STATE DEPARTMENT STEPS UP VISAS TO U.S FROM CHINA, BRAZIL

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
State Department Processing Visas at Record Pace: More Visitors from China and Brazil Mean More American Jobs
Media Note Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC
April 18, 2012
Earlier this year, President Obama called for a national strategy to make the United States the world’s top travel and tourism destination, generating jobs and revitalizing our economy. The Department of State is well on the way to meeting the President’s goals of increasing visitor visa processing capacity in China and Brazil by 40 percent in 2012.

Visa Surge: In Brazil, consular officers issued more than 555,000 visas in the first half of fiscal year 2012, compared to 350,000 visas during the same timeframe in 2011, an increase of 59 percent. In China, consular officers issued more than 453,000 visas in the first half of the year, compared to approximately 310,000 visas in the same timeframe in 2011, an increase of 46 percent.

Short Wait Times: At the same time, the Department of State has reduced wait times for visa interview appointments. On average, applicants wait just five days for an appointment at U.S. consulates in China. Wait times have dropped dramatically in Brazil and now average two weeks or less in Brasilia, Recife, and Rio de Janeiro, and 35 days or less in Sao Paulo.

New Consulates: To further increase visa processing capacity in Brazil, President Obama announced on April 9 that the United States will open new consulates in Belo Horizonte and Porto Alegre. These consulates will facilitate travel and trade to support economic growth in both the United States and Brazil, and will further expand the breadth and depth of the U.S.-Brazil relationship. Additionally, the Department of State is exploring whether to add visa-issuance services in Wuhan, China.

Innovative Hiring Program: In another initiative to streamline visa processing without compromising security, the first group of newly hired consular adjudicators recently arrived at U.S. consulates in Brazil and China. These adjudicators were hired under a landmark program which targeted recruits who already speak Portuguese or Mandarin. These talented employees were selected by the State Department through a rigorous screening and security process, and given the same consular training as career Foreign Service Officers. The program offers the flexibility to quickly augment our consular staff with qualified professionals.

The State Department is committed to facilitating travel to the United States as part of broader “Jobs Diplomacy” goals. Visas for legitimate travelers are an important tool to help accelerate America’s economic revival.

EARTH WEEK AND THE DIVERSITY OF LIFE ON THIS PLANET

FROM:  NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Earth Week: A Stream Is a Stream Is a Stream: Or Is It?
Scientists supported by NSF SEES use everything from microscopes to deep-sea submersibles in their research.
But how many SEES scientists need a machete?
During Earth Week--or any time of year--that's exactly what LeRoy Poff requires. Poff is an aquatic ecologist and evolutionary biologist at Colorado State University and an NSF Science, Engineering and Education for Sustainability- (SEES) Dimensions of Biodiversity principal investigator.

To characterize the lesser-known aspects of the diversity of life on Earth, NSF's decade-long Dimensions of Biodiversity campaign aims to transform, by 2020, how scientists describe and understand the scope and role of life on Earth.

The effort is funded by NSF's Directorate for Biological Sciences, Directorate for Geosciences and Office of Polar Programs.

"By establishing networks of interdisciplinary, globally-engaged scientists, Dimensions of Biodiversity will have a lasting effect on biodiversity science," says John Wingfield, NSF assistant director for Biological Sciences. "It has the potential to transform the way we conduct biological research in this arena."

The Dimensions of Biodiversity campaign is important, says Wingfield, because assessing the living diversity of Earth is not as straightforward as simply listing species.
Earth is rapidly losing species. It's happening faster than scientists can understand the roles these species play and how they function.

With their disappearance comes lost opportunities to comprehend the history of life, to better predict the future of the living world and to make beneficial discoveries in the areas of food, fiber, fuel, pharmaceuticals and bio-inspired innovation.
Poff and colleagues from Colorado State, Cornell University and the University of Nebraska are trying to change that.

They're studying how temperature variation and extreme weather such as floods and droughts affect life in temperate Colorado and tropical Ecuadorian streams.

The scientists are comparing how aquatic insects and fish in small streams along the Colorado Front Range--which has a seasonally variable climate--and insects, fish and amphibians in streams in Ecuador, with its more stable climate, are faring at a time when Earth is heating up."To get to our Colorado research sites," says Poff, "there's relatively easy access along mostly paved roads." But to reach streams in the cloud forest headwaters of the Amazon, he says, it takes a machete to bushwhack through tangled vines choking narrow waterways.

Poff and colleagues will identify new species in both locales by barcoding these species' DNA, as well as track species movements based on their tolerance of warming water and declining oxygen levels.

"We're trying to understand how animals will respond to climate change based on their evolutionary history in a particular climate zone," says Poff.

"To do that, we need to know their physiological responses to thermal and oxygen stress. This is one of the first studies to look at the sensitivity of species to both temperature and environmental variation such as floods and droughts."

The research team's hypothesis is that temperate species are likely to be less sensitive to climate change than those in the tropics.
Temperate streams are subject to large seasonal differences in temperature; the organisms that live in them occupy a wide range of elevations.

In the Colorado Rockies, for example, there's a big change between summer and winter temperatures in streams. That suggests, Poff believes, that species there could be somewhat tolerant of future climate warming.

In contrast, studying species diversity in the tropics, he says, is like taking apart the layers of a cake.

"Temperature doesn't vary seasonally at any given altitude," says Poff. "But as you move up in elevation you pass through layers of increasingly colder temperatures."
He's trying to discover whether aquatic insects, fish and frogs are restricted to a narrow range of elevation and temperature--one layer of the cake.

"If they are--and that's coupled with a poor ability to disperse over land to find another small stream as temperatures warm--they could be more vulnerable to changes in climate," Poff says.

He plans to use a new understanding of species' sensitivity to climate change, and the ability of species to move with changing conditions, as a basis for developing maps for policy-makers and others.

The maps will show where animals are most vulnerable to climate change in tropical and temperate streams.

"The knowledge being developed," says Tim Killeen, NSF assistant director for Geosciences, "will lead to improved, science-based decision-making about our common future."

To reach that goal, Poff is fording chutes from North to South America. His research takes not only microscopes and high-tech genetics labs.
It takes a machete.
PHOTO:  FROM WIKIMEDIA

U.S-DOMINICAN REPUBLIC SIGN AGREEMENT ON SHARING IN CRIMINAL FORFEITURES

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Thursday, April 19, 2012
U.S. Attorney General Holder and Dominican Prosecutor General Jiménez Pena Sign Permanent Agreement to Share Forfeited Assets
Attorney General Eric Holder and Dominican Prosecutor General Radhamés Jiménez Peña met today in Washington, D.C., to sign a permanent agreement to share forfeited assets between the governments of the United States and the Dominican Republic. The permanent sharing agreement acknowledges the consistent forfeiture-related cooperation that United States authorities have received from the Dominican Republic and creates a more efficient process for sharing assets with the Dominican Republic.

“The steady stream of forfeiture cooperation we receive from our Dominican law enforcement counterparts has been indispensible to our efforts to recover millions of dollars in criminal assets located abroad,” Attorney General Holder said.    “In a world where criminals increasingly operate across borders, strengthening international partnerships is critical. Today’s agreement will serve as a highly beneficial and useful tool for asset sharing in the future.”

The permanent agreement requires the United States and the Dominican Republic to return all fraud and theft proceeds for purposes of making victims whole.   It also streamlines the asset sharing process by eliminating the need for individual agreements each time assets are shared in recognition of forfeiture assistance provided by the Dominican authorities.   In addition, the agreement is reciprocal, allowing for Dominican sharing with the United States.

Assets shared under the agreement must be used by the recipient country in accordance with domestic laws governing the use of forfeited assets.   Dominican law provides that forfeited assets be disbursed to the Office of the Prosecutor General; the National Drug Council; the National Counter Drug Directorate; the National Police; and non-government organizations engaged in efforts to prevent drug abuse.

To date, the Department of Justice has shared a total of $8.67 million in forfeited assets with Dominican authorities on four prior occasions since 2002.   This includes a case-specific sharing agreement that was signed on Nov. 14, 2011, to share approximately $7.5 million in forfeited assets with the Dominican Office of the Prosecutor General.   The November 2011 agreement represents approximately 20 percent of the estimated $37.5 million in forfeited assets located in the Dominican Republic that stem from a conspiracy led by brothers Carlos, Luis and Jose Benitez, who allegedly defrauded the U.S. Medicare program of approximately $80 million.

The permanent agreement was negotiated on behalf of the United States by the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section’s International Unit in the Justice
Department’s Criminal Division and the Office of International Affairs in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, in cooperation with the FBI’s Attaché in the Dominican Republic and the Department of State.

UPDATED STANDARDS ISSUED FOR OIL AND NATURAL GAS AIR POLLUTION

FROM:  ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

EPA Issues Updated, Achievable Air Pollution Standards for Oil and Natural Gas

Half of fractured wells already deploy technologies in line with final standards, which slash harmful emissions while reducing cost of compliance
WASHINGTON – In response to a court deadline, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized standards to reduce harmful air pollution associated with oil and natural gas production. The updated standards, required by the Clean Air Act, were informed by the important feedback from a range of stakeholders including the public, public health groups, states and industry. As a result, the final standards reduce implementation costs while also ensuring they are achievable and can be met by relying on proven, cost-effective technologies as well as processes already in use at approximately half of the fractured natural gas wells in the United States. These technologies will not only reduce 95 percent of the harmful emissions from these wells that contribute to smog and lead to health impacts, they will also enable companies to collect additional natural gas that can be sold. Natural gas is a key component of the nation’s clean energy future and the standards released today make sure that we can continue to expand production of this important domestic resource while reducing impacts to public health, and most importantly builds on steps already being taken by industry leaders.

"The president has been clear that he wants to continue to expand production of important domestic resources like natural gas, and today’s standard supports that goal while making sure these fuels are produced without threatening the health of the American people," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "By ensuring the capture of gases that were previously released to pollute our air and threaten our climate, these updated standards will not only protect our health, but also lead to more product for fuel suppliers to bring to market. They're an important step toward tapping future energy supplies without exposing American families and children to dangerous health threats in the air they breathe.”

When natural gas is produced, some of the gas escapes the well and may not be captured by the producing company. These gases can pollute the air and as a result threaten public health. Consistent with states that have already put in place similar requirements, the updated EPA standards released today include the first federal air rules for natural gas wells that are hydraulically fractured, specifically requiring operators of new fractured natural gas wells to use cost-effective technologies and practices to capture natural gas that might otherwise escape the well, which can subsequently be sold. EPA’s analysis of the final rules shows that they are highly cost-effective, relying on widely available technologies and practices already deployed at approximately half of all fractured wells, and consistent with steps industry is already taking in many cases to capture additional natural gas for sale, offsetting the cost of compliance. Together these rules will result in $11 to $19 million in savings for industry each year. In addition to cutting pollution at the wellhead, EPA’s final standards also address emissions from storage tanks and other equipment.

Also in line with the executive order released by the president last week on natural gas development, the rule released today received important interagency feedback and provides industry flexibilities. Based on new data provided during the public comment period, the final rule establishes a phase-in period that will ensure emissions reduction technology is broadly available. During the first phase, until January 2015, owners and operators must either flare their emissions or use emissions reduction technology called “green completions,” technologies that are already widely deployed at wells. In 2015, all new fractured wells will be required to use green completions.  The final rule does not require new federal permits. Instead, it sets clear standards and uses enhanced reporting to strengthen transparency and accountability, and ensure compliance, while establishing a consistent set of national standards to safeguard public health and the environment.  

An estimated 13,000 new and existing natural gas wells are fractured or re-fractured each year. As those wells are being prepared for production, they emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which contribute to smog formation, and air toxics, including benzene and hexane, which can cause cancer and other serious health effects. In addition, the rule is expected to yield a significant environmental co-benefit by reducing methane, the primary constituent of natural gas. Methane, when released directly to the atmosphere, is a potent greenhouse gas—more than 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

During the nearly 100-day public comment period, the agency received more than 150,000 comments on the proposed rules from the public, industry, environmental groups and states. The agency also held three public hearings. The updated standards were informed by the important feedback received through the public comment period, reducing implementation cost and ensuring the achievable standard can be met by relying on proven, cost-effective technologies and processes already in use.  

FORMER U.S. SOCCER TEAM TO TRAVEL TO MOROCCO FOR EMPOWERING WOMEN AND GIRLS THROUGH SPORTS INITIATIVE

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE 
Former U.S. Soccer National Team Coaches and Players to Travel to Morocco for Empowering Women and Girls through Sports Initiative
Media Note Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC
April 19, 2012
Building on efforts to empower women and girls through sports, the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Soccer announced today former U.S. Women’s National Team players and coaches will travel to Morocco as Sports Envoys April 22-28, 2012. These Sports Envoys are a key component of the Empowering Women and Girls Through Sports Initiative, which aims to increase the number of women and girls worldwide who are involved in sports.

While in Morocco, former U.S. Women’s National Team assistant coach Lesle Gallimore and players Angela Hucles and Marian Dalmy will lead clinics focused on soccer skills and sports psychology for 40 female coaches from the region. They will also partner with the coaches from Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia to conduct soccer clinics with local female soccer players. In addition, the Sports Envoys will lead discussions about the importance of women’s sports and Title IX, the landmark U.S. law that defined equal opportunity.

The Empowering Women and Girls Through Sports Initiative builds on Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s vision of “smart power,” which embraces the use of a full range of diplomatic tools – in this case, the game of soccer – to bring people together and foster understanding.

In March, Amanda Cromwell and former U.S. Women’s National Team coach Lauren Gregg traveled to Argentina while Siri Mullinix and Lorrie Fair traveled to Venezuela as Sports Envoys. In addition, the U.S. Women’s National Team participated in a clinic with young female athletes in Japan on March 27 prior to their friendly match against the Japanese Women’s National Soccer Team. In February, former U.S. National Team players Danielle Slaton and Tony Sanneh traveled to Malaysia with Cheryl Bailey, the former general manager of the U.S. Women's National Team.

SportsUnited is the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ division devoted to sports diplomacy programs at the U.S. Department of State. Since 2003, SportsUnited has brought more than 900 athletes from 58 countries to the United States to participate in Sports Visitor programs. Since 2005, SportsUnited has sent more than 200 U.S. athletes to over 50 countries to participate in Sports Envoy programs.

PRESIDENT OBAMA TALKS TO UNEMPLOYED

FROM:  WHITE HOUSE
President Barack Obama participates in a roundtable with unemployed workers who are students in Lorain County Community College job training programs, at Lorain Community College in Elyria, Ohio, April 18, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

President Obama was in Elyria, Ohio today where he met with students at Lorain County Community College. The President was there to talk about the Administration’s job training initiatives to help more Americans get back to work and connect unemployed Americans with the skills training they need to find jobs in high-demand, high-growth industries, including the Community College to Career Fund. He told the students that taking classes at community colleges and getting new skills doesn't just benefit students and their future employers but adds economic value to the entire region:

Investing in a community college, just like investing in a new road or a new highway or broadband lines that go into rural communities, these investments are not part of some grand scheme to redistribute wealth. They’ve been made by Democrats and Republicans for generations because they benefit all of us. That's what leads to strong, durable economic growth. That's how America became an economic superpower. That's how we built the Transcontinental Railroad. That's why we’ve got the best universities and colleges in the world. That's why we have cutting-edge research that takes place here, and that then gets translated into new jobs and new businesses, because somebody did the groundwork.  We created a foundation for those of us to prosper.

When you take classes at a community college like this one and you learn the skills that you need to get a job right away, that does not just benefit you; it benefits the company that ends up hiring and profiting from your skills.  It makes the entire region stronger economically.  It makes this country stronger economically.
In this country, prosperity does not trickle down; prosperity grows from the bottom up.  And it grows from a strong middle class out.  That’s how we grow this economy.

SECRETARIES PANETTA, CLINTON TALK TO CNN'S WOLF BLITZER

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE
Panetta, Clinton Discuss Diplomatic, Defense Policies
By Jim Garamone
WASHINGTON, April 19, 2012 - The world is full of threats, and the United States must be prepared for them, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta told CNN's Wolf Blitzer in an interview yesterday.

Blitzer traveled to a NATO meeting in Brussels with Panetta and interviewed the defense secretary and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Panetta said he is concerned about North Korea, Iran, Syria and the turmoil in the Middle East. Beyond that, he added, he also worries about threats posed by cyber war, weapons of mass destruction and rising powers. "All of those things are threats that the United States faces in today's world," he said.

On Syria, Clinton said the U.S. goal is to see Bashir al-Assad's government stop killing its own people.

"The goal right now is if the Assad regime were to say, 'OK, we agree, we're going to do everything that [United Nations envoy] Kofi Annan asks us to do,' that will be our focus -- not some future, maybe unlikely, outcome in terms of criminal accountability," she said. "What I'm interested in is 'Let's stop the violence and let's start the political transition.'"
The United States stands ready to do what the international community decides on Syria, she added.

The administration has taken a firm stand on North Korea and the provocative behavior of its new ruler Kim Jong Un, Panetta said. "We're within an inch of war almost every day in that part of the world," he said. "And you just have to be very careful about what we say and what we do."

The U.S. alliance with South Korea is strong, Panetta said, and more than 28,000 U.S. service members are based in the country, providing a tangible example of U.S. commitment to peace in Northeast Asia.

Provocations such as North Korea's recent failed rocket launch and threats of testing a nuclear weapon should stop, Panetta said. "The fact is it was provocative, and we have made it very clear to them that they should not take any additional, provocative actions," he said.

The defense secretary stressed that this is not just a U.S. wish, but that the international community wants North Korea to end its provocations.

U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON'S REMARKS ON GLOBAL TRAVEL INDUSTRY

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks for 12th Annual Global Travel and Tourism Summit
Press Statement Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State Washington, DC
April 19, 2012
Good morning, everyone. I am delighted to send greetings to you as you discuss new ways to lead this dynamic industry through these exciting and challenging times.
The United States and Japan enjoy a strong partnership based on a history of shared experiences, common values and ties of family and friends. This partnership is as strong as ever today. We’ve worked closely with you during the past year to help rebuild after the tragic events of last March. Japan has helped so many people around the world during their own crises and catastrophes and I want to express my appreciation to all of you for meeting in Japan and spreading the message that Japan is indeed open for business, including tourism.

More than one billion people will travel around the world this year. They will help our economies grow and support new areas of cooperation. At the State Department, we’re working to support tourism through student exchanges, study abroad opportunities and our visa waiver program. We, too, want the world to know that America is open for business, tourism and investment.

We are keeping America safe while welcoming visitors who add to our nation's culture and economy. As government and industry leaders, we need to look toward the future, and continue to harness the forces of change. So, I can’t wait to hear about what new ideas you come up with at this conference, because travel and tourism have the power to build new bridges, broaden our understanding, and make our world a safer, more prosperous, peaceful place. Thank you all very much.

UN SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENTIAL STATEMENT ON GUINEA-BISSAU

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
UN Security Council Presidential Statement on Guinea-Bissau
Susan E. Rice
U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations
U.S. Mission to the United Nations New York, N YApril 21, 2012
NOTE: This is issued in the United States’ capacity as president of the UN Security Council
The Security Council recalls its Press Statement SC/10607 of 13 April 2012 and reiterates its strong condemnation of the military coup by the military leadership and political elements in Guinea-Bissau, thereby undermining the conclusion of the legitimate presidential electoral process.

The Security Council rejects the unconstitutional establishment of a Transitional National Council by the military leadership and its supporters.

The Security Council demands the immediate restoration of the constitutional order as well as the reinstatement of the legitimate government of Guinea-Bissau. The Security Council further demands the immediate and unconditional release of the interim President Raimundo Pereira, Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior and all officials currently detained in order to enable the completion of the presidential and legislative elections. In this regard, the Council welcomes the decision of the African Union Peace and Security Council to suspend, with immediate effect, Guinea-Bissau from the African Union (AU) until the effective restoration of constitutional order.

The Security Council underlines the need to ensure the safety and security of those detained and that those responsible for violent and illegal acts must be held accountable.
The Security Council is deeply concerned by reports of violent repression of peaceful demonstrations, looting, restriction of freedom of movement, the arbitrary detention of civilians and demands their release. The Council calls on the military leadership to release information on the number of arrests and the names and whereabouts of those arrested and further calls upon the military to protect human rights including the rights to freedom of movement, peaceful assembly and expression.

The Security Council welcomes and supports the active engagement and measures undertaken by the AU, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP), and encourages the coordination of these efforts for the immediate restoration of the constitutional order in Guinea-Bissau.

The Security Council urges Guinea-Bissau’s partners to further strengthen these efforts and requests the Secretary General to support these endeavors, namely through his Special Representatives.

The Council stands ready to consider possible further measures, including targeted sanctions against the perpetrators and supporters of the military coup, should the situation remain unresolved.

The Security Council takes note of the AU’s decision to initiate consultations with ECOWAS, the CPLP, the United Nations and other partners on possible additional means necessary for the stabilization of the country, in consultation with the legitimate government of Guinea-Bissau.

The Council requests the Secretary General to keep it informed on developments in Guinea-Bissau and to submit a report by 30 April 2012, concerning the reestablishment of the constitutional order in Guinea-Bissau.

The Security Council stresses that the recurrence of illegal interference of the military in politics contributes to the persistence of instability and a culture of impunity, and hampers efforts towards consolidation of the rule of law, implementation of Security Sector Reform, promotion of development and entrenchment of a democratic culture. In this regard, the Council welcomes the efforts of the Peacebuilding Commission Country Specific Configuration and of the Angolan bilateral Mission (MISSANG) in pursuit of peace and stability in the country.

The members of the Security Council emphasize the need to uphold and respect the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Guinea-Bissau.
The Security Council will remain actively seized of the matter.

NAPEO MEETING FOCUSED ON PRIVATE-PUBLIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NORTH AFRICA

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
U.S.-North Africa Partnership for Economic Opportunity (NAPEO) Economic Ministers Policy Dialogue
Media Note Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC
April 20, 2012
Under the auspices of the U.S.-North Africa Partnership for Economic Opportunity (NAPEO), Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and Environment Robert D. Hormats, Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs Jose W. Fernandez, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs Elizabeth L. Dibble, and Special Representative for Global Partnerships Kris Balderston met April 20 with Ministers from Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia, as well as with the Ambassador of Libya to the United States, on the margins of the Spring Meeting of the World Bank Group.

Maghreb Ambassadors in the United States and other representatives from the U.S. Department of State joined the dialogue to highlight economic issues of mutual interest, including creating policy environments for job creation, promoting public-private partnerships, regional competitiveness, financing for new businesses, and cross-border business opportunities in the Maghreb. The dialogue also focused on the U.S. commitment to overall economic engagement and partnership with the region, following Secretary Clinton’s recent travel to Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia.

One of the main objectives of NAPEO is to create a public-private network that encourages American private sector companies and organizations to increase their involvement in the Maghreb region. NAPEO represents a vehicle by which its members in the United States and in North Africa can identify, initiate, and sustain locally-driven projects that foster economic opportunity (especially for youth), regional integration, entrepreneurship, a positive business climate, and skills training. The Partnership aims to positively impact thousands of youth in the Maghreb and to build 250 cross-border partnerships in the next 5 years that increase links between the United States and the Maghreb.

NAPEO is a regional initiative within Partners for a New Beginning (PNB), a global alliance of public-private partnerships led by Coca-Cola Company CEO Muhtar Kent, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, the Aspen Institute, and other prominent American business and civil society leaders committed to deepening engagement between the United States and local communities abroad.

NEW IRAN SANCTIONS COMMITTEE DESIGNATIONS FOR ARMS SHIPMENTS

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
New Iran Sanctions Committee Designations
Press Statement Victoria Nuland
Department Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC
April 20, 2012
The United States welcomes the important actions taken by the UN Security Council’s 1737 Committee.
On April 18 the 1737 Committee imposed sanctions on two individuals and one entity found to be involved in an intercepted arms shipment from 2010. All three of these targets are linked to the Qods Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which provides support to Iran’s proliferation activities, as well as much of Iran's support to global terrorism. As a result of these sanctions, these targets will have their assets frozen and the individuals will be subject to both an asset freeze and a travel ban.
These designations demonstrate the unity of the international community and a clear resolve to hold Iran accountable for its actions and prevent entities and individuals from assisting Iran in evading UN sanctions.

22ND ANNIVERSARY OF HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

FROM:  NASA
To celebrate its 22nd anniversary in orbit, the Hubble Space Telescope has released a dramatic new image of the star-forming region 30 Doradus, also known as the Tarantula Nebula because its glowing filaments resemble spider legs. A new image from all three of NASA's Great Observatories - Chandra, Hubble, and Spitzer - has also been created to mark the event.

30 Doradus is located in the neighboring galaxy called the Large Magellanic Cloud, and is one of the largest star-forming regions located close to the Milky Way . At the center of 30 Doradus, thousands of massive stars are blowing off material and producing intense radiation along with powerful winds. The Chandra X-ray Observatory detects gas that has been heated to millions of degrees by these stellar winds and also by supernova explosions. These X-rays, colored blue in this composite image, come from shock fronts -- similar to sonic booms -- formed by this high-energy stellar activity.

The Hubble data in the composite image, colored green, reveals the light from these massive stars along with different stages of star birth including embryonic stars a few thousand years old still wrapped in cocoons of dark gas. Infrared emission from Spitzer, seen in red, shows cooler gas and dust that have giant bubbles carved into them. These bubbles are sculpted by the same searing radiation and strong winds that comes from the massive stars at the center of 30 Doradus.

Credits: X-ray: NASA/CXC/PSU/L.Townsley et al.; Optical: NASA/STScI; Infrared: NASA/JPL/PSU/L.Townsley et al.

URANIUM IN SHRAPNEL COULD POSE LONG TERM HEALTH RISK

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE
Dr. Jose Centeno, director of the Joint Pathology Center's Biophysical Toxicology and Depleted Uranium/Embedded Metal Fragment Laboratories, demonstrates the variety of shrapnel pieces removed from service members and veterans. DOD photo by Terri Moon Cronk
Laboratory Analyzes Shrapnel to Look for Uranium
By Terri Moon Cronk
JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md., April 19, 2012 - Military doctors here are examining shrapnel taken from service members and veterans, looking for depleted uranium and other metals.
Biophysical Toxicology and Depleted Uranium/Embedded Metal Fragment Laboratories branch is analyzing the embedded fragments and providing second opinions at military and Veterans Affairs medical centers to treat those who had retained shrapnel.
"Our goal is to improve the care of wounded warriors," said Army Col. (Dr.) Thomas Baker, interim director of the Joint Pathology Center, the umbrella organization for the lab.

"We advise [doctors] how to follow up and what treatment is needed" to mitigate the potential effects of uranium and other metals, he said.
The lab analyzes all combat-associated metal fragments taken from DOD personnel that might pose a long-term health risk, such as depleted uranium, which can contribute to kidney damage over time, Baker explained. The lab also develops laboratory capabilities in metal toxicology to support the Defense Department, The Pathology Center and VA and Army programs that require exposure assessment to depleted uranium, embedded fragment analysis and analysis of certain metal alloys, officials said.

The only one of its kind in the United States, Baker said, the lab keeps a registry of the fragments for future re-evaluation. The register now includes 600 specimens.
The lab also has the only diagnostic equipment in the nation that can detect where the uranium originates in the body, noted Dr. Jose Centeno, the lab's director.

A wide range of materials are packed in improvised explosive devices, the doctors said.
The metal fragments and alloys the labs analyze comprise common metals and alloys of steel, aluminum, copper and brass. Depleted uranium is contained in some fragments, the doctors said, noting that shrapnel specimens are tested in triplicate for accuracy.
Concerns about tainted fragments began in 1993 following the Gulf War, when evidence arose of kidney damage from uranium, the doctors said.

For 18 years, 75 volunteers have participated in a study as part of the depleted uranium program, Baker said. All but one, an Iraq War veteran, served in the Gulf War, said Centeno, a physical chemist with a background in the toxicology of metals.
While many service members and veterans have retained fragments because of high risks removing them would pose, Baker said, some alloys such as depleted uranium are not safe to leave in the body. Because of that potential risk, DOD and VA have comprehensive programs to reach troops and veterans for testing, he added.

Baker said service members and veterans who carry shrapnel but haven't sought medical care should seek advice from a doctor or call the Baltimore VA Medical Center, which works with the laboratories here.

"Anybody with an embedded fragment who hasn't been followed up or hasn't seen a physician should [do so] ... and talk to them to discuss their risks," he said.

U.S. HUMANITARIAN AID REACHING SYRIA AND NEIGHBORS

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
U.S. Humanitarian Aid Reaching Syria and Neighboring Countries
Fact Sheet Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC
April 20, 2012
The United States is pursuing every avenue to get humanitarian relief to those affected by the violence in Syria and is engaged in focused diplomatic efforts to secure full and unfettered access for humanitarian organizations to reach those in need. The United States is providing an additional $8 million in humanitarian assistance to support the people of Syria, bringing the total amount of U.S. emergency aid to nearly $33 million to date for this crisis. Our assistance is through international and non-governmental humanitarian partners, including:

$10.5 million to the World Food Program (WFP);
$8.5 million to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR);
$7.8 million to non-governmental organizations (NGOs);
$3 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA); and
$3 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Within Syria:
The number of displaced Syrians is estimated at approximately 300,000. Many of these individuals and other vulnerable and besieged communities have received U.S. assistance in the form of medical supplies and other humanitarian relief. Humanitarian assistance is provided on the basis of need, not political affiliation, and is being distributed to the most vulnerable through international and non-governmental organizations. The Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) is providing substantial assistance to Syrians and other civilians at great risk. Sixty thousand people in several governorates, including Homs, Lattakia, Dara'a and Rural Damascus, have received food and other essentials over the last two weeks from the SARC, with ICRC support. ICRC has established teams inside Syria to more efficiently deliver assistance to those who need it most. The ICRC provided the SARC branches in Damascus, Rural Damascus, Idlib and Homs with enough medical supplies to treat 200 casualties. Additionally, 2,000 displaced persons will benefit from improved water and sanitation at 10 public buildings in Homs. UN and NGO partners are delivering critical medical services and food, water, blankets, hygiene kits, and heaters.

Non-Syrian refugee populations within Syria are suffering from economic disruption related to the current situation, including 500,000 Palestinian refugees and 100,000 Iraqi refugees who have traditionally enjoyed government protection in Syria. Vulnerable refugee populations within Syria are receiving food and cash assistance, emergency health care, water, sanitation, and educational support through partners with U.S. government funding.

In March, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) issued a special alert voicing serious concern over the state of food security, especially for vulnerable groups.
Over 100,000 people affected by the civil conflict in 11 governorates in Syria are receiving food assistance from the World Food Program (WFP) with U.S. government support, reaching up to 250,000 Syrians in April. The WFP operation provides rations to displaced Syrians and host families, households that have lost breadwinners or livelihoods, and other food-insecure families. Several hard hit areas within the governorates remain inaccessible due to insecurity or government restrictions.

In Neighboring Countries:
We recognize the generosity of the Governments of Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, and Iraq, who have kept their borders open and are hosting and providing assistance to those fleeing the violence in Syria.

As of April 19, there were approximately:
23,700 Syrians in Turkey;
22,000 Syrians in Lebanon;
14,400 Syrians in Jordan; and
2,400 Syrians in Iraq.

As of April 15, UNHCR has provided almost 34,000 blankets, 10,000 bed mats and 5,100 family tents in response to the arrival of displaced Syrians in Turkey and the earthquake in Van. Additionally, UNHCR is providing technical assistance on protection issues including camp management, voluntary repatriation, and registration to the Government of Turkey. The Turkish government’s humanitarian assistance provided through the Turkish Red Crescent exceeds international standards.

In Lebanon, 3,000 people received food and hygiene kits from UNHCR and the Danish Refugee Council, with the help of local municipalities and charities. NGOs have rehabilitated the homes of 29 host families in Lebanon by providing cash grants; and have rehabilitated one collective center, with 18 more collective centers in the process of being upgraded. Additional homes and collective centers have also been identified for future rehabilitation, to better enable sheltering of displaced Syrians. ICRC and the Lebanese Red Cross have provided medical training to a number of hospitals.

In Jordan, nearly 2,600 individuals received out-patient health services through UNHCR and its implementing partners since April 1, 2011. Three clinics, in the cities where most Syrians are located, provide free health services to vulnerable Syrians. Additionally mobile medical units travel to reach newly arrived Syrian populations in need of urgent medical attention. Almost 400 Syrian families have received non-food items, such as blankets, mattresses, cooking sets and other items. Syrians arriving at the Ramtha facility in northern Jordan receive hot meals from WFP.

In Iraq, the Government of Iraq has opened a new camp for Syrians fleeing the violence. As of April 15, UNHCR and IOM provided 104 families with non-food items, such as blankets, mattresses, cooking sets, and other items.

PRESS GAGGLE ON SYRIA BY U.S. UN AMBASSADOR SUSAN E. RICE

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Press Gaggle by Ambassador Susan E. Rice, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, after Security Council Consultations on Syria, April 20, 2012
Susan E. Rice
U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations
U.S. Mission to the United Nations New York, NY April 20, 2012
AS DELIVERED
Ambassador Rice: We had a working session as you know. It lasted—what, three hours? Three and a half hours? And out of it has emerged an ad ref text that various Council members will send back to their capitals for instructions. If Council members are in a position to vote, we are aiming to do so tomorrow around 11. It’s possible that not everybody will have instructions at that point. It’s possible that there will not be an agreed text at that point. We’ll see, and we’ll re-group accordingly. So, I regret to say we’ll see you for a second consecutive Saturday.

Reporter: Does the U.S. support the compromises that were made?

Ambassador Rice: The U.S. will take the text back to Washington and review it
carefully, and we’ll come to our final judgment.

Reporter: And those compromise are the SG will only have to certify a reduction in
violence not the withdrawal of the Syrian forces?

Ambassador Rice: There’s no certification.

Reporter: Verify.

Ambassador Rice: There’s no certification—I mean you all have the text. You’ll be able to study it, and I think you’ll be able to see.

Reporter: But he has to give an assessment—excuse me—on whether the violence has sufficiently decreased to a deployed amount whereas before he had to also say—
Ambassador Rice: Joe, read the text.


Reporter: I don’t have it.

Ambassador Rice: You missed it. It was just handed out by the French.

Reporter: Just a few copies.
(laughter)

Reporter: Is (inaudible) going to have independent air support or they going to rely on the Syrian?

Ambassador Rice: That’s not resolved between the UN and Syria.

Reporter: Madame Ambassador, what’s—after all these hours of negotiations, does the U.S. think progress is made? I mean this has been quite fast. Very fast. Progress in getting the whole council behind a resolution?

Ambassador Rice: I mean, I think we’ll know tomorrow when people have their instructions. I don’t want to presume that. We have an ad ref text that is by definition the product of extensive negotiations. I think we ought to let each capital make its judgment about whether to vote for it.

Reporter: Are you sending the observers immediately after the vote?

Ambassador Rice: It’ll be the UN that sends the observers, so that would be a question for the Secretary General.

Reporter: See you tomorrow morning.

Ambassador Rice: See you tomorrow.

BRAZIL-U.S. PARTNERSHIP DIALOGUE JOINT COMMUNIQUE

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Brazil-U.S. Global Partnership Dialogue (Brasilia, April 16th 2012) Joint Communiqué
Media Note Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC
April 18, 2012
he following is the text of a joint communiqué on Brazil-U.S. Global Partnership Dialogue.
Begin Text:
Minister of External Relations Antonio de Aguiar Patriota and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton conducted the 2012 Global Partnership Dialogue (GPD) on April 16 to review the state of our bilateral relationship following the successful April 9-10 visit of President Dilma Rousseff to the United States, and to highlight the considerable progress in the development of our joint cooperation since the last GPD was held in June 2011. The Participants also noted with satisfaction the important role of the GPD in the formation of the Brazil-U.S. partnership for the 21st century. They agreed that the GPD is an increasingly important mechanism for advancing our bilateral cooperation and promoting shared interests around the world. Minister Patriota and Secretary Clinton also reviewed the progress of several other bilateral dialogues, including the October 2011 Economic Partnership Dialogue; the February 2012 U.S.-Brazil Management Committee to Advance Cooperation on Biofuels; the August 2011 and March 2012 meetings of the Dialogue on the 1980 Hague Convention on Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction; the February 2012 Political-Military Dialogue; the March 2012 Joint Commission Meeting on Science and Technology; the March 2012 Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Dialogue; and the April 2012 Space Security Dialogue.

They stressed that several initiatives fostered at the 2011 GPD moved forward during President Rousseff’s visit to Washington, such as the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Aviation Partnership, the Memorandum of Understanding for Technical Cooperation Activities to Enhance Food Security in Third Countries, and the announcement of concrete initiatives to promote the increased flow of goods and travelers between both countries. The participants underscored that academic and research collaboration is a priority between our two countries, and that the U.S. goal of “100,000 Strong in the Americas” complements Brazil’s “Science without Borders” program. They celebrated the successful implementation of the Action Plan on Education, with hundreds of Science without Borders students already studying in the United States. The participants also welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on State and Local Cooperation during the Presidential visit.

The 2012 GPD was preceded by high-level discussions on bilateral and international issues. Working groups met on Africa; Latin America; economic and commercial issues; science, technology, innovation, and the environment; internet communication and cyber-related issues; and education and culture. In addition, GPD participants met to discuss issues related to social inclusion.

They expressed satisfaction with the enhanced bilateral cooperation under the Joint Commission on Science and Technology, and welcomed the establishment of a working group on innovation. They also noted the mutual commitment to deepen cooperation and collaboration on a range of issues, including oceans, space, biotechnology, health, nanotechnology, and disaster management. They reviewed Secretary Clinton’s announcement of her intention to send an Innovation Delegation, comprised of entrepreneurs, university representatives, and senior government officials, to Brazil.

They also welcomed the establishment of a new dialogue mechanism on Internet and information and communication technologies (ICT)-related issues such as Internet governance, Internet public policy, cybersecurity, and ICT and telecommunications policy. Participants agreed to hold a first interagency "whole of government" discussion in the second half of 2012 to address the priority issue of Internet governance and cooperation on other Internet policy matters, with plans to hold other discussions over the course of the year.

They underlined education and innovation as key factors in promoting social inclusion, competitiveness, and economic growth. They supported efforts to include American community colleges and students enrolled in the Brazilian Federal Professional and Technological Education Network in the Science without Borders and 100,000 Strong in the Americas programs. They also welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education (CAPES) and Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the United States under the U.S. –Brazil Joint Action Plan to Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Discrimination and Promote Equality.

The parties agreed to deepen the dialogue that links education, scientific research, and innovation through the Fulbright-Science without Borders Scholar and Distinguished Chair Awards. They also agreed to intensify dialogue with U.S. agencies that conduct scientific research, such as the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), as well as with private sector companies and associations, to explore ways they could further support the Science without Borders and 100,000 Strong in the Americas programs.

The Participants emphasized the importance of the mutual benefits of stimulating increased investment and trade. In this context, they welcomed the creation of a dialogue on investment during the Presidential visit. They also committed to work closely together to satisfy the requirements of the U.S. Visa Waiver Program and Brazil’s applicable legislation to enable U.S. and Brazilian citizens visa free travel.

The Participants noted that strengthening cultural exchanges is a joint priority for both the United States and Brazil, and agreed to facilitate musical collaborations and exchanges between our two countries. Activities could be centered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Salvador, Bahia - cities that are emblematic of the rich musical traditions of our countries - and feature performances by Brazilian and American musical groups, workshops, youth programs, and social media. Another partnership priority will be to explore showcasing Brazilian and American musical groups in third countries, possibly Haiti and Mozambique.
They announced their intention to pursue increased dialogue and cooperation on security and in the fight against transnational organized crime, and looked forward to exchanging experiences and intensifying collaboration on this matter. In furtherance of this objective, they welcomed the upcoming visit of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Assistant Secretary William Brownfield to Brazil to meet with counterparts.

The GPD participants supported an intensified dialogue on regional discussions to include exchanges on the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and East Asia and the Pacific. Recognizing the importance of regular dialogue on shared interests in these regions, the Participants committed to hold discussions later in 2012.
The participants, recognizing shared values and objectives, agreed on the importance of maintaining an open dialogue on Africa to expand the successful existing trilateral cooperation and to exchange views on political developments to identify common contributions to help achieve peace, stability, and sustainable economic development in the region. The Participants also identified new areas for trilateral cooperation in the agricultural and energy sectors.

The Participants welcomed the beginning of a trilateral partnership with the Government of Haiti to improve agriculture practices and technologies. The Participants agreed to cooperate on the Domestic Finance for Development (DF4D) initiative coordinated with specialized Brazilian public institutions to promote effective fiscal management and transparency in third countries, including in Africa. Further, the Participants agreed to expand cooperation in agricultural technology in third countries, with special emphasis on Central America and Lusophone Africa, and to work towards an instrument which will reflect their agreement to work on regulatory cooperation and public outreach, among others. Noting ongoing activities in Africa and Haiti, the Participants expressed their interest in expanding joint trilateral cooperation in Central America and the Caribbean, as well as other parts of the world.

The Participants reaffirmed the intent of both countries to continue to cooperate with Haiti in order to promote its economic and social development. In order to spur new public-private partnerships for Haiti’s energy sector, they committed to work with the Government of Haiti on design and implementation of its national energy plan, including its plans to modernize Haiti’s electric utility and harness renewable energy sources, like the Artibonite 4C hydroelectric plant, to power Haiti’s future development. The Participants reiterated their commitment to Haiti’s security and agreed to pursue partnerships to build the capacity of the Haitian National Police.

The Participants took stock of the progress achieved under the Memorandum of Understanding on the Advancement of Women and under the Joint Action Plan to Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Discrimination and Promote Equality over the last year, including a new focus on ways our governments and private sector will collaborate to create economic opportunities and career training for historically marginalized and vulnerable ethnic groups, women, and youth in preparation for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic games. They also expressed their joint commitment to seek new ways to promote additional collaboration on LGBT issues in human rights multilateral fora.

The Participants exchanged views on the recent Summit of the Americas, held in Cartagena, Colombia. They highlighted the important contribution of the existing sub-regional and regional processes to the economic and social development of the Americas. Minister Patriota and Secretary Clinton also stressed the importance of the upcoming United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in Brazil as an opportunity to promote sustainable development through innovation and broad stakeholder engagement.

SOON TO BE USS MISSISSIPPI VIRGINIA-CLASS SUBMARINE

FROM:  U.S. NAVY
he Virginia-class attack submarine Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Mississippi (SSN 782) transits the Thames River during sea trials. Mississippi is the ninth Virginia Class attack submarine. (U.S. Navy photo by Lt. j.g. Jeffrey

Future USS Mississippi Successfully Passes Sea Trials, On Track for Summer Commissioning
From Commander, Submarine Group 2 Public Affairs
GROTON, Conn. (NNS) -- Pre-Commissioning Unit Mississippi (SSN 782), the nation's newest and most advanced nuclear-powered attack submarine, arrived April 17 at General Dynamics Electric Boat following its successful completion of Alpha and Bravo sea trials.

Testing evolutions completed during Alpha sea trials included diving to test depth, conducting an emergency surfacing, and testing the submarine's propulsion plant and were designed to evaluate the ship's seaworthiness and operational performance.

"With each Virginia-class submarine delivery, we continue to raise the performance and quality even further above an already high bar. Our first look at Mississippi's performance underway shows that she has continued that trend," said Virginia Class Program Manager Rear Adm. (sel.) Michael Jabaley, who rode the ship during Alpha Trials.

Bravo trials consisted of testing Virginia's acoustic performance and combat systems.

The ninth ship of the Virginia-class, Mississippi is on track to deliver up to one year early of its contract delivery date. All Virginia-class submarines currently under construction are scheduled to deliver earlier than their original contract delivery dates.

Mississippi is commanded by Neptune, N.J., native Capt. John McGrath, who shared the experience of seeing his crew successfully operating his ship at sea for the first time.

"It was an exhilarating experience to finally see the crew operate the ship at sea. The sea trials schedule was extremely challenging and required us to drive the ship at its operational limits. I was very happy with the ship's performance, but I was even happier with how our Sailors executed their duties throughout the underway," said McGrath.

Mississippi's sponsor Allison Stiller christened the ninth Virginia-class submarine during a ceremony at General Dynamics Electric Boat, Dec. 3. Mississippi will be commissioned in Pascagoula, Miss. June 2.

Construction on the submarine began in February 2007. Virginia-class submarines are built under a unique teaming arrangement between General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries - Newport News.

Virginia-class submarines are designed to dominate the world's littoral and deep waters while conducting Anti-submarine; anti-surface ship; strike; special operation forces; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; irregular warfare; and mine warfare missions. Their inherent stealth, endurance, firepower, and sensor suite directly enable them to support five of the six Maritime Strategy Core Capabilities - sea control, power projection, forward presence, maritime security, and deterrence.

MENTAL HEALTH STAFF AT VA TO INCREASE BY 10 PERCENT

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS VANTAGE POINT
VA to Increase Mental Health Staff by Nearly 10 Percent
April 19, 2012 by Brandon Friedman
In an effort to decrease wait times for Veterans in need of mental health care, VA will soon increase its mental health staff by 1,900. This will represent nearly a 10 percent increase in mental health staff across the Department.
As you read the full announcement below, one thing to note is that this increase is not necessarily final. VA will continue to evaluate the needs of our Veterans on an ongoing basis and the Department will add staff as needed.

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki today announced that the department would add approximately 1,600 mental health clinicians – to include nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers as well as nearly 300 support staff to its existing workforce of 20,590 mental health staff as part of an ongoing review of mental health operations.

“As the tide of war recedes, we have the opportunity, and the responsibility, to anticipate the needs of returning Veterans,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “History shows that the costs of war will continue to grow for a decade or more after the operational missions in Iraq and Afghanistan have ended. As more Veterans return home, we must ensure that all Veterans have access to quality mental health care.”

VA’s ongoing comprehensive review of mental health operations has indicated that some VA facilities require more mental health staff to serve the growing needs of Veterans. VA is moving quickly to address this top priority. Based on this model for team delivery of outpatient mental health services, plus growth needs for the Veterans Crisis Line and anticipated increase in Compensation and Pension/Integrated Disability Evaluation System exams, VA projected the additional need for 1,900 clinical and clerical mental health staff at this time. As these increases are implemented, VA will continue to assess staffing levels.
“Mental health services must be closely aligned with Veterans’ needs and fully integrated with health care facility operations,” said VA Under Secretary for Health Dr. Robert Petzel. “Improving access to mental health services will help support the current and future Veterans who depend on VA for these vital services.”

VA will allocate funds from the current budget to all 21 Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs) across the country this month to begin recruitment immediately. Under the leadership of President Obama and Secretary Shinseki, VA has devoted more people, programs, and resources toward mental health services to serve the growing number of Veterans seeking mental health care from VA. Last year, VA provided specialty mental health services to 1.3 million Veterans. Since 2009, VA has increased the mental health care budget by 39 percent. Since 2007, VA has seen a 35 percent increase in the number of Veterans receiving mental health services, and a 41 percent increase in mental health staff.

VA has enhanced services by integrating mental health care into the primary care setting, developed an extensive suicide prevention program, and increased the number of Veterans Readjustment Counseling Centers (Vet Centers). VA’s Veteran Crisis Line has received more than 600,000 calls resulting in over 21,000 rescues of Veterans in immediate crisis.“The mental health of America’s Veterans not only touches those of us at VA and the Department of Defense, but also families, friends, co-workers, and people in our communities,” said Petzel. “We ask that you urge Veterans in your communities to reach out and connect with VA services.”

SEC CHARGES CHICAGO-BASED SECURITIES DEALER WITH VIOLATION OF REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS

FROM:  SEC 
Washington, D.C., April 19, 2012 – The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged a Chicago-based securities dealer affiliated with online brokerage firm optionsXpress with violating the registration provisions of the securities laws when it continued trading operations after delisting from the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) and deregistering with the SEC, apparently to avoid an audit.

The SEC’s Division of Enforcement instituted administrative proceedings against OX Trading LLC, optionsXpress, and their former CFO Thomas E. Stern, alleging that OX Trading operated as an unregistered dealer from October 2009 to November 2010 and illegally transacted in securities while not a member of a national securities association or national exchange from March 2009 to November 2010.

According to the SEC’s order, Stern terminated OX Trading’s membership with the CBOE and ended the firm’s broker-dealer registration with the SEC. Meanwhile, OX Trading quietly continued to conduct trading through a customer account at optionsXpress. Stern, who also was OX Trading’s chief compliance officer, later fabricated and backdated an allegedly exculpatory letter purporting to demonstrate that he had properly informed CBOE that OX Trading would deregister and become a customer of optionsXpress.

Earlier this week, the SEC charged optionsXpress and Stern for their roles in a naked short selling scheme.

“OptionsXpress, OX Trading, and Stern have displayed a profound disregard for regulators, compliance obligations, and the regulatory requirements that dealers must satisfy for the privilege of operating in our markets,” said Daniel M. Hawke, Chief of the SEC’s Market Abuse Unit. “Registration of brokers and dealers is a fundamental part of the regulatory structure and provides the foundation upon which many other investor protections are built.”

According to the SEC’s order, OX Trading and optionsXpress became wholly-owned subsidiaries of The Charles Schwab Corporation in September 2011. OX Trading, which originally registered with the SEC in 2008, was created to provide price improvement on orders from optionsXpress customers and to profit from those trades. OX Trading received electronic requests for quotes (RFQs) from optionsXpress. These RFQs allowed OX Trading to determine whether it wanted to be the counterparty to an optionsXpress customer’s order. OX Trading allegedly made money when it traded as a counterparty to optionsXpress customer orders and hedged the positions created by those trades.

According to the SEC’s order, a CBOE examiner conveyed to Stern in early 2009 that OX Trading was required to have an annual audit based on its CBOE membership status. Despite CBOE’s request, Stern refused to pay for an audit and subsequently terminated OX Trading’s CBOE membership on March 2, 2009. Nonetheless, OX Trading continued to conduct the same trading through a customer portfolio margin account at optionsXpress. Stern did not inform the CBOE that OX Trading would continue its operations as a customer of optionsXpress. He later attempted to furnish the fabricated and backdated letter to SEC investigators in a phony attempt to prove otherwise.

According to the SEC’s order, after Stern was contacted by the SEC’s Division of Trading and Markets, Stern filed a form with the SEC on Aug. 18, 2009, to deregister OX Trading as a broker-dealer. The deregistration became effective on Oct. 17, 2009. According to an internal e-mail sent by Stern, OX Trading “stalled as long as we could” in deregistering. OX Trading continued to trade through the customer portfolio margin account at optionsXpress.

The SEC’s Division of Enforcement alleges that CBOE identified the OX Trading customer account during an exam of optionsXpress in late 2009. CBOE requested an explanation about why OX Trading was not registered with the SEC as a broker-dealer. In an internal e-mail about CBOE’s request, Stern stated, “I am happy to spin this however it needs to be.” Stern then sent CBOE a letter containing numerous factual inaccuracies and no legal opinion or analysis about OX Trading’s registration status. CBOE sent Stern another letter in June 2010 informing him that it believed OX Trading was functioning as a dealer and needed to either cease operations or obtain a written opinion from the SEC confirming that OX Trading was not required to register. OX Trading did neither.

According to the SEC’s order, OX Trading eventually acquired a CBOE trading permit and registered again with the SEC effective Nov. 16, 2010.

As alleged in the SEC’s order, OX Trading violated Sections 15(a) and 15(b)(8) of the Exchange Act, and Stern and optionsXpress caused and willfully aided and abetted OX Trading’s violations.

The SEC’s investigation was conducted by Deborah Tarasevich, Jill Henderson, and Paul Kim. Market Surveillance Specialist Brian Shute and Market Abuse Trading Specialist Ainsley Fuhr provided assistance with the investigation. The SEC’s litigation will be led by Frederick Block.

IT MIGHT BE IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHERE A PLANT DISEASE HAS BEEN

FROM:  NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
History is Key Factor in Plant Disease Virulence
April 18, 2012
The virulence of plant-borne diseases depends on not just the particular strain of a pathogen, but on where the pathogen has been before landing in its host, according to new research results.
Scientists from the University of California System and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS) published the results today in the journal PLoS ONE.

The study demonstrates that the pattern of gene regulation--how a cell determines which genes it will encode into its structure and how it will encode them--rather than gene make-up alone affects how aggressively a microbe will behave in a plant host.
The pattern of gene regulation is formed by past environments, or by an original host plant from which the pathogen is transmitted.

"If confirmed, this finding could add a key new dimension to how we look at microbes because their history is going to matter--and their history may be hard to reconstruct," said Matteo Garbelotto, an environmental scientist at the University of California, Berkeley and co-author of the paper.

Epigenetic factors--for example, gene regulation mechanisms controlled by diet or exposure to extreme environments--are well-known to affect the susceptibility of humans to some diseases.

The new study is the first to show a similar process for plant pathogens.
"Sudden oak death, for example, is one of many pathogens that seemingly came out of nowhere to ravage the forests of California," said Sam Scheiner, a director of the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases (EEID) program, which funded the research.

"This study shows that such sudden emergence can happen through rapid evolution, and may provide clues for predicting future epidemics."

The EEID program is a joint effort of NSF and the National Institutes of Health. At NSF, it is supported by the Directorates for Biological Sciences and Geosciences.
Garbelotto said that other scientists hypothesized that gene regulation has an effect on plant pathogens, based on the evolutionary rates of portions of the genome that are known to have an effect on gene regulation.

"Our work provides the concrete evidence those hypotheses were correct," he said.
Researchers showed that genetically identical strains of the sudden oak death pathogen isolated from different plant hosts were strikingly different in their virulence and their ability to proliferate.

They also demonstrated that these traits were maintained long after they had been isolated from their hosts.

"We found that an identical strain placed in two different plant hosts will undergo distinct changes that will persistently affect the strain's virulence and fitness," said Takao Kasuga, a molecular geneticist with the USDA ARS and the lead author of the paper.
The implications for disease control are significant.

Scientists say that it may not be enough to know what strain of pathogens they are dealing with in order to make treatment decisions; it also may be necessary to know how the pathogen's genes are being regulated.

This study shows that gene regulation may be the result of the environments the strain inhabited before being identified.
Garbelotto uses a parallel example of a well-known human pathogen: particular strains of the H1N1 flu virus have been identified as highly virulent, so a diagnosis of one of these strains indicates to doctors that they should treat that flu aggressively.
"But, hypothetically, if you caught one of these aggressive strains of H1N1 from a guy that went to, for example, Paris, it could be 10 times more dangerous. You may never know from whom you got it, and it's even less likely that you'll be able to learn where your infector visited before passing the germ on to you."

In plants, Garbelotto said, tracking a pathogen's history may prove even more difficult.
Correct information could give scientists a new weapon to use against virulent strains of diseases like sudden oak death, which can devastate forests and the ecosystems that depend on them.

The researchers also identified two groups of genes that are capable of affecting virulence and whose expression patterns are indicative of the previous host species they inhabited.
Understanding the regulation of these genes may provide scientists with future approaches to control a disease, such as manipulating gene expression to artificially reduce the aggressiveness of plant pathogens.

While Garbelotto stresses that more study is needed, he says if the paper's findings are confirmed, it could influence not just treatment but policy as well.
"Most countries impose regulations on microbes based on their genetic make up--which ones can and can't cross state and international lines and how they must be transported," he said.

"Our findings suggest that when making regulatory policy, we may also need to identify gene expression levels and take into account the history of a microbe."
Co-authors of the paper include Melina Kozanitas and Daniel Huberli, also of UC Berkeley; Mai Bui of the USDA ARS; and David Rizzo, a plant pathologist at University of California, Davis.