News of Note
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Blasts Rock Baghdad, Kill More Than 180
Two Detroit men charged as Iraqi spies
Iraqis bury victims from deadly attacks
‘The War Tapes’ Offers Look at Operation Iraqi Freedom

Operation Enduring Freedom
More NATO Help Needed in Afghanistan, Fallon Says
Coalition, Afghans Counter Taliban Offensive
Transcript: Briefing with Brig. Gen. Joseph Votel

Homeland Security / War on Terror / Hamas-Hezbollah Happenings
Deal struck to halt attacks on Israel: Abbas aide
U.N. wants to view Lebanon border for arms traffic
U.S. could ease flow of funds to PLO
Other Military News
Corps Bans Non-Issued Armor
Extra Time Off for Frequent Deployments
DoD Concedes on Reservists' Benefits

Worldwide Wackos
Iran making nuclear fuel in underground plant: IAEA - Video

Politics / Government
Pol Uses Bin Laden Name to Lure Voters
Mild Taste on Hill for Gun Control Law - VIDEO
Bush, Democrats Fail to Agree on War Bill
Bush Threatens Sanctions Against Sudan
Top deputy tells Wolfowitz to step down: sources
Democrats scramble to court Sharpton
Gonzales to appear before Senate panel
McCain says he backs no gun control

In the Courts / Crime and Punishment / Law and Order
Virginia Tech Shootings:
Virginia Tech Gunman Mailed Video Rant Before Murderous Rampage; Court Records Show Killer Was Ruled a Danger in 2005
VICTIMS' STORIES
THE MONSTER WITHIN
POSSESSED BY THE DEVIL?
HOW TO SPOT A PSYCHO
PHOTO ESSAY
Schools review safety after Va. massacre
Va. Tech stunned by images of gunman

Other:
Principal in Trouble for Kissing Boys' Feet
Sex Predator Hotline Calls Sent to Sex Chat
Teen Threatens Students, Then Kills Self
High Court Upholds Partial Birth Abortion Ban
Abortion ruling emboldens opponents
Preacher's Wife: Forced to Watch Porn - VIDEO
Jurors to confer in preacher's wife case
Body of Missing Peace Corps Volunteer Julia Campbell Found in Philippines
Judge Upholds Illinois School's Ban on 'Be Happy, Not Gay' Shirt
Donkey becomes witness in Dallas dispute
Jury gives S.D. woman life in prison

Adventures in Political Correctness
Music execs discuss rap lyrics

Media in the Media / Bloggers in the News / Watching the Web
Wall Street Journal names new managing editor

Science / Medicine / Technology
BlackBerry e-mail outage upsets White House, Wall St
Two studies link hormones and cancer in women
Earth's oldest tree had fronds, not leaves
iPhone on target for end of June launch, AT&T says
NASA to test portable robot surgeon
Japan to launch its first lunar orbiter

Mother Nature
NYC whale beaches itself, dies suddenly

Oddities
Smoke Break May Have Saved Woman's Life
Belgrade horses may be drugged for Stones gig
Another toilet-maker in the hotseat

Other News of Note
Chemical Found in 2nd Pet Food Ingredient (This time in another higher-end food...and my dogs have eaten food on the recall list...)
Rwanda files World Court case against France
Crews move tons of rock in miner search
Dow closes above 12,800 for first time

Fox News
Dow Jones Industrials Close at All-Time High
Late Filers Swamp TurboTax's E-File System
Actress Kitty Carlisle Hart Dies at 96
NEWS IN PICS: Italy Factory Fire
Reality Check: 'American Idol' Full of Surprises
Birkhead Sells Photos of Anna Nicole Smith's Baby, as Predicted

Reuters: Top News
Hardline image haunts campaign of France's Sarkozy
Hewlett-Packard keeps lead over Dell in PCs
Southern U.S. town proud of its mandatory gun law
Haiti slum residents enjoy new peace, want more
Picking healthy restaurant foods not so easy: poll
Dow ends at record high; dollar sinks
EBay, Gilead, Labor Ready rise after results
Gold hits 11-month high, but struggles below $700
Yen recovers on solid data, risk-taking caution
Spansion Q1 loss widens; to sell some assets
All in the family
Dollar drop boosts blue chips
EBay profits jump 52 pct
A night without "CrackBerry": Curse or blessing?
Clear Channel gets higher bid, vote still unclear
Hewlett-Packard keeps lead over Dell in PCs

AP World News
'American Idol' says sayonara to Sanjaya
Buehrle no-hits Texas in near perfecto
Rangers move on with sweep of Thrashers
Lohan doesn't consider herself an addict
Haren leads A's past depleted Angels
AP NewsBreak: Haggard leaves Colorado
Rock asks court to weigh paternity claim
Magnetic toys recalled after injuries

Military.com
Def Tech: Don't Forget Anbar
Blog: Reinforcing Outer Baghdad
Ten Step Guide to Joining the Military
Sgt. Shaft: Survivor Benefits Catch-22
Patrolling in the Hindu Kush
Play Trivia and Win an iPod

CENTCOM: News Releases
SUSPECTED CHLORINE-BOMB TERRORISTS DETAINED
FIVE KILLED, 30 DETAINED IN RAID NEAR FALLUJAH
JOINT STATEMENT BY AMBASSADOR ASQUITH, AMBASSADOR CROCKER AND GEN. PETRAUS - MAYSAN PROVINCE
AIRPOWER SUMMARY FOR APRIL 17
131 DEAD, MORE THAN 160 WOUNDED BY MULTIPLE CAR BOMB ATTACKS IN BAGHDAD MULTI-NATIONAL DIVISION
ISF, CF CONTINUE OPERATIONS IN BUHRIZ
OPERATION EAGLE LIGHTNING NETS TERRORISTS, WEAPONS CACHES AND IEDS

USJFCOM
Joint Individual Augmentee Training Program goes online - podcast
USJFCOM to co-host 2007 industry symposium - podcast

DefenseLink
Gates Visits Israel During ‘Days of Remembrance’- Story
Transcript: Gates and Israeli Defense Minister Peretz
Gates: Iraq Resolution Important to Region, World - Story
Program Offers Compensation for Deployments - Story
Suicide Bomb Attacks Present Top Challenge - Story
Fallon: Radical Islamic Leader’s Aims Remain a Puzzle
Army Restricts Spending While Waiting Approval - Story
Gates, Mubarak to Meet in Delayed Trip to Egypt
Gates Expresses Condolences to Virginia Tech
Campaign Urges Parents to 'Never Shake a Baby'

Military News
Military Runners Conquer Boston Marathon
DoD Policy Change Boosts G.I. Bill Eligibility

War on Terror
Coalition Helps Iraq Secure Law - Story
Multiple Car Bombs Kill 131 Iraqis
Fourth Province Transfers to Iraqis
Iraqis, Coalition Kill, Detain Terrorists

America Supports You
Association Honors Actor, Others for Dedication, Troop Support - Story
Group Helps Families Reconnect
USO Opens Lounge at Dulles
Group Provides Stars for Stripes

Transformation
Service Integration Vital to Change
Joint Force Ops Industry Symposium
Sailors Will Need CAC to Log In

Face of Defense
Iraqis Appreciate U.S. Military - Story
New NCO in Charge Still a Scout
Brothers Reunite in Iraq
450th ‘Ironhorse’ Re-enlistment

DefendAmerica
ON THE GROUND
'Bandido Charlie' Secures Western Iraq - Story
Soldiers Support Iraqis with Help From Home - Story
Seabees Build Modular Protected Billeting - Story
Security Team Trains Humanitarian De-miners - Story

IN IRAQ
Troops Embrace Pocket-Size Memories
Medics Bring Hope to Injured Iraqi Boy
Army Completes Reconstruction Projects
Engineers Bring More Electricity Near Iraq
Troops Working with Diwaniyah Residents
Iraqi Tankers Take on First Patrol Mission

IN AFGHANISTAN
First Permanent Customs Building Opens
Joint Effort Continues at Jalalabad Airfield
Kabul Hosts Engineering Contractor Open House
Marines Prepare for Afghanistan Deployment

IN DJIBOUTI
Air National Guard Crew Flies First C-5 to Djibouti
U.S. Military Conducts Human Rights Training

Weather
Afghanistan
Bost/Laskar Ghurian Herat Kabul Qandahar

Germany
Ansbach Aschaffenburg Berlin Berlin-Tempelhof Berlin/Schonefeld Bremerhaven
Darmstadt Frankfurt Frankfurt/Main Freiburg/Breisgau Garmisch
Garmisch-Partenkirchen Geilenkirchen Gelnhausen Giessen Kitzingen
Hanau Am Main Heidelberg Mainz Mannheim Nurnberg Stuttgart Trier
Wiesbaden Wurzburg

Gitmo

Guam
Agana Agana Heights Agat Andersen AFB Asan Barrigada

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

Japan
Kadena Air Base Okinawa Tokyo Yokohama

Today in History
0607 - Comet 1P/607 H1 (Halley) approaches within 0.0898 astronomical units (AUs) of Earth
1451 - Alam Shah of Delhi resigns throne
1524 - Pope Clemens VII fires Netherlands inquisitor-General French Van de Holly
1529 - 2nd Parliament of Spiers bans Lutheranism
1539 - Charles, protestant German monarch, signs Treaty of Frankrfurt
1552 - Mauritius of Saksen captures Karel
1587 - Sir Frances Drake sails into Cadiz, Spain & sinks Spanish fleet
1591 - Chartres surrenders to king Henri IV in France
1713 - Emperor Karel VI ends Pragmatic Sanctions
1770 - Captain James Cook 1st sees Australia
1775 - Minutemen Captain John Parker orders not to fire unless fired upon; Revolution begins-Lexington Common, shot "heard round the world"
1782 - Netherlands recognizes US
1825 - 33 patriotic exiles return to Uruguay
1839 - Treaty of London constitutes Belgium an independent kingdom and Luxembourg a Grand Duchy
1853 - Netherlands Van Hall government forms
1861 - Baltimore riots - 4 soldiers, 9 civilians killed; Lincoln orders blockade of Confederate ports
1863 - Union troops/fleet occupy Fort Huger, VA
1864 - Naval Engagement at Cherbourg, USS Kearsage vs CSS Alabama
1874 - Barracks on Alcatraz Island destroyed in fire
1890 - Henry Morton Stanley is inaugurated in Brussels
1904 - Much of Toronto destroyed by fire
1906 - Belgian naval education ship Comte The Stain de Naeyer sets sail
1916 - Italian troops conquer Colonel di Lana at Merano
1919 - French assembly decides on 8 hour work day
1921 - Funeral of last German Emperoress, Augusta Victoria
1923 - New Egyptian law allows suffrage for men, except soldiers
1928 - Japanese troops occupies Sjantung-schiereiland
1932 - President Herbert Hoover suggests 5 day work week
1933 - FDR announces US will leave the gold standard
1936 - Anti-Jewish riots break out in Palestine
1939 - Connecticut finally approves Bill of Rights (148 years late)
1940 - Dutch prime minister De Geer declares state of siege
1941 - Bulgarian troops invade Macedonia; Milk rationed in Holland
1943 - Jews attack Nazi occupation forces at Warsaw Ghetto under Mordechai Anielewicz
1944 - Allied fleet attack Sabang Sumatra
1945 - US aircraft carrier Franklin is heavily damaged in Japanese air raid
1947 - French ship explodes in Texas City harbor, kills about 522
1948 - ABC-TV network begins; Chiang Kai-shek elected President of Nationalist China
1951 - General Douglas MacArthur ends his military career
1956 - US actress Grace Kelly marries Monaco's Prince Rainier III (civil ceremony)
1959 - Uprising in La Paz Bolivia, fails
1960 - Baseball uniforms begin displaying player's names on their backs
1962 - NASA civilian pilot Joseph A. Walker takes X-15 to an altitude of 6,900 meter
1964 - Rightist coup in Laos, Suvanna Phuma remains premier
1965 - 1st all news radio station (WINS 1010 AM in NYC) begins operating; At a cost of $20,000, the outer Astrodome ceiling is painted because of sun's glare, this causes the grass to die and eventually led to the installation of Astroturf
1966 - Roberta Bignay becomes the 1st woman to run in the Boston Marathon
1967 - US Surveyor III lands on Moon
1971 - Sierra Leone becomes a republic (National Day); USSR Salyut 1 launched; 1st manned lab in orbit; Charles Manson sentenced to life (Sharon Tate murder)
1972 - Bangladesh becomes a member of British Commonwealth; Hungary revises constitution
1975 - India launches 1st satellite with help of USSR
1978 - Yitzhak Navron elected 5th President of Israel
1982 - Sally Ride announced as 1st woman astronaut; USSR Salyut 7 space station put into orbit; Guinon Bluford announced as 1st Black astronaut
1984 - Nemesis, death star of dinosaurs 1st appears in print (Nature magazine)
1985 - 16th Space Shuttle Mission (51-D)-Discovery 4 returns to Earth
1987 - Last wild condor captured on California wildlife reserve
1989 - Republic Day in Sierra Leone; Gun turret explodes on USS Iowa, killing 47 sailors
1990 - Contra guerrillas, leftist Sandinistas & incoming government agree to truce in Nicaragua's civil war
1993 - Branch Dividians/FBI 51 day standoff in Waco TX ends with the deaths of 4 FBI Agents and numerous deaths from suicide of the cult members; Fire in psychiatric institute in South Korea, kills 40
1994 - Inkatha ends boycott of South African multi-racial election; Rodney King award $3,800,000 in compensation of police beating; Supreme Court outlaws excluding people from juries because of gender
1995 - Truck bomb outside Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, kills 168 & injures 500

Birthdays
1320 - Pedro I, King of Portugal (1357-67)
1721 - Roger Sherman, signer of Declaration of Independence, Constitution; Thomas McKean, attorney (signed Declaration of Independence) [or 3/19]
1821 - Mortimer Dormer Leggett, Union Major General
1832 - José Echegaray y Eizaguirre, mathematician/dramatist (Nobel 1904); Lucretia Rudolph Garfield US First Lady (1881-1885)
1866 - Henri Deterding, Dutch oil magnate (Royal Oil, Shell)
1876 - Hendrik, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin/king of Netherlands
1877 - Ole Evinrude, inventor (outboard marine engine)
1883 - Getúlio Vargas President of Brazil (1930-45, 1951-54), modernizer
1905 - John S. "Jimmy" Thach, US pilot/Admiral (WWII)
1910 - Andrew Gilchrist, historian/diplomat
1912 - Glenn T. Seaborg, head of Atomic Energy Commission/chemist/discovered Plutonium/Nobel 1951
1922 - Erich Hartmann, German WWII pilot (downed 352 Russian aircrafts)
1931 - Denis Henry, British high court judge
1931 - Hendrick J. "Kobie" Coetsee, South Africa minister of Defense/Justice
1936 - Wilfried Martens, Premier (Belgium, 1979-81, 1981-92)
1939 - E. Clay Shaw, Jr. (Representative-FL)
1946 - Viktor Viktorovich Zabolotsky, Russian cosmonaut (BST-02)
1947 - Frits Castricum, journalist/Dutch MP (PvdA)

Passings
0843 - Judith, French Empress/2nd wife of Louis de Vrome
1044 - Gothelo, Duke of Netherlands-Lotharingen
1054 - Leo IX [Bruno von Egesheim und Dagsburg], Pope (1049-54), dies at 51
1390 - Robert II, King of Scotland
1645 - Anton van Diemen, Governor-General (Netherlands East Indies), dies at about 51
1658 - Robert Rich, 2nd earl of Warwick English Lord High Admiral, dies at 70
1689 - Christina Queen of Sweden (1644-54)
1813 - Benjamin Rush, physician/abolitionist (signed Declaration of Independence), dies at 67
1862 - Louis Powell Harvey, Governor of Wisconsin, drowns
1881 - Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl (Beaconsfield)/novelist
1882 - Charles Robert Darwin, evolutionist (Origin of Species)
1906 - Pierre Curie, French physicist/chemist (Nobel 1903)
1943 - Alexander Schmorell, Kurt Huber, Willy Graf, German resistance fighters, beheaded
1945 - J. P. Heyboer, resistance fighter, executed
1956 - Léon N. H. Jungschlaeger, head military intelligence Netherlands-Indies, dies at 52
1956 - Lionel K. P. "Buster" Crabb, British diver (WWII), dies at 47
1957 - Charles Funk, Encylopediest (Funk & Wagnalls), dies at 76; Johan W. Albarda, 1st Dutch SDAP minister (1939-45), dies at 79
1966 - Väinö A. Tanner, Finnish premier (1926-27)/minister, dies at 85
1967 - Conrad Adenauer, West Germany chancellor (1949-63), dies at 91
1980 - Alfred [Joseph] Hitchcock, from renal failure at 80
1987 - Maxwell D. Taylor, US commander 101st airborne (WWII), dies at 85
1990 - Vladislav Ivanovich Gulyayev, Russian cosmonaut, dies at 52
1993 - David Koresh [Vernon Howell], cult leader (Davidians)
1993 - George Mickelson, Governor of South Dakota, & 7 others, die in a plane crash

Reported Missing in Action
1961
Baker, Leo, ANG (AL); B26 shot down in Bay of Pigs (flight engineer, w/Ray), captured / shot (KIC), buried

Ray, Thomas "Pete", ANG (AL); B26 shot down in Bay of Pigs (pilot, w/Baker), captured / shot (KIC) - remains returned 1979

1966
Adams, Lee A., USAF (CA); F105D crashed on bombing run, Killed / body not recovered

Brown, Joseph O., USAF (CT); O1F shot down - remains returned, ID'd December, 1998

Robbins, Richard J., USAF (OH); A1E shot down - remains returned September, 1996

1967
Hamilton, John S., USAF (NM); A1E shot down - remains returned October, 1997

Madison, Thomas M., USAF (AL); F105F shot down (pilot, w/Sterling), released by DRV March, 1973 - retired as a Colonel - alive and well as of 1998

Sterling, Thomas James, USAF (TX); F105F shot down (w/Madison), released by DRV March, 1973 - retired as a Colonel - alive and well as of 1998

1968
The following US Army personnel reported MIA after their helicopters were shot down while making supply runs in the A Shau Valley of South Vietnam:
From a CH47A:
Blodgett, Douglas R. (VA); crewman

Dennis, William R. (PA); flight engineer

Gonzalez, Jesus A. (PA); crewchief

From a CH47:
Housh, Anthony F. (IL); flight engineer

Wallace, Michael J. (MI); crewchief

From a CH54:
Lord, Arthur James (GA); aircraft commander

Millard, Charles W. (NC); pilot

Shafer, Philip R. (CO); crewchief

Werdehoff, Michael M. (OH); flight engineer

Also reported MIA this day in 1968:
Wilburn, John E., US Army (OK); fell out of UH1H when it was hit by enemy fire and began to spin - presumed Killed / body not recovered

Labels: Headlines, History