HHS REVIEWS MEDITATION AND INFLAMATION

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat

A study indicates mindfulness meditation might benefit people with chronic inflammatory diseases by reducing the level of inflammation.

At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Melissa Rosenkranz looked at data on about 60 people. About half got eight weeks of mindfulness training. The others were in a control group that got similar activities but without the mindfulness aspect. Mindfulness is a way to be in the moment without judging things such as how you feel emotionally about them.

Rosenkranz reports:

"Those who participated in the mindfulness training had a smaller post-intervention inflammatory response relative to those who participated in the control intervention."

The study in the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

U.S. CONCERENED WITH SITUATION IN CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

 

Locator Map:  Central African Republic.  Credit:  CIA.

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPEARMENT
Situation in the Central African Republic
Press Statement
Victoria Nuland
Department Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
March 30, 2013

The United States remains deeply concerned about the serious deterioration in the security situation in the Central African Republic (CAR). We strongly condemn the illegitimate seizure of power by force by the Seleka rebel alliance, Michel Djotodia’s self-appointment as president, and his suspension of the constitution and National Assembly. We also condemn Seleka’s unlawful designation of a head of state or any other unilateral decisions involving the future governance of the country. The only legitimate government in the CAR is the government of national unity led by Prime Minister Nicolas Tiangaye.

Any decisions on the future governance of the country must be taken in an inclusive and transparent manner, consistent with the Libreville Agreement which was approved by all sides, overseen by the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and recognized by the African Union. We urge the country’s leadership to quickly establish an open and legitimate process leading to presidential elections and the reestablishment of a constitutional government. The African Union has already suspended the CAR’s membership, and the country risks further alienation from the international community and regional partners. We also urge the regional leaders from ECCAS to vigorously continue their efforts to secure peace and stability in the CAR in furtherance of the Libreville Agreement.

We are also deeply concerned by the humanitarian situation both in Bangui and the interior of the CAR. We condemn the widespread looting of humanitarian organizations and hospitals, which has deprived civilians of urgently needed assistance. All parties must work to ensure the safety of the civilian population and allow unhindered humanitarian access.

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. In March, 2003 President Ange-Felix PATASSE 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 flawed. The government still does not fully control the countryside, where pockets of lawlessness persist. The militant group the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) continues to destabilize southeastern Central African Republic, and several rebel groups joined together in early December 2012 to launch a series of attacks that left them in control of numerous towns in the northern and central parts of the country. The rebels - who are unhappy with BOZIZE's government - participated in peace talks in early January 2013 which resulted in a coalition government including the rebellion's leadership.

BIO-DIESEL FUEL COMPANY OWNER SENTENCED TO PRISON IN RENEWALBE FUEL CREDITS SCHEME

FROM: U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY RENEWABLE

Bio-diesel Fuel Company Owner Sentenced to 188 Months in Federal Prison for Crimes Connected to Illegal Fuels Scheme
Jeffrey Gunselman also fined $175,000 and ordered to pay nearly $55 million in restitution

WASHINGTON — Jeffrey David Gunselman, 30, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings to 188 months in federal prison, fined $175,000 and ordered to pay more than $54.9 million in restitution, following his guilty plea in December 2012 to an indictment charging 51 counts of wire fraud, 24 counts of money laundering and four counts of making false statements in violation of the Clean Air Act.

"Today’s sentence is the second significant penalty against an alleged bio-diesel producer who in fact produced no fuel at all," said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. "These cases demonstrate that EPA and our law enforcement partners have and will catch criminals who defraud federal programs and the American people by falsely selling renewable fuel credits."

"I commend the excellent investigative work done by special agents and investigators with EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and the U.S. Secret Service in this complex fraud case," said U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña.

Gunselman admitted that from September 2010 to October 2011, he devised a scheme to defraud the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by falsely representing that he was in the business of producing bio-diesel fuel, yet Gunselman did not have a bio-diesel fuel-producing facility. Instead, Gunselman’s business operation consisted of falsely generating renewable fuel credits and selling them to oil companies and brokers. He instructed purchasers to wire payments to a bank account he solely controlled, and as a result, approximately $41,762,236 was deposited into that account.

Gunselman was the owner of Absolute Fuels, LLC, dba Absolute Fuels, LLC (Absolute Fuels), which he formed in April 2009. He was also named as Governing Person and/or as Registered Agent for other business entities associated with Absolute Fuels, LLC, including Absolute Fuels, LLC; Absolute Milling, LLC; Ellipse Energy, LLC; 21 Investments, LLC; and YGOG Holdings, LLC. However, Gunselman admitted that these entities are solely alter egos of himself, as an individual, as he alone owns, manages, directs and controls each of them and each has no separate and distinct existence from him.

From September 2010 to mid-October 2011, Gunselman conducted 51 fraudulent transactions, which were transmitted by wire communications, that represented to the EPA that bio-diesel fuel had been produced at the Absolute Fuels facility in Anton, Texas, when in fact, no bio-diesel fuel had been produced. This ultimately resulted in Gunselman requesting and receiving payments, by electronic funds transfer, of approximately $41,762,236.

During the same time period, Gunselman engaged in monetary transactions in criminally derived property by purchasing real and personal property valued at approximately $12 million with the funds derived from the wire fraud. Included in that property are: several vehicles, including a Bentley, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Cadillac and Shelby Cobra; a Patton Military Tank; a Gulfstream airplane, professional basketball season tickets and corporate sponsorship; and agricultural, business and residential real estate.

The false statements convictions stem from Gunselman making material false statements to the EPA, falsely claiming and representing that bio-diesel fuel, a renewable fuel, had been produced, generating renewable fuel credits, when Gunselman well knew that no bio-diesel fuel had been produced.

The case was investigated by the EPA Criminal Investigation Division and the U.S. Secret Service.

FEMA OUTLINES SUPPORT FOR NEW YORK'S HURRICANE SANDY RELIEF

 

Breezy Point, N.Y., March 22, 2013 -- Residents of this Queens neighborhood are rebuilding their homes damaged by Hurricane Sandy. This house is in the process of being elevated above the new flood level to prevent damage from future storm surges and flooding.  Photo Credit:  FEMA.

FROM: FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
New York recovery from Hurricane Sandy: By the Numbers
March 29, 2013

NEW YORK — New York survivors have until April 13 to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and return their applications for low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Disaster assistance to New York survivors of Hurricane Sandy:
More than $941 million in FEMA grants approved for individuals and households
Nearly $809 million for housing assistance
More than $132 million for other needs More than $1.3 billion in SBA disaster loans approved for homeowners, renters and businesses
Nearly $3.2 billion in National Flood Insurance Program payments made to policy holders
More than $806 million approved in FEMA Public Assistance grants to communities and some nonprofit organizations that serve the public
270,634 people have registered for assistance in the 13 designated counties
182,426 housing inspections completed
175,215 visits to Disaster Recovery Centers
5.6 million cubic yards of debris removed
More than 500 voluntary agencies involved in recovery
26 languages used to communicate assistance information to survivors

LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY LOOKS AT HOW HIV ATTACKS

FROM: LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY
Research Deciphers HIV Attack Plan
Scientists get inside look at how AIDS virus grooms its assault team

LOS ALAMOS, N.M., March 29, 2013—A new study by Los Alamos National Laboratory and University of Pennsylvania scientists defines previously unknown properties of transmitted HIV-1, the virus that causes AIDS. The viruses that successfully pass from a chronically infected person to a new individual are both remarkably resistant to a powerful initial human immune-response mechanism, and they are blanketed in a greater amount of envelope protein that helps them access and enter host cells.

These findings will help inform vaccine design and interpretation of vaccine trials, and provide new insights into the basic biology of viral/host dynamics of infection.

During the course of each AIDS infection, the HIV-1 virus evolves within the infected person to escape the host’s natural immune response and adapt to the local environment within the infected individual. Because HIV evolves so rapidly and so extensively, each person acquires and harbors a complex, very diverse set of viruses that develops over the years of their infection. Yet when HIV is transmitted to a new person from their partner, typically only a single virus from the diverse set in the partner is transmitted to establish the new infection.

The key discoveries here are the specific features that distinguish those specific viruses which successfully move to the new host, compared with the myriad forms in the viral population present in a chronically infected individual.

"The viruses that make it through transmission barriers to infect a new person are particularly infectious and resilient," said Los Alamos National Laboratory scientist Bette Korber. "Through this study we now better understand the biology that defines that resilience."

The team set out to determine whether the viruses that were successfully transmitted to a new patient might share distinct biological properties relative to those typically isolated from people with long-term, chronic infection. To do this, the group at U Penn cloned a set of intact viruses from acute infection, and a set of viruses from chronically infected people, and characterized them by measuring quantities that might be related to the virus's ability to successfully establish a new infection. They discovered several clear correlations. For example, transmitted viruses were both more infectious and contained more protective "envelope" per virus; envelope is the protein the virus uses to enter host cells.

The team identified an additional interesting property that could be a general characteristic of new viral infections: the transmitted HIV was capable of replicating and growing well in the presence of alpha interferon. Alpha interferon production is part of our innate human immune response to a new infection. As soon as a new viral infection is initiated in our bodies, local immune cells at the site of infection start secreting molecules called cytokines that have general antiviral activity and can inhibit the production of the newly infected virus. Alpha interferon is one of these potent cytokines.

In the early days of an HIV infection, this innate immune response increases to an intense level, called a "cytokine storm," which gradually recedes during infection. For a newly transmitted HIV to successfully establish infection, it must grow and expand in the new host while facing this cytokine storm. Although typical chronic viruses are sensitive to and inhibited by alpha interferon, transmitted HIV-1 viruses grew well in the presence of interferon.

President Obama Welcomes African Leaders | The White House

President Obama Welcomes African Leaders | The White House

GEN. BAYER DISCUSSES THE WARRIOR OF THE FUTURE

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
General Discusses Focus on Younger Force, Cyber Capabilities
By Amaani Lyle
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 28, 2013 - NATO officials are closely analyzing what the future cyber warrior will look like as the war landscape shifts from air, ground and sea to cyberspace, Allied Command Transformation's deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and policy said here this week.

In an interview during a March 26 "Young Professionals Forging the Future" event at Johns Hopkins University's Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, Army Maj. Gen. Peter C. Bayer Jr. said it's time to lean into the younger generation in preparation for new and more complex challenges.

Enhanced e-training and application of cyber skill sets need to be customized to the millennial generation born into, rather than adapting to the information age, Bayer said.

"The folks that are going to solve the problems of 2030 [are] not me; I'll be doing something else," the general said. "It's some 25-year-old already in the uniform of their nation. They already have experience in Afghanistan or somewhere else. They're going to be the two- or three-star generals or admirals solving problems."

Bayer said his charge is to develop ongoing training and an open problem-solving environment to tap into the minds of young leaders who can bring an innovative perspective as NATO and its transformation command shift from operational to contingency-based missions.

"I want the junior leaders already in uniform [to be immersed] in this future world of complex problem-solving and begin to develop skills they need to work in an ambiguous uncertain, complex, fast-paced [environment]," Bayer said.

As U.S. forces pivot to the Pacific during the simultaneous drawdown in Afghanistan, Bayer said, NATO priorities should adjust accordingly.

"When Afghanistan is over, we go from an operations-centric alliance to a contingency-based alliance, which means being ready for the next thing, but unsure what that thing might be," he explained.

And NATO, he added, has played a large role in the United States being able to focus its attention on new challenges.

"The only reason the U.S. can think about shifting priorities and emphasis to the Pacific is because we have a secure flank, and it's called NATO," Bayer said. "NATO should see this as an opportunity, not a threat, [as] increasingly, centers of power are going to be in that part of the world -- less so on the traditional East-West axis."

The general acknowledged the occasional challenges of consensus.
"It's frustrating to have 28 [nations] trying to work on something, but there's nothing more powerful than when we get to the point where 28 say, 'Yep, that's the answer we can live with,' because now we're speaking as one."

After spending most of the last 20 years in operations since the advent of missions in the Balkans, Bayer said, it's vital for NATO to update its training concept and revitalize its exercises program, the general said. "I could see the day where the security interests of the alliance will be challenged by some adversary who will employ information, influence, cyber and space," he added.

The response from the alliance, Bayer said, would not necessarily require the alliance to use air, sea or land forces in the way it traditionally has.

"We've already forced [younger people] to operate very decentralized, and they're ready for it, so we've got to figure out now how to get the institutions to catch up."

RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP AND WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUTION

Army Staff Sgt. Maliek Kearney and Army Sgt. Danielle Doucette transfer a sample of simulated nuclear fallout as Ruth Anne Sorter from the Department of Energy looks on during the Prominent Hunt exercise in Indiana that helped test the Defense Department's chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear enterprise, July 28, 2012. Research conducted by the University of Nebraska in partnership with U.S. Strategic Command is expected to identify new ways to address the threat posed by of weapons of mass destruction. U.S. Army photo by Lt. Col. Carol McClelland

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Stratcom Research Partnership Tackles WMD Threat
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb., March 29, 2013 - A new partnership between U.S. Strategic Command and the University of Nebraska is pushing the envelope to address what Air Force Gen. C. Robert Kehler, Stratcom's commander, calls one of the most pervasive threats to the United States: weapons of mass destruction.

Kehler, who's been tasked by President Barack Obama under the unified command plan to lead the Defense Department's efforts to combat WMDs, championed the first university-affiliated research center to be sponsored by a combatant command.

Stratcom entered into a five-year contract with the University of Nebraska in late September, establishing the 13th UARC within the Defense Department. All are committed to cutting-edge research in some of the most challenging areas confronting the United States, explained Evan J. Hoapili, Stratcom's deputy director of capabilities and resource integration.

"The purpose of a UARC is to focus a high-level, world-class research university on a specific, enduring, technical hard problem," Hoapili told American Forces Press Service. "The idea is to create a continuity of research and focus and generate out-of-the-box thinking to solve a problem that is vexing the department."

Stratcom selected the University of Nebraska for the coveted UARC contract, based on its existing research programs at its National Strategic Research Institute, Hoapili said. The UARC, he said, will invite the best and brightest minds to delve into nuclear forensics, ways to detect biological, chemical and nuclear threats, passive defense against weapons of mass destruction, and consequence management.

Collaborating with other research institutions, University of Nebraska researchers will explore areas ranging from new ways to identify a WMD aboard a container ship without slowing down the entire delivery network to ways to make the human body more resistant to chemical or biological agents, Hoapili said. They also will investigate faster, more effective decontamination methods in the event of an attack.

The research will extend to laws governing space, cyberspace and telecommunications -- other key areas within Stratcom's area of responsibility.

"These are big, technical problems. If you solve any one of these, it will be a huge difference for the department, and frankly, for the security of the United States," Hoapili said.

The outcome, he said, could lead to breakthroughs in areas that top the agenda, not just at Stratcom and the Defense Department, but across the U.S. interagency, particularly at the departments of Homeland Security and Energy.

A Stratcom-led executive steering committee that oversees the UARC includes representatives from several agencies. This helps synchronize counter-WMD efforts across the government and brings different perspectives, expertise and revenue sources to the challenge, Hoapili said.

"The beauty of the UARC is that it enables you to synergize the efforts across all these different departments ... into an integrated effort that is focused on the right problem set," he said. "Ultimately, what we hope to come up with are the most-efficient, cost-effective ways of detecting, eliminating and mitigating weapons of mass destruction."

But Hoapili emphasized that Stratcom's partnership with the University of Nebraska will extend long beyond the initial contract. The hope, he said, is that the UARC will spawn researchers who commit themselves to the challenge over the long term, either through government service or through research efforts that support DOD.

"These are problems that aren't going to go away, and the department recognizes that it is going to be with us for decades, if not forever" he said. "So we want to build an enduring enterprise, and to grow a cadre of researchers, professors, students and PhD candidates all focused on what is possible in dealing with the gravest threat to the United States."

Kehler told Congress earlier this month he's excited about the new partnership.

"One of my highest priorities, in addition to securing and reducing dangerous materials, is acquiring the capabilities to monitor and track lethal agents and their means of delivery, and defeating or responding to the use of these weapons," he told the House and Senate armed services committees. "The UARC will help address these challenges by providing unique access to academic perspectives and research methods not currently found anywhere in DOD to engage current and future counter-WMD challenges."

University-affiliated laboratories have been conducting research and development for the U.S. military for the past six decades. DOD launched the first UARCs in 1996, to maintain essential engineering and technology capabilities required by the department.

"UARCs have changed the nature of their problem set. They are pushing the envelope, and I expect the same out of this one," Hoapili said. "I can't predict where it will go, but I know it is the right way to go."

Woensdagmorgen: Vrouwen in de ruimtevaart

Woensdagmorgen: Vrouwen in de ruimtevaart

RECENT U.S. NAVY PHOTOS

FROM: U.S. NAVY

Rear Adm. Bill McQuilkin, second from left, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Korea, and members of the Republic of Korea military leadership salute after placing flowers during the Cheonan memorial ceremony at the national cemetery. Forty-six sailors were killed when the Republic of Korea corvette was sunk by a torpedo attack from North Korea three years ago in the Yellow Sea. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joshua B. Bruns (Released) 130326-N-TB410-185

An F/A-18E Super Hornet assigned to the Pukin Dogs of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 143 lands aboard the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69). Dwight D. Eisenhower is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility promoting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ryan D. McLearnon (Released) 130328-N-GC639-109

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE HAGEL DISCISSES CONTINGENCY RESPONSES

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Hagel: Partnerships Lay Groundwork for Contingency Responses
By Claudette Roulo
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 28, 2013 - Established military and diplomatic partnerships set the tone when it comes time to defend international allies, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said today.

The recent rapprochement between NATO member Turkey and major non-NATO ally Israel was critically important to the region, Hagel said during a joint Pentagon press conference with Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

"It does affect Syria," he said. "It does affect the neighbors in developing more confidence, I would suspect, among the neighbors in that area that Turkey and Israel will once again begin working together on some of these common interests."

On Wednesday, NATO announced the appointment of Swedish scientist Ake Sellstrom to lead a commission examining whether Syrian President Bashar Assad used chemical weapons in Syria.

"He does possess chemical weapons," Hagel said. "It is dangerous. It is real. And we've got to deal with that eventuality and how we would respond to it."

The take-away is that the United States is working with its international partners, through NATO and other alliances, to address the complex challenge posed by Syria, Dempsey said.

"We ... have collaborative planning efforts underway with each of them, not just uniquely for the possibility of chemicals, but also for other eventualities," he said. Those include the loss of control of heavy air defense weapons, refugee or humanitarian assistance requirements, and the defense of Turkey and Jordan, Dempsey added.

"So we've got any number of contingency plans. And each of them -- each of them at some level rely upon regional partners to help us figure this out," he noted.

Addressing tensions elsewhere in the world, Hagel said the NATO agreement made last summer in Chicago is guiding the drawdown in Afghanistan, exactly as intended. The transition was designed to be an orderly, step-by-step process, he said, and each interim agreement "gets us to eventually where we all want to go, a peaceful transition, a transition that will hopefully put Afghanistan in a position to have a peaceful, prosperous future."

"It's jaggedy, raggedy, not easy, up and down, but we're on track," Hagel said. "Afghanistan's a sovereign nation. And we want them to be a strong sovereign nation with a significant future."

Other countries with interests in regions where the U.S. has strategic interests -- like the Asia-Pacific -- can't be ignored, Hagel said. Regional interests must be factored into long-term relationships, he said.

"The key to relationships with great powers is common interest. You anchor relationships around common interests. You don't start with your differences. And that's what we'll continue to do," Hagel said.

Weekly Address: President Obama Offers Easter and Passover Greetings | The White House

Weekly Address: President Obama Offers Easter and Passover Greetings | The White House

EPA PUBLISHES OPINONS REGARDING PROPOSED CLEANER FUELS AND CARS STANDARDS

FROM: U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECION AGENCY
Here’s What They’re Saying about EPA’s Proposed Cleaner Fuels and Cars Standards

WASHINGTON – Based on extensive input from auto manufactures, refiners, and states, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today proposed sensible standards for cars and gasoline that will significantly reduce harmful pollution, prevent thousands of premature deaths and illnesses, while also enabling efficiency improvements in the cars and trucks we drive. These cleaner fuels and cars standards are an important component of the administration’s national program for clean cars and trucks, which also include historic fuel efficiency standards that are saving new vehicle owners at the gas pump today. Once fully in place, the standards will help avoid up to 2,400 premature deaths per year and 23,000 cases of respiratory ailments in children.

Martin O’Malley, Governor of Maryland
"The new motor fuel standards proposed today by the Environmental Protection Agency under President Obama’s leadership will help Maryland reach its goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020. Reductions from mobile sources are one of the most important strategies needed to provide clean air to Maryland’s citizens for generations to come. Today’s actions will also provide a significant benefit to the Chesapeake Bay as approximately one-third of its nitrogen issues are caused by air pollution. By proposing these new robust vehicle and fuel quality standards, President Obama and the EPA have made a strong commitment to protecting the public’s health and our environment. Together with our federal partners, we can create a more sustainable future for our children."

Deval Patrick, Governor of Massachusetts

"I applaud President Obama and the EPA for issuing this new rule, which is a significant step forward in reducing air pollution from vehicles. This rule means cleaner cars and cleaner fuels, which in turn means healthier communities across the country," said Governor Deval Patrick. "This common sense regulation is a victory for a cost-effective and sensible way to clean our air."

Dannel P. Malloy, Governor of Connecticut

"EPA’s proposed Tier 3 vehicle standards and cleaner gasoline will give our state immediate air quality benefits, which will only grow over time as new cars enter the marketplace. In Connecticut, we are taking action to show that we can have a strong economy and a healthy environment, and the new standards for motor vehicles and fuels announced today by EPA are consistent with our approach. I applaud EPA’s help taking on the most significant source of air pollution – cars, trucks and other so-called mobile sources – and look forward to prompt finalization of the rule so we all breathe cleaner air."

U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island

"Today the Obama Administration took much-needed action to reduce air pollution and protect the health of our citizens. Rhode Islanders, particularly seniors, children, and those with asthma, have suffered for too long from the so-called ‘bad air days’ that can land them in the hospital. This new standard means cleaner gasoline and cleaner vehicles, which will help us prevent a major source of the air pollution that causes those bad air days. This is a big step forward for public health."

Robert M. Pestronk, MPH, Executive Director, National Association of County and City Health Officials
"On behalf of America’s 2,800 local health departments, NACCHO applauds the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed standards for cleaner gasoline and cars. The updated standards prevent illness, preserve health and help reduce health care costs. Standards like these help local health departments keep people healthy and safe by improving air quality."

U.S. Sen. Kristen Gillibrand, N.Y.
"The implementation of Tier 3 emission standards is a big step forward for Americans," said Senator Gillibrand. "More stringent emission standards would significantly decrease air pollution, create new jobs and increase worker’s economic productivity by reducing the number of sick days they take from lung and heart related ailments. We’ve cleared a crucial step in the process, and I will continue to urge the Administration to move quickly to finalize the rule this year"

Paul Billings, Senior Vice President, American Lung Association
"Pollution from cars, light trucks, and SUVs kills and makes people sick. Stronger standards that lower sulfur levels in gasoline and cut toxic tailpipe pollutants will pave the way to a healthier future. Using lower sulfur gasoline in cars currently on the road will reduce as much pollution as taking 33 million cars off the road. Passenger vehicles are major sources of ozone and particle pollution that pose serious threats to public health. This pollution triggers asthma attacks, worsens lung and heart health and can even lead to early death. Children, the elderly and those with chronic lung and heart health problems are most vulnerable to traffic-related pollution."

Georges Benjamin, Executive Director, American Public Health Association
"The return on investment of these important standards measured in both health savings and deaths averted is hugely significant and should not be overlooked. Reducing dangerous tailpipe emissions from cars will deliver between $8 and $23 billion in national health benefits annually by 2030 and prevent tens of thousands of asthma attacks, hospitalizations and early deaths. "

Gloria Bergquist, Spokeswoman, Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers
"This is a big step forward for this country to catch up to the clean fuels available in other industrialized nations. Automakers have already reduced vehicle emissions by 99 percent, and we’re working to go further while also delivering high quality, affordable vehicles to our customers."

Dan Wyant, Director, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
"Michigan’s automobile industry continues producing vehicles that are more fuel efficient and better for the state’s air quality. The EPA’s proposed Tier 3 fuel standard will further the goal of cleaner air."

Shannon Baker-Branstetter, Policy Counsel for Consumers Union
"Vehicles have gotten cleaner over the years, but unfortunately too many Americans still struggle with health issues like asthma and respiratory problems that come from breathing in air heavy with smog and other pollutants. These standards are expected to be highly cost-effective in cleaning up gasoline and tailpipe emissions. These minimal costs will be largely outweighed by the savings that come from the huge health benefits we get from cleaner air."

Bill Becker, Executive Director, National Association of Clean Air Agencies
"The new standard could be ‘the most significant air pollution policy President Obama will adopt in his second term. . . . There is not another air pollution control strategy that we know of that will produce as substantial, cost-effective and expeditious emissions reductions."

Luke Tonachel, Senior Vehicles Analyst, Natural Resources Defense Council
"These common-sense standards will save lives, save money and clean up our air - all at a minimal cost. Big Oil companies want us to believe these benefits aren’t worth it. But that’s because they care about profits above all else."

Frank O’Donnell, President, Clean Air Watch
"I think this proposal is the single most effective step EPA can take right now to reduce smog."

Statement from the Emissions Control Technology Association
As the companies who have developed the cutting edge technology to reduce mobile source emissions by more than 90 percent, the Emissions Control Technology Association (ECTA) commends President Obama’s leadership in proposing a Tier 3 regulation that will improve public health and strengthen our domestic manufacturing base. The benefits of Tier 3 will far outweigh the cost.

Michelle Robinson, Director of Clean Vehicles Program, Union of Concerned Scientists
"The path from a car’s tailpipe to our lungs is surprisingly short, and more than 1 in 3 Americans live in areas where air pollution levels exceed at least one federal limit. Today’s proposal is a common-sense step that will protect our health while growing our economy."

Michael Brune, Sierra Club, Executive Director
"With these expected cleaner tailpipe standards, President Obama is taking a strong step to protect our public health and secure his clean energy legacy. We have the technology to clean up our fuels and our cars and it’s critical that we put them to work to ensure Americans have the safe, breathable air they deserve. Cutting smog and other toxic air pollution will help American children breath cleaner air and will save lives. These new standards will save billions annually in health costs and will free American families from some of the crippling effects of respiratory disease, asthma attacks and other severe health problems."

Michael Stanton, President and CEO, Global Automakers
"We have been anxiously awaiting this rulemaking because it is good for the environment and will help harmonize the federal and California programs for both vehicles and fuels. With 15 million new vehicle sales a year, automakers need predictable national fuel quality at the retail pump. Ultra-low sulfur gasoline is already available in California, Europe, and Japan and will enable automakers to use a broader range of technologies to meet the significant environmental challenges facing the industry."

Mark MacLeod, Environmental Defense Fund
"The new Tier 3 standards will make our cars cleaner, and that means we’ll have cleaner air to breathe. Reducing tailpipe pollution will provide healthier, longer lives for millions of Americans for less than a penny per gallon of gas. That’s why updating the standards has such broad support from U.S. auto makers, state health commissioners, and health advocates."

RECENT U.S. NAVY PHOTOS

FROM: U.S. NAVY

An F/A 18 Super Hornet performs a high-speed climb during the 2013 Langkawi International Maritime Aerospace and Exhibition (LIMA 13). Aircraft and personnel of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force are supporting the 4-day exhibition and aerial demonstrations March 26-30. Events such as LIMA 13 help contribute to increased understanding and interoperability which supports region stability and security throughout the Indo-Asia-Pacific Region. U.S.Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Alfredo Rosado (Released) 130327-N-ZV190-006

130328-N-CT127-047 NORFOLK (March 28, 2013) The guided-missile destroyer USS Winston Churchill (DDG 81) steams to its homeport of Norfolk after a nine-and-a-half month deployment. Winston S. Churchill was deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Josue L. Escobosa/Released)

 

NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR MARCH 29, 2013

Doc, a dog trained to detect improvised explosive devices, retrieves a bumper during a training session on Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, March 19, 2013. Doc is assigned to the 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tammy K. Hineline

 FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Combined Force Arrests Senior Taliban Leader
From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan, March 29, 2013 - An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a senior Taliban leader and detained one other insurgent during an operation in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Afghanistan's Helmand province today, military officials reported.

The arrested Taliban leader is believed to have exercised operational control over multiple insurgent cells throughout Helmand province, officials said. Under his leadership, insurgents committed multiple attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He is also believed to be heavily involved in the acquisition and distribution of weapons to insurgent forces, and reportedly owns multiple poppy farms used in the production of illegal narcotics.

Also today, a combined force detained two insurgents during a search for a Taliban leader in the Dand district of Kandahar province. The sought-after Taliban leader has command-and-control responsibilities over a number of fighters dedicated to attacking Afghan and coalition forces. He also has extensive experience with improvised explosive devices, and plays a role in weapon transportation and distribution throughout Kandahar province.

In Afghanistan operations yesterday:

-- A combined force killed numerous insurgents during a search for a Taliban leader in the Chimtal district of Balkh province. The sought-after Taliban leader is said to be the second-highest Taliban official in the Chimtal district, responsible for directing multiple attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He also is believed to be the district's chief financier for the insurgency, funneling money to fighters for use in illegal arms purchases. During the operation the security force also seized six motorcycles, two rocket-propelled-grenade launchers with 12 rounds, multiple light machine guns and four drums of ammunition.

-- In the Sabari district of Khost province, a combined force killed an insurgent during a search for a Haqqani leader. The sought-after Haqqani leader is responsible for acquiring and distributing weapons to his fellow insurgents and has personally led his subordinates in multiple rocket-propelled-grenade attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

SECRETARY HAGEL COMMEMORATES VIETNAM VETERANS DAY

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Hagel Commemorates Vietnam Veterans Day
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 29, 2013 - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, who'd served in Vietnam as an Army noncommissioned officer, today issued a statement commemorating Vietnam Veterans Day.

The secretary's statement reads as follows:

"Today and this weekend, communities across the country commemorate Vietnam Veterans Day.

"This year we also mark forty years since the end of U.S. combat operations in Vietnam. On March 29, 1973, the last of our combat forces departed the country and the final release of American prisoners of war drew to a close.

"When Vietnam veterans reached their hometowns, many were not greeted with the appreciation and respect they very much deserved. In our time we must take every opportunity to thank all veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice.

"More than 1,600 service members remain unaccounted for from the Vietnam War. Their families still seek answers. Today, the Department of Defense reaffirms its commitment to take all steps to account for our missing personnel and bring closure to their families. And we salute and thank our Vietnam veterans and their families."

President Obama Speaks on Infrastructure and the Economy | The White House

President Obama Speaks on Infrastructure and the Economy | The White House

U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE HAGEL ANNOUNCES FEWER CIVIILAIN FURLOUGH DAYS

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Hagel Announces Fewer Furlough Days for Civilians
By Nick Simeone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 28, 2013 - The Defense Department has revised from 22 to 14 the number of days hundreds of thousands of civilian employees could be furloughed this year because of the budget sequester, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced today.

In addition, a senior Defense Department official speaking on background told reporters the start of the furloughs will be delayed until mid-to-late June, after more than 700,000 department employees receive furlough notices now set to go out in early May. Furloughs would happen over seven two-week pay periods until the end of September, when the current fiscal year ends, the senior official said, with employees likely to be told not to come to work for two days during each of those pay periods.

Department officials say they are still working to determine which employees might be exempted.

Hagel characterized the reduced furloughs as well as a revised estimate of sequestration's impact on the defense budget as good news. The changes follow Congressional approval last week of a defense appropriations bill that prevented an additional six billion dollars in cuts, ordered under sequestration, from taking effect.

"It reduces a shortfall at least in the operations budget," the secretary told reporters at a Pentagon news conference. "We came out better than we went in under the sequester, where it looks like our number is $41 billion [in cuts] now versus the $46 billion."

But despite a Congressional reprieve, Hagel said the Pentagon is still going to be short at least $22 billion for operations and maintenance, "and that means we are going to have to prioritize and make some cuts and do what we've got to do," including making sharp reductions in base operating support and training for nondeployed units.

More critical in the long run, he said, is how budget cuts will affect readiness and the department's overall mission. Because of that concern, he said he has directed Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to conduct an intensive department-wide review of U.S. strategic interests including how to protect the nation with fewer resources. "How do we prioritize the threats and then the capabilities required to deal with threats?" he said. "There will be some significant changes, there's no way around it."

Dempsey said the department has already exhausted 80 percent of its operating funds halfway through the fiscal year and characterized the current budget situation as "not the deepest, but the steepest decline in our budget ever," and warned it will affect military readiness into the future.

"We will have to trade at some level and to some degree our future readiness for current operations," the chairman said. He called on elected leaders to give the Pentagon the budget flexibility it needs to carry out institutional reforms.

"We can't afford excess equipment," Dempsey said. "We can't afford excess facilities. We have to reform how we buy weapons and services. We have to reduce redundancy. And we've got to change, at some level, our compensation structure."

USDA EFFORTS IN RASING A HEALTHIER GENERATION

Credit:  DHHS

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Outlines USDA Efforts to Raise a Healthier Generation of Americans; Highlights Efforts to Increase Access to Affordable and Healthy Food

National Nutrition Month Provides Opportunity to Focus National Conversation on Nutrition
SIOUX FALLS, South Dakota, March 28, 2013 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today discussed USDA efforts to improve access to healthy foods, and outlined the need for a renewed commitment to improve childhood nutrition, which includes empowering parents to provide healthy meals for their families. In remarks at a Hy-Vee, Inc. grocery store, Secretary Vilsack noted that increasing access to healthy foods is one of USDA's top priorities.

"We must help families provide our children with healthy foods that are full of the nutrients they need," said Vilsack. "Research shows that healthy foods aren't always more expensive than less healthy options. Expanding access to affordable, healthy options and providing more information for parents will help create a generational shift to reverse the obesity crisis and protect the health of our youngest Americans."

Secretary Vilsack made two announcements today, highlighting programs in USDA's Food and Nutrition Service designed to increase access and empower families to provide healthy foods. In the first, he announced that a pilot program initiated by the USDA to increase fruit and vegetable consumption among students in the nation's poorest elementary schools resulted in 15 percent higher consumption among students in the program. The Fresh Fruits and Vegitables Program is part of USDA's focus on improving consumer access to healthy food, which can help our nation combat obesity and malnutrition – raising a healthier generation of young people.

The program, which is popular among schools, students and parents, began as a pilot in 2002 to examine the effects of providing free, fresh fruits and vegetables to students outside of regular school meals. The report released today demonstrates that when children are provided healthy fruits and vegetables as snacks, they were not only willing to try them, but the majority finished them.

Secretary Vilsack also announced the launch of the SNAP: Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Grant Program. This program expands the scope of the existing SNAP education program by providing states with additional flexibility to support targeted nutrition education and obesity prevention activities according to the needs of SNAP recipients and low-income families in their state. Under this new program, states could use the funding for a variety of activities including bringing famers markets to low income areas, developing policies for addressing food deserts in low-income areas, or educating SNAP retailers on how to stock healthier food options.

"Expanding access to nutritious food will not only empower American families to serve healthy meals to their children, but it will also help expand the demand of agricultural products," said Vilsack. "These efforts will help open new markets for famers to sell their products, create jobs, and help revitalize distressed communities."

American agriculture provides our nation with the tools we need to increase the availability, affordability and variety of nutritious food. More than 80 percent of our food supply comes from American agriculture, and American families pay less for their food at the grocery store than the people of any developed nation.

Research by USDA's Economic Research Service has found that healthy foods are often no more expensive than less-nutritious foods. Still, there are millions of American families who lack access to healthy foods due to economic or geographical barriers. Vilsack said that USDA empowers Americans to make healthier food choices by providing science-based information and advice, while expanding access to healthy food availability:

America's students now have healthier and more nutritious school meals due to improved nutrition standards implemented as a result of the historic Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.
USDA is making fresh fruits and vegetables more accessible for low-income families. More than 3,200 farmers markets and farm stands are now authorized to accept payment through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), an increase of nearly 100 percent since 2010.
USDA's MyPlate symbol and the resources at ChooseMyPlate.gov provide quick, easy tips for parents trying to feed their families on a budget. USDA provides tips to help parents Plan, Compare and Prepare meals that are both nutritious and budget friendly.
USDA's Know your Farmer, Know Your Food initiative contributes to healthy food access through the development of strong local and regional food systems. Innovative approaches such as mobile farmers markets, late-season vegetable production in high tunnels, and regional food hubs are making fresh, local food more available to communities in need. The number of farmers markets increased by more than 67 percent in the last four years and there are now more than 220 regional food hubs in operation around the country.
USDA launched a new $5 million Farm to School grant program in 2012 to increase the amount of healthy, local food in schools. In its first year, the grants are supporting 68 projects serving nearly 2 million students.
USDA developed the Food Access Research Atlas to enable researchers, city planners, non-profit organizations and policy makers to identify areas where the availability of grocery stores and transportation create geographical barriers to accessing healthy food.

U.S.-UAE HOLD THIRD ECONOMIC POLICY DIALOGUE

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Joint Statement: United States and United Arab Emirates Hold Third Economic Policy Dialogue in Abu Dhabi

Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
March 27, 2013

Following is the text of a joint statement issued by the United States of America and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the conclusion of the U.S.–UAE Economic Policy Dialogue (EPD), on March 27 in Abu Dhabi.

The U.S. delegation was led by Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs Jose W. Fernandez and included representatives from the Department of State, the Department of Commerce, Department of Treasury, and the Department of Homeland Security with input from several other government agencies. The UAE delegation was led by his Excellency Khalid Al-Ghaith, Assistant Foreign Minister for Economic Affairs for the UAE, and consisted of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Finance and Economy, as well as the Federal Customs Authority, Tawazun, Tawteen, Masdar, Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, TAQA, and Mubadala.

Begin Text:

Representatives from the United States of America and the United Arab Emirates met on March 27, 2013, for the third session of the U.S.–UAE Economic Policy Dialogue in Abu Dhabi. The dialogue is designed to supplement and deepen the official bilateral dialogue between the UAE and the United States.

The meeting reflected the achievements that have been made since the first dialogue last year, such as the hosting of the third Annual Global Entrepreneurial Summit on December 2012 in Dubai and the new visa system provided by the United States for UAE business people visiting the United States.

The discussions focused on topics including exploring ways to ease business facilitation, formalizing mechanisms for linking U.S. businesses with UAE training and internship organizations, addressing regional political risk perceptions related to e-commerce, and looking into opportunities for collaboration in energy, cyber security, and the involvement of the private sector.

The event was also a platform to announce the creation of a U.S.–UAE CEO Roundtable that will advise successive EPD meetings starting later this year and the publication of a new study on the economic impact of the new commercial air routes between the two countries.

The UAE is the largest export market for U.S. goods in the Middle East and Arab World. Total trade between both countries reached 24 billion dollars in 2012. Today’s meeting underscores the strong UAE–U.S. relationship and provided opportunities to discuss ways to further deepen our economic cooperation, which will lead to more economic growth and job creation in both countries.

Following the dialogue, a senior-level working dinner between government officials from the UAE and the United States and the private sectors from each side was held in Emirates Palace Hotel. It provided an opportunity for the private sector to engage senior U.S. and U.A.E. government officials directly about topics, outcomes, and proposals on the agenda for the private, bilateral EPD meetings between the two government delegations.

The next Economic Policy Dialogue will be held in Washington, D.C. in the latter half of 2013 and is expected to include discussions on new strategic initiatives and priority sectors.