U.S. Department of Defense Armed with Science Update: Remote Piloted Aircraft

U.S. Department of Defense Armed with Science Update

Health care law delivers higher payments to primary care physicians

Health care law delivers higher payments to primary care physicians

COAST GUARD RESPONDING TO HURRICANE SANDY

Coast Guard Vice Adm. Robert C. Parker, Atlantic Area commander, assesses the area along the New Jersey coastline on Oct. 31, 2012. Parker and Coast Guard Rear Adm. Richard T. Gromlich, director of Operational Logistics, conducted an aerial survey of the New Jersey coastline, New York Harbor and Long Island to assess the damage caused by Superstorm Sandy. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. Cmdr. Jamie Frederick

 

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Coast Guard Responds to Superstorm Sandy Damage
From a Coast Guard Atlantic Area Public Affairs News Release
PORTSMOUTH, Va., Nov. 1, 2012 - Coast Guard leaders Vice Adm. Robert C. Parker, Atlantic Area commander, and Rear Adm. Richard T. Gromlich, director of Operational Logistics, conducted an aerial survey of the New Jersey coastline, New York Harbor and Long Island yesterday to assess the damage caused by Superstorm Sandy.
Currently, the Coast Guard's top priority is to get the port of New York and New Jersey back to full operations. Their assessment included evaluating impacts to the maritime transportation system and Coast Guard facilities.

"The United States is a maritime nation and we rely heavily on the ports for commerce. Ninety-five percent of our goods come to us by way of [the] sea. Just about everything you purchase ... most likely came through a seaport somewhere at some time," Parker said.

"The port of New York and New Jersey is vital to our nation's economy and we are doing everything humanly possible to get the port back to full operations. This is an all-hands-on-deck evolution," he added.

The Coast Guard's priorities are safety of life, to restore the local maritime transportation system -- specifically in New York and New Jersey -- and to effect rapid reconstitution of operations in the affected areas. Coast Guard crews continue to conduct assessments to ensure ports are safe and ready for business.

Coast Guard operations continue despite some service shore infrastructures sustaining flood damage, limited communications capacity and power outages.

As the Coast Guard Atlantic Area Commander, Parker serves as the operational commander for all Coast Guard missions within a geographic region that ranges from the Rocky Mountains to the Arabian Gulf and spans across five Coast Guard Districts and 40 states.

　

 

NASA VIDEO: THE HUNT FOR P.I.G.

The Hunt for P.I.G. in October


NASA's Operation IceBridge has launched its Antarctic 2012 campaign, flying high-priority missions measuring polar ice from a base of operations at the tip of Patagonia on the Strait of Magellan. They have even made a return visit to the Pine Island Glacier, the site of last year's discovery of a massive rift in the ice.

NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR NOVEMBER 1, 2012

 

Photo Credit:  U.S. Army.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Combined Force Arrests Taliban Facilitator

From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan, Nov. 1, 2012 - An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban facilitator in Afghanistan's Helmand province today, military officials reported.

The arrested Taliban insurgent is responsible for the Aug. 7 insider attack in Paktia province that killed one U.S. service member and wounded three, officials said.

During the operation, Afghan troops also seized what is believed to be the Taliban insurgent's Afghan army identification card. Another suspected insurgent was also arrested.

In other operations today:
-- A combined force arrested a Haqqani facilitator and detained a number of other suspects in Khost province. The arrested facilitator was directly tied to the June 20 suicide bomber attack on Afghan and coalition forces in the Khost district.

In Oct. 31 operations:
-- Afghan Provincial Response Company Ghazni, enabled by coalition forces, seized a large cache of explosive material in Ghazni province. Following the operation, Afghan and coalition forces recovered 3,750 pounds of ammonium nitrate, a known component in making explosives. All seized materials were destroyed at the location.

-- A combined force killed a Haqqani leader, Irfan, in Paktia province. Irfan, also known as Asayal and Hamza, was responsible for directing attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and coordinating the movement of weapons and bomb-making materials for the attacks.

In Oct. 30 operations:
  -- Afghan National Police Crisis Response Unit members, enabled by coalition forces, detained more than a dozen suspected insurgents and seized a large cache of weapons, ammunition and explosive devices in Parwan province. The Afghan and coalition force also recovered more than a dozen AK-47 assault rifles and several 82 mm mortar rounds and hand grenades.

NEW JERSEY GUARDSMEN ASSIST RESIDENTS IN HOBOKEN AFTER SANDY DISASTER

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
New Jersey Guardsmen Assist Residents in Hoboken, N.J.
　
　

Streets filled with water in Hoboken, N.J., Oct. 31, 2012. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Joseph Davis

　

Soldiers assist residents displaced by Hurricane Sandy in Hoboken, N.J., Oct. 31, 2012. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Joseph Davis -

A soldier holds a child displaced by Hurricane Sandy in Hoboken, N.J., Oct. 31, 2012. The soldier is assigned to the New Jersey National Guard. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Joseph Davis

　

National Native American Heritage Month

National Native American Heritage Month

U.S. WEEKLY UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE CLAIMS REPORT FOR WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 27, 2012

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR: 

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending October 27, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 363,000, a decrease of 9,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 372,000. The 4-week moving average was 367,250, a decrease of 1,500 from the previous week's revised average of 368,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 percent for the week ending October 20, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending October 20 was 3,263,000, an increase of 4,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,259,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,266,500, a decrease of 6,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,272,750.
UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 339,750 in the week ending October 27, a decrease of 5,476 from the previous week. There were 369,647 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent during the week ending October 20, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,839,018, an increase of 23,295 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.5 percent and the volume was 3,199,527.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending October 13 was 5,035,367, an increase of 112,147 from the previous week. There were 6,783,614 persons claiming benefits in all programs in the comparable week in 2011.

Extended Benefits were only available in New York during the week ending October 13.

Initial claims for UI benefits filed by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,586 in the week ending October 20, a decrease of 405 from the prior week. There were 2,817 initial claims filed by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 7 from the preceding week.

There were 18,144 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending October 13, an increase of 575 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 39,718, an increase of 1,603 from the prior week.

States reported 2,098,646 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending October 13, an increase of 45,689 from the prior week. There were 2,945,642 persons claiming EUC in the comparable week in 2011. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending October 13 were in Alaska (4.0), Puerto Rico (3.7), Virgin Islands (3.4), New Jersey (3.2), California (3.1), Pennsylvania (3.1), Connecticut (3.0), Oregon (2.8), Nevada (2.7), Arkansas (2.6), Illinois (2.6), New York (2.6), and North Carolina (2.6).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending October 20 were in North Carolina (+2,400), Pennsylvania (+1,679), New Jersey (+1,575), Georgia (+1,477), and Tennessee (+888), while the largest decreases were in California (-16,586), Florida (-2,414), Texas (-1,572), Michigan (-1,308), and Ohio (-1,214).

USS ENTERPRISE COMES HOME AFTER FINAL DEPLOYMENT

FROM: U.S. NAVY
121031-N-BB308-111 MAYPORT, Fla. (Oct. 31, 2012) The aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) approaches Naval Station Mayport. Enterprise is completing its final scheduled deployment to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class John Parker/Released)

The aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) arrives at Naval Station Mayport, Fla. Enterprise is completing its final scheduled deployment to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts. America's Sailors are Warfighters, a fast and flexible force deployed worldwide. Join the conversation on social media using #warfighting. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Harry Andrew D. Gordon (Released) 121031-N-VH054-004

NASA VIDEO: LIFE AND DEATH OF HURRICANE SANDY

GOES-13 Sees Life and Death of Hurricane Sandy
This animation of satellite imagery shows the life of Hurricane Sandy from its development in the Caribbean Sea on Oct. 21, through its track up the U.S. East coast and landfall. The animation continues through Oct. 31 when Sandy had weakened to a remnant low pressure area. Credit: NASA GOES Project

USDA URGES FARMERS AND RANCHERS TO KEEP TRACK OF LOSSES FROM HURRICANE SANDY

Photo Credit:  USDA

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, USDA

Farmers and Ranchers Urged to Record Losses from Hurricane Sandy


WASHINGTON, Oct. 31, 2012--Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Juan M. Garcia today urged farmers and ranchers affected by Hurricane Sandy to keep thorough records of all losses, including livestock death losses, as well as expenses for such things as feed purchases and extraordinary costs because of lost supplies and or increased transportation costs.

Producers with damaged farmland should contact their local FSA office. The Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) may be able to assist producer who need to repair farmland or remove debris due to Hurricane Sandy. FSA currently has $15.5 million available for producers in counties that received a Major Disaster declaration pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. Producers located in counties that have not received a Major Disaster declaration should visit their local FSA office for information on ECP if funding becomes available in the future.


Producers with private forest land that was damaged should also visit their local FSA office for information on the Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP). EFRP provides assistance to landowners of private forest land to help carry out emergency measures to restore land damaged by a natural disaster. Currently no funding is available, however, producers should visit their local FSA office for information if funding becomes available.


USDA's Risk Management Agency reminds producers faced with questions on prevented planting, replant, or crop losses to contact their crop insurance agent for more information. Producers who need emergency credit due may receive assistance through the Emergency Loan Program if they need assistance recovering from production and physical losses due to natural disasters. Producers are eligible for these loans as soon as their county is declared a Presidential or Secretarial disaster county.


Agriculture Secretary Vilsack also reminds producers that the department's authority to operate the five disaster assistance programs authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill expired on Sept. 30, 2011. This includes SURE; the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP); the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish (ELAP); the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP); and the Tree Assistance Program (TAP). Production losses due to disasters occurring after Sept. 30, 2011, are not eligible for disaster program coverage.


To deliver assistance to those who need it most, Secretary Vilsack effectively reduced the interest rate for Emergency Loans in July 2012, while streamlining the Secretarial disaster designations process, resulting in a 40-percent reduction in processing time for most counties affected by disasters. Among other administrative actions, USDA has also worked with crop insurance companies to provide more flexibility to farmers.


USDA will continue working with state and local officials, as well as our federal partners, to make sure people have the necessary resources to recover from this challenge.


Crops insured by federal crop insurance or by the Noninsured Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) are covered when floodwaters have rendered them valueless. USDA encourages all farmers and ranchers to contact their crop insurance companies and local USDA Farm Service Agency Service Centers, as applicable, to report damages to crops or livestock loss. More information about federal crop insurance may be found at

Documentation of the number and kind of livestock that have died, supplemented if possible by photographs or video records of ownership and losses; Dates of death supported by birth recordings or purchase receipts; Costs of transporting livestock to safer grounds or to move animals to new pastures; Feed purchases if supplies or grazing pastures are destroyed; Crop records, including seed and fertilizer purchases, planting and production records; Pictures of on-farm storage facilities that were destroyed by wind or flood waters; and Evidence of damaged farm land.
FSA recommends that owners and producers record all pertinent information of natural disaster consequences, including:www.rma.usda.gov. Additional resources to help farmers and ranchers deal with flooding and other damage may be found at www.usda.gov/disaster.


To find the USDA Service Center nearest you, please visit http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app?state=us&agency=fsa.

ADM. WINNEFELD FOCUSED ON SUPPORT OF RETURNING VETERANS

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Winnefeld: Returning Veterans Need Nation's Support

By Amaani Lyle
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Oct. 31, 2012 - The vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff praised caregivers and other people and organizations that support the nation's military veterans at an event here yesterday.

Navy Adm. James A. Winnefeld Jr., who spoke at the Military Officers Association of America Community Heroes Award Dinner, also extended his thoughts and prayers to Hurricane Sandy victims, noting the Defense Department is teaming with other federal agency and state and local partners in response and recovery efforts.

"We in DOD are working very, very hard in support of our civilian partners [and] in support of the various states that have been impacted by this [storm]," Winnefeld said.

Turning to the association hosting the event, he noted that the nonprofit organization's legacy of support for the military can be traced to its 1920s roots in Southern California, with an enduring focus on advocacy for and assistance to fellow and former members of the military.

"We recognize the ongoing efforts of ... individuals, organizations and family members who comprise the sea of goodwill and have made such a tremendous difference," Winnefeld said.

He reminded attendees that "half a world away," the nation remains at war.

"We've already furled the battle flags from Iraq," Winnefeld said. "We need to make sure that our support for these men and women doesn't fade over time, long after the battle flags from Afghanistan are furled over the next couple of years."

Winnefeld listed several steps Americans should take to assist Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.

"As our troops transition to civilian life, we have to continue to highlight that employing a veteran is not charity," Winnefeld said. "Who better to hire than someone with transportable skills, who has ingrained discipline and ... so clearly [demonstrates] the willingness to sacrifice for something bigger than themselves?"

With a 12 percent unemployment rate among post-9/11 veterans and a million more service members preparing to re-enter the workforce in coming years, Americans must do more to ensure veterans have a place to sleep at night, Winnefeld said.

"Tonight, one-third of the entire adult homeless population in our nation is veterans," Winnefeld said.

Despite charities in Washington and beyond aimed at reducing homelessness among the veteran population through housing, employment assistance and career counseling programs, he noted, more than 67,000 former troops sleep on the streets.

"There's more we can do to both prevent this from happening in the first place and ... get those who have fallen into homelessness back on their feet ... into the workplace and ... [into] a proper home," he said.

The admiral also noted caregivers' attention to wounded warriors and gave thanks for the technical advances over the last decade during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, including rapid movement from the battlefield and post-battlefield medical care.

"We're ... grateful for the immediate caregivers, the remarkable, dedicated medical professionals we have across the spectrum of care," Winnefeld said. "From battlefield corpsmen ... to those in ... facilities in Afghanistan ... [and at] Landstuhl, to the people who receive and transport ... wounded warriors, to [continental U.S.] medical facilities."

The admiral praised the professionals who saved many American warriors, noting more lives would have been lost in earlier wars.

"Thankfully, as these warriors return to a grateful nation, they will be with us for decades, but that means we need to make sure we take care of them and their unseen and seen wounds for decades," Winnefeld said.

Injured veterans require the support and attention of caregivers, communities and families, who all, in turn, need the nation's support, the admiral said.

"This is a family business we're in ... and the role ... these essential caregivers [fill] is indescribable in its importance and sacrifice," Winnefeld said. "These people literally drop everything for years at a time to care for our injured, giving up their careers and their lives ... they are patriots, and we must do all we can to provide them the direct and indirect support that they need and deserve."

Other caregivers, Winnefeld added, push the bounds of military medicine and therapy in areas such as prosthetics and physical rehabilitation, giving courage and hope to a new generation of wounded warriors.

"Thanks to all these caregivers, our wounded sailors, soldiers, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen have a future that's brighter than ever before," Winnefeld said. "Yet even with [the] outstanding support of our caregivers, our collective work is not complete; there's more work to do."

The admiral encouraged the nation to renew its resolve to provide a continuum of care that reflects the same level of commitment veterans have shown their country on the battlefield.

"Together, we can continue to fulfill the commitment to those who have worn the cloth of our nation," Winnefeld said.

Find a Red Cross Shelter Near You

Find a Red Cross Shelter Near You

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS RESPONDS TO HURRICANE SANDY

Aerial views during an Army search and rescue mission show damage from Hurricane Sandy to the New Jersey coast, Oct. 30, 2012. The soldiers are assigned to the 1-150 Assault Helicopter Battalion, New Jersey Army National Guard. U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Mark C. Olsen

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31, 2012 – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ response to Hurricane Sandy has been aggressive, timely and very forward leaning in defining what support they can provide, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said here today.

Speaking to Pentagon reporters, Little praised Army Lt. Gen. Thomas P. Bostick, commander of the Army Corps of Engineers and the Army’s chief of engineers, and his engineers’ efforts supporting the 13 states impacted by the Category 1 hurricane.

"There are numerous Army Corps of Engineers officials fanned out throughout the affected areas to assess what kind of expertise we can lend to the states and [to] local governments to determine what we might be able to do," Little said.

"The Corps has been very aggressive," he said. "In fact, General Bostick, the head of the Army Corps of Engineers, is in New York today. I think he went to New Jersey last night."

Little said the Corps is lending its expertise on the storm-stricken Eastern Seaboard to address power regeneration and other issues there.

"Power restoration is a top priority of this government with several million people left without power," he said. "We also have a major water event -- to put it mildly."

"The Army Corps of Engineers has a great deal of experience in what they call ‘unwatering’ [which] is pumping water out of tunnels, electrical substations and other locations that have been flooded," Little said.

The press secretary emphasized the Defense Department is prepared to provide assistance for any requests received.

"General Bostick and the entire Army Corps of Engineers stand ready to support FEMA," he said. "The Army Corps does, as I understand it, have resources such as generators and pumping equipment that can help."

Little noted the latest information on the number of generators and equipment provided is not currently available due to ongoing operations.

"[Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta] has been very clear that whatever requests come in, in support of our disaster relief efforts, we’re going to be very forward leaning," he said.

"There are generators that we have inside the Department of Defense, the Army Corps of Engineers, the services, and we can, perhaps, help source generators from private contractors as well," Little said.

The Defense Department is doing whatever it can, he said, in as timely a manner as possible, not only to assess the situation, but to deliver resources.

Little also noted there is an interagency effort to assist with the response to Hurricane Sandy.

"We’re in support of FEMA and the states, and local governments also have certain resources," he said. "FEMA has resources at its disposal as well, so this is not a DOD-only effort. I want to make that clear.

"But we’re going to do everything we can, working with our interagency partners and the federal government," Little added, "as well as the states and localities, to provide whatever support we can."

The press secretary said that while overall, DOD installations "weathered the storm fairly well," there was some reported damage.

Little said Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, D.C., experienced downed trees and water leaks. There was minor flooding at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia, he added, and Joint Base Maguire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey experienced power outages.

"People are working very, very quickly to determine what the impact is to power grids, to transportation infrastructure and to other locations [that] have taken a hit from the storm," Little said.

Smoking friends

Smoking friends

RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT BULLYING PREVENTION

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
An End to Bullying & Equal Opportunities for All Students
October 31st, 2012 Posted By Tracy Russo
The following post appears courtesy of the Civil Rights Division.

This October, in honor of National Bullying Prevention Month, communities across the country have come together to increase awareness about bullying prevention. The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division stands firmly behind these efforts, and will continue to make the most of our resources and authority to help stop bullying in schools. We will continue to work to ensure equal educational opportunity for all students.

Bullying is not a rite of passage; the impact of bullying extends far beyond the schoolhouse doors. Bullying can lead to violence, anxiety, depression and even suicide. School bullies become tomorrow’s hate crimes defendants, while victims of bullying are more likely to drop out of school, struggle in class, engage in illegal drug use or become involved in the criminal justice system. It is simply unacceptable, moreover, that any child should fear going to school because of harassment.

The Civil Rights Division is responsible for enforcing federal civil rights laws that protect young people who are targeted because of their race, national origin, religion, sex or disability. This includes students who are harassed because they do not conform to gender norms of how a boy or girl is "supposed to" act. We hold school systems accountable when they fail to take the proper steps to address harassment within their schools.

In response to incidents of harassment, the division investigates written complaints, helps to amend school policies and requires school districts to implement a host of other remedies, including providing training to teachers and administrators on how to better promote positive school climates and rid their schools of harassment. In the past few years, we have reached comprehensive and groundbreaking settlement agreements with numerous school districts across the country, including in Philadelphia, where Asian students were regularly harassed at a local high school, and in Mohawk County, N.Y., where a gay teen was physically and verbally abused for failing to conform to gender stereotypes.

We also reached an agreement with the school district in Anoka-Hennepin, Minn. The school district had failed to adequately address the harassment of students who did not conform to gender stereotypes in their schools. But students in Anoka-Hennepin were brave and spoke out. They brought the problems they were facing to the Civil Rights Division, and we worked with the school district to reach a blueprint for sustainable reform that we hope will be a model for schools across the nation.

In 2010, Attorney General Eric Holder launched the Defending Childhood Initiative to address the problem of children’s exposure to violence and to promote evidence-based practices. As part of the Defending Childhood Initiative, the department provided grants to eight jurisdictions to develop strategic plans for comprehensive community-based anti-violence efforts, including anti-bullying programs. In Boston, Mass., for example, we are supporting the implementation of state-wide bullying intervention and prevention legislation.

The Obama Administration has made clear that bullying prevention is an issue of national priority. Last year, the White House organized a summit on bullying and harassment in schools. Recently, the White House also announced its support for both the Student Non-Discrimination Act and the Safe Schools Improvement Act. These bills would help ensure that school environments are free from discrimination, bullying, and harassment.

Ending bullying is a common mission rooted in common experience. Many of us can recall being bullied during childhood, or have seen the effects of bullying on loved ones. National Bullying Prevention Month is a reminder that bullying in schools remains a serious and unacceptable problem. The Justice Department will continue to vigorously enforce the nation’s civil rights laws to support the common goal to end bullying and harassment. The work of our Civil Rights Division, as well as of our nationwide partners on this issue, is absolutely crucial to protect the safety and wellbeing of our students.

FORMER DELOITTE AND TOUCHE LLP PARTNER PLEADS GUILTY TO CRIMINAL SECURITIES FRAUD

FROM: U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Former Deloitte Partner Sentenced to 21 Months for Insider Trading
The Securities and Exchange Commission announced that on October 26, 2012, the Honorable Robert M. Dow, Jr. of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois sentenced Thomas P. Flanagan to 21 months of incarceration followed by supervised release of 12 months and ordered Flanagan to pay a $100,000 penalty. Flanagan, a former Deloitte and Touche LLP partner, pleaded guilty to one count of criminal securities fraud for engaging in insider trading after he obtained material, nonpublic information about several Deloitte clients. Flanagan, 65, of Chicago, used that information himself and shared it with a relative to make illegal trading profits. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois filed criminal charges against Flanagan on July 11, 2012 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

The criminal charges arose out of the same facts that were the subject of a civil action that the SEC filed against Flanagan and his son, Patrick T. Flanagan, on August 4, 2010. The SEC's complaint alleged that Thomas Flanagan, a certified public accountant, worked at Deloitte for 38 years and rose to the level of Vice Chairman of Clients and Markets. The complaint alleged that Flanagan traded on nine occasions between 2005 and 2008 in the securities of multiple Deloitte clients and a company acquired by a Deloitte client while in possession of nonpublic information that he learned through his duties as a Deloitte partner. The information had not yet been disclosed to the public and concerned material, market-moving events such as earnings results, earnings guidance, and acquisitions. Thomas Flanagan's illegal trading resulted in profits of over $430,000. On four occasions, Thomas Flanagan relayed the nonpublic information to his son Patrick Flanagan who then traded based on that information. Patrick Flanagan realized profits of more than $57,000.

The SEC also instituted related administrative and cease-and-desist proceedings on August 4, 2010, finding that Flanagan violated the SEC's auditor independence rules on 71 occasions between 2003 and 2008 by trading in the securities of nine Deloitte audit clients. The SEC's settled administrative order found that during the time Flanagan owned or controlled these securities, Deloitte issued audit reports to the nine audit clients in which it stated that the financial statements contained in the reports had been audited by an independent auditor. However, due to Flanagan's ownership of the audit clients' securities, Deloitte was not independent. The companies then filed with the SEC annual reports and proxy statements which included the audit reports containing these false statements. As a result, the SEC's administrative order found that Flanagan caused and willfully aided and abetted Deloitte's violations of the SEC's auditor independence rules under Regulation S-X and also caused and willfully aided and abetted the companies' violations of the reporting and proxy provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

As alleged in the SEC's complaint, Thomas Flanagan concealed his trades in the securities of Deloitte's clients and circumvented Deloitte's independence controls. According to the SEC's complaint, he failed to report the prohibited trades to Deloitte, lied to Deloitte about his compliance with its independence policies, and provided false information to Deloitte's personal income tax preparers about the identity of the companies whose securities he traded.

As a result of their conduct, the SEC's complaint charged Thomas and Patrick Flanagan with violations of Sections 10(b) and 14(e) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 and Rules 10b-5 and 14e-3. The SEC's administrative action found that Thomas Flanagan caused and willfully aided and abetted Deloitte's violations of Rule 2-02(b)(1) of Regulation S-X, and caused and willfully aided and abetted the clients' violations of Sections 13(a) and 14(a) of the Exchange Act, and Rules 13a-1, 13a-13, and 14a-3 thereunder. Without admitting or denying the SEC's allegations in the complaint and the findings in the administrative order, Thomas Flanagan consented to the entry of an order of permanent injunction, to pay disgorgement with prejudgment interest and civil penalties totaling $1,051,042, and to a denial of the privilege of appearing or practicing before the SEC as an accountant. Without admitting or denying the SEC's allegations in the complaint, Patrick Flanagan consented to the entry of an order of permanent injunction and to pay disgorgement with prejudgment interest and a civil penalty totaling $123,270.

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME MAY BE ENDING FOR YOU!

Local time

U.S. Department of Defense Armed with Science Update: 3D Printers and the Defense Department

U.S. Department of Defense Armed with Science Update

RECENT NAVY PHOTOS

FROM: U.S. NAVY
Interior Communications Electrician Fireman Carady Madden, right, from Tacoma, Wash., and Interior Communications Electrician Fireman Romika Kumar, from Kent, Wash., stand watch as phone talkers in repair locker 7-B during a general quarters drill aboard the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). John C. Stennis is deployed to the 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions for Operation Enduring Freedom. October is #Warfighting month focusing on Navy Warfighters, a fast and flexible force deployed worldwide to preserve peace, protect commerce, and deter aggression on, above, and below the sea. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kenneth Abbate (Released) 121030-N-OY799-002

Joint Special Operation Task Force-Gulf Cooperation Council Operators exit from an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to the Desert Hawks of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 26, to conduct daytime military free fall sustainment qualifications at the Bahrain Defense Force Taylor drop zone. America's Sailors are Warfighters, a fast and flexible force deployed worldwide. Join the conversation on social media using #warfighting. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Derek R. Sanchez (Released) 121024-N-PF210-514

JAPANESE COMPANY AGREES TO PAY $17.7 MILLION CRIMINAL FINE

Photo Credit:  Wikipedia.
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Japanese Automobile Parts Manufacturer Agrees to Plead Guilty to Price Fixing and Obstruction of Justice ASHINGTON — Nagoya, Japan-based Tokai Rika Co. Ltd., has agreed to plead guilty and to pay a $17.7 million criminal fine for its role in a conspiracy to fix prices of heater control panels (HCPs) installed in cars sold in the United States and elsewhere, the Department of Justice announced today. Tokai Rika has also agreed to plead guilty to a charge of obstruction of justice related to the investigation of the antitrust violation.

According to a two-count felony charge filed today in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan in Detroit, Tokai Rika engaged in a conspiracy, by agreeing during meetings and conversations, to rig bids for, and to fix, stabilize and maintain the prices of HCPs sold to Toyota in the United States and elsewhere, on a model-by-model basis. According to the court document, Tokai Rika and its co-conspirators carried out the conspiracy from at least as early as September 2003 until at least February 2010.

Tokai Rika manufactures and sells a variety of automotive parts, including HCPs. HCPs are located in the center console of an automobile and control the temperature of the interior environment of a vehicle.

"The conspirators used code names and chose meeting places and times to avoid detection," said Scott D. Hammond, Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Antitrust Division’s criminal enforcement program. "They knew their actions would harm American consumers, and attempted to cover it up when caught. The division will continue to hold accountable companies who engage in anticompetitive conduct and who obstruct law enforcement."

According to the charge, in or about February 2010, after the company and its executives and employees became aware that the FBI had executed a search warrant on Tokai Rika’s U.S. subsidiary, a company executive directed employees to delete electronic data and destroy paper documents likely to contain evidence of antitrust crimes in the United States and elsewhere. The department said that as a result, electronic data was deleted and paper documents were destroyed, and some of the deleted electronic data and destroyed paper documents were non-recoverable.

"Those who engage in price fixing and obstruction of legal process will face severe consequences for their illegal acts," said Robert D. Foley III, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Division. "The FBI is committed to stopping such criminal activity."

As part of the plea agreement, which will be subject to court approval, Tokai Rika has agreed to cooperate with the department’s ongoing investigation.

Including Tokai Rika, nine companies and 11 executives have pleaded guilty or agreed to plead guilty in the department’s ongoing investigation into price fixing and bid rigging in the auto parts industry. Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd., DENSO Corp., Yazaki Corp., G.S. Electech Inc., Fujikura Ltd., Autoliv Inc. and TRW Deutschland Holding GmbH pleaded guilty and were sentenced to pay a total of more than $790 million in criminal fines. Nippon Seiki Co. Ltd., has agreed to plead guilty and awaits arraignment and sentencing. Additionally, Junichi Funo, Hirotsugu Nagata, Tetsuya Ukai, Tsuneaki Hanamura, Ryoki Kawai, Shigeru Ogawa, Hisamitsu Takada, Norihiro Imai, Kazuhiko Kashimoto, Toshio Sudo and Makoto Hattori have pleaded guilty and been sentenced to pay criminal fines and to serve jail sentences ranging from a year and a day to two years each.

Tokai Rika is charged with price fixing in violation of the Sherman Act, which carries a maximum penalty of a $100 million criminal fine for corporations. The maximum fine for the company may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime, if either of those amounts is greater than the statutory maximum fine. The maximum fine for a company found guilty of obstruction of justice is $500,000.

U.S. FILES COMPLAINT AGAINST COMPANY THAT PROVIDED SECURITY GUARDS IN IRAQ

Photo Credit:  U.S. Army.
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Wednesday, October 31, 2012
United States Sues Virginia-based Contractor for False Claims Under Contract for Security in Iraq
Allegedly Billed US for Security Guards Who Did Not Meet Contract Requirements
The United States has filed a complaint against a Virginia-based contractor alleging that the company submitted false claims for unqualified security guards under a contract to provide security in Iraq, the Justice Department announced today. The company, Triple Canopy Inc. is headquartered in Reston, Va.

In June 2009, the Joint Contracting Command in Iraq/Afghanistan (JCC-I/A) awarded Triple Canopy a one-year, $10 million contract to perform a variety of security services at Al Asad Airbase – the second largest air base in Iraq. The multi-national JCC-I/A was established by U.S. Central Command in November 2004, to provide contracting support related to the government’s relief and reconstruction efforts in Iraq.

The government’s complaint alleges that Triple Canopy knowingly billed the United States for hundreds of foreign nationals it hired as security guards who could not meet firearms proficiency tests established by the Army and required under the contract. The tests ensure that security guards hired to protect U.S. and allied personnel are capable of firing their AK-47 assault rifles and other weapons safely and accurately. The government also alleges that Triple Canopy’s managers in Iraq falsified test scorecards as a cover up to induce the government to pay for the unqualified guards, and that Triple Canopy continued to bill the government even after high-level officials at the company’s headquarters had been alerted to the misconduct. The complaint further alleges that Triple Canopy used the false qualification records in an attempt to persuade the JCC-I/A to award the company a second year of security work at the Al Asad Airbase.

"For a government contractor to knowingly provide deficient security services, as is alleged in this case, is unthinkable, especially in war time," said Stuart F. Delery, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division of the Department of Justice. "The department will do everything it can to ensure that contractors comply with critical contract requirements and that contractors who don’t comply aren’t permitted to profit at the expense of our men and women in uniform and the taxpayers at home who support them."

"We will not tolerate government contractors anywhere in the world who seek to defraud the United States through deliberate or reckless conduct that violates contractual requirements and risks the security of government personnel," said Neil H. MacBride, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.

The government’s claims are based on a whistleblower suit initially filed by a former employee of Triple Canopy in 2011. The suit was filed under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provision of the False Claims Act, which allows private persons to file suit on behalf of the United States. Under the act, the government has a period of time to investigate the allegations and decide whether to intervene in the action or to decline intervention and allow the whistleblower to go forward alone.

This matter was investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia; the Commercial Litigation Branch of the Justice Department’s Civil Division; and the Army Criminal Investigative Command (CID) and Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) of the Department of Defense.

The claims asserted against Triple Canopy are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability. The government is not aware of any injuries that occurred as a result of the alleged misconduct.

SPACE OPERATIONS SQUADRON GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM BLOCK IIF SATELLITE

FROM: U.S. AIR FORCE
Col. James Ross, 50th Space Wing commander, ceremoniously transfers command and control of the third Global Positioning System Block IIF satellite to Lt. Col. Thomas Ste. Marie, 2nd Space Operations Squadron commander, here Oct. 26. U.S. Air Force photo-Dennis Rodgers.

2 SOPS accepts command and control of newest GPS satellite

by Scott Prater
Schriever Sentinel
10/30/2012 - SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The 2nd Space Operations Squadron accepted satellite control authority of its third Global Positioning System Block IIF satellite during a ceremony here Oct. 26.

Following its launch from Cape Canaveral, Fla., Oct. 4, acquirers from the Space and Missile Systems Center and operators from the 50th and 310th Space Wings first performed a three-week check out of the spacecraft before placing it into a primary slot in the GPS constellation.

Col. Bernard Gruber, GPS director at SMC, initiated the Oct. 26 ceremony by transferring satellite control authority of the vehicle, known as SVN-65, to the 14th Air Force.

"Everything went smoothly following the launch," Gruber said. "This is the third GPS Block IIF that we've placed on orbit and the process seems to get better with each launch. We were able to decrease the timeline for checkout of the vehicle and it's clear we're on the right track for future success."

Col. Todd Brost, 14 AF director of operations and exercises, accepted SCA and transferred it to 50 SW Commander, Col. James Ross.

"Shrinking the checkout timeline is important because it means we can get these satellites available to the users as quickly as possible," Ross said. "This is a great model for the acquisition and operational communities to work together as a team."

Following acceptance of SCA, Ross then delegated command and control of SVN-65 to Lt. Col. Thomas Ste. Marie, 2 SOPS commander.

"I want to thank the full team who executed such a smooth transition from the Space and Missile Systems Center personnel who traveled from California, to the local partnership with our Air Force Reserve teammates in 19 SOPS, to my own team at 2 SOPS," Ste. Marie said. "Launch and initialization is one of those things that can keep a commander up at night, but there were no worries at all. It is this synchronized triple partnership between these organizations that made this SCA possible."

Global Positioning Satellites transmit digital radio signals to receivers on the ground, allowing military and civilian users to calculate their time, location and velocity.

The Block IIF series is the fifth generation of GPS spacecraft and provides improved timing technology, a more jam-resistant military signal and higher powered civilian signal compared to previous models. SVN-65 was designed to operate on orbit for 12 years and includes a reprogrammable processor capable of receiving software uploads.

Lt. Col. Dean Holthaus, 2 SOPS director of operations, had kudos for the Boeing team, who built not only this Block IIF satellite, SVN-65, but also the Block IIA it replaced.

"SVN-65 brings increased capability to the warfighter and replaces an aging satellite in the operational constellation that has served admirably and far surpassed its design life," Holthaus said.

The launch and orbit of SVN-65 was of particular significance for 2 and 19 SOPS members, who dedicated the launch and checkout to former 19 SOPS satellite vehicle operator, Capt. Vivian Elmo, who was killed in a traffic crash during the summer of 2011. Elmo played an integral role in the launch and operation of the first two GPS Block IIFs.


The new vehicle joins 30 other GPS satellites currently on orbit in operational status.

The next GPS Block IIF vehicle launch is slated for May of 2013.

U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE CLINTON'S REMARKS TO EMBASSY STAFF IN PRISTINA, KOSOVO

Map Credit:  CIA World Factbook.

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT

Meeting with Embassy Pristina Staff and their Families
Remarks
Hillary Rodham Clinton
U.S. Secretary of State
Swiss Diamond Hotel
Pristina, Kosovo
October 31, 2012

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you so much, Ambassador. Thank you all so much. Well, I have to say it is wonderful being back here in Pristina and having a chance to see all of you and thank each and every one of you for the work that you are doing. I was here in 2010, and I already have had good reports from the Ambassador about all of the progress that we’re seeing here and that we’re helping to facilitate.

I want to thank you, Ambassador, for your leadership. This is the third time Ambassasdor Jacobson has been an ambassador, and your ears should have been burning in the car ride from the airport as she spoke glowingly about the team here and the work you’re doing, and how significant it is. So her introduction just now was by no means only for public consumption. She is extremely proud, and we are proud of her. And we’re delighted to have her husband David, a British diplomat, lending a hand in this very exciting post.

I also want to thank DCM. Kelly, where – there you are Kelly. Thank you for your hard work. And I think that the exciting aspect of being here at this time is because we can see the progress that is taking place, and we can also work to facilitate the dialogue taking place between Kosovo and Serbia. I will be speaking about that with the leaders that I will be seeing later today.

I also want to recognize someone else. And that is Tristan DeWitt. Where’s Tristan? There you are, Tristan. Tristan and I both have the same birthday. (Laughter.) And Tristan was the first young person to arrive at post since Embassy Pristina opened to family members, so he represents all of the children and the family members who are here now as part of this important community.

I want to also recognize how significant the economic growth has been, and I know that you’re working to promote that, just like you are working to help empower women to be part of the economic and political future of this very young country. I know that many of you had the opportunity to work with Ambassador Larry Rossin, who was our first representative in Kosovo, and he will be certainly missed.

Now today is Halloween, I’m told, so I don’t know what it is planned, but I hope that all of the children here have a happy Halloween. And I especially want to thank our locally employed staff. Will all of our locally employed staff raise your hands, all of our Kosovo colleagues? Thank you so very much. (Applause.) Ambassadors come and go, as do Secretaries, but locally employed staff are the nerve center and the memory bank for every mission, and that’s especially true here as well.

Now as we move forward, I want to emphasize how important it is to have the interagency, whole of government approach, because that’s what we’re standing for in the State Department, that is, as the Ambassador said, the QDDR’s call that diplomacy development work together, our colleagues, military and civilian alike, are part of this great effort to help support this new young country, and to a better future. I’m very proud of what you’re doing. I know the significance of it. And I thank each and every one of you for your contributions.

Now I want to shake some hands and thank you personally. And I’ll start down there and have a chance to do that, but Ambassador, again thank you for your kind words, and thank you for your leadership. (Applause.)

　

Locator Map Credit:  CIA World Factbook.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM CIA WORLD FACTBOOK
The central Balkans were part of the Roman and Byzantine Empires before ethnic Serbs migrated to the territories of modern Kosovo in the 7th century. During the medieval period, Kosovo became the center of a Serbian Empire and saw the construction of many important Serb religious sites, including many architecturally significant Serbian Orthodox monasteries. The defeat of Serbian forces at the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 led to five centuries of Ottoman rule during which large numbers of Turks and Albanians moved to Kosovo. By the end of the 19th century, Albanians replaced the Serbs as the dominant ethnic group in Kosovo. Serbia reacquired control over Kosovo from the Ottoman Empire during the First Balkan War of 1912. After World War II, Kosovo became an autonomous province of Serbia in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (S.F.R.Y.) with status almost equivalent to that of a republic under the 1974 S.F.R.Y. constitution. Despite legislative concessions, Albanian nationalism increased in the 1980s, which led to riots and calls for Kosovo's independence. At the same time, Serb nationalist leaders, such as Slobodan MILOSEVIC, exploited Kosovo Serb claims of maltreatment to secure votes from supporters, many of whom viewed Kosovo as their cultural heartland. Under MILOSEVIC's leadership, Serbia instituted a new constitution in 1989 that revoked Kosovo's status as an autonomous province of Serbia. Kosovo Albanian leaders responded in 1991 by organizing a referendum that declared Kosovo independent. Under MILOSEVIC, Serbia carried out repressive measures against the Albanians in the early 1990s as the unofficial Kosovo government, led by Ibrahim RUGOVA, used passive resistance in an attempt to try to gain international assistance and recognition of an independent Kosovo. Albanians dissatisfied with RUGOVA's passive strategy in the 1990s created the Kosovo Liberation Army and launched an insurgency. Starting in 1998, Serbian military, police, and paramilitary forces under MILOSEVIC conducted a brutal counterinsurgency campaign that resulted in massacres and massive expulsions of ethnic Albanians. Approximately 800,000 Albanians were forced from their homes in Kosovo during this time. International attempts to mediate the conflict failed, and MILOSEVIC's rejection of a proposed settlement led to a three-month NATO military operation against Serbia beginning in March 1999 that forced Serbia to agree to withdraw its military and police forces from Kosovo. UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999) placed Kosovo under a transitional administration, the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), pending a determination of Kosovo's future status. A UN-led process began in late 2005 to determine Kosovo's final status. The negotiations ran in stages between 2006 and 2007, but ended without agreement between Belgrade and Pristina. On 17 February 2008, the Kosovo Assembly declared Kosovo independent. Since then, over 85 countries have recognized Kosovo, and it has joined the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. Serbia continues to reject Kosovo's independence and in October 2008, it sought an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the legality under international law of Kosovo's declaration of independence. The ICJ released the advisory opinion in July 2010 affirming that Kosovo's declaration of independence did not violate general principles of international law, UN Security Council Resolution 1244, or the Constitutive Framework. The opinion was closely tailored to Kosovo's unique history and circumstances.

　

U.S. DEFENSE CONTINUES RESPONSE TO HURRICANE SANDY

Aerial views during an Army search and rescue mission show damage from Hurricane Sandy to the New Jersey coast, Oct. 30, 2012. The soldiers are assigned to the 1-150 Assault Helicopter Battalion, New Jersey Army National Guard. U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Mark C. Olsen

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
　
Defense Department Continues Supporting Storm Response
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31, 2012 - The Defense Department continues to provide disaster response resources and capabilities as requested by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other federal agencies in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

Given the size and scope of the storm and its continuing impact throughout the eastern and northeastern United States, Pentagon officials said, the department is actively posturing forces to support civil authorities via U.S. Northern Command and the National Guard Bureau, with a particular emphasis on flood mitigation and energy restoration.

Today, DOD has focused on providing recovery support as requested by FEMA in coordination with federal, state and local partners with a single set of objectives -- saving lives, providing shelter, and helping restore communities, officials said.

About 10,000 National Guard soldiers and airmen are on duty supporting the governors in 13 Eastern Seaboard states. Dual-status commanders authorized to command both state National Guard and federal forces have been approved for Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island. The special status enables the commanders to effectively integrate defense support and capabilities the governors request, officials explained.

The National Guard is working closely with state emergency response planners and providing input where necessary to identify and fill capability gaps.

Guard forces under state control are assembling and staging personnel; providing communications, shelter, engineer, evacuation, security, and high-water vehicle support; high-water search and rescue; debris removal; and transportation.

National Guard civil support teams are on stand-by for hazardous material response and providing a communications capability bridge between first responders and other local, state and federal agencies.

In West Virginia, the National Guard is patrolling Interstate 68 for stranded motorists and assisting the power company with generators.

Based on a request from the Department of Health and Human Services, DOD's U.S. Transportation Command airlifted about 120 medical personnel to New York City to augment medical staff providing care to nursing homes and at-risk elderly patients. Aircraft are standing by to support further missions, and medical personnel are being brought in from Colorado, Ohio and Texas.

The Defense Logistics Agency is providing fuel, fuel transportation, commodities and expeditionary teams to support FEMA and the Energy Department.

The Army Corps of Engineers has received 25 mission assignments from FEMA, with more than 400 people engaged to support the response mission.

The Corps of Engineers' priority is support to the New York City flood mitigation mission, deploying technical assistance and senior leadership oversight while working to identify and deploy 100 high-volume water pumps to FEMA mobilization centers. This is in addition to the 100 water pumps U.S. Northern Command is sourcing at FEMA's request, officials said.

The Corps of Engineers also is supporting states' and FEMA operations centers in three regions to organize response efforts. More than 20 team leaders or assistant team leaders have been alerted or deployed to provide public works and engineering expertise, such as damage modeling, storm surge modeling, and coastal preparations.

Other planning response teams remain on alert for debris management, commodities distribution, infrastructure assessment, temporary roofing, critical public facilities, water planning, and temporary housing. Additional temporary power teams have been placed on alert status.

Corps of Engineers senior leaders, power response teams, 249th Engineer Battalion Technical Assistance personnel and other technical experts are providing assistance at various locations.

To support the emergency temporary power mission in New York and New Jersey, the Corps of Engineers has staged 200 generators at four locations to provide capacity beyond state's capabilities. FEMA will deploy them as they are needed, officials said.

The Corps of Engineers is shipping 25 pumps from New Orleans and is meeting with other private pump suppliers to determine availability and capacity of pumps that could be delivered to the New York area.

Upon receiving a temporary power mission assignment from FEMA, the Corps of Engineers has deployed four planning and response teams, the 249th Engineer Battalion, six emergency command and control vehicles/deployable tactical operating systems and a mobile command vehicle. The Corps of Engineers also received a mission assignment from FEMA to provide 80 truckloads of water to West Virginia.

Army Corps of Engineers operations centers in affected districts have been activated, and emergency response assets are providing support around the clock, officials said. The Corps of Engineers also has assigned a liaison to the Energy Department and to the National Guard Bureau to coordinate combined response actions.

THE DEAD EXOPLANET

FROM: NASA
Study of Hubble Data Revives 'Dead' Exoplanet

In 2008, Hubble astronomers announced the detection of a giant planet around the bright star Fomalhaut. Recent studies have questioned this conclusion. Now, a reanalysis of Hubble data has revived the "deceased" exoplanet as a dust-shrouded world with less than twice the mass of Jupiter.

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

U.S. State Department Daily Press Briefing - October 31, 2012

Daily Press Briefing - October 31, 2012

EPA WAIVES SOME CLEAN GASOLINE REQUIREMENTS IN SEVERAL STATES BECAUSE OF HURRICANE SANDY

Photo:  Hurricane Sandy.  Credit:  NOAA
FROM:  U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

EPA Approves Temporary Fuel Waivers to Assist States Impacted by Hurricane Sandy

WASHINGTON - EPA has exercised its authority under the Clean Air Act to temporarily waive certain federal clean gasoline requirements for gasoline sold and distributed in Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama, District of Columbia, New York, Maryland, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. The waiver was granted by EPA in coordination with the Department of Energy (DOE).

EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson determined that, as a result of effects of Hurricane Sandy, extreme and unusual supply circumstances exist, which may result in a temporary shortage of gasoline compliant with federal regulations. The federal waiver will help ensure an adequate supply of fuels in the impacted states.

The waiver allows the sale and distribution of conventional gasoline in a number of Eastern states that are required to use reformulated gasoline, and allows a number of additional states to mix reformulated gasoline and conventional gasoline to remove potential barriers to the supply of gasoline to the region

NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR OCTOBER 31, 2012

Photo Credit:  U.S. DOD
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Combined Force Kills Taliban LeaderFrom an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan, Oct. 31, 2012 - An Afghan and coalition security force killed a Taliban leader in Helmand province yesterday, military officials reported.

The Taliban leader, known as Sajid or Abdul Hakim, led an improvised explosive device cell operating in the province and was believed responsible for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces based in the area.

In other operations yesterday:

-- In Ghazni province, Afghan Provincial Response Company Ghazni, enabled by coalition forces, seized a cache of homemade explosives during a search operation. The force destroyed the cache, which contained 660
pounds of potassium chlorate, an explosive, along with
detonation cords and initiators.

-- In Kandahar province, a combined force found and seized six victim-triggered homemade bombs, with power sources, in a compound during a foot patrol. The force dismantled the bombs.