News of Note
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Kurdish woman curses Saddam for chemical attack - Video
McCain faults administration on Iraq

Homeland Security / War on Terror
Death row Bali bomber planned attack online: police

Troops on Trial
Eight Marines to Have Article 32 Hearing

Other Military News
Marines in Individual Ready Reserve to Be Recalled

Mid-East Ceasefire
Amnesty International Accuses Israel of War Crimes
More Lebanese troops deploy on Syrian border
Iran's Mideast influence boosted by "war on terror" - Video
Big powers study Iran's reply to nuclear offer - Video
A look inside Hizbollah bunkers - Video
UN force will police Lebanon arms embargo: France
Israel: No plans to end Lebanon blockade
EU seeks troops for Mideast peacekeeping
UN Drafts Rules for Force in Lebanon

Worldwide Wackos
Report: Iran Won't Stop Uranium Enrichment
Iran Wants to Talk but Keep Nukes
White House Quiet on Package
North Korea nuclear test only a possibility for now: Ban
Oil prices slip on Iran's offer
Diplomats pore over Iran nuclear offer

Politics / Government
Primary Colors - Alaska, Oklahoma and Wyoming hold primary elections
Alaska governor concedes defeat in primary
Bush prods Congress on medical liability limits

Mother Nature
Katrina: A Town Heals
Video: In Their Own Words
Powell Says Delayed State Plans Stalled Katrina Funds
Tropical Storm Debby Forms in Eastern Atlantic
Brown: U.S. still not prepared for disaster
Full coverage on Katrina, one year later (Reuters)

Oddities
'Cannibal' Plot Trial Opens
Robber nabbed after taking same flight as victim
Cons escape with different sort of pepper spray
Kangaroos put on the pill to curb population

Other News of Note
Ready and Waiting
Karr waits to be extradited - Video

Fox News
Philippine Police Kill Six Alleged Truck Robbers
Two Killed, One Hurt in Charity Bike Ride Accident (this is really sad)
Report: Iran Won't Stop Uranium Enrichment
White House Quiet on Package
170 Killed, Including 45 Kids, In Russian Jet Crash
Stocks to Watch: Borders
Cops: Mideast Man Extorted Nude Images From U.S. Teen
Hotel Porn Gets Conservative Activists Hot and Bothered
Paris Hilton Leads YouTube Ad Revolution

Reuters: Top News
Investigators find Russian plane's black boxes - Video
Ancient biblical waterworks found in Israel
Sri Lanka atrocity tales rage but proof impossible - Video
Thailand's smile hides multitude of sins
Arroyo looks certain to escape impeachment
Microsoft sues "cybersquatters"
Hybrid cars will pay for themselves over time: study
Recall curbs outbreak of rare eye infection:CDC
Cheaper blood thinner just as effective, study says
Tom Cruise, Paramount end production deal
Paris Hilton music video censored in India

AP World News
Russia plane crash wreckage being probed
Medicare drug benefit hits $50M glitch
Paramount cuts ties with Cruise company
Beltre leads Mariners past Yankees, 6-5
Study: Even a few extra pounds risky
Weather suspected in Russian plane crash
Falcons trade Duckett to Redskins
Microsoft considers discounts for Vista
Rogers, Tigers blank slumping White Sox
Mets acquire Green from Diamondbacks
Sean 'Diddy' Combs to be a daddy again
Dow closes down 5, Nasdaq finishes up 2
Sprinter Gatlin agrees to 8-year ban
Mindy McCready changes probation plea
Jury recommends death for Va. killer
New study shows herpes cases declining
LeBron, U.S. team not making guarantees
Obituaries in the news

Military.com
Army Expands Child Care Options
Blog: The Battle for Baghdad
Opinion: The Cult of the Offensive
Get New Value Out of Your Old Car
The Absurdities of Airport Security
Understanding Veteran's Health Care

CENTCOM: News Releases
EXTREMIST'S ROCKETS INJURE NOMADS

SUSPECTED TERRORISTS CAPTURED NEAR PARU KHYL VILLAGE

USJFCOM
Initial trial of Urban Resolve 2015 wraps up - podcast
Web-based system helping the joint warfighter with intelligence situational awareness - podcast

Department of Defense
NEWS UPDATES
Iraqi Forces Respond Quickly - Story
For Top News Visit DefenseLink

ON THE GROUND
Iraq's Army Striding Towards Independence - Story
Baghdad Shows Progress, Battle Not Over - Story
Increased Security Shows Positive Results
Soldiers Help Citizens of Southwest Baghdad - Story
Local Leaders Discuss Progress, Stability - Story

IN IRAQ
Chief of Staff Visits Soldiers at Speicher
Iraqi Police Receive Protective Vests
Navigating Basra, One Day at a Time
Iraqi Farmers Union Holds First Election

IN AFGHANISTAN
A-10 Thunderbolts Surge for Afghan Offensive
Chief Master Sgt. Praises Afghan Progress
Security Forces ‘Fly Away’ to Support Mission

BACKGROUND
IRAQ
Renewal In Iraq
Iraq: Security, Stability
Fact Sheet: Progress and Work Ahead
Report: Strategy for Victory in Iraq
Iraq Daily Update
This Week in Iraq
Multinational Force Iraq
State Dept. Weekly Iraq Report (PDF)
'Boots on the Ground' Audio Archive
Weekly Reconstruction Report (PDF)
Iraq Reconstruction
Maps

AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan Update
Maps

WAR ON TERRORISM
Fact Sheet: Budget Request
Fact Sheet: War on Terror
Fact Sheet: Terror Plots Disrupted
Waging and Winning the War on Terror
Terrorism Timeline
Terrorism Knowledge Base

CASUALTIES
Officials Identify Army Casualties - Story

Weather
Iraq
Al Azamiyah Al Basrah Al Hillah Al Karkh Al Kazimiyah Al Kut
An Nasiriyah Baghdad Baqubah Mosul Najaf Nineveh Tall Kayf

Afghanistan
Bost/Laskar Ghurian Herat Kabul Qandahar

Gitmo

Today in History
1617 - London establishes the first one-way streets.
1833 - Britain abolishes slavery in the colonies, freeing 700,000 slaves.
1864 - Fort Morgan (Mobile, AL) falls.
1866 - The Treaty of Prague ends the Austro-Prussian war.
1869 - The first carload of freight (boots & shoes) arrives in San Francisco, from Boston. 1872 - The first Japanese commercial ship carries tea to San Francisco.
1889 - The first ship-to-shore wireless message is received in the U.S.
1904 - The Automobile tire chain is patented.
1914 - Japan declares war on Germany.
1924 - Mars makes its closest approach to Earth since the 10th century.
1939 - The U.S.S.R. and Germany sign a non-aggression pact.
1944 - Romania is liberated from Nazi occupation.
1960 - The world's largest frog (3.3 kg) is caught in Equatorial Guinea.
1961 - The U.S. lunar probe Ranger-1 reaches 190 km from Earth before falling back.
1966 - The Lunar Orbiter 1 takes its photograph of Earth from the Moon.
1973 - The Intelsat communications satellite is launched.
1977 - Bryan Allen, in the Gossamer Condor, makes the first man-powered flight of a mile.
1979 - Bolshoi Ballet dancer Alexander Godunov defects in New York City.
1979 - The U.N's Vienna office opens.

Birthdays
1754 - French King Louis XVI (1774-92)
1785 - Oliver Hazard Perry, U.S. Naval hero
1869 - James (Sunny Jim) Rolph, San Francisco mayor (1912-31), MUNI backer
19-- - Cathy St. George, Playboy playmate (Aug, 1982)
1901 - John Sherman Cooper (Sen-KY)
1912 - Gene Kelly Pitts, dancer/actor (An American in Paris, Going My Way)
1930 - Michel Rocard, Prime Minister of France
1933 - Pete Wilson (Sen-CA)
1944 - Antonia Novello, US Surgeon General
1951 - Queen Noor of Jordan
1966 - Laura Richmond, Playboy playmate (Sep, 1988)
1967 - Nancy Jane Cox, Miss Kentucky-America-1991

Passings
1819 - Oliver Hazard Perry, U.S. Naval hero, on his 34th birthday
1926 - Rodolpho Alfonzo Rafaello Pietro Filiberto Guglieimi Di Valentina
D'Antonguolla (Rudolph Valentino), silent movie idol, at age 31
1927 - Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti executed in MA (robbery / murder)
1989 - Yusef Hawkins, African-American youth beaten by 30 whites and then shot to death (Bensonhurst, NY)

Reported Missing in Action
1967
Baker, Elmo C., USAF (MO); F105D shot down, released by DRV March, 1973 - retired as a Colonel - alive and well as of 1998
*** decorations include Silver Star with 3 OLC, Bronze Star with Device, Distinguished Flying Cross with 3 OLC, Air Medal with 10 OLC, Purple Heart, Legion of Merit***

Braswell, Donald R., US Army; escaped August, 1967 (w/Holt)

Carrigan, Larry E., USAF (AZ); F4D shot down (navigator / bombadier, w/Lane), released by DRV March, 1973 - alive as of 1999

Gerndt, Gerald L., USAF (WI); F4D shot down (pilot, w/Sawhill), released by DRV March, 1973 - alive and well as of 1998

Holt, Dewey T., Civilian; escaped August, 1967 (w/Braswell)

Lane, Charles, USAF (SD); F4D shot down (pilot, w/Carrigan)

Midnight, Francis B., USAF (IN); F4D shot down (pilot)

Ness, Patrick L., USN (MN); F4B shot down (radio intercept officer, w/Sitek) by direct SAM hit, KIA, remains returned April, 1986

Sittner, Ronald N., USAF (OH); F4D shot down ("GIB", w/Tyler), remains returned December, 1997

Sawhill, Robert R., USAF (PA); F4D shot down (w/Gerndt), released by DRV March, 1973 - retired as a Colonel - alive as of 1998

Sitek, Thomas W., USN (NY); F4B shot down (pilot, w/Ness), KIA, body not recovered

Tyler, Charles R., USAF (AZ); F4D shot down (pilot, w/Sittner) released by DRV March, 1973 - alive and well as of 1998

1968
Bergevin, Charles L., USAF (CT); RF4c disappeared while on reconnaissance mission over Quang Binh province (navigator, w/Setterquist); presumed KIA, body not recovered
*** My adopted MIA hero - see post here ***

Ferguson, Walter, Jr., US Army (NY); DIC May, 1970

Setterquist, Francis L., USAF (MN); RF4C disappeared while on reconnaissance mission over Quang Binh province (pilot, w/Bergevin), presumed KIA, body not recovered