SOUTHWEST ASIA SANTA - Santa Claus, also known as U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Joe Ennen, helps himself to a cookie Dec. 25, 2007, after visiting troops at a Southwest Asia air base. Ennen is a member of the 379th Expeditionary Services Squadron. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Douglas Olsen

Labels: 379th Expeditionary Services Squadron, Christmas, holidays, photos, USAF

News of Note
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Iraq says captures senior al Qaeda figure
Coalition Forces Disrupt al-Qaida in Diyala; 12 Killed, 37 Detained
Iraqi National Police, MND-B Soldiers discover IED (Baghdad)
MND-B patrol finds cache (Baghdad)
National police deliver cache to Cavalry unit (Tameem)

Operation Enduring Freedom
U.S., Afghan Forces Seize 2 Suspected Terrorists

Homeland Security / War on Terror / Hamas-Hezbollah Happenings
Web site to carry new bin Laden tape on Iraq
Israel's Olmert balks at full settlement halt
Sudan swears in new cabinet as crisis ends

Fallen Heroes
General Delivers Gold Star Mother's Message

Religion of Peace??
Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto Assassinated; Pakistani Forces on Red Alert
SLAIN OPPOSITION LEADER LIVED UNDER CONSTANT THREATS
VIOLENCE SPREADS AS FOLLOWERS PREPARE BHUTTO FUNERAL
FOX Facts: Benazir Bhutto - BHUTTO PHOTOS - BOMBING PHOTOS (Graphic) - VIDEO
SECURITY BARRIER: Pakistan More Dangerous Without Bhutto
LIVE COVERAGE FROM PAKISTAN
WEBCAMS AROUND THE WORLD: Pakistan TV
Bhutto's body flown to home province - Video
World outraged, fearful over Bhutto assassination - Video
Pakistan in turmoil: Roots of the crisis

Worldwide Wackos
Cuba says two die in latest smuggler boat incident

Politics / Government
THE CHALLENGE: McCain Returns to 'Maverick' Style
Bush condemns assassination of Pakistan's Bhutto - Video
Bush has spoken with Musharraf: White House
Bhutto death roils US presidential race
Analysis: Bhutto death deals blow to US
Poll: Voters still sampling candidates

In the Courts / Crime and Punishment / Law and Order
Revealed: Mall Gunman Was Satanic, Attempted Suicide
Cops: Couple Confessed to Family Killing - PHOTOS
Woman Accused of Wiping Nose on Cop's Shirt Charged
N.Y. Man Convicted of Killing Parents Freed After 17 Years
Cop Leaves Pharmacy, Finds Wife Shot Dead
New Jersey Bans Sex Offenders From Using Internet
Florida Woman Missing Since Saturday Found Alive
Divers Search Chicago River for Woman After Hindu Good Luck Ritual

Science / Medicine and Health / Technology
Faulty Gauge May Push Back Atlantis Launch Again
Parents Debate Pulling Plug on Comatose Daughter
Researchers: 1 Out of 1,000 People May Smell Sounds
More young diabetics being hospitalized
Study shows new way to fight Chagas disease
Ancient pyramid found in central Mexico City
Nokia delays N-gage gaming service launch
Apple and Fox plan movie rental deal: reports
EEOC allows health benefits shift at 65

Mother Nature
Faulty Gauge May Push Back Atlantis Launch Again
Was Killer Tiger Taunted? - PHOTOS
California Woman Mauled, Killed by Pack of Pit Bulls
Police, Parents of Teen Killed by Tiger at San Francisco Zoo Seek Answers
San Francisco Zoo Director: Killer Tiger's Wall Lower Than Recommended Height

News from My Neck of the Woods
Anonymous Gift Sets Off Bomb Scare in Conn. Town Hall

Oddities
Rare 24-Cent Stamp Sells for $825,000
Monkey Smuggled Into NYC Under Owner's Hat Dies
Student wins lottery, leaves school
A far from cracking surprise - a dead mouse

Fox News
FOXBusiness: Futures Slip Ahead of Consumer Data
Barron Hilton, Hotel Magnate, to Leave Bulk of Fortune to Charity
Pop Tarts: Hudgens in Hot Water: Another Naughty Mess for Ness
New Gold-Colored Presidential Dollar Coins to be Unveiled
Cruise Rubs 'Salt' in MGM Wound

Reuters
Prince William pips Charles to post as favorite heir
Mischa Barton jailed on drunken driving charge - Video
OK! pays $1 million for Jamie Lynn Spears pregnancy story: US
Minneapolis tops most literate cities poll
Daniel Day-Lewis may be foolhardy, but don't laugh
Scribes avoid getting lost in their translations
Store traffic falls in week before Christmas
Merrill Lynch plans to lay off 1,600: report
Citi, Merrill, JPMorgan face larger writeoffs: Goldman
U.S. durable goods weaker than expected in November
Mortgage applications fall to lowest in a year
Wal-Mart cancels movie download service
Glaxo says Advair shows edge over Spiriva in COPD
Amazon adds Warner Music tunes to download service
Nikkei drops 11% in 2007, first down year in 5 yrs
Gold, bonds rise on Bhutto killing, stocks fall - Video
Oil rises on Bhutto killing, U.S. inventory drop - Video
HK stocks seen lower, telecoms in focus
Wall St sinks with Bhutto killing, financials' view - Video
Dollar steadies after falling on weak U.S. data
Gold steady but supported by tensions, strong oil
Ambac says does not plan to reduce dividend
Checkpoint names CEO
Treasury bond yields may spike
Where to put your money in 2008

AP World News
House members spent $20.3M on mailings
Warner offers DRM-free music on Amazon
Jessica Alba engaged to baby's father
Parcells begins new job with Dolphins
IRS: Late tax fix delays refunds
Cities enticing residents to go green
Raiders' Sapp fined $75K for outburst
Serena Williams to miss Hopman Cup match
Bette Davis stars in 2008 postage stamps
Envelope, please: Oscar ballots mailed
Consumer confidence rises in December
Brendan Fraser, wife end 9-year marriage

CENTCOM: News Releases
COALITION FORCES DISRUPT AL KUT CRIMINAL ELEMENT NETWORKS, 11 TERRORISTS KILLED
IRAQI POLICE UNCOVER MAJOR WEAPONS CACHE

USJFCOM
U.S. Joint Forces Command, IBM sign new cooperative research and development agreement
More about CRADAs
Ribbon cut for new SOCJFCOM headquarters - podcast
Newsmaker Profile: SOCJFCOM Commander Army Col. Wesley Rehorn - podcast
More about SOCJFCOM

Multi-National Force-Iraq
Field Artillery Troops Train Iraqi Volunteers
Iraqi Army, U.S. Troops Deliver Backpacks to School
Iraqi Special Operations Forces, U.S. Special Forces detain suspected terrorist cell leader, 3 other
Coalition forces disrupt Al Kut criminal element networks, 11 terrorists killed
Coalition forces target al-Qaeda assassination and facilitation networks, 19 detained

DefenseLink
TOP NEWS
Bush Thanks Troops, Families for Sacrifices
Petraeus: Violence Down in Iraq; Al Qaeda Still Poses a Threat
No Furloughs for Christmas

IRAQ NEWS
'Ironhorse' Soldiers Witness Progress
Coalition Troops Kill 11 Insurgents

MILITARY NEWS
Chairman’s USO Tour Wraps Up

AFGHANISTAN NEWS
Afghan, U.S. Troops Deliver Aid to Nangarhar

FACE OF DEFENSE
Soldier Helps Iraqis

AMERICA SUPPORTS YOU
New Help for Veterans

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
0418 - [Etalius] begins his reign as Catholic Pope
1437 - Albrecht II von Habsburg becomes king of Bohemia
1503 - Battle at Garigliano - Spanish army under G Córdoba beats France
1703 - England & Portugal sign Methuen-Asiento-trade agreement
1741 - Prussian forces take Olmutz, Czechoslovakia
1825 - 1st public railroad using steam locomotive completed in England
1831 - Darwin begins his voyage to South America on board the HMS Beagle
1836 - Worst English avalanche kills 8 of 15 buried (Lewes Sussex)
1845 - Ether 1st used in childbirth in US, Jefferson GA
1850 - Hawaiian Fire Department established
1862 - Battle of Chickasaw Bluffs, MS (Chickasaw Bayou); Battle of Elizabethtown, KY
1867 - Ontario & Québec legislatures hold 1st meeting
1871 - World's 1st cat show (Crystal Palace, London)
1884 - Netherlands recognizes king Leopold II's Congo Free State
1892 - Foundation Stone of the Cathedral of St John laid (New York NY)
1903 - "Sweet Adeline", a barbershop quartet favorite, is 1st sung
1923 - Unsuccessful assassination attempt on prince-regent Hirohito of Japan
1926 - Latkin Square in Bronx named for 1st US Jewish soldier to die in WWI
1932 - Radio City Music Hall opens (New York NY)
1934 - Shah of Persia declares Persia now Iran
1937 - German immigration officials with no explanation bar Juan Carlos Zabala (Argentina), 1932 Olympic marathon champion, from entering Germany
1939 - 8.0 Earthquake in Erzincam Turkey, about 50,000 die
1941 - Japan bombs Manila even though it was declared an "open city"
1942 - 1st Japanese women camp (Ambarawa) goes into use
1943 - German warship Scharnhorst sinks in Barents Sea; Montgomery discusses Overlord with Eisenhower & Bedell Smith
1944 - Greece: British premier Churchill flies back to London
1945 - International Monetary Fund established - World Bank founded
1947 - 1st "Howdy Doody Show" (Puppet Playhouse), telecast on NBC
1949 - Queen Juliana (Netherlands) grants sovereignty to Indonesia
1961 - Belgium & Congo resume diplomatic relations
1972 - New North Korean constitution comes into effect; Belgium recognizes German Democratic Republic
1974 - FSLN (Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional/Sandinista National Liberation Front) seizes government hostages at a private Managua party
1976 - Albania constitution goes into effect
1978 - King Juan Carlos ratifies Spain's 1st democratic constitution
1979 - Soviet troops invade Afghánistán, President Hafizullah Amin overthrown
1983 - Pope John Paul II pardons man who shot him (Mehmet Ali Agca)
1985 - Terrorists kill 20 & wound 110 attacking El Al at Rome & Vienna airports; President Reagan blames Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Qaddafi
1988 - Bulgaria stops jamming Radio Free Europe after more than 3 decades

Birthdays
1755 - Antons Klemens Theodor king of Saksen (1827-36)
1761 - Michael A Barclay de Tolly Scottish/Russian minister of War
1773 - George Cayley England, found science of aerodynamics
1801 - Guillaume L Baud Dutch minister of Colonies (1848-49)
1803 - John ACA van Nispen Sevenaer Member of Dutch 2nd parliament (1848-75)
1814 - James Henry Carleton Brevet Major General (Union Army), died in 1873
1816 - Eliakim Parker Scammon Brigadier-General (Union volunteers), died in 1894
1822 - Louis Pasteur Dole France, bacteriologist (pasteurization)
1829 - James Clay Rice Brigadier-General (Union volunteers), died in 1864
1831 - Lucius Fairchild Brigadier-General (Union volunteers), died in 1896
1897 - Iwan S Konew Russian marshal/supreme commander pact of Warsaw
1924 - James A McClure (Senator-ID); Mokta Ould Daddah President of Mauritania (1961-78)
1930 - Meg Greenfield US politician(?)
1951 - William Waldorf 4th viscount Astor/English large landowner
1953 - Arthur Kent newscaster [Scud Stud], (NBC-Gulf War coverage)

Passings
0418 - Zosimus, Greek Pope (417-8), dies
0975 - Balderik, bishop of Utrecht (918-75), dies
1065 - Ferdinand I the Great, king of Castile, dies
1590 - Emmanuel-Philibert of Lalaing, marquis of Renty, dies at 33
1641 - François van d'Aerssen, ruler of Sommelsdijk/diplomat, dies at 69
1836 - Stephen Fuller Austin, founder of state of Texas, dies at 43
1919 - Theodoor H de Meester, Dutch liberal premier (1905-08), dies at 68
1936 - Hans von Seeckt, German general/advisor of Chiang Kai-shek, dies at 70
1938 - Emile Vandervelde, Belgian Secretary of State (BWP), dies at 72
1952 - Henri G Winkelman, Dutch supreme commander army/navy 1940, dies at 76
1972 - Lester B Pearson, 14th Canadian PM (Nobel 1957), dies at 75
1978 - Houari Boumédiene, Algerian President, dies after 40 days in a coma at 53
1979 - Hafizullah Amin, President of Afghánistán (1979), murdered
1982 - John Leonard Swigert, Jr., astronaut (Apollo 13), dies of cancer at 51
1994 - Karl AF Schiller, West German economist/SPD-minister, dies at 83

Reported Missing in Action
1966
Ortiz-Rivera, Luis A., US Army (Puerto Rico); released by PRG January, 1968

1967
Innes, Roger B., USN (IL); F4B shot down, presumed KIA

Lee, Leonard M., USN (VA); F4B shot down, presumed KIA

Martin, Sammy A., USAF (TX); F4C shot down, slipped out of rescue sling, Killed, body not recovered

1971
The following Air America Civilians reported Missing in Action when their C123 was shot down:
Ritter, George L.

Townley, Roy F.

Weissenback, Edward J.

1972
Anderson, John W., USAF (OR); F4E shot down (w/Ward), released by DRV February, 1973 (injured) - alive as of 1998

Chipman, Ralph J., USMC (UT); A6A shot down (w/Forrester), KIA, body not recovered

Forrester, Ronald W., USMC (TX); A6A shot down (w/Chipman), presumed KIA

Jefcoat, Carl H., USAF (MS); F4E shot down (w/Trimble), released by DRV March, 1973 - killed in aviation accident in 1987

Trimble, Jack R., USAF (SC); F4E shot down (w/Jefcoat), released by DRV March, 1973 - retired as a Lt. Colonel - alive as of 1998

Ward, Brian H., USAF (CA); F4E shot down (w/Anderson), released by DRV March, 1973 - alive and well as of 1998

Labels: Headlines, History