HURRICANE SANDY-ONE WEEK LATER

Fairfield Beach, Conn., Nov. 5, 2012 -- Salt water entered the homes in this neighborhood destroying heating systems, furniture and appliances. FEMA will be assisting in the cleanup effort with Public Assistance funding. Photo by Marilee Caliendo-FEMA

FROM:  FEMA
More than $210 Million Approved in Individual Assistance

One week ago today, millions of Americans from North Carolina to Maine braced for Hurricane Sandy. For more than 12 hours, hurricane and tropical storm force winds, storm surge, and flooding impacted 12 states; and more than eight million people lost power. Transportation systems in New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and Washington, DC came to a halt, and more than 12,000 commercial flights were grounded. And for the first time since 1888, the New York Stock Exchange was closed for two consecutive days because of a natural disaster. But we are a resilient nation:

As of 3 p.m. Monday, November 5, more than 234,000 individuals in Connecticut, New York and New Jersey have registered for assistance, and more than $210 million has been approved in FEMA Assistance. Individuals and businesses should visit www.disasterassistance.gov for more information on how to register with FEMA.
Disaster Recovery Centers continue to open in the hardest hit areas. Twelve Disaster Recovery Centers are open in New York, two in New Jersey and three in Connecticut and more continue to open.
To find a disaster recovery center location, check out the disaster recovery center locator at FEMA.gov/disaster-recovery-centers or by mobile phone at m.fema.gov.
To search for emergency shelters operated by the American Red Cross, you can visit the Red Cross website.
In support of New York and New Jersey, FEMA has transferred resources such as food, water, and fuel to the states to distribute to individuals at Points of Distribution (POD) sites. These POD sites can be located by visiting: http://www.nyc.gov/html/index.html; www.nyc.gov/html/misc/html/2012/foodandwater.html; http://nj211.org/hurricane.cfm; http://statenislandusa.com/; http://www.governor.ct.gov and http://www.governor.wv.gov/Pages/StormUpdate.aspx.
Specialists from the state, FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are on hand to answer questions and provide information on the types of assistance available to survivors.
FEMA has activated, at the request of the states, its Transitional Sheltering Assistance program for New Jersey and New York. This program allows eligible survivors who cannot return to their homes due to damages caused by Hurricane Sandy to stay in participating hotels or motels until more suitable housing accommodations are available.
Looking ahead to the winter storm forecasted to hit the East Coast Wednesday evening, FEMA is urging residents to be safe as cold weather temperatures threaten areas impacted by the Hurricane Sandy. The risk of fires increases with the use of supplemental heating, such as space heaters and any fuel-burning appliances in the home, including furnaces and fireplaces, are a potential carbon monoxide source. Ensure both smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are working and if using a generator keep it as far away from your home as possible – away from doors, windows or vents that could allow deadly carbon monoxide into the home.

LABOR JUDGES LAY DOWN THE LAW

FROM: U.S. NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD,

The National Labor Relations Board’s Division of Judges disposed of 645 cases in FY 2012, issuing 207 decisions and settling 438 cases. Half of the decisions issued within 82 days of the close of hearing and within 41 days of the receipt of briefs or submissions.

The high ratio of settlements to decisions reflects a continuing effort by the Division to encourage the resolution of cases by the parties themselves, through judges’ involvement in pre-trial conference calls and on-site meetings.

Total case intake increased slightly from the previous year, from 1,161 to 1,192. The total case intake includes all cases docketed with the Division by NLRB regional offices at the time a complaint is issued by the General Counsel. Many of the docketed cases are withdrawn or settled by the regional offices before the assignment or involvement of an NLRB judge. Absent settlement, judges conduct trials and issue initial decisions that may then be appealed to the 5-member Board.

The NLRB employed 37 Administrative Law Judges at the end of the fiscal year, compared to 40 at the end of FY 2011. All ALJ decisions are available through this page.

Click here for website version

RECENT U.S. NAVY PHOTOS

FROM: U.S. NAVY
Aerogropher's Mate Airman William Surles, from Bunnlebel, N.C., uses a dew point calculator in the Meteorology and Oceanic Center (METOC) aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73). George Washington and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 provide a combat-ready force that protects and defends the collective maritime interest of the U.S. and its allies and partners in the Asia-Pacific region. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Stephanie Smith (Released) 121105-N-MH885-027

The amphibious transport dock ship USS Green Bay (LPD 20) participates in a replenishment-at-sea with the Military Sealift Command Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Washington Chambers (T-AKE 11). Green Bay is part of the Peleliu Amphibious Ready Group, with the embarked 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (15th MEU), and is deployed in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Elizabeth Merriam (Released) 121031-N-BB534-570

DEFENSE UNDERSECRETARY SAYS LANGUAGE INMPORTANT TO NEW STRATEGY

Michael G. Vickers, center, undersecretary of defense for intelligence, observes students of an upper division Russian course designed to prepare students to work for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Intel Official Calls Language 'Central' to New Strategy

By Natela Cutter
Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center
MONTEREY, Calif., Nov. 6, 2012 - Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence Michael G. Vickers was pleasantly surprised Nov. 3 when he encountered his former Spanish instructor at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center here while observing a Spanish language class.

"Although I was able to understand what was being discussed during the class, I was also a little bit worried, because I thought I was going to be re-tested in Spanish, which has atrophied somewhat," Vickers said with a chuckle.

"It was wonderful to see my old student. When I saw his face, it all came back to me," said Deanna Tovar, who had just begun her career as a Spanish instructor in the late 1970s when Vickers was her student and today is dean of the European and Latin American school.

"She was a great instructor, and I am not surprised to see her as the dean of the school and that she has done so well," Vickers said.

As a young Special Forces soldier and then as an officer, Vickers graduated from the DLIFLC Czech course in 1977 and from the Spanish course in 1979 with top scores.

His unique experience at the Institute has influenced him throughout his career. Vickers has been credited for contributing to the withdrawal of Russian troops from Afghanistan in the 1980s. More recently, he was recognized as a key leader in the process that led to planning, locating, and killing the world's most wanted terrorist, Osama bin Laden.

As a two-time DLIFLC graduate, Vickers was the featured speaker at the center's 71st anniversary ball, attended by Defense Language Institute faculty, staff and leadership.

"When I was here for Czech, my professor told us that language is the most intimate expression of a nation's culture," he said. "I know DLI really teaches culturally based language instruction, and I have certainly found that true when I have used languages operationally as a Special Forces officer and as a CIA officer."

As the Defense Department's principal staff member and advisor regarding intelligence, counterintelligence, security and other intelligence-related matters, Vickers has a far-reaching view of how important foreign language and culture are to the future of national security.

"As we come out of a decade of wars, the world is getting more complicated, and there is more volatility, for example, across the Middle East," he explained. "Having people with these [language] skills is tremendously valuable. If you are not going to have a lot there, you ought to have your best there.

"I think [language] is really central," he continued. "Our new defense strategy focuses on Asia, North Africa and the Middle East region, and these skills will be paramount to that strategy."

Though knowing some language goes a long way when conducting intelligence assignments or working in foreign countries in various capacities, Vickers said, high-level proficiency is vital for mission success. He used the Interagency Language Roundtable foreign language government scale to make his point.

"Higher-level skill is critical," he said. "I have seen a number of times over the course of my career where even 3 Level Russian didn't cut it on an important national security problem. You needed to be at the 4 Level to really exploit the intelligence that we need."

Vickers, accompanied by Tim Clayton, the Defense Intelligence Senior Language Authority, and Glenn Nordin, his foreign language and area advisor, also observed an upper division 47-week Russian course called the Russian Arms Control Speaking Proficiency Course. The course is designed to prepare students to work for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, DOD's official combat support agency for countering weapons of mass destruction.

Commenting on all the changes that have taken place at the Institute over the past three decades, Vickers said he was most impressed by DLIFLC's strategic outreach that takes place in 29 locations around the world and includes sustainment and pre-deployment training.

FIXED WING AFGHAN PILOTS GRADUATE FROM NEW SCHOOLHOUSE

Newly graduated Afghan Air Force pilots, 1st Lt.'s Walid Noori, Emal Azizi, and Khan Agha Ghaznavi, pose for a group photo after their ceremony Oct. 15, 2012 in the wing headquarters at Shindand Air Base, Afghanistan. The lieutenants became the first fixed-wing undergraduate pilot trainees to earn their wings in Afghanistan after more than 30 years, completing the entire fixed-wing program entirely in Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Quinton Russ)
 

FROM:  U.S. AIR FORCE
by Nathan Simmons
Air Education and Training Command Public Affairs

11/2/2012 - JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas (AFNS) -- The new fixed-wing pilot schoolhouse in Afghanistan at Shindand Air Base, Herat Province, graduated its first three fixed-wing pilots this month, the first to be produced in Afghanistan in more than 30 years -- a major milestone for the U.S. and Afghan Air Forces.

Three Afghan air force first lieutenants became the first pilots to complete the entire fixed-wing program in country since the schoolhouse was established in December 2011. The pilots completed undergraduate pilot training in Cessna 182 and 208 aircraft, and upon completion of copilot initial qualification training, these new Afghan pilots will become operational C-208 copilots for the Afghan air force.

Traditionally, pilots of U.S. allies are trained stateside, but Afghan training program manager Albert Zuniga said pilot production in Afghanistan was important for rebuilding the fledgling Afghan air force. Training in Afghanistan also ensures the schooling is tailored for the aircraft and environment in which the new Afghan pilots will be operating.

"The Afghans were coming through the (stateside) pipeline here for some time, because indigenous capability did not exist," Zuniga said. "We're going to be able to produce many more Afghan pilots now that the Shindand schoolhouse is up and running."

While the pilot training program in the continental United States produced 21 Afghan pilots in the last three years, the school at Shindand Air Base is primed to produce 38 more fixed-wing pilots in the next 12 months.

"The success of the Shindand Air Wing flight training will ensure an enduring, capable, and professional Air Force that can contribute to Afghanistan's security well into the future," said Col. Thomas Schadegg, Deputy Director for Air Education and Training Command, International Education and Training.

AETC's Air Force Security Assistance Training Squadron is the working arm of the command's international affairs directorate, and is the executive agent for all U.S. Air Force-sponsored international training. AFSAT is responsible for managing this pilot training program and supporting the air advisors working with the Afghan air force to accomplish their training mission.

Through language schools, various types of technical and flying training, and professional military education, AETC is training more than 6,500 students from approximately 150 countries annually in the U.S., with various U.S. Air Force teams in more than 40 countries abroad.

　

U.S. CONCERNED ABOUT EXPULSION OF UN HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER FROM SOUTH SUDAN

Sudan.  Map Credit:  CIA World Factbook. 

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT

Expulsion of U.N. Human Rights Investigator in South Sudan

Press Statement
Mark C. Toner
Acting Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
November 6, 2012

We are deeply concerned about the Republic of South Sudan’s decision to order a Human Rights Officer working for the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) to depart the country within 48 hours.

The United States fully supports UNMISS and its efforts to strengthen government institutions, to provide humanitarian relief, and to monitor, mitigate, and prevent conflict throughout South Sudan. Human rights monitoring, investigation and reporting are core elements of the UNMISS mandate. It is important that the Mission’s Human Rights Officers be allowed to carry out this work without fear of reprisal or expulsion. Fostering deeper respect for fundamental freedoms and human rights will strengthen South Sudan’s democratic, civic, and national identity, and we encourage further progress in that regard.


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM CIA WORLD FACTBOOK

Egypt attempted to colonize the region of southern Sudan by establishing the province of Equatoria in the 1870s. Islamic Mahdist revolutionaries overran the region in 1885, but in 1898 a British force was able to overthrow the Mahdist regime. An Anglo-Egyptian Sudan was established the following year with Equatoria being the southernmost of its eight provinces. The isolated region was largely left to itself over the following decades, but Christian missionaries converted much of the population and facilitated the spread of English. When Sudan gained its independence in 1956, it was with the understanding that the southerners would be able to participate fully in the political system. When the Arab Khartoum government reneged on its promises, a mutiny began that led to two prolonged periods of conflict (1955-1972 and 1983-2005) in which perhaps 2.5 million people died - mostly civilians - due to starvation and drought. Ongoing peace talks finally resulted in a Comprehensive Peace Agreement, signed in January 2005. As part of this agreement the south was granted a six-year period of autonomy to be followed by a referendum on final status. The result of this referendum, held in January 2011, was a vote of 98% in favor of secession. Independence was attained on 9 July 2011.

U.S. Department of Defense Armed with Science Update: Hybrid Fuels

U.S. Department of Defense Armed with Science Update

THE STELLAR MOTION OF OMEGA CENTAURI

FROM: NASA
Zooming in on Omega Centauri Stellar Motion

This movie sequence begins with a ground-based image of the giant globular star cluster Omega Centauri and zooms very tightly in to a Hubble Space Telescope image of the central region of the cluster. In a simulation based on Hubble data, the stars appear to be moving in random directions, like a swarm of bees

A BRIEF HISTORY OF U.S. VOTING

Photo:  Voting In U.S. Election.  Credit:  White House.

FROM: THE WHITE HOUSE

Elections & Voting
One of the most important rights of American citizens is the franchise — the right to vote. Originally under the Constitution, only white male citizens over the age of 21 were eligible to vote. This shameful injustice has been corrected and voting rights have been extended several times over the course of our history. Today, citizens over the age of 18 cannot be denied the right to vote, regardless of race, religion, sex, disability, or sexual orientation. However, in every state except North Dakota, citizens must register to vote, and laws regarding the registration process vary by state.

The path to full voting rights for all American citizens was long and often challenging. The franchise was first extended to African Americans under the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the Constitution, passed during the Reconstruction period after the Civil War. These guaranteed that all male citizens, regardless of their race, would receive equal treatment under the law and not be deprived of their rights without due process. The Fifteenth Amendment is specifically dedicated to protecting the right of all citizens to vote, regardless of their race.

For practical purposes, this was not the end of the voting rights struggle for African Americans. Because of widespread discrimination in some states, including the use of poll taxes, grandfather clauses, and literacy tests, African Americans were not assured full voting rights until President Lyndon Baines Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act in 1965.

Women were denied the right to vote until 1920, when the Nineteenth Amendment was passed. Prior to that, women had only been able to vote in select states.

Federal elections occur every two years, on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Every member of the House of Representatives and about one-third of the Senate is up for reelection in any given election year. A presidential election is held every fourth year.

Federal elections are administered by state and local governments, although the specifics of how elections are conducted differ between the states. The Constitution and laws of the United States grant the states wide latitude in how they administer elections.

NEWS FROM AFGHAISTAN FOR NOVEMBER 6, 2012

Photo Credit:  U.S. Department of Defense

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Combined Force Arrests Haqqani Network Leader

From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release
KABUL, Afghanistan, Nov. 6, 2012 - A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Haqqani network leader in Afghanistan's Logar province today, military officials reported.

The arrested leader is suspected of being directly involved in the final stages of planning a vehicle-bomb attack targeting Afghan and coalition forces

In other Afghanistan operations today:
-- A combined force detained two insurgents and seized bomb-making materials, a shotgun, ammunition and weapons gear during a search for a Haqqani network leader in Paktia province.

-- In Kunduz province, a combined force arrested a senior Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan facilitator and weapons trafficker suspected of financing the acquisition of weapons and coordinating their transfer and delivery to insurgents. The security force also detained another suspect.

In operations yesterday:

-- Afghan and coalition security forces detained several insurgents, killed two enemy fighters and seized and destroyed 132 pounds of homemade explosives in Uruzgan province.

-- In Zabul province, the Afghan provincial response company, enabled by coalition forces, detained several insurgents and seized and destroyed 220 pounds of homemade explosives and a cache of weapons and ammunition.

U.S. NAVY HARD AT WORK AFTER HURRICANE SANDY

FROM: U.S. NAVY
U.S. Navy Seabees works to repair pier facilities in Hobobken, N.J. The U.S. Navy has positioned forces in the area to assist U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) in support of FEMA and local civil authorities following the destruction caused by Hurricane Sandy. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Bryan Nygaard (Released) 121103-M-BS001-259

 

Chief Hull Maintenance Technician Micheal Binley from Scandinavia, Wis., assigned to the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1), cuts through a damaged ferry slip brace using an oxyacetylene torch, at Hoboken Transit Terminal, N.J. Wasp, USS San Antonio (LPD 17) and USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) are positioned in New York City harbor to provide relief support to areas affected by Hurricane Sandy. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class James Stenberg (Released) 121103-N-KA456-220

FEMA TRANSITIONAL SHELTERING ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE FOR HURRICANE SANDY EVACUEES WITH INACCESSIBLE OR UNLIVABLE HOMES

FEMA TRANSITIONAL SHELTERING ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE FOR HURRICANE SANDY EVACUEES WITH INACCESSIBLE OR UNLIVABLE HOMES

STEPS TO APPLYING FOR FEMA ASSISTANCE

STEPS TO APPLYING FOR FEMA ASSISTANCE

Kids At Risk

Kids At Risk

THE NATIONAL GUARD PROVIDES POST-SANDY AID

New York Army National Guard soldiers assist residents at Long Beach City Hall, N.J., for evacuation to shelters. Guard members are assisting throughout the flood-ravaged region. U.S. Army photo by Col. Richard Goldenberg, New York National Guard

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
By Army National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Jim Greenhill
National Guard Bureau

NEW YORK, Nov. 5, 2012 - More than 7,000 National Guard members are providing aid to Hurricane Sandy-impacted communities along the East Coast and other areas, including thousands of Guardsmen in New York and New Jersey helping residents get onto their feet after the superstorm destroyed homes and crippled infrastructure.

National Guard members on Nov. 3 started supporting other state and federal agencies working to ease gasoline distribution challenges in New York. Guard members also provided food, water, presence patrols and transportation, going from house- to house on Staten Island conducting wellness checks and running pumps and generators.

More than 4,000 Guard troops are focused on the two states where Sandy did the most damage: New Jersey and New York.

"The National Guard takes its missions from the governor, and they're supporting the first responders, so when the capabilities of the first responders have been exceeded, then the National Guard is called in to support," said Army Gen. Frank J. Grass, the chief of the National Guard Bureau.

The National Guard has hundreds of thousands of troops available nationwide and a plethora of capabilities a phone call away, the general noted.

"We'll tailor those to meet the need, based on what the city and the state require," Grass said.

"More than 6,000 Army National Guard soldiers are part of the massive relief effort across the entire region," said Army Lt. Gen. William E. Ingram Jr., the director of the Army National Guard. "Our soldiers are concentrated in communities hardest hit by the cold, flooding and power outages.

"We're ramping up our future operations as well," Ingram continued. "About a thousand additional soldiers from Ohio, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Delaware are on their way to help out with critical transportation, security and supply distribution efforts in New York and New Jersey."

Grass saw the challenges New Jersey and New York residents face first-hand Nov. 2 during an eight-hour visit to assess damage and needs and thank troops.

"New Jersey is in consequence management, recovering," he said. "Lots and lots of contract capability, construction capability ... still long lines in some places as they recover and at the gas stations."

As Grass conducted a damage-assessment survey from a National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter over New York City and its environs Nov. 2, he saw houses off their foundations, piles of soaked possessions including mattresses dragged to the curb, and sand-covered roadways from shore to shore of narrow barrier islands. As darkness fell, chunks of the metropolis were in darkness and gas stations were easy to identify by the police lights flashing outside and the miles-long lines of tail-lights snaking along approach roads.

"In New York, it's going to be a long haul there," Grass said. "So much damage -- especially the subways. It's going to take a while to get those pumped out. But the city looks like it's ready to roll. It's functioning down there. Some of the outer islands, you could see a lot of damage, and it's going to take a while to get that cleaned up."

"The National Guard has been called on again when our citizens are in need of help -- neighbors helping neighbors," Army Maj. Gen. Patrick Murphy, the adjutant general of New York National Guard, said during a visit to Manhattan to assess possible National Guard support to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers efforts to remove water from flooded road and subway tunnels.

"These are soldiers that have trained for combat but serve in domestic operations," Murphy said. "They've done just incredible work in the area of security, logistics distribution and working with law enforcement and their local partners. Our soldiers and airmen ... are true professionals and they want to help the citizens that they live with every day, their neighbors."

When he wasn't talking with troops on the ground Nov. 2, Grass was engaged in a steady stream of phone consultations with federal, state and local officials that left no time for even a food break. Returning to the Pentagon late Nov. 2, his weekend continued with a steady stream of White House, secretary of defense, Federal Emergency Management Agency and other meetings that started as the storm approached more than a week ago.

"I saw today many, many soldiers and airmen who have deployed overseas," Grass said as he returned to the Pentagon. "You couldn't ask for a better team to be ready to support the citizens and every one of those soldiers and airmen out there I saw today was very happy to do the mission they are doing."

Residents returned Guard members' enthusiasm for the post-storm aid mission with appreciation.

"The level of appreciation for the soldiers and the airmen is just unprecedented," said Army Command Sgt. Maj. Jerome Jenkins, the senior enlisted leader of the New Jersey Army National Guard. "Astounding, great reaction, because they know that we're here to help. When they see the Guard, they know that we're here to help."

Search and rescue, sheltering, debris removal, food and water distribution, power generation support, door-to-door wellness checks, damage surveys and working with local authorities to maintain civil order are among New Jersey Guard members' missions, he said.

"It's been a great opportunity for us as Guard members to show our neighbors, the citizens of New Jersey, what they're paying for," said Air Force Command Chief Master Sgt. Vincent Morton, the senior enlisted leader of the New Jersey Air National Guard. "We bring a calming effect. Outside the door, the wind is blowing, the tide is coming up; when they see us in uniform, it brings that calming effect."

Morton added: "We get an opportunity to serve right here in the state of New Jersey. It's our neighbors. ... It's very rewarding: You go overseas, you serve your country -- but it's even more rewarding when you get back and you serve your neighbors. The Air National Guard is a key piece when there's a state emergency, we're always easy to get to, and we bring a huge skill set to the fight."

Guard members continued to provide support in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and West Virginia.

Operations in those states included route clearance, mounted presence patrols, commodities distribution, power generation support, sand and debris clearance, snow clearance, traffic control, search and rescue and health and welfare checks on residents in remote areas, according to the National Guard Coordination Center in Arlington, Va.

States outside the affected area also were contributing. For the first time, a C-27J Spartan military transport aircraft from the Ohio National Guard supported a domestic mission by transporting soldiers and vehicles headed to New York to support relief efforts there.

Se abre el telón desde Concordia

Se abre el telón desde Concordia

Betalen via gps bij Woensdagmorgen

Betalen via gps bij Woensdagmorgen

OSHA URGES HURRICANE SANDY RECOVERY WORKERS TO PROTECT THEMSELVES

Photo Credit:  U.S. Air Force

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

US Labor Department’s OSHA urges hurricane recovery workers to protect themselves against hazards

BOSTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration is urging workers and members of the public engaged in Hurricane Sandy cleanup and recovery efforts in New York, New Jersey and the New England states to be aware of the hazards they might encounter and the steps they should take to protect themselves.

"Storm recovery workers are working around the clock to clean up areas impacted by the storm," said Robert Kulick, OSHA's New York regional administrator. "We want to make sure that workers are aware of the hazards involved in cleanup work and take the necessary precautions to prevent serious injuries."

OSHA field staff members are providing safety assistance, technical support, and information and training to those involved in the recovery efforts. For more information about unsafe work situations, workers and the general public can contact OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).

For more information about protecting workers during Hurricane Sandy recovery, visit http://www.osha.gov/sandy/index.html. This comprehensive website offers fact sheets, concise "quick cards," frequently asked questions, safety and health guides, and additional information in English and Spanish.

Cleanup work can involve restoring electricity, communications, and water and sewer services; demolition activities; removal of floodwater from structures; entry into flooded areas; cleaning up debris; tree trimming; structural, roadway, bridge, dam and levee repair; use of cranes, aerial lifts and other heavy equipment; hazardous waste operations; and emergency response activities.

Inherent hazards may include downed electrical wires, carbon monoxide and electrical hazards from portable generators, fall and "struck-by" hazards from tree trimming or working at heights, being caught in unprotected excavations or confined spaces, burns, lacerations, musculoskeletal injuries, being struck by traffic or heavy equipment, and drowning from being caught in moving water or while removing water from flooded structures.

Protective measures include evaluating the work area for all hazards; assuming all power lines are live; using the right personal protective equipment (hard hats, shoes, reflective vests, safety glasses); conducting exposure monitoring where there are chemical hazards; following safe tree cutting procedures to prevent trees from falling on workers; and using fall protection and proper ladder safety when working at heights.

For additional information on grants, cleanup efforts and recovery resources, visit the Labor Department's Hurricane Recovery Assistance Web page, which is being continuously updated at http://www.dol.gov/opa/hurricane-recovery.htm. Also, a checklist of activities to be undertaken before, during and after a hurricane is available from the Federal Emergency Management Agency at http://www.ready.gov/hurricanes.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information about the agency, visit http://www.osha.gov.

U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT RESPONDS TO ELECTIONS IN NICARAGUA

Nicaragua.  Map Credit:  CIA World Factbook

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT

Response to Municipal Elections in Nicaragua

Press Statement
Victoria Nuland
Department Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
November 5, 2012


The U.S. government is concerned that the municipal elections conducted Sunday, November 4, in Nicaragua failed to demonstrate a degree of transparency that would assure Nicaraguans and the international community that the process faithfully reflected the will of the Nicaraguan people.

There have been widespread complaints about the partisan manner in which Nicaragua’s Supreme Electoral Council managed the process in the run-up to and on Election Day to the advantage of the ruling party. Irregularities observed on election day included citizens being denied the right to vote, a failure to respect the secrecy of citizens’ votes, and reported cases of voters being allowed to vote multiple times. These disturbing practices have marred multiple recent Nicaraguan elections.

We again urge the Government of Nicaragua to implement the recommendations the European Union and Organization of American States electoral observation missions made following the controversial 2011 national elections, and to uphold its commitment to representative democracy under the OAS Charter and the Inter-American Democratic Charter.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM CIA WORLD FACTBOOK

The Pacific coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony from Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from Spain was declared in 1821 and the country became an independent republic in 1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first half of the 19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region in subsequent decades. Violent opposition to governmental manipulation and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist Sandinista guerrillas to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador caused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. After losing free and fair elections in 1990, 1996, and 2001, former Sandinista President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra was elected president in 2006 and reelected in 2011. The 2008 municipal elections, 2010 regional elections, and November 2011 presidential elections were marred by widespread irregularities. Nicaragua's infrastructure and economy - hard hit by the earlier civil war and by Hurricane Mitch in 1998 - are slowly being rebuilt, but democratic institutions have been weakened under the ORTEGA administration.

DROUGHT AND THE MOUNTAIN PINE BEETLE

Photo:  Rocky Mountains.  Credit:  Wikimedia.

FROM: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

Drought in 2001-2002 Fueled Rocky Mountain Pine Beetle Outbreak
November 5, 2012
Results of a new study show that episodes of reduced precipitation in the Southern Rocky Mountains, especially during the 2001-2002 drought, greatly accelerated a rise in numbers of mountain pine beetles. The overabundance is a threat to regional forests.

The research is the first to chart the evolution of the current pine beetle epidemic in the southern Rocky Mountains.

It compared patterns of beetle outbreaks in the two primary host species, the ponderosa pine and lodgepole pine, said University of Colorado at Boulder (CU-Boulder) researcher Teresa Chapman.

A paper on the subject is published in the current issue of the journal Ecology. Chapman is lead author of the paper; co-authors include CU-Boulder scientists Thomas Veblen and Tania Schoennagel.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) funded the research.

"This study confirms that warming temperatures and drought are likely triggers of the widespread bark beetle outbreaks that have devastated forests over vast areas of the West," said Richard Inouye, program director in NSF's Division of Environmental Biology.

"It also suggests why bark beetle outbreaks may vary for two different tree species," he said, "and how different forests may be more or less susceptible to these insects that are transforming mountain landscapes."

The current mountain pine beetle outbreak in the Southern Rockies--which ranges from southern Wyoming through Colorado and into northern New Mexico--is estimated to have affected almost 3,000 square miles of forests.

While the 2001-2002 drought in the West played a key role in pushing the pine beetle outbreak into a true regional epidemic, the outbreak continued to gain ground even after temperature and precipitation levels returned to levels nearer the long-term averages.

The beetles decimated lodgepole pine forests by moving into wetter and higher elevations and into less susceptible tree stands--those with smaller-diameter lodgepoles that share space with other tree species.

"In recent years some researchers have thought the pine beetle outbreak in the Southern Rocky Mountains might have started in one place and spread from there," said Chapman.

"What we found was that the mountain pine beetle outbreak originated in many locations. The idea that the outbreak spread from multiple places, then coalesced and continued spreading, really highlights the importance of the broad-scale drivers of the pine beetle epidemic, like climate and drought."

Mountain pine beetles range from Canada to Mexico and are found at elevations from sea level to 11,000 feet. These native insects have shaped the forests of North America for thousands of years by attacking old or weakened trees, resulting in younger forests.

The effects of pine beetle overpopulation are especially evident in recent years on Colorado's Western Slope, including Rocky Mountain National Park, with a particularly severe epidemic occurring in Grand and Routt counties.

The most recent mountain pine beetle outbreak began in the 1990s, primarily in scattered groups of lodgepole pines at low elevations in areas of lower annual precipitation.

Following the 2001-2002 drought, the outbreak was "uncoupled" from the initial weather and landscape conditions, triggering a rise in beetle populations on the Western Slope and propelling the insects over the Continental Divide into the Northern Front Range to infect ponderosa pine, Chapman said.

The current pine beetle epidemic in the Southern Rocky Mountains also was influenced by extensive forest fires that ravaged Colorado's Western Slope from roughly 1850 to 1890.

Lodgepole pine stands completely burned off by the fires were followed by huge swaths of seedling lodgepoles that eventually grew side-by-side into dense mature stands, making them easier targets for the pine beetles.

"The widespread burning associated with dry years in the 19th century set the stage by creating vast areas of trees in the size classes most susceptible to beetle attack," said Chapman.

Veblen said a 1980s outbreak of the pine beetle in Colorado's Grand County ended when extremely low minimum temperatures were reached in the winters of 1983 and 1984, killing the beetle larvae.

But during the current outbreak, minimum temperatures during all seasons have been persistently high since 1996, well above the levels of extreme cold shown to kill beetle larvae in laboratory experiments.

"This implies that under continued warming trends, future outbreaks will not be terminated until they exhaust their food supply--the pine tree hosts," said Veblen.

Chapman said there has been a massive and unprecedented beetle epidemic in British Columbia, which also began in the early 1990s and now has affected nearly 70,000 square miles.

"It is hard to tell if this current beetle epidemic in the Southern Rockies is unprecedented," she said. "While warm periods in the 16th century may have triggered a large beetle epidemic, any evidence would have been wiped out by the massive fires in the latter 19th century."

The rate of spread of the mountain pine beetle in lodgepole pine forests has declined in the southern Rocky Mountains during the past two years because of a depletion of host pine population.

But surveys indicate that the rate of beetle spread in ponderosa pine forests on the Front Range has increased sharply over the past three years.

The current study suggests that under a continued warmer climate, the spread of the beetle in ponderosa pines is likely to grow until that food source also is depleted.

"Our results emphasize the importance of considering different patterns in the population dynamics of mountain pine beetles for different host species, even under similar regional-scale weather variations," said Chapman.

"Given the current outbreak of mountain pine beetles on the Front Range, the effect on ponderosa pines is certainly something that needs further study."

CHANGES ON THE WAY FOR U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND

Air Force Gen. William M. Fraser III, commander of U.S. Transportation Command, unveils his command's five-year strategic plan designed to guide the command as it evolves to meet future challenges, Oct. 12, 2012. U.S. Transportation Command photo by Bob Fehringer

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Transcom Transforms for Changing Global Requirements

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill., Nov. 5, 2012 - Putting in place the most-sweeping strategic planning effort in U.S. Transportation Command's 25-year history, Air Force Gen. William M. Fraser III, Transcom commander, said his organization is revolutionizing the way the military deploys, sustains and redeploys its forces around the globe.

Fraser assumed his post overseeing the Defense Department's global air, land and sea transportation enterprise in October 2011. It was a year of unprecedented geopolitical change across the Middle East and Northern Africa; the massive earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster in Japan; the logistical drawdown in Iraq and surge operations in Afghanistan.

In every case, Fraser noted, the combatant commanders responsible for these and every other effort the military conducted turned to Transcom and its unmatched transportation and distribution capabilities to carry out their missions.

Speaking with American Forces Press Service in his headquarters office here, Fraser said he's been amazed that the people of Transcom, including its service components and commercial and international partners, make such a daunting task look almost easy.

During any given day, he said, the command oversees 100 rail car shipments, 26 ships underway and another nine ships being loaded or offloaded, 2,000 truck cargo shipments, 2,000 household goods movements, 900 airlift sorties, 97 operational air refueling sorties, seven air evacuation sorties and 30 courier deliveries.

"It is fascinating that we are able to do what we do the way that we do it, and I think others enjoy being able to turn to us to provide them options to ... accomplish their mission," Fraser said.

Transcom was never envisioned as a permanent combatant command when it initially stood up in 1987. It was meant to be a planning headquarters, to be activated only in wartime to deal with the associated transportation and logistics challenges.

Operation Desert Storm -- the largest deployment of U.S. troops and equipment since the Vietnam War -- changed that thinking. "There came a realization that you really need to do in peace what you do in war," Fraser said.

So for the past two decades, Transcom has matured its processes, evolving into what Fraser calls a "world-class, joint deployment and distribution enterprise that provides unfailing support to our warfighters and their families around the globe."

The challenge now, he said, is that what has worked so well in the past isn't necessarily the best formula for the future -- particularly in light of budgetary constraints and changing support requirements as the United States draws down in Afghanistan.

"We are at a point in time where things are going to be different," Fraser said. "We are not going to be as engaged in as many areas constantly, and there is not going to be as much business."

That, he acknowledged, is one of Transcom's big challenges moving forward.

A state-of-the-art global transportation and distribution enterprise simply can't be turned on and off like a spigot, he explained.

The enterprise, Fraser said, relies on ready, well-oiled capabilities within Transcom's organic assets, provided by the Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command, Military Sealift Command, Air Mobility Command and Joint Enabling Capabilities Command.

Not as well recognized, he noted, is the key role commercial partners play: contributing ships, cargo space, aircraft and logistics support to complement what the military provides.

"We really rely upon our commercial partners," Fraser said. "They provide tremendous capability to us, when we need it and where we need it, and we are able to capitalize upon their infrastructure and the capabilities they have to accomplish our mission."

The general said Transcom's new strategy recognizes the importance of keeping its organic and commercial enterprises viable so they're able to support future missions -- whether for humanitarian assistance and disaster response or kinetic operations.

The way to do that, Fraser said, is to remain the uncontested "transportation provider of choice" that combatant commanders keep busy supporting their exercises and engagements, even as wartime requirements decrease.

So as it strives to preserve readiness capability, Transcom is focusing on improving its business model to better align resources and processes to support the mission, Fraser said. For example, he noted, the command is investing heavily in information technology to give leaders the tools to make the best -- and when feasible, lowest-cost -- options as they make transportation and logistics decisions.

And in what Fraser said he considers one of the most important engines for change, Transcom is looking inward, to transform its workforce into "enterprise-focused professionals." The goal, he explained, is to encourage collaboration, build trust and empower people to make decisions and inspire innovation.

That makes each and every member of Transcom a partner in transforming the command for the future, Fraser said. "I feel that this sets us up for success, because the workforce has all been a part of this," he said. "They have been part of the process, they bought into the process and they understand where we are going to go, why we are going where we are going and how we are preparing for the future."

Fraser said he's already seeing the difference this emphasis is making. And based on past performance, he said, he's convinced that the men and women of Transcom will continue to live up to their motto, "Together, we deliver."

"It really is about people," Fraser said. "Because it takes all of us to provide whatever is needed -- humanitarian supplies, disaster response, responding to a crisis ... or sustaining the forces.

"Wherever that may be, they know that we are going to deliver," he said. "And it is all of us doing it. It is the people that are making that happen – and will continue to, into the future."

U.S. AIR FORCE HURRICANE SANDY RELIEF PHOTOS

 

FROM: U.S. AIR FORCE
New York Air National Guard Master Sgt. Thomas Moade from the 174th Attack Wing out of Syracuse leads other members of the 174th as well as members of the New York Army Guard from Newburg in taking water and cases of food to local residents in Staten Island on Nov. 2. The food and water was provided to people who needed assistance after Hurricane Sandy took down power lines and caused massive destruction to many homes in the area leaving families desperate for help. Moade and the others were taking the food to those who could not make it to the Emergency Response location.

Staff Sergeant Jennifer Bartkus and Airman First Class Ryan Culp from the 161st Air Refueling Wing Aerial Port, Phoenix help guide a vehicle being loaded on a C-17 Globemaster III, Nov. 2, 2012. The 161st ARW will facilitate the loading and transportation of Salt River Project and Arizona Public Service line crews, support staff and required vehicles in efforts to restore power in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

ABDUL RAUF RECEIVES SPECIALLY DESIGNATED GLOBAL TERRORIST TITLE FROM U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE



Photo Credit:  U.S. Army.

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT

Designation of Haqqani Network Chief of Suicide Operations Qari Zakir

Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
November 5, 2012
The Secretary of State has designated Haqqani Network chief of suicide operations Qari Zakir (also known as Abdul Rauf) as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism. As a result of the designation, all property subject to U.S. jurisdiction in which Zakir has any interest is blocked and U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in any transactions with him or to his benefit.

In addition to today’s domestic designation under E.O. 13224, both Qari Zakir and the Haqqani Network as an organization were listed by the United Nations 1988 Sanctions Committee. The UN listings will require all UN member states to implement an assets freeze, a travel ban, and an arms embargo against the Haqqani Network and Qari Zakir. The Haqqani Network was designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity under E.O. 13224 in September 2012, and today’s UN actions demonstrate international resolve in eliminating the Haqqani Network’s ability to execute violent attacks in Afghanistan.

Qari Zakir is the chief of suicide operations for the Haqqani Network and the operational commander in Kabul, Takhar, Kunduz, and Baghlan Provinces, Afghanistan. Zakir is responsible for the Haqqani Network’s training program, which includes instruction in small arms, heavy weapons, and basic improvised explosive device (IED) construction.

Zakir approached Haqqani Network leader Sirajuddin Haqqani in 2008, requesting financial assistance in exchange for expanding the group’s influence and operations into northern Afghanistan, and has become a trusted associate and confidant of Sirajuddin. He has been involved in many of the Haqqani Network’s high-profile suicide attacks and is partially responsible for making some of the final determinations on whether or not to proceed with large-scale attacks planned by local district-level commanders. Attacks using personnel selected from Zakir’s training program include the 2010 attacks on coalition force bases Salerno and Chapman; the June 2011 attack on the Intercontinental Hotel, which killed 11 civilians and two Afghan policemen; and the September 2011 attack on the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, which killed 16 Afghans, including at least six children.

MARINES HELP STATEN ISLAND RESIDENTS

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Photo:  Marine Corps UH-1N Iroquois "Huey" helicopters with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit deliver meals-ready-to-eat to Staten Island, N.Y., Nov. 4, 2012. The Navy-Marine Corps team is well equipped to respond to national disasters when required, through the coordination of U.S. Northern Command. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Megan Angel

 Headquarters Marine Corps

NEW YORK, Nov. 5, 2012 - Marines with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit arrived here yesterday via CH-53E helicopters to aid Staten Island impacted by Superstorm Sandy.

The group of 20 Marines worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the New York City Parks Department and other civilian authorities to provide relief to citizens affected by Hurricane Sandy's damaging winds and flooding.

"It feels good to help," said Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Antonio M. Medina, an optics technician attached to the 26th MEU. "We're trying to coordinate efforts with the local and some state agencies so that we can try to help with the situation, take furniture that's rotten, get medicine, whatever it takes to relieve [people's] problems."

The Marines are moving house to house through Staten Island, surveying damaged structures, assisting those in need of medical support and providing manpower to remove damaged household goods from residents' homes.

The 26th MEU Marines are scheduled to provide assistance as the surrounding New York communities return to normal operations and power is restored. The eastern shore of Staten Island has seen some of the worst destruction from Hurricane Sandy; homes were flooded, power lines broken and, as of yesterday, some fallen trees remained atop homes and vehicles.

"... [A]s long as the mission needs us to be here or until we're told to move to somewhere else to help, we'll be here," Medina said. "The [locals] appreciate the help a lot. They shake our hands and say 'Thank you.' They even have offered us food in several locations but we're not here to take their things. We're here to help them out."

Many of the residents expressed their gratitude to the Marines for lending a hand. Salvatore Greco, who served in the Marine Corps during the early 90's, said he was excited when he saw a group of Marines helping out with the recovery.

"It's a blessing," Greco said. "The first thing I asked was, 'Where's my Marines at?'"

Greco's wife, Sebahet, said she wants to see more Marines helping out.

"I was hoping that the Marines were here," she said. "I was happy to see them here."

The Marines, operating from the USS Wasp, USS San Antonio and USS Carter Hall off the coast of New York City, are part of a Navy and Marine Corps team that provides crisis response anywhere in the world. The Navy-Marine team can land forces ashore by air and sea, and is uniquely suited to assist local authorities in moving personnel and equipment.

U.S. Department of Defense Armed with Science Update: Flying the Reaper from Remote Locations

U.S. Department of Defense Armed with Science Update

U.S. Navy Navy Live Update

U.S. Navy Navy Live Update

U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT COMMENTS ON MEKONG RIVER DAM

Laos.  Map Credit:  CIA World Factbook.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Taken Question: Laos Approval of Xayaburi Dam

Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
November 5, 2012

Question: What is your reaction to Laos’ plan to begin construction on a dam on the lower Mekong River?

Answer: We understand that the Lao People’s Democratic Republic has announced its intention to officially begin construction of the Xayaburi dam on the main stem of the Mekong River. The United States recognizes the important role that dams can play in managing water resources to advance economic growth. At the same time, our own experience has made us acutely aware of the economic, social and environmental impacts that large infrastructure can have over the long-term. The extent and severity of impacts from the Xayaburi dam on an ecosystem that provides food security and livelihoods for millions are still unknown.

While these are sovereign development decisions, we are concerned that construction is proceeding before impact studies have been completed. We continue to believe that the Mekong River Commission (MRC) can be a useful platform to provide access to the best science and facilitate consultation with all stakeholders. We also understand that the members of the MRC have not reached consensus on whether the project should proceed.

The United States values its long-standing partnership with the MRC and its member nations. We have a strong interest in the sustainable management of the Mekong River, and we view our robust engagement as a sign of our strong commitment toward a lasting and positive relationship with the region.

We hope that the government of Laos will uphold its pledge to work with its neighbors in addressing remaining questions regarding Xayaburi. We encourage the MRC countries to continue to work together to realize their shared vision of an economically prosperous, socially just and environmentally sound Mekong River basin.

　

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM CIA WORLD FACTBOOK

Modern-day Laos has its roots in the ancient Lao kingdom of Lan Xang, established in the 14th Century under King FA NGUM. For 300 years Lan Xang had influence reaching into present-day Cambodia and Thailand, as well as over all of what is now Laos. After centuries of gradual decline, Laos came under the domination of Siam (Thailand) from the late 18th century until the late 19th century when it became part of French Indochina. The Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 defined the current Lao border with Thailand. In 1975, the Communist Pathet Lao took control of the government ending a six-century-old monarchy and instituting a strict socialist regime closely aligned to Vietnam. A gradual, limited return to private enterprise and the liberalization of foreign investment laws began in 1988. Laos became a member of ASEAN in 1997.

　

GALACTIC COLLISION VIDEO FROM NASA

FROM: NASASpacecraft Image Mashup Shows Galactic Collision

This new composite image from the Chandra X-ray Observatory, the Hubble Space Telescope, and the Spitzer Space Telescope shows two colliding galaxies more than a 100 million years after they first impacted each other. The continuing collision of the Antennae galaxies, located about 62 million light years from Earth, has triggered the formation of millions of stars in clouds of dusts and gas

NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR NOVEMBER 5, 2012

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

Combined Force Arrests Senior Taliban Leader

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases
WASHINGTON, Nov. 5, 2012 - An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban senior leader in Afghanistan's Kandahar province today, military officials reported.

The arrested insurgent leader commanded all Taliban fighters within Kandahar city and the eastern Panjwai districts. He directed attacks against Afghan and coalition forces while coordinating the movement of supplies, weapons and improvised explosive device making-materials throughout Kandahar province to support the Taliban insurgency, officials said.

The security force also detained two suspected insurgents as a result of the operation, officials said.

Also today, a combined force detained three suspected insurgents during a search for a Haqqani leader in Khost province. The sought-after leader is believed to be responsible for multiple attacks throughout southern Khost province as well as IED emplacements. During the operation, the security force seized an assault rifle and numerous grenades.

In Nov. 4 operations:

-- In Logar province, a combined force arrested a Haqqani senior leader. The arrested insurgent leader is tied to the Aug. 7 suicide vehicle-borne IED attack on Forward Operating Base Shank. The security force also detained one suspected insurgent.

-- A combined force killed two insurgents engaged in threatening activity during separate operations in Kunar and Logar provinces.

-- Afghan police accompanied by coalition troops seized a cache of explosives and IED-making materials in Ghazni province. Items seized include three 40 mm rocket-propelled grenades, one anti-tank mine and one IED with detonation cord. The force destroyed the cache.

-- A combined force arrested a Taliban leader and IED expert in Kandahar province. The detained insurgent leader was an attack specialist who coordinated the movement and storage of IEDs, weapons and associated supplies to support the Taliban throughout the province. The security force also detained one suspected insurgent.

-- A combined force arrested a Taliban leader in Helmand province. The detained Taliban leader executed ambush and IED attacks against Afghan and coalition forces while facilitating the movement of lethal aid throughout the province.

-- In Logar province, a combined force arrested a Taliban courier. The detained Taliban courier served as a cross-border facilitator who passed messages and information between senior Taliban leaders.

In Nov. 3 operations:

-- In Kandahar province, a combined force arrested a Taliban leader. The arrested insurgent leader is suspected of overseeing the emplacement and distribution of IEDs throughout northern Kandahar province. The security force also detained two suspected insurgents and seized a number of firearms.

-- A combined force seized 2,800 pounds of opium and 88 pounds of heroin following a firefight in southern Helmand province in which one insurgent was killed and another was detained. A vehicle and the drugs were destroyed on site.

-- In Logar province, a combined force arrested a Haqqani leader. The arrested insurgent leader oversaw operations and multiple attack cells in northern Logar province. The security force also detained a number of suspected insurgents.

-- In Nangarhar province, a combined force detained a number of insurgents during a search for a Taliban leader. As the security force approached the Taliban leader's suspected location, two armed insurgents attacked the Afghan and coalition troops with small-arms fire. Friendly forces returned fire, wounding the two armed insurgents, who were later evacuated to a coalition medical facility. The security force seized several assault rifles and shotguns as well as large quantities of ammunition and gear.

In Nov. 2 operations:

-- In Kunar province, a Haqqani weapons facilitator turned himself in to Afghan and coalition forces. The detained Haqqani member is believed to have engineered IED and other attacks targeting Afghan and coalition forces. According to a coalition official, the individual quit the insurgency out of concerns for his own safety and to protect his family.

-- In Paktiya province, a coalition force killed Haqqani leader Sadiq Jan. Sadiq Jan, also known as Lewo, was responsible for directing attacks against Afghan and coalition forces, kidnapping local nationals and coordinating the movement of weapons and bomb-making materials for insurgent attacks.

-- A combined force seized 1,650 pounds of homemade explosives in Ghazni province. The explosives were destroyed.

U.S. State Department Daily Press Briefing - November 5, 2012

Daily Press Briefing - November 5, 2012

U.S. Department of Defense Contracts for November 05, 2012

Contracts for November 05, 2012

TWO INDIVIDUALS SENTENCED FOR ROLES IN FORECLOSURE RESCUE SCHEME FRAUD

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Friday, November 2, 2012

Two Florida Residents Sentenced for Roles in Foreclosure Rescue Scheme

As Part of Scheme Lied to Homeowners Facing Foreclosure They Could Stay in Their Homes
Lisa Wright, 46, and Cathy Saffer, 52, of Pompano Beach, Fla., were sentenced today to serve 66 and 60 months respectively for defrauding homeowners and mortgage lenders as part of a foreclosure rescue scheme, the Justice Department announced. The two women were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kenneth A. Marra in the Southern District of Florida.

Wright pleaded guilty on March 27, 2012, to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, one count of mail fraud and one count of wire fraud. Saffer was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, three counts of mail fraud and two counts of wire fraud, following a two week jury trial in July.

According to the indictment and evidence presented at trial, Wright and Saffer operated Foreclosure Solution Specialists (FSS) from 2006 to 2009. Through FSS, Wright and Saffer targeted homeowners facing foreclosure, advertising that FSS could assist those homeowners in remaining in their homes. When contacted by distressed homeowners seeking assistance, Wright and Saffer misrepresented to those homeowners that their homes would be sold to investors. They also claimed that customers could remain in their homes after the sales and promised them an opportunity to repurchase the homes at a later date. Rather than selling the homes to legitimate investors, Wright and Saffer designed sham sales to straw purchasers whom they paid to participate in the scheme.

According to the indictment and evidence presented at trial, Wright and Saffer paid Florida Certified Public Accountant Barrington Coombs to write a fraudulent letter which falsely vouched for the fraudulent information on various loan applications. Coombs, who was also convicted by the jury, is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 7, 2012.

Mortgage transactions completed by FSS drew equity out of the homes, which Wright and Saffer pocketed for their own purposes. After doing so, Wright and Saffer allowed the loans to go into foreclosure. Homeowners ultimately lost all of the equity in their homes, and most of the victims were forced to move out of their homes.

"The individuals sentenced today took advantage of desperate homeowners hoping to shed the weight of debt and foreclosure, ," said Stuart F. Delery, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division. "We will continue to work with the FBI and our other law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute mortgage fraud and foreclosure rescue schemes such as this one."

Wifredo A. Ferrer, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida stated, " This case illustrates the lengths that fraudsters will go to victimize and ruin the lives of hard working families. This mortgage fraud scheme robbed homeowners of more than just their homes; it also robbed them of hope and the American dream of home ownership. The best way to avoid being victimized is to do your homework and ask hard questions. Be wary of those whose promises seem too good to be true. Through this prosecution, these fraudsters have been brought to justice."

The case was investigated by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Christopher E. Parisi and John Claud, Trial Attorneys at the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch.

Today’s announcement is part of efforts underway by President Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force (FFETF) which was created in November 2009 to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Over the past three fiscal years, the Justice Department has filed more than 10,000 financial fraud cases against nearly 15,000 defendants including more than 2,700 mortgage fraud defendants.

In the Wake of The Storm

In the Wake