SHIP LOGS:

April 11

• HDMS Absalon (FFG): Danish FFG rescues 12-hostages from Somali Pirates (...part of NATO SNMG-2 patrol group)

April 12

• USS Eisenhower (CVN-69): @ Norfolk, Boots-on-the Deck visit by cmd of Naval Air Service and Naval Air Forces, and deputy undersecretary of the Navy

April 13

• FS Cassard (DDG): escorts USS Enterprise CSG through Hormuz?

April 14

• RS Varyag (CG): leaves Vladivostok w/ 3-DDG, support ships, aircraft, helo and naval infantry for China, prep for JTF EX in Yellow Sea

April 20

• HMS Dragon (DDG) being commissioned

GROUND UNITS:

• US Army / US Marine Unit KIAs updated by DOD Reports up to (4/12/2012)
• UK 12 Mechanized brigade rotates in for six months, replaces UK 20 Armored Brigade. Supported by UK 19 Light Brigade and 102 Logistic.

NOTEWORTHY NEWS:
April 12

• SOMALIA: Kenya and Ethiopia in talks, forming a joint operation to capture Kismayo, Somalia from islamic rebels.

April 13

• VENEZUELA: indications of a future civil war increase. Chavez is likely dying of cancer, and his popularity among the working classes is failing because the economy has been trashed. He is likely to loose the next election. However, Senior aids and the head of the armed forces say they'll only recognize Chavez as president, and political officials say they'll arm his supporters to keep the revolution going, even without him.

April 14

• RUSSIA: decides to shift $20 billion from conventional forces into space / missile forces. Russia considers their strategic space and nuclear assets to be their primary defense ...their attempts to maintain a large well equiped conventional force isn't going so well.

April 15

• N. Korea: just days after the failure of it rocket to achieve orbit, Kim Jong-un stages military parade and speech calling for the “final victory”.
• SYRIA: Syrian army resumes shelling Homs, UN observer team being assembled