The Army component of U.S. Southern Command marked a new chapter in its storied history as the former special assistant to the commanding general of U.S. Army Special Operations Command took over U.S. Army South during a ceremony at the Fort Sam Houston Club Nov. 9. Army Maj. Gen. Simeon G. Trombitas succeeded Army Maj. Gen. Keith M. Huber who was subsequently promoted to lieutenant general and will serve as the deputy commander, U.S. Joint Forces Command in Norfolk, Va. The continuing mission of U.S.

Congressman Pete Hoekstra, the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, claims the White House is blocking an investigation of the attack on Fort Hood. http://www.newsmax.com/headlines/hoekstra_obama_fort_hood/2009/11/10/284539.html

The military blog "Mudville Gazette" discusses CNN's apparent effort to cover up information from one of their own interviews about the Fort Hood shooting: http://www.mudvillegazette.com/032881.html

Haaretz.com has cited reports from Der Spiegel that the relationship between Iran and Syria has become more tense, and that the increased tensions have affected relations between the two rogue countries. Iran has demanded the return of nuclear material sent to Syria prior to the 2007 raid, while Syria has refused unless payment has been rendered.

Washington has urged North Korea not to escalate tensions in the Yellow Sea following a naval skirmish between the North and South Korean navies Tuesday. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs says Washington hopes Pyongyang will not take any further actions in the area that could be seen as an escalation. South Korea's military says one of its warships first fired warning shots at a North Korean boat that it says crossed the Korean maritime border off the west coast of the Korean peninsula. South Korea says the North K

International experts and politicians are in Brussels for a two-day meeting on ways to harmonize European and American policy on Eritrea and other parts of the Horn of Africa.   The meeting is sponsored by Europe External Policy Advisors, a Brussels-based research group.  It is being held amid mounting international concern about Eritrea's human-rights policy and allegations the Eritrean government supports Islamist insurgents in neighboring Somalia. In August, U.S.

A Kenyan human rights body is calling for an investigation into the killing of the spokesman of a major Kenyan gang, saying the leader told the group a few weeks prior that his life was in danger from a government hit squad.