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Labels: Supporting the troops

News of Note
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Operation Rattlesnake (Michael Yon, for Fox News)
Christians Flee Iraq Violence
Bombers Kill 20
U.S. warns of heavier casualties in Iraq - Video
U.S. allows Shiite militia security role
COALITION FORCES FIND TORTURE ROOM, DESTROY WEAPONS CACHE IN SADR CITY IRAQI SPECIAL FORCES DETAIN NINE SUSPECTED AL-QAEDA MEMBERS NEAR BALAD

Operation Enduring Freedom
Disfiguring skin disease plagues Afghanistan
ABP STOPS SUICIDE BOMBER NEAR PAKISTAN BORDER
AFGHAN CIVILIANS RID AREA OF MINITIONS CACHES
TALIBAN MILITANTS, FACILITATORS DETAINED IN ZABUL

Homeland Security / War on Terror / Hamas-Hezbollah Happenings
T-e-r-r-o-r M-o-u-s-e - VIDEO
Canadian Poppy Quarter Caused 'Spy Coin' Warning
Israelis camp by Olmert's door to make him quit
Abbas praises U.S. security plan

Troops on Trial
Fort Riley Soldiers Accused of Looting After Tornado

Other Military News
Petraeus 'concerned' by ethics report
Gay Sailor Called Back to Active Duty

Worldwide Wackos
N. Korea Ready to Shut Reactor 'Immediately' (Suuuuure they are...until tomorrow, when they'll change their mind)
Iran talks "very difficult": EU's Solana

Politics / Government
Bush Welcomes Queen to White House
N.J. Gov. Corzine Back to Work After Crash
Wolfowitz aide resigns from World Bank
Rice to visit Russia, hopes to calm many disputes
Coastal communities complain about FEMA
Democrats' 2008 electoral edge in doubt
Queen Elizabeth II visits White House

Illegal Immigration / Border Control
L.A. Cops Off Street After Immigration Melee

In the Courts / Crime and Punishment / Law and Order
Police Baffled - Family, Friends of Missing Illinois Mom Wait for News
Murder in Vegas - VIDEO
Paris Hilton Stands to Be More Popular Than Ever After Jail Time
Paris Hilton says jail term cruel, fires publicist - Video
Sheriff: Louisiana Man Who Died Trying to Hide Murders Killed 3 Wives
Ohio Man Admits Lying About Aspects of Son's Drug Overdose for Charity
1 Dead After Device Explodes in Las Vegas Strip Hotel Parking Lot
Watch Live Phil Spector Murder Trial - STORY
Life Sentence in HIV Taped-Sex Case
Deadly insurance fraud case nears trial
CEO pleads guilty to bribing lawmakers
Cho didn't get court-ordered treatment

U.N. News
Birds, whales confused by warming: U.N.
U.N. urges action on global warming

Media in the Media / Bloggers in the News / Watching the Web
Nearly 50 Percent of Americans Have Little Use for Internet and Cell Phones, Survey Finds

Science / Medicine / Technology
Scientists identify troublemaker TB protein
Botox may help kids with cerebral palsy
Embryonic stem cells can repair eyes, company says
Comcast to integrate e-mail and voicemail online
States compete for disease lab

Mother Nature
Kansans Pick Up the Pieces
Residents to return to tornado-ravaged town
VIDEO - PHOTOS
Bittersweet Find in Rubble
1 alive, 2 dead pulled from twister carnage
Residents of Kansas Town Destroyed by Tornado Allowed to Return; 1 Survivor Found
Tornado clean-up - Video
Pictures: Search and rescue in Greensburg
Factbox: Some facts about tornadoes
Flooding forces evacuations in Plains
Winds blow vulture from breeding center

Oddities
Report: Two New York Medics Resign After 'EMTs Gone Wild' Video Found
Itsy Bitsy Earache Turns Into Arachnid Infestation (Ummmm....EW!)
18,000 Mexicans Strip for Nude Photograph (And again, Ummmm....EW!)
Tunick Organizes Second Nude Shoot
What do you MEAN I'm not going to die?
Prosecutors to go easy on speeding drivers
Kids' sleep problems may affect parents' health

Fox News
Lundberg Survey: Gas Prices Hit Record
Fishing Tops Basketball for Sports Eye Injuries
France's President-Elect Sarkozy Plans Quick Reform Package
Is a Star's Smile Worth the Stress for Charities?
Angelina Jolie Keeps the Faith With New Charity

Reuters: Top News
Sarkozy turns to forming government
Cameroon recovers plane crash bodies
Police hurt in French election violence - Video
Pakistani court suspends panel hearing on judge - Video
Fathers responsible for fat children: Australia study
Naomi Campbell says mop duty taught her a lesson
"Spider-Man 3" smashes box office records - Video
Fresh M&A round lifts Dow to record
Alcan says will consider Alcoa bid
Dollar slides as U.S. outlook sours
Oil falls more than $1 as supply worry eases
Goldman to buy S.Korea asset manager from Macquarie
Liquidnet eyes 2008 IPO
Video: Exchanges soar on consolidation
Goldman's Abby sets higher targets
Alcoa unveils $27 bln hostile bid for Alcan
Clear Channel mulls raised bid
Buffett says unlikely he would bid for Dow Jones
Star witness Radler takes stand at Black trial
ABN rejects rival RBS LaSalle offer
Buffett eyes $40 bln to $60 bln deals: report

AP World News
Consumers boost borrowing despite prices
`Lost' end is in sight: the year 2010
Indians top Orioles on Hafner grand slam
It's a boy for Kevin Costner and wife
Poll: Bonds' HR quest gets scant support
Stocks try to hold gains after Alcoa bid
Dell signs on with Microsoft, Novell
Engine failure studied in Cameroon crash
Roger Clemens back in pinstripes
Wright synagogue designated historic

Military.com
SEALs Face Recruiting Woes
Poll: Is Torture Okay During War?
New Must-Have Benefits Guide
Op-ed: Iranian-Saudi Proxy War
SpouseBUZZ Live! Going to SD
The Web's Best Equipment Guide
Def Tech: SEAL Mission Creep

CENTCOM: News Releases
15 SUSPECTED TERRORISTS DETAINED
OPERATION EAGLE TRIUMPH II DETAINS 40, FINDS CACHE
POTENTIAL BUSINESS INVESTORS ARRIVE IN IRAQ
AIRPOWER SUMMARY FOR MAY 6
AIRPOWER SUMMARY FOR MAY 5
MNF-W FINDS WEAPONS CACHES
13 SUSPECTED TERRORISTS DETAINED
IRAQI POLICE, MND-B TROOPS RESPOND TO CAR BOMB IN SOUTHWEST BAGHDAD
IRAQI POLICE HEADQUARTERS ATTACKED BY SVBEID

USJFCOM
Joint Futures Lab flexes cross-domain translation capability during Trident Warrior 2007 - podcast
Learn more about CDCIE
USJFCOM to assist as DoD and DEA partner up to support personnel recovery - podcast
Learn more about JPRA
Get the latest USJFCOM headlines delivered to your email inbox
Joint Knowledge Development and Distribution Capability rolls out enhanced Joint Knowledge Online - podcast

DefenseLink
Signs of Progress Seen in Anbar Reconstruction - Story
Iraqis Can Move Forward as Surge Takes Hold - Story
Institutional Competence Slow, But Growing - Story
National Guard Responds to Tornado Aftermath - Story
Employer-Support Agency Gains New Chief - Story

More Headline News
Bush Calls for Responsible War-Spending Bill
Secretary Visits Joint Readiness Training Center
Gates Thanks Wounded Warriors for Sacrifice
Division Targets Flow of 'Accelerants of Violence'

Military News
Officials ID Five Missing World War II Airmen
Webcasts Bring Graduations to Deployed Parents
Edwards Airmen Star in 'Ironman' Superhero Movie
U.S. Soldiers, Community Remember Wereth 11

War on Terror
Iraqi, Coalition Forces Detain 24 - Story
Three Servicemembers Killed
Taliban Militants Detained
12 U.S. Troops Die in Iraq

America Supports You
Group Helps Families in Crisis - Story
Pentagon Concert Kicks Off Military Appreciation Month
RE/MAX Receives Award for Supporting Troops, Families
Grassroots Groups Join Celebration
Singer Shows Military Appreciation

Transformation
Unmanned Aircraft Wing Debuts
New Concept Ensures Latest Technologies Reach Warfighters
Technology Leaves No Place to Hide

Face of Defense
Specialist Sews for Others - Story
Airman Dedicates Work to Fallen
Army Scientist Studies Soldiers
Soldier Helps African Youngsters
Soldier Beats Injury, Runs Marathon

DefendAmerica
BLOGGERS' ROUNDTABLE with U.S. ARMY Lt. Gen. Martin E. Dempsey
Institutional Competence Slow, But Growing, General Says - Story - Bio
Transcript: Roundtable (pdf)
Bloggers' Roundtable Web Site

NEWS UPDATES
Five Taliban Militants Detained - Story

ON THE GROUND
Spartan Sappers Secure Area of Operation - Story
Wolfhounds Secure Economic Success Iraq - Story
Bombed-out Baghdad Building Has New Mission - Story
New Brigade Status Brings More Responsibility - Story
Water Tops Priorities for Kirkuk’s Rural Majority - Story

IN IRAQ
Aerial Porters Save Lives by Moving Air Cargo
Dragon Soldiers Vie for Prestigious Invitation
Kirkuk Police Academy Boosts Training Level
Combat Medics Proven Under Pressure
Yusufiyah Joint Security Station Opens
Communications Airmen Make the Connection
Army Engineers, Iraqis Build New Water Plant

IN DJIBOUTI
Marines Donate Fitness Equipment to Villagers
Marines Collect Sandals for Residents in Africa
Country Desk Officers Play Vital Role in Africa

IN AFGHANISTAN
Troop Commander Delivers Aid, Mentorship
Unmanned Aircraft Boosts Surveillance Efforts

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
'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: Terror Plots Disrupted
Waging and Winning the War on Terror
Terrorism Timeline
Terrorism Knowledge Base

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
1527 - Spanish & German Imperial troops sack Rome; ending the Renaissance
1529 - Battle at Gogra: Mogol emperor Babur beats Afghans & Bengals
1536 - King Henry VIII, orders bible be placed in every church
1598 - Arch duke Albrecht & Isabella become monarch of Southern Netherlands
1626 - Dutch colonist Paul Minuit buys Manhattan for $24 in trinkets
1642 - Ville Marie (Montréal) forms
1644 - Johan Mauritius resigns as Governor of Brazil
1648 - Battle at Zólty Wody-Bohdan Chmielricki's Cossaks beat John II Casimir
1672 - Brandenburgs monarch Frederik Willem signs treaty with Netherlands
1753 - French King Louis XV observes transit of Mercury at Mendon Castle
1757 - Battle at Prague: Frederik II of Prussia beats emperor army
1794 - Haiti, under Toussaint L'Ouverture, revolts against France
1804 - Suriname sold to English (until February 1816)
1840 - 1st postage stamps (Penny Black) issued (Great Britain)
1851 - Dr. John Gorrie patents a "refrigeration machine"; Linus Yale patents Yale-lock; New slave regulations go into effect in Suriname
1853 - 1st major US rail disaster kills 46 (Norwalk, CT)
1856 - U.S. Army troops from Forts Tejon and Miller prepare to ride out to protect Keyesville, California, from the Yokut Indians
1860 - San Fransisco Olympic Club, 1st US athletic club, founded
1861 - Arkansas & Tennessee become 9th & 10th states to secede from US; Jefferson Davis approves a bill declaring War between US & Confederacy
1864 - Battle of Port Walthall Junction, VA; Battle of Wilderness-General Longstreet seriously injured; General Sherman begins advance to Atlanta, GA
1877 - Chief Crazy Horse, who defeated Custer, surrenders to U.S. troops in Nebraska
1882 - Chinese Exclusion Act: US Congress ceases Chinese immigration; Epping Forest England dedicated by Queen Victoria
1889 - Universal Exposition opens in Paris France; Eiffel Tower completed
1890 - Mormon Church renounces polygamy [1006-Truth Restored (Morman pub)]
1891 - Conductors on London General Omnibus Company go on strike
1902 - British SS Camorta sinks off Rangoon - 739 die; Zulu assault at Holkrantz South-Africa
1910 - King George V ascends to British throne
1913 - King Nikita I of Montenegro vacates Skoetari, North-Albania
1914 - British House of Lords rejects women suffrage
1915 - Allies attack Cape Helles, Hellespont
1915 - German U-20 sinks Centurion SE of Ireland
1916 - Belgian troop march into Kigali, German East-Africa
1919 - Paris Peace Conference disposes of German colonies; German East Africa is assigned to Britain & France, German Southwest Africa to South Africa
1933 - Italy & USSR sign trade agreement
1935 - British King George & Queen Mary celebrates silver jubilee
1937 - Dirigible Hindenburg explodes in flames at Lakehurst, NJ (36 die)
1938 - Dutch writer Maurits Dekker sentenced to 50 days for "offending a friendly head of state" (Hitler)
1941 - Joseph Stalin became premier of Russia; Bob Hope gives his first USO show at March Field, in CA
1942 - Corregidor & Philippines surrender to Japanese Armies
1943 - British 1st Army opens assault on Tunis
1945 - General J. Blaskowitz surrenders German troops in Netherlands; Axis Sally makes her final broadcast to Allied troops.
1955 - West Germany joins NATO
1957 - Italian Government of Segni resigns; Last broadcast of "I Love Lucy" on CBS-TV
1959 - Iceland gunboats shoot at British fishing ships
1960 - President Eisenhower signs Civil Rights Act of 1960; Students attack Dutch embassy in Djakarta; Trotsky's murderer Jacques Mornard (Ramón Mercader), freed in México
1961 - Omer Vanaudenhove chosen chairman of Belgium Liberal Party
1962 - 1st nuclear warhead fired from Polaris submarine (Ethan Allen); Antonio Segni elected President of Italy; Pathet Lao breaks cease fire/conquers Nam Tha Laos
1966 - Canadian Minister of Finance announces a $20 Centennial gold coin
1967 - 400 students seize administration building at Cheyney State College; Zakir Hussain elected 1st Muslim President of India
1968 - Battle between students & troops in Paris, France, 1000 injured; Spain closes border to Gibraltar except to Spaniards
1970 - Yuchiro Miura of Japan skis down Mount Everest
1972 - South Vietnam's 5th Division at An Loc, under daily artillery battering, continue to hold their ground as reinforcements fight their way north up Highway 13
1974 - West German chancellor W. Brandt resigns
1975 - Early warnings provided by REACT (ham radio operators) means only 3 people die in tornado that strikes Omaha, NE
1978 - South Africa military goes into Angola
1981 - US expels Libyan diplomats
1984 - José Napoleon Duarte wins El Salvador presidential election
1985 - 17th Space Shuttle Mission (51-B)-Challenger 7 lands at Edwards Air Force Base
1987 - Gary Hart denies affair with model Donna Rice; PTL's Jim Bakker & Rich Dortch dismissed from Assemblies of God
1988 - Doughnutgate incident: New Jersey Devils' coach Jim Schoenfeld tells referee Don Koharski to 'eat another doughnut you fat pig!,' he is suspended
1990 - Former President PW Botha quit South Africa's ruling National Party
1991 - Space Shuttle STS 39 (Discovery 12) lands
1993 - STS-55 (Columbia) lands
1994 - Chunnel linking England & France officially opens; House passes the assault weapons ban; Nelson Mandela & his ANC, finally confirmed winners in South Africa
1996 - Alvaro Arzu aimed at ending 35 years of civil war; Guatemala's leftist guerrillas sign key accord with government of President
1997 - Army Staff Sergeant Delmar Simpson gets 25-year sentence for rape
2012 - Transit of Venus

Birthdays
0973 - Henry II, Roman Catholic German king/emperor (1002/14-24)
1501 - Marcellus II [Marcello Cervini], humanist/Pope (1555, 22 days)
1758 - Maximilien Robespierre Arras, French revolutionary/avocat (1781)
1769 - Ferdinand III archduke of Austria/ruler of Toscane
1801 - George Sears Greene, Union Brevet Major General
1812 - Martin Robinson Delaney Charlestown VA, 1st Black Major in US Medical Corps
1813 - Joseph Tarr Copeland, Union Brigadier General
1825 - Joseph Bailey, Union Brevet Major General
1829 - Phoebe Ann Coffin, 1st female ordained minister in New England
1856 - Robert Edwin Peary, arctic explorer (North Pole-April 6 1909); Sigmund Freud, cigar smoker, father of psycho-analysis
1875 - William Daniel Leahy, 5-star Admiral/Chief of Staff (1949)
1888 - Emmanuel Celler (Representative-NY, 1923-73)
1902 - Walter Dawson, British Air Chief marshall
1912 - Hugh Martell, British Vice Admiral
1915 - John Arnold, British high court judge
1922 - Carlos J. Moorhead (Representative-CA)
1926 - John Hamilton-Jones CEO (Richmond Enterprises)/British Major-General
1931 - Marvin Leath (Representative-TX)
1934 - Richard C. Shelby (Representative-AL /Senator-AL)
1939 - Zhanna Dmitriyevna Yerkina, Russian cosmonaut
1941 - Fred J. Eckert (Representative-NY, 1985-87)
1946 - Jim Ramstad (Representative-MN)
1949 - David Cornell Leestma, USN/astronaut (STS 41-G, 28, 45)
1952 - Chiaki Naito-Mukai, astronaut (STS 65, 95)
1953 - Tony Blair, British PM (Labour, 1997- )
1954 - Sergei Nikolayevich Tresvyatsky, cosmonaut
1955 - Donald A. Thomas, PhD/Astronaut (STS 65, 70, 83, 94); John Hutton, MP
1959 - Charles Hendry, MP; Eric D. Fingerhut (Representative-OH)

Passings
0523 - Thrasamunde, King of Vandalen
0988 - Dirk II West Frisian, Count of Holland
1085 - King Alfonso VI of León, conquerer of Toledo
1124 - Balak Emir of Aleppo, murdered
1527 - Karel van Bourbon, military governor (Lombardije), dies at 37
1727 - Catharina I Latvia, Tsarina of Russia, dies at about 42
1862 - Henry David Thoreau, US writer/pacifist (Walden Pond), dies at 44
1864 - Henry Livermore Abbott, Union Brigadier-General, dies in battle; Micah Jenkins, Confederate Brigadier-General (friendly fire), dies at 28
1882 - Lord Frederick Cavendish and Thomas Henry Burke, assassinated by Fenian Invincibles, in Dublin
1910 - Edward VII King of England (1901-10), dies at 68
1916 - Dirk Bos, Dutch MP (Liberal), dies at 53
1919 - Frank Lyman Baum, author (Wizard of Oz), dies at 62
1987 - William J. Casey, Director of CIA (1981-87), dies at 73
1995 - Dona Maria Pia de Braganca pretender to Port throne, dies at 88
1996 - Geoffrey Hodges bomb disposal expert, dies at 87

Reported Missing in Action
1965
Stubberfield, Robert A., USAF (NC); RF101C shot down - remains returned June, 1989

1966
Dodson, James, USAF; RF101C shot down - escaped June, 1966 - deceased

Lamar, James L., USAF (AR); F105D shot down, released by DRV March, 1973 - retired as a Colonel - alive and well as of 1998

1967
Wideman, Robert Earl, USN (OH); A4E shot down, released by DRV March, 1973 - alive in 1998

1968
Aldrich, Lawrence L., US Army (TX); KIA / BNR

Baird, William A., US Army (OH); released by PRG (injured) March, 1973 - alive in 1998

Branch, Michael P., US Army (KY); released by PRG March, 1973 - accused of collaboration

1969
Billipp, Norman K., USMC (WI); O1G shot down (w/Hagan) - remains ID'd November, 1996

Hagan, John Robert, USMC (GA); O1G shot down (w/Billipp) - remains returned, ID'd November, 1996

1970
Hernandez, Frank S., US Army (CA); Killed when UH1H collided with another helicopter and crashed (w/Worthington)

Kier, Larry Gene, US Army (NE); disappeared after ground action (w/Teran)

Teran, Refugio T., US Army (MI); disappeared after ground action (w/Kier)

Worthington, Richard C., US Army (WA); Killed when UH1H collided with another helicopter and crashed (w/Hernandez)

1972
Wiles, Marvin B., USN (CA); A7E shot down

Labels: Headlines, History

Flying home this morning. Heck of a weekend in D.C. Will have regular posting up when I get home, plus a bit of a weekend wrap-up.


Wish me a safe flight!

Labels: Milblog Conference 2007