan 2014 [PDF]
• C-130H, end of an era in Afghanistan AFNS 13 Jan 2014 -- All good things don't necessarily need to come to an end; sometimes they are just replaced by something even better.
• Distribution center key to U.S. departure in Afghanistan AFNS 13 Jan 2014 -- Airmen supporting U.S. Central Command's Deployment and Distribution Operation Center, a strategically located air, land and sea logistics hub, are playing a critical role in the U.S. departure from Afghanistan.
• 10th Mountain Division Soldiers teach Afghan mortarmen 60mm mortar system Army News 13 Jan 2014 -- It may be small, but a 60mm mortar round has a blast radius of over 20 meters and can be fired at enemies three and a half kilometers away. The M224 60mm mortar system has become a staple of American light infantry operations, and now it's becoming one for the Afghan National Army.
• Helping African Union Forces with peacekeeping operations in Somalia Army News 13 Jan 2014 -- The U.S. military has a rich history of long-term achievements in building partner capacity (BPC). Continuing the tradition, the Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Africa is currently engaged in a BPC program in East Africa.
• USS Rentz Intercepts 313 Kilograms of Cocaine Worth More than $10 Million NNS 13 Jan 2014 -- The frigate USS Rentz (FFG 46), Helicopter Squadron Anti-Submarine Warfare Light 49 Detachment 5, and U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) personnel disrupted approximately 313 kilograms of cocaine while conducting counter drug trafficking operations in December in the 4th Fleet Area of Responsibility (AOR).

Defense Policy / Programs

• Readout of Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel's Meeting with Italy's Minister of Defense Mario Mauro DoD 13 Jan 2014
• 15th MEU prepares for Iron Fist with communications exercise USMC News 13 Jan 2014 -- Marines with the 15th Marines Expeditionary Unit began a communications exercise on Jan. 6 in preparation for the start of Exercise Iron Fist 2014 on Jan. 23.
• USS Scranton Returns Home from Deployment NNS 13 Jan 2014 -- The Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Scranton (SSN 756) returned to Naval Station Norfolk from a regularly scheduled deployment Monday, January 13.
• DARPA Programs Create New Future for Space, Director Says AFPS 13 Jan 2014 -- Space is critical to understanding the planet and how the United States safeguards national security, but the costs and difficulties of reaching the domain have slowed U.S. effectiveness in space, the director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency said today.
• Intelligence Center Provides Support to Desert Shield/Desert Storm Army News 13 Jan 2014 -- Operation Desert Storm began on January 17, 1991, at 0300 hours (1900 hours of January 16, Eastern Standard Time). It was a direct result of the invasion of Kuwait by Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein on August 2, 1990.
• New ULTRA facility opens on C4ISR campus Army News 13 Jan 2014 -- Three Army organizations have united to form the new Unified Lab for Tactical Radios - Army (ULTRA), combining research, development, sustainment and acquisition efforts for the Army's radio portfolio in a single location.
• Intelligence support teams' support to logistics organizations Army News 13 Jan 2014 -- When intelligence Soldiers arrive at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif., as part of a brigade support battalion (BSB) or combat sustainment support battalion (CSSB), they often do not have a thorough understanding of the intelligence support that logistics organizations require.
• Saving money by linking Avenger requirements with nonorganic support Army News 13 Jan 2014 -- In today's Army, sustainment brigades face a continuous but not daunting task of providing responsive support to echelon- above-brigade units that are routinely nested with them in administrative control and general support relationships.
• Army garrison operations for 2014 and beyond Army News 13 Jan 2014 -- Over the past decade, the Army has adapted to overcome the challenges of extended conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. These largely successful adaptations were vast and complex.
• Overcoming logistics challenges in East Africa Army News 13 Jan 2014 -- Logisticians from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps have faced many overwhelming logistics obstacles over the course of our nation's illustrious military history. Logistics is the lifeline of military forces, and without the reliable availability and resupply of the requisite 'bullets, beans, and black oil' necessary to sustain operations, warfighters are left in vulnerable situations and unable to accomplish their missions.
• Army Sustainment Command's role in replacing the Standard Army Retail Supply System with GCSS-Army Army News 13 Jan 2014 -- Global Combat Support System-Army (GCSS-Army) is an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) commercial off-the-shelf application capable of managing a large volume of business transactions within a single database.
• Committee Members React to Chinese Hyper Sonic Missile Test US House Armed Services Committee 13 Jan 2014 -- House Armed Services Committee Chairman Howard P. 'Buck' McKeon, Rep. Randy Forbes (VA) and Rep. Mike Rogers (AL) issued the following statement after learning of a Chinese hyper sonic cruise missile test.
• Tainan military prison becomes history CNA 13 Jan 2014 -- Tainan military prison, the only one of its kind in Taiwan, became history Monday with the transfer of its remaining 65 inmates to various civilian prisons in accordance with the country's revised Code of Court Martial Procedure.
• Army showcases creature comforts to attract volunteers CNA 13 Jan 2014 -- The Army on Monday introduced new initiatives implemented at its military facilities that allow soldiers to use smartphones, browse the Internet in their free time and enjoy improved accommodation, in a bid to boost lower-than-expected enlistment figures.
• Taiwan still sees Justin Yifu Lin as defector: defense ministry CNA 13 Jan 2014 -- Taiwan considers Justin Yifu Lin, former vice president of the World Bank, to be in a continuous state of defection, after he defected to China as an Army officer nearly 35 years ago.
• Daily Briefing by the Press Secretary 1/13/14 The White House 13 Jan 2014
• January 13, 2014 - U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing US Dept. of State 13 Jan 2014

Defense Industry

• DoD News: Contracts for January 11, 2014
• Kalashnikov Concern plans to sell up to 200,000 weapons to US a year Voice of Russia 13 Jan 2014 -- The Kalashnikov Concern of the Rostec State Corporation is due to sign an exclusive agreement with Russian Weapon Company (RWC) on the sidelines of the Shot Show 2014 in Las Vegas, the US, on January 14-17 with the purpose of the delivery of its sport and hunting rifles to the United States.

Other Conflicts

• 13 January 2014 - Press Conference by Special Representative for Central African Republic Following Resignation of Interim President United Nations 13 Jan 2014
• 13 January 2014 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 13 Jan 2014
• Press Availability With Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and UN Special Representative Lakhdar Brahimi US Dept. of State 13 Jan 2014
• Cape Ray Conducts Final Sea Trials for Syria Mission AFPS 13 Jan 2014 -- The Military Sealift Command container ship MV Cape Ray left Portsmouth, Va., Jan. 10, to conduct its final sea trials in preparation for its upcoming mission to destroy Syrian chemical weapons, Army Col. Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman, said today.
• HMS Montrose to assist in removal of chemical stocks from Syria UK MOD 13 Jan 2014 -- The Royal Navy frigate is assisting in the international effort to remove chemical stocks from Syria to stop them being used in weapons.
• Syrian army makes more gains in Aleppo Iran Press TV 13 Jan 2014 -- Syrian forces have managed to retake full control of four areas in the northern province of Aleppo after heavy clashes with foreign-backed militants.
• Moscow urges Iran, Syrian opp. to attend Geneva II Iran Press TV 13 Jan 2014 -- Russia warns the Geneva II conference on the Syrian crisis may fail unless both Iran and the Syrian opposition participate in the negotiations.
• U.S., Russia Discuss Syria Cease-Fire, Prisoner Exchange RFE/RL 13 Jan 2014 -- The United States and Russia have discussed the possibility of organizing a cease-fire in Syria in the run-up to peace talks in Switzerland next week.
• Russia, US Push for Ceasefire and Increased Aid in Syria RIA Novosti 13 Jan 2014 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry called for a partial ceasefire in Syria and an increase in the flow of international aid to the embattled nation during a meeting in Paris on Monday.
• Friends of Syria Push Opposition Toward Geneva Talks VOA 13 Jan 2014 -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry joined other foreign ministers backing opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Paris Sunday. They are trying to bring together disparate civilian and military components of the uprising ahead of planned peace talks later this month. Syria's government and its opponents remain divided over the purpose of those talks.
• US, Russia Split Over Inviting Iran to Syria Peace Talks VOA 13 Jan 2014 -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met Monday in Paris to plan for Syrian peace talks later this month. The men could not agree on inviting Iran to join those talks.
• In Iraq, Ban says political leaders must fulfil obligations to ensure social cohesion, protect citizens UN News Centre 13 Jan 2014 -- Voicing concern about the deteriorating security in parts of Iraq, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged all political leaders to unite against terrorism and work together to stabilize the country and stop the "senseless deaths of Iraqi women, children and men."
• Uganda Parliament to Debate Additional Troops to South Sudan VOA 13 Jan 2014 -- Uganda's parliament plans to begin debate Tuesday about President Yoweri Museveni's request seeking approval to deploy additional troops to South Sudan, to help stabilize the security situation there, according to legislator Muwanga Kivumbi Muhammed.
• Hunger looms in South Sudan as fighting threatens to disrupt agriculture, UN warns UN News Centre 13 Jan 2014 -- United Nations food agencies are ramping up their relief efforts in South Sudan, warning that the fighting there threatens to increase hunger and unravel the modest gains made in food security in the two years since the country seceded from Sudan and became the world's youngest nation.
• For displaced South Sudanese, haven of sorts on the Nile IRIN 13 Jan 2014 -- Chor, 22, arrived hungry and dehydrated at Mingkaman, a small South Sudanese river town on the White Nile, after an eight-hour boat ride made all the more uncomfortable by the presence of a bullet lodged in his lower back.
• South Sudan troops advancing on city of Bor Iran Press TV 13 Jan 2014 -- A South Sudanese official says army troops are advancing on the city of Bor in the state of Jonglei, the final state capital still in the hands of forces loyal to former vice president, Riek Machar.
• South Sudan army says advancing on last rebel stronghold Voice of Russia 13 Jan 2014 -- Government troops in South Sudan were advancing Monday on the flashpoint town of Bor, the last state capital still in rebel hands, the army spokesman said.
• Central African Republic: new transitional leader could help restore hope, UN official says UN News Centre 13 Jan 2014 -- The speedy election of a new transition leader is crucial to the stability of the Central African Republic, a senior United Nations official said today, stressing also the importance of starting reconciliation between Christian and Muslim communities in the country after thousands of people have been killed in weeks of sectarian violence.
• CAR Residents See Crisis as Political, Not Religious VOA 13 Jan 2014 -- The Central African Republic is in the grips of unprecedented conflict that pits Muslims against Christians and Christians against Muslims. But as new transitional authorities try to restore order in the capital, residents say this crisis is political, not religious and the solutions to country's problems lie in the political sphere.
• Rival CAR groups strike ceasefire pact Iran Press TV 13 Jan 2014 -- Rival militiamen have embraced each other and struck a truce in the Central African Republic's capital, Bangui, a day before talks begin for replacing President Michel Djotodia who stepped down on Friday.
• UN: Over 1 Million Displaced in CAR VOA 13 Jan 2014 -- The number of people displaced in the troubled Central African Republic has topped 1 million, as the country's humanitarian crisis grows deeper.
• UN Still Concerned About Armed Groups in Eastern Congo VOA 13 Jan 2014 -- The U.N.'s top envoy in the Democratic Republic of Congo warned Monday that despite progress, the presence of armed groups in the country's east is still too strong.
• DR Congo peace efforts, regional framework at crucial juncture, UN officials stress UN News Centre 13 Jan 2014 -- Efforts to attain peace and stability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are at an important juncture, senior United Nations officials said today, calling on all parties in the region to fulfil their commitments to achieve lasting peace.
• Côte d'Ivoire truth panel seen faltering IRIN 13 Jan 2014 -- Côte d'Ivoire's Dialogue, Truth and Reconciliation Commission (CDVR) recently concluded its two-year mandate with a report detailing rights violations and the causes of past conflicts, but observers lambasted the panel for failing to help heal divisions and said that some of its findings were already well known.
• Political infighting threatens Somalia's government IRIN 13 Jan 2014 -- As Somalia's new prime minister, Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed, gets ready to announce his new cabinet, analysts warn that the fragile Somali administration could come unstuck if further conflicts hit the executive. Ahmed assumed office on 26 December following a no-confidence vote against his predecessor Abdi Farah Shirdon 'Saa'id' on 2 December.
• MAC chief vows to uphold Taiwan's position during China visit CNA 13 Jan 2014 -- Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Wang Yu-chi pledged Monday to stand firm on the government's position on cross-Taiwan Strait relations during his planned historic visit to China.

News Reports

• NSA role minimal in fighting terrorism: Study Iran Press TV 13 Jan 2014 -- The National Security Agency's massive data collection has barely helped the United States thwart terrorist attacks, according to a new study by the New American Foundation.
• Report: US Phone Data Collection Didn't Prevent Terrorism VOA 13 Jan 2014 -- A new study has concluded that the massive collection of phone data by the clandestine U.S. National Security Agency 'has had no discernible impact' on preventing terrorism.
• NSA mass surveillance pretty useless in battle against terrorism - research Voice of Russia 13 Jan 2014 -- Mass surveillance of the National Security Agency (NSA) on people and world leaders have been making headlines for half a year throughout the globe, yet these security programs did little in battle against terrorism, concludes the study by the New America Foundation, a Washington-based nonprofit group.
• President Obama to restructure NSA Voice of Russia 13 Jan 2014 -- US President Barack Obama is expected to announce changes to limit US spying on foreign leaders, but is unlikely to alter the controversial National Security Agency program collecting masses of raw data on the telephone calls of Americans.
• Background Briefing on the Implementation Plan of the P5+1 and Iran's First Step Nuclear Agreement US Dept. of State 13 Jan 2014
• Seeking Engagement: Could Crises Bring Washington And Iran Closer Together? RFE/RL 13 Jan 2014 -- Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, nuclear proliferation - all are crises in which the West and Iran have high stakes.
• Obama Urges Iran to Seize 'Door of Opportunity' in Nuclear Talks VOA 13 Jan 2014 -- President Barack Obama says Iran should seize a 'door of opportunity' to achieve a final comprehensive nuclear deal with the international community, and he has appealed again to lawmakers not to pass legislation imposing new sanctions.
• Iran rejects Obama's remarks on dismantling N. activities ISNA 13 Jan 2014 -- Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister rejected Obama's recent remarks on dismantling Iranian nuclear facilities, reiterating that there is no dismantle of nuclear facilities based on the Geneva deal.
• No exact date set for Iran-Sextet new talks: Araqchi Iran Press TV 13 Jan 2014 -- An Iranian nuclear negotiator says no exact date has been set for the resumption of talks between Tehran and six major world powers on Iran's nuclear energy program.
• Iran Nuclear Deal Takes Effect Next Week RFE/RL 13 Jan 2014 -- Iran and world powers have agreed to start implementing their interim nuclear deal on January 20.
• Israel, International Leaders Honor Sharon As Former PM Is Buried RFE/RL 13 Jan 2014 -- Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has been laid to rest at his family farm in southern Israel, some 10 kilometers from Gaza.
• Thai Opposition Protesters Snarl Bangkok Traffic VOA 13 Jan 2014 -- In Thailand's capital, tens of thousands of anti-government protesters clogged key intersections, bridges and roads as part of a campaign to force the government from office ahead of February 2 elections. On the first day of the so-called "Bangkok Shutdown," the enthusiastic crowds are making preparations for an extended standoff.