TOM MALINOWSKI MAKES REMARKS ON ISIL ABUSES AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
04/09/2015 03:16 PM EDT
ISIL's Abuses Against Women and Girls in Iraq and Syria
Remarks
Tom Malinowski
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
Swiss Ambassador's Residence
Washington, DC
March 16, 2015
As prepared for delivery

Thank you to our host, Ambassador Dahinden, for holding this very important series of discussions. And to Vital Voices for their partnership in fighting violence against women around the world. Women and girls often suffer the most egregious forms of violence in war. We’ve seen this in the Congo, in Colombia, in Sudan, and we’re seeing it now in Iraq and Syria. The Islamic State, or Daesh as the group is called in the region, has kidnapped thousands of women and girls, some as young as 10 They’ve been separated from their families, sold as sex slaves or forcibly married to Daesh’s fighters.

In my bureau, Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL), we began receiving reports about captive women and girls almost immediately after Daesh’s early-August advance at Mt. Sinjar. Representatives of the Yezidi community in the United States contacted us to share the terrible stories of suffering they were hearing from relatives trapped on the mountain, communicating via mobile phones they were sometimes able to charge using car batteries. As the crisis on Sinjar unfolded, my staff organized meetings with high-level officials at the State Department and the White House for representatives of the Yezidi community in the United States and we heard firsthand their stories and requests for assistance. They talked about hearing children crying for water in the background of phone calls with relatives. One woman described how she had heard a woman being raped by Daesh fighters in the background of a call with another woman.

On August 7, in addition to authorizing operations to protect U.S. personnel, President Obama authorized a humanitarian effort to help save thousands of Iraqi civilians who were trapped on Mount Sinjar without food and water, facing almost certain death. Detailed information—and even GPS coordinates—provided by the Yezidi community in the U.S. on where the people were sheltered on Mount Sinjar helped inform decisions about where to drop aid. Targeted airstrikes helped protect the evacuation route as people were escaping. Our contacts in the Yezidi community also provided us information about where Daesh fighters were advancing or firing on evacuees as they escaped, and we shared this information immediately with the military. During that week, most civilians were able to evacuate from Mount Sinjar

But not everyone in the surrounding area was able to flee. Several thousand women and girls remain captive. We regularly receive blood-chilling reports of girls distributed to fighters as rewards for their commitment, sold in markets in the cities as sex slaves, or held in houses in small groups where they are raped by a daily rotation of Daesh fighters. We have learned that Daesh trafficked hundreds if not thousands of Yezidi women to Syria for its fighters there. We heard reports that a few dozen Christian women and a few hundred Shia women who had been unable to flee, were taken to a similar fate . Just in the last few weeks, an unknown number of women and girls were abducted as part of the roughly 300 Assyrian Christians taken captive from their villages along the Khabour River in northeast Syria. But Daesh’s predatory approach to women isn’t limited to minorities. Local Sunni women in Raqqa have reportedly been pressured into marrying Daesh fighters against their will, and they are subject to the same abusive practices as the others.

Violence of this sort sows terror; it is a war crime, but it is not merely a by-product of war. Daesh uses rape and sexual abuse as a deliberate military strategy. They target women as tools of war, brutalizing them in order to destabilize and destroy communities—to take away their honor and disrupt their ability to reproduce themselves in the next generation. It’s a matter of total possession, total annihilation of a community.

I emphasize this to say that the defeat of Daesh and the defense of human rights, especially the rights of women, go hand-in-hand. We will restore human rights by defeating Daesh, but the reverse is also true: we will defeat Daesh in part by defending the rights of its intended victims. The protection of women in Iraq isn’t just the endpoint; it’s the way we will win; it is a moral imperative and it is a strategic imperative.

I traveled to Iraq in February and I had the opportunity while I was there to meet with survivors, women who had managed to escape Daesh. I had the opportunity—but I chose not to. It seemed to me unnecessary to compound their suffering by asking them to recount it yet again for the benefit of yet another foreign official. Instead I met with senior leaders in the central government and in the Kurdish regional government to make sure they understood that the protection of women is an extremely high priority for us as we plan the liberation of their land from these terrorists. We talked about the challenge of saving women held captive and the need to make sure that it is part of our military strategy moving forward.

Because while we work to destroy Daesh, we are also planning for the day of liberation—to make sure that when these communities are liberated, we find where Iraqi and Syrian women are being held and we have a support system in place to help them heal. We have heard heartening stories of families welcoming their wives and daughters home, but in many cases, there is tremendous stigma and shame associated with sexual assault. Some women have become pregnant as a result of the rapes. Some have been overwhelmed by what happened and taken their own lives. All have been traumatized. Yet, resources for critically-needed services in the aftermath of violence are often scarce, and access is obstructed. Last March, the State Department joined with Vital Voices and the Avon Foundation to launch the Gender-Based Violence Emergency Response and Protection Initiative (GBVI), a public-private partnership that provides medical, psychological, and social support as well as shelter and legal assistance. This support is delivered through reproductive healthcare efforts, the creation of women-friendly spaces, mobile clinics, and outreach workers. In Iraq thus far, the initiative has supported more than 50 Yezidi women and girls who escaped captivity.

We also need to look long-term, to the establishment of a rights-respecting society in which women are not just protected but empowered. I gave a speech in Erbil that was broadcast live on state television in northern Iraq, and I was very clear about this: There is a direct connection between the protection of women and their participation in civil life and governance. When we increase the involvement of women in decision-making roles, we decrease opportunities for the violation of their basic human rights. Kurdish women are on the battlefield, risking their lives to defend themselves and their communities from Daesh. If they take up positions of influence and responsibility during times of war, they must be able to take them up during times of peace too. In Iraq, the U.S. Government is providing training for tens of thousands of Iraqi students on rights awareness, violence prevention, and advocacy initiatives to promote legislation on gender equality. And in a related vein, we support campaigns to educate on the dangers of early and forced marriage across the region.

We entered this conflict first and foremost because Daesh threatens our security. But we will conclude it by saving human lives and by ensuring that women and girls can lead lives of dignity in their families, in their communities, and in their government.

AIRSTRIKES CONTINUING IN IRAQ, SYRIA

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Military Airstrikes Continue in Iraq, Syria
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

SOUTHWEST ASIA, April 11, 2015 – U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of the latest strikes, which took place between 8 a.m. yesterday and 8 a.m. today, local time, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Airstrikes in Syria

Bomber, fighter and attack aircraft conducted eight airstrikes in Syria:

— Near Kobani, six airstrikes struck a tactical ISIL unit and destroyed four ISIL fighting positions and three ISIL vehicles.

-- Near Al Hasakah, two airstrikes struck a large and a tactical ISIL unit and destroyed four vehicles.

Airstrikes in Iraq

Fighter, attack and remotely piloted aircraft conducted nine airstrikes in Iraq, approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense:

-- Near Mosul, two airstrikes struck one ISIL tactical unit and one ISIL rocket fire team and destroyed one excavator.

-- Near Bayji, two airstrikes destroyed seven ISIL excavators and one ISIL vehicle.

-- Near Sinjar, an airstrike struck one tactical unit, destroyed three buildings and three fighting positions.

-- Near Hit, an airstrike struck a checkpoint.

-- Near Asad, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and a fighting position.

-- Near Huwayjah, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit.

-- Near Bayji, an airstrike destroyed an ISIL vehicle.
Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, the region, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said.

Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Syria include the United States, Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

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SECRETARY KERRY'S REMARKS WITH MOROCCAN FOREIGN MINISTER MEZOUAR

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks With Moroccan Foreign Minister Salaheddine Mezouar
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
April 9, 2015

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, good morning, everybody. I’m very pleased to welcome my friend, the Foreign Minister Salaheddine Mezouar, and his delegation for the third session of the Strategic Dialogue between the United States and Morocco.

A year ago, the foreign minister hosted me and my delegation in Morocco, in Rabat, and we had a wonderful, wonderful visit there. As everybody knows, Moroccans have an extraordinarily rich culture that is shown in many ways, and I’m happy to say one of the ways is in treating guests to a delicious meal that is actually seven or eight meals disguised as one. Their hospitality is truly spectacular. And I very, very much hope to work with our superb representative in Rabat, Ambassador Dwight Bush, in order to see if I can have a chance to visit again, which we have talked about, and which I very much hope to do.

The U.S.-Moroccan Dialogue is grounded in a very longstanding friendship, and it’s real. It extends back to 1777, when Morocco recognized the independence of the United States. And we have initiated this particular dialogue because we feel that our leaders want to make certain that people understand that we have to do much more than just celebrate our history, we have to build the future. And that’s what we’re working on doing. By working together, we can help shape a future in which our citizens will be safer, they’ll be more prosperous, and where builders, not destroyers, will be strengthened and be the people who really define and write the history and meet the expectations of our people.

There can be no question that our meeting today is timely. The amount of time that we have to talk literally flew by, and we scratched the surface of many of the challenges that we face. And I thank my friend, Salaheddine, for his wisdom, for the breadth of his vision that he brings to the table in the challenges – in meeting the challenges that we face together.

Events in Africa and in the Middle East have presented all of us with a new mix of challenge. It’s different than it has been. It’s fast moving. There’s more sectarianism than any of us want, many times disguised in religion – not representing real religion but disguised in ways that are calculated to affect the minds of people and, unfortunately, set them on a course of violence and destruction.

Our delegations really look forward to reviewing today all of the aspects of this regional situation that we face together. There’s no one country that’s going to solve this. It’s going to take all of us working effectively together and it’s also going to take time. But we know that we have a very firm foundation on which to build.

Morocco is a major non-NATO ally of the United States and is the only country in Africa with which we have a free trade agreement, for example. It has successfully completed a productive compact with the Millennium Challenge Corporation and it recently hosted a well-attended Global Entrepreneurial Summit. And in July, it will serve as a venue for an important international meeting on climate change.

So Morocco is doing more than its fair share of contributing to the global dialogue on the issues of the day. And today our working groups are going to focus on four areas, including security cooperation. And here, my government commends Morocco for serving as co-chair of the Global Counterterrorism Forum’s campaign to prevent the recruitment of foreign terrorist fighters. Morocco is also a member of the anti-Daesh coalition. And since that coalition came together, it is a fact that Daesh has been pushed back significantly, and the result of that is that it is becoming increasingly dependent on its ability to be able to attract foreign fighters. And that means that we have to redouble our own efforts to persuade – and if necessary, prevent – young people from making the fatal mistake of signing up. And Morocco is a leader in our efforts to do that.

Also this year, Morocco will host African Lion, which is an annual military exercise that will continue next month. It includes several of our European and African partners. And in this era, it is essential that our armed forces experience working together, so that if a humanitarian or any other kind of emergency arises, we will be able to respond effectively before it is too late. Interoperability is a critical concept in the context of today’s challenges.

Other security-related topics that we’ll be covering today include the unrest in Libya, where we spent a fair amount of time talking a few minutes ago, where Morocco has supported and hosted UN negotiations and is undertaking a major leadership role in helping to find a path forward. And I was encouraged today in the comments of the foreign minister about the approach that is unfolding over the course of these next weeks.

Morocco is also taking steps to reform its justice sector, to professionalize its police force, to promote the rule of law, and strengthen its border security and its counterterrorist capabilities. The United States strongly backs all of these initiatives, and we will do everything that we can to be helpful as Morocco pursues success in each of those sectors.

A second area of discussion today concerns our growing economic and energy ties. Our free trade agreement is now almost a decade old, and it has already yielded very positive results for both sides. But we want to do better; we want to do more. We know we can. And so we’re going to talk this morning about how to ensure that the free trade agreement benefits grow in a balanced and more expansive way.

We’ll also talk about increasing our business-to-business contacts, intensifying two-way investment, and Morocco’s plan to generate at least 40 percent of its electricity from renewable sources of energy.

In Morocco, as elsewhere, young people are the key to the future. The average age in Morocco is increasing now, but unemployment rates for those people who are 15 to 24 years old and not in school still remain high. It’s a challenge. It’s a challenge everywhere, by the way. And we hope that the government’s efforts to grow the economy, coupled with a $38 million agreement through USAID, will provide the nation’s youth with the confidence and the skills that they need to make the critical leap from school to paycheck, to a good job for the long-term future.

A third focus of our dialogue concerns the value of education and people-to-people contacts. Morocco has embarked on a program of comprehensive education reforms, designed to lift the standards and provide greater opportunity to young people, to women and girls particularly. And here again, the United States is helping through a $25 million USAID grant to improve achievement at the primary school level. We’re also excited about the J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative that was launched by the United States and Moroccan students this spring.

Our fourth area for discussion will highlight public institutions and civil society. The international turbulence of recent years shows how absolutely vital it is to be able to provide a peaceful outlet for political expression and to maintain governing structures that are sustained by the full support of their national populations. Morocco has the potential to be a model – the model, if you will.

But as we know from our own experience in the United States, building resilient and robust democratic institutions is a long-term job. We’re still working at it. We have our own challenges, and we know that. And so we talk with appropriate humility about any other country’s challenge, but we’re all in this together and we all have to draw from each other’s experiences and work together. Accordingly, we welcome Morocco’s effort to strengthen political parties and to give space to civil society in advance of the national elections.

We also respect His Majesty King Mohammed VI’s spiritual authority as a faith leader and his consistent and vocal opposition to any use of religion to justify violence against innocent persons.

In closing, let me just say that the foreign minister and I and our teams have a lot to discuss, as you can tell. And I very much look forward to having this discussion over the course of the day in the warmth and friendship that really does define this relationship. So I’m very pleased to yield my – the floor to my colleague and my friend, Foreign Minister Mezouar. Thank you. (Applause.)

FOREIGN MINISTER MEZOUAR: (Via interpreter.) Thank you, John, and dear friend. First of all, I would like to thank you for your kind words, for your hospitality, and for making your teams available. They worked hard. I would like to congratulate them.

And as you said, dear friend, we are two friendly countries and we have been longstanding friends, and this friendship in our context today is a fundamental basis to move ahead. It’s the fundamental basis that will allow us to face the transformations of today’s worlds with all of its complexities. And I think that our meeting of today as part of the strategic dialogue is the best message that we could convey together to say there aren’t just problems, but there’s also some progress being made. Humanity advances via crises, but also thanks to ability to ensure that progress may also be made.

I applaud – I salute the excellent relationship that we share, and this relationship that allows us doing meetings such as this one, but also doing very brief meetings that this relationship allows us to deal very quickly on the various topics, because you have the same assessments, the same analyses, but above all, we are members of the same bloc, the bloc of freedom, the camp of peace, that of democracy – the bloc of universal values, the bloc that defends the most disenfranchised, and also the bloc of solidarity. I think that these are the values that we share, and they allow us to always work with great peace of mind, to work together on the fundamental topics.

We met a year ago in Morocco, and of course, we were delighted to host you. Yes indeed, we shared some good meals, but we shared other meals, and namely our shared vision of what we wanted to be, of what we wanted to do. Morocco is a country, as you observed – is a country which is moving ahead. It’s a country which has built its model – its model of development, which is based on values, on institutions which are solid and strong. This is a country which has a history, and this history makes it stronger. This history helps us also via the reforms process that are continuing. Reforms never stop and they can never stop, because the world is moving. Societies are moving, are changing. And since the world and societies are moving and changing, well, reforms must also continue to move and change just like a society must continue to move and advance.

So Morocco does indeed appear to be this harbor of peace in a disrupted, disturbed, and ailing region of the world. We share our experiences with others, we provide our contribution, we engaged in the fight against ignorance, against extremism, because there is no war of religions, there’s no war of civilizations, but there’s a fight against ignorance. And that means that what we are engaged in together has meaning, because it’s the world as we see it, it’s societies as we perceive them, which are the engines of our actions, which are the engines of our relationships.

So I’m happy that today, once again, of the opportunity of this third strategic dialogue, that we’re able to notice that our relationship is vivacious. The advantages of these meetings that allows us to be constantly creative. They allow us to be constantly – say to yourselves we must ensure that this exceptional relationship, that this quality of relationship, it has to be supplied, it has to be complete – constantly fed, supplied; otherwise it will stagnate and it will regress.

So we are engaged in a virtuous, positive logic between our two countries. And here I would like to pay greater tribute to Ambassador Bush, who is doing a wonderful job. And also I would like to pay tribute to your teams at the State Department, who are also doing wonderful work to bring people together, to come up with imaginative things to create. I wish – would be remiss if I failed to pay tribute to our own ambassador, who is also working hard to ensure that constantly this exceptional relationship be preserved, sustained.

We talked about problems in our region. Here I would like to say two or three messages. The first message about Libya: Libya, as you know, the dialogue is taking place in Morocco, in serenity, in a state – atmosphere of responsibility. The Libyan people want peace; they want stability. The various components of the dialogue have been determined. There is a real awareness. The Libyans are capable of making peace. The Libyans are capable of getting along and the Libyans are capable of building a future within a framework of stability, as part of a modern society, an open society, with institutions that will allow them to deploy their wonderful energy. They do have that energy that will allow them to move ahead in the construction of their country, but also in the construction of the region.

Libyans need to be supported. We are engaged in a phase where the fundamental principles of the agreement have been accepted. Today, we must give this momentum and we must say and affirm that they are capable of making peace. They are capable of moving towards a political solution that will help them to overcome the difficulties that they have today.

So this is an opportunity to applaud the efforts of Bernardino Leon, who is working with great tact, with great engagement, but also applaud the various factions, the various protagonists who are engaged in the dialogue. And I am convinced that next week’s meeting will make it possible to move towards a definitive solution.

And why – I would also like to mention Yemen. We must, above all, understand that it is no longer possible to allow that in countries affected by this type of instability that legitimacy be swept aside by anyone. We must bring order back and respect. There was a dialogue and this dialogue was supposed to lead to the organization of a national unity government that would lead to new elections and representation. When units or factions start believing that, given they have a few militaries or some assets, they can destabilize states, the message that has to be retained is that – that has to be conveyed that this is fundamental. It has to be firm. It is no longer allowed that any minority, that any faction, should be able to destabilize the foundations of a state, because destabilizing the foundations of a state will bring us back to situations of insecurity, instability, always difficult to solve and which generally profit – benefit to those who know but we never think about.

So Morocco is determined, vis-a-vis values and principles. Morocco is engaged in the fight against extremism but also engaged in the fight against any type of destabilization which would lead to anarchy. So Morocco is engaged in the commission and it’s also engaged in this coalition for Yemen on the basis of values but also based on a value – on a vision of the dynamic to which the Middle East region must join, generally speaking.

I would also wish to emphasize the fact that the fight against extremism and the determination with which the coalition is acting is starting to produce results. These results are encouraging. This also encourages the Government of Iraq, which is responsible – its officials and its army – to come up with a solution that will make it possible to eradicate all forms of extremism and to fight against terrorism. So these are all – as many actions of the international community. And thanks to your leadership, dear friend, and we are all determined towards this action.

But I would also bring your attention to another aspect that should not be overlooked, that should not be forgotten. I would like to applaud your tenacity on the Israeli-Palestinian issue and on peace in this region. With determination, you led difficult negotiations. I think that this process is not over. With – this process must continue. The statement of Mr. Netanyahu is placing the international community in front of its real responsibilities, but we must never forget that peace in the Middle East will never take place as long as peace and stability in that region of the world, and especially as part of Israeli-Palestinian conflict has not been achieved.

His Majesty, the King is engaged via the committee accords to constantly provide this indispensable support to the Palestinians and particularly to the holy sites. These sites have to be protected. This is part of the heritage of humanity. They have to be protected for mankind. And Morocco, which is also engaged in this process of resumption of the dialogue, of discussion with the Quartet that had been designed by the Arab League, which had its meeting last Monday, in order to explain that we need a resumption of the process and the dialogue on the basis of engagements of the international community on behalf of the solution of two states, as it was defined – namely, the process that you have conducted yourself. Morocco will host the Summit of the Arab League next year in Morocco, and some very important topics will be on the agenda. And of course, Morocco is engaged in peace and in the rapprochement and the dialogue. This is fundamental because this period, this timeframe that we’re experiencing is sensitive, it’s explosive, and Morocco, thanks to the momentum, His Majesty, the King, is assuming the role of leadership, which is its own.

Morocco is also progressing on some various issues. You talked about them. There are two topics about which we have made some real progress – the issue of women, first of all, which was a struggle, a momentum. And thanks to His Majesty, there was this momentum. And this liberation that was conducted created for this amazing energy and skills in Morocco, and also the issue of youth. And this is an issue, of course, that we have not been working just since today. Morocco has always integrated – as part of its vision of development of society and of economic and social development, we integrate the training and the education of the youth as part of a strategy of development which is our own, and this is yielding good results, but we must continue to work even harder.

And this was part of the Global Entrepreneurial Summit that we were – had the pleasure of hosting, and you had the – gave us the honor of attending this. And this was a wonderful opportunity to show the amazing pool of talent that Morocco has in terms of creativity, of unyielding all of this power, and these means that will allow the youth to take its role and play its responsibility in the development of society. And of course, Morocco remains available to provide this expertise, this experience, as part of the upcoming summit which will take place in Nairobi, I believe, in July.

So Morocco is advancing with great serenity. Reforms are important, but in greater serenity they are done, the better it is. And it is acknowledged, appropriated by society. It is acknowledged by the political forces and the components of society. Morocco is advancing. We know we have to conduct reforms. We are conducting reforms and we’re expanding the field of liberation and of energies, and that makes the strength of our country. The strength of our country comes on the fact that we are liberating energies, and we have a leadership, because this leadership is modern. This leadership is progressive. This leadership is democratic. This leadership believes in human values.

His Majesty plays this role of leadership, but also, given the fact that we were able to build for more than a half century a momentum of political diversity and of political dialogue and of political representation, which this all allows us, indeed, to manage our differences with political alternative, with a democracy, with serenity and responsibility – and all of these things are things that we share with you, because the world also needs examples. Our relationship is an example because it is serene, it is responsible, because it looks to the future. And we all – Morocco is also an example that we share with other countries. And the stability of the region is fundamental. Previously, we mentioned the issue of the Sahara – Moroccan Sahara, and we emphasized on the fact that Morocco is a country that always looks to the future to build the future. Morocco provided concrete responses and concrete solutions via the autonomy proposal. This proposal is a proposal which moves towards integration but also towards the facilitation of the construction of the Maghreb space, and this on behalf of the populations, on behalf of the various countries.

So Morocco is a player that always looks at things positively. We have turned the page of the 25th century – we’re on the 21st century, and the 21st century has its own logic, and this logic says we must always be in a positive momentum, provide positive contributions, seek solutions, overcome the static systems of history which disrupt populations, which disrupt relations between countries. So Morocco wants to move ahead.

And we would like to thank you for the role that you play, the – your engagement on behalf of this virtuous dynamic that we want to move towards in this region with respect to the resolution of a problem which has been invented for 40 years, and which affects our territorial integrity. So these always many subjects which are important that we share, but I – once again, I would like to say I do know that you have a plane to catch. I would like to thank you for your friendship, for your availability towards Morocco. We’ll have – we have opportunities to meet once in a while in always various different locations, but these are very special moments, and we wanted to share them intensely with you on behalf of our relationship, on behalf of the friendship which unites our people here. I would like to pay tribute to the entire team which is here today, the three groups which are working, which are – the four groups, pardon me – four groups which are moving ahead with determination to provide content and to strengthen the economic component that is a momentum that has its own progression.

I would just like to conclude with one point which is important to us and that we share with you – Africa. Africa is the continent that we have to invest in. Morocco is engaging, it’s providing its experience, its expertise. We are providing our investments. We are providing human development. Morocco is providing this dimension of religious moderation which is fundamental today as part of the relationship and the stability and the stabilization of societies. We are engaged and will continue to be engaged.

When His Majesty, the King met President Obama, decided that this would be a thrust of the partnership between our countries, will provide it with more and more contact by engaging ourselves. We do know that the issue of energy is important, therefore our shared expertise should help towards, move in this dimension the issue of food security and the stabilization of populations, human development – really just development, but also investments. Morocco is the first investor, African investor in west – in Central Africa. So we are the largest African investor, which means that Morocco is engaged in this dynamic of development stabilization of Africa, which is a wonderful continent, which is a continent which has huge potential, and also needs to know that it has friends and friends that are – have wanted well, and since – we have good wishes for this continent and we’ll continue to work towards that.

Thank you once again, dear John. Thank you to all of you. (Applause.)

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you very much, Salaheddine, very eloquent comments. And I want the record to show that even when he was being serious, he was talking about (inaudible). (Laughter.) Thank you. (Applause.)

FOREIGN MINISTER MEZOUAR: Thank you. (Applause.)

QUESTION: Can we get (inaudible)? Will Cuba be removed from the state sponsors of terror list?

SECRETARY KERRY: I can’t, I’m sorry. I can’t. I’ve got to run now.

DOD VIDEO: SUMMER SHIELD 12

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT

U.S.-SOUTH KOREA ALLIANCE SOLID

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT

Right:  Defense Secretary Ash Carter meets with South Korean Minister of Defense Han Min-Koo on Pyeongtaek Naval Base, South Korea, April 10, 2015. DoD photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Sean Hurt.  

Carter, South Korea’s Han Solidify Alliance
By Terri Moon Cronk
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, April 10, 2015 – The U.S.-South Korea alliance has a global reach based on mutual trust and common values, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said in a joint press conference after meeting with South Korean Minister of Defense Han Min-Koo today.

As Carter begins to wrap up his first official visit to the region as defense secretary, he met with his military counterpart in Seoul.

“We've worked together [with South Korea] to counter [the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant], combat Ebola and help rebuild Afghanistan,” Carter said.
“The gains for our national, regional and global security have been impressive, and I thank the Republic of Korea for all it’s doing to ensure peace and security around the world,” the secretary added.

Defense Secretary Reaffirms Resolve, Support

Carter reaffirmed the United States' resolve and support for the alliance and the defense of the Republic of Korea, and he emphasized America's unwavering commitment to its rebalancing strategy in the Asia-Pacific region.

“In light of this, I assessed that the U.S. strategy to rebalance toward the Asia-Pacific will contribute to promoting the peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia,” Han said.

The defense leaders reaffirmed their countries’ commitments to the strong alliance and to deepening their collaboration in the years ahead, Carter noted, adding there is particular emphasis on new domains such as space and cyberspace.

North Korea Threats Pivotal to Talks

North Korea’s threats were also key to the leaders’ talk. Carter said they made a candid assessment of the growing North Korean nuclear weapon of mass destruction and ballistic missile threats, “which continue to put at risk the peace and security of the Korean Peninsula, the region, and the U.S. homeland,” he said.

And as North Korea again demonstrated with its recent missile launches, the country is intent on continued provocation, Carter said.

Han added, “Secretary Carter and I reaffirmed that we will continue to work together on reinforcing the alliance's comprehensive capabilities in response to North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile threats.”

Carter and Han also agree on the importance of trilateral information sharing to deter North Korea nuclear missile provocations, Han said.

South Korea, U.S., Japan Cooperation

“[Carter] concurred that Korea, the United States, and Japan should cooperate closely to contribute to peace and stability in Northeast Asia and the world,” the South Korean leader said.

“On the peninsula, deterrence and readiness are at a premium,” Carter said. “So, we're investing in advanced capabilities to make sure that our top, new investments are tailored to this dynamic security environment and can play a role in … assuring security here.”

To that end, he said, the United States is beginning to rotationally deploy Army brigade combat teams to Korea, providing a more ready set of forces for the peninsula.

“And we're working hard to ensure interoperability with our Korean allies, including thorough training and exercises, like Key Resolve and Foal Eagle,” Carter noted.

The defense leaders also talked about their decision to adopt a conditions-based approach to the transition of wartime operational control, Carter pointed out.
The secretary called it a significant alliance decision, and said both he and Han remain committed to the objectives their nations established at the last security consultative meeting in October 2014.

Looking at America's lasting presence in the Asia-Pacific region, Carter said, “As secretary of defense, I'm personally committed to overseeing the next phase of our rebalance to the region, which will deepen and diversify our engagement throughout the Asia Pacific.”

WEST WING WEEK: 04/10/15

WHITE HOUSE FACT SHEET ON MEETING WITH CENTRAL AMERICA INTEGRATION SYSTEM MEMBERS

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE CENTRAL AMERICA
April 10, 2015
FACT SHEET: U.S. Cooperation with Central America; Meeting with Members of the Central America Integration System (SICA)

At the 2015 Summit of the Americas in Panama, President Obama met with the leaders of Central America Integration System (SICA) member states and the SICA Secretary General on April 10 to underscore the strong U.S. commitment to, and partnership with, Central America.  The U.S. Strategy for Engagement in Central America promotes the goal of an economically integrated region that provides economic opportunities to its people, enjoys more accountable, transparent, and effective public institutions, and ensures a safe environment for its citizens.

President Obama requested $1 billion from the U.S. Congress for Fiscal Year 2016 in support of the U.S. Strategy for Engagement in Central America in all seven Central American nations.  While the United States will prioritize assistance to the Northern Triangle – El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras – our strategy is region-wide.  Central America’s prosperity and security, its opportunities and challenges, are inextricably linked and have a direct impact on the rest of the hemisphere.

Eleven years have passed since the August 2004 signing of the Dominican Republic-Central America - United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR), when our countries committed to promote economic growth, expand trade and investment opportunities, and strengthen both regional integration and competitiveness of the parties, yielding positive results for the seven partners of this trading bloc.

Higher and sustained growth is required to create opportunity and reduce poverty.   Despite the economic challenges faced by the world economy in recent years, the intra-regional trade among Central American countries and the Dominican Republic increased from US$6.3 billion in 2010 to more than US$8 billion by 2014.  U.S goods exports to Central America and the Dominican Republic in 2014 were $31.3 billion, up 99 percent from 2004; U.S. good imports from Central America and the Dominican Republic totaled $28.4 billion in 2014, up 60 percent over that same period.  These increased trade flows are promising, and stronger economic growth is possible with greater economic integration.

At the meeting with SICA Heads of State, President Obama encouraged his counterparts to pursue regional integration, promote trade facilitation, and approach security as a region.  He also noted that sustainable economic growth is more likely when a country enjoys transparent, accountable democratic institutions and a strong commitment to citizen security.

Promoting Regional Economic Integration and Growth

Central America’s place at the geographic crossroads of this hemisphere is a tremendous economic asset.  In order to make the most of this advantage, Central American nations should continue to work together to integrate and grow their economies by reducing tariffs, investing in infrastructure and border facilities, streamlining customs procedures, and partnering with each other on issues such as energy.   The region is the focal point of the Connecting the Americas 2022 initiative, which will help attract investment in clean energy and reduce energy costs by interconnecting the region’s electricity markets.  The United States has just launched a $20 million facility to drive private sector investment into clean energy projects in the Caribbean and Central America. The Facility will provide early-stage funding to catalyze larger private sector investment in clean energy projects.  The United States will also partner with Central American and Caribbean countries in a task force to evaluate our progress on energy cooperation and identify concrete steps to advance energy sector reform, regional integration, and clean energy development.

Countries should accelerate actions such as improved access to and quality of education, vocational training opportunities, and small business development models to encourage entrepreneurship and ensure growth that is broad-based and equitable.   By improving public financial management, governments also will be better equipped to make key public investments, provide critical public services, improve fiscal transparency and over time decrease the need for international donor support.  Deeper regional integration can also help build resilience against destabilizing events such as natural disasters, for example through pooled efforts to insure against risk.

Cooperating on Violence Prevention and Combating Crime

U.S. engagement on security complements the efforts of host nations and like-minded donors to reduce levels of crime and violence, strengthen rule of law institutions, and help address the root causes of insecurity that impede broader economic development and social inclusion.  Our programs in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala amplify local government efforts to promote crime prevention and police capacity-building in the most adversely affected communities.   We are similarly united in our efforts to combat transnational organized, crime, including by providing support to improve land border and maritime interdiction throughout the region, and cooperating with partner nations to investigate and prosecute those who conduct human smuggling operations exploiting the desperation of parents and children making the dangerous journey north.   In Panama, the Regional Border Management Academy conducts training of border officials, while in Costa Rica, our assistance to prisons, border police training, and support for nationwide use of data-driven policing is positioning them as a regional model.

In November 2014, the U.S. Department of State announced its in-country refugee processing program in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.  The program is part of the Obama Administration’s response to last summer’s influx of unaccompanied children and families fleeing to the United States from Central America and will work to provide a safe, legal, and orderly alternative to the dangerous journey that some children are currently undertaking to the United States.  The new program allows parents from those nations, who are lawfully present in the United States, to submit an application to have their children join them in the United States if they qualify for refugee status or humanitarian parole.

Sustaining Economic and Security Gains through Accountable Governance

The enabling environment for sustained growth, stability and prosperity for the region will require good governance, including support for democratic values, strengthening of criminal justice and other legal institutions to combat impunity and promote the rule of law, and advancing rights and protections for civil society and the media.  The private sector, small business owners, and international investors want confidence in the security of their investment and assurances that business dealings are fair and legal.  Institutions must establish a pattern of transparency, accountability, effectiveness, and independence.

VA ANNOUNCES POTENTIAL EXPOSURES AT FORT MCCLELLAN ARMY INSTALLATION

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Potential Exposure at Fort McClellan

Fort McClellan was an Army installation in Alabama that opened in 1917.
Some members of the U.S. Army Chemical Corp School, Army Combat Development Command Chemical/Biological/Radiological Agency, Army Military Police School and Women's Army Corps, among others, may have been exposed to one or more of several hazardous materials, likely at low levels, during their service at Fort McClellan. Potential exposures could have included, but are not limited to, the following:

Radioactive compounds (cesium-137 and cobalt-60) used in decontamination training activities in isolated locations on base.

Chemical warfare agents (mustard gas and nerve agents) used in decontamination testing activities in isolated locations on base.

Airborne polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from the Monsanto plant in the neighboring town.

Although exposures to high levels of these compounds have been shown to cause a variety of adverse health effects in humans and laboratory animals, there is no evidence of exposures of this magnitude having occurred at Fort McClellan.
PCBs and the Monsanto chemical plant

From 1929 to 1971, an off-post Monsanto chemical plant operated south of Fort McClellan in Anniston. PCBs from the plant entered into the environment, and the surrounding community was exposed.

In 2013, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) completed an assessment of the potential health risks caused by airborne PCBs in Anniston and concluded that the concentrations found were "not expected to result in an increased cancer risk or other harmful health effects in people living in the neighborhoods outside the perimeter of the former PCB manufacturing facility."

Fort McClellan today

Fort McClellan closed in 1999 as part of the Army Base Closure and Realignment Committee (BRAC) program. The BRAC legislation required the environmental cleanup of Fort McClellan prior to its transfer to the public domain. Oversight of parts of the base have since been transferred to the Alabama Army National Guard, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Justice, and the Department of the Interior, as well as to the community of Anniston, where the re-development and re-use of the land is overseen by the McClellan Development Authority.

Veteran health care and compensation benefits

Veterans who are experiencing health issues that they associate with their service while at Fort McClellan should see their primary care provider or contact their local Environmental Health Coordinator.

WHITE HOUSE FACT SHEET ON U.S.-CARICOM SUMMIT

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE
April 09, 2015
FACT SHEET: U.S.-CARICOM Summit – Deepening Energy Cooperation

Today, President Obama met with Caribbean leaders in a U.S.-CARICOM Summit in Kingston, Jamaica.  President Obama reaffirmed the importance of our relationship with the region, and the United States’ commitment to partner with Caribbean countries to advance economic development, security, and good governance.  Leaders discussed a broad range of issues, from our important trade and investment linkages to security cooperation.

The leaders’ discussion focused on the importance of improving energy security, reducing energy costs, and fighting climate change.  This follows robust engagement on these issues over the last year, including the White House Caribbean Energy Security Summit hosted by the Vice President in January 2015 and the launch of the Caribbean Energy Security Initiative (CESI) coordinated by the Department of State. The United States is deepening this collaboration through the following initiatives:

Clean Energy Finance Facility for the Caribbean and Central American (CEFF-CCA): The United States will launch a $20 million facility to encourage investment in clean energy projects.  The facility will provide early-stage funding to catalyze greater private and public sector investment in clean energy projects.  It will draw on the expertise of the U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) in coordination with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Department of State.

Energy Security Task Force: The United States will partner with Caribbean and Central American countries in a task force to evaluate progress in our cooperation and identify concrete steps to advance energy sector reform, regional integration, and clean energy development.

Clean Energy Finance: In January, OPIC formed a dedicated financing and insurance team to advance development of the Caribbean renewable energy sector. OPIC is in advanced talks to finance a 20 MW solar farm in Jamaica, and has already committed financing to Jamaica’s largest private-sector wind farm, a 36 MW facility in Malvern, St. Elizabeth Parish.  OPIC is actively looking for opportunities to support solar and wind energy projects in Jamaica and throughout the broader Caribbean region.

Clean Energy Technology Collaboration: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Jamaica’s Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy, and Mining signed a statement of intent today to advance our shared interest in sustainable energy.  Areas for potential cooperation include energy conservation and efficiency, energy infrastructure, micro grids and energy storage, fuel diversification, and energy policy.

Clean Energy Economy Transition: The Department of Energy assembled U.S. and Caribbean stakeholder working groups to look at opportunities ranging from clean energy, efficiency, diversifying electricity generation, clean transportation and energy education, at the Caribbean Clean Energy Technology Symposium, held in St. Thomas in March. The working groups will report on progress at the 2016 Symposium to be hosted by Jamaica. Also, the Department of Energy will launch a new Energy Scenario Planning Tool¸ building on its Energy Transitions: Island Playbook, to help island communities plan clean energy projects that are most likely to attract investment, capitalize on local resources, and meet energy needs.

Greening Tourism: The tourism industry is the largest energy user in the Caribbean. The Department of Energy, with its Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and OPIC are undertaking the Caribbean Hotel Energy Efficiency and Renewables (CHEER) initiative, which supports projects to improve energy and water efficiency as well as the exchange of best practices in the hotel and tourism industry.  USAID is launching a complementary project focused on the Eastern Caribbean that will develop new financing tools for energy efficiency and renewables.

Jamaica Clean Energy Program: USAID is working with the Government of Jamaica and the private sector on a new integrated Clean Energy Program to establish the pre-conditions for clean energy development, optimize renewable energy integration, and accelerate private-sector clean energy investment.

WEEKLY ADDRESS: TUITION-FREE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

SUSPECT ARRESTED FOR ATTEMPTING TO DETONATE CAR BOMB AT U.S. MILITARY BASE

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Friday, April 10, 2015

Topeka, Kansas, Man Charged in Plot to Explode Car Bomb at Military Base
A Topeka, Kansas, man has been charged in federal court with attempting to detonate a vehicle bomb at Fort Riley military base near Manhattan, Kansas, announced Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom of the District of Kansas and Special Agent in Charge Eric K. Jackson of the FBI’s Kansas City Division.  The defendant was arrested as part of an FBI investigation, and the device used by the defendant was, in fact, inert.        

John T. Booker Jr., 20, of Topeka, Kansas, was charged in a criminal complaint unsealed today with one count of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction (explosives), one count of attempting to damage property by means of an explosive and one count of attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a designated foreign terrorist organization. Booker is expected to make an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. District Judge Daniel Crabtree of the District of Kansas in federal court in Topeka.

Booker was arrested this morning near Manhattan, as he completed his final preparations to detonate a vehicle bomb targeting U.S. military personnel.

“As alleged in the complaint, John Booker attempted to attack U.S. military personnel on U.S. soil purportedly in the name of ISIL,” said Assistant Attorney General Carlin.  “Thanks to the efforts of the law enforcement community, we were able to safely disrupt this threat to the brave men and women who serve our country.  Protecting American lives by identifying and bringing to justice those who wish to harm U.S. citizens remains the National Security Division’s number one priority.”

“We face a continued threat from individuals within our own borders who may be motivated by a variety of causes,” said U.S. Attorney Grissom.  “Anyone who seeks to harm this nation and its people will be brought to justice.”

“I want to assure the public there was never any breach of Fort Riley Military Base, nor was the safety or the security of the base or its personnel ever at risk,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Jackson.  “Recently the Command Staff at Fort Riley has been working hand in hand with law enforcement to ensure the utmost security and protection for the men and women who serve our country, and the surrounding community that supports the base."

Booker is alleged to have spent months discussing multiple plans before deciding on a plan that involved the execution of a suicide bombing mission.

The complaint alleges Booker told another person “that detonating a suicide bomb is his number one aspiration because he couldn’t be captured, all evidence would be destroyed, and he would be guaranteed to hit his target.”  Booker identified Fort Riley as a good target, “because the post is famous and there are a lot of soldiers stationed there,” the complaint alleges.

It is alleged that since March 2015, Booker plotted to construct an explosive device for an attack on American soil.  It is alleged he repeatedly stated that he desired to engage in violent jihad on behalf of ISIL.  Over a period of months, he took a series of actions to advance his plot.  As alleged in the complaint, Booker assisted in acquiring components for a vehicle bomb, produced a propaganda video, rented a storage locker to store components for the explosive device, identified Fort Riley as the target and talked about his commitment to trigger the device himself and become a martyr.

FBI Evidence Response Teams are executing search warrants related to the case.

If convicted, Booker would face a maximum penalty of life in prison.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, including members from the FBI’s Kansas City Division, the Topeka Police Department and the Kansas Highway Patrol.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tony Mattivi and David Smith of the District of Kansas, and Trial Attorneys Josh Parecki and Rebecca Magnone of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.  The charges merely contain allegations of criminal activity.

WHITE HOUSE VIDEO: VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN SPEAKS AT THE NATIONAL DEFENSE UNIVERSITY

SECRETARY KERRY URGES CHINA TO UNCONDITIONALLY RELEASE WOMEN'S RIGHTS ACTIVISTS

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Ongoing Detention of Chinese Women's Rights Activists
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
April 10, 2015

The United States strongly urges China to immediately and unconditionally release the “Beijing+20 Five” – Li Tingting, Wu Rongrong, Zheng Churan, Wei Tingting, and Wang Man. These women were detained before International Women’s Day in March after they organized a peaceful campaign to help end sexual harassment and promote equal rights for women.

Each and every one of us has the right to speak out against sexual harassment and the many other injustices that millions of women and girls suffer around the world each and every day. We strongly support the efforts of these activists to make progress on these challenging issues, and we believe that Chinese authorities should also support them, not silence them.

MADISON MAN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTING TO PROVIDE MATERIAL SUPPORT TO ISIL

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Thursday, April 9, 2015
Madison, Wisconsin, Man Charged With Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIL

Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin, U.S. Attorney John W. Vaudreuil of the Western District of Wisconsin and Special Agent in Charge Robert J. Shields Jr. of the FBI’s Milwaukee Division announced that Joshua Ray Van Haften, 34, of Madison, Wisconsin, has been charged with attempting to provide material support and resources, namely himself as personnel, to a foreign terrorist organization.  As alleged in the complaint, Van Haften intended to travel into Iraq or Syria to join the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

The complaint alleges that Van Haften left the United States on Aug. 26, 2014, and traveled to Istanbul.  As alleged in the complaint, Turkey shares a land border with Syria and is known to be an entry point into Syria for those who wish to join ISIL.

“Van Haften traveled overseas for the alleged purpose of joining and attempting to provide material support to ISIL,” said Assistant Attorney General Carlin.  “Stemming the flow of foreign fighters to Iraq and Syria and holding accountable those who attempt to provide material support to designated foreign terrorist organizations remains a top priority for the National Security Division.  I would like to thank all the agents, analysts and prosecutors who are responsible for this case.”

“We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate, arrest, and vigorously prosecute all extremists who choose to aid ISIL, or any other terrorist organization, and to stop them before they harm the United States or our allies,” said U.S. Attorney Vaudreuil.  “We also remain committed to working with dedicated community members to bring this cycle to an end.”

“This arrest underscores the importance of our JTTF law enforcement partnerships to bring those to justice who provide support and resources to terrorist organizations such as ISIL,” said Special Agent in Charge Shields.  “We hope this arrest will serve as a deterrent for others who may be terrorist sympathizers here in Wisconsin, across the nation or abroad: they will be held accountable for support of terrorism against our citizens and our international partners.”

Van Haften was arrested at O’Hare Airport in Chicago yesterday evening after his arrival in custody on an international flight from Turkey.

Van Haften will make an initial appearance in U.S. District Court at 9:45 a.m. CDT today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen L. Crocker of the Western District of Wisconsin.   If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.

This case was investigated by the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the members of which include the FBI, the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation, the Dane County Sheriff’s Office and the University of Wisconsin Police Department.  Assistance was also provided by the Department of Homeland Security.  The case is being prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Vaudreuil and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Anderson of the Western District of Wisconsin, and Trial Attorney Lolita Lukose of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.

The charges contained a complaint are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

FTC APPROVES FINAL ORDER IN "BRAIN TRAINING" CASE

FROM:  U.S. FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
FTC Approves Final Order Barring Company from Making Unsubstantiated Claims Related to Products’ “Brain Training” Capabilities

Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has approved a final consent order barring Focus Education, the company that sold the Jungle Rangers “brain training” game, from making unsupported claims regarding Jungle Rangers’ ability to permanently improve children’s cognitive abilities, school performance, and behavior, including for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

According to the FTC’s January 2015 complaint, the advertisements claimed that Jungle Rangers had “scientifically proven memory and attention brain training exercises, designed to improve focus, concentration and memory”  and touted the game as giving children “the ability to focus, complete school work, homework, and to stay on task.” Focus Education’s website implied that these benefits would be permanent. The FTC charged Focus Education and its principals with misrepresenting the efficacy of their product and failing to have scientific evidence to support the claims made.

The final order settling the FTC’s complaint prohibits Focus Education and its principals from making the claims alleged in the complaint about the ifocus System or any substantially similar product unless the claims are non-misleading and are supported by competent and reliable scientific evidence.

The order also bars the respondents from making unsubstantiated claims about the benefits, performance, or efficacy of products or services that supposedly alter the brain’s structure or function, improve cognitive abilities, behavior, or academic performance, or treat or reduce the symptoms of cognitive disorders, including ADHD.

Finally, the order bars the respondents from misrepresenting the results of any test, study, or research; or misrepresenting that the benefits of a cognitive improvement product are scientifically proven.

The Commission vote to approve the final consent order and send letters to members of the public who submitted comments was 5-0. (FTC File No. 122-3153; the staff contact is Annette Soberats, Bureau of Consumer Protection, 202-326-2921)

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them.

SEC OBTAINS $5 MILLION JUDGEMENT IN CASE INVOLVING PENNY STOCKS

FROM:  U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Litigation Release No. 23226 / March 31, 2015
Securities and Exchange Commission v. StratoComm Corporation, et al., Civil Action No. 1:11-CV-1188
SEC Obtains Judgment for Over $5 Million in Penny Stock Fraud Case

On March 26, 2015, the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York entered an amended judgment in a penny stock fraud case against StratoComm Corporation; its CEO Roger D. Shearer; and its former Director of Investor Relations, Craig Danzig. The judgment orders payment of more than $5 million collectively and imposes permanent injunctions and bars.

The judgment follows the Court's earlier decision granting the SEC's motion for summary judgment on liability against the defendants on all charges against them, including violations of the antifraud provisions and certain registration requirements under the federal securities laws.

The SEC alleged that StratoComm, acting at Shearer's direction and with Danzig's assistance, issued and distributed public statements falsely portraying the penny stock company as actively engaged in the manufacture and sale of telecommunications systems for use in underdeveloped countries. In reality, StratoComm had no product and no revenue. The SEC argued that StratoComm, Shearer and Danzig sold investors more than $4 million worth of StratoComm stock in unregistered transactions.

The judgment orders StratoComm and Shearer to pay a total of $4,968,709.68 in disgorgement and prejudgment interest. It also orders Stratocomm to pay $100,000 as a civil penalty, and orders Shearer and Danzig to pay a civil penalty in the amount of $50,000 and $25,000, respectively. The judgment permanently enjoins all defendants from violating Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder and Section 5 of the Securities Act of 1933. The judgment also permanently enjoins StratoComm and Danzig from violating Section 17(a) of the Securities Act and permanently enjoins Danzig from violating Section 15(a)(1) of the Exchange Act. The judgment imposes permanent penny stock bars against Shearer and Danzig and a permanent officer and director bar against Shearer.

NETWORK SOLUTIONS SETTLES WITH FTC RELATING TO ALLEGED MISLEADING CONSUMERS REGARDING REFUNDS

FROM:  U.S. FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
FTC Obtains Settlement From Network Solutions LLC for Misleading Consumers About Refunds

Network Solutions LLC has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it misled consumers who bought its web hosting services by promising a full refund if they canceled within 30 days. In reality, the company withheld substantial cancellation fees from most refunds.

In an administrative complaint, the FTC alleged that Network Solutions, a domain name registrar and web hosting provider, offered web hosting packages with a “30 Day Money Back Guarantee,” but did not adequately disclose that it withheld part of the refund – up to 30 percent – from customers who cancelled within 30 days of buying an annual or multi-year package and registering an included domain name.

The proposed settlement order prohibits Network Solutions from failing to clearly disclose, before obtaining a customer’s billing information, the material terms of any money-back guarantee, or failing to refund the full purchase price in response to a request that complies with the terms of a guarantee. The settlement also bars the company from misrepresenting material terms of any refund or cancellation policy or money-back guarantee, or any other material fact about web hosting.

The FTC acknowledges the assistance of the Better Business Bureau serving Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania in this case.

The Commission vote to issue an administrative complaint and accept the proposed consent agreement for public comment was 5-0. The FTC will publish a description of the consent agreement package in the Federal Register shortly. The agreement will be subject to public comment for 30 days, beginning today and continuing through May 7, 2015, after which the Commission will decide whether to issue the order on a final basis. Interested parties can submit written comments electronically.

NOTE: The Commission issues an administrative complaint when it has “reason to believe” that the law has been or is being violated, and it appears to the Commission that a proceeding is in the public interest. When the Commission issues a consent order on a final basis, it carries the force of law with respect to future actions. Each violation of such an order may result in a civil penalty of up to $16,000.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them.

CHARLES RIVKIN'S REMARKS ON FREE AND OPEN INTERNET IN TOKYO, JAPAN

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
The Importance of a Free and Open Internet
Remarks
Charles H. Rivkin
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs
Japan Association of the New Economy (JANE), New Economy Summit
Tokyo, Japan
April 7, 2015
Remarks as prepared

Good morning and my special greetings to everyone here at the New Economy Summit in this remarkable and bustling city.

The title of this conference, “The New Economy,” highlights a timely point for me about the Internet. It isn’t just an essential component of the new economy. It really is the economy.

As early as 2011, the global digital economy’s impact on GDP growth in G7 countries had already surpassed the energy and agriculture sectors. It is rapidly transforming the emerging markets that are the key to future growth and globally shared prosperity. More and more, everything we do in the economic, commercial and financial realms is either leveraged by, or dependent upon the Internet.

In fact, the Internet has become one of the greatest and most important change agents of our lives. Three billion people are connected to the Internet today. Some estimate that number will rise to five billion by 2020. More than two-thirds of us have mobile phones.

The Internet is not only pervasive; it can cross borders and time zones at the click of a mouse. Cross-border Internet traffic grew 18-fold between 2005 and 2012. It continues to flow, day upon day, hour upon hour, microsecond after microsecond.

Clearly, the Internet is indispensable in everything we do, whether we are communicating with those we hold dear, seeking economic opportunity, or addressing the greatest shared challenges of our time, from the effects of climate change to finding cures for chronic diseases.

With something so essential, beneficial and central, to modern life, it’s imperative that we do everything in our power to preserve this precious asset. We must do so thoughtfully and with our eyes firmly focused on the futures of our children.

I spoke yesterday before the Japanese National Press Club about the importance of preserving data flows, which is essential, if we are to truly safeguard the viability of the Internet. I told them that, in many ways, the Internet is like the golden goose in a well-known children’s story; one that has been retold across centuries and many cultures, from Aesop’s Fables to the Buddhist book of Vinaya.

The details differ, depending on the culture, but the story is essentially the same. A family comes into possession of a magical goose – or a bird – that provides golden eggs – or in some versions, golden feathers. But in their zeal to further exploit this remarkable goose, the family ultimately kills the bird.

The story serves as a cautionary tale for how important the Internet is to all of us – and how we must all work together to make sure we don’t destroy humanity’s golden asset. It’s timely too, for as we meet, this is a critical moment in the fast moving evolution of the Internet, when important decisions lie before us.

The world community – in multilateral and other forums – faces complex and difficult choices, such as whether states – and the intergovernmental institutions they control – should be in the drivers’ seat for managing how the Internet works. Also in the debate is how we can find a balance between protecting people’s privacy and preserving the free and open flow that makes the Internet so dynamic. These and other questions are hugely impactful; not only for the world but for both our nations.

My country is proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with Japan on so many issues in this space. Our two countries are more than partners in this effort and our faith in our alliance is strong. We are not only among the Internet’s biggest producers and consumers, we are some of its strongest advocates.

In multilateral forums and negotiations, and in our own continuing bilateral dialogues, we continue to promote and support the decentralized, multi-stakeholder approach to Internet governance because it is in the best interest of continued innovation and broadly shared prosperity.

We also pursue other related agendas, such as how we can construct rules for the collection, use and distribution of data in our markets in a way that protects privacy while supporting innovation.

As Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs, I am humbled to lead the office at the State Department which has such a leading and integral role, not only in Internet governance, but in trade and related matters, such as intellectual property rights. All three come to bear in one of our most important and ongoing negotiations: The Trans Pacific Partnership – or TPP.

This high standard multilateral trade deal will not only open new channels of trade and investment, and set high environmental, labor and consumer standards. It will encourage and support private sector investments in the transmission of data across borders. It will also work towards the certainty of a safe space where the Internet can continue to grow.

Whether we are engaging as bilateral or multilateral partners, or speaking on national issues in the U.S. Congress or the Japanese National Diet, we recognize that no decision can only affect our own nations and citizens. The Internet impacts everyone, for better or worse, and therefore must stay free and open. Japan highlighted this support for Internet openness when it joined the Freedom Online Coalition at its meeting in Estonia in April last year.

We know that, as we address what seem to be the most domestic issues, such as the privacy of our citizens, we must also consider their wider application and consequences. We must strike a balance between our understandable caution and the need for the Internet to be accessible to everyone.

The United States does not claim to have all the answers. But we strongly believe that, when it comes to the question of protecting data, corporations have some of the strongest motivations and the best resources to safeguard them.

By holding them accountable to best practices and sound rules, instead of creating walls, we believe we can provide a more dependable and enforceable defense. It is our hope that more countries, especially those who value democracy, openness and freedom, can adopt this or similar models.

As we work to maintain a free and open Internet, we are also focused on another critical issue: developing and expanding the Internet to create opportunities for developed, emerging, and developing economies alike.

According to many studies, more than half the world’s population is offline. It is also estimated that 1.8 billion people around the world will enter the consuming class by the year 2025. Almost all of them will be from emerging markets. This will create increased demand and global production, which means economic opportunities for both our countries, as well as improved goods and services for emerging and developing country consumers.

Digital technologies enable even the smallest companies and entrepreneurs to become “micro-multinationals” – selling products, services, and ideas across borders. In emerging and developing nations, whose small businesses are so often the backbone of their economies, this access to global markets would have dramatic results.

By linking more entrepreneurs and SMEs to global supply chains; and by connecting more people to each other and the information and services available, we could help ensure that all populations have access to technology. We can also ensure that no singular group is excluded due to barriers such as prohibitively high costs, lack of network connectivity, or social or cultural hurdles.

If you’ll permit me to return to my earlier metaphor, the Internet – like the goose of those children’s books – is something we cannot afford to lose. That is why the United States and Japan continue to expand connectivity, keep digital trade routes open, and make the Internet more accessible, as we also work to drive innovation and grow our economies.

There can be few more ambitious goals than these, but with partners like Japan, and the transformative potential of the Internet, we are confident that we can achieve them.

A generation ago, most of us would never have dreamed technology could leverage human aspirations at this kind of scale. It is a remarkable sign of our times that we can even think to do so. Let us not waste this unprecedented opportunity. Let us move forward together with vision, respect for one another, and an even greater sense of responsibility for our greater global community.

Thank you.

U.S. SENDS WARMEST WISHES TO PEOPLE OF SRI LANKA ON SINHALA AND TAMIL NEW YEAR

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Sinhala and Tamil New Year
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
April 10, 2015

On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I offer our warmest greetings to the people of Sri Lanka and the vibrant global Sri Lankan diaspora.

This New Year is marked by the extraordinary positive change that has occurred in Sri Lanka over the past several months and represents a renewed opportunity for the people of Sri Lanka to join together in the spirit of reconciliation, tolerance, and peace.

As you continue your work to build a prosperous, democratic, and united Sri Lanka, I offer my best wishes for a happy New Year and a peaceful year ahead.

U.S. SENDS WARMEST GREETINGS TO BENGALI-SPEAKING PEOPLE

FROM:  THE STATE DEPARTMENT
Bengali New Year
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
April 10, 2015

On behalf of President Obama and the American people, I am delighted to send our warmest greetings to all Bengali-speaking people around the world as you celebrate Pahela Boishakh.

The United States joins you in celebrating the history and vibrant culture of the Bengali people. Your rich cultural heritage in song, film, poetry, art, and literature has enriched humanity. As you gather with family and friends to celebrate the New Year, know that the United States stands with you as a partner and friend.

May the New Year be filled with peace and prosperity. Shubho Nobo Borsho!

PRESIDENTIAL DETERMINATION ON AGREEMENT BETWEEN U.S.-CHINA ON PEACEFUL USES OF NUCLEAR ENERGY

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE
   April 10, 2015

Presidential Determination -- Proposed Agreement for Cooperation Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the People's Republic of China Concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy

SUBJECT:      Presidential Determination on the Proposed
                         Agreement for Cooperation Between the Government
                         of the United States of America and the
                         Government of the People's Republic of China
                         Concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy

I have considered the proposed Agreement for Cooperation Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the People's Republic of China Concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy (the "Agreement"), along with the views, recommendations, and statements of the interested departments and agencies.

I have determined that the performance of the Agreement will promote, and will not constitute an unreasonable risk to, the common defense and security.  Pursuant to section 123 b. of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (42 U.S.C. 2153(b)), I hereby approve the proposed Agreement and authorize the Secretary of State to arrange for its execution.

The Secretary of State is authorized to publish this determination in the Federal Register.



BARACK OBAMA

U.S. WISHES PEOPLE OF LAO PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC PEACE AND PROSPERITY ON THEIR NEW YEAR

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT  
Lao New Year
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
April 10, 2015

On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States of America, I am honored to wish the people of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic peace and prosperity on the occasion of the Lao New Year.

The start of a new year is a time to celebrate all we have accomplished and look ahead with hope for the future. I was delighted that the United States had the opportunity to join the Government of Laos in co-hosting the Extraordinary Meeting of the Friends of the Lower Mekong in Pakse this past February. The coming year will be an important one for Laos, and I hope it brings joy to Lao people around the world.

The United States values its important friendship with Laos. May the New Year bring us closer together.

NSC STATEMENT ON YARMOUK REFUGEE CAMP SITUATION

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE
April 10, 2015
Statement by NSC Spokesperson Bernadette Meehan on the Situation in Yarmouk Refugee Camp

We welcome UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s statement on the situation in Yarmouk refugee camp, and join him in calling for an end to hostilities, access for humanitarian assistance, and safe passage for civilians who wish to escape safely.

The Yarmouk camp has been besieged by the Syrian regime for nearly two years, and its residents have been denied access to food, potable water, and medical supplies.  Those Palestinian refugees living inside the camp are now caught between ISIL and the Syrian regime, which continues to indiscriminately attack civilians, including with artillery and barrel bombs, in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2139.

All parties must comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law.  The siege of Yarmouk must be lifted and the safe evacuation of civilians must be allowed.  Civilians who manage to leave Yarmouk must be granted immediate and safe passage; families must not be separated; and departing civilians must not be detained.  We further call on the Syrian regime to halt aerial bombardment in order to allow civilians to leave the camp.

We applaud the efforts of the UN Relief and Works Agency to help protect civilians in Yarmouk.  Across Syria, more than 440,000 people are trapped in communities besieged by the Syrian Regime, ISIL and other armed groups.  The terrible toll the war has taken on Syria’s civilians underscores the urgent need for a political solution to end the fighting.  It also highlights the profound need for the perpetrators of sieges and atrocities against the civilian population to be held accountable.

U.S. EXTENDS WARMEST WISHES TO PEOPLE OF CAMBODIA ON THEIR KHMER NEW YEAR

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Khmer New Year
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
April 10, 2015

On behalf of President Obama and the American people, I want to extend my warmest wishes to the people of Cambodia for a safe and joyous Khmer New Year.

The United States and Cambodia have a strong and lasting bond built on a foundation of trade, regional security, and people-to-people exchanges. The energy and enthusiasm of Cambodia’s youth is an inspiration to me, as it was for First Lady Michelle Obama during her historic visit in March. I am proud of our partnership with the people of Cambodia to build a healthy, prosperous, and democratic future for all.

I wish all Cambodians the very best in the new year.

U.S. SENDS WARMEST WISHES TO PEOPLE OF MYANMAR REGARDING THEIR WATER FESTIVAL AND NEW YEAR

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Thingyan Water Festival and New Year
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
April 10, 2015

On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I send my warmest wishes to the people of Myanmar on the occasion of the Thingyan Water Festival and New Year.

Thingyan is a special occasion for celebration, prayer, and reflection. It is also a time for family, friends, and strangers alike to help each other wash away the past and usher in the promise of a new year -- whether through the delicately watered sprigs of thabyay, or the many other methods of keeping cool in the April heat.

May the New Year be one of peace, security, prosperity, and national harmony for all the diverse people of Myanmar.

As you celebrate this special occasion with your loved ones, know the people of the United States will be with you on the long road ahead to reconciliation, justice, and democracy for all in your country.

WHITE HOUSE VIDEO: PRESIDENT OBAMA MEETS WITH PRIME MINISTER PORTIA SIMPSON-MILLER

DEFENSE SECRETARY CARTER REPORTS PROGRESS IN TALKS WITH JAPANESE OFFICIALS

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT

Right:  Secretary of Defense Ash Carter holds a press conference at Yokota Air Base in Japan. Carter visited service members and their families there to observe the Month of the Military Child. Carter is on a visit to the U.S. Pacific Command area of responsibility to strengthen and modernize U.S. alliances in the region. DoD photo by Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Sean Hurt  

In Japan, Carter Reports Progress on Major Issues
By Cheryl Pellerin

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, April 9, 2015 – In Yokota yesterday, Defense Secretary Ash Carter reported progress in talks with Japanese officials on the U.S.-Japan Defense Guidelines for Defense Cooperation and on a proposed regional regulatory and investment treaty called the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Speaking with reporters who are traveling with Carter on his first official trip as defense secretary to Northeast Asia, the secretary discussed the purpose of his visit to Japan and progress made on longstanding issues.

“The purpose of my visit was to prepare the way for … the so-called ‘2+2’ meeting, which is the meeting of foreign ministers and Secretary of State John Kerry and also the defense ministers, which occurs later this month,” Carter said.
The 2+2 meeting itself is a preparatory meeting in advance of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit here to meet with President Barack Obama.
U.S.-Japan Defense Guidelines

“I had the opportunity to make progress and to discuss two very important things, Carter said, referring to the U.S.-Japan Defense Guidelines for Defense Cooperation and the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership or TPP.

In October, the United States and Japan jointly released an interim report of ongoing revisions of the U.S.-Japan defense cooperation guidelines, according to the U.S. State Department’s website.

The revised guidelines, expected to be finalized by the end of the year, will establish an expanded and more flexible framework for alliance cooperation to ensure the peace and security of Japan under any circumstances, from peacetime to contingencies, the website said, and to promote a stable, peaceful and prosperous Asia-Pacific.

Historic Moment

“This is an historic moment for the U.S.-Japan relationship,” Carter said. “Japan is … changing its security posture in important and truly historic ways and we, accordingly, are changing our relationship to evolve with them.”

The secretary said the update of the guidelines is significant because it opens new possibilities for the United States and Japan to work together in Northeast Asia.

“We can work in new domains like space and cyberspace, and we can cooperate in new ways, both regionally and globally,” he added.

Carter said the agreement has many dimensions and represents a modernization of the alliance.

Lasting Security Relationship

“To me it shows how lasting a security relationship with the United States is,” the secretary added. “We've had it [with Japan] for many decades and of course it's been instrumental in keeping peace and stability in this part of the world.”
Such stability has led to the uplifting of many people economically and politically in the region, Carter said. “And that hasn't happened automatically,” he added. “It’s happened because of the United States' military role out here.”
Carter said the TPP is an important part of the U.S.-Japan relationship and relationships among many countries in the region.

The treaty, he said, “reinforces that the strategic approach to this part of the world is not just a military matter. It's economic and political as well [and] it's extremely important.”

Missile Defense Preparations

In response to a question about North Korea’s firing of two short-range surface-to-air missiles off its west coast earlier today, Carter called it a reminder of how tense things are on the Korean Peninsula.

“That’s the reason I'm going to talk to our own commanders and troops, and very importantly to the government of South Korea, which like Japan is a longstanding, very staunch ally out here,” he said.

The show of North Korean aggression, Carter added, “reinforces the missile-defense preparations we've long had on the Korean Peninsula and have here.”
More broadly than missiles, Carter said the missile launch is a reminder of how dangerous things are on the Korean Peninsula, and how a highly ready force in support of a strong ally is needed to keep the peace.

“That’s what we'll be talking about and visiting with the South Korean government about over the next couple of days,” Carter said, “the health of our alliance and the importance of our alliance to peace and security on the peninsula.”

U.S. TOUTS TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT

The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a proposed trade agreement under negotiation by Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Vietnam. The agreement seeks to enhance trade and investment among TPP partner countries; promote innovation, economic growth and development; and support job creation and retention.  Graphic Credit:  DOD.

U.S. SEEKS ARREST, EXTRADITION OF FORMER SALVADORAN COLONEL FOR ROLE IN 1989 JESUIT MASSACRE

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
United States Seeks Extradition of Former Salvadoran Military Officer to Spain to Face Charges for Participation in 1989 Jesuit Massacre

The Department of Justice filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of North Carolina today seeking the arrest and extradition of a former colonel in the Salvadoran army to face charges in Spain related to the murder of five Spanish Jesuit priests in El Salvador in 1989.  

Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Thomas G. Walker of the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement.

Inocente Orlando Montano Morales, 72, formerly of Everett, Massachusetts, and 19 other former Salvadoran military officials have been indicted in Spain for the 1989 murders of five Spanish Jesuit priests during the 10-year Salvadoran civil conflict.  An arrest warrant for Montano was issued by a Spanish magistrate.

According to allegations in the complaint filed in U.S. District Court today, between 1980 and 1991, El Salvador was engulfed in a civil conflict between the military-led government and the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN).  During this conflict, in the early morning hours of Nov. 16, 1989, members of the Salvadoran military allegedly murdered six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and the housekeeper’s 16-year old daughter at the Universidad Centroamericana.  Five of the Jesuit priests were Spanish nationals, and the remaining victims were from El Salvador.  The Jesuit priests were allegedly advocates for discussions between the FMLN and the military-led government to end the strife.

At the time, Montano Morales was a colonel in the Salvadoran army, and he also served as Vice Minister of Defense and Public Safety.  The complaint alleges that he shared oversight responsibility over a government radio station that, days before the massacre, issued threats urging the murder of the Jesuit priests.  The day before the murders, Montano Morales also allegedly participated in a series of meetings during which one of his fellow officers gave the order to kill the leader of the Jesuits and leave no witnesses.  The following day, members of the Salvadoran army allegedly executed the six priests, their housekeeper and the housekeeper’s daughter.

Montano Morales is currently serving a 21-month federal prison sentence in the United States for his 2013 conviction in the District of Massachusetts for immigration fraud and perjury in connection with false statements he made to immigration authorities to remain in the United States.  He will be released from that prison sentence on April 16, 2015.  

The allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and any finding of guilt or innocence will be made by Spanish courts upon Montano Morales’s extradition.

The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Goulian and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John Capin of the Eastern District of North Carolina and Trial Attorney Roberto Iraola of the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs.

DOCTORS TRAIN WITH HUMAN PATIENT SIMULATOR

FROM:  NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
How robots can help build better doctors
Research seeks to make better 'human patient simulators'

A young doctor leans over a patient who has been in a serious car accident and invariably must be experiencing pain. The doctor's trauma team examines the patient's pelvis and rolls her onto her side to check her spine. They scan the patient's abdomen with a rapid ultrasound machine, finding fluid. They insert a tube in her nose. Throughout the procedure, the patient's face remains rigid, showing no signs of pain.

The patient's facial demeanor isn't a result of stoicism--it's a robot, not a person. The trauma team is training on a "human patient simulator," (HPS) a training tool which enables clinicians to practice their skills before treating real patients. HPS systems have evolved over the past several decades from mannequins into machines that can breathe, bleed and expel fluids. Some models have pupils that contract when hit by light. Others have entire physiologies that can change. They come in life-sized forms that resemble both children and adults.

But they could be better, said Laurel D. Riek, a computer science and engineering professor at the University of Notre Dame. As remarkable as modern patient simulators are, they have two major limitations.

"Their faces don't actually move, and they are unable to sense or respond to the environment," she said.

Riek, a roboticist, is designing the next generation of HPS systems. Her NSF-supported research explores new means for the robots to exhibit realistic, clinically relevant facial expressions and respond automatically to clinicians in real time.

"This work will enable hundreds of thousands of doctors, nurses, EMTs, firefighters and combat medics to practice their treatment and diagnostic skills extensively and safely on robots before treating real patients," she said.

One novel aspect of Riek's research is the development of new algorithms that use data from real patients to generate simulated facial characteristics. For example, Riek and her students have recently completed a pain simulation project and are the first research group to synthesize pain using patient data. This work won them best overall paper and best student paper at the International Meeting on Simulation in Healthcare, the top medical simulation conference.

Riek's team is now working on an interactive stroke simulator that can automatically sense and respond to learners as they work through a case. Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States, yet many of these deaths could be prevented through faster diagnosis and treatment.

"With current technology, clinicians are sometimes not learning the right skills. They are not able to read diagnostic clues from the face," she said.

Yet learning to read those clues could yield lifesaving results. Preventable medical errors in hospitals are the third-leading cause of death in the United States.

"What's really striking about this is that these deaths are completely preventable," Riek said.

One factor contributing to those accidents is clinicians missing clues and going down incorrect diagnostic paths, using incorrect treatments or wasting time. Reading facial expressions, Riek said, can help doctors improve those diagnoses. It is important that their training reflects this.

In addition to modeling and synthesizing patient facial expressions, Riek and her team are building a new, fully-expressive robot head. By employing 3-D printing, they are working to produce a robot that is low-cost and will be one day available to both researchers and hobbyists in addition to clinicians.

The team has engineered the robot to have interchangeable skins, so that the robot's age, race and gender can be easily changed. This will enable researchers to explore social factors or "cultural competency" in new ways.

"Clinicians can create different patient histories and backgrounds and can look at subtle differences in how healthcare workers treat different kinds of patients," Riek said.

Riek's work has the potential to help address the patient safety problem, enabling clinicians to take part in simulations otherwise impossible with existing technology.

-- Rob Margetta,
Investigators
Laurel Riek
Related Institutions/Organizations
University of Notre Dame