FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Remarks
David M. Luna
Director for Anticrime Programs, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs
Jakarta, Indonesia
January 26, 2013
Good morning.
It is a pleasure to be here with you as we begin the new APEC year.
The United States applauds the leadership of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia as the APEC Host Economy in 2013 and the Indonesian Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) as Chair of this year’s APEC Anticorruption and Transparency (ACT) Working Group.
Your Excellency, Bambang Widjowanto, KPK Deputy Chairman, as a previous Chair of this very important and influential sub-forum in APEC, let me congratulate you on your appointment as our new ACT Chair and commend your life-long commitment to promoting human rights, advancing the rule of law, and safeguarding integrity in Indonesia.
The KPK remains a model within APEC on prosecuting high-level corruption cases, including within the police and security agencies, and demonstrating to us all that no official is above the law. The ACT must continue to support the KPK and all of our economies’ anticorruption authorities to eradicate corruption, safeguard integrity and public trust, and restore people’s faith in government as a steward of equality and justice.
I would also like to thank the Government of the Russian Federation for its leadership last year, and applaud all of the economies here for our collective achievements in 2012. I am confident that we will make great gains this year on developing an APEC regional network of anticorruption authorities that further protects our economies against abuses of power and the plunder of our national assets, human capital, and natural resources.
In 2013, we must work together to achieve the three core objectives outlined in our ACT five-year strategy: 1) to minimize impunity and kleptocracy by preventing and prosecuting public corruption; 2) to level the playing field for all businesses by fighting foreign bribery; and 3) to shut down the illegal economy and criminalized markets by combating corruption and illicit trade.
Combating Impunity and Kleptocracy: Enough is Enough!
No economy is immune from corruption, nor can any economy combat it alone. In addition to effective governance within our own jurisdictions, we must take collective action to improve governance across borders and reconfigure the way we fight corruption with smarter, more holistic strategies and approaches. We must work to prevent the flow of illicit funds, including proceeds of corruption.
APEC Leaders recognized the ACT work program in the 2012 Vladivostok Declaration on Fighting Corruption. They emphasized their commitment to investigate and prosecute corruption; to enforce our domestic bribery laws and laws criminalizing the bribery of foreign public officials; to fight money laundering and deny safe haven to assets illicitly acquired by individuals engaged in corruption. They also vowed to combat illicit trade by attacking the financial underpinnings of transnational criminal organizations and illicit networks; stripping criminal entrepreneurs and corrupt officials of their illicit wealth; and severing their access to the global financial system.
The Vladivostok Declaration also renewed and elevated APEC Leaders’ commitment to "enhance public trust by committing to transparent, fair, and accountable governance" to empower communities to monitor government policies and voice their perspectives on the use of resources.
Voice and accountability can not only help check corruption, but also allow our citizens and communities to take hold of their destinies, enjoy higher standards of living, and trust that their governments exist to do good. Transparent and open governments tend to pursue cost-effective policies; minimize misallocation of resources; and attract investment from companies looking for solid investment environments and opportunities. This is why eight APEC member countries (Canada, Chile, Indonesia, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, Russia, and the United States) have joined the Open Government Partnership (OGP), a multi-stakeholder initiative launched in 2011 to promote transparency, enhance accountability, and fight corruption. Indonesia is also a co-chair of the OGP’s Steering Committee this year, and its leadership of both the OGP and the ACT presents an opportunity for us all to further our efforts to enhance public trust and raise standards of living.
Our Leaders have spoken. They have repeatedly affirmed their will to combat corruption across the Asia Pacific region. We must answer them with a transformative good governance agenda that will anchor economic growth and development from Moscow to Jakarta, from Beijing to Lima, from San Francisco to Sydney, and transform people’s lives across all markets in APEC.
ACT colleagues, we must act decisively and collectively to implement the five-year strategy. I am confident that we can fulfill our Leaders’ mandate and achieve APEC’s broader agenda to secure open markets, economic prosperity, and the rule of law.
Fighting All Forms of Bribery
Continued cooperation with the private sector is a critical component of our efforts to level the playing field for businesses across APEC economies.
Our recent work with the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) and other partners has ushered in a new era of cooperation between the public and private sectors. This partnership is enhancing market integrity and forging a more connected, innovative, and dynamic Asia Pacific region that thrives on openness and a rules-based approach to trade and investment.
We can do more. Building on the APEC Santiago Commitment, the APEC Code of Conduct for Business (Business Integrity and Transparency Principles for the Private Sector), and the Complementary Anti-Corruption Principles for the Public and Private Sectors, we can vigorously enforce domestic bribery laws, including laws criminalizing the bribery of foreign public officials, and fulfill our international obligations. I also hope that we can continue to share experiences and best practices in combating foreign bribery, enlist the private sector as a partner in combating bribery, and provide specialized training to make greater inroads on this important front.
We can minimize corruption as a significant market and trade barrier and improve the investment climate in our economies by ensuring that we effectively investigate and prosecute corrupt public officials and those who bribe them, in compliance with our respective domestic laws and international obligations, where appropriate, under the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), the Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions and similar instruments.
The United States looks forward to working with Indonesia, China, and all economies to support stronger bribery enforcement, prosecutions, and other actions in APEC in 2013-2014.
Combating Illicit Trade and Shutting Down the Illegal Economy
Sustainable economic growth also depends on our progress to combat illicit trade and its pernicious impact on the environment and markets.
Illicit trade and the illegal economy undermine social stability and the welfare of our communities. Illicit enterprises not only distort the legal economy, but they also divert revenue from legitimate market drivers such as businesses and governments. Illicit trade further hampers development by preventing the equitable distribution of public goods. But this goes beyond just economic harm. The illegal economy also incurs a significant negative social cost, and in some cases, devastates vital ecosystems and habitats.
The dumping of toxic waste contaminates our food and water supplies. Illegal logging and deforestation or poaching exacerbate climate change and undermine our ability in APEC to advance inclusive, green, sustainable development. Poaching and trafficking of endangered wildlife robs economies of their natural assets and their future.
The corruption that allows counterfeit or ineffective pharmaceuticals to enter our communities endangers public health, denying the sick effective treatment and permitting deadly diseases to mutate and become untreatable.
The corruption that allows traffickers to move people across borders and exploit them with impunity not only violates individuals’ basic rights and freedoms but also stunts both their and their communities’ economic potential and political development.
Kleptocracy and the embezzlement of national revenue and assets that are intended to finance the future for our citizens impair the ability of communities to make the investments necessary to stimulate growth. Revenue that could be used to build roads to facilitate commerce, hospitals to save lives, homes to raise and protect families, or schools to educate future leaders and entrepreneurs is instead siphoned away for private gain.
APEC has a number of tools in its toolkit to combat corruption and illicit trade, and we have an ongoing opportunity to work together to comprehensively and holistically combat corruption, as well as illicit finance more broadly; to foster integrity in global markets and supply chains; and to protect and promote economic growth and shared prosperity.
Among them is the ACT Multi-Year Project that Thailand and Chile are co-leading on ways to combat money laundering, recover the fruits of corrupt and criminal activity, and track illicit financial flows. As kleptocrats and criminal entrepreneurs continue to hide the proceeds of their crimes in legal structures such as offshore shell companies and foundations and then launder most of that through casinos, financial institutions, or real estate into the global financial system, we must bring them to justice and, where possible, return their illicit wealth back to impacted communities.
To do this effectively, we must also target more aggressively the financial facilitators and service providers who commit crimes in helping corrupt officials, criminals, and illicit networks inject their dirty money into our financial system.
The APEC-ASEAN Pathfinder Workshop on Combating Corruption and Illicit Trade that will be held in Siem Reap, Cambodia, in June 2013, will advance a dialogue among partners across the Asia Pacific region and strengthen cooperation by creating a network of anticorruption authorities, promoting information and intelligence exchanges, and facilitating cooperation and information sharing in investigations related to corruption and illicit trade and efforts to shut down the illegal economy.
More broadly, we can and should support the effective implementation of global anti-money laundering standards promulgated by the Financial Action Task Force. Among these are preventive measures that facilitate financial transparency and help prevent the flow of proceeds of corruption.
Converting Political Will into Action: Regional Networks and Partnerships
We can build on our APEC anti-corruption and transparency commitments and the collaborative relationships around this table to create a regional network of anti-corruption bodies that would facilitate the sharing of intelligence and information, as well as the sharing of best practices and challenges in effectively tracking cross-border corruption, other crime, and illicit financial flows.
The United States is more committed than ever to combating corruption and illicit trade, and we look forward to the discussion here in Jakarta.
Together, we will create a better, more prosperous future by uniting our efforts to combat corruption and support accountability and good governance. We must turn our shared interests into collective action by developing more comprehensive approaches to combating corruption so that we can prosecute corrupt public officials and those who bribe them.
Again, I wish Indonesia a great and successful year in APEC 2013 and applaud my ACT colleagues for developing and pressing forward on a vibrant course of action to fight corruption and promote integrity—a course that I know will lead us towards economic growth and a stronger foundation to build the new markets and investment frontiers of tomorrow.
Thank you.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
U.S. CONTINUES SUPPORT FOR FRANCE IN MALI
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| Pentagon Press Secretary George Little briefs reporters at the Pentagon, Jan. 29, 2013. During the press event, Little provided an update on the U.S. role in supporting France's military operations in Mali. DOD photo by Glenn Fawcett |
Air Force Continues Support to France in Mali
By Claudette Roulo
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 29, 2013 - The U.S. Air Force continues to back French air operations in Mali through refueling efforts, logistical movements, troop transport and information sharing, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.
"Since French operations began Jan. 11, the U.S. has been sharing intelligence with the French," Little told reporters. The United States has provided airlift support to the French army since Jan. 21, he added, and began refueling support for French air operations Jan. 27.
As of Jan. 27, the U.S. Air Force had flown 17 C-17 sorties, moving more than 391 tons of equipment and supplies and nearly 500 French personnel into Bamako, Little said.
One refueling mission has been conducted so far, Little said, when a KC-135 Stratotanker provided about 33,000 pounds of fuel to French fighter aircraft. More refueling missions are expected to take place today, he added, noting that the United States is in constant consultation with France on their operations in Mali.
Following a phone call between Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and his French counterpart, the United States also has agreed to support the international effort by providing airlift to countries in the region, including Chad and Togo, Little said.
Further French requests for assistance will be reviewed, Little said, noting that the U.S. strongly supports French operations in Mali against al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb.
"AQIM and other terrorist groups have threatened to establish a safe haven in Mali, and the French have done absolutely the right thing," Little said. "We will continue to assess their needs and what our support might be in the future."
Panetta has stressed the need to go after al-Qaida wherever they are, Little said, including its various branches in south Asia and Africa.
"AQIM poses a threat in the region, and I can't rule out the possibility that AQIM poses a threat to U.S. interests," he said. "This is a group that has shown its ability to demonstrate brutality and to conduct attacks. And it's very important that we work with our partners in the region and our allies to thwart them."
U.S. NAVY DENTIST READIES TO PROVIDE FREE DENTAL CARE IN THE PHILIPPINES
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| Navy Cmdr. (Dr.) William Lyons has dedicated nearly 25 years to providing humanitarian aid in developing countries. He is preparing to deploy to the Philippines to provide dental care. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kenneth Jasik |
Face of Defense: Dentist Looks Forward to Humanitarian MissionBy Marine Corps Cpl. Kenneth Jasik
1st Marine Logistics Group
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif., Jan. 25, 2013 - A Navy dentist with 1st Dental Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, is preparing for a deployment to the Philippines, where he will provide free dental care for the local population.
Navy Cmdr. (Dr.) William Lyons, a native of Dubuque, Iowa, has been serving in humanitarian assistance projects for nearly 25 years.
"It's one of the best things I think a person could do," he said. "It's rewarding in more ways than money could ever be."
Lyons recalled a girl in Vietnam who was about 10 years old and had broken off a front tooth. "She didn't have it fixed for a long time, and I was able to put on a restoration to restore the contour and aesthetics," he said. "The smile that little girl gave me back is just something I'll never forget."
Lyons has been to Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Philippines, and Vietnam to provide dental care.
"Every place has its own unique experiences, meeting the different people," he said. "They are friendly and just all-around good people. It makes you happy just to provide treatment for them."
Lyons is prepared to deploy to the Philippines in early March, and said he is very excited for another opportunity to help a community.
"If one wants to go to a country and meet the people, volunteer work is an excellent way to do that," he said. "You're going to link up with some local people, and they'll take you into their group and show you things you wouldn't see as a tourist."
Lyons said he learns new things every time he volunteers. Whether on the home front in San Diego or overseas in an impoverished country, he said, he is ready to help.
"Regardless of what you are doing, it improves you in a sense that is not easy to explain," he added. "You get a lot of self-satisfaction out of it."
U.S. MILITARY: WOMEN TO HAVE MORE ROLES IN SPEACIAL OPERATIONS
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Officials to Study More Roles for Women in Special Ops
By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 29, 2013 - With women already providing direct support in special operations, officials are studying how to open more positions that currently are open only to men, the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command said here today.
Navy Adm. William H. McRaven touched on the future of women in special operations during remarks at the National Defense Industrial Association's 24th Annual Special Operations and Low-intensity Conflict Symposium.
Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, announced last week that the 1994 policy that excluded women from serving in direct ground combat positions is rescinded.
"We have had women supporting direct special operations for quite some time," McRaven noted today. "So I am fully supportive of Secretary Panetta and the chairman's decision to do this -- and frankly, so were all the service chiefs and combatant commanders."
Special operations forces include a number of women with specialized language, cultural and special skills training, but McRaven acknowledged that Army Rangers, Navy SEALs and other "door-kicking" special operations units have never included women. Socom leaders have an opportunity over the next few years to assess how to open the command's ranks to women, McRaven said.
"I'm required to report back to the secretary, by the first quarter of [fiscal 2016], a plan on how to integrate them," he added.
The new guidance requires that standards be gender-neutral, the admiral noted. "We never had gender standards, ... because we had no female population. ... We had an all-male population that was going to become Rangers, or SEALs, or infantrymen," he said. "So that was the standard."
McRaven said he and his staff are looking forward to figuring out ways to integrate women into direct special operations roles.
"I guarantee you, there will be females out there that will come to [basic underwater demolition/SEAL] training or be Rangers ... and will do a phenomenal job," he said.
Officials to Study More Roles for Women in Special Ops
By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 29, 2013 - With women already providing direct support in special operations, officials are studying how to open more positions that currently are open only to men, the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command said here today.
Navy Adm. William H. McRaven touched on the future of women in special operations during remarks at the National Defense Industrial Association's 24th Annual Special Operations and Low-intensity Conflict Symposium.
Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, announced last week that the 1994 policy that excluded women from serving in direct ground combat positions is rescinded.
"We have had women supporting direct special operations for quite some time," McRaven noted today. "So I am fully supportive of Secretary Panetta and the chairman's decision to do this -- and frankly, so were all the service chiefs and combatant commanders."
Special operations forces include a number of women with specialized language, cultural and special skills training, but McRaven acknowledged that Army Rangers, Navy SEALs and other "door-kicking" special operations units have never included women. Socom leaders have an opportunity over the next few years to assess how to open the command's ranks to women, McRaven said.
"I'm required to report back to the secretary, by the first quarter of [fiscal 2016], a plan on how to integrate them," he added.
The new guidance requires that standards be gender-neutral, the admiral noted. "We never had gender standards, ... because we had no female population. ... We had an all-male population that was going to become Rangers, or SEALs, or infantrymen," he said. "So that was the standard."
McRaven said he and his staff are looking forward to figuring out ways to integrate women into direct special operations roles.
"I guarantee you, there will be females out there that will come to [basic underwater demolition/SEAL] training or be Rangers ... and will do a phenomenal job," he said.
NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR JANUARY 29, 2013
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| Photo: Afghanistan Search. Credit: U.S. Marine Corps. |
Combined Force Arrests Taliban IED Attack Leader
From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release
KABUL, Afghanistan, Jan. 29, 2013 - A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban leader in the Arghandab district of Afghanistan's Kandahar province today, military officials reported.
The leader was responsible for planning and executing improvised explosive device attacks against Afghan and coalition forces, and was planning an IED attack against Afghan civilians when he was arrested, officials said.
The security force also detained a suspected insurgent and seized ammunition in the operation.
Also today, a combined force in Baghlan province's Burkah district arrested an Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leader who conducted assassinations directed by insurgent leadership and coordinated the acquisition and delivery of weapons for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. The security force also seized an assault rifle with associated gear and ammunition.
In Kandahar province's Spin Boldak district yesterday, a combined force arrested a Taliban leader responsible for building, planting and distributing IEDs. He also conducted surveillance of Afghan and coalition forces in preparation for IED attacks and organized the transfer and delivery of IEDs to other insurgents.
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS REMARK'S ON 'EMERGING GLOBAL ECONOMIC ORDER'
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| Photo: Taj Mahal. Credit: U.S. State Department. |
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
The New Emerging Global Economic Order: Taking the U.S.-India Example
Remarks
Robert D. Hormats
Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, Bureau of Economic, Energy and Business Affairs
Agra, India
January 28, 2013
As prepared for delivery
Thank you for that wonderful greeting. I am honored to accept your invitation to participate in the Partnership 2013 Summit. For me this is an excellent opportunity to learn from so many distinguished women and men from across India and from around the world. To be back in Agra, against the backdrop of one of the great works of art and love of mankind, the TajMahal, is a distinct and profound pleasure. I am always happy to be in India. On Saturday, I fulfilled a long held wish, when I was able to witness Republic Day in all of its splendor. It is a remarkable event that I will long remember.
I first came to India as a young man. I traveled the Grand Trunk Road and discovered for myself "incredible India" – long before that term became a common one. My month-long journey on buses and trains – and sometimes on top of buses and trains – was one I have never forgotten. I saw up close and in action this country’s vibrant democracy, and rich, diverse, creative society. I was left with a deep and enduring affection for both India’s people and its indomitable spirit.
It is common knowledge that we are in the midst of an historic realignment in the locus of economic growth and demographics globally. Emerging economies in South and East Asia in particular are making, and are projected to continue to make, historical gains.Some in the developed world may find this threatening. I view the growing regional linkages and rapid economic growth in Asia as an opportunity to expand the economic pie and create additional growth for all.
A New Silk Road linking Central and South Asia as well as an Indo-Pacific Economic Corridor linking the rapidly expanding economies of South and Southeast Asia would help unlock and expand markets for global goods and services.
I will speak more about regional economic integration on Wednesday, in Delhi. But today I want to focus on the role industrialized countries and emerging economies can play together in the rapidly changing global economic order.
I believe nations like mine can seize this opportunity to develop new sets of cooperative relations with emerging economies to increase trade, encourage closer cultural ties, boost energy production and reliability, address environmental challenges, and improve global stability. We seek new partnerships to address the needs of the 21st century.
The burgeoning U.S.-India economic relationship is a prime example of how this is unfolding. I am not a believer in a zero sum game. The more we, and other nations represented here, can cooperate in ensuring a fair, transparent, rules based trading and financial system, with broadly shared responsibility, the more we all will prosper. The New Global Economic Order will require both the utilization of current institutions, but also pragmatic bilateral and regional cooperation.
The depth and breadth of U.S.-India ties make this relationship a model for discussing Global Partnerships for Enduring Growth – the theme of our conference. I’d like to discuss why we take this relationship so seriously.
As President Obama told the Indian parliament last year, the relationship between India and America will be one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century, rooted in common values and interests. We not only welcome India as a strong and influential participant in the world economy, we fully support it. I would say the same about the nations of ASEAN and others in this region. Indeed, we see ASEAN and India as two of the strongest pillars of the global economies in the 21st century.
When people ask why the United States is so interested in expanding its ties with India, my response is three-fold – One, our ties make geo-strategic sense. Two, they make geo-economic sense. And three, and most importantly, our citizens will benefit from it.
In India, Prime Minister Singh has labeled this the "Decade of Innovation." He concurrently established the National Innovation Council to create policies that support medium-to-long term innovation in India. As the Government of India notes in its draft National IPR strategy, "for innovation to create any impact, it is imperative to take the idea from the mind to the laboratory to the market."But to do that, innovators in areas such as information technology, pharmaceuticals, and clean energy need assurance that their ideas will be protected throughout that process. This is not only for them. It encourages more innovation and investment in these and other sectors. That is why we strongly support working together with India and other nations of Asia to ensure a strong intellectual property rights system that will encourage high-technology innovations, providing wide-spread benefits to all of our nations.
We also encouragethe Indian government and all of our trading partners to considera range of market-based solutions that can better support jobs and growth, while creating a level playing field.Predictable and clear policies will encourage businesses to expand, and to devote the long-term capital and resources required for further growth.Working together, the United States and India can realize the kind of innovation our leaders envision.Science, technology, and the environment are areas characterized by mutual interest and expanding cooperation.
Our collaborative effort in agriculture includes efforts to stop food loss between the farmer and the consumer, increasing prosperity for both. Such losses are enormous and a great tragedy. This can be prevented by cold chain storage and other methods. Companies are willing to invest in such systems if given the right opportunities and a welcoming environment.
On the investment side, the U.S. and Indian governments have engaged in Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) negotiations. We’re aiming for a BIT that gives a high level of openness to investment across the economy, provides strong rules on investor protection and transparency, and offers effective means for resolving investment disputes.Our S&T cooperation includes cutting edge work in space science, where we work together on Earth observation satellite projects that help us predict monsoon patterns and respond to natural disasters.
The Clean Energy Finance Center in New Delhi represents U.S. agencies that have mobilized more than $1.7 billion for clean energy projects in India, working in tandem with Indian government and industry partners. We both benefit from our comprehensive strategic dialogue on energy, in light of dramatic changes in technology and in the global energy market . This dialogue takes on even more importancewith the growing role of the Indian Ocean in global energy shipments, regional energy and maritime security, growing power needs, and sustainable clean energy objectives. We seek a broader and deeper dialogue on energy, for similar reasons, with countries in south and east Asia. We do not see the American energy boom as a reason to pull back from engagement, but as an opportunity to expand mutually beneficial engagement.
In addition to business connections, people to people connections are one of our strongest links.
More than 12,000 American alumni of Indian institutions are part of our efforts to strengthen and broaden relations with India.So are the more than three million Indian-Americans living in the United States. And last year, over 100,000 Indian students came to the U.S. to study.
With the increasing connectivity of our universities, our businesses, and our civil societies, we are seeing more engagement than ever. And I think thatincreasingly,state-level and city-level leadersin both countries, see great opportunities for their citizens from new city-to-city and state-to-state partnerships. Theseare creating the next generation, and a deeper level, of economic diplomacy. More and more international economic diplomacy will be the work of mayors, governors, chief ministers and their teams.
For example:
• Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Chauhan recently visited the U.S. to describe his state’s ambitious agriculture reforms, including loan guarantees to farmers, improving irrigation, and "a single window system" for expeditious foreign investment approvals;
• CII—our hosts today—recently brought a delegation of business leaders from the state of Jammu & Kashmir to visit several U.S. cities. J&K has developed cold chain infrastructure with the help of U.S. partners that preserves apples as they go from farm to market, much as Tamil Nadu has done for bananas. Both are very positive examples;
• Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear just announced a 25-year coal deal between American companies and India;
• Washington state’s Governor Christine Gregoire has established partnerships in energy, life sciences, and film; and
• City mayors like San Antonio’s dynamicJulian Castro—who will also be participating at this summit tomorrow—are building ties with new and existing India partners.
• Our Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley led a trade mission to Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and New Delhi. Thisrepresented the largest ever state trade mission to India. Because Maryland is my home state I am especially proud of this.
In the Third U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue, Secretary Clinton welcomed Minister Krishna’s proposal for a "Conversation Between Cities" to take place in 2013 to address "urban challenges and solutions in the 21st Century."
Our states and our cities are the real laboratory test tubes of democracy and creative economic policy —where our citizens are in close and direct contact with their local governments, where our entrepreneurs establish and develop new business that drive employment, and where our institutions of higher education help us all enhance our skills and retrain for new opportunities.
So the robust connections between Indian and American states and cities are a welcome commercial development, and offer both countries more ways to take the strategic partnership to an even more ambitious level. We seek to do the same with others in this region.
While we have come far, we still have more work to do to ensure this relationship achieves its potential. The United States is enormously optimistic about India’s future –
(1) that India’s greater role on the world stage will enhance peace and security;
(2) thatfurther opening India’s markets will pave the way to greater regional and global prosperity;
(3) that Indian advances in science and technology will improve lives and advance human knowledge everywhere; and
(4) that India’s vibrant, pluralistic democracy – where the rights of men and women are equally represented and both have an equal opportunity to succeed and contribute – will produce measurable results and improvements for its citizens.
But our governments cannot assume the relationship will be self-sustaining without mutual effort. This is the challenge we all face today. We have the opportunity to establish a framework for enduring growth for our two countries. And all of our countries together need to establish a series of bilateral and regional partnership for Central Asia, for East Asia, and for connections between them. Now each of us individually and – all of us– need to take the next steps to ensure that this process continues and strengthens.
CFTC CHARGES FIRMS AND INDIVIDUALS WITH MAKING ILLEGAL TRANSACTIONS IN PRECIOUS METALS
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| Photo: Gold Buddha Of Burma. Credit: CIA World Factbook. |
January 28, 2013
CFTC Charges Four Florida-based Precious Metals Firms and Three Individuals for Engaging in Illegal Retail Off-Exchange Transactions in Precious Metals
CFTC Orders Bar Secured Precious Metals International, Inc., Secured Precious Metals Management, Inc., Barclay Metals, Inc., Universal Clearing, LLC, Linda Laramie, Sean Stropp, and Sylvia Williams from commodities industry for five-years
Washington DC – The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) today issued two Orders filing and settling charges against two Fort Lauderdale, Fla. companies, Secured Precious Metals International, Inc. and Secured Precious Metals Management, Inc., and their sole owner and principal, Linda Laramie (collectively SPM), as well as two West Palm Beach, Fla. companies, Barclay Metals, Inc. and Universal Clearing, LLC, and their owners and principals, Sean Stropp and Sylvia Williams (collectively Barclay), all for engaging in illegal off-exchange financed transactions in precious metals with retail customers.
The Illegal Transactions
The CFTC Orders find that from July 2011 through June 2012, SPM and Barclay solicited retail customers, generally by telephone or through their websites, to buy and sell physical precious metals, such as gold and silver, in off-exchange leverage transactions. According to the Orders, customers paid as little as 20 percent of the purchase price for the metals, and SPM and Barclay purportedly financed the remainder of the purchase price, while charging the customers interest on the amount borrowed. The CFTC Orders state that financed off-exchange transactions with retail customers have been illegal since July 16, 2011, when certain amendments of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 became effective. As explained in the Orders, financed transactions in commodities with retail customers like those engaged in by SPM and Barclay must be executed on, or subject to, the rules of a board of trade that has been approved by the CFTC. Since SPM and Barclay’s transactions were done off-exchange with customers who were not eligible contract participants, they were illegal, the Orders find.
The CFTC Orders also state that SPM and Barclay acted as dealers for Hunter Wise Commodities, LLC (Hunter Wise), a metals merchant. The CFTC filed suit in federal court in Florida against Hunter Wise on December 5, 2012 (see CFTC Release 6447-12). However, as alleged in the CFTC complaint against Hunter Wise and according to the orders entered against SPM and Barclay, neither SPM, Barclay, nor Hunter Wise purchased physical commodities on the customers’ behalf, disbursed any funds to finance the remaining portion of the purchase price, or stored any physical commodities for customers. The Orders find that SPM and Barclay’s customers thus never owned, possessed, or received title to the physical commodities that they believed they purchased.
The CFTC Orders require SPM and Barclay to cease and desist from violating Section 4(a) of the Commodity Exchange Act, as charged, and prohibit them for a five-year period from trading on or pursuant to the rules of any registered entity. The Orders also require SPM and Barclay to comply with certain undertakings, including cooperating fully and expeditiously with the CFTC in related matters. The Orders, which do not impose civil monetary penalties, acknowledge the substantial cooperation of SPM and Barclay.
CFTC’s Precious Metals Fraud Advisory
In January 2012, the CFTC issued a Consumer Fraud Advisory regarding precious metals fraud, saying that it had seen an increase in the number of companies offering customers the opportunity to buy or invest in precious metals (see the Advisory). The CFTC’s Precious Metals Consumer Fraud Advisory specifically warns that frequently companies do not purchase any physical metals for the customer, instead simply keeping the customer’s funds. The Advisory further cautions consumers that leveraged commodity transactions are unlawful unless executed on a regulated exchange.
CFTC Division of Enforcement staff responsible for this matter: David Terrell, Joy McCormack, Jennifer Chapin, Steve Turley, Jeff Le Riche, Elizabeth M. Streit, Scott R. Williamson, Rosemary Hollinger, Rick Glaser, and Richard Wagner.
U.S.-CURACAO RELATIONS
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| Map: Curacao. Credit: CIA World Factbook. |
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Curacao has semi-autonomy within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It conducts foreign affairs, including with the United States, through the Netherlands, whose embassies and consulates issue visas for travel to the island.
Tourism and financial services are mainstays of Curacao’s economy. Approximately 800,000 tourists per year visit Curacao, with almost 25% of those from the United States. Oil refining is a key part of the economy; most of the refined products are exported to the U.S. The U.S. is a major supplier of consumer and capital goods imported by Curacao. In 2010, the U.S. accounted for 40% of Curacao's exports and 37% of Curacao's imports.
The U.S. Consulate General in Curacao is responsible for the day-to-day management of relations with the Dutch Caribbean, which includes Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten. Due to the strategic location of the Dutch Caribbean for the United States, the consulate deals with issues such as securing U.S. borders, countering terrorism, and fighting international crime, especially narcotics trafficking and human trafficking. The consulate provides a variety of services to U.S. citizens; it also can issue non-immigrant visas for certain travelers to the U.S. who wish to visit, work, or study for a temporary period.
The consulate was opened in 1793. It was one of the earliest U.S. consulates, reflecting the importance of Caribbean trade to the new United States. The Consul General resides in the historic Roosevelt House, which was the local government's gift of property to the United States in 1950 as an expression of gratitude for U.S. protection during World War II.
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| Locator Map: Curacao. Credit: CIA World Factbook. |
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM CIA WORLD FACTBOOK
Originally settled by Arawak Indians, Curacao was seized by the Dutch in 1634 along with the neighboring island of Bonaire. Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, Curacao was hard hit economically by the abolition of slavery in 1863. Its prosperity (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in the early 20th century with the construction of the Isla Refineria to service the newly discovered Venezuelan oil fields. In 1954, Curacao and several other Dutch Caribbean possessions were reorganized as the Netherlands Antilles, part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In referenda in 2005 and 2009, the citizens of Curacao voted to become a self-governing country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The change in status became effective in October 2010 with the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles.
U.S. NAVY AND TIMOR-LESTE BUILD PARTNERSHIPS
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| 130125-N-ZZ999-001 PORT HERA NAVY BASE, Timor-Leste (Jan. 25, 2013) U.S. Ambassador Judith Fergin addresses members of the U.S. and Timorese Navies during the opening ceremonies of the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Timor-Leste exercise. CARAT is a series of annual, bilateral maritime exercises between the U.S. Navy and the armed forces of Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Timor-Leste. (U.S. Navy photo by Prudencio Cabral/Released) |
U.S. and Timor-Leste Naval Forces Build Maritime Partnerships
From Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific Public Affairs
PORT HERA NAVY BASE, Timor-Leste (NNS) -- The U.S. Navy and Timorese Navy commenced the first Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Timor-Leste exercise Jan. 25, with an opening ceremony held at Port Hera Navy Base.
U.S. Ambassador Judith Fergin and Col. Falur Rate Laek, Chief of Staff of the Timor-Leste Defense Force (F-FDTL), officiated the ceremony.
Fergin reaffirmed U.S. support for Timor-Leste's efforts to consolidate peace and security gains, noting the exercise enhanced mutual cooperation.
"The contributions that the participants in Exercise CARAT will make this week will strengthen the foundations of cooperation between our two countries for years to come," said Fergin.
In his opening remarks, Laek noted that the upcoming exercises build a stronger relationship between Timor-Leste and U.S. naval forces.
"The partnership between the Timor-Leste and U.S. Navy and Marines is not a new one. These Naval and Marine exercises between Timor-Leste and United States help to will ensure peace, build experience, and strengthen the permanent partnership between Timor-Leste and the United States," said Laek.
Over the next four days, Marines from U.S. Fleet Antiterrorism and Security Team (FAST), Pacific, will conduct hands on skill transfers and combat fundamentals with their F-FDTL counterparts.
In addition to FAST, Coast Guardsmen from the U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Training Branch homeported in Yorktown, Va., and Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 5, homported in Port Hueneme, Calif., will conduct subject matter expert exchanges with the F-FDTL Navy on several F-FDTL ships. Coast Guardsmen will hold training on engineering, navigation, seamanship and damage control, while the Seabees will conduct medical, mechanical and electrical classroom courses.
Representing U.S. forces, Lt. Cmdr. Jennie Stone, CARAT Liaison Officer, Logistics Group Western Pacific, noted these exchanges allowed maritime professionals to share best practices and build partnerships.
"Our partners in the F-FDTL are skilled professionals, and this exercise helps increase interoperability between our forces, while at the same time building personal and professional relationships. This ongoing development becomes critical should future events call for our forces to work side-by-side," said Stone.
CARAT is a series of annual, bilateral maritime exercises between the U.S. Navy and the armed forces of Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Timor-Leste.
THE WATCHERS: NORTH AMERICAN AEROSPACE DEFENSE COMMAND
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| The 9/11 memorial on the grounds of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., provides a daily reminder to members of the dual commands of the importance of their mission. The memorial includes a steel beam from the World Trade Center in New York, rubble from the Pentagon and soil from the crash site in Shanksville, Pa. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Thomas J. Doscher |
People Provide Foundation for NORAD, Northcom Homeland Defense
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo., Jan. 28, 2013 - Ask the commander of U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command, and he'll tell you that beyond the technology, systems and processes that drive the dual commands, it's people who form the foundation of their homeland defense mission.
Army Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr. calls his diverse, highly integrated command team the strength of an enterprise entrusted to maintain the watch to safeguard North America. The command team here includes more than 1,700 full-time service members and Defense Department civilians, about 300 reserve-component members, more than 100 Canadian military forces, two Mexican liaison officers and representatives of more than 60 federal mission partner organizations.
"We have the watch," Jacoby says of the two separate, but inextricably linked, commands he leads. Together, they fulfill what he calls "a sacred trust" in protecting the homeland.
Nowhere is the magnitude of that mission -- and the close personal and organizational cooperation required to fulfill it -- more evident than in the NORAD and Northcom Current Operations Center.
When terrorists struck the United States on 9/11, which led to the standup of Northcom the following year, the NORAD command center was located deep within nearby Cheyenne Mountain. Its focus was aimed outward, on missile launches and enemy aircraft approaching the United States and Canada.
"We were standing with our backs to the fire, looking out against the threat," explained Army Col. Joseph Southcott, a command center director. "But now we are in the fire, looking 360 degrees, because it is all around us. In fact, we are looking in more ways than anybody could ever have thought of."
Located in the lower level of the Eberhart-Findley Building that houses the NORAD and Northcom headquarters, the "N2C2" is a bustling operation that maintains an around-the-clock watch, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
It's the hub where every spoke in the two commands' missions converge: NORAD's mission of maintaining aerospace warning and control and maritime warning for North America and Northcom's mission of conducting homeland defense, civil support and security cooperation in defense of the United States and its interests.
Twenty-seven to 30 people man the center during every eight-hour shift, each studying as many as three computer monitors at a time while listening to the chatter of air traffic control feeds.
Each staff member is selected for expertise in specific domains -- air, missile and space, land, maritime and cyber -- or in integrating these perspectives into a "big picture" for command decision-makers, Southcott explained.
Serving as NORAD's and Northcom's eyes and ears, they ensure the command leadership is prepared for what Southcott calls a "quick-twitch mission" that demands an immediate, decisive response, such as a missile attack or menacing or suspicious aircraft than need to be intercepted.
"These are the 'no-kidding' events, the things that you have to be ready for the second they happen," Southcott said.
To keep on top of events that could affect North America, the N2C2 staff monitors satellite and sensor feeds to detect missile launches, such as the one North Korea conducted last month. They track space junk to identify items that could threaten the United States or are in jeopardy of falling out of orbit and crashing back to Earth. They follow Federal Aviation Administration reports to identify an errant aircraft among an estimated 60,000 daily civilian flights.
In support of the maritime mission NORAD adopted in 2006, they keep tabs on suspicious ships approaching the U.S. and Canadian coasts or operating in their sovereign waters.
Since the standup of Northcom, they also keep watch over Washington, D.C., and anywhere the president travels. They keep tabs on U.S. military operations along the Mexican border or in support of Mexican troops as part of U.S.-Mexican theater security cooperation agreements.
They also now watch for hurricanes, earthquakes and severe storms that could affect U.S. security or could cause civil authorities to call for military assistance.
Southcott calls these "slow-twitch missions" -- ones Northcom tracks closely to be ready to respond to, but typically gets called on only when and if local and state first responders need military help or capabilities. "You can prepare for those, but you have to wait for them to happen, then wait to be asked to help," Southcott said. "So that means we have to always be watching."
A domestic events network, created after 9/11, enhances these efforts by tying together the myriad agency partners that would play a role in an air-related problem or incident. The network, operated by the Federal Aviation Administration, provides a 24/7 open phone line that links all of the air traffic control centers in the United States and other governmental agencies.
Southcott said he's been amazed at the close collaboration across the staff and mission partners, all recognizing their role in painting the most complete situational awareness picture possible.
"The integration of the domains is really what drives what we do. It's the linkage, the interaction," Southcott said. "When events happen, it amazes even me how much cross-talk is happening between action officers on the floor, each making sure the other knows what is going on."
Southcott called the collective capability they bring a combat multiplier that far exceeds the sum of their individual contributions.
"That's what makes this place so strong," he said. "It's all of us coming together, bringing their varied backgrounds and expertise to the effort. And when the stuff hits the fan, it's everyone pulling hard, rowing hard together and sharing the common goal of defending the homeland."
AN ARMY MEDIC'S ROLE IN AFGHANISTAN
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| Navy Petty Officer Jay Thrailkill serves as a pair of extra eyes in a convoy in Kandahar City, Afghanistan, Jan. 18, 2013. He is the senior enlisted medic for the provincial reconstruction team in Afghanistan's Kandahar province. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Jeff Neff |
FROM: U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Face of Defense: Navy Corpsman Supports Joint Team
By Army Sgt. Jeff Neff
Provincial Reconstruction Team Kandahar
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Jan. 23, 2013 - During normal combat patrol missions, an Army medic accompanies an Army unit. But the provincial reconstruction team for Afghanistan's Kandahar province is not a normal unit.
Composed of soldiers, sailors and civilians from the State and Agriculture departments, the U.S. Agency for International Development and other entities, the team is a joint organization.
When Afghans in Kandahar see the team, it is likely that Navy corpsman Chief Petty Officer Jay Thrailkill is nearby.
"Corpsmen are like jumper cables," Thrailkill said. "We aren't needed until the battery goes, but no matter what, we're always ready."
A prior X-ray technician, Thrailkill is the provincial reconstruction team's senior enlisted corpsman and has completed more than half of all mounted combat missions since October. He must be familiar with Army infantry tactics and procedures to be effective.
"Chief makes my job easier by going above and beyond what is expected of him," said Navy Lt. j.g. Jessica Friddle, the team's senior medical officer. "His background in preventive medicine helps to ensure that the safety of our unit is always a priority."
Friddle, a native of Virginia Beach, Va., teaches combat lifesaver refresher classes to ensure that members are fully prepared if medical personnel are not immediately available in an emergency.
The team's Army medic, Spc. Jerome Jaquis, is serving as a member of the team's security force and covers the missions that Thrailkill isn't on. And with most of the team certified in combat lifesaving, ample assistance is available if it's needed.
Thrailkill said his best times in Afghanistan are when he is out on mission.
"My primary role is to be ready," he said. "Most of my work is done from the vehicle, unless the mission requires that we have a long walk."
Various duties keep Thrailkill busy as he medically prepares the vehicles for anything that could go wrong. He checks his equipment before each mission, and inventories each week.
This is not the first time Thrailkill has worked in the interservice realm, with seven deployments under his belt. He has served in Japan, Kuwait and Williamsburg, Va., as well as on the USS Kittyhawk, USS Kearsarge and USS Theodore Roosevelt. His service brings more than 22 years of medical experience working in the joint environment to the Kandahar team.
When he's not out on missions, Thrailkill volunteers at the post exchange. He also is completing the few remaining courses for his bachelor's degree in health care management.
ALLEGED 9-11 MASTERMIND AND FOUR OTHERS FACE PRETRIAL HEARINGS
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE,
More Pretrial Hearings Kick Off for 9/11 Suspects
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
FORT MEADE, Md., Jan. 28, 2013 - Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the self-proclaimed mastermind behind the 9/11 terrorist attacks, along with four co-defendants charged with planning and carrying out the attacks, acknowledged to the judge today that they understand and have no questions about their rights.
Army Col. James Pohl, the judge, opened four days of pretrial hearings at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, affirming that the defendants understand they have the right to attend the proceedings and may voluntarily skip most proceedings. In outlining the rights, Pohl also made clear that opting out of court could hurt the defense, while recognizing that the accused could be compelled to come to court when specific issues are discussed.
Pohl asked each defendant -- Mohammed, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin Attash, Ramzi Binalshibh, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali, and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi -- to affirm that they understand these rights.
Bin Attash, the only defendant to offer more than a simple "Yes," told Pohl he and his fellow defendants have "no motivating factors to come to court." He complained that the prosecution does not want the defendants to hear or understand what is going on or to speak during the proceedings.
Bin Attash also expressed frustration that after a year and a half of association, the defendants have not established trust in the attorneys involved. "The attorneys are bound, but we are bound also," he told the court.
Much of today's discussions involved whether the prosecution and defense teams need to go into a closed session to discuss what issues they can address in open court. That includes one of the most controversial aspects of the hearing: information about the defendants' detention at so-called "black sites" operated by the CIA before they were transferred to the Guantanamo Bay facility.
Portions of the proceedings were blocked out by loud static to keep the statements out of the public record. This also prevented the audio from being heard by families of 9/11 victims at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and watching via closed-circuit television here and at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.; Fort Hamilton, N.Y.; and Fort Devens, Mass.
Reporters covering the proceedings at Guantanamo Bay and from a media center at Fort Meade also heard the static.
This led Pohl to question during the hearing who has a right to turn on a light that generates the static sound and also institutes a 40-second delay in the audio feed. After closing today's opening session, he brought together the prosecution and defense teams to work through these issues.
All five defendants at today's hearing were captured in Pakistan in 2002 and 2003 and have been confined at Guantanamo Bay since 2006. They were charged during their arraignment in May 2012 with terrorism, conspiracy, attacking civilians, attacking civilian objects, intentionally causing serious bodily injury, murder in violation of the law of war, destruction of property in violation of the law of war, hijacking or hazarding a vessel or aircraft.
This round of commission hearings will continue through Jan. 31, with the next slated for Feb. 11 to 14.
Today's hearings began three days after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia overturned the conviction of Ali Hamza Ahmad Suliman al Bahlul of Yemen. The court ruled that the charges of conspiracy, providing material support for terrorism and soliciting murder did not qualify as war crimes when Bahlul committed them.
A military commission found him guilty of conspiracy with Osama bin Laden and others to commit murder of protected persons, attacking civilians and other crimes in November 2008. He was also found guilty of solicitation to commit murder of protected persons, to attack civilian objects, and to commit acts of terrorism.
In addition, the commission found him guilty of providing material support for terrorism by supporting al-Qaida through meeting with the highest-ranking members of the organization and creating al-Qaida propaganda, including a widely distributed propaganda video, "The Destruction of the American Destroyer U.S.S. Cole." All offenses were in violation of the Military Commissions Act of 2006.
He was sentenced to life in prison.
More Pretrial Hearings Kick Off for 9/11 Suspects
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
FORT MEADE, Md., Jan. 28, 2013 - Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the self-proclaimed mastermind behind the 9/11 terrorist attacks, along with four co-defendants charged with planning and carrying out the attacks, acknowledged to the judge today that they understand and have no questions about their rights.
Army Col. James Pohl, the judge, opened four days of pretrial hearings at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, affirming that the defendants understand they have the right to attend the proceedings and may voluntarily skip most proceedings. In outlining the rights, Pohl also made clear that opting out of court could hurt the defense, while recognizing that the accused could be compelled to come to court when specific issues are discussed.
Pohl asked each defendant -- Mohammed, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin Attash, Ramzi Binalshibh, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali, and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi -- to affirm that they understand these rights.
Bin Attash, the only defendant to offer more than a simple "Yes," told Pohl he and his fellow defendants have "no motivating factors to come to court." He complained that the prosecution does not want the defendants to hear or understand what is going on or to speak during the proceedings.
Bin Attash also expressed frustration that after a year and a half of association, the defendants have not established trust in the attorneys involved. "The attorneys are bound, but we are bound also," he told the court.
Much of today's discussions involved whether the prosecution and defense teams need to go into a closed session to discuss what issues they can address in open court. That includes one of the most controversial aspects of the hearing: information about the defendants' detention at so-called "black sites" operated by the CIA before they were transferred to the Guantanamo Bay facility.
Portions of the proceedings were blocked out by loud static to keep the statements out of the public record. This also prevented the audio from being heard by families of 9/11 victims at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and watching via closed-circuit television here and at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.; Fort Hamilton, N.Y.; and Fort Devens, Mass.
Reporters covering the proceedings at Guantanamo Bay and from a media center at Fort Meade also heard the static.
This led Pohl to question during the hearing who has a right to turn on a light that generates the static sound and also institutes a 40-second delay in the audio feed. After closing today's opening session, he brought together the prosecution and defense teams to work through these issues.
All five defendants at today's hearing were captured in Pakistan in 2002 and 2003 and have been confined at Guantanamo Bay since 2006. They were charged during their arraignment in May 2012 with terrorism, conspiracy, attacking civilians, attacking civilian objects, intentionally causing serious bodily injury, murder in violation of the law of war, destruction of property in violation of the law of war, hijacking or hazarding a vessel or aircraft.
This round of commission hearings will continue through Jan. 31, with the next slated for Feb. 11 to 14.
Today's hearings began three days after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia overturned the conviction of Ali Hamza Ahmad Suliman al Bahlul of Yemen. The court ruled that the charges of conspiracy, providing material support for terrorism and soliciting murder did not qualify as war crimes when Bahlul committed them.
A military commission found him guilty of conspiracy with Osama bin Laden and others to commit murder of protected persons, attacking civilians and other crimes in November 2008. He was also found guilty of solicitation to commit murder of protected persons, to attack civilian objects, and to commit acts of terrorism.
In addition, the commission found him guilty of providing material support for terrorism by supporting al-Qaida through meeting with the highest-ranking members of the organization and creating al-Qaida propaganda, including a widely distributed propaganda video, "The Destruction of the American Destroyer U.S.S. Cole." All offenses were in violation of the Military Commissions Act of 2006.
He was sentenced to life in prison.
Monday, January 28, 2013
NASA VIDEO: TDRS-K READY FOR FLIGHT
FROM: NASA
TDRS-K ReadY for Flight
The first spacecraft in the next generation of space communications is ready to take its place in NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System, or TDRS.
TDRS-K ReadY for Flight
The first spacecraft in the next generation of space communications is ready to take its place in NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System, or TDRS.
U.S. AMBASSADOR DAVIES REMARKS ON U.S.-CHINA AND THE NORTH KOREAN PROBLEM
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Remarks to Reporters at Four Seasons Hotel
Remarks
Glyn Davies
Special Representative for North Korea Policy
Beijing, China
January 25, 2013
AMBASSADOR DAVIES: Hello everybody, my name is Glyn Davies, it’s very good to see you. Thanks for coming out. I’m sorry that it is so late in the evening but I promise that I won’t take up too much of your time. What I wanted to do was simply report to you a bit on our activities today. You know that we arrived this morning from Seoul, South Korea. I’m here with Sydney Seiler from the National Security Staff at the White House, Ambassador Clifford Hart, who is the Special Envoy for the Six-Party Talks, as well as colleagues from the State Department. We’ve had a series of meetings with Chinese officials today. We began at the Central Committee International Department, met with Vice Minister Liu Jieyi, then went on to the Foreign Ministry where we met with Vice Minister Fu Ying, and then I had a meeting and a dinner with my counterpart, Ambassador Wu Dawei.
Now, we come here in the wake of some dramatic steps that have been reported on and I know many of you have read the reaction of the White House to the announcements made by North Korea. The White House Spokesman, of course, described the North Korean statements as needlessly provocative, a significant violation of UN Security Council resolutions and warned that this would only increase the isolation of North Korea and divert resources from the North Korean people were they to go ahead with a nuclear test. With Chinese counterparts today, we had very wide-ranging discussions, talked about all aspects of the North Korean challenge, the North Korea issue. We achieved, I think, with our Chinese colleagues a very strong degree of consensus on the issue. We agreed that Resolution 2087 is an appropriate response, and an important and strong response, to the North Koreans’ launch, on December 12, of a multi-stage rocket. We reached a strong degree of consensus that a nuclear test would be deeply troubling and would set back efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula. And, of course, you all know that denuclearization is a necessary precondition to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
So, in addition to that, of course, from the North Koreans came further troubling statements of their intent to renounce their commitment to denuclearization, to walk away from the Six-Party Talks, and from their commitments that were made and contained in the September 2005 Joint Statement. So we are very pleased with the discussions we’ve had today here in Beijing. Tomorrow morning, very early, too early for any of you to worry about getting up, I think, we will get on a plane and go off to Tokyo for consultations with counterparts and colleagues of the Japanese government. So with that, let me take whatever questions you might have. Over to you.
QUESTION: Hi, from Reuters. Is North Korea’s threat to start war with South Korea if there are further economic sanctions, is that a credible threat?
AMBASSADOR DAVIES: Well, I don’t know that it’s for me to comment on the credibility or incredibility of North Korean statements. The fundamental point about North Korea is that we will judge North Korea by its actions, not its words. These types of inflammatory statements by North Korea do nothing to contribute to peace and stability on the peninsula. Now is a moment I think, when all parties in the Six-Party process, and in particular, North Korea should turn their attention to how to peacefully and diplomatically address challenges that concern them so we find this rhetoric troubling and counterproductive.
QUESTION: Ambassador, CNN here. So, China and North Korea are very close allies, so did the Chinese during your meetings give you any clarification or confirmation about how credible the North Korean threats have been, and did you ask for any of their clarification or confirmation and secondly, having joined in to approve that new, latest resolution at the UN, did the Chinese tell you they would follow up with more concrete steps now that North Koreans have unilaterally had these provocative statements.
AMBASSADOR DAVIES: No, I understand those questions, but what I don’t want to do is get into too specifically characterizing the Chinese position. What I said earlier about the degree of consensus we achieved today is about as far as I want to go today. I would direct you to the Chinese authorities for questions about their views about the credibility of threats, or what China’s next steps are. We talked about the implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution, and the Chinese told us, assured us, that they would, of course, follow through and implement that Resolution, and we take them at their word.
QUESTION: What other measures will the U.S. take besides sanctions to solve the issue?
AMBASSADOR DAVIES: Well, I think the Security Council result is a powerful statement in and of itself and, of course, the first steps we take will be to implement the provisions of the Security Council resolution and you will have already seen today some announcements made out of government departments in Washington to conform to our law, our procedure, to those resolutions. So, that’s what we’re focusing on in the immediate future, we’ll see what events come about in the near-term. And I think it’s very important for all members of the international community to work hard to implement the provisions of not just Resolution 2087, but all of the prior resolutions that pertain to North Korea.
QUESTION: Is your position with the Chinese government this week has been to try to restart the Six-Party Talks despite its failure, I was wondering if in your talks with your Chinese counterparts have you considered any other option?
AMBASSADOR DAVIES: Well, we talked about possible diplomatic ways forward, but I think that the immediate challenge we face is dealing with the very provocative language from North Korea and what North Korea has done through its actions, in particular through the launch on December 12 of the rocket in contravention of Security Council resolutions, is they have made it that much more difficult to contemplate getting back to a diplomatic process.
Our policy, articulated by officials from President Obama on down — he gave a speech in Burma just at the end of last year that made this clear — is of course, to be prepared to respond to concrete steps taken by North Korea in order to engage in the diplomatic process going forward. If they reach out their hand, we’re quite prepared to reciprocate. So that’s where we are right now. This is a difficult moment that North Korea has put all of us in. It will require a lot of hard work, not just on the part of the partners in the Six-Party process, but all members of the international community, to make clear to North Korea that it faces a choice, and the choice is between further isolation, and indeed impoverishment of its people, or fulfilling its commitments, living up to the expectations that it set when it signed up to the September 2005 Joint Statement, and that’s really the state of play.
So we’re concentrating our efforts right on dealing with those issues. And we’ll see whether there will be room for diplomacy in the future. That’s up to North Korea. They’re the ones who have the choice and can take the steps to make that happen.
QUESTION: Brian Spegele from the Wall Street Journal. You mentioned a moment ago you need to differentiate North Korea’s actions from its words, take the two separately. In this case, can you explain a little more what you mean by that is specifically related to what’s been going on over the last few days and weeks, do we have any reason in this case to, and why we need to do that specifically here?
AMBASSADOR DAVIES: What I don’t want to do, because I don’t think it would be helpful at this stage, is get into any kind of proscriptive laying out of steps that North Korea needs to take. We’ve been engaged in discussions with North Korea bilaterally, multilaterally, over a period of many years. There are a number of documents that one can look at that encapsulate the undertakings that North Korea have made, so I think it’s well understood what North Korea must do if it is to come back into compliance with Security Council resolutions and come back to fulfilling the commitments that it itself has made. So at this juncture, I’m not going to get into, I’m certainly not going to try to negotiate with North Korea through the press.
Are there any other questions?
QUESTION: Is there a sense that China is becoming exasperated with North Korea?
AMBASSADOR DAVIES: That’s a question that you really ought to put to the Chinese. What I’d like to put the focus on right now is the fact that with the Chinese, over a period of time in New York, we were able to achieve a resolution that I think helps clarify for North Korea the choice they face and it’s an expression of the views of the international community, that can help all members of the international system understand better how they can play a role in conveying to North Korea the importance of North Korea living up to its expectations and meeting its commitments.
It’s very late. I don’t want to keep you here tonight. I want to thank you very much. At some point I’ll be back in Beijing and I hope I have a chance to talk with you again and answer your questions.
Thanks very much, talk to you again, bye-bye.
Remarks to Reporters at Four Seasons Hotel
Remarks
Glyn Davies
Special Representative for North Korea Policy
Beijing, China
January 25, 2013
AMBASSADOR DAVIES: Hello everybody, my name is Glyn Davies, it’s very good to see you. Thanks for coming out. I’m sorry that it is so late in the evening but I promise that I won’t take up too much of your time. What I wanted to do was simply report to you a bit on our activities today. You know that we arrived this morning from Seoul, South Korea. I’m here with Sydney Seiler from the National Security Staff at the White House, Ambassador Clifford Hart, who is the Special Envoy for the Six-Party Talks, as well as colleagues from the State Department. We’ve had a series of meetings with Chinese officials today. We began at the Central Committee International Department, met with Vice Minister Liu Jieyi, then went on to the Foreign Ministry where we met with Vice Minister Fu Ying, and then I had a meeting and a dinner with my counterpart, Ambassador Wu Dawei.
Now, we come here in the wake of some dramatic steps that have been reported on and I know many of you have read the reaction of the White House to the announcements made by North Korea. The White House Spokesman, of course, described the North Korean statements as needlessly provocative, a significant violation of UN Security Council resolutions and warned that this would only increase the isolation of North Korea and divert resources from the North Korean people were they to go ahead with a nuclear test. With Chinese counterparts today, we had very wide-ranging discussions, talked about all aspects of the North Korean challenge, the North Korea issue. We achieved, I think, with our Chinese colleagues a very strong degree of consensus on the issue. We agreed that Resolution 2087 is an appropriate response, and an important and strong response, to the North Koreans’ launch, on December 12, of a multi-stage rocket. We reached a strong degree of consensus that a nuclear test would be deeply troubling and would set back efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula. And, of course, you all know that denuclearization is a necessary precondition to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
So, in addition to that, of course, from the North Koreans came further troubling statements of their intent to renounce their commitment to denuclearization, to walk away from the Six-Party Talks, and from their commitments that were made and contained in the September 2005 Joint Statement. So we are very pleased with the discussions we’ve had today here in Beijing. Tomorrow morning, very early, too early for any of you to worry about getting up, I think, we will get on a plane and go off to Tokyo for consultations with counterparts and colleagues of the Japanese government. So with that, let me take whatever questions you might have. Over to you.
QUESTION: Hi, from Reuters. Is North Korea’s threat to start war with South Korea if there are further economic sanctions, is that a credible threat?
AMBASSADOR DAVIES: Well, I don’t know that it’s for me to comment on the credibility or incredibility of North Korean statements. The fundamental point about North Korea is that we will judge North Korea by its actions, not its words. These types of inflammatory statements by North Korea do nothing to contribute to peace and stability on the peninsula. Now is a moment I think, when all parties in the Six-Party process, and in particular, North Korea should turn their attention to how to peacefully and diplomatically address challenges that concern them so we find this rhetoric troubling and counterproductive.
QUESTION: Ambassador, CNN here. So, China and North Korea are very close allies, so did the Chinese during your meetings give you any clarification or confirmation about how credible the North Korean threats have been, and did you ask for any of their clarification or confirmation and secondly, having joined in to approve that new, latest resolution at the UN, did the Chinese tell you they would follow up with more concrete steps now that North Koreans have unilaterally had these provocative statements.
AMBASSADOR DAVIES: No, I understand those questions, but what I don’t want to do is get into too specifically characterizing the Chinese position. What I said earlier about the degree of consensus we achieved today is about as far as I want to go today. I would direct you to the Chinese authorities for questions about their views about the credibility of threats, or what China’s next steps are. We talked about the implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution, and the Chinese told us, assured us, that they would, of course, follow through and implement that Resolution, and we take them at their word.
QUESTION: What other measures will the U.S. take besides sanctions to solve the issue?
AMBASSADOR DAVIES: Well, I think the Security Council result is a powerful statement in and of itself and, of course, the first steps we take will be to implement the provisions of the Security Council resolution and you will have already seen today some announcements made out of government departments in Washington to conform to our law, our procedure, to those resolutions. So, that’s what we’re focusing on in the immediate future, we’ll see what events come about in the near-term. And I think it’s very important for all members of the international community to work hard to implement the provisions of not just Resolution 2087, but all of the prior resolutions that pertain to North Korea.
QUESTION: Is your position with the Chinese government this week has been to try to restart the Six-Party Talks despite its failure, I was wondering if in your talks with your Chinese counterparts have you considered any other option?
AMBASSADOR DAVIES: Well, we talked about possible diplomatic ways forward, but I think that the immediate challenge we face is dealing with the very provocative language from North Korea and what North Korea has done through its actions, in particular through the launch on December 12 of the rocket in contravention of Security Council resolutions, is they have made it that much more difficult to contemplate getting back to a diplomatic process.
Our policy, articulated by officials from President Obama on down — he gave a speech in Burma just at the end of last year that made this clear — is of course, to be prepared to respond to concrete steps taken by North Korea in order to engage in the diplomatic process going forward. If they reach out their hand, we’re quite prepared to reciprocate. So that’s where we are right now. This is a difficult moment that North Korea has put all of us in. It will require a lot of hard work, not just on the part of the partners in the Six-Party process, but all members of the international community, to make clear to North Korea that it faces a choice, and the choice is between further isolation, and indeed impoverishment of its people, or fulfilling its commitments, living up to the expectations that it set when it signed up to the September 2005 Joint Statement, and that’s really the state of play.
So we’re concentrating our efforts right on dealing with those issues. And we’ll see whether there will be room for diplomacy in the future. That’s up to North Korea. They’re the ones who have the choice and can take the steps to make that happen.
QUESTION: Brian Spegele from the Wall Street Journal. You mentioned a moment ago you need to differentiate North Korea’s actions from its words, take the two separately. In this case, can you explain a little more what you mean by that is specifically related to what’s been going on over the last few days and weeks, do we have any reason in this case to, and why we need to do that specifically here?
AMBASSADOR DAVIES: What I don’t want to do, because I don’t think it would be helpful at this stage, is get into any kind of proscriptive laying out of steps that North Korea needs to take. We’ve been engaged in discussions with North Korea bilaterally, multilaterally, over a period of many years. There are a number of documents that one can look at that encapsulate the undertakings that North Korea have made, so I think it’s well understood what North Korea must do if it is to come back into compliance with Security Council resolutions and come back to fulfilling the commitments that it itself has made. So at this juncture, I’m not going to get into, I’m certainly not going to try to negotiate with North Korea through the press.
Are there any other questions?
QUESTION: Is there a sense that China is becoming exasperated with North Korea?
AMBASSADOR DAVIES: That’s a question that you really ought to put to the Chinese. What I’d like to put the focus on right now is the fact that with the Chinese, over a period of time in New York, we were able to achieve a resolution that I think helps clarify for North Korea the choice they face and it’s an expression of the views of the international community, that can help all members of the international system understand better how they can play a role in conveying to North Korea the importance of North Korea living up to its expectations and meeting its commitments.
It’s very late. I don’t want to keep you here tonight. I want to thank you very much. At some point I’ll be back in Beijing and I hope I have a chance to talk with you again and answer your questions.
Thanks very much, talk to you again, bye-bye.
MOTOR TRANSPORT OPERATOR IN AFGHANISTAN
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| Marine Corps Cpl. Stephen Karavolos is serving in Afghanistan as a convoy commander, motor transport chief and operations chief, all billets typically held by officers or staff noncommissioned officers. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Anthony Ward Jr. |
Face of Defense: Marine Shoulders Heavy Responsibilities
By Marine Corps Cpl. Anthony Ward
Regional Command Southwest
HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan, Jan. 22, 2013 - Vehicle convoys are one of the easiest ways to supply Marines in combat with essential gear and equipment. These logistics trains can carry more supplies than a helicopter and can reach areas that may not be feasible to reach by air.
The responsibility of orchestrating these multiple vehicle trips usually doesn't fall upon the shoulders of a junior noncommissioned officer, but Marine Corps Cpl. Stephen Karavolos is an exception, serving as an asset to the Regimental Combat Team 7's liaison team with the Georgian military in Regional Command Southwest.
Karavolos, a motor transport operator by trade, enlisted into the Marine Corps in September 2009 after an unfortunate injury opened the door for him.
"I wrestled for Longwood High School in New York," said Karavolos, 22. "I injured my neck, so I wasn't able to go to college. I had a scholarship to go to Penn State. I decided to take my next step and join the Marine Corps. I wanted to serve my country honorably."
Karavolos served in Afghanistan for his first time with Combat Logistics Battalion 8. "On my first deployment, I was an MK-19 gunner and a vehicle commander," he said. "That's pretty much all I did."
He was in Afghanistan from January to August last year. He volunteered to return, and was sent back as a part of the Georgian liaison team in September.
A seasoned veteran, Karavolos said, he has a much higher workload than his previous deployment and is expected to conduct work above his pay grade.
"This time around, I'm the convoy commander," he explained. "I'm the motor transport chief, as well as the operations chief."
A convoy commander billet usually is held by a junior officer. The motor transport chief and operations chief billets usually are held by staff noncommissioned officers, usually staff sergeants or gunnery sergeants. Karavolos holds all these billets and the responsibility that comes with them.
"As a convoy commander, you're responsible for the entire convoy -- every person, every action the Marines do -- and getting the mission done," he said. "As a motor [transport] chief, all the operators and personnel have to be accounted for. As the operations chief, I have to be accountable for all the convoys, patrols and operations that are going on."
Karavolos keeps track of nearly 47 Marines and 150 pieces of gear, and he provides logistical support for the Georgian battalions and the bases they have nearby.
His efforts and dedication to mission accomplishment has impressed his leadership.
"For him to step up as a junior NCO says a lot," said Marine Corps 2nd Lt. Robert E. Dzvonick, supply officer for the Georgian liaison team. "He oversees everything, and he is in charge of the logistics train that keeps things going."
As his deployment draws closer to an end, Karavolos said, he will continue to serve honorably and provide his unit with the support they need.
ANTARTICA AIRCRAFT CRASH : NO SURVIVORS FOUND
FROM: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Loss of Three Canadian Aircrew Members in Antarctica Is Confirmed
January 28, 2013
On behalf of the U.S. National Science Foundation and all in the U. S. Antarctic Program, I wish to extend our profound sympathies to the families, friends, and colleagues of the three Kenn Borek Twin Otter crew, whose deaths in Antarctica while en route to support the Italian national Antarctic science program have recently been confirmed.
We have been privileged to experience first-hand their professionalism, skill, and dedication to the arduous task of supporting science in an extremely remote and inhospitable environment. In many ways, their contributions make possible hard won but vital advances in scientific knowledge that serve all of mankind. Although everyone associated with the pursuit of science in Antarctica makes personal sacrifices to do so, very infrequently and sadly, some make the ultimate sacrifice.
While it may come as little consolation at this very sorrowful time, the families, friends, and colleagues of the crew members should know that the thoughts of everyone in the U.S. Antarctic Program were with them through the long ordeal of the past few days and remain so now.
To the families and friends of the crew, I commend your loved ones for their commitment and dedication to their profession and offer our condolences. The sense of loss is keenly felt throughout the U.S. program and no doubt throughout the international Antarctic community.
Loss of Three Canadian Aircrew Members in Antarctica Is Confirmed
January 28, 2013
On behalf of the U.S. National Science Foundation and all in the U. S. Antarctic Program, I wish to extend our profound sympathies to the families, friends, and colleagues of the three Kenn Borek Twin Otter crew, whose deaths in Antarctica while en route to support the Italian national Antarctic science program have recently been confirmed.
We have been privileged to experience first-hand their professionalism, skill, and dedication to the arduous task of supporting science in an extremely remote and inhospitable environment. In many ways, their contributions make possible hard won but vital advances in scientific knowledge that serve all of mankind. Although everyone associated with the pursuit of science in Antarctica makes personal sacrifices to do so, very infrequently and sadly, some make the ultimate sacrifice.
While it may come as little consolation at this very sorrowful time, the families, friends, and colleagues of the crew members should know that the thoughts of everyone in the U.S. Antarctic Program were with them through the long ordeal of the past few days and remain so now.
To the families and friends of the crew, I commend your loved ones for their commitment and dedication to their profession and offer our condolences. The sense of loss is keenly felt throughout the U.S. program and no doubt throughout the international Antarctic community.
USDA MOVES AGAINST RETAILER CHEATS OF SNAP PROGRAM
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| Photo Credit: NIH |
USDA Announces Latest Actions to Enhance Integrity in America’s Most Critical Nutrition Assistance Program
Measures Help Fight Retailer Misuse, Preserve Taxpayer Investment in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
WASHINGTON, Jan. 24, 2013 – USDA Under Secretary Kevin Concannon today announced results of USDA’s efforts to identify and eliminate fraudulent retailers from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in fiscal year 2012. Last year, USDA compliance analysts and investigators took action to:
• Review over 15,000 stores;
• Conduct investigations on more than 5,000 stores nationwide;
• Impose sanctions, through fines or temporary disqualifications, on 692 stores found violating program rules; and
• Permanently disqualify 1,387 stores for trafficking in SNAP benefits (i.e. exchanging SNAP benefits for cash) or falsifying an application.
"Our message today is clear and firm: abuse of SNAP benefits—and the American taxpayer’s trust—will not be tolerated and carries severe consequences," said Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services Kevin Concannon. "In the coming year, we will take further steps to strengthen SNAP integrity and continue to hold accountable those few bad actors that try to take advantage of the program. We are committed to ensuring these dollars are spent as intended - helping millions of American families put healthy food on the table."
In addition, as part of its ongoing effort to combat fraud among SNAP-authorized retailers, USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service published a Request for Information (RFI) soliciting cost-effective, automated solutions from all current and potential partners to help identify fraudulent activity and exclude retailers who violate the rules from participating in SNAP. The USDA is looking for innovative solutions which will identify connections between stores applying to accept SNAP benefits and store owners who have been previously disqualified from accepting SNAP benefits. The RFI also seeks to identify store owners applying or already authorized to accept SNAP benefits who have business integrity violations such as a criminal conviction, a history of fraud, violations of certain laws, or a history of non-compliance with other government programs.
"Enforcing SNAP business integrity is critically important," added Concannon. "The RFI continues our efforts to look at how improvements in commercial technology may be used to obtain accurate information on ownership so that fraudulent retailers can be excluded or removed from SNAP."
USDA continues to work with local, state and federal partners to root out fraud, waste and abuse in SNAP and ensure the integrity of our nation's most important food assistance program. Recent actions include:
• Published a proposed rule that allows USDA to not only permanently disqualify a retailer who traffics, but also assess a monetary penalty in addition to the disqualification.
• Published a final rule to establish standards and expectations regarding State matching requirements to prevent ineligible people from participating in the program. The final rule sets expectations for States to conduct matches against persons in prison, those who are currently disqualified from participating due to past program violations, and deceased persons.
• Updated the Agency’s Anti-fraud Locator using EBT Retailer Transactions (ALERT) system. The re-designed ALERT system, which monitors electronic transaction activity and identifies suspicious stores for analysis and investigation, allows USDA to quickly implement fraud detection scans as new schemes are identified, better target high risk areas, and incorporate better data mining driven models.
• Helped State Agencies conduct automated searches to monitor social media websites for attempts by individuals to buy or sell SNAP benefits online. Notified state social service agencies and federal agency partners about violators to better protect our public programs. This includes information on program recipients with suspicious transactions at stores that have been sanctioned for trafficking so that the recipients can be further investigated by States.
SNAP—the nation's first line of defense against hunger—helps put food on the table for millions of low income families and individuals every month. SNAP is a vital supplement to the monthly food budget for low-income individuals. Nearly half of SNAP participants are children and more than 40 percent of recipients live in households with earnings.
CRASHED IN ANTARTICA: MISSING AIRCRAFT FOUND
FROM: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
January 26, 2013
The wreckage of a Twin Otter aircraft that was reported missing earlier this week in Antarctica has been found in a remote and mountainous area of the continent.
An initial assessment by Kenn Borek Air Ltd. of Calgary, Canada, the owner of the plane, deemed the crash "not survivable."
Weather has prevented search-and-rescue personnel from landing at the site.
The National Science Foundation (NSF), as manager of the U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP), has been cooperating with the Rescue Coordination Centre in Wellington, New Zealand, since the search-and-rescue effort to locate the missing aircraft--a de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter--began earlier this week.
Communication with the Twin Otter was lost on Wednesday night, New Zealand time, and search-and-rescue operations have been hampered by bad weather and poor visibility since that time.
The plane was flying in support of the Italian Antarctic Program under the logistical responsibility of the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA). The aircraft was enroute from NSF's Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station to the Italian research station at Terra Nova Bay when contact was lost.
The three crew members were the only people aboard the plane at the time.
On the afternoon of Saturday, Jan. 26, local time, a ski-equipped LC-130 aircraft--operated by the New York Air National Guard for the USAP and flying from NSF's McMurdo Station--overflew the last known position from the aircraft emergency beacon and spotted the aircraft tail at an elevation of about 3,900 meters (13,000 feet) on Mt. Elizabeth, a 4,480-meter (14,500-foot) summit in the Queen Alexandra Range of the Transantarctic Mountains.
Subsequently, a Twin Otter carrying U.S. and New Zealand search-and-rescue personnel conducted an aerial survey of the site and determined that a landing by fixed-wing aircraft was not possible.
Later, two helicopters--one under New Zealand charter and the other flown for the USAP by PHI, Inc. of Lafayette, Louisiana--arrived at a small camp established roughly 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the crash location to support the operation.
The rescue teams will attempt to reach the site, if conditions permit, before returning to McMurdo Station.
January 26, 2013
The wreckage of a Twin Otter aircraft that was reported missing earlier this week in Antarctica has been found in a remote and mountainous area of the continent.
An initial assessment by Kenn Borek Air Ltd. of Calgary, Canada, the owner of the plane, deemed the crash "not survivable."
Weather has prevented search-and-rescue personnel from landing at the site.
The National Science Foundation (NSF), as manager of the U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP), has been cooperating with the Rescue Coordination Centre in Wellington, New Zealand, since the search-and-rescue effort to locate the missing aircraft--a de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter--began earlier this week.
Communication with the Twin Otter was lost on Wednesday night, New Zealand time, and search-and-rescue operations have been hampered by bad weather and poor visibility since that time.
The plane was flying in support of the Italian Antarctic Program under the logistical responsibility of the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA). The aircraft was enroute from NSF's Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station to the Italian research station at Terra Nova Bay when contact was lost.
The three crew members were the only people aboard the plane at the time.
On the afternoon of Saturday, Jan. 26, local time, a ski-equipped LC-130 aircraft--operated by the New York Air National Guard for the USAP and flying from NSF's McMurdo Station--overflew the last known position from the aircraft emergency beacon and spotted the aircraft tail at an elevation of about 3,900 meters (13,000 feet) on Mt. Elizabeth, a 4,480-meter (14,500-foot) summit in the Queen Alexandra Range of the Transantarctic Mountains.
Subsequently, a Twin Otter carrying U.S. and New Zealand search-and-rescue personnel conducted an aerial survey of the site and determined that a landing by fixed-wing aircraft was not possible.
Later, two helicopters--one under New Zealand charter and the other flown for the USAP by PHI, Inc. of Lafayette, Louisiana--arrived at a small camp established roughly 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the crash location to support the operation.
The rescue teams will attempt to reach the site, if conditions permit, before returning to McMurdo Station.
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