- Situation Reports

SOUTH KOREA: Planned Rocket Launch

2010-04-21T04:19:52Z

South Korea's Ministry of Education, Science and Technology announced the country's plan to launch its Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1 (KSLV-1). The launch is scheduled for 9 June between 16:30 and 18:40, however weather conditions may cause delays. The rocket will be launched at the Naro Space Center, 485 kilometers south of Seoul. The rocket is equiped with a Russian made first stage booster and a Korean made second stage booster.

RUSSIA: Polish President Dies in Plane Crash

2010-04-11T00:31:59Z

On 10 April, Polish President Lech Kacynski and 97 other passengers were killed in a plane crash. The President and several dignitaries were in route to a ceremony commemorating the Katyn forest massacre, where 22,000 Polish officers were killed by Russin secret police. Also on board the plane was the deputy foreign minister, head of the National Security Office, and the deputy parliament speaker. The Polish Military suffered a significant loss of leadership, as the army chief of staff, navy chief commander, and heads of the air and land forces were also aboard the flight. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin held a video conference shortly after the crash offering to assist the family members of the dead with their physiological, psychological, and other needs.

ISRAEL: Netanyahu Cancels US Trip

2010-04-09T02:46:46Z

On 8 April, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cancelled a visit to the United States where he planned to attend a nuclear summit hosted by President Barack Obama. According to BBC, Mr. Netanyahu made the decision after learning that Egypt and Turkey would also attend the summit to raise the issue of Israel's nuclear program. Israel's Intelligence and Atomic Energy Minister Dan Meridor will attend the summit in place of Mr. Netanyahu.

UNITED KINGDOM: Airline Merger

2010-04-09T02:46:10Z

On 8 April, British Airways and Spanish airline, Iberia signed a merger agreement. The merger was provincially agreed on November 2009 and is expected to take effect by the end of this year. The move results in the creation of one of the world's largest airline group. The new company will be called International Airlines Group and will continue to operate as it has before the merger

SOMALIA: Al Shabab Raids UN Base

2010-04-09T02:45:13Z

On 8 April, Al Shabab took control of a United Nations compound in southern Somalia. According to BBC, militants disarmed the guards at the base in Wajid. However, the World Food Program announced that the base was empty and the event would not affect its operations in the country. Al Shabab controls a majority of southern Somalia, while the UN backed government only controls a small portion of its capital, Mogadishu.

SOUTH KOREA: Foreign Consultants Aid Investigation

2010-04-09T02:41:50Z

On 8 April, the United States, Britain, Australia and Sweden agreed to aid the ROK's investigation on the sinking of the navy's 1,200 ton corvette Cheonan. The ship was torn in two by a mysterious blast on 26 March near the disputed Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the Yellow Sea. Allowing international cooperation concerning the sinking is Seoul's effort to enhance transparency and objectivity in the investigation.

UNITED STATES: Hosting Nuclear Summit

2010-04-06T03:48:28Z

President Barack Obama will host a nuclear summit on 12 April and has invited 40 countries to attend the event. South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Chinese President Hu Jintao are among the leaders who will be present at the summit. Leaders of international organizations will also attend, including UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The summit is designed as a step toward a nuclear-free world and to adopt a resolution on control of nuclear materials and anti-nuclear terrorism measures.

MALAYSIA: Unveils New Economic Plan

2010-03-31T23:42:06Z

On 30 March, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak unveiled the government’s new economic plan. The New Economic Model (NEM) will eliminate race based policies including those that favor ethnic Malays in the housing, education and employment sectors of society. Prime Minister Razak announced the new model will address the race issue and will provide fair treatment. The economic reform is designed to eradicate poverty and also to establish Malaysia as a developed nation by 2020.

PERSIAN GULF: US Launches Trident Missile

2010-03-31T17:12:32Z

In a joint exercise with Saudi Arabia, the United States has test-fired a Trident-class submarine launched ballistic missile. A Defense Department official, speaking under the condition of anonymity, stated the missile launch was a demonstration of force aimed at Iran. The launch of a Trident missile indicates that at least one of the United States’ Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines is currently operating in the Persian Gulf region.

UNITED STATES: NASA to Extend Shuttle Operations

2010-03-31T17:11:31Z

NASA’s Office of the Inspector General has released a report indicating that NASA will be unlikely to fulfill its mission quota and retire the Space Shuttle fleet on schedule later this year. The report went on to state that it was likely the aging Shuttle fleet would remain in operation until the second quarter of 2011. President Obama has allocated additional funding to NASA to continue the Shuttle fleet’s operation until December of 2010 – 3 months past the last scheduled Shuttle flight – but NASA indicated that additional funding would be required of the fleet cannot complete its missions and retire on schedule.