FROM: U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
The Securities and Exchange Commission announced today the resolution of an enforcement action filed by the Commission on October 19, 2010 in federal district court in Rhode Island against defendants David G. Stern and Online-Registries, Inc. (d/b/a Online Medical Registries) ("OMR") and relief defendant Michele Ritter. The court entered final judgment by consent against Stern on December 5, 2012 and entered a stipulation of dismissal of the claims against the relief defendant on December 27, 2012. The court previously had entered a final judgment by default against OMR on September 25, 2012.
The Commission's complaint alleged that Stern and OMR made false and misleading statements to investors in OMR, a web-based company founded and controlled by Stern, in connection with investors' purchase of stock in OMR. The misrepresentations generally related to OMR's business ventures, the status of its technology, its number of customers, and Stern's personal background, consisting of disbarment from the practice of law and a prior criminal conviction in federal district court in Massachusetts relating to financial wrongdoing. Based upon these and other allegations, including the misuse of investor funds, the Commission obtained a temporary restraining order and asset freeze on October 20, 2010, and a stipulated preliminary injunction on February 28, 2011 against Stern and OMR. On April 3, 2012, the court held Stern in contempt for violations of the preliminary injunction.
Without admitting or denying the allegations in the Commission's complaint, Stern agreed to the entry of a final judgment that: (i) permanently enjoins him from violating Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act") and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") and Rule 10b-5 thereunder; (ii) holds him liable for disgorgement of $197,875, representing amounts received as a result of the conduct alleged in the Commission's complaint, together with prejudgment interest thereon in the amount of $27,800.71, for a total of $225,675.71; and (iii) waives the payment of disgorgement and prejudgment interest and does not impose a civil penalty based upon the representations in Stern's sworn statement of financial condition. The final judgment by default entered against OMR (i) enjoins OMR from violating Section 17(a) of the Securities Act and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder and (ii) orders OMR to pay disgorgement of $197,875 and prejudgment interest in the amount of $24,997.22. The Commission had initially charged that relief defendant Michele Ritter received some investor funds from Stern and sought the return of those funds. The Commission has now agreed to dismiss its charges against relief defendant Michele Ritter.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
SEQUESTRATION ON HOLD
Left: Pentagon Spokesman George LittleLegislators Avoid Fiscal Cliff, Delay Sequester Process
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 2, 2013 - Congress has avoided the fiscal cliff, but Pentagon Press Secretary George Little called on the body to continue efforts to permanently eliminate the threat of sequestration.
The House of Representatives passed a Senate proposal that avoided the fiscal cliff last night. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta is pleased Congress acted, Little said, but notes there is more work to be done.
Had Congress not acted, sequestration -- taking an additional $500 billion from the DOD budget -- would have kicked in. The legislation passed yesterday delays that process for two months. Panetta hopes that within that time Congress can find a way to end sequestration once and for all, Little said. If not, sequestration will trigger automatically, leaving little time to make the required cuts.
"While we have whistled by this fiscal cliff, we need to keep our eye on the ball and make sure sequestration does not take effect, ever," Little said.
Little emphasized that the threat of sequestration still hangs over the department.
"It is very important that we avoid sequester permanently," he said. "This can't be a situation where we delay every two months. The specter of sequestration -- of guns to the head -- none of that is anything that we welcome. We hope to avoid it at all costs."
Panetta has repeatedly stressed that sequestration would be devastating to national defense.
The department was preparing for the worst, Little said. If sequestration were triggered, he said, DOD would try to make monetary reductions via furloughs rather than in reductions in force.
"We were prepared to do the prudent thing and tell our civilian workforce that many of them might face some kind of furlough if sequestration had taken effect," Little said.
"Our first assumption is we are not going to try to punish a small group of civilian employees by firing them because Congress can't do its job," he said. "Furlough is the preferred course of action."
The potential for furloughs shows that sequestration isn't just some abstract circumstance affecting only dollars and decimal points, he said.
"This is something that will have an impact on real people, doing real work and on real missions in the department," Little said.
The deal that Congress reached is likely to have some effect on the fiscal 2013 defense budget and for planning for the fiscal 2014 budget, Little said. DOD officials are waiting for guidance on this from the Office of Management and Budget, he added.
LEADER OF INTERNET PIRACY GROUP "IMAGINE" WILL SPEND 60 MONTHS IN PRISON
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICEThursday, January 3, 2013
Leader of Internet Piracy Group "IMAGiNE" Sentenced in Virginia to 60 Months in Prison for Criminal Copyright Conspiracy
WASHINGTON – The leader of the Internet piracy group "IMAGiNE" was sentenced today to serve 60 months in prison, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Neil H. MacBride and Special Agent in Charge John P. Torres of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Washington, D.C.
Jeramiah B. Perkins, 40, of Portsmouth, Va., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen in the Eastern District of Virginia. In addition to his prison term, Perkins was sentenced to serve three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution. On Aug. 29, 2012, Perkins pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement.
Perkins was indicted along with three other defendants on April 18, 2012, for their roles in the IMAGiNE Group, an organized online piracy ring that sought to become the premier group to first release Internet copies of movies only showing in theaters.
According to court documents, Perkins directed and participated in using receivers and recording devices in movie theaters to secretly capture the audio sound tracks of copyrighted movies and then synchronized the audio files with illegally recorded video files to create completed movie files suitable for sharing over the Internet among members of the IMAGiNE Group and others.
Perkins admitted he took the lead in renting computer servers in France and elsewhere for use by the IMAGiNE Group. He also admitted he registered domain names for use by the IMAGiNE Group, and opened e-mail and PayPal accounts to receive donations and payments from persons downloading or buying IMAGiNE Group releases of pirated copies of motion pictures and other copyrighted works.
According to testimony by a representative of the Motion Picture Association of America, the IMAGiNE Group constituted the most prolific motion picture piracy release group operating on the Internet from September 2009 through September 2011.
Co-defendants Sean M. Lovelady, Willie O. Lambert and Gregory A. Cherwonik each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement on May 9, June 22 and July 11, 2012, respectively. Lambert and Lovelady were sentenced on Nov. 2, 2012, to 30 months and 23 months in prison, respectively. Cherwonik was sentenced on Nov. 29, 2012, to 40 months in prison. A fifth co-defendant, Javier E. Ferrer, was charged in an information on Sept. 13, 2012, for his role in the IMAGiNE Group, and he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement on Nov. 29, 2012. Ferrer is scheduled to be sentenced on March 14, 2013.
The investigation of the case and the arrests were conducted by agents with HSI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Krask of the Eastern District of Virginia and Senior Counsel John H. Zacharia of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) are prosecuting the case. Significant assistance was provided by the CCIPS Cyber Crime Lab and the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs.
This case is part of efforts being undertaken by the Department of Justice Task Force on Intellectual Property (IP Task Force) to stop the theft of intellectual property. Attorney General Eric Holder created the IP Task Force to combat the growing number of domestic and international intellectual property crimes, protect the health and safety of American consumers, and safeguard the nation’s economic security against those who seek to profit illegally from American creativity, innovation and hard work. The IP Task Force seeks to strengthen intellectual property rights protection through heightened criminal and civil enforcement, greater coordination among federal, state and local law enforcement partners, and increased focus on international enforcement efforts, including reinforcing relationships with key foreign partners and U.S. industry leaders.
This investigation was supported by the HSI-led National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) in Washington. The IPR Center is one of the U.S. government's key weapons in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy. Working in close coordination with the Department of Justice’s IP Task Force, the IPR Center uses the expertise of its 21-member agencies to share information, develop initiatives, coordinate enforcement actions and conduct investigations related to IP theft. Through this strategic interagency partnership, the IPR Center protects the public's health and safety, the U.S. economy and our war fighters.
U.S.-NIGERIA RELATIONS
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| Map: Nigeria. Credit: CIA World Factbook. |
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
The United States established diplomatic relations with Nigeria in 1960, following its independence from the United Kingdom. Post-independence, the country saw a mix of coups, military rule, assassinations, massacres, civil war, and elections. The 1999 inauguration of a civilian president ended 16 consecutive years of military rule. Following this, the U.S.-Nigerian relationship began to improve, as did cooperation on foreign policy goals such as regional peacekeeping.
Nigeria's economic growth has been largely fueled by oil revenues. Although the country conducted successful elections in 2011, it faces formidable challenges in consolidating democratic order, including terrorist activities, sectarian conflicts, and public mistrust of the government. Nigeria has yet to develop effective measures to address corruption, poverty, and ineffective social service systems, and mitigate the violence. Under the U.S.-Nigeria Binational Commission, the two countries hold bilateral talks on four key areas: good governance, transparency, and integrity; energy and investment; Niger Delta and regional security; and agriculture and food security.
U.S. Assistance to Nigeria
The United States seeks to help improve the economic stability, security, and well-being of Nigerians by strengthening democratic institutions, improving transparency and accountability, and professionalizing security forces. U.S. assistance also aims to reinforce local and national systems; build institutional capacity in the provision of health and education services; and support improvements in agricultural productivity, job expansion in the rural sector, and increased supplies of clean energy. A partnership among the U.S., the United Kingdom, Nigeria, and international organizations to focus on improved governance, non-oil economic growth, and human development ensures closer coordination of donor activities, more effective support, and greater impact for ordinary citizens.
Bilateral Economic Relations
Nigeria is the United States' largest trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa, mainly due to the high level of petroleum imports from Nigeria. The United States is the largest foreign investor in Nigeria, with U.S. foreign direct investment concentrated largely in the petroleum/mining and wholesale trade sectors. U.S. imports from Nigeria include oil, cocoa, rubber, returns, and food waste. U.S. exports to Nigeria include wheat, vehicles, machinery, oil, and plastic. Nigeria is eligible for preferential trade benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. The United States and Nigeria have signed a bilateral trade and investment framework agreement.
Nigeria's Membership in International Organizations
Nigeria and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization. Nigeria also is an observer to the Organization of American States.
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| Locator Map. Nigeria. Credit: CIA World Factbook. |
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM CIA WORLD FACTBOOK
British influence and control over what would become Nigeria and Africa's most populous country grew through the 19th century. A series of constitutions after World War II granted Nigeria greater autonomy; independence came in 1960. Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new constitution was adopted in 1999, and a peaceful transition to civilian government was completed. The government continues to face the daunting task of reforming a petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have been squandered through corruption and mismanagement, and institutionalizing democracy. In addition, Nigeria continues to experience longstanding ethnic and religious tensions. Although both the 2003 and 2007 presidential elections were marred by significant irregularities and violence, Nigeria is currently experiencing its longest period of civilian rule since independence. The general elections of April 2007 marked the first civilian-to-civilian transfer of power in the country's history.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND NATIONAL SLAVERY AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION MONTH
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
DOD Heightens Training, Prevention to Target Human Trafficking
By Amaani Lyle
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 2, 2013 - To spark awareness and vigilance against a growing global human rights crisis, President Barack Obama has proclaimed January as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.
Linda Dixon, the Defense Department's program manager for combating trafficking in persons, told the Pentagon Channel and American Forces Press Service in a recent interview that DOD has strengthened training modules and reporting avenues to combat trafficking in persons, a criminal enterprise that generates roughly $32 billion per year worldwide.
"That's the second-largest source of revenue for criminal enterprises, and it's growing," Dixon said. "Trafficking is a zero-tolerance policy; it's not only immoral, but it is illegal."
The United Nations International Labor organization estimates more than 12 million human trafficking victims worldwide, with an estimated 600,000 to 800,000 new victims each year.
Some victims are Americans, Dixon said, but most victims come from elsewhere. "Source countries are usually areas that are poverty-stricken," she said, "but trafficking is everywhere."
The Trafficking Victim Protection Act defines trafficking in persons as the use of force, fraud or coercion to compel a person to provide labor or services or commercial sex.
The crime, Dixon explained, can run the gamut of exploitation, and includes elements of recruiting, harboring, transportation, providing or obtaining a person for the purpose of exploitation.
State Department officials said the three most common forms of trafficking are labor trafficking, sex trafficking and child soldiering.
Child soldiering entails the unlawful recruitment of minors who, as young as age 7, are sexually and physically abused and forced to commit atrocities in more than 57 armed conflicts worldwide, according to State Department officials.
DOD's demand-reduction and prevention program is a mechanism to report violations and thwart offenses, Dixon said.
In addition to a general awareness training module, she added, the program also includes law enforcement, contractor and leadership-specific training modules.
"We have put together training modules ... [and] a clause in our contracts to prohibit contractors from being involved in trafficking," Dixon said. "All of the agencies have a [trafficking in persons] point of contact -- the services, the combatant commands [and] defense agencies."
Indicators include heavily guarded areas where workers appear intimidated or are being escorted from a facility to their home, or who lack personal documents such as passports or other identification, Dixon explained.
"You should report it to your local authorities; report it through your chain of command," Dixon said.
If DOD personnel are involved in trafficking offenses, she added, the inspector general investigates the type and scope of the offense to determine a course of action.
Noting that 2013 marks the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, Dixon said the year will feature summits, events and conferences to sharpen awareness and eradicate trafficking.
"In DOD, we're charged with making sure that we protect our country's security, and trafficking in persons is a threat to that security," she said.
Dixon said great strides have been made at the highest level to stop this modern-day slavery and restore human dignity.
"There's an education process that's taking place, not only with people in general, but with our law enforcement, to recognize it, understand and know that it is a chargeable offense," Dixon said. "It is a danger to our troops. It's a danger to national security."
DOD Heightens Training, Prevention to Target Human Trafficking
By Amaani Lyle
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 2, 2013 - To spark awareness and vigilance against a growing global human rights crisis, President Barack Obama has proclaimed January as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.
Linda Dixon, the Defense Department's program manager for combating trafficking in persons, told the Pentagon Channel and American Forces Press Service in a recent interview that DOD has strengthened training modules and reporting avenues to combat trafficking in persons, a criminal enterprise that generates roughly $32 billion per year worldwide.
"That's the second-largest source of revenue for criminal enterprises, and it's growing," Dixon said. "Trafficking is a zero-tolerance policy; it's not only immoral, but it is illegal."
The United Nations International Labor organization estimates more than 12 million human trafficking victims worldwide, with an estimated 600,000 to 800,000 new victims each year.
Some victims are Americans, Dixon said, but most victims come from elsewhere. "Source countries are usually areas that are poverty-stricken," she said, "but trafficking is everywhere."
The Trafficking Victim Protection Act defines trafficking in persons as the use of force, fraud or coercion to compel a person to provide labor or services or commercial sex.
The crime, Dixon explained, can run the gamut of exploitation, and includes elements of recruiting, harboring, transportation, providing or obtaining a person for the purpose of exploitation.
State Department officials said the three most common forms of trafficking are labor trafficking, sex trafficking and child soldiering.
Child soldiering entails the unlawful recruitment of minors who, as young as age 7, are sexually and physically abused and forced to commit atrocities in more than 57 armed conflicts worldwide, according to State Department officials.
DOD's demand-reduction and prevention program is a mechanism to report violations and thwart offenses, Dixon said.
In addition to a general awareness training module, she added, the program also includes law enforcement, contractor and leadership-specific training modules.
"We have put together training modules ... [and] a clause in our contracts to prohibit contractors from being involved in trafficking," Dixon said. "All of the agencies have a [trafficking in persons] point of contact -- the services, the combatant commands [and] defense agencies."
Indicators include heavily guarded areas where workers appear intimidated or are being escorted from a facility to their home, or who lack personal documents such as passports or other identification, Dixon explained.
"You should report it to your local authorities; report it through your chain of command," Dixon said.
If DOD personnel are involved in trafficking offenses, she added, the inspector general investigates the type and scope of the offense to determine a course of action.
Noting that 2013 marks the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, Dixon said the year will feature summits, events and conferences to sharpen awareness and eradicate trafficking.
"In DOD, we're charged with making sure that we protect our country's security, and trafficking in persons is a threat to that security," she said.
Dixon said great strides have been made at the highest level to stop this modern-day slavery and restore human dignity.
"There's an education process that's taking place, not only with people in general, but with our law enforcement, to recognize it, understand and know that it is a chargeable offense," Dixon said. "It is a danger to our troops. It's a danger to national security."
RECENT U.S. NAVY PHOTOS
FROM: U.S. NAVY
130102-N-LR347-090 BALA BOLUK, Afghanistan (Jan. 2, 2013) Intelligence Specialist 1st Class Daniel Baudin, right, assigned to Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) Farah, talks with an Afghan elder. PRT Farah's mission is to train, advise, and assist Afghan government leaders at the municipal, district, and provincial levels in Farah province Afghanistan. Their civil military team is comprised of members of the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). (U.S. Navy photo by Lt. j.g. Matthew Stroup/Released)
130102-N-LR347-101 BALA BOLUK, Afghanistan (Jan. 2, 2013) An Afghan elder speaks with Intelligence Specialist 1st Class Daniel Baudin, assigned to Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) Farah. PRT Farah's mission is to train, advise, and assist Afghan government leaders at the municipal, district, and provincial levels in Farah province Afghanistan. Their civil military team is comprised of members of the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). (U.S. Navy photo by Lt. j.g. Matthew Stroup/Released)
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
AN ALIEN'S LOOK AT OUR SOLAR SYSTEM
FROM: NASA
Dust Models Paint Alien's View of Solar System
Dust in the Kuiper Belt, the cold-storage zone that includes Pluto, creates a faint infrared disk potentially visible to alien astronomers looking for planets around the sun. Neptune's gravitational imprint on the dust is detectable in new simulations of how this dust moves through the solar system. The simulations show how the distant view of the solar system might have changed over its history.
SECRETARY OF STATE CLINTON DISCHARGED FROM THE HOSPITAL
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Statement
Press Statement
Philippe Reines, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
Washington, DC
January 2, 2013
Secretary Clinton was discharged from the hospital this evening. Her medical team advised her that she is making good progress on all fronts, and they are confident she will make a full recovery. She's eager to get back to the office, and we will keep you updated on her schedule as it becomes clearer in the coming days. Both she and her family would like to express their appreciation for the excellent care she received from the doctors, nurses, and staff at New York Presbyterian Hospital Columbia University Medical Center.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
BIOGRAPHY OF HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON FROM THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
On January 21, 2009, Hillary Rodham Clinton was sworn in as the 67th Secretary of State of the United States. Secretary Clinton joined the State Department after nearly four decades in public service as an advocate, attorney, First Lady, and Senator.
Secretary Clinton was born in Chicago, Illinois on October 26, 1947 to Dorothy Rodham and the late Hugh Rodham.
She attended local public schools before graduating from Wellesley College and Yale Law School, where she met Bill Clinton. In 1974, Secretary Clinton moved to Arkansas, a year later then married Bill Clinton and became a successful attorney while also raising their daughter, Chelsea. She was an assistant professor at the University of Arkansas School of Law, and after working to strengthen the local legal aid office, she was appointed by President Jimmy Carter in 1977 to serve on the board of the Legal Services Corporation, which she later chaired.
During her 12 years as First Lady of the State of Arkansas, she was Chairwoman of the Arkansas Education Standards Committee, co-founded the Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, and served on the boards of the Arkansas Children's Hospital, and the Children's Defense Fund.
In 1992, Governor Clinton was elected President of the United States, and as First Lady, Hillary Clinton became an advocate of health care reform and worked on many issues relating to children and families. She led successful bipartisan efforts to improve the adoption and foster care systems, reduce teen pregnancy, and provide health care to millions of children through the Children's Health Insurance Program. She also traveled to more than 80 countries as a representative of our country, winning respect as a champion of human rights, democracy and civil society. Her famous speech in Beijing in 1995 -- when she declared that "human rights are women's rights, and women's rights are human rights" – inspired women worldwide and helped galvanize a global movement for women’s rights.
With Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright, Secretary Clinton worked to launch the government’s Vital Voices Democracy Initiative. Today, Vital Voices is a non-governmental organization that continues to train and organize women leaders across the globe.
In 2000, Hillary Clinton made history as the first First Lady elected to the United States Senate, and the first woman elected statewide in New York. In the Senate, she served on the Armed Services Committee, the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, the Environment and Public Works Committee, the Budget Committee and the Select Committee on Aging. She was also a Commissioner on the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe.
As a Senator, Clinton worked across party lines to build support for causes important to her constituents and the country, including the expansion of economic opportunity and access to quality, affordable health care. After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, she was a strong advocate for funding the rebuilding of New York and the health concerns of the first responders who risked their lives working at Ground Zero. She also championed the cause of our nation's military and fought for better health care and benefits for wounded service members, veterans and members of the National Guard and Reserves. She was also the only Senate member of the Transformation Advisory Group to the Department of Defense's Joint Forces Command.
In 2006, Senator Clinton won reelection to the Senate, and in 2007 she began her historic campaign for President. In 2008, she campaigned for the election of Barack Obama and Joe Biden, and in November, she was nominated by President-elect Obama to be Secretary of State.
Secretary Clinton is the author of best-selling books, including her memoir, Living History, and her groundbreaking book on children, It Takes A Village. She and President Clinton reside in New York.
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC SECURITY DETERIORATION CAUSES U.S. CONCERN
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| Map: Central African Republic. Credit: CIA World Factbook. |
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Situation in the Central African Republic
Press Statement
Victoria Nuland
Department Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
December 31, 2012
We are deeply concerned about the deteriorating security situation in the Central African Republic (CAR). We call on the rebel alliance to cease hostilities and movements towards the capital. We also call on the rebels to ensure the safety of the civilian population.
We urgently call on the CAR government to ensure that its security forces respect the human rights of the Central African people and foreign populations within the CAR. We are particularly concerned by allegations of arrests and disappearances of hundreds of individuals who are members of ethnic groups with ties to the Séléka rebel alliance. Those guilty of violations and crimes under international law must be held to account.
The United States remains concerned about stability of the region and encourages all parties in the CAR to participate in the dialogue convoked by the Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC in French). We urge the parties to seek a political resolution to this crisis that is comprehensive, inclusive, and consistent with the CAR constitution and the 2008 Global Peace Agreement.
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| Locator Map: Central African Republic. Credit: CIA World Factbook. |
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM CIA WORLD FACTBOOK
The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African Republic upon independence in 1960. After three tumultuous decades of misrule - mostly by military governments - civilian rule was established in 1993 and lasted for one decade. President Ange-Felix PATASSE's civilian government was plagued by unrest, and in March 2003 he was deposed in a military coup led by General Francois BOZIZE, who established a transitional government. Elections held in 2005 affirmed General BOZIZE as president; he was reelected in 2011 in voting widely viewed as severely flawed. The government still does not fully control the countryside, where pockets of lawlessness persist. Militant group Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) continues to affect stability in the Central African Republic as well.
FEMA RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REBUILDING
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| Photo: Hurricane Destruction. Credit: FEMA |
Resolve To Rebuild Stronger, Safer, Smarter
NEW YORK - Most of us make New Year’s resolutions to look better, feel better or reach a long-term goal.
This year resolve to rebuild stronger, safer and smarter after Hurricane Sandy to save lives and property when the next weather disaster strikes.
Hazard mitigation is building smart, strong and safe to prevent future damage from severe weather. Smart building includes mitigating damage against floods, strong winds and even tornadoes.
Always contact a local building official before undertaking rebuilding, renovating or retrofitting to be sure your plans meet local and state government requirements. You also need the proper permits from your local municipality to avoid future problems.
Such simple mitigation measures as elevating electrical and heating systems and anchoring fuel storage tanks can provide a windfall of protection against severe weather.
Mitigation can also include landscaping. For instance, sea oats and other grasses can provide soil stability against storm surge. Ask your landscaper what indigenous plants withstand severe weather and protect property. Professional tree pruning can save not only the tree but can minimize the damage caused by a tree in severe weather.
Flooding
Just an inch of water can cause costly damage to your property.
The average annual U.S. flood losses in the past 10 years (2002-2011) were more than $2.9 billion.
Rebuilding smartly in a flood-prone area means preventing future damages from flooding such as elevating your structure above the base flood elevation or higher. Flood hazard maps show different zones of hazard which determines policy premiums. The lower the degree of risk, the lower the flood insurance premium.
By elevating your home above that potential flood elevation, you not only reduce the risk of flooding, you save on the cost of flood insurance. The FEMA’s NFIP policy can cover structures and personal property. You don’t have to live in a flood-prone area to buy FEMA’s flood insurance policy which is sold by most insurance agents.
NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR JANUARY 2, 2013
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| Photo: IED Detinations. Credit: U.S. Navy Photographer's Mate Mandy McClaur |
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Combined Force Arrests Taliban Leader, Seizes IED Materials
Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases
WASHINGTON, Jan. 2, 2013 - An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban leader in the Shah Wali Kot district of Afghanistan's Kandahar province today, military officials reported.
The arrested Taliban leader provided weapons and ammunition to insurgent fighters in the central Arghandab and southwest Shah Wali Kot districts, officials said. He also planned and coordinated improvised explosive device attacks targeting Afghan and coalition forces.
The security force also seized IED-making materials during the operation, officials said.
Also today, a combined force arrested a member of the Haqqani network in the Pul-e 'Alam district of Logar province. The arrested Haqqani insurgent planned and executed attacks against Afghan government officials as well as Afghan and coalition forces. He was also responsible for the movement of weapons and provided funds to Haqqani fighters operating in the Pul-e 'Alam district.
In Afghanistan operations yesterday:
-- A combined force arrested a Taliban leader in the Panjwa'i district of Kandahar province. The arrested Taliban leader directed IED operations in the Zharay and Panjwa'i districts. He also provided supplies, weapons and ammunition to insurgents for use in attacks against Afghan and coalition forces throughout Kandahar province.
-- A combined force arrested a Taliban leader in the Khanabad district of Kunduz province. The arrested Taliban leader organized insurgents and procured IEDs and other weapons for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.
-- In the Sabari district of Khost province, a combined force arrested a local Haqqani leader, detained several other suspects, and seized multiple weapons. The Haqqani leader planned and executed direct-fire and IED attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and oversaw IED emplacements in the district.
In Dec. 31, 2012, operations:
-- In the Imam Sahib district of Kunduz province, a combined force killed the Taliban leader, Nurullah Khan, and one other insurgent. Nurullah Khan, also known as Shaker, transported and distributed weapons for insurgents in Kunduz province. At the time of his death, Nurullah Khan was coordinating the movement of explosives for use in a future IED attack.
-- In the Arghandab district of Kandahar province, a combined force arrested a local Taliban leader and detained three other suspects. The arrested Taliban leader coordinated IED attacks and distributed IEDs and IED-making components to insurgents.
-- In the Khost district of Khost province, a combined force arrested a Haqqani leader and killed one other insurgent. The arrested Haqqani leader planned the Dec. 26, 2012, vehicle-borne IED suicide attack against Forward Operating Base Chapman.
RECENT U.S. NAVY PHOTOS
FROM: U.S. NAVY
121227-N-BC134-372 SAN DIEGO (Dec. 27, 2012) Service members spread the American flag across the field at Qualcomm Stadium during the Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl. The Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl Flag is one of the largest ceremonial American flags in the United States. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class John Grandin/Released)
121227-N-CD336-003 SAN DIEGO (Dec. 27, 2012) A member of the U.S. Navy parachute demonstration team, the Leap Frogs, lands at Qualcomm stadium during the opening ceremony of the 2012 Bridgeport Education Holiday Bowl. The Leap Frogs are based in San Diego and perform aerial precision parachute demonstrations across America in support of Special Warfare and Navy recruiting. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Oscar Espinoza./Released)
AUSTRAILIA BURNING AND GLOWING
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| NASA Earth Observatory images by Robert Simmon |
Two weeks ago, we
published a new map of the Earth at night, built by Earth Observatory designers together with colleagues at the National Geophysical Data Center. That map—made possible by a new NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellite—showed the footprint of human civilization on the planet, as revealed by the lights we use to brighten the darkness.
But it turns out the map showed something more. Astute readers noticed lights in areas that were thought to be uninhabited. Many of those readers pointed to Western Australia and asked: How can there be so much light there?
The top image above shows the night lights of Australia as observed by the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the Suomi NPP satellite in April and October 2012. The composite image includes manmade light sources and the light of wildfires. The data were acquired over nine days in April 2012 and thirteen days in October 2012, and it took the satellite 312 orbits and 2.5 terabytes of data to get a clear shot of every parcel of Earth’s land surface.
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| NASA Earth Observatory images by Robert Simmon |
The second map is a mosaic showing the burned areas of the landscape (red) from October 11–24, 2012, combined with urban areas (black). The data were collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instruments on NASA’s Terra and HYPERLINK "http://aqua.nasa.gov/"Aqua satellites. In effect, the map shows where fires burned that month. Though many rural areas of interior Australia are dry and relatively barren by some standards, there is still enough vegetation to burn, as you can see by clicking on this view from the International Space Station and others from the MODIS instruments.
The extent of the lighting in the Outback and bush country is a function of composite imaging. Fires and other lights that were detected on one day were integrated into the composite, multi-day picture despite being temporary phenomena. Because different lands burned at different times that the satellite passed over, the cumulative result is the appearance of a massive blaze. But while the cities are fixed, the fires were temporary, moveable features. The night lights data set is a scientific work in progress, and the maps will be refined and improved over time.
Not every light in the night view matches up with a fire—partly because the fire map does not include fires from April and partly because not every fire leaves a scar that is detectable from space. Even simple cloud cover could prevent burn scars from being observed.
Aside from the fires, some of the night lights appearing in uninhabited areas can be attributed to natural gas flares, lightning, oil drilling or mining operations, and fishing boats—all of which can show up as points of light. One example is natural gas drilling in the Bakken Formation in North Dakota; another is the fishing boats plying the seas of Asia.
And ultimately, the new images of Earth at night are ripe for new discoveries. It’s easy to say that lands are uninhabited or barren—that there’s nothing out there to make light. But the satellite says there is light, so we should probably go take a look at what we have been overlooking or simply could not see before.
NASA Earth Observatory images by Robert Simmon, using Suomi NPP VIIRS data provided by Chris Elvidge (NOAA National Geophysical Data Center); MODIS Active Fire & Burned Area Products; and urban data from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment. Suomi NPP is the result of a partnership between NASA, NOAA, and the Department of Defense. Caption by Michael Carlowicz.
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