NAVY CAMPAIGN TO DETER DESIGNER DRUG USE

121220-N-ZZ999-005 WASHINGTON (Dec. 20, 2011) An informational poster produced by the Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery about the designer drug known as "Bath Salts". (U.S. Navy photo illustration/Released)

FROM: U.S. NAVY

Navy Medicine Rolls Out New Campaign to Deter 'Bath Salts' Designer Drug UseBy Valerie A. Kremer, U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery Public Affairs

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (NNS) -- Navy Medicine announced the launch of a new informational video and poster regarding the health risks and dangers of the synthetic amphetamine known as "bath salts" and other designer drugs, Dec. 20.

The public service announcement video and poster will be distributed for display throughout the fleet and are available for download at http://www.med.navy.mil/Pages/Syntheticdrugs.aspx.
The new media products focus on the dangers of bath salts and are part of the long-term awareness and deterrence campaign Navy Medicine launched last year on synthetic and designer drugs. This effort is also part of an overall Navy communications plan with partners at the Naval Personnel Command and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and other commands.

The education and awareness campaign from Navy Medicine supports the Navy's zero-tolerance policy on designer drug use, as well as highlights the real and present risks of bath salts. The campaign's goal is to decrease the number of active-duty service members who use designer drugs like bath salts and the synthetic marijuana "Spice" because they are falsely marketed as a "legal" way to get high.

According to Navy Medicine psychiatry resident Lt. George Loeffler at the Naval Medical Center San Diego,, the adverse health effects from bath salt use can range from lack of appetite to kidney failure, muscle spasms, severe paranoid delusions, and psychosis. Several cases of long-term inpatient hospitalization and suicide have been reported and Loeffler has firsthand experience treating service members at Navy military treatment facilities with these symptoms.

"I would say not just as the naval officer, but as your doctor, bath salts will not only jack up your family and your career, it will jack up your mind and body too," said Loeffler in the PSA now available online.

The Bath Salts campaign's slogan, "Bath salts: It's not a fad...It's a nightmare," reflects the hallucinogenic effect of bath salts, which are a non-regulated designer drug comprised of a synthetic cathinone, or amphetamine, that can have a dangerous or debilitating effect on the user.

"As the leader of the medical community for the Navy and Marine Corps, I cannot emphasize enough to our Sailors and Marines that using synthetic drugs really is just like playing Russian roulette with their health, not to mention their career," said Vice Adm. Matthew L. Nathan, U.S. Navy surgeon general said in an editorial written for the Union Tribune in San Diego earlier this year.

The bath salts campaign further supports the Navy Surgeon General's mission for all commanding officers and others in positions of leadership to be fully engaged in their command's implementation plan to continually communicate and educate all hands as to the Navy's zero-tolerance policy on designer drug use.

"The U.S. military represents a microcosm of our much larger population and in many ways strives to be a reflection of the society we serve, so we share many of the same health and safety issues as the general population, including the increased use of these dangerous and debilitating drugs - which not only affect our service members' health, but also our readiness as a military force," said Nathan.

"For nearly two years now, Navy leaders have taken a multitiered approach to combating this escalating issue in our forces, and with our partners in the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Naval Personnel Command and throughout our naval enterprise, we have made progress in deterring and detecting use."

Nathan affirmed that the Navy will continue to highlight the issue of synthetic drug use by delivering sustained and targeted messages throughout the Navy and Marine Corps.

"We cannot over-communicate this issue," said Nathan. "Accountability for those who abuse these substances will help deter their use."

Navy Medicine is a global health care network of more than 63,000 Navy medical personnel around the world who provide high quality health care to more than one million eligible beneficiaries. Navy Medicine personnel deploy with Sailors and Marines worldwide, providing critical mission support aboard ship, in the air, under the sea and on the battlefield.

U.S. DEPLORES SHOOT DOWN OF UN MISSION HELICOPTER AND DEATHS OF FOUR RUSSIAN CREW MEMBERS

Map:  South Sudan.  Credit:  CIA World Factbook. 

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT

Attack of an UNMISS Helicopter in South Sudan
Press Statement
Patrick Ventrell
Acting Deputy Spokesperson, Office of Press Relations
Washington, DC
December 21, 2012

The United States deplores the shooting down of a UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) civilian helicopter in Jonglei State on 21 December, in which four Russian crew members died.

The United States expresses its condolences to the families of the crewmembers killed in the attack, as well as to UNMISS and the Government of Russia. We also call on the Government of South Sudan to fully investigate the incident, hold those responsible to account, and take steps to ensure that UN staff are protected from incidents like this in the future.

The United States fully supports UNMISS and its mission to consolidate peace and security, protect civilians, and to help establish conditions for development in South Sudan.

 

DRACCO THE DESTROYER: THE GREAT MIDWEST SNOWSTORM OF 2012

FROM: NASA

Midwest Snowstorm (Dec. 19-21, 2012)
This NOAA's GOES-13 satellite animation shows movement of the storm from Dec.19 through the morning of Dec. 21. The long line of clouds is a cold front associated with a low pressure center that moves in from the west as the animation begins and reaches northern Ohio by the time the animation ends on Dec. 21 at 9:45 a.m. EST.

Credit: NASA GOES Project

FEMA PHOTOS OF JACOB RIIS PARK CLEANUP AFTER HURRICANE SANDY

 

FROM: U.S. FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

 

Far Rockaway, N.Y., Dec. 19, 2012 -- The Army Corps of Engineers is continuing coordination of sand screening, sifting and remediation at Jacob Riis Park, in the New York City borough of Queens. FEMA is providing public assistance funds to aid in the cleanup and restoration of the Rockaways and Breezy Point, Queens, NY. Andre R. Aragon-FEMA

Defense Department Press Briefing via Teleconference with Maj. Gen Patton and Lt. Col. Galbreath on the Annual Military Academy Sexual Assault Report

Defense Department Press Briefing via Teleconference with Maj. Gen Patton and Lt. Col. Galbreath on the Annual Military Academy Sexual Assault Report

U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE CLINTON COMMENTS ON NOMINATION OF SENATOR KERRY TO REPLACE HER

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Statement on the President's Nomination of Senator John F. Kerry to Succeed Her as Secretary of State of the United States

Press Statement
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
December 21, 2012

Today, I spoke to Senator John Kerry and congratulated him on his nomination to be the next Secretary of State. I also spoke with President Obama and told him that he has made an excellent choice. I hope Senator Kerry will be confirmed quickly.

I have been privileged to know John for many years and to call him a friend, colleague, and partner. He will bring decades of service to our country and deep experience in international affairs. The son of a career Foreign Service Officer, diplomacy is in his blood. As a decorated veteran, he knows what it takes to defend our nation and our values. As a leader in the Senate, he understands how to build coalitions and craft compromises. As a statesman respected around the world, he will be able to sustain and extend America’s global leadership.

John Kerry has been tested – in war, in government, and in diplomacy. Time and again, he has proven his mettle.

I remember watching young Lieutenant Kerry’s testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee many years ago and thinking that I had just seen a man of uncommon courage and conscience. Years later, as First Lady, I admired John’s integrity and leadership as he returned to Vietnam to uncover the truth about fellow American soldiers who never came home, and to help normalize relations. Then, as Senate colleagues, we worked together on behalf of wounded warriors, working families, and other causes close to both our hearts.

Over the past four years, now as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Kerry has been my trusted partner on major foreign policy challenges facing our nation. He helped us end the war in Iraq and advance a responsible transition in Afghanistan, co-authored key assistance legislation for Pakistan, won ratification of the New START Treaty with Russia, led the way on climate change, and helped us navigate a fast-changing Middle East.

President Obama and I have often asked Senator Kerry to undertake delicate diplomatic missions and to deliver difficult messages. He has forged strong relationships with leaders around the world. As I have learned, being able to talk candidly as someone who has won elections and also lost them is an enormous asset when engaging with emerging or fragile democracies.

Through it all, Senator Kerry has fought for our nation’s diplomats and development experts – and for investing in their mission and America’s global leadership. And now, he is working closely with me and my team to learn the lessons of the tragedy in Benghazi, further protect our people and posts, and implement every single one of the Accountability Review Board’s recommendations.

We need a leader with John Kerry’s experience and talent at the helm of the State Department and USAID in the years ahead. There is much more to do on all of these crucial challenges, from Afghanistan to nonproliferation to climate change, and many others. We also have to consolidate America’s expanded engagement in the Asia-Pacific, continue championing the rights and opportunities of women, pursue a new approach to development centered on dignity and self-sufficiency, keep putting economics at the center of our foreign policy, and practice the kind of smart power that harnesses innovation and partnerships – with governments and with people – to solve problems and seize opportunities.

The men and women of the State Department and USAID represent the best traditions of a bold and generous nation. They serve and sacrifice every day, often in dangerous circumstances. It has been one of the great honors of my life to serve with such fine public servants over the past four years. I could not be prouder of all we have achieved together. They deserve the highest caliber leadership, and that is exactly what they’ll get in John Kerry.

ARMY VICE CHIEF GEN. AUSTIN III TOURS TBI, PTSD TREATMENT CENTER

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Army Vice Chief Tours TBI, PTSD Treatment Center

By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2012 - Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III toured the National Intrepid Center of Excellence here Dec. 19 to gain perspective on treatment for service members who have traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Austin also visited wounded warriors at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center here, a trip officials said he makes on a regular basis. Austin and his wife, Charlene, have taken a particular interest in treatments for TBI and PTSD, two signature wounds of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, officials said.

Dr. James Kelly, NICoE director, led Austin's tour of the two-year old center. During the visit, chiefs of major specialties briefed the general on their treatment approaches.

Austin learned how those approaches are effective in treating service members by using such modalities as art and music therapy, relaxation, a sleep lab and counseling, all in a team setting over the course of four weeks. He viewed magnetic resonance imaging -- also known as MRI -- and saw MRI films showing the occurrence of TBI and PTSD in the brain.

Two golden retrievers and their handlers from Warrior Canine Connection also greeted Austin at NICoE. The Warrior Canine Connection is a nonprofit organization that works with NICoE service members while they are undergoing treatment. In an optional program, service members can learn to train the retrievers as service dogs that are paired with veterans who are mobility impaired, the dog handlers said.

Austin also was briefed on the satellite NICoE clinics being developed around the country at Army posts and Marine Corps bases. The sites include Fort Bragg, N.C.; Forts Bliss and Hood, Texas; Fort Carson, Colo.; Fort Campbell, Ky.; Fort Belvoir, Va.; the Marine Corps' Camp Lejeune, N.C., and a yet-to-be determined base in Southern California.

NICoE officials estimate each of those clinics will see about 1,200 patients with TBI and PTSD per year, while the most severe cases of the disorders are usually referred to the NICoE here.

"I'm very much encouraged and excited about the satellite clinics," Austin told Kelly about the NICoE concept. "They will be beneficial to [service members]."

"It's not every day NICoE gets a visit from the Army vice chief of staff," Kelly said, adding that Austin asked him about the progress on the Fort Belvoir satellite clinic, which is now under construction.

"His main concern today was how what we learn here influences the system [for treating TBI and PTSD]," Kelly said.

"His dedication to our service members in these circumstances is unquestioned," he added.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM WALTER REED NATIONAL MILITARY MEDICAL CENTER

The National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE) is a DoD institute dedicated to providing cutting-edge evaluation, treatment planning, research and education for service members and their families dealing with the complex interactions of mild traumatic brain injury and psychological health conditions.

The NICoE was created to focus the collected wisdom and knowledge of our military, federal, academic and private industry partners to define the pattern of the disease state, identify definitive diagnostic criteria, advance novel treatments and share that knowledge with each other. Ultimately, together we can return our wounded, ill and injured service members back to productive lives.

The NICoE aims to be a leader in advancing traumatic brain injury and psychological health treatment, research and education. With its dedicated staff, the NICoE seeks to be an instrument of hope, healing, discovery, and learning for service members recovering from TBI and PH conditions.

NATIONAL GUARD PROVIDE AID DURING END OF THE WORLD STORM

A Wisconsin National Guard member at the Sussex armory readies a light medium tactical vehicle for use during a major snowstorm that hit Wisconsin Dec. 19, 2012. Wisconsin Army National Guard photo by 1st Lt. Joe Trovato

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Midwest Guard Troops Aid States in Storm's Path
National Guard Bureau

ARLINGTON, Va., Dec. 21, 2012 - As the Midwest's first big winter storm forced road closures and shuttered schools, National Guard soldiers were mobilized to assist in Iowa and Wisconsin.

About 166 Wisconsin National Guard members were called to state active duty and were positioned at armories in key locations around the state as a result of a state of emergency.

In Iowa, about 80 Guard members were on state active duty, working with the Iowa Department of Transportation to assist stranded motorists, said Army Lt. Col. Gregory Hapgood of the Iowa National Guard.

The storm, dubbed Draco by The Weather Channel in its new program to raise awareness of winter storms, was expected to drop up to 18 inches of snow in Iowa, according to the National Weather Service.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker issued an executive order Dec. 19 to allow state and local governments to prepare the resources they need to respond to the storm, which is projected to dump up to 19 inches of snow in a storm corridor spanning from south central to northeast Wisconsin.

Wind gusts up to 45 mph are expected to create near white-out conditions and snow drifts of up to four feet, resulting in degraded travel conditions.

"I issued this executive order to make sure Wisconsin is prepared for whatever this winter storm may bring," Walker said. "Mobilizing our state agency resources during this storm will ensure we leave nothing to chance when it comes to protecting the citizens of Wisconsin."

Those state agencies include Wisconsin Emergency Management and the Wisconsin State Patrol.

Wisconsin-based National Guard armories in Sussex, Oconomowoc, Portage, Oak Creek, Milwaukee, Appleton, Beloit, Richland Center and two in Madison have been selected as emergency sheltering and warming areas, as well as staging areas for Wisconsin National Guard soldiers to respond to calls for assistance from local authorities.

Those requests would include responding to stranded motorists along routes designated by the state Department of Transportation, assisting in closing roads, and conducting welfare checks on those affected by the winter storm.
The Wisconsin State Patrol and the National Weather Service are urging people to avoid traveling.

(Editor's Note: The Wisconsin National Guard and Steve Marshall of the National Guard Bureau contributed to this report.)

West Wing Week: 12/21/12 or "We Are There For Them" | The White House

West Wing Week: 12/21/12 or "We Are There For Them" | The White House

President Obama Responds to We the People Petitions Related to Gun Violence | The White House

President Obama Responds to We the People Petitions Related to Gun Violence | The White House

"BATTERIES" AND SENATOR CARL LEVEN

FROM: CARL LEVEN'S WEBSITE, SENATE CHAIRMAN OF THE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE

Battery Effort Helps Secure Our Economic Future
Michigan's economic future, and indeed the nation's, depends on winning a race against our economic competition around the world. That race is to find the technologies that will power homes, vehicles and businesses in the decades to come. Win that race, and we claim the economic high ground.

That's why an announcement in November by the Department of Energy was so important to Michigan. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced the Joint Center for Energy Storage Research, a consortium of government, university and private-sector research labs aimed at revolutionizing battery technology.

Fittingly, Michigan is playing a key role in the effort. The consortium, headquartered at Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois, will include research hubs at Johnson Controls in Holland, and on the University of Michigan campus. Dow Chemical in Midland is also a key corporate partner.

The JCESR is nothing short of a Manhattan Project-styled effort to blow through the technical and economic limitations imposed by existing battery technology. Despite enormous progress that has allowed impressive accomplishments in hybrid vehicles and plug-in electric vehicles such as the Chevy Volt, today’s batteries are still bigger, heavier, more expensive and lower capacity than we’d like. With technical improvements, we can bring down costs, reduce our dependence on imported oil and protect our environment.

The answer to this challenge is an effort that, as my colleague Sen. Richard Durbin of Illinois put it, "brings together, under a single organizational roof, the world’s leading scientists, engineers and manufacturers in energy storage and provides them with the tools, resources and market reach necessary to produce major breakthroughs."

And if you're bringing together world-class experts in battery technology, you’re right in Michigan’s wheelhouse. Our universities are hubs of research on this and other automotive technologies. Companies such as Johnson Controls, Dow, the Big Three automakers, Sakti3, Compact Power and others are leading the drive to develop and market new battery technologies. And no place on earth can rival Michigan’s concentration of scientific, engineering and workforce talent.

So, at Johnson Controls' lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility in Holland, technical experts will work on ways to commercialize next-generation technology. At U-M, engineers and chemists will simulate new battery materials and build large-scale prototypes. Dow will bring its world-leading skill in chemistry and energy storage.

It's impressive that President Obama's administration and these companies and research facilities have made this commitment. But the truth is, we have little choice in terms of our economy. Advanced battery technology is going to dominate the future of the automotive industry. It's vitally important to reducing our dependence on foreign oil, a dependence that doesn't just damage our environment, but threatens our economy and our national security.

This effort will no doubt have its ups and downs, just as any innovative new technology would. It's important that we keep in mind our long-term goal: Innovation that ensures these technologies are made in America, by American workers.

We're not the only country seeking these breakthroughs. Foreign companies are too, and they have financing and research support from governments. If our own government refuses to make the same kinds of investments in our companies and research labs, we'll allow those offshore companies and governments to take this vital economic high ground. If we want the next generation of vehicle technology to be manufactured here in America, these investments are a necessity.

Thanks to JCESR and other key investments, we're on the way to winning this economic competition. That’s good news for Michigan workers, Michigan companies, the U.S. auto industry and America's economic future.

FORMER RWANDAN PLANNING MINISTER CONVICTED OF GENOCIDE

Map:  Rwanda.  Credit:  CIA World Factbook. 

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

ICTR Convicts Former Rwandan Planning Minister for Genocide
Press Statement
Victoria Nuland
Department Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
December 20, 2012

Today, the Trial Chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) convicted Augustin Ngirabatware, a former government minister in Rwanda, of genocide, incitement to commit genocide, and rape as a crime against humanity. He was sentenced to 35 years in prison.

The United States welcomes this ruling as an important step in providing justice and accountability for the Rwandan people and the international community. As the Rwandan minister of planning at the time of the genocide in 1994, Mr. Ngirabatware was accused of using funds from his department to finance the genocide. He was a fugitive from justice until his arrest in Germany in 2007. With the conclusion of this trial, judgments have now been rendered as to all of the 81 arrested persons who were tried at the ICTR. We commend the ICTR for carrying out its trials according to the principles of fairness and due process; and for its efficient steps towards completing its work.

There are still nine ICTR fugitives at-large, including three high level fugitives who will be prosecuted by the residual mechanism of the ICTR upon capture: Felicien Kabuga, Protais Mpiranya, and Augustin Bizimana. The other six fugitives are slated to be tried in Rwandan courts once they are captured. Yesterday’s conviction sends a strong signal that the international community will not rest until the remaining fugitives are brought to account. The United States continues to offer monetary rewards of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest or transfer of all ICTR fugitives, whether those individuals will be prosecuted by the residual mechanism of the ICTR or in Rwandan courts. We urge all countries to redouble their cooperation with the ICTR so that fugitives can be arrested. Those who harbor fugitives obstruct justice and stand on the wrong side of history.

Midiendo la presión intracraneal sin dolor de cabeza

Midiendo la presión intracraneal sin dolor de cabeza

Space research has developed a new method to measure the pressure within the skull using simple waves of sound from headphones. The device is an effective warning system for patients in recovery phase which have undergone any damage to the head or some kind of brain surgery early.

NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR DECEMBER 20, 2012

From:  U.S. Department Of Defense.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Combined Force Arrests 15 Insurgents in Afghanistan
From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 20, 2012 - An Afghan and coalition security force arrested 15 insurgents in the Bati Kot district of Afghanistan's Nangarhar province during a search for a Taliban facilitator today, military officials reported.

Officials said the sought-after facilitator is responsible for manufacturing and emplacing improvised explosive devices throughout Nangarhar province.

In Afghanistan operations yesterday:

-- A combined force killed the Taliban leader, Mahjur, along with one other insurgent in the Nari district of Kunar province. Mahjur was responsible for planning attacks against Afghanistan government officials and coalition forces. He also acquired and facilitated the movement of IED-making components, other weapons and ammunition used in attacks.

-- In the Alingar district of Laghman province, a combined force killed one insurgent and detained one suspect during a search for a Taliban leader. The sought-after Taliban leader is responsible for attacks against Afghan government officials and coalition forces.

Also, a Haqqani leader was arrested Dec. 17 in the Pul-e 'Alam district of Logar province. The arrested Haqqani leader purchased weapons and ammunition for insurgents and was directly involved in planning and coordinating attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending December 15, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 361,000, an increase of 17,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 344,000. The 4-week moving average was 367,750, a decrease of 13,750 from the previous week's unrevised average of 381,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 percent for the week ending December 8, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending December 8 was 3,225,000, an increase of 12,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,213,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,240,500, a decrease of 33,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,274,000.
UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 400,422 in the week ending December 15, a decrease of 28,766 from the previous week. There were 421,103 initial claims in the comparable week in 2011.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 percent during the week ending December 8, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,231,115, an increase of 56,406 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.9 percent and the volume was 3,628,343.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending December 1 was 5,402,429, a decrease of 238,637 from the previous week. There were 7,152,130 persons claiming benefits in all programs in the comparable week in 2011.

Extended Benefits were only available in New York during the week ending December 1.

Initial claims for UI benefits filed by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,054 in the week ending December 8, an increase of 28 from the prior week. There were 2,831 initial claims filed by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 125 from the preceding week.

There were 21,340 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending December 1, an increase of 562 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 39,480, a decrease of 2,017 from the prior week.

States reported 2,096,545 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending December 1, a decrease of 97,708 from the prior week. There were 2,941,157 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 December1 were in Alaska (6.2), New Jersey (3.9), Pennsylvania (3.9), Puerto Rico (3.7), Montana (3.4), California (3.3), Nevada (3.3), Oregon (3.3), Connecticut (3.2), and Wisconsin (3.1).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending December 8 were in California (+5,952), Florida (+749), Ohio (+743), Rhode Island (+197), and Colorado (+161), while the largest decreases were in New York (-11,295), Pennsylvania (-11,247), North Carolina (-8,564), Wisconsin (-5,726) and Georgia (-5,317).

Incubation à Redu de jeunes pousses à orientation spatiale

Incubation à Redu de jeunes pousses à orientation spatiale

NEW YORK SANDY SURVIVORS RECEIVE OVER $1 BILLION BROM FEMA AND SBA

Breezy Point, N.Y., Dec. 15, 2012 -- The close-knit community of Breezy Point lost more than one hundred homes to fire during Hurricane Sandy. FEMA is providing ongoing support and resources to the Queens, NY community. Andre R. Aragon-FEMA

FROM:  U.S. FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

FEMA, SBA Assistance to New York Survivors Tops $1 Billion

NEW YORK – Federal disaster assistance for Hurricane Sandy survivors tops $1 billion in New York.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved grants of more than $802 million for rental assistance, home repairs and other needs. The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved low-interest disaster loans of more than $232 million to help homeowners and renters recover from uninsured property loss and other damages.

SBA has also issued loans totaling nearly $17 million to help business owners recover from damages caused by Hurricane Sandy.

"This billion dollar milestone follows President Obama’s words to me," said Michael F. Byrne, FEMA federal coordinating officer. "He told me ‘stay on it’ after he saw the devastation first hand. As a New Yorker, I can speak for FEMA and all of our partners when I promise that we will stay on it right through recovery."

Hurricane Sandy caused damage in 13 New York counties that were designated for Individual Assistance grants to help survivors repair homes, replace lost property and pay for other essential disaster-related needs.

The 13 counties designated for Individual Assistance include: Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester.

, 2013 to register for federal disaster assistance.

President Barack Obama declared a major disaster on Oct. 30, 2012 following Hurricane Sandy’s impact on New York beginning Oct. 27.

U.S. DEPUTY SECRETARY BURN'S TESTIMONY ON BENGHAZI ATTACK



Map:  Libya.  From:  CIA World Factbook

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Benghazi: The Attack and the Lessons Learned
Testimony
William J. Burns
Deputy Secretary
Thomas Nides
Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources
Opening Remarks Before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
Washington, DC
December 20, 2012
　

DEPUTY SECRETARY BURNS: Thank you. Mr. Chairman, Senator Lugar, members of the committee, thank you for this opportunity. Secretary Clinton asked me to express how much she regrets not being able to be here today. And I’d like to join you, Mr. Chairman, on behalf of the Secretary and the men and women of the Department of State in expressing our deep respect and admiration for the many years of service of Senator Lugar to our nation.

Since the terrorist attacks on our compounds in Benghazi, State Department officials and senior members from other agencies have testified in four congressional hearings, provided more than 20 briefings for members and staff, and submitted thousands of pages of documents, including the now-full-classified report of the Accountability Review Board. Secretary Clinton has also sent a letter covering a wide range of issues for the record. So today I would like to highlight just a few key points.

The attacks in Benghazi took the lives of four courageous Americans. Ambassador Stevens was a friend and a beloved member of the State Department community for 20 years. He was a diplomat’s diplomat, and he embodied the very best of America. Even as we grieved for our fallen friends and colleagues, we took action on three fronts.

First, we took immediate steps to further protect our people and our posts. We stayed in constant contact with embassies and consulates around the world facing large protests, dispatched emergency security teams, received reporting from the intelligence community, and took additional precautions where needed. You will hear more about all this from my partner, Tom Nides.

Second, we intensified a diplomatic campaign aimed at combating the threat of terrorism across North Africa. We continue to work to bring to justice the terrorists responsible for the attacks in Benghazi, and we are working with our partners to close safe havens, cut off terrorist finances, counter extremist ideology, and slow the flow of new recruits.

And third, Secretary Clinton ordered an investigation to determine exactly what happened in Benghazi. I want to convey our appreciation to the Accountability Review Board’s chairman and vice chairman, Ambassador Tom Pickering and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen, and also Hugh Turner, Richard Shinnick, and Catherine Bertini. The board’s report takes a clear-eyed look at serious systemic problems, problems which are unacceptable, problems for which, as Secretary Clinton has said, we take responsibility, and problems which we have already begun to fix.

Before Tom walks you through what we are doing to implement fully all of the board’s recommendations, I would like to add a few words based on my own experiences as a career diplomat in the field. I have been a very proud member of the Foreign Service for more than 30 years, and I have had the honor of serving as a chief of mission overseas. I know that diplomacy, by its very nature, must sometimes be practiced in dangerous places. As Secretary Clinton has said, our diplomats cannot work in bunkers and do their jobs. When America is absent, there are consequences: Our interests suffer and our security at home is threatened. Chris Stevens understood that as well as anyone. Chris also knew that every chief of mission has the responsibility to ensure the best possible security and support for our people.

As senior officials here in Washington, we share that profound responsibility. We have to constantly improve, reduce the risks our people face, and make sure they have all the resources they need. That includes the men and women at the State Department’s Diplomatic Security service. I have been deeply honored to serve with many of these brave men and women. They are professionals and patriots who serve in many places where there are no Marines on post and little or no U.S. military presence in country. Like Secretary Clinton, I trust them with my life.

It’s important to recognize that our colleagues in the Bureaus of Diplomatic Security and Near East Affairs and across the Department, at home and abroad, get it right countless times a day, for years on end, in some of the toughest circumstances imaginable. We cannot lose sight of that. But we learned some very hard and painful lessons in Benghazi. We are already acting on them. We have to do better.

We owe it to our colleagues who lost their lives in Benghazi. We owe it to the security professionals who acted with such extraordinary heroism that awful night to try to protect them. And we owe it to thousands of our colleagues serving America with great dedication every day in diplomatic posts around the world. We will never prevent every act of terrorism or achieve perfect security, but we will never stop working to get better and safer. As Secretary Clinton has said, the United States will keep leading and keep engaging around the world, including in those hard places where America’s interests and values are at stake.

Thank you very much.

CHAIRMAN KERRY: Secretary Nides.

DEPUTY SECRETARY NIDES: Mr. Chairman, Senator Lugar, members of the committee, I also want to thank you for this opportunity. I want to reiterate what Bill has said. All of us have a responsibility to provide the men and women who serve this country with the best possible security and support. From senior Department leadership setting the priorities, the supervisors evaluating security needs, to the Congress appropriating sufficient funds, we all share this responsibility. Secretary Clinton has said that, as Secretary of State, this is her greatest responsibility and her highest priority.

Today I will focus on the steps we have been taking at Secretary Clinton’s direction, and that we will continue to take. As Bill said, the board reports takes a clear-eyed look at serious, systemic problems for which we take responsibility and that we have already begun to fix. We are grateful for the recommendations from Ambassador Pickering and his team. We accept every one of them – all 29 recommendations. Secretary Clinton has charged my office with leading a task force that will ensure that all 29 are implemented quickly and completely, and to pursue steps above and beyond the board’s report.

The Under Secretary of Political Affairs, the Under Secretary for Management, the Director General of the Foreign Service and the Deputy Legal Advisor will work with me to drive this forward. The task force has already met to translate the recommendation into actual 60 specific action items. We’ve assigned every single one to the responsible bureau for immediate implementation, and several will be completed by the end of this calendar year. Implementation of each and every recommendation will be underway by the time the next Secretary of State takes office. There will be no higher priority for the Department in the coming weeks and months. And should we require more resources to execute these recommendations, we’ll work closely with the Congress to ensure that they are met.

As I said, Secretary Clinton wants us to implement the ARB’s findings and do no more. Let me offer some very clear specifics. For more than 200 years, the United States, like every other country around the world, has relied on host nations to provide security for embassies and consulates. But in today’s evolving threat environment, we have to take a new and harder look at the capabilities and the commitments of our hosts. We have to re-examine how we operate in places facing emerging threats, where national security forces are fragmented or may be weak.

So at Secretary Clinton’s direction, we have moved quickly to conduct a worldwide review of our overall security posture, with particular scrutiny on a number of high-threat posts. With the Department of Defense, we’ve deployed five interagency security assessment teams, made up of diplomatic and military security experts, to 19 posts in 13 countries – an unprecedented cooperation between our Departments at a critical time. These teams have provided us a roadmap for addressing emergency – emerging security challenges.

We’re also partnering with the Pentagon to send 35 additional Marine detachments – that’s about 225 Marines – to medium and high-threat posts where they’ll serve visible deterrence to hostile acts. This is on top of the approximate 150 detachments we have already deployed. We are aligning our resources to our 2013 budget requests to address physical vulnerabilities and reinforce structures wherever needed and to reduce risk from fire.

And let me add, we may need your help in ensuring that we have the authority to streamline the usual processes that produce faster results. We’re seeking to hire more than 150 additional Diplomatic Security personnel, an increase of about 5 percent, and to provide them with the equipment and training they need. As the ARB recommended, we will target them squarely at security at our high-threat posts.

I want to second Bill’s praise for these brave security professionals. I have served in this Department for only two years, having come from the private sector. However, I have traveled to places like Iraq and Afghanistan and Pakistan, and I have seen firsthand how these dedicated men and women risk their lives every day. We owe them a debt of gratitude as they go to work every day to protect us in more than 270 posts around the world. And as we make these improvements in the field, we’re also making changes here in Washington. We’ve named the first-ever Deputy Assistant Secretary for State for High-Threat Posts within the Bureau of Diplomatic Security. We’re updating our deployment procedures to increase the number of experience and well-trained staff serving in those posts. And we’re working to ensure that the State Department makes decisions about where our people operate in a way that reflects our shared responsibility for security.

Our regional assistant secretaries were directed – directly involved in our interagency security assessment process, and will assume greater accountability for securing our people and our posts. We will provide the Congress with a detailed report on every step we’re taking to improve security and implement the board’s recommendations. We’ll look to you for support and guidance as we do this.

Obviously, part of this is about resources. We must equip our people with what they need to deliver results safely, and will work with you as needs arise. But Congress has a bigger role than that. You have visited our posts. You know our diplomats on the ground and the challenges they face. You know our vital national security interests are at stake, and that we are all in this together. We look forward to working with you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your support and counsel and for this opportunity to discuss these important matters. We’d both be happy to take your questions.

U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PANETTA WARNS ABOUT UPCOMMING SEQUESTRATION EFFECTS

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Panetta Memo Describes Possible Sequestration Effects
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2012 - While many remain hopeful that Congress and the administration will reach a deal that avoids sequestration, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta has issued a memo describing the potential implications of going over the fiscal cliff.

Planning for the effects of an across-the-board cut in defense spending as part of the Budget Reduction Act of 2011 "is only prudent," said DOD officials. Under the law, the reductions are due to take place Jan. 2, 2013.

Panetta said it is too early to assess what effects sequestration will have. He did say that it will not affect military personnel or military end strength as President Barack Obama announced his intent to exempt the military personnel accounts from sequestration last summer.

The secretary did clarify the potential implications of sequestration in his memo.

"If it occurs, sequestration will reduce our budgetary resources for the remainder of the fiscal year," the memo says. "These cuts, while significant and harmful to our collective mission as an agency, would not necessarily require immediate reductions in spending."

There is no threat of a government shutdown because of sequestration, Panetta said in the memo.

"Everyone will show up for work on January 3, 2013, and continue to drive on," said Army Lt. Col. Elizabeth Robbins, a Pentagon spokeswoman.

The memo states that there will be no immediate civilian personnel actions such as furloughs.

"Should we have to operate under reduced funding levels for an extended period of time, we may have to consider furloughs or other actions in the future," Panetta said in the memo. "But let me assure you that we will carefully examine other options to reduce costs within the agency before taking such actions."

If the department does need to take these actions, affected employees will receive all appropriate notifications, the secretary noted.

The Defense Department is already reducing its budget by $487 billion over 10 years. The Budget Control Act calls for a further $500 billion in cuts at DOD unless Congress and the administration pass a new law averting it.

"Sequestration was never intended to be implemented and there is no reason why both sides should not be able to come together and prevent this scenario," Panetta wrote.

THREE MORE JOURNEY INTO SPACE

FROM:  NASA

New Trio Launches to Join Expedition 34
The Soyuz TMA-07M spacecraft launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to the International Space Station at 7:12 a.m. EST on Wednesday, Dec. 19.

States move forward

States move forward

RECENT U.S. NAVY PHOTOS

FROM: U.S. NAVY
The aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) transits the Atlantic Ocean en route to homeport at Naval Station Norfolk after operating in the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Jermaine M. Ralliford/Released)

The Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Greeneville (SSN 772) moors to the pier at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam after a six-month deployment to the western Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Steven Khor Released)

Press Briefing | The White House

Press Briefing | The White House

ELI LILLY AND COMPANY SETTLES FOREIGN CORRUPT PRACTICES CHARGES WITH SEC

FROM: U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged Eli Lilly and Company with violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) for improper payments its subsidiaries made to foreign government officials to win millions of dollars of business in Russia, Brazil, China and Poland.

The SEC alleges that the Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical company’s subsidiary in Russia used offshore "marketing agreements" to pay millions of dollars to third parties chosen by government customers or distributors, despite knowing little or nothing about the third parties beyond their offshore address and bank account information. These offshore entities rarely provided any services, and in some instances were used to funnel money to government officials in order to obtain business for the subsidiary. Transactions with off-shore or government-affiliated entities did not receive specialized or closer review for possible FCPA violations. Paperwork was accepted at face value and little was done to assess whether the terms or circumstances surrounding a transaction suggested the possibility of foreign bribery.

The SEC alleges that when the company did become aware of possible FCPA violations in Russia, Lilly did not curtail the subsidiary’s use of the marketing agreements for more than five years. Lilly subsidiaries in Brazil, China, and Poland also made improper payments to government officials or third party entities associated with government officials. Lilly agreed to pay more than $29 million to settle the SEC’s charges.

As alleged in the SEC’s complaint filed in federal court in Washington D.C.:
Lilly’s subsidiary in Russia paid millions of dollars to off-shore entities for alleged "marketing services" in order to induce pharmaceutical distributors and government entities to purchase Lilly’s drugs, including approximately $2 million to an off-shore entity owned by a government official and approximately $5.2 million to off-shore entities owned by a person closely associated with an important member of Russia’s Parliament. Despite the company’s recognition that the marketing agreements were being used to "create sales potential" with government customers and that it did not appear that any actual services were being rendered under the agreements, Eli Lilly allowed its subsidiary to continue using the agreements for years.
Employees at Lilly’s subsidiary in China falsified expense reports in order to provide spa treatments, jewelry, and other improper gifts and cash payments to government-employed physicians.
Lilly’s subsidiary in Brazil allowed one of its pharmaceutical distributors to pay bribes to government health officials to facilitate $1.2 million in sales of a Lilly drug product to state government institutions.
Lilly’s subsidiary in Poland made eight improper payments totaling $39,000 to a small charitable foundation that was founded and administered by the head of one of the regional government health authorities in exchange for the official’s support for placing Lilly drugs on the government reimbursement list.
Lilly agreed to pay disgorgement of $13,955,196, prejudgment interest of $6,743,538, and a penalty of $8,700,000 for a total payment of $29,398,734. Without admitting or denying the allegations, Lilly consented to the entry of a final judgment permanently enjoining the company from violating the anti-bribery, books and records, and internal controls provisions of the FCPA, Sections 30A, 13(b)(2)(A) and 13(b)(2)(B) of the Securities Exchange Act. Lilly also agreed to comply with certain undertakings including the retention of an independent consultant to review and make recommendations about its foreign corruption policies and procedures. The settlement is subject to court approval.

STRAW BUYER MORTGAGE FRAUD SCHEME NETS A 70 MONTH PRISON TERM FOR LAS VEGAS REAL ESTATE AGENT

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Las Vegas Real Estate Agent Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Her Role in Mortgage Fraud Scheme

WASHINGTON – A Las Vegas real estate agent was sentenced today to serve 70 months in prison for her participation in a mortgage fraud scheme that netted more than $10 million in fraudulent mortgage loans, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden of the District of Nevada, and Special Agent in Charge Kevin Favreau of the FBI’s Las Vegas Field Office.

Linda Marie Kot, 58, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kent J. Dawson in the District of Nevada. In addition to her prison term, Kot was sentenced to serve five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $3,891,811 in forfeiture.

In May 2012, after a five-day trial, a federal jury in Las Vegas found Kot guilty of three counts of bank fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit mail, wire and bank fraud.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Kot participated in a scheme with members of an investment group to submit fraudulent loan documents to lenders that involved "straw buyers," individuals with good credit scores whose names were put on the properties but who were not intended to be responsible for the payment of the mortgages or other expenses of the properties. The scheme took place in 2006 and involved 13 new home purchases, three existing home sales and several loan applications that were not approved.

According to the evidence at trial and court documents, Kot and her co-conspirators caused material misstatements to be placed on loan applications, including information about the true owners and controllers of the properties; whether the properties would be primary residences; and the level of assets and income of the straw buyers. In some cases, Kot put straw buyers on her bank account to make it appear that the straw buyers had assets that they did not have, in order to help them qualify for mortgage loans for which they otherwise would not have been eligible. Kot made over $276,000 in commissions on the fraudulent sales, the evidence at trial showed.

One of the counts of conviction involved a similar scheme that Kot engaged in with members of her family from 2005 to 2006. The evidence at trial showed that Kot and members of her family used straw buyers and fraudulent loan applications to buy properties. Kot and members of her family paid the straw buyers fees, and any profits on sale of the houses were split among family members.

While Kot and her family members were able to sell most of the properties they bought with straw buyers before the market downturn, the investment group that Kot conspired with was not able to do so, according to evidence presented at trial. As a result, most of the mortgages for the houses that the investment group bought in 2006, where Kot acted as the realtor, ended up in default and foreclosure, with many of the straw buyers ending up in bankruptcy.

Three co-conspirators, Hugo Coutelin, Jeff Thomas and Michael Perry, previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the fraud scheme. In September 2012, Coutelin and Perry were each sentenced to 15 months in prison and Thomas was sentenced to time served.

This case was investigated by the FBI. Trial Attorneys Nicholas S. Acker and Fred Medick of the Fraud Section in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada. Fraud Section Trial Attorney Brian Young and former Fraud Section Trial Attorneys Matt Klecka and Joseph Capone also assisted with the investigation.

Today’s sentencing was a result of efforts 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. For more information on the task force, visit www.StopFraud.gov

LS3 ROBOT: NOT QUITE R2D2, YET!

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Legged Squad Support System will relieve troops of their 100-pound equipment load, take voice commands and maneuver around obstacles, in addition to numerous other tasks in the field. DARPA photo.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Robot to Serve as Future Military's 'Pack Mule'
By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19, 2012 - The warfighter who carries up to 100 pounds of equipment on his back is expected to get relief from the cumbersome weight, officials at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency say.

Enter the robot.

It's not just any robot. DARPA's semiautonomous Legged Squad Support System -- also known as the LS3 -- will carry 400 pounds of warfighter equipment, walk 20 miles at a time, and act as an auxiliary power source for troops to recharge batteries for radios and handheld devices while on patrol.

Now in trials, the "pack mule" robot might have numerous functions, but its primary responsibility is to support the warfighter, said Army Lt. Col. Joseph K. Hitt, program manager in DARPA's tactical technology office.

"It's about solving a real military problem: the incredible load of equipment our soldiers and Marines carry in Afghanistan today," Hitt said. The consequences of that kind of load can be soft-tissue injuries and other complications, he added.

And as the weight of their equipment has increased, so have instances of fatigue, physical strain and degraded performance, officials have noted. Reducing the load warfighters carry has become a major point for research and development, DARPA officials say, because the increasing weight of equipment has a negative effect on warfighter readiness.

DARPA's five-year, $54 million LS3 project began in September 2009, and now is undergoing trials in the field. The LS3 must become familiar with different types of terrain, from wooded areas to deserts, and with varying weather conditions such as rain and snow, Hitt explained.

The LS3 prototype completed its first outdoor assessment in January, demonstrating its mobility by climbing and descending a hill and exercising its perception capabilities.

Following a "highly successful" trial at Fort Pickett near Blackstone, Va., earlier this month, Hitt said, the robot worked with the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory there and developed additional behaviors.

The robot's sensors allow it to navigate around obstacles at night, maneuver in urban settings, respond to voice commands, and gauge distances and directions. The LS3 also can distinguish different forms of vegetation, Hitt said, when walking through fields and around bushes. With the ability to avoid logs and rocks, the LS3's intelligent foot placement on rough terrain is a key element, he said.

The next trial will challenge the robot with the desert terrain at Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Base in California, and subsequent trials will follow every three months, Hitt said.

"The vision is a trained animal and its handler," he said, adding that a squad leader would learn 10 basic commands to tell the robot to do such things as stop, sit, follow him tightly, follow him on the corridor, and go to specific coordinates.

"The technology of the robot focuses on mobility, perception and human-robot interaction," Hitt said.

With the expectation of delivering the first LS3 to a Marine Corps squad in two years, the program culminates a decade of research and development. Yet it still needs some tweaks, Hitt acknowledged.

"We have to make sure the robot is smart like a trained animal," he said. "We need to make sure it can follow a leader in his path, or follow in its own chosen path that's best for itself. The interaction between the leader and the robot [must be] intuitive and natural."

President Obama Speaks on Preventing Gun Violence | The White House

President Obama Speaks on Preventing Gun Violence | The White House

Diplomatic Corps Holiday Reception | The White House

Diplomatic Corps Holiday Reception | The White House

CLINICAL DIRECTOR FOR HEALTH CARE CLINIC SENTENCED IN $50 MILLION MEDICARE FRAUD

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Thursday, December 20, 2012
Clinical Director for Miami-based Health Care Clinic Sentenced to Prison for Role in $50 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

WASHINGTON – A former clinical director for Biscayne Milieu, a Miami-based mental-health clinic, was sentenced today to 100 months in prison for his participation in a Medicare fraud scheme involving the submission of more than $50 million in fraudulent billings to Medicare, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer of the Southern District of Florida; Michael B. Steinbach, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Miami Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Christopher B. Dennis of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Office of Investigations Miami Office.

Rafael Alalu, 47, of Miami, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Scola Jr. in the Southern District of Florida. Alalu was convicted on Aug. 24, 2012, of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and two substantive counts of health care fraud, following a two-month jury trial. The evidence at trial showed that Alalu participated in treating ineligible patients, concealing that fact by falsifying patient files and writing fraudulent group therapy notes, and instructing others to do the same. In addition to the prison term, Alalu was ordered to pay more than $5.6 million in restitution, jointly and severally with his co-defendants.

Various owners, doctors, managers, therapists, patient brokers and other employees of Biscayne Milieu have also been charged with various health care fraud, kickback, money laundering and other offenses in two indictments unsealed in September 2011 and May 2012. Biscayne Milieu, its owners, and more than 25 of the individual defendants charged in these cases have pleaded guilty or have been convicted at trial. Antonio and Jorge Macli and Sandra Huarte – the owners and operators of Biscayne Milieu – and Dr. Gary Kushner – its medical director – were each convicted at trial of various offenses and are scheduled for sentencing in March 2013.

According to the evidence at trial, the defendants and their co-conspirators caused the submission of over $50 million dollars in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare through Biscayne Milieu, which purportedly operated a partial hospitalization program (PHP) – a form of intensive treatment for severe mental illness. Instead, the defendants devised a scheme in which they paid patient recruiters to refer ineligible Medicare beneficiaries to Biscayne Milieu for services that were never provided. Many of the patients admitted to Biscayne Milieu were not eligible for PHP because they were chronic substance abusers, suffered from severe dementia and would not benefit from group therapy, or had no mental health diagnosis but were seeking exemptions for their U.S. citizenship applications. The evidence at trial showed that once these ineligible patients were admitted to Biscayne Milieu, Alalu and others concealed the fraud by falsifying patients’ group therapy notes to reflect legitimate PHP treatment that was never provided, and directed others to do so.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Davis and Marlene Rodriguez of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, and by Trial Attorney James V. Hayes of the Fraud Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. The case was investigated by the FBI with the assistance of HHS-OIG, and was brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida in coordination with the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, supervised by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.

Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, now operating in nine cities across the country, has charged more than 1,480 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $4.8 billion. In addition, HHS’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, is taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.

OPERATION CHRISTMAS DROP



Crew members on a C-130 Hercules from Yokota Air Base, Japan, push a donated bundle of humanitarian supplies and gifts out the side door of the aircraft over an island in Micronesia, Dec. 18, 2012. Each year, the C-130s fly to Guam to carry bundles to islands in need during Operation Christmas Drop. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Samuel Morse.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Operation Christmas Drop Wraps Up in Pacific

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19, 2012 - The world's longest-running humanitarian mission came to a close yesterday as U.S. military members and volunteers delivered more than 39,000 pounds of aid and holiday cheer to Pacific islanders during Operation Christmas Drop.

This year marked the 61st anniversary of the mission, providing support to more than 30,000 islanders from Chuuk, Palau, Yap, the Marshall Islands and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, officials reported.

Airmen from the 36th Wing at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, as well as family members and local volunteers, and airmen from the 36th Airlift Squadron at Yokota Air Base, Japan, kicked off the mission Dec. 11, officials reported. Carefully preparing packages of toys, clothing, fishing equipment, sporting goods, food items, tools and other goods, they airdropped them from C-130 Hercules aircraft to 54 islands.

The mission, the oldest of U.S. Pacific Command's outreach activities across the Asia-Pacific region, dates back to 1952. An aircrew from the 54th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, based at the time in Guam, noticed islanders waving to them as they flew over the Micronesian atoll of Kapingamarangi. The crewmembers gathered items from their WB-29 Superfortress aircraft, attached them to a parachute they had fashioned, and airdropped them from the plane.

The islanders -- who lived at the time without running water or electricity and had recently been hit by a string of ferocious typhoons -- scrambled to retrieve the gifts from above.

The tradition continues today, bringing together military members, students at the University of Guam, and local community and charitable organizations to support a common purpose.

"The time and dedication that people are willing to give is astounding," said Air Force Capt. Mitchell Foy, who led the Operation Christmas Drop committee. "It's amazing, watching everyone come together to make this humanitarian effort happen."

Air Force Col. David Gould, the 374th Operations Group commander, said he felt humbled to be part of the outpouring.

"When we all signed up to join the military, it was about service – not only service for our country, but service to the world," he said. "There are few operations on this planet that demonstrate as much commitment to service as Operation Christmas Drop."



　

　

Reacting to stress

Reacting to stress

U.S. JUSTICE REACHES SETTLEMENT WITH PUBLISHER REGARDING ALLEGED NON-COMPETITIVE PRICING OF E-BOOKS

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Justice Department Reaches Settlement with Penguin Group (USA) Inc. in E-Books Case
Department Continues to Litigate Against Apple Inc. and Macmillan to Prevent Continued Restrictions on Price Competition

WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced today that it has reached a settlement with Penguin Group (USA) Inc.–one of the largest book publishers in the United States–and will continue to litigate against Apple Inc. and Holtzbrinck Publishers LLC, which does business as Macmillan, for conspiring to raise e-book prices to consumers.

Today’s proposed settlement was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. If approved by the court, the settlement will resolve the department’s competitive concerns as to Penguin, ending Penguin’s role as a defendant in the civil antitrust lawsuit filed by the department on April 11, 2012.


The department’s Antitrust Division previously settled its claims against three book publishers–Hachette Book Group Inc., HarperCollins Publishers L.L.C. and Simon & Schuster Inc. The department said that the publishers eliminated retail price competition, resulting in consumers paying millions of dollars more for their e-books. The settlement with those three publishers was approved by the court in September 2012. A trial against Macmillan and Apple currently is scheduled to begin in June 2013.


"Since the department’s settlement with Hachette, HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster, consumers are already paying lower prices for the e-book versions of many of those publishers’ new releases and bestsellers," said Jamillia Ferris, Chief of Staff and Counsel at the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. "If approved by the court, the proposed settlement with Penguin will be an important step toward undoing the harm caused by the publishers’ anticompetitive conduct and restoring retail price competition so consumers can pay lower prices for Penguin’s e-books."


According to the complaint, the five publishers and Apple were unhappy that competition among e-book sellers had reduced e-book prices and the retail profit margins of the book sellers to levels they thought were too low. To address these concerns, the department said the companies worked together to enter into contracts that eliminated price competition among bookstores selling e-books, substantially increasing prices paid by consumers. Before the companies began their conspiracy, retailers regularly sold e-book versions of new releases and bestsellers for, as described by one of the publisher’s CEO, the "wretched $9.99 price point." As a result of the conspiracy, consumers were typically forced to pay $12.99, $14.99, or more for the most sought-after e-books, the department said.

Under the proposed settlement agreement, Penguin will terminate its agreements with Apple and other e-books retailers and will be prohibited for two years from entering into new agreements that constrain retailers’ ability to offer discounts or other promotions to consumers to encourage the sale of the Penguin’s e-books. The proposed settlement agreement also will impose a strong antitrust compliance program on Penguin, which will include a requirement that it provide advance notification to the department of any e-book ventures it plans to undertake jointly with other publishers and that it regularly report to the department on any communications it has with other publishers. Also for five years, Penguin will be forbidden from agreeing to any kind of most favored nation (MFN) agreement that could undermine the effectiveness of the settlement.

The department is currently reviewing the proposed joint venture announced by Penguin and Random House Inc., the largest U.S. book publisher. Should the proposed joint venture proceed to consummation, the terms of Penguin’s settlement will apply to it.

Penguin Group (USA) Inc. has its principal place of business in New York City. It publishes e-books and print books through publishers such as The Viking press and Gotham Books. Penguin Group (USA) Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of The Penguin Group, a division of Pearson plc, which has its principal place of business in London.

Hachette Book Group USA has its principal place of business in New York City. It publishes e-books and print books through its publishers such as Little, Brown and Company and Grand Central Publishing.

HarperCollins Publishers, L.L.C. has its principal place of business in New York City. It publishes e-books and print books through publishers such as Harper and William Morrow.

Macmillan has its principal place of business in New York City. It publishes e-books and print books through publishers such as Farrar, Straus and Giroux, and St. Martin’s Press. Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck GmbH owns Holtzbrinck Publishers LLC, which does business as Macmillan, and has its principal place of business in Stuttgart, Germany.

Simon & Schuster Inc. has its principal place of business in New York City. It publishes e-books and print books through publishers such as Free Press and Touchstone.

Apple Inc. has its principal place of business in Cupertino, Calif. Among many other businesses, Apple distributes e-books through its iBookstore.

The proposed settlement, along with the department’s competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register, consistent with the requirements of the Antitrust Procedures and Penalties Act.

AU OPTRONICS CORPORATION EXECUTIVE CONVICTED FOR ROLE IN LCD PRICE-FIXING CONSPIRACY

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ANTITRUST DIVISION

WASHINGTON — Following a three-week trial, a federal jury in San Francisco today convicted an executive of the largest Taiwan liquid crystal display (LCD) producer for his participation in a worldwide conspiracy to fix the prices of thin-film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) panels sold worldwide, the Department of Justice announced.

Shiu Lung Leung, AU Optronics Corp.’s former senior manager in the Desktop Display Business Group, was found guilty today in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in San Francisco, of participating in a worldwide TFT-LCD price-fixing conspiracy from May 15, 2002 to Dec. 1, 2006.

AU Optronics Corp., based in Hsinchu, Taiwan, and its American subsidiary, AU Optronics Corp. America, headquartered in Houston, were found guilty on March 13, 2012, following an eight-week trial. Former AU Optronics Corp. president Hsuan Bin Chen and former AU Optronics Corp. executive vice president Hui Hsiung were also found guilty at that time. A mistrial was declared against Leung after that trial. Today’s verdict is the result of Leung’s retrial.

"This international price-fixing conspiracy impacted countless American consumers by raising the price of computer monitors, notebooks and televisions containing LCD panels," said Scott D. Hammond, Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Antitrust Division’s criminal enforcement program. "Today’s guilty verdict demonstrates that the Antitrust Division will continue to hold executives accountable for crimes that undermine a competitive marketplace."

The indictment charged that AU Optronics Corp. participated in the worldwide price-fixing conspiracy from Sept. 14, 2001, to Dec. 1, 2006, and that its subsidiary joined the conspiracy as early as spring 2003. Today a jury found that Leung, along with the previously convicted companies and former executives, was guilty of fixing the prices of LCD panels sold in the United States. The conspirators fixed the prices of LCD panels during monthly meetings with their competitors, which were secretly held in hotel conference rooms, karaoke bars and tea rooms around Taiwan.

LCD panels are used in computer monitors and notebooks, televisions and other electronic devices. By the end of the conspiracy, the worldwide market for LCD panels was valued at $70 billion annually. The LCD price-fixing conspiracy affected some of the largest computer manufacturers in the world, including Hewlett Packard, Dell and Apple.

The company and its U.S. subsidiary were sentenced on Sept. 20, 2012, before Judge Susan Illston, to pay a $500 million criminal fine, matching the largest fine imposed against a company for violating U.S. antitrust laws. Chen and Hsiung were each sentenced to serve three years in prison and to each pay a $200,000 criminal fine.

As a result of this ongoing investigation, eight companies have pleaded guilty or been convicted to date and have been sentenced to pay criminal fines totaling more than $1.39 billion. Of the 22 charged executives, 13 have pleaded guilty or have been convicted and seven remain fugitives. The executives who have been sentenced have been ordered to serve a combined total of 4,871 days in prison.

The maximum penalty for a Sherman Act violation for an individual is 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The maximum fine 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 fine.