TRANSFERING MILITARY VEHICLE SKILLS TO A CIVILIAN COMMERICIAL LICENSE

Photo: Dump Truck. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jonathan Carmichae

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
DOD Official Lauds Veterans Commercial License Effort

By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14, 2013 - Maryland has joined 33 other states in agreeing to waive the skills test for veterans and service members who have military training that would entitle them to a commercial driver's license, a senior Defense Department official said today.

Frank C. DiGiovanni, director of training, readiness and strategy in the office of the deputy assistant secretary of defense for readiness, joined Maryland Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown and officials from the Maryland Department of Transportation, veterans' organizations, and federal, state and local offices to announce two new services available to veterans through the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration, or MVA.

"This initiative is extremely important for the Department of Defense," DiGiovanni said. "It sets a great benchmark and will greatly assist our veterans as they plan for their future."

Along with the departments of Labor, Transportation and Veterans Affairs, DOD is working with national credentialing agencies, states and other stakeholders to address the complex challenges of certification and licensure for veterans.

DOD's Credentialing and Licensing Task Force was established to help service members in high-demand fields gain industry-recognized, nationally portable credentials to increase their competitiveness in the private sector after separation from the military.

Most states require drivers to demonstrate their skills before issuing a commercial driver's license. Now, 34 states will waive the skills test, but not the written test, for eligible veterans and service members. More states are considering such a waiver, according to a DOD spokeswoman.

A provision of the commercial learner's permit rule gives state driver licensing agencies the authority to substitute two years of commercial motor vehicle safe-driving experience in the military equivalents of commercial motor vehicles for the skills-test portion of the commercial driver license.

The rule applies to active duty, Reserve, Guard and Coast Guard members, and veterans within 90 days of separation.

Starting this month, Maryland's MVA is offering a veteran indicator on driver's licenses and identification cards to help veterans identify themselves to access services and resources and is implementing a streamlined process for veterans to obtain commercial driver's licenses as allowed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

DiGiovanni said that in fiscal 2011, more than 63,000 service members had occupations whose skills involved driving trucks -- 28,247 on active duty and 35,080 in the Guard or Reserve.

"There are also tens of thousands of service members who are truck drivers as an additional duty," DiGiovanni said, "so this particular authorization is extremely important to the employability" of service members as they depart from the service."

Military truck drivers bring outstanding experience and training to the commercial trucking sector, he added.

"I had an opportunity to speak to a veterans group, and I asked them what [they] learned during their service to the military that would be useful in the private sector," DiGiovanni recalled.

The first thing they cite is leadership, he added, and then working as a team and making decisions in a very complex environment.

"So I think it's really important what these veterans bring to the table, particularly the commercial trucking sector," he said.

DiGiovanni closed his remarks by challenging the state of Maryland and veterans service organizations to continue to find ways to support our veterans.

U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PANETTA MAKES REMARKS REGARDING NATO



U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Spanish Defense Minister Pedro Morenes Eulate lay a memorial wreath during a visit to Madrid, Jan. 15, 2013. Panetta stopped in Spain as part of a six-day trip to meet with European allies. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
In Europe Remarks, Panetta Stresses NATO Commitment
By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service
MADRID, Jan. 15, 2013 - NATO is an alliance that must remain strong and capable to meet 21st century challenges, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta emphasized in two European capitals today.

In a joint newss conference here with Spanish Defense Minister Pedro Morenes Eulate, and in an earlier event today with Portuguese Defense Minister Jose Pedro Aguiar-Branco, the secretary praised NATO allies' resolve over the past 10-plus years of war, and urged their continued commitment to the transatlantic alliance.

Speaking here, Panetta said Spain is a longtime trusted ally, friend and security partner to the United States. Spain's leadership in NATO, contributions in Afghanistan and efforts to promote security in the Mediterranean basin, he said, have been critically important over the last decade.

"I believe continued Spanish leadership will be essential to the future success of the transatlantic alliance," Panetta said. "Spain is extremely important to our ability to maintain and strengthen that very important alliance."

The secretary also paid tribute to the Spanish service members killed in Afghanistan. "On behalf of my country," he said, "I want to extend to the people of Spain our deepest condolences on the fact that you buried today, as I understand it, the 100th casualty ... killed in action that Spain has endured in that conflict. You've paid a high price."

Because of many such sacrifices on the part of nations with forces in Afghanistan and of the Afghan people, Panetta said, "we are on track to meet the goals that our nations agreed to last year [at the NATO summit] in Chicago," Panetta said. He added that Afghan forces are set to take over lead security responsibility in the late spring, and full responsibility in 2014.

He pledged continued commitment to develop and sustain Afghan forces past 2014.

"The long-term commitment NATO has made is critical to fulfilling the mission that brave men and women from our two nations have fought and died to carry out," he said.

Other topics he discussed with Spanish leaders, Panetta said, include countering cyber threats and bolstering maritime security.

"Literally hundreds of thousands of cyber attacks [are] aimed at both the private sector ... [and] the governmental sector," Panetta said. "And for that reason, it is important that we work together to strengthen our capabilities in this wider area."

The United States already is partnering with Spain to meet the mission of safeguarding the seas, he noted. "The home-porting of four Aegis-equipped destroyers to Rota, which I announced on my first trip to Europe as secretary, is a key U.S. commitment of NATO," he said. "But more broadly, Rota is a critical gateway for naval and aerial operations into the Mediterranean and beyond."

The ship-based Aegis ballistic missile defense system incorporates computers, radar, and missiles to detect, track and destroy short- to intermediate-range missiles.

Naval Station Rota, on Spain's southern coast, is a Spanish base funded by the United States. "As our forces deploy there, we will look to increase our bilateral naval cooperation with Spain," Panetta said.

Moving ahead with the Aegis deployment to Rota while the United States and many other nations face significant fiscal pressure, the secretary said, "reflects our belief that the transatlantic alliance will remain critical for global security in the 21st century, and we must make investments in order to keep it strong for the future."

The world's nations still face a range of challenges, Panetta pointed out.

"That's reality. That's the world we live in," he said. "From terrorism to nuclear proliferation to the destabilizing behavior of regimes like Iran and North Korea, these are challenges that require us to be ever vigilant and ever ready and, above all, to be leaders in helping to forge a safer and more secure future for the 21st century."

Earlier today in Portugal, the secretary spoke to many of the same themes, and also noted Pentagon officials will alter the pace of the planned drawdown of U.S. forces at Lajes Field in the Azores.

Aguiar-Branco opened the joint news conference in the Portuguese capital. Speaking through a translator, he said the U.S. decision to cut manning at Lajes is a "situation that causes much concern to the Portuguese government."

"I explained to Mr. Leon Panetta the delicacy and importance to work together in order to mitigate the consequences of this situation and to lessen the impact on -- in the region of the Azores. ... This meeting was a very important stage in the work as allies and partners in our work to reinforce and strengthen our relationship."

Panetta responded that while budget pressures force a decrease in operations at Lajes Field, "we will do everything we can to minimize the impact and the hardship to that community and, indeed, we will use this as an opportunity to build an even stronger [military-to-military] relationship between the United States and Portugal."

The secretary said he made clear to Portuguese leaders that U.S. defense leaders will work with Portuguese officials and the local community to mitigate the impact of the decision.

The United States military is committed to Lajes Field, which has important airlift capabilities, he said.

"It will remain a vital part of our global forward posture. We will need to continue to make use of this important base," the secretary added.

Recognizing Portuguese concerns, Panetta said, the United States has delayed the transition of that reduction to October 2014. "We will maintain, in addition, a 24/7 fire and emergency services there, and we are committed to a 3-to-1 ratio of employees from the local community," he added. "For every one that the United States employs, we will employ three of the local community."

The United States also will explore opportunities to expand trade and business in the Azores, the secretary said, noting that U.S. European Command will host a delegation of business executives next month, which will include a visit to the Azores "that may provide opportunities for expanded economic development there."

Finally and most critically, Panetta said, the United States is committed to expanding the relationship between the U.S. and Portuguese militaries with a focus on the key security challenges of the future.

A joint team of Pentagon and Portuguese defense officials is working to develop "additional opportunities to improve our relationship, and to renew and to re-emphasize the strong relationship between the United States and Portugal," he added.

Panetta noted close partnership and cooperation among allied nations is even more important when defense budgets shrink.

"The defense strategy the United States released one year ago this month makes clear that in an era of fiscal constraint, it remains essential for us to invest in our historic alliances with countries like Portugal," he said, "and for all of us to invest in alliance capabilities."

VIDEO OF THE HUYGENS PROBE LANDING ON TITAN

FROM: NASA

 When Huygens Met Titan

This animation re-creates the final descent of ESA's Huygens probe as it landed on Titan on Jan. 14, 2005, after it was dropped off by NASA's Cassini spacecraft.

ISS UPDATE FOR JANUARY 15, 2013

FROM:  NASA

A WIN AGAINST DEFENDANTS CHARGED WITH DEFRAUDING INVESTORS WITH FICTITIOUS OFFERINGS

FROM: U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
On December 17, 2012, the United States District Court for the Central District of California granted the Securities and Exchange Commission's motion for summary judgment against all defendants and relief defendants in a civil action arising from two "prime bank" or "high yield" investment schemes that defrauded investors out of more than $11 million. The judgment permanently enjoins Francis E. Wilde, Steven E. Woods, Mark A. Gelazela, Bruce H. Haglund, and entities they control, from violations of the antifraud and other securities law provisions. The judgment also requires the defendants to pay disgorgement and penalties, and bars Wilde and Haglund from acting as officers or directors of any public company. In addition, the court issued a separate judgment requiring relief defendants IBalance LLC, Maureen Wilde, and Shillelagh Capital Corporation to disgorge illegally-obtained profits.

The Commission's complaint, filed on February 24, 2011, alleged that Wilde, through his company Matrix Holdings LLC, orchestrated two fraudulent investment schemes. The first scheme began in April 2008 when Wilde obtained a U.S. Treasury bond with a market value of nearly $5 million from an investor by making false and misleading promises of outsized returns from what he claimed was a "private placement program." Wilde (through Matrix) then used the bond to secure a line of credit that he drew down to pay personal expenses, to pay investors, creditors and debt holders of his public company, and to make failed attempts to acquire fictitious prime bank instruments or to invest in high yield programs. Wilde eventually exhausted all of the funds obtained with the investor's bond and never produced a return for the investor.

The Commission further claimed that, beginning in October 2009, Wilde concocted another fraudulent scheme with Woods and Gelazela in the form of a "bank guarantee funding" program using the services of Haglund as escrow attorney. Between October 2009 and mid-March 2010, Woods (through BMW Majestic LLC) and Gelazela (through IDLYC Holdings Trust ("IDLYC") and IDLYC Holdings Trust LLC ("IDLYC LLC")) signed contracts with 24 investors who sent over $6.3 million to Haglund's trust account. Wilde never successfully acquired or leased a single legitimate financial instrument and exhausted all $6.3 million of the investors' funds, much of which was taken by the defendants in the form of undisclosed fees. The Commission alleged that Haglund aided the fraud by receiving and sending wires of investors' funds in and out of his trust account according to instructions from Wilde, thus allowing Wilde to utilize funds for undisclosed purposes. Haglund also knowingly made, and Wilde knowingly authorized, Ponzi-like payments to old investors using new investor deposits.

The court found that Wilde, Woods, Gelazela, Matrix, BMW Majestic, IDLYC, and IDLYC LLC violated Sections 5(a), 5(c), and 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder; that Woods and Gelazela also violated Section 15(a) of the Exchange Act; and that Haglund and Wilde aided and abetted the other defendants' violations of Section 10(b) and Rule 10b-5.

The judgment permanently enjoins Wilde, Woods, Gelazela, Matrix, BMW Majestic, IDLYC, and IDLYC LLC from violating Sections 5 and 17(a) of the Securities Act and Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder; Woods and Gelazela from violating Section 15(a)(1) of the Exchange Act; and Haglund from violating Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. The court ordered Wilde and Matrix to pay, jointly and severally, disgorgement of their ill-gotten gains in the amount of $12,106,810.75 plus pre-judgment interest, for a total of $13,589,505.56. The court further ordered Wilde and Matrix to pay a civil penalty equal to the amount of disgorgement plus prejudgment interest. In addition, the court ordered Woods, Gelazela, Haglund, BMW Majestic, IDLYC and IDLYC LLC to pay, jointly and severally, disgorgement of their ill-gotten gains in the amount of $6,195,908 plus pre-judgment interest, for a total of $6,744,083.49. The court's order also required Woods, Gelazela, Haglund, BMW Majestic, IDLYC and IDLYC LLC to pay a civil penalty equal to the amount of disgorgement plus prejudgment interest. The judgment also permanently bars Wilde and Haglund from acting as an officer or director of a public company.

The court also ordered several relief defendants, all of which are related to defendants, to disgorge a total of $2,153,000 in ill-gotten gains that they received:
IBalance LLC, an entity partially owned by Gelazela, was ordered to pay disgorgement of $1,000,000, plus prejudgment interest of $88,743.79;
Maureen Wilde, the wife of Francis Wilde, was ordered to pay disgorgement of $829,500, plus prejudgment interest of $67,412.85; and
Shillelagh Capital Corporation, an entity Wilde controls, was ordered to pay disgorgement of $323,500, plus prejudgment interest of $27,475.06.
　
　

NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR JANUARY 15, 2013

Bala Boluk district elders from Farah province particpate in a shura at the Bala Boluk district center in Afghanistan's Farah province, Jan. 15, 2013. U.S. Navy photo.

 　
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMET OF DEFENSE
Afghan, Coalition Forces Arrest Taliban Facilitator
From an International Security Assistance Force News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan, Jan. 15, 2013 - A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban facilitator in the Khugyani district of Afghanistan's Nangarhar province today, military officials reported.

The facilitator enabled the distribution of weapons, ammunition, improvised explosive devices and suicide vests for use in attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He also planned and acquired materials for suicide vehicle bombings.

The security force also detained four suspected insurgents and seized bomb-making materials, weapons and ammunition.

Also today, a combined force detained several suspected insurgents while searching for a Taliban leader in Wardak province's Nerkh district. The leader facilitates the movement of weapons and IED materials.

In Afghanistan operations yesterday:

-- A combined force in Logar province's Baraki Barak district killed three insurgents and arrested a Taliban IED expert who oversaw a group of insurgents and was planning an attack against local police. The security force also detained four suspected insurgents, destroyed an explosives cache and seized weapons, IED components and ammunition.

-- In Kandahar province's Maiwand district, a combined force detained three suspected insurgents while searching for a Taliban leader who facilitates the movement of heavy weapons and IEDs for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

-- A coalition force in Helmand province's Nahr-e Saraj district found and destroyed about 1,100 pounds of hashish.

EPA WARNS OF RADON GAS AND LUNG CANCER RISK

FROM:  U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Reduce Lung Cancer Risk in 2013 by Testing Your Home for Radon Gas
Elevated radon levels found in roughly 1 in 15 homes nationwide


WASHINGTON – As part of National Radon Action Month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today steps the public can take to test, fix and save a life from dangerous radon gas.

"Testing for radon is one of the easiest and smartest things people can do to protect their homes and families from this serious health risk," said Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Air and Radiation. "Addressing high radon levels greatly reduces exposure to the second leading cause of lung cancer."

Radon occurs naturally from the decay of uranium in the soil and can accumulate to dangerous levels inside the home. Elevated levels of the colorless, odorless gas are the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.

Elevated levels of this health hazard in homes, schools, workplaces, and other buildings can be prevented through these simple steps:
Test: All buildings with or without basements should be tested for radon. Affordable Do-It-Yourself radon test kits are available online and at home improvement and hardware stores, or a qualified radon tester can be hired.
Fix: EPA recommends taking action to fix radon levels at or above 4 picoCuries per Liter (pCi/L) and contacting a qualified radon-reduction contractor.
Save a Life: 21,000 Americans die from radon related lung cancer each year, but by addressing elevated levels, you can help prevent lung cancer while creating a healthier home and community.
EPA continues to work with Federal, State and local partners on the Federal Radon Action Plan to educate the public about the dangers of radon exposure.

RECENT U.S. NAVY PHOTOS

FROM: U.S. NAVY
130112-N-XQ375-201 U.S. 5TH FLEET AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY (Jan. 12, 2013) The guided-missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) fires a MK 45 5-inch, 62-caliber lightweight deck gun during a live-fire exercise. Jason Dunham is deployed with the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions for Operation Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Deven B. King/Released)

130111-N-BE353-042 SAIPAN (Jan. 11, 2013) The Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS La Jolla (SSN 701) moors alongside the submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40). La Jolla is in Saipan for a scheduled port visit during its deployment to the western Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Ricardo Danan/Released)

 

U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ARRIVES IN PORTUGAL

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta departs Joint Base Andrews, Md., Jan. 14, 2013. Panetta is on a six-day trip to Europe to visit with foreign counterparts and troops. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

 
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Panetta Arrives in Portugal, First Stop on Europe Tour
By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

LISBON, Portugal, Jan. 14, 2013 - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta landed here today on the first leg of what he said is likely his last international trip as secretary.

While here, the secretary is scheduled to meet separately with Foreign Minister Paulo Portas and Defense Minister José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, with whom he is scheduled to hold a joint news conference.

Panetta also will visit Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO, known as STRIKFORNATO. Alliance officials said the organization is NATO's premier maritime battle staff and the alliance's primary link for integrating U.S. maritime forces into NATO operations.

During the flight here, Panetta told reporters traveling with him that Portugal is a key NATO ally and an important strategic partner in the Mediterranean and beyond.

"I am told that I'm the first [U.S. defense] secretary to visit Portugal in at least 30 years," he said.

The U.S. and Portuguese militaries have a history of close cooperation, particularly in the Azores, he said. The Azores are a group of nine volcanic islands, belonging to Portugal but strategically located some 900 miles west of Lisbon in the mid-Atlantic.

Panetta acknowledged DOD will reduce operations at Lajes Field, an air base that houses Portuguese and U.S. Air Force elements and a regional air passenger terminal,
located on Terceira Island in the Azores.

The number of U.S. and Portuguese service members based there will drop by at least half from the current 1,100 population, DOD officials said Dec. 13. Aircraft operations support also will be reduced, and the United States will return about 300 of the 400 buildings on the base to the Portuguese government, officials said.

U.S. forces have been in the Azores since 1943, when World War II saw troops at Lajes first protecting allied shipping lanes and later hunting German submarines.

Panetta said while DOD will reduce operations at Lajes because of budget constraints, his goal is to tell Portuguese leaders how the United States intends to broaden and transform the U.S.-Portugal defense relationship through increased military-to-military engagement and exercises, and to try to focus on the challenges of mutual interest, such as maritime security.

Later this week, Panetta will travel to Madrid, Rome and London.

U.S.EXPORT-IMPORT BANK APPROVES LOAN TO FINACE HOSPITAL EXPANSION IN GHANA

FROM: U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK
Ex-Im Approves $155.4 Million Loan to Finance Hospital Expansion in Ghana

Washington, D.C. – In keeping with its focus on sub-Saharan Africa, the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) has authorized a $155.4 million direct loan to the Republic of Ghana to finance the design and construction of a hospital expansion in Accra, Ghana.

Americaribe Inc. of Miami, Fla., will export the goods and services required in the project.

The loan will support approximately 700 U.S. jobs, according to bank estimates derived from Departments of Commerce and Labor data and methodology.


"This transaction, which is our second authorization for sub-Saharan Africa of the calendar year, reflects our continued commitment to supporting exports to Africa and the priorities of the President’s 2012 Presidential Policy Directive," said Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg. "Moreover, the transaction will ensure Ghana can provide better healthcare to its people and in the process support hundreds of U.S. jobs in a key sector."

The Ridge Hospital Complex, which was built in 1928, serves as the primary medical facility for the Greater Accra Region (GAR). Between 2000 and 2010, the GAR population increased from 1.4 million to 3.9 million, and so the expansion of the complex will help alleviate the capacity shortages. When completed, the hospital will number among the most advanced medical facilities in West Africa and will include a new 420-bed building housing a comprehensive diagnostic and treatment block and a state-of-the-art maternity ward.

Americaribe, which incorporated in Florida in 2002, is a subsidiary of the multinational group Bouygues and specializes in the design, engineering, and construction of healthcare, education, transportation, residential, and commercial projects.

"The Ghana Ridge Hospital is a key project for Americaribe’s business development, boosting our activity and allowing us to create between 15 and 20 new direct jobs in the U.S. during the three years of the contract," said Jean-Baptiste Baudin de la Valette, president of Americaribe. "As of today, we already have hired three new employees directly linked to this transaction. It will also strengthen our relationship with our consultants and suppliers in the U.S. and will allow them to maintain or create hundreds of technical and specialized jobs. We have also created Americaribe Ghana Ltd., a company registered in Ghana and 100% owned by Americaribe Inc., to execute the job."

HSBC London and New York Project & Export Finance teams acted as financial advisor

to the Government of Ghana throughout the Ex-Im Bank application and due diligence processes.

In FY 2012, Ex-Im Bank authorized more than $1.5 billion to support U.S. exports to sub-Saharan Africa.

Neue Bodenstation in Argentinien vervollständigt modernstes Netzwerk zur Bahnverfolgung

Neue Bodenstation in Argentinien vervollständigt modernstes Netzwerk zur Bahnverfolgung

U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE PANETTA ON U.S. SUPPORT OF FRENCH IN MALI

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Panetta: U.S. Support to French in Mali Aimed at al-Qaida
By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

LISBON, Portugal, Jan. 14, 2013 - U.S. and French defense leaders are hammering out details of intelligence, logistics and airlift assistance the United States will provide to French forces in Mali, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said today.

Speaking to reporters on the flight to the Portuguese capital, the secretary said such planned assistance demonstrates U.S. leaders' resolve that "we have a responsibility to go after al-Qaida wherever they are."

"We've gone after them in the FATA," Panetta said, referring to the federally administered tribal areas in Pakistan's northwest. "We're going after them in Yemen and Somalia. And we have a responsibility to make sure that al-Qaida does not establish a base for operations in North Africa and Mali."

French forces began airstrikes in Mali, a former French colony, four days ago. It has been widely reported France began its air campaign to halt the movement south of al-Qaida affiliated extremists, who have held Mali's northern area since April.

Panetta said the United States and its allies have been "very concerned" about AQIM, or al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, "and their efforts to establish a very strong base in that area."

The secretary said DOD officials have been working with regional partners to try to develop plans to confront that threat. "I commend France for taking the steps that it has," he added. "And what we have promised them is that we will work with them to ... provide whatever assistance we can to try to help them in that effort."

Officials from the Stuttgart, Germany-based U.S. Africa Command also are discussing military support with France, the secretary said. A senior official traveling with the secretary told reporters that specific U.S. support to French forces in Mali has not yet been defined, but that Army Gen. Carter F. Ham, Africom commander, spoke by phone earlier today from the African continent with the secretary, who was flying to Portugal at the time.

"We'll continue to work with [the French] to ensure that ultimately we do stop AQIM and that the responsibility for assuring security in that region will be passed to the African nations to provide a more permanent security for the sake of the world," Panetta said.

While that longer-term solution develops, the secretary said, he will consult with allies on shorter-term support in France's fight.

"One of the discussions I'll have in Spain regards their concern about what's happening with AQIM in Mali, as well," he said. "And I'll get a better idea of what these other countries may be doing to assist."

The secretary said while al-Qaida members in Mali do not appear to pose an immediate threat to the United States or its allies, "we're concerned any time al-Qaida establishes a base of operations that, while they might not have any immediate plans for attacks in the United States and in Europe, that ultimately ... still remains their objective. And it's for that reason that we have to take steps now to ensure that AQIM does not get that kind of traction."

President Barack Obama yesterday notified Congress, as required by the War Powers Act, that United States troops "provided limited technical support to the French forces" engaged in the attempted rescue of a French hostage in Somalia. French forces reported Denis Allex, who had been a hostage of al-Qaida-affiliated al Shabaab since 2009, was killed in the raid.

U.S. forces took no direct part in the assault on the compound where planners had concluded the French citizen was held hostage, the president wrote. U.S. combat aircraft briefly entered Somali airspace to support the rescue operation if needed, but did not employ weapons, he added.

All U.S. forces who supported the operation had left Somalia by about 8 p.m. EST Jan. 11, the president wrote.

"I directed U.S. forces to support this rescue operation in furtherance of U.S. national security interests," the president wrote, "and pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct U.S. foreign relations and as commander in chief and chief executive."

Panetta landed here today for the first leg of a weeklong trip that will also take him to Madrid, Rome and London.

President Obama Holds a News Conference | The White House

President Obama Holds a News Conference | The White House

U.S.-NICARAGUA RELATIONS



Map:  Nicaragua.  Credit:  CIA World Factbook. 

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

The United States established diplomatic relations with Nicaragua in 1849 following its independence from Spain and the later dissolution of a federation of Central American states. Post-independence, the country saw a mix of armed conflict, U.S. military intervention and occupation, rebellion, assassination, and dictatorships. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were severed or interrupted a number of times. Nicaragua's 1990 presidential elections marked an improvement in bilateral relations and were followed by elections in 1996, 2001, 2006.

The 2011 presidential and legislative elections and 2012 municipal elections were marred by significant irregularities and were denounced by domestic and international observers as severely flawed. The U.S. Government has clearly stated that these elections marked a setback to democracy in Nicaragua and undermined the ability of Nicaraguans to hold their government accountable. The United States has called on the Nicaraguan Government to uphold democratic processes and protect universal human rights, and has said that it will continue to support civil society and promote human rights in Nicaragua.

U.S. Assistance to Nicaragua

U.S. assistance aims to help strengthen Nicaragua’s democracy through training for emerging democratic leaders, increasing civil society engagement, supporting an independent media, and improving local governance. U.S. assistance also seeks to promote economic growth and poverty reduction in part through market-led food security programs in the highly-impoverished north-central region. In under-governed areas of the Caribbean coastal region where drug trafficking and related criminal activity is rising, military-to-military engagement and prevention programs focusing on education and skills development support citizen security. In response to the Nicaraguan government’s continuing failure to account fully for substantial resources made available to it by Venezuela, the State Department did not seek a waiver for Nicaragua in Fiscal Year 2012 of Congressionally mandated restrictions on assistance to the central governments of countries who do not maintain international standards of fiscal transparency. This curtailed FY 2012 security assistance and affected some counternarcotics and development programs that otherwise would have benefitted the central government.

Bilateral Economic Relations

The United States and Nicaragua are parties to the U.S.-Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR), which aims to facilitate trade and investment and further regional integration by eliminating tariffs, opening markets, reducing barriers to services, and promoting transparency. CAFTA-DR contains a chapter on investment similar to a bilateral investment treaty with the United States. There are over 125 companies operating in Nicaragua with some relation to a U.S. company, either as wholly or partly-owned subsidiaries, franchisees, or exclusive distributors of U.S. products. The largest are in energy, financial services, textiles/apparel, manufacturing, and fisheries. U.S. exports to Nicaragua include agricultural products, donated relief articles, and machinery. U.S. imports from Nicaragua include apparel, agricultural products, and automobile wire harnesses. The United States works closely with the Nicaraguan government to seek resolution of several hundred claims against it by United States citizens to properties expropriated from them during the 1980s.

Nicaragua's Membership in International Organizations

Nicaragua and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, Organization of American States, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization.

　

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.

　

U.S. DOD MOVES TOWARD CLOUD COMPUTING

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

DOD Information Technology Evolves Toward Cloud Computing
By Claudette Roulo
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14, 2013 - The Defense Department's information technology infrastructure is on a journey of consolidation, standardization, security and access, the Defense Department's principal deputy chief information officer told attendees at a cloud computing panel discussion today.

The department is reducing the number of data centers from about 1,500 to "a number far below that," Robert J. Carey said, and is implementing a coherent and consistent architecture across thousands of computing environments.

This process is taking place in part because of the current era of fiscal austerity, but also because it makes sense when it comes to securing data within the network, Carey said.

In addition, DOD, along with much of industry, is shifting toward a cloud computing posture: the collection of data and use of related computing services via remote servers accessed through the Internet. Cloud computing isn't without its risks, Carey said, but the department is moving the paradigm of security from the infrastructure to the data layer. This includes continuous monitoring and cryptography, he added.

Concentrating on securing data, rather than an entire network, is "a big shift for a big engine like DOD," Carey said.

As the department implements the joint information environment and delivers a consistent computing architecture -- which Carey noted the department does not yet have -- security becomes the discriminating factor, he said. "The access, the cost -- all those facets of the efficiency of cloud computing -- if it isn't secure enough, it will not serve us well," he added.

Carey said the way the intelligence community secures data on its networks can serve as a model for the Defense Department's joint information environment. "I look at the [intelligence community] and its transformation, and I look at [the joint information environment] and the DOD transformation, and they are very aligned," he said.

There are differences between the two communities, he said. The intelligence community doesn't have to accommodate heterogeneous data security requirements, Carey said, and the network construct within DOD is different. "We're just a little more complex," he said. "But we are working on a plan with them to take the applicable lessons learned ... into our world."

The cloud is secure today, Carey said, but only for certain types of data. In its move to cloud computing, he said, the problem the department faces is progressing from its legacy systems into an up-to-date information environment in an era of cost constraints.

"We're moving at a very deliberate pace," Carey noted. "We have lots of [pilot programs] going on to evaluate these kinds of things and to make sure we understand both the pros, cons and risks of moving into the cloud space."

Whether the department is ready to forge ahead on implementing a new information technology infrastructure hinges on whether it also ready is to make a cultural shift, he said.

"We have to take advantage of what commercial technology is bringing us, but at the same time, make sure that the people that actually ... acquire it for us are able to do so," Carey said.

The DOD IT community tends to try and avoid risk entirely rather than conduct risk management, he said, which is a problem given the rapid pace of information technology development.

"The acquisition corps is working on creating that workforce that's able to understand how fast industry is moving and proceed with a risk-management approach vice a risk-avoidance approach," he said.

Measuring risk in the cloud and the costs of risk response is a difficult task, Carey noted.

"At the end of the day, the metrics of cloud security are, at best, nebulous," he said. It isn't always easy to describe the relationship between risk reduction and purchasing, he added, but it's important for the information technology community to try.

LAKE LEVELS ON TITAN

FROM: NASA

Titan's Lake District, One Season Later
These images obtained by NASA's Cassini spacecraft show Titan's stable northern lake district. Cassini's radar instrument obtained the recent images on May 22, 2012. It observed some previously unseen regions but also some regions containing lakes that were last observed about six years-nearly one Titan season--ago. This marks the longest time interval between lake observations in the northern hemisphere.

The top image here shows part of the radar swath from May 22, 2012, centered near 79 degrees north latitude, 58 degrees west longitude, and about 220 by 47 miles (350 by 75 kilometers) in dimension. At the bottom, parts of this image are compared with those obtained in 2006. (The images appear slightly different from previous releases because they use a new filtering technique). In 2006, it was winter in the northern hemisphere and the lakes were in the dark. Although Titan spring began in 2009 and the sun has now risen over the lakes, there is no apparent change in lake levels since the 2006 flybys, consistent with climate models that predict stability of liquid lakes over several years. This shows that the northern lakes are not transient weather events, in contrast to the temporary darkening of parts of the equator after a rainstorm in 2010 (PIA 12819).

Changes in lake levels may still be detected later in the mission as Cassini continues to observe these high northern latitudes into the beginning of summer in 2017. At that point, the sun may cause evaporation. However, the lack of significant change over six years sets important constraints for climate models and the stability of liquids on Titan. Illumination is coming from the bottom.

The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, DC. The Cassini orbiter was designed, developed and assembled at JPL. The radar instrument was built by JPL and the Italian Space Agency, working with team members from the United States and several European countries. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASI

SECRETARY OF STATE PANETTA VISITS 'MOST CAPABLE PARTNERS'

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta briefs the press on a flight to Lisbon, Portugal, Jan. 14, 2013. Panetta is on a six-day trip to Europe to visit with defense counterparts and troops. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Panetta Begins Trip to Visit 'Most Capable Partners'
By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT, Jan. 14, 2013 - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta boarded this Air Force jet at Joint Base Andrews, Md., today, bound for Portugal, Spain, Italy and Great Britain on what he termed "likely my last international trip as secretary of defense."

Panetta told reporters traveling with him that as "a son of Europe" –- he often speaks of his parents, who immigrated to the United States from Italy -- it is appropriate that his final international trip, the 18th he has made as secretary, will include visits to some of America's "most capable and closest military partners."

"I have visited more than 30 countries, including ... [traveling to] the war zone a number of times," he said. "But I've made it a priority, as part of our defense strategy, ... to emphasize the importance of strengthening our alliances and partnerships throughout the world."

The goal for his final trip is in line with that strategy, the secretary said, as he will:

-- Emphasize the importance of NATO and bilateral alliances;

-- Reflect on the accomplishments Portugal, Spain, Italy and Great Britain have helped to achieve as members of NATO's International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan; and

-- Lay the groundwork for the future as nations around the world face both national security and budget challenges.

Panetta noted the countries he will visit have all maintained a strong commitment to the NATO mission in Afghanistan. "Because of that commitment, we've been able to make significant progress in the effort to ... build an Afghanistan that can secure and govern itself," he added.

As President Barack Obama announced last week, the secretary said, Afghan forces will assume the lead for security responsibility across their country this spring, with ISAF forces moving into a supporting role.

"That's a significant milestone that is the result of the efforts by the United States, by ISAF and by the Afghans themselves," he said. The secretary added that U.S. leaders had "a successful series of consultations" with Afghan President Hamid Karzai about the future U.S. commitment to Afghanistan's security during that leader's visit to Washington last week. Panetta said he looks forward to updating counterparts on those discussions.

The secretary said he also will discuss with allies innovative approaches to common budget challenges, and that he'll speak with counterparts about key bilateral security issues.

"As always, I will also use this opportunity to visit the troops, and have a chance to thank U.S. men and women in uniform for the sacrifices they're making," he said.

The secretary said that after more than 10 years of war and with the budget constraints the United States and its allies and partner nations face, the United States nevertheless continues to complete its mission in the war in Afghanistan and continues to confront the terrorism threat.

Terrorist activity -- particularly from al-Qaida factions -- in Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen and Mali is a threat common to all the nations he will visit, Panetta noted. North Korea and Iran, turmoil in the Middle East and the cyber threat also are issues of common interest, he added.

No one nation can confront these threats alone, the secretary said.

"The only way we're going to be able to do it is by strengthening and reaffirming and building new partnerships and new alliances in the world," he said. "The model for that is NATO, ... really the oldest alliance we have." That alliance's responses to Afghanistan and Libya, he added, demonstrate its continued importance to global stability.

The 74-year-old secretary said he also hopes to communicate some of his feelings about the alliance to the younger citizens of the countries he will visit this week.

"NATO goes back to 1949," he said. "I think the reality is ... that there are generations that have been born since the fall of the Berlin Wall that may not fully appreciate how important NATO is as an alliance [for] the future."

Panetta said he will focus in his discussions, and in a speech he will deliver in London later this week, in part on "how important it is to be able to pass the baton to [younger generations] when it comes to the strength of these transatlantic alliances and partnerships that we have."

He added, "The purpose of my trip is to make clear that we are going to need this alliance -- today, tomorrow, and in the 21st century."

CEO OF AXIUS INC., PLEADS GUILTY TO CONSPIRACY TO BRIBE STOCK BROKERS

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Friday, January 11, 2013
Axius Ceo Roland Kaufmann Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Pay Bribes in Stock Sales

WASHINGTON – Roland Kaufmann, CEO of Axius Inc., pleaded guilty today in Brooklyn for conspiring to bribe stock brokers, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Loretta E. Lynch.

Kaufmann, 60, a Swiss citizen, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John Gleeson in the Eastern District of New York to one count of conspiracy to violate the Travel Act.

"Roland Kaufmann conspired to bribe stock brokers and fleece investors in Axius stock," said Assistant Attorney General Breuer. "He took the crooked path, and now faces the prospect of years in prison. Although he committed his crimes from outside the United States, U.S. authorities tracked him down and he has now been held to account. This case shows our determination to prosecute all those who seek to corrupt U.S. securities markets."

"Roland Kaufman sought to game the system with his scheme to bribe stockholders to help him artificially raise the price of his company’s stock," said U.S. Attorney Lynch. "He reached across the ocean to insert his deception into U.S. markets, thereby placing investors at risk. We will continue to bring our resources to bear against anyone who would harm the integrity of United States capital markets for their own personal financial gain, even when those who try to exploit our investors are hatching their schemes from abroad."

"The flagrant market manipulation engaged in by Kaufmann was designed to make him rich," said George Venizelos, Assistant Director in Charge, FBI New York Field Office. "Absent the undercover agent, the scheme also would have made honest investors much poorer. The FBI is committed to policing the securities industry to prevent unjust enrichment for cheaters, victimization of honest investors, and the undermining of public confidence in market integrity."

"This case demonstrates the value of a coordinated approach by law enforcement authorities," said Richard Weber, Chief, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation. "As a result of the collaborative effort in this investigation, investors were protected from further financial harm. IRS Criminal Investigation is always ready to lend its financial investigative expertise to the investigation of complex and sophisticated financial crimes."

Kaufmann admitted to conspiring with co-defendant Jean-Pierre Neuhaus, another Swiss citizen, to violate the Travel Act by bribing stock brokers. Axius, which refers to itself as a "holding company and business incubator" that develops other businesses, is incorporated in Nevada, and its principal offices are in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. As part of the scheme, Kaufmann and Neuhaus, while located overseas, enlisted the assistance of an individual they believed had access to a group of corrupt stock brokers; this individual was in fact an undercover law enforcement agent. Kaufmann and Neuhaus believed that the undercover agent controlled a network of stockbrokers in the United States with discretionary authority to trade stocks on behalf of their clients.

According to court documents, Kaufmann and Neuhaus instructed the undercover agent to direct brokers to purchase Axius shares that were owned or controlled by Kaufmann in return for a secret kickback of approximately 26 to 28 percent of the sale price. Kaufmann and Neuhaus instructed the undercover agent as to the price the brokers should pay for the stock, and Kaufmann specifically instructed the undercover agent, in Neuhaus’s presence, that the brokers would have to pay gradually higher prices for the shares they were buying. Kaufmann and Neuhaus directed the undercover agent that the brokers were to refrain from selling the Axius shares they purchased on behalf of their clients for a one-year period. By preventing sales of Axius stock, Kaufmann and Neuhaus intended to maintain the fraudulently inflated share price for Axius stock. Kaufmann and Neuhaus agreed to sell approximately $3.5 million to $5 million worth of Axius shares through the undercover agent’s stock brokers.

Kaufmann and Neuhaus were arrested on March 8, 2012. On Oct. 10, 2012, Neuhaus pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud and violate the Travel Act.

At sentencing, scheduled for May 17, 2013, Kaufmann faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. As part of his plea agreement, Kaufmann agreed to forfeit $298,740 that victims lost as a result of the crime.

This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Justin Goodyear of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ilene Jaroslaw of the Eastern District of New York. The case was investigated by the FBI New York Field Office and the IRS New York Field Office. The department also thanks the Securities and Exchange Commission for its assistance in this matter.

NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR JANUARY14, 2013

An Afghan man passes members of Provincial Reconstruction Team Farah on their way to the site of a leadership meeting in Farah City, Afghanistan, Jan. 8, 2013. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Petty Officer Josh Ives

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Combined Force Kills Taliban Leader in Nangarhar Province
Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14, 2013 - A combined Afghan and coalition security force killed Taliban leader Haqiq in the Sherzad district of Afghanistan's Nangarhar province today, military officials reported.

After positively identifying a threat from armed insurgents, the combined force engaged, killing Haqiq and two additional insurgents.

Haqiq, also known as Sur Gul Lala, conducted attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and extorted money from district villagers to fund Taliban activities. The security force also detained three suspected insurgents and seized a cache of weapons, gear and ammunition. No civilians were harmed during the operation, officials said.

In other Afghanistan operations today:

-- A combined force in Baghlan province's Baghlan-e Jadid district arrested a Taliban senior leader and another insurgent. The senior leader commanded insurgents operating in Jowzjan and Sar-e Pul provinces and was responsible for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and Afghan civilians.

-- A combined force detained three insurgents in Kandahar province's Daman district during a search for a Taliban leader who oversees the acquisition and transfer of weapons and ammunition to insurgents. The security force also seized a large cache of ammunition.

In operations yesterday:

-- A combined force in Helmand province's Nad-e Ali district arrested a Taliban leader who transported and planted roadside bombs and armed insurgent fighters in the district. The security force also detained two suspected insurgents.

-- In Baghlan province's Baghlan-e Jadid district, a combined force detained two suspected insurgents during a search for a Taliban leader who controls fighters responsible for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

-- A combined force detained two suspected insurgents in Nangarhar province's Khugyani district during a search for a Taliban leader who provides weapons to Taliban fighters. The security force seized bomb-making materials, weapons and ammunition.

MILITARY STAND-INS REHEARSE FOR PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION

Left to right: Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Rachel Washko, Marine Corps Master Sgt. Richard Bolin, Air Force Staff Sgt. Serpico Elliott Army Spc. Yolanda Rollins meet with reporters after representing President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and their wives during a Jan. 13, 2013, dress rehearsal for Jan. 21 Inauguration Day activities in Washington, D.C. DOD photo by Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Military Stand-ins Support Inauguration Rehearsal
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14, 2013 - With the 57th presidential inauguration a week away, President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, likely are busy getting prepared.

It stands to reason they wouldn't have much time, much less an entire day, to stand through dozens of rehearsals as the U.S. military prepares for its role in supporting the ceremonial occasion.

Therefore, stand-ins are necessary, which is exactly what four lucky service members did for yesterday's large-scale dress rehearsal in the nation's capital.

Air Force Staff Sgt. Serpico Elliott, 29, from Greensboro, N.C., was the man of the hour as he stood in for President Barack Obama.

Elliot, who said he was selected to represent the commander in chief because of his physical stature, standing at 6 feet, 2 inches, talked about his experience.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to support the commander in chief in such a capacity," he said. "It's an amazing feeling, even if it's for a day.

"It was a very good experience," Elliot added. "The rehearsal went very smoothly. We just got a quick brief and everything like that for the run-through, and kept with the timelines and everything."

Elliot noted that he and the other military stand-ins have roles for the actual inauguration ceremony, so the day of the event will be very different for them, compared to yesterday's rehearsal. A communications noncommissioned officer by trade, he will support the mobile communications center team during the Jan. 21 public inauguration ceremony.

Army Spc. Yolanda Rollins, 20, an automated logistical specialist from Dunwoody, Va., was asked how she selected her clothes for the rehearsal. She stood in for the first lady, who is known for trendy dressing.

"It took a while," Rollins said with a laugh. "But I just readily chose it, and it just happened to fit perfectly. I fell in love with it."

Rollins said she picked "something that is [trendy], but classy and casual, and gorgeous as well."

Marine Corps Master Sgt. Richard Bolin, 43, from Pontiac, Mich., made sure to note the military stand-ins were simply filling in for the principals.

"We're not here to impersonate them," he said. "We're here to stand in their place."

Bolin, an operations center chief, said he volunteered to represent the vice president.

"They were looking for people who were not fully, actively engaged during the rehearsal this morning," he said. "We had a lot of people out on Pennsylvania Avenue and throughout [the District of Columbia] rehearsing for what is going to happen.

Bolin said he reported to Joint Task Force National Capital Region in August to support the military's preparations "to put this world-class show on for the president."

"We're proud to support him," he added.

Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Rachel Washko, 37, of Plano, Texas, is a special events coordinator for the inauguration and represented Dr. Biden during yesterday's rehearsal. As is the case with the other stand-ins, she has not had the opportunity to meet her counterpart, she said, but she knows exactly what she would say if given the opportunity.

"It would be a real honor to meet Dr. Biden," she said. "As a military member, and a military spouse, [I know] she's done a lot for military families, and she supports education. So I'd tell her it's an honor to meet her and stand in her shoes for a day."

Neue Bodenstation in Argentinien vervollständigt modernstes Netzwerk zur Bahnverfolgung

Neue Bodenstation in Argentinien vervollständigt modernstes Netzwerk zur Bahnverfolgung

PINNACLES BECOMES 59TH U.S. NATIONAL PARK



Photo:  California Condor.  Credit:  Wikimedia Commons.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR

AMERICA’S GREAT OUTDOORS: Salazar, Jarvis Celebrate Pinnacles’ New Status as 59th National Park

President signs legislation to elevate status of 1908 national monument in California’s Gabilan Mountains

WASHINGTON – Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Director of the National Park Service Jonathan B. Jarvis today celebrated the establishment of America’s 59th national park with President Obama’s signature of legislation to elevate Pinnacles National Monument to become Pinnacles National Park.

"This ancient and awe-inspiring volcanic field with its massive monoliths, spires, cave passages and canyons is a place that restores our souls and energizes our bodies with its beauty and abundant opportunities for outdoor recreation," Salazar said. "I commend Rep. Sam Farr and Sen. Barbara Boxer for their vision in sponsoring the legislation to make it a national park."

"As with our other national parks and lands, Pinnacles also is an economic engine, supporting jobs in local communities," he said, noting that last year Pinnacles hosted more than 343,000 visitors. Each year, visitors spent about $4.8 million and support 48 jobs in the local economy.

Rising out of the Gabilan Mountains east of central California's Salinas Valley, Pinnacles is the result of millions of years of erosion, faulting and tectonic plate movement. Within the park's boundaries lie nearly 27,000 acres of diverse wild lands. Visitors delight in the beauty and variety of its spring wildflowers and more than 400 species of native bees. The Pinnacles rock formations are a popular destination to challenge technical and beginner climbers alike.

Designated as a national monument in 1908 by President Theodore Roosevelt, the park’s management will not change by the legislation. The Pinnacles National Park Act recognizes the broader significance of park resources, specifically the chaparral, grasslands, blue oak woodlands, and majestic valley oak savanna ecosystems of the area, the area's geomorphology, riparian watersheds, unique flora and fauna, and the ancestral and cultural history of native Americans, settlers and explorers.

"We are proud to add Pinnacles to our family of national parks," said Jarvis. "The beauty of the land and the diversity of recreational and educational opportunities offer a unique experience to every visitor. Pinnacles is a place worthy to be called part of ‘America’s Best Idea.'"

Pinnacles National Park is also well known as an incubator of America’s fragile population of California Condors. It is one of three condor release sites in the country, and the only release site in a national park. Pinnacles has been a partner of the California Condor Recovery Program since 2003. The park manages 31 free-flying condors. Each bird is monitored after its release to increase its chances of survival. Park biologists and volunteers monitor chicks hatched in the wild. They check blood and feather samples for signs of poisoning from ingestion of lead-contaminated food. They also monitor condors to aid research about their habitat and movement.

In addition to changing the park’s status from national monument to national park, the legislation names the park’s 16,000 acres of wilderness as the Hain Wilderness. The name honors Schuyler Hain who was an 1891 homesteader from Michigan. Within 20 years he became known as the "Father of Pinnacles" leading tours up through Bear Valley and into the caves. Hain spoke to groups and wrote articles urging preservation of the area and acted as unofficial caretaker for many years. His efforts proved fruitful with the establishment of Pinnacles as a 2,500-acre national monument in 1908 by President Theodore Roosevelt.

The rock formations of Pinnacles National Monument and the Gabilan Mountain Range divide the park into East and West Districts which are connected by trails, but not by a vehicle road. More than 30 miles of trails access geological formations, spectacular vistas and wildland communities. Pinnacles National Park is a day-use park, with occasional full moon hikes and dark sky astronomical observations led by ranger-interpreters.

The National Park System is more than 84 million acres in size and contains 398 natural, cultural and historic landscapes. This system includes 59 national parks, 125 national historical parks, national and international historic sites, 75 national monuments, as well as many national memorials, battlefields, parkways, preserves, recreation areas, seashores and lakeshores and trails.

AIR FORCE STAFF SGT. COMPETES IN MIXED-MARTIAL ARTS DURING FREE TIME

 

Air Force Staff Sgt. Jeremy Caudillo works as a fitness supervisor at Barksdale Air Force Base, La. During his free time, he trains and competes in mixed martial arts competitions and helps his fellow airmen stay fit to fight. U.S. Air Force photo illustration by Senior Airman Micaiah Anthony

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, 2ND FORCE SUPPORT SQUADRON,
Face of Defense: Airman Strives to Become Pro Fighter

By Senior Airman Micaiah Anthony
2nd Bomb Wing
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La., Jan. 11, 2013 - Many people dream of becoming rich, or of houses with white picket fences, but one airman's dream is to be locked in a blood-stained steel cage with a professional mixed martial artist.

For most, this would be a nightmare. But for Air Force Staff Sgt. Jeremy Caudillo, the 2nd Force Support Squadron fitness center supervisor here, his dream of becoming a professional MMA fighter is about to become reality.

"This has been a big dream of mine," Caudillo said. "My goal is to be the Ultimate Fighting Championship champion. I feel like MMA is my destiny."

Caudillo began his fighting career as a wrestler in high school and college. It wasn't until one of his deployments that he decided to pursue a career in MMA.

"I got interested in MMA when I was deployed to Afghanistan," he said. "I saw a few soldiers and some other guys doing combatives and jiu-jitsu, so I asked if I could partake. I started training with them, and it really started my career in MMA."

After Caudillo returned from his deployment, he joined an MMA gym and started competing in local amateur fights. His success in the ring attracted attention from producers of MTV's reality show "Caged."

"Being on the show was good for publicity," Caudillo said. "It helped me meet a couple of people in UFC and make a lot of great connections."

After more than two years of hard work and training, Caudillo recently finished his amateur career with a 6-3 record.

"I feel like I am ready to go pro," he said. "I'm setting up my first pro fight for March, and I'll make my debut in the 135-pound weight class."

Though his MMA career is taking off, Caudillo still wants to be an airman.

"I still want to keep my Air Force career," he said. "It is nice to be able to work here at the fitness center. My job in the Air Force is to train people and keep them fit to fight."

The training he receives from the Air Force and MMA go hand in hand, Caudillo said, and help him to be a better fighter and airman.

"MMA has helped me learn a lot more as far as different types of workouts [are concerned]," he added. "What I learn at the MMA gym I take back to my squadron and use it to train people. I also use some of the fitness fundamentals that I learned in the Air Force to help me with my strength and endurance training for MMA."

Caudillo uses full-body workouts along with core and strength training to help his fellow airmen pass their physical fitness tests and stay in shape.

"Before, I would just do basic exercises like running, pushups and situps to pass my [fitness] test," said Air Force Staff Sgt. Crystal McElvane, 2nd Force Support Squadron unit deployment manager. "Working out with [Caudillo] is a different level of intensity; it's a total-body workout. I am definitely getting more tone."

In return, Caudillo receives a lot of support from the base community.

"A lot of my co-workers and other airmen come to my fights to support me," he said. "It feels great to have them come and cheer me on."

With his last amateur fight behind him and a promising professional MMA career in front of him, Caudillo will be in the gym doing one of two things: working or training.

CHIROPRACTOR ASSOCIATION REACHES SETTLEMENT WITH DOJ REGARDING SETTING PRICES ACROSS COMPETITORS

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Thursday, January 10, 2013
Justice Department Challenges Joint Contracting on Behalf of Oklahoma Chiropractors

Settlement Bars Chiropractor Association and Its Executive Director from Conspiring to Raise Fees

WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced today that it has reached a settlement that will require the Oklahoma State Chiropractic Independent Physicians Association (OSCIPA) and its executive director to stop jointly determining prices and negotiating contracts with insurers on behalf of competing chiropractors in Oklahoma. The department said that the association and executive director negotiated at least seven contracts with insurers that set prices for chiropractic services on behalf of OSCIPA’s members, and that their conduct caused consumers to pay higher fees for chiropractic services in Oklahoma.

The department’s Antitrust Division filed a civil antitrust lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma against OSCIPA and executive director, Larry M. Bridges. At the same time, the department filed a proposed settlement that, if approved by the court, would resolve the lawsuit.

"By jointly negotiating fees on behalf of competing chiropractors, the association and its executive director increased the prices that consumers paid for chiropractic services in Oklahoma," said Bill Baer, Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. "Today’s settlement promotes competition among Oklahoma chiropractors and prevents the association and its executive director from engaging in illegal conduct that caused consumers to pay more for their health care."

According to the complaint, OSCIPA–which is comprised of approximately 45 percent of all practicing chiropractors in Oklahoma–and Bridges collectively negotiated the rates and price-related terms for at least seven contracts with insurers on behalf of OSCIPA’s members and required members to suspend their pre-existing contracts with those same insurers. The association and Bridges also required OSCIPA’s members to accept only reimbursements above a certain level and prohibited members from offering insurers incentives or rebates, such as by waiving deductibles. Except for members who were part of the same practice groups, OSCIPA’s members were not clinically or financially integrated, and the association’s and Bridges’ actions were not necessary to achieve any benefits for consumers.

The proposed settlement will prevent the association and Bridges from establishing prices or terms for chiropractic services and from negotiating with insurers on behalf of competing chiropractors. The proposed settlement also will prevent them from attempting to facilitate joint negotiations and from communicating with chiropractors about any aspect of pricing or contracting.

The Oklahoma State Chiropractic Independent Physicians Association is headquartered in Tulsa, Okla. Bridges has been employed by OSCIPA as its executive director since at least 1999.

The proposed settlement, along with the department’s competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register as required by the Antitrust Procedures and Penalties Act. Any person may submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement within 60 days of its publication to Peter J. Mucchetti, Chief, Litigation I Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 4100, Washington, D.C. 20530. At the conclusion of the 60-day comment period, the court may enter the final judgment upon finding that it serves the public interest.

PLANNING FOR DISASTERS

FROM: FEMA
Preparedness Is For Everyone

WINDSOR, Conn. — How quickly people recover from an emergency may depend on the thought and planning put into preparing for a possible event.

"Every person has unique needs that should be taken into account," said FEMA’s Federal Coordinating Officer Albert Lewis, in charge of the federal recovery in Connecticut. "Everyone – and this includes people with disabilities, children, families and older Americans – should plan for all types of emergencies."

Make a plan that includes letting family and friends know your location if you are required to evacuate from your home. Another first action is to put together a basic emergency kit. This should include:
Three-day supply of water and nonperishable food
Medications to last at least a week
Battery-powered or crank radio
Flashlight and extra batteries
Whistle to signal for help
Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
First aid kit, extra glasses, hearing aids with extra batteries, and copies of prescriptions
Important documents such as insurance and bank information, Social Security numbers for every family member, and cash and credit cards
Put these important documents in a waterproof container ready to pick up at a moment’s notice. Move anything that may block your path to the exit if you need to evacuate, particularly if the power is out.

Plan for pets as well. Plan to take them with you if you have to evacuate. Take along appropriate food, water and other necessities. Who knows when you might be able to return?

Stay informed about your local situation. Know what the local officials are advising and be ready with your emergency kit. You may need more than one kit: one for sheltering at home and one to take with you.

NASA Rules Out Earth Impact in 2036 for Asteroid Apophis - NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

NASA Rules Out Earth Impact in 2036 for Asteroid Apophis - NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Zero Robotics - Scholieren besturen minisatellieten ín het ISS

Zero Robotics - Scholieren besturen minisatellieten ín het ISS

NEW ORLEANS POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL BE TRANSFORMED

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Friday, January 11, 2013

Court Finalizes Consent Decree to Transform the New Orleans Police Department

Today, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana entered an order granting the joint motion of the United States and the city of New Orleans to enter the consent decree regarding the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD). This order is a critical milestone in reforming the long-troubled NOPD and is an important step in dealing with the public safety crisis in New Orleans and in restoring community confidence in the New Orleans criminal justice system. The court’s order ensures critical changes to policy and practices, oversight by a federal monitor and transparency so that the community can continue to participate in and track the reform process. The order finalizes this binding agreement that was extensively negotiated between the department and the city, and allows for that agreement’s immediate implementation. The department and the city signed the agreement in July 2012.

"The Department of Justice appreciates the court’s careful attention to this matter," said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. "The court’s action today ensures that the people of New Orleans will have a police department that respects the Constitution, ensures public safety and earns the confidence of the community. This decree will provide the city with important tools to reduce crime, ensure effective, constitutional policing and restore public confidence in NOPD."

As outlined in the court’s order, approval of the consent decree comes after thorough review of the consent decree to determine if it is fair, reasonable and adequate to address the long-standing constitutional deficiencies within NOPD. The review included hearing extensive testimony from the United States, the city, the Office of the Independent Police Monitor, the Fraternal Order of Police and the Police Association of New Orleans and many other New Orleans stakeholders and residents. The testimony reaffirmed both that NOPD engages in unconstitutional conduct, and that there is a public safety crisis in New Orleans that the NOPD can only address by implementing the reforms required by the decree.

The court’s approval of the consent decree comes at a time of continuing and serious public safety challenges in New Orleans.

"The deficiencies within NOPD that the Department of Justice identified during its extensive investigation continue to plague New Orleans," said Assistant Attorney General Perez. "Time is of the essence. We look forward to the immediate implementation of the agreement, and stand ready to work with all stakeholders in New Orleans to continue the reform process."

The department opened an investigation into NOPD in May 2010 after Mayor Landrieu asked for the department’s help with a complete transformation of NOPD. After a thorough investigation of NOPD’s policies and practices the department issued a letter of findings in March 2011 that outlined a pattern of unconstitutional conduct and violations of federal law that stemmed from entrenched practices within NOPD. These constitutional violations include use of excessive force; unconstitutional stops, searches and arrests, and; discriminatory and biased policing based on gender, race, national origin and sexual orientation.

"In his first days in office, Mayor Landrieu called for a comprehensive federal civil rights investigation of NOPD, and said that ‘nothing short of the complete transformation is necessary and essential to ensure safety for the citizens of New Orleans.’ This consent decree provides the roadmap for the complete transformation of NOPD," said Assistant Attorney General Perez.