Wednesday, May 15, 2013

DTN News - CANNES FESTIVAL 2013: 66th Cannes Film Festival Opens With Amitabh Bachchan, DiCaprio, Spielberg

DTN News - CANNES FESTIVAL 2013: 66th Cannes Film Festival Opens With Amitabh Bachchan, DiCaprio, Spielberg
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Bollywood & Hollywood Gup Shup Gossip


(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - May 15, 2013: Actors Amitabh Bachchan, Carey Mulligan, Tobey Maguire and Leonardo DiCaprio pose for photographers during a photo call for the film The Great Gatsby at the 66th international film festival, in Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 15, 2013.


By Staff, The Associated Press

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http://indianbollywoodmusicandmovies.blogspot.ca/2013/05/great-gatsby-stars-dazzle-despite-damp.html


*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Bollywood & Hollywood Gup Shup Gossip
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*Photograph: IPF (International Pool of Friends) + DTN News / otherwise source stated
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DTN News - CANNES FESTIVAL 2013: "Great Gatsby" Stars Dazzle Despite Damp Cannes Opening

DTN News - CANNES FESTIVAL 2013: "Great Gatsby" Stars Dazzle Despite Damp Cannes Opening
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Bollywood & Hollywood Gup Shup Gossip


(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - May 15, 2013:  Actors Amitabh Bachchan and Leonardo DiCaprio, cast members of the film 'The Great Gatsby', Jury President Steven Spielberg, Jury member of the 66th Cannes Film Festival actress Nicole Kidman and Daniel Auteuil attend the opening ceremony of the 66th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes May 15, 2013.


Credit: Reuters/Yves Herman

*Presented & compiled By BHGSG for DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News

http://indianbollywoodmusicandmovies.blogspot.ca/2013/05/great-gatsby-stars-dazzle-despite-damp.html


*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Bollywood & Hollywood Gup Shup Gossip
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News 
*Photograph: IPF (International Pool of Friends) + DTN News / otherwise source stated
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
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DTN News: Aerospace/Defense Headlines - News Dated May 15, 2013

DTN News: Aerospace/Defense Headlines - News Dated  May 15, 2013
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - May 15, 2013: Comprehensive daily news related to Aerospace/Defense for the world of TODAY.
**DTN News - Special Creative Contribution;
Wednesday May 15, 2013
*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Defense News
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DTN News: U.S. Department of Defense Contracts Dated May 15, 2013

DTN News: U.S. Department of Defense Contracts Dated May 15, 2013
Source: U.S. DoD issued No.  334-13 May 15, 2013
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - May 15, 2013: U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) Contracts issued  May 15, 2013  are undermentioned;


CONTRACTS
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
            Graybar Electric Company Inc., St. Louis, Mo., has been awarded a maximum $426,880,788 modification exercising the eighth option year of a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract.  This contract is for maintenance, repair and operations supplies.  Location of performance is Missouri with a May 18, 2014, performance completion date.  Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies.  Type of appropriation is fiscal 2013 Defense Working Capital funds.  The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM500-04-D-BP07) 

            Science Application International Corp., Fairfield, N.J., has been awarded a maximum $380,962,639 modification exercising the eighth option year of a firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract.  This contract is for maintenance, repair and operations supplies.  Location of performance is New Jersey with a May 18, 2014, performance completion date.  Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and federal civilian agencies.  Type of appropriation is fiscal 2013 Defense Working Capital funds.  The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM500-04-D-BP08) 

            Harris Manufacturing Company Inc.*, Trenton, N.J., has been awarded a maximum $14,966,360 modification exercising option year one of a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract.  This contract is for life rafts.  Locations of performance are New Jersey and Delaware with a June 28, 2014, completion date.  Using military services are Navy, Air Force.  Type of appropriation is fiscal 2013 through fiscal 2014 Defense Working Capital funds.  The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM8EJ-11-D-0502) 

NAVY
            Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc., Monroeville, Pa., is being awarded a $296,442,784 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-13-C-2121) for Naval Nuclear Propulsion Components.  Work will be performed in Monroeville, Pa. (71.59 percent) and Schenectady, N.Y. (28.41 percent).  Fiscal 2013 Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  No completion date or additional information is provided on Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program contracts.  The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. 

            BAE Systems Technology Solutions & Services Inc., Rockville, Md., is being awarded a $37,760,767 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00421-09-C-0102) to exercise an option for engineering and technical services and supplies for the design, development, integration, test and evaluation, maintenance and logistics support of communication-electronic platform, equipment, systems and subsystems in support of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division’s Special Communications Requirements Division.  Work will be performed in St. Inigoes, Md. (40 percent); Chesapeake, Va. (39 percent); Spring Lake, N.C. (14 percent); San Diego, Calif. (3 percent); Tampa, Fla. (2 percent); Washington, D.C. (1 percent); Fort Campbell, Ky. (.5 percent); and Fort Carson, Colo. (.5 percent), and is expected to be completed in May 2014.  Navy Working Capital funds in the amount of $3,000,000 are being obligated on this award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, St. Inigoes, Md., is the contracting activity. 

            Turbopower LLC, Miami Lakes, Fla. (N00019-09-D-0012); Rolls-Royce Engine Services, Oakland, Calif. (N00019-09-D-0013); and StandardAero (San Antonio) Inc., San Antonio, Texas (N00019-09-D-0014), are each being awarded modifications to previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts to exercise options for depot-level repair of the T56 Series III engine.  Depot-level repair of the T56 Series III engine modules is required to support fielded P-3 and derivative aircraft, as well as T56 powered C-130 and C-2 aircraft.  The estimated value of the individual modifications are $39,202,553 for Turbopower LLC, $33,213,697 for Rolls-Royce Engine Services; and $39,028,623 for StandardAero Inc.  The companies will have the opportunity to compete for associated task orders.  The places of performance are Miami Lakes, Fla., for Turbopower LLC; Oakland, Calif., for Rolls-Royce Engine Services; and San Antonio, Texas, for StandardAero Inc.  Efforts under these options are expected to be completed in February 2014.  No funds are being obligated at time of award.  Funds will be obligated on individual delivery orders as they are issued.  The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, N.J., is the contracting activity. 

TRICARE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITY
            Optum Health Care Solutions Inc., Golden Valley, Minn., was awarded a $23,034,076 firm-fixed-price contract to provide telehealth support to the Department of Defense TRICARE program.  The 12 month base year will begin with a three-month start-up period.  The contractor will assist the Military Health System in operating a nationwide nurse advice line to provide 24/7 telehealth triage and administrative support services for all TRICARE beneficiaries located in the United States.  The work to be performed includes telehealth nurse triage, advice for self-care and for pursuing health care services, appointing at Military Treatment Facilities, provider locator assistance and customer service while providing beneficiary satisfaction at the highest level possible through the delivery of world-class health care.  Fiscal 2013 Operational and Maintenance funding in the amount of $23,034,076 is being obligated at time of award. This contract was competitively procured with six initial offers received.  TRICARE Management Activity, Falls Church, Va., is the contracting activity (HT0011-13-C-0001). 

AIR FORCE
            Jacobs Technology Inc., Lincoln, Mass., was awarded a $14,448,258 cost-plus-fixed -fee and cost-reimbursable contract for interim support of services to provide engineering and technology acquisition support services.  The types of services to be acquired under this contract includes but are not limited to:  engineering services, engineering support, technical support, provisioning and logistics, modeling and simulation, configuration and data management, architectural support, test and evaluation, security engineering and certification, capability based planning, commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) integration, integrated master plans and scheduling and technical reviews.  Work will be performed at Hanscom Air Force Base (AFB), Mass., with primary geographically separated units (GSUs) at Peterson AFB, Colo.; Langley AFB, Va.; Eglin AFB, Fla.; Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Ala.; and Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, with an expected completion date of Nov 14, 2013.  Fiscal year 2013 operations and maintenance funds and fiscal 2012 and 2013 research and development and procurement funds in the amount of $11,468,879 are being obligated at time of award.  This contract was a sole source acquisition and the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center/PZM is the contracting activity.  Contract has an FMS component as the contract requires company to travel overseas for host nation support.  (FA8721-13-C-0006) 

            BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems, Merrimack, N.H., was awarded a $11,943,869 modification (P00011) to a previously awarded contract (FA8750-11-C-0189) for smart waveforms using evasive and adaptive protocols (SWEAP) software/hardware/testbed to demonstrate to demonstrate CommEx's capabilities for recognition, optimization, and mitigation in software-only upgrades using the current processing resources, software upgrades on enhanced processing resources, hardware and antenna upgrades.  The total cumulative face value of the contract is $18,245,337.  Fiscal 2013 Research and Development funds provided by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency in the amount of $4,590,234 will be obligated at the time of award.  Work will be performed at Merrimack, N.H., and is expected to be completed by Feb. 28, 2015.  The contracting activity is Air Force Research Laboratory/RIKF, Rome, N.Y.
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*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources 
U.S. DoD issued No.  334-13 May 15, 2013
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DTN News - AFGHANISTAN FACTOR: Should India Provide Direct Military Aid To Afghanistan?

DTN News - AFGHANISTAN FACTOR: Should India Provide Direct Military Aid To Afghanistan?
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources By Javid Ahmad - NYTimes
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - May 14, 2013: Over the past decade, India has invested heavily in Afghanistan’s reconstruction. Recognizing India’s significant economic and development contributions, the United States has called on New Delhi to play an important role in the new Silk Road initiative aimed at transforming Afghanistan into a regional trade hub.

At the same time, New Delhi has been reluctant to become directly involved in supporting Afghanistan’s nascent security sector. The many uncertainties surrounding next year’s security transition from international to Afghan leadership raise further questions about New Delhi’s role in the Afghan endgame..

India’s decision-makers acknowledge that India’s own internal security would be at risk if the international drawdown from Afghanistan leaves behind a security vacuum that is filled by Pakistan-backed militant groups. New Delhi can no longer ignore the related consequences. And while some of the Pakistan-related sensitivities are important for India, it should not approach its relations with Afghanistan, a sovereign nation, solely from a Pakistan angle.

One way for New Delhi to overcome its anxieties and further cement ties with Kabul is to consider providing direct military assistance to the Afghan government and training support to the burgeoning Afghan National Security Forces. The India-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Agreement signed in October 2011 already provides the staging ground for an increased military cooperation with Afghanistan. Under the agreement, India provides — though to a limited extent — training support and light military equipment to Afghan forces.

However, because of New Delhi’s hesitation to put military personnel on the ground, all trainings of Afghan forces are conducted inside India. Although New Delhi has deployed a small number of paramilitary forces to guard its diplomatic facilities and aid workers in Afghanistan after a number of attacks, the troops are not engaged in any combat or training missions. Looking ahead, India’s decision-makers should consider anchoring these troops to support the Afghan forces and also consider establishing a military training academy in Afghanistan for Afghan forces.

More specifically, India should focus on propping up the Afghan air force, which remains largely reliant on international air support. India should bolster the ability of the Afghan air force to more ably operate its current fleet of 50 helicopters. For Afghan forces, the helicopters are an essential tool for operational air support and for resupplying remote military outposts, so New Delhi should particularly focus on training the technical and maintenance staff, on supplying the necessary spare parts and on improving the Afghan aircrew’s medevac capability. By supplying an airbase support advisory team, India can augment the ability of the Afghan air force to support ground operations with troop and cargo movements and deploy Afghan forces across the country.

In addition to training support, India should consider providing the Afghan government with military hardware, including attack helicopters, a handful of fighter aircrafts, armored vehicles, artillery and tactical communication tools. New Delhi may boost these efforts by increasing its cooperation with Afghan intelligence services and provide specialized training to Afghan operatives in collecting technical and aerial intelligence.

Undeniably, these measures would come with important risks and constraints. For one, it would add further to Pakistan’s many deep-rooted security concerns. Pakistan could derail the incipient peace talks with the Taliban, increase its support to the insurgent elements it hosts on its soil to spur further violence in Afghanistan or employ militant groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba to strike more frequently in India or on Indian assets inside Afghanistan.

However, a closer India-Afghan relationship would be intended to strengthen the Afghan government so it can remain functioning after 2014, and not to monitor Pakistan’s activities. Pakistan must realize that India’s assistance will go directly to the Afghan government, and not to any Afghan factions, as it has been in the past. Pakistan must also recognize that closer ties with India in Afghanistan better serves the interests of all parties.

Kabul does not choose sides in its relations with India and Pakistan, and, as it does with New Delhi, Kabul can also work with Islamabad in security and other sectors, but Pakistan must first show a sincere effort that it is not working toward sinister strategic objectives in Afghanistan.

Looking ahead, India is expected to stay the course and stick to training the Afghan forces inside India to avoid any backlash. But Afghanistan would welcome greater military assistance from India. Growing frustration with Pakistan has also prompted Washington to seek more Indian engagement after former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, during a visit to New Delhi, called on India to continue training the Afghan forces.

India is uniquely placed to provide such support. It leads the world’s fourth-largest and modernized military force with extraordinary experience in training missions. India’s military could use the services of many India-trained Afghan security personnel buoyed by people-to-people contacts and linguistic affinity within Afghanistan.

A politically and economically stable Afghanistan is of a strategic significance to India, but more collaboration is necessary. Despite little support among India’s policy makers for greater military cooperation with Afghanistan, the lingering ambiguity around Afghanistan’s future after 2014 provides a good opportunity for New Delhi to step up its efforts to be a force for stability in the country. Afghanistan values its relations with India, and any future direct military and training support to Afghan forces would not only strengthen bilateral relations but would also play a significant role in enhancing Afghanistan’s security after international forces leave the country.

Javid Ahmad is a program coordinator for Asia at the German Marshall Fund of the United States and a consultant to Pentagon’s AfPak Hands program

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources By Javid Ahmad - NYTimes
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