U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says relations between the United States and Pakistan are at a turning point, and that Pakistan must take decisive steps to fight terrorism.

Clinton made the comments in Islamabad Friday, during a brief visit aimed at mending relations that were further strained following the killing of Osama bin laden by U.S. special forces in Pakistan. She is the highest ranking U.S. official to visit the country since the May 2 raid in Abbottabad.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il has returned to Pyongyang after a week-long visit to close ally and neighbor China. Also this week, Burma's new president, the ex-general Thein Sein, traveled to Beijing for talks with Chinese officials.

When he left Beijing Friday after a week-long visit to China, North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il said in a letter to President Hu Jintao that ties between the two countries are "sealed in blood."

An African Union summit has demanded an immediate end to NATO airstrikes on Libya, and backed a “Road Map” peace plan calling for a ceasefire and negotiations. A small but growing number of African nations are suggesting Moammar Gadhafi must be excluded from any peace deal.

The African Union Thursday endorsed its own peace plan for Libya.

A combined Afghan and coalition security force captured a Haqqani Network leader and several of his associates during a security operation in Gardez District, Paktiya province, yesterday.

The leader commanded approximately 30 to 40 fighters operating in Khost and Gardez Districts. He and his fighters were actively involved in anti-government operations along the main road between Sperah and Nadir Shah Kot Districts, Khost province.

When thinking about Army aviation, green-suiters flying helicopters usually come to mind. However, the Army National Guard’s 40th Combat Aviation Brigade, currently deployed to Iraq, has its share of fixed-wing aircraft, operated by crews from almost every branch of the U.S. military.

About 20 fixed-wing airplanes are attached to the 40th CAB’s 1st Assault Helicopter Battalion, 140th Aviation Regiment. The soldiers, airmen, sailors and Marines who fly these aircraft are said to be in a “purple unit” because of the mixture of their uniform colors.

If the heat was the only indication for 100 Marines crammed into a squad bay, May 16, they may have thought they were back home at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz.

But these Marines, with Marine Attack Squadron 513 and Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 13, were a full day’s travel and half a world away from their homes and loved ones. They stood ready, no more than two hours into a seven month deployment to Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan.

“Who’s first deployment is this?” asked Master Sgt. Timothy Saunders, the VMA-513 maintenance chief, and native of Jacksonville, N.C.

Thousands of people have died from roadside bombs in Iraq. But even one death from these attacks is one too many, and an explosive ordnance disposal team from Contingency Operating Site Warrior is trying to prevent that number from getting any bigger.

The 321st Expeditionary Operation Support Squadron EOD team recently completed a program to train three local agencies; an Iraqi army EOD team, an Iraqi fire department and an Iraqi police bomb squad.

WI panel OKs gun bill; columnist shows bankruptcy of anti-CCW mindset

Concealed carry took a huge step forward in Wisconsin yesterday as the Senate Judiciary Committee approved legislation that would allow “constitutional carry” of defensive sidearms by private citizens without first getting a permit.

http://www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-seattle/wi-panel-oks-gun-bill-colu...

Article by Dave Workman

GRASSLEY PLAYS HARDBALL
Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) has upped the pressure on the Justice Department to break through the stonewalling.
http://www.sofmag.com/grassley-plays-hardball-gunrunner