SECRETARY KERRY'S REMARKS WITH UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT POROSHENKO

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
02/05/2015 12:56 PM EST
Remarks With Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko After Their Meeting
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Bankova
Kyiv, Ukraine
February 5, 2015

PRESIDENT POROSHENKO: Mr. Secretary, we are very pleased to welcome you, as the United States Secretary of State.

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you.

PRESIDENT POROSHENKO: It’s almost one year passed since your last visit in Kyiv and I still remember the very crucial and positive discussions we had at that time, and the whole world (inaudible) our country faced a critical changes in peace and security caused by the extremely cynical aggression against Ukraine, aggression against fundamental principles of international law, peaceful coexistence, respecting sovereignty and territorial (inaudible) and noninterference (inaudible). Present time become the test – Ukraine-U.S. strategic partnership.

In Ukraine, we highly appreciate the United States invaluable support to our nation and our people through all the time of Ukraine independence. The support has become most evident viewed in the Russian aggression on Crimea and on Donbas. It is important to underline strong and unanimous support of our country both from United States President, United States Administration, United States Congress, and United States Government. And it’s very important by American people. It’s very valuable – this support, Mr. Secretary.

The United States leading role in consideration of the transatlantic solidarity in support of Ukraine is critical for pushing of the peaceful solution, and we are grateful for the consistent engagement of the State Department and you personally, Mr. Secretary, into this effort. And I still remember that the historic Minsk protocol and Minsk memorandum – it was done on the 5th of September, where we met on the – in United Kingdom on the major summit and this is a key element and the main documents of our de-escalation of the situation and development of the peace process.

Today, we are facing another growing escalation of violence by terrorists directly supporting by Moscow, their refusal to fulfill obligation of the Minsk agreement, their barbarian attack on the civilian population, which led to multiple casualties every day. (Inaudible) Volnovakha, tragedy in Mariupol, tragedy in the Debaltseve, where they’re killing civilian people, is absolutely unacceptable in the 21st century in the center of Europe.

Nadiya Savchenko – illegal imprisonment, captain of the Ukrainian army, defending their own land, their own motherland, was captured, imprisoned, and today is the – her 55th day of the exhausted hunger strike and refusal (inaudible) her relatives is terrible violation of the human rights committed by Russia. This issue were a point of our discussion with the Secretary Kerry. We are working to find out ways for peaceful settlement and deprive Ukrainian people from ongoing horror on the aggression. This is a priority for all community of the civilized nation, for every civilized society.

At the same time, we are strengthening our security cooperation, a number of means could be used to enhance such cooperation. However, to find out the most effective way, the most effective medicine for the (inaudible) to help him to recover the principal task. A comprehensive support of reform in Ukraine also was discussed today, and we thank United States for the assistance, for the advisors, and for their cooperation. We are already demonstrating the most important and most urgent sphere of the Ukraine who need (inaudible). This is the fight against corruption, this is the rule of law, this is the build-up independent court and judge system, this is the building of the effective investment climate, and development of the democracy and freedom.

And in this particular sphere, this is crucially important our cooperation with the United States and we thank you for the – for this cooperation. Because the comprehensive support of Ukraine, also the crucial direction in Ukrainian-American partnership, which is equal important, it means political, economic, financial consulting support, and we are receiving maximum possible assistance from our American partners.

Today as you know, we have a mission of the International Monetary Fund most probably in the next hours, even not days, they finish their mission and they prepared a memorandum. And the effective cooperation with the IMF, with our reliable partner, such as United States, European Union, Japan, Canada, Australia, South Korea – all the countries of the world who are demonstrating their readiness to support Ukraine in this difficult time is vitally important for us.

And I thank Secretary Kerry for – and United States Administration for the decision to provide Ukraine with a significant economic assistance, both previous and (inaudible). I think this is very important for us, and the fact that Secretary Kerry come not with empty hands and this is just – today was the additional increasing of the financial support is very important and is right timeframe in need (inaudible).

And as the President of Ukraine, I can once more reaffirm my strong support of speedy implementation for the systematic reform, fighting corruption, rearranging all state governance to ensure priority of democratic society. These changes are the key prerequisite for a successful and democratic Ukraine, as well as prosperous and safe life for our citizens.

And today, voting of the – in the Ukrainian parliament and support my constitutional proposal, more than constitutional majority, for the removing the immunity of the members of parliament and immunity of the judges and helping us to fight against corruption. This is another step and another evidence of the – our decisive efforts to build up the new country with the European values, with the – based on the principle of freedom and democracy. And this is the same way how we can demonstrate our cooperation with the United States (inaudible).

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, thank you very much Mr. President. First of all, thank you for welcoming me here today and thank you very, very much for the great leadership that you personally, your government, my friend, your foreign minister, who I’ve worked with closely in many meetings in the last year. And you are right, it is just about a year since I was here. And I want you to know that today I am here specifically to bring you the support and friendship and goodwill of the President of the United States, of the Administration, but most importantly the American people. The people of the United States share unwavering support for the Ukrainian people as they continue to display a very courageous journey towards democracy, towards freedom, independence, and most importantly towards the protection of the appropriate respect due for the sovereignty of your country. Your people have bravely and relentlessly pursued a sovereign democratic future; we admire that and we respect it.

I would emphasize to President Putin and to those Russians who obviously express concerns about the road that you’re on that we don’t view this as a zero-sum game. We have never viewed it that way. This is not meant to be nor should it be a divide between East and West. This is about rule of law. It’s about the norms by which nation-states behave. And it’s about the fundamental respect for the integrity of the sovereignty of Ukraine.

This morning, President Poroshenko and I had an opportunity to be able to discuss the necessary and promising reform steps that the President has been leading. This is a program that the Ukrainian Government is undertaking now. Even in the difficult circumstances of the conflict that is taking place, you just heard President Poroshenko restate his personal commitment and the steps that he is taking in order to implement these reforms in Ukraine. We spent some time talking about his political path ahead, the unity of his government, the commitment of his government to protect the interests of the people of Ukraine, but also we talked about the largest threat that Ukraine faces today, and that is Russia’s continued aggression in the east. There’s no other way to call it.

We’re not seeking a conflict with Russia; no one is – not President Poroshenko, not the United States, not the European community. That’s not what this is about. We are very hopeful that Russia will take advantage of our broad-based, uniform acceptance of the notion that there is a diplomatic solution that is staring everybody in the face. That’s what we want. We want a diplomatic resolution. But we cannot close our eyes to tanks that are crossing the border from Russia and coming into Ukraine. We can’t close our eyes to Russian fighters in unmarked uniforms crossing the border and leading individual companies of so-called separatists in battle. We can’t close our eyes to modern rockets and modern radar capacity and other capacity that has crossed the border in order to prosecute this conflict across sovereign lines, across international borders, against all the promises that were made in the Minsk ceasefire agreement.

So we want a peaceful resolution. And President Obama has asked me to come here and he has asked Vice President Biden and me to join together over this weekend in Munich in direct conversations where we will meet again with President Poroshenko, where we will meet with our European allies and friends in an effort to underscore our choice is diplomacy, our choice is a peaceful resolution. But Russia needs to make its choices, and those choices are not just declared by words; they have to be declared by actions. And that means engaging in a series of steps that will uphold the Minsk Agreement which was entered into last year and which they signed up to.

Regrettably, the violence in Donbas has accelerated since then, not diminished. Innocent people are dying every single day – innocent people, people caught in a barrage of artillery that comes into Mariupol, which has no business whatsoever being dragged into this conflict; families cowering in their basements with their children to avoid the shelling. So it is imperative that everybody make the right choices here. Russia needs to demonstrate its commitment to ending the bloodshed once and for all. And we would ask that it does so by honoring the agreement that it signed, the Minsk agreement. Everybody knows what the actions are that were expected from that agreement. It’s not complicated. And Russia needs to now cease this military support for the separatists and bring people to the table in an effort to achieve a lasting political solution.

So in order for this conflict to be resolved, certain things need to happen. The Russians need to undertake certain steps, and the separatists who act with their input have to also support those steps. First of all, there must be an immediate commitment now to a real ceasefire which is not just a piece of paper and words, but which is followed up by specific actions.

Namely, pull back the heavy weapons from the ceasefire line, from the border, beyond the range of artillery, beyond the range of certain munitions to be able to do harm to civilians. That would be the first confidence-building measure that would begin to allow for peaceful resolution. Second, remove foreign troops and heavy equipment from Ukraine. Which leads you to the third step: Respect the international border; close that border to the movement of these materials and tanks, which are the fundamental means by which this continued war is prosecuted, and by doing so, restore Ukrainian sovereignty, respect Ukrainian sovereignty. It is fully possible to be able to work through the interests that Russia has expressed about the people in Donetsk and Luhansk and to have those issues worked through, but the way to do it is not by fostering greater violence.

Both sides need to release the hostages who are currently detained, and in addition, it is important to note that President Poroshenko this morning, in my conversations with him, pointed out that he remains committed to supporting the special status law which is currently on the books, which provides greater economic and municipal and political rights to those particular to the Donbas area. And that’s important to remember – that he has also committed to pursuing real constitutional reform, and he is committed to holding new free and fair elections in Donbas, and if these steps are respected, it is fully appropriate to also expect that the full measure of the Minsk agreement can then also be respected and implemented. That is the outline of peace. And the United States of America, President Obama, is deeply committed to helping to assist all the parties to come together in an effort to try to achieve this. The fact that Chancellor Merkel and President Hollande are visiting Kyiv today underscores that together, the United States, France, Germany, and the rest of our international partners stand united with Ukraine in calling on Russia to take the steps that I just outlined, and to take those steps without delay. And that is exactly how this conflict can come to an end.

That is our choice. The Ukrainian people, President Poroshenko, the United States, European allies and friends, we are convinced that if diplomacy is given meaning beyond the piece of paper and the words that are on it, through the actions that follow to implement what those words lay out, there could be peace. So this is a critical moment for this region, for this country, and for the prospects of peace. It is really possible that this conflict could come to an end, but only starting with a ceasefire, moving the heavy equipment back, and beginning to deal with the real issues that we all know are on the table.

That is also the only way that Russia’s international isolation is going to be ended and eased, and it’s the only way that the Ukrainian people in all parts of this country will finally achieve the peace that they so deserve.

Let me just say that when I came here a year ago, I was deeply moved by my visit, deeply moved by the people that I met near the Maidan, as I visited the site where so many people were killed by snipers at that pivotal turning point in the struggle for freedom. It is really enormously impressive what the people of Ukraine have accomplished, broadly speaking, over the course of this year. They held an election under the most difficult circumstances, a peaceful transfer of power, the finding of a new government, a government that has worked hard in unity to try to end this conflict. And we hope that in the next days it may be possible, finally, to try to find a road ahead, and Mr. President, we’re grateful to you for your steadfast leadership and for the effort to reform things even in the middle of this conflict, which you have remained so committed to.

So we thank you for that, and I look forward to seeing you in Munich in a day or so. Thank you, sir.

Letters to the President: Impact of the Affordable Care Act

REPORT: THREATS TO EUROPE SETTING STAGE FOR NATO MEETING

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
NATO Report Sets Stage for Defense Ministers Meeting
By Jim Garamone
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4, 2015 – Last year was not a good year for European security, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said last week.

Stoltenberg called 2014 “a black year” for Europe as he presented NATO’s Annual Report, which sets the stage for the meeting of the alliance’s defense ministers in Brussels this week.

The secretary general discussed the threats to Europe and the North Atlantic Alliance and what NATO needs to do to counter these threats.

“Violent extremism is at our borders,” Stoltenberg said, “spreading turmoil across North Africa and the Middle East and fueling terrorism in our own streets.”

Russia is following a disturbing pattern, Stoltenberg noted, annexing Crimea, threatening the sovereignty of Ukraine, and continuing its efforts to intimidate its neighbors in disregard of international law.

“So our security environment has fundamentally changed,” he added.
Raising Readiness of NATO Forces

NATO already is moving to defend alliance nations, the secretary general said. “Last year, we held over 200 NATO and national exercises,” he added. “One exercise started every two days -- on the ground, at sea, and in the air. And they will continue. So we are raising the readiness of our forces.”

The exercises also serve to reassure allies, Stoltenberg said. “We are maintaining a continuous presence of our forces, by rotation, in the eastern part of our alliance,” he noted. In addition to reassuring allies, he said, that exercise also deters Russia, showing the entire alliance’s determination to defend member nations.

Stoltenberg stated that defense ministers will decide on the size and the composition of the alliance’s new Spearhead Force. They also will determine how to set up NATO command and control units in six of the Eastern NATO nations, turning the readiness action plan decided upon at the NATO summit in Wales into reality, the secretary general said. “This will be the biggest reinforcement of our collective defense since the end of the Cold War,” he added.

Allied aircraft intercepted more than 400 Russian planes in 2014. More than 150 were intercepted by NATO aircraft participating in the alliance’s Baltic Air Policing Mission.

Prepared to Stand With Afghanistan’s Government

NATO has ended combat operations in Afghanistan, but is prepared to stand with the fledgling Afghan unity government as it faces the threats of the Taliban and other terror groups, Stoltenberg said.

The “352,000 Afghan soldiers and police that we have trained took full charge of their country’s security,” he said. “And we launched a new mission to train, advise and assist them.”

The secretary general also discussed money. Collectively, alliance nations spent $852 billion on defense in 2014. By this measurement alone, the alliance is the strongest in the world, he said.

But there has been a steady decline in European defense spending since 1990, Stoltenberg said, “and the decline continued last year.”

Alliance Must Spend More, Spend Better

Last year, the European allies spent about $250 billion on defense -- a reduction of $7 billion, or about 3 percent. But multiplying threats changed views in European capitals, and the NATO leaders pledged to spend 2 percent of gross domestic product on defense in the future.

“We need to spend more, and we need to spend better, to keep our forces ready to deal with any threat,” Stoltenberg said. “We have seen some steps in the right direction, but there is a long way to go.”

In 2014, the Euro-Atlantic order came under threat, the secretary general said. “But … NATO is adapting and looking forward,” he added. “We stand determined to protect our values and keep our nations safe.”

WHITE HOUSE VIDEO: PRESIDENT OBAMA MEETS WITH AFFORDABLE CARE ACT LETTER WRITERS

FTC WARNS BIODEGRADABLE DOG WASTE BAG CLAIMS MAY BE DECEPTIVE

FROM:  U.S. FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION 
FTC Staff Warns Marketers and Sellers of Dog Waste Bags That Their Biodegradable and Compostable Claims May Be Deceptive

Staff of the Federal Trade Commission has sent letters warning 20 manufacturers and marketers of dog waste bags that their “biodegradable,” “compostable,” and other environmental claims may be deceptive.

The letters, which the staff sent after examining the companies’ environmental, or “green,” claims on their websites and in other media, provide examples of potentially deceptive statements regarding the bags’ biodegradability or compostability. The letters also provide information on how to comply with truth-in-advertising principles when making environmental claims.

“Consumers looking to buy environmentally friendly products should not have to guess whether the claims made are accurate,” said Jessica Rich, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “It is therefore critical for the FTC to ensure that these claims are not misleading, to protect both consumers and honest competitors.”

The staff notified 20 marketers that they may be deceiving consumers with the use of their unqualified “biodegradable” claim.  Based on the FTC’s  Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims (the Green Guides), such a claim without any qualification generally means to consumers that the product will completely break down into its natural components within one year after customary disposal.  Most waste bags, however, end up in landfills where no plastic biodegrades in anywhere close to one year, if it biodegrades at all.

According to the Green Guides, consumers generally think that unqualified “compostable claims” mean that a product will safely break down at the same rate as natural products, like leaves and grass clippings, in their home compost pile. If marketers disclose that a product will only compost in commercial or municipal facilities, consumers think that those facilities are generally available in their area. However, dog waste is generally not safe to compost at home, and very few facilities accept this waste. Therefore, compostable claims for these products are generally untrue.

The FTC advised the companies that they should review their marketing materials and contact agency staff to tell them how they intend to revise or remove the claims, or explain why they won’t.

The staff notes that marketers who did not receive a letter should not assume that their claims are fine. Staff is not disclosing the recipients of the letters at this time.

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

SEC IDENTIFIES WAYS TO PROTECT ONLINE INVESTMENT ACCOUNTS

FROM:  U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE 

The Securities and Exchange Commission today released publications that address cybersecurity at brokerage and advisory firms and provide suggestions to investors on ways to protect their online investment accounts.

“Cybersecurity threats know no boundaries.  That’s why assessing the readiness of market participants and providing investors with information on how to better protect their online investment accounts from cyber threats has been and will continue to be an important focus of the SEC,” said SEC Chair Mary Jo White.  “Through our engagement with other government agencies as well as with the industry and educating the investing public, we can all work together to reduce the risk of cyber attacks.”

One publication, a Risk Alert from the SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE), contains observations based on examinations of more than 100 broker-dealers and investment advisers.  The examinations focused on how these firms:

Identify cybersecurity risks
Establish cybersecurity policies, procedures, and oversight processes
Protect their networks and information
Identify and address risks associated with remote access to client information, funds transfer requests, and third-party vendors
Detect unauthorized activity

“Our examinations assessed a cross-section of the industry as a way to inform the Commission on the current state of cybersecurity preparedness,” said OCIE Director Andrew Bowden.  “We hope that investors and industry participants will also benefit from what we have learned.”

The second publication, an Investor Bulletin issued by the SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy (OIEA), provides core tips to help investors safeguard their online investment accounts, including:

Pick a “strong” password
Use two-step verification
Exercise caution when using public networks and wireless connections
“As investors increasingly use web-based investment accounts, it is critical that they take steps to safeguard those accounts,” said OIEA Director Lori J. Schock.  “This bulletin provides everyday investors with a set of useful tips to help protect themselves from cyber-criminals and online fraud.”

U.S. AND COALITION CONTINUED AIRSTRIKES AGAINST ISIL

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 
Operation Inherent Resolve Airstrikes Continue in Syria, Iraq

From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release
SOUTHWEST ASIA, Feb. 4, 2015 – U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

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

Airstrikes in Syria

Bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 11 airstrikes near Kobani in Syria, striking nine ISIL tactical units and an ISIL large tactical unit and destroying three ISIL staging positions and an ISIL fighting position.

Airstrikes in Iraq

Attack and fighter aircraft conducted six airstrikes in Iraq:
-- Near Beiji, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL checkpoint.

-- Near Tal Afar, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit.
-- Near Asad, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit.
-- Near Rawah, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL guard facility.

-- Near Huwayjah, an airstrike destroyed an ISIL checkpoint, an ISIL guard tower, an ISIL bunker, an ISIL vehicle and two ISIL shipping containers.
-- Near Mosul, an airstrike struck an ISIL improvised explosive device factory.
Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

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

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

FUNERAL HOME SETTLES FUNERAL RULE CHARGES

FROM:  U.S. FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION 
Funeral Home Settles FTC Charges It Violated the Funeral Rule

An Ohio funeral home operator has agreed to pay a civil penalty to settle Federal Trade Commission charges for violating the agency’s Funeral Rule, which requires funeral providers to provide information consumers need to compare prices and buy only the funeral services and goods they want.

At the FTC’s request, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio filed allegations against Larry S. Glickler, doing business as Bradford-Connelly & Glickler Funeral Home, for failing to provide consumers, in a timely manner, with an itemized general price list at the beginning of an in-person discussion about funeral arrangements; a casket price list at the beginning of any discussion about caskets; and an outer burial container price list at the beginning of any discussion about outer burial containers, as required by the Funeral Rule.

The FTC conducts undercover inspections every year to ensure that funeral homes are complying with the Funeral Rule, which gives consumers important rights when making funeral arrangements. The Rule, issued in 1984, requires funeral homes to provide consumers with itemized price lists at the start of any in-person discussions of funeral arrangements, caskets, and/or outer burial containers. It also requires funeral homes to provide price information by telephone on request, and it prohibits funeral homes from requiring consumers to buy any item, such as a casket, as a condition of obtaining any other funeral good or service.

The consent decree requires Glickler to pay a $6,500 civil penalty, and permanently prohibits him from violating the Funeral Rule.

For more information about the Funeral Rule, read Shopping for Funeral Services and Complying with the Funeral Rule.

The Commission vote to authorize the filing of the civil penalty complaint and approve the proposed consent decree was 5-0. The United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio filed the complaint and proposed consent decree on behalf of the Commission in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.

NOTE: The Commission files a complaint when it has “reason to believe” that the law has been or is being violated and it appears to the Commission that a proceeding is in the public interest. Consent decrees have the force of law when approved and signed by the District Court judge.

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

NASA ADMINISTRATOR BOLDEN DELIVERS ADDRESS

FROM:  NASA NASA 

In the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden delivers a “state of the agency” address on Feb. 2, 2015 at NASA's televised fiscal year 2016 budget rollout event with Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana looking on, at right. Representatives from the Kennedy workforce, news media and social media were in attendance. NASA's Orion, SpaceX Dragon and Boeing CST-100 spacecraft, all destined to play a role in NASA’s overall exploration objectives, were on display. Photo credit: NASA/Amber Watson.

2/4/15: White House Press Briefing

PRESIDENT OBAMA'S MESSAGE REGARDING NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO COTE D'LVOIRE

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE 
February 04, 2015
Message -- Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to the Situation in or in Relation to Côte d’Ivoire

TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES:

Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act

(50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency, unless, within 90 days prior to the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date.  In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice stating that the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13396 of February 7, 2006, with respect to the situation in or in relation to Côte d'Ivoire is to continue in effect beyond February 7, 2015.

The Government of Côte d'Ivoire and its people continue to make significant progress in promotion of democratic, social, and economic development.  The United States also supports the advancement of impartial justice in Côte d'Ivoire as well as the Government of Côte d'Ivoire's efforts to prepare for a peaceful, fair, and transparent presidential election in 2015, which will be an important milestone in Côte d'Ivoire's progress.  We urge all sides to work for the benefit of the country as a whole by rejecting violence and participating in the electoral process.

While the Government of Côte d'Ivoire and its people continue to make progress toward peace and prosperity, the situation in or in relation to Côte d'Ivoire continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.  For these reasons, I have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency and related measures blocking the property of certain persons contributing to the conflict in Côte d'Ivoire.

BARACK OBAMA

U.S. CONGRATULATES PEOPLE OF NEW ZEALAND ON THEIR WAITANGI DAY

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 
Waitangi Day
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
February 4, 2015

On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I would like to congratulate the people of New Zealand as you celebrate the 175th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand’s founding document.

The United States and New Zealand have strong bonds of friendship, based on our shared democratic and liberal values. We collaborate on a range of interests, from promoting open and transparent trade to protecting our shared oceans and global environment. My meetings with Prime Minister Key and Foreign Minister McCully have been cordial and productive.

Both our countries seek to fortify democracy and further the rule of law around the world. The United States continues to value our warm relationship with New Zealand and hope to further strengthen our ties in the years ahead.

We wish all Kiwis around the globe a happy Waitangi Day.

2/3/15: White House Press Briefing

CLOUD FORMATIONS OVER THE BERING SEA

FROM:  NASA 
Cloud Streets in the Bering Sea

Ice, wind, cold temperatures and ocean waters combined to created dramatic cloud formations over the Bering Sea in late January, 2015. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA's Aqua satellite passed over the region and captured this true-color image on Jan. 23.

The frozen tundra of Russia lies in the northwest of the image, and snow-covered Alaska lies in the northeast. Sea ice extends from the land well into the Bering Sea. Over the dark water bright white clouds line in up close, parallel rows. These formations are known as “cloud streets”.

Air blowing over the cold, snowy land and then over ice becomes both cold and dry. When the air then moves over relatively warmer and much moister water and lead to the development of parallel cylinders of spinning air. On the upper edge of these cylinders of air, where the air is rising, small clouds form. Where air is descending, the skies are clear. This clear/cloudy pattern, formed in parallel rows, gives the impression of streets.

The clouds begin over the sea ice, but they primarily hang over open ocean. The streets are neat and in tight rows closest to land, while further over the Bering Sea the pattern widens and begins to become more random. The rows of clouds are also not perfectly straight, but tend to curve. The strength and direction of the wind helps create these features: where the wind is strongest, nearest to shore, the clouds line up most neatly. The clouds align with the wind direction, so the direction of the streets gives strong clues to prevailing wind direction.  Image Credit: NASA/Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC.

PRESIDENT OBAMA SPEAKS ON FUNDING THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

REAR ADM. KIRBY SAYS ISIL HURTING FROM AIRSTRIKES

FROM:  THE U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 
International Community United Against ISIL, Strikes Making Difference, Kirby Says
By Jim Garamone
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Feb. 3, 2015 – The battle against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant is not a U.S. war, it is a large international effort to defeat a crazed and barbaric ideology, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said here today.

ISIL burned a captured Jordanian pilot alive in January. Kirby condemned the murder, and said it in no way will stop the effort against the terrorists. “We know that they have the ability to continue to generate young men that are attracted to this group and this ideology, and that's going to be a long-term problem,” he said during a Pentagon news conference.

“It’s going to take a while to get at the ideology, which is the real center of gravity here,” the admiral said. “You’re not going to do that through bombs and airstrikes. That doesn't mean the bombs and airstrikes aren’t going to keep happening. They are.”

A Coalition of 60

Kirby disputed allegations that the war against ISIL is a U.S. war. “I think a coalition of 60 nations proves that it’s not,” he said. “We’re not the only ones involved in this in trying to get rid of this group.”

U.S. air strikes on the group continue to be effective, he said. As indigenous forces become more capable, the attrition will continue. Still, ISIL is capable of bringing more people to the fight. “We are going to stay committed to this for the long-term, and it is going to be a long-term fight,” the admiral said.

Judging the coalition effectiveness against the group is difficult. “A better judgment of the strength of this group is their behavior,” he said. “So, we’ve seen them change the way they operate on the ground. They are hiding more. We've seen them not travel around in convoys. …They are not as agile as they once were. We know that they’ve lost literally hundreds and hundreds of vehicles that they can’t replace.”

Coalition strikes have also worked to hit the group’s main source of income – oil. “We assess that it’s no longer the main source of revenue,” Kirby said.

ISIL is largely in a defense posture now. The group launched a small offensive against Kirkuk over the weekend and it lasted a day, Kirby said. They took no new ground. “And they're not on Kobani anymore,” the admiral said. “They are losing ground.”

The group is worried about lines of communications and supply now. “This is a different group than it was seven months ago,” he said. “I’m not saying they are not still dangerous. I'm not saying they are not still barbaric, but they are different. Their character, their conduct, their behavior is different. And that is a sign of progress.”

CDC SAYS MILLIONS IN U.S. EXPOSED TO SECONDHAND SMOKE

FROM:  U.S. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION 
58 million nonsmokers in US are still exposed to secondhand smoke

Two of every five children -- including seven in 10 black children -- are exposed
Although secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure in the United States dropped by half between 1999 to 2000 and 2011 to 2012, one in four nonsmokers -- 58 million people -- are still exposed to SHS, according to a new Vital Signs report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) show that declines in exposure to SHS have been slower and exposure remains higher among children, blacks, those who live in poverty, and those who live in rental housing. The report finds two in every five children aged three to 11 years are still exposed to SHS. The study assessed exposure using cotinine, a marker of SHS found in the blood.

“Secondhand smoke can kill. Too many Americans, and especially too many American children, are still exposed to it,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “That 40 percent of children -- including seven in 10 black children -- are still exposed shows how much more we have to do to protect everyone from this preventable health hazard.”

Additional key findings in the Vital Signs report include that:

Nearly half of black nonsmokers are exposed to SHS.
More than two in five nonsmokers who live below the poverty level are exposed to SHS.
More than one in three nonsmokers who live in rental housing are exposed to SHS.
The study used rental status as a way of identifying people who live in multiunit housing, which is an environment where the issue of SHS exposure is of particular concern.

“About 80 million Americans live in multiunit housing, where secondhand smoke can seep into smoke-free units and shared areas from units where smoking occurs,” said Brian King, Ph.D., acting deputy director for research translation in CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health. “The potential of exposure in subsidized housing is especially concerning because many of the residents -- including children, the elderly, and people with disabilities -- are particularly sensitive to the effects of secondhand smoke.”

The report credits the overall decline in SHS exposure to several factors. To date, 26 states, the District of Columbia, and almost 700 cities have passed comprehensive smoke-free laws prohibiting smoking in worksites, restaurants, and bars. These state and local laws currently cover almost half the US population. In addition, a growing number of households have adopted voluntary smoke-free home rules, increasing from 43 percent in 1992-1993 to 83 percent in 2010-2011. Also, cigarette smoking has declined significantly in the last two decades and smoking around nonsmokers has become much less socially acceptable.

The Surgeon General has concluded that there is no safe level of exposure to SHS, which contains over 7,000 chemicals including about 70 that can cause cancer. It is a known cause of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, respiratory infections, ear infections, and asthma attacks in infants and children, as well as heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer in adult nonsmokers. Each year exposure to SHS causes more than 41,000 deaths from lung cancer and heart disease among non-smoking adults and 400 deaths from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, as well as about $5.6 billion annually in lost productivity.

Vital Signs is a report that appears on the first Tuesday of the month as part of the CDC journal, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The report provides the latest data and information on key health indicators. These include cancer prevention, obesity, tobacco use, motor vehicle passenger safety, prescription drug overdose, HIV/AIDS, alcohol use, health care-associated infections, cardiovascular health, teen pregnancy, and food safety.

REMARKS AT SIGNING OF MEMORANDUM REGARDING U.S. BILATERAL ASSISTANCE TO JORDAN

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 
Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for U.S. Bilateral Assistance to Jordan
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh
Four Seasons Hotel
Washington, DC
February 3, 2015

MODERATOR: Good morning, Mr. Secretary, Your Excellency, ambassadors and honored guests. Today, our distinguished guests will sign a U.S.-Jordanian bilateral assistance Memorandum of Understanding. This MOU underlines the strength of our bilateral relationship and our valuable strategic partnership with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and reinforces our shared commitment to the promotion of regional issues.

The MOU is the second of its kind between the United States and Jordan and a reaffirmation of the statement of support provided in the first such document. Secretary Kerry, Foreign Minister Judeh, and each – will each provide some brief remarks prior to the signing. Mr. Secretary.

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you very much, Pete. It’s my privilege to be here this morning and to welcome my good friend, the Foreign Minister of Jordan Nasser Judeh, and also to welcome to Washington His Majesty King Abdullah, who I just had an opportunity to meet with and have a good and through discussion.

Recently, when I was with Nasser Judeh, I learned that he is the longest-serving foreign minister in the history of the Hashemite Kingdom.

FOREIGN MINISTER JUDEH: Not from me. (Laughter.)

SECRETARY KERRY: And so obviously, he’s got the formula down pretty well, and it’s a pleasure for me. I really do admire his skill and his counsel and also appreciate his friendship enormously. We’ve worked on a lot of issues closely together, and we continue to as we face the challenge of many, many refugees pouring into Jordan from Syria and also the challenge of Daesh, as well as the Middle East peace process, in which he is just a critical partner.

I’m delighted that we are here today, signing this Memorandum of Understanding, which reflects, in a very powerful way, the depth of the strategic relationship and the partnership between the United States and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. This partnership is founded on mutual respect, as well as mutual interest, and both of our countries prize their independence, and our discussions are always very far-reaching, very candid, as they were this morning.

Frankly, this openness makes even more remarkable the warmth and the closeness of the relationship that we have developed with Jordan. The United States views Jordan, under His Majesty’s wise leadership, as a staunch and stable ally in one of the globe’s most challenged areas. And where there are others who fuel the conflicts, Jordan can always be counted on to try to seek a nonviolent solution, and this is true whether it’s in Syria or the broader Middle East or in the global struggle against terrorism.

Sadly, this approach doesn’t always find itself met with open arms of welcome. And so today, Jordan is facing multiple dangers and challenges in the form of extremist threats and the burden particularly of hosting more than 800,000 refugees in a country whose population is less than 7 million. Increased need means a requirement for increased help, and that is why the Memorandum of Understanding that we are signing today goes well beyond business as usual.

In the past five years, the level of assistance in this memorandum was $600 million annually. Starting now and continuing through 2017, that level will go up sharply to 1 billion a year, which covers a wide range of programs in the areas of economic support, technical help, and security. In addition, we’re extending loan guarantees that will strengthen Jordan’s access to affordable international financing and assist in meeting economic development and reform goals, which Jordan is engaged in implementing.

So we will also be adding to the 467 million that we have already contributed in order to help feed, clothe, educate, and otherwise care for the refugees who have poured into Jordan, primarily from Syria, but also from Iraq. The memorandum that we sign today is necessary and important, but I want to stress that our assistance is a small part of what makes the U.S.-Jordanian relationship so valuable, and I think we can say safely it is valuable to both countries.

We work together in many areas, from military training and international peacekeeping, to health projects and education. And I’ve asked my Special Envoy on Energy Amos Hochstein to explore opportunities with the Kingdom on energy security.

We consult regularly on all aspects of the Middle East peace process, including ways to reduce tensions when, as sometimes happens, emotions flare up and violence threatens. Recently, His Majesty hosted a very important dinner between His Majesty, Prime Minister Netanyahu, and myself, at which we importantly reaffirmed the implementation of the status quo with respect to the mosque in Jerusalem.

And finally, we are both members of the coalition to disrupt and defeat the terrorist group known as Daesh, or by some people as ISIL. In that connection, the people of Jordan need to know that all Americans will join with them in praying for the early and safe return of Lieutenant Moaz al-Kasasbeh. And we call upon his captors to release this brave man so that he could return to his family and his homeland, to at least provide proof of life, which Jordan has asked for. And we express our appreciation once more for the constructive role that King Abdullah and his late father have filled for so many years in the Middle East itself.

As I think about the events in the world today, I am reminded of the continued relevance of King Hussein’s words from 20 years ago, when he said, “Let us not keep silent. Let our voices rise high enough to speak of our commitment to peace for all times to come. And let us tell those who live in darkness, who are enemies of life and true faith, this is where we stand. This is our camp.”

Today’s memorandum reflects that, still today, this very same affirmative and courageous spirit is what binds our countries together. The provisions of this memorandum will strengthen the forces of civility and moderation everywhere, because it will bolster a country and a leadership team that has been steadfast in its support for both.

So Mr. Foreign Minister, thank you for being here. Thank you for the many contributions that you and your country are making to international stability and to regional progress. I’m pleased to call you my friend and appreciate enormously the relationship between our country and what we are signaling today when we sign this memorandum.

FOREIGN MINISTER JUDEH: Thank you very much, Mr. Secretary, dear friend, dear John. I, too, am honored to call you my friend, and I, too, am very, very proud of this relationship that we both have. And I know on behalf of His Majesty how much he personally enjoys the constant consultation with you personally and with President Obama. So I, too, benefit from your experience and from your wise counsel. And it is essential for peace and security in our part of the world for this consultation – this intensive consultation to continue.

Thank you very much for your warm words. Thank you very much for everything that you say and do to promote this friendship. We are proud to say that the relationship between Jordan and the United States goes beyond a friendship. It is a true partnership, especially in the face of the multitude of challenges that we face not just in our part of the world, but globally. And I’m so happy that today marks yet another milestone in this strategic relationship, this strategic partnership, which continues to grow and prosper.

In line with our commitment to this unique friendship and partnership, His Majesty, the King, is here in Washington, D.C. for the second time in a couple of months, meeting with our friends in the Administration, our friends in Congress, our friends in think tanks and NGOs. This, I think, reflects the kind of relationship that we have across the board with the United States, and this is something that we greatly benefit from, and we are committed to preserving and strengthen.

And I hope, Mr. Secretary, that you know – and I know that you know – but we pride ourselves on being your trusted friend and ally also, just like you have shown over the many years of this partnership that you are a trusted friend and an ally that Jordan can always rely on.

And I think in the events that we have seen in our part of the world, in the last four years in particular, not to mention beyond that, Jordan has come out as a shining example of a country with a visionary leadership, but with an implementable program of political, economic, and social reforms, and benchmarks and milestones that we are happy to be meeting as we go along. And our commitment in that regard is unwavering.

The United States has, indeed, always been a true friend, and its commitment to provide Jordan with consistent levels of assistance because of the blind spot that we have in Jordan, which is our economic situation, has proved instrumental – has proved to be instrumental to the success of our development and reform program. The previous MOU signed in 2008 helped the Kingdom through difficult times and made a serious difference to the lives of ordinary Jordanians, who have benefited from the so many programs that were included in that assistance that was provided.

At this time of peril and turbulence – what’s new in our part of the world? – Jordan, again, is committed to the promotion of stability and peace and security in a region where peace and stability and security have eluded us for many, many years. But I want to assure you, Mr. Secretary, as you were reassured by His Majesty, the King, when we met a short while ago, that Jordan’s commitment in meeting all these challenges is unwavering and as steadfast as ever.

But in this time of peril, the renewal of the MOU for another three years at a billion dollars a year is testament to the strength of our bilateral relationship, our shared values, as well as our joint, unwavering commitment to peace and security. It will also help us cope with the burdens not only resulting from regional instability, but in particular, as you mentioned in your remarks, the humanitarian spillover of the Syrian crisis.

You are quite right in mentioning 800,000 refugees that we are hosting, Mr. Secretary; these are the registered refugees. On top of that we have another 700,000 economic migrants. So today, the Syrian population in Jordan stands at 21 percent of the overall population, something that no country, regardless of political or economic might, can cope with.

I would like to thank all our friends here across the board – State Department and elsewhere, all the different agencies – for all the hard work in producing this Memorandum of Understanding. I assure you that this milestone is yet another milestone on the road to a growing, healthy, and strong friendship and strategic partnership. Thank you so much. (Applause.)

MODERATOR: The Minister and Secretary will now sign the MOU.

(The memorandum was signed.)

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you very much. (Applause.)

MODERATOR: I would now like to welcome --

FOREIGN MINISTER JUDEH: Thank you very much, everybody. Thank you to --

MODERATOR: If I can, Ambassador Buran and Ambassador Wells, please.

SECRETARY KERRY: Our two ambassadors – (laughter) – who we are delighted to welcome. Thank you very much.

FOREIGN MINISTER JUDEH: So thank you. Thank you for everything, and thanks to President Obama, the Administration, yourself, and all the agencies. Thank you.

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you all very, very much. Thank you.

MODERATOR: Thank you, everybody.

DOJ, STATES AND D.C. ENTER INTO $1.375 BILLION SETTLEMENT WITH S&P RELATED TO STRUCTURED FINANCIAL PRODUCTS

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT 
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Justice Department and State Partners Secure $1.375 Billion Settlement with S&P for Defrauding Investors in the Lead Up to the Financial Crisis

Attorney General Eric Holder announced today that the Department of Justice and 19 states and the District of Columbia have entered into a $1.375 billion settlement agreement with the rating agency Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, along with its parent corporation McGraw Hill Financial Inc., to resolve allegations that S&P had engaged in a scheme to defraud investors in structured financial products known as Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities (RMBS) and Collateralized Debt Obligations (CDOs).  The agreement resolves the department’s 2013 lawsuit against S&P, along with the suits of 19 states and the District of Columbia.  Each of the lawsuits allege that investors incurred substantial losses on RMBS and CDOs for which S&P issued inflated ratings that misrepresented the securities’ true credit risks.  Other allegations assert that S&P falsely represented that its ratings were objective, independent and uninfluenced by S&P’s business relationships with the investment banks that issued the securities.

The settlement announced today is comprised of several elements.  In addition to the payment of $1.375 billion, S&P has acknowledged conduct associated with its ratings of RMBS and CDOs during 2004 to 2007 in an agreed statement of facts.  It has further agreed to formally retract an allegation that the United States’ lawsuit was filed in retaliation for the defendant’s decisions with regard to the credit of the United States.  Finally, S&P has agreed to comply with the consumer protection statutes of each of the settling states and the District of Columbia, and to respond, in good faith, to requests from any of the states and the District of Columbia for information or material concerning any possible violation of those laws.

“On more than one occasion, the company’s leadership ignored senior analysts who warned that the company had given top ratings to financial products that were failing to perform as advertised,” said Attorney General Holder.  “As S&P admits under this settlement, company executives complained that the company declined to downgrade underperforming assets because it was worried that doing so would hurt the company’s business.  While this strategy may have helped S&P avoid disappointing its clients, it did major harm to the larger economy, contributing to the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.”

Attorney General Holder was joined in announcing the settlement with Acting Associate Attorney General Stuart F. Delery, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division Joyce R. Branda and Acting U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Stephanie Yonekura.  Also joining the Department of Justice in making this announcement are the attorneys general from Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Washington and the District of Columbia.

“This resolution provides further proof that the Department of Justice will vigorously pursue investigations and litigation, no matter how challenging, to protect the best interests of the American people,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Delery.  “As part of the resolution, S&P admitted facts demonstrating that it misrepresented itself to investors and the public, allowing the pursuit of profits to bias its ratings.  S&P also agreed to retract its unsubstantiated claim that this lawsuit was initiated in retaliation for the decisions S&P made about the credit rating of the U.S. government.  Today's announcement is the latest result of our dedicated effort to address misconduct of every kind that contributed to the financial crisis.”

“Today’s historic settlement demonstrates that we will use all of our resources and every legal tool available to hold accountable those who commit financial fraud,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Branda.  “Thanks to the tireless efforts of our team in Washington and California, S&P has not only paid a record-setting penalty, but has now admitted to the American people facts that make clear its own unlawful role in the financial crisis.”

Half of the $1.375 billion payment – or $687.5 million – constitutes a penalty to be paid to the federal government and is the largest penalty of its type ever paid by a ratings agency.  The remaining $687.5 million will be divided among the 19 states and the District of Columbia.  The allocation among the states and the District of Columbia reflects an agreement between the states on the distribution of that money.

In its agreed statement of facts, S&P admits that its decisions on its rating models were affected by business concerns, and that, with an eye to business concerns, S&P maintained and continued to issue positive ratings on securities despite a growing awareness of quality problems with those securities. S&P acknowledges that:

S&P promised investors at all relevant times that its ratings must be independent and objective and must not be affected by any existing or potential business relationship;

S&P executives have admitted, despite its representations, that decisions about the testing and rollout of updates to S&P’s model for rating CDOs were made, at least in part, based on the effect that any update would have on S&P’s business relationship with issuers;

Relevant people within S&P knew in 2007 many loans in RMBS transactions S&P were rating were delinquent and that losses were probable;

S&P representatives continued to issue and confirm positive ratings without adjustments to reflect the negative rating actions that it expected would come.
In addition, S&P acknowledges that the voluminous discovery provided to S&P by the United States in the litigation does not support their allegation that the United States’ complaint was filed in retaliation for S&P’s 2011 decisions on the credit rating of the United States.  S&P will formally retract that claim in the litigation.

“S&P played a central role in the crisis that devastated our economy by giving AAA ratings to mortgage-backed securities that turned out to be little better than junk,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Yonekura.  “Driven by a desire to increase profits and market share, S&P blessed innumerable securitizations that were used by aggressive lenders to offload the risks of billions of dollars in mortgage loans given to homeowners who had no ability to pay them off.  This conduct fueled the meltdown that ultimately led to tens of thousands of foreclosures in my district alone.  This historic settlement makes clear the consequences of putting corporate profits over honesty in the financial markets.”

Today’s settlement was announced in connection with the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force.  The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes.  With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and state and local partners, it is the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud.  Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes, enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities, addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations.  Over the past three fiscal years, the Justice Department has filed nearly 10,000 financial fraud cases against nearly 15,000 defendants including more than 2,900 mortgage fraud defendants.

THE FUNDAMENTAL PHYSICIST INVESTIGATES THE UNIVERSE

FROM:  NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION 
Scientist who helped discover the expansion of the universe is accelerating
Breakthrough Prize winner continues investigating fundamental physics of the world
February 3, 2015

In the late 1980s, astrophysicist Saul Perlmutter and his colleagues set out to determine how much the expansion of the universe was slowing. At the time, the prevailing belief among scientists was that gravity would be slowing the expansion, perhaps enough to ultimately switch to a contracting universe that would cause the galaxies to draw even closer together.

Of course, the world learned in 1998 that this was not the case. As it turned out, the expansion of the universe was, in fact, not slowing at all, but speeding up.

"That means there is something else going on besides gravity," says Perlmutter, director of the Supernova Cosmology Project at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, who shared the 2011 Nobel Prize in physics for the work. "We thought we understood the physics, but this was a real surprise."

The "something else" is an enduring mystery that continues to fascinate, and elude, scientists today, Perlmutter among them. Astrophysicists refer to it as "dark energy."

"We call it 'dark' because we don't know what it is," he says. "But it possibly means that as much as 70 percent of the universe could be made out of this previously unknown energy."

Moreover, researchers don't know why the universe is speeding up. "But it leaves the possibility that if whatever is speeding it up goes away, then it will start to slow down again," he says. "There is still a lot in play, and we are still trying to learn what it is."

It's an exciting prospect, since research into the ongoing puzzle of dark energy could provide "a new understanding of the fundamental physics of the world," Perlmutter says. "We have no idea what the consequences will be if we learn what dark energy is. But history has shown us that these kinds of steps forward in our fundamental understanding make us a more capable civilization.

"Moreover, learning how this world is put together, in a way, is a deep, almost poetic experience," he adds.

Perlmutter, also a professor of physics at the University of California, Berkeley, is a recent recipient of the 2015 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics, sharing the $3 million award with his Supernova Cosmology Project team, and with Brian P. Schmidt, an astrophysicist at the Australian National University Mount Stromlo Observatory and Research School, and Adam Riess, an astrophysicist at The Johns Hopkins University and the Space Telescope Science Institute, and the High-Z Supernova Search team that they led.

The three, who also shared the 2011 Nobel, received the Breakthrough Prize together with their teams for their work providing evidence that the expansion of the universe is accelerating.

For Perlmutter, the research leading to this discovery began in 1987, with a project under the auspices of the newly created Center for Particle Astrophysics, a National Science Foundation science and technology center based at Berkeley. Perlmutter, a postdoctoral fellow at the time, designed the study with Carl Pennypacker, also a researcher in the group which was then under the direction of physics professor Richard Muller, a 1978 NSF Alan T. Waterman award winner.

"When the project began in 1987, the standard picture of cosmology was that the universe was expanding, but everyone assumed it would slow down because gravity would attract everything to everything else," Perlmutter says. "We wanted to find out: How dense is the universe? How much is it slowing down?"

The scientists decided to try to measure the state of the universe by looking several billion years in the past using a new understanding in the field about a specific type of supernova, or exploding star, called Type Ia, that explodes in a similar way every time. "Since they brighten to essentially the same brightness every time, and then fade away, we can tell how far away they are by measuring how bright they appear to us," he says.

Since light always travels at 186,000 miles per second, researchers can then use the distance measurement to calculate how long ago these supernovae exploded. Also, while the light is traveling--and the universe is expanding--the light waves traveling from the exploding supernova stretch along with everything else. As these wavelengths stretch, they look redder and redder, a phenomenon in astronomy known as "redshift."

"When the supernova explodes, it sends out mostly blue light," Perlmutter explains. "That blue light means a short wave length of light. The more it stretches, the more it starts to turn red. And that tells us the amount the universe stretched between the time of the explosion, and today."

Taken together, the brightness and colors of the supernovae provide compelling evidence of an accelerating expanding universe. The degree of their brightness reveals how far back in time the star exploded, and the extent of redshift indicates how much the universe has expanded during that time. So a series of measurements each taken for a supernova exploding at a different time throughout history--7, 4 and 2 billion years ago--revealed that the stretching of the universe was increasing, and that it wasn't slowing down at all.

The difficulty initially was finding these supernovae in time, since they are rare and random, and reserving a stint at some of the largest and most advanced telescopes in the world, not to mention hoping for good weather.

Ultimately, they found a way to make discovering Type Ia supernovae more predictable.

"Instead of watching one galaxy, we figured out how to use novel wide-field cameras on the big telescopes to watch thousands of galaxies," he says. "You take a bunch of images one night, then go away, then come back two and half weeks later and take another bunch of images. Now you have two almost identical images of the galaxies, but with a time gap just long enough to allow a new supernova to appear."

"Everything had to happen like clockwork, and anytime the night was cloudy, you'd have to scramble to cover that time another night someplace else," he says.

The researchers developed a special computer program "to hunt through thousands of specks of light to find a new speck that wasn't there before," that is, looking for a new supernova. Then, using a spectrograph, they analyzed the light waves to determine whether the supernova was a Type Ia, the type they needed to study. Finally, they ran a series of observations following the supernova, obtaining images four to six more times as it brightened, then faded, which told them how bright it was at its peak.

"When we started the project, I thought we were just going out and doing a simple measurement of the brightness of exploding stars, and finding out whether the universe was going to end," he says. "It turned out that what we discovered was a huge surprise. We have been comparing it to throwing an apple up in the air, and finding that it doesn't fall back to earth, but instead blasts off into outer space, mysteriously moving faster and faster."

-- Marlene Cimons, National Science Foundation
Investigators
Saul Perlmutter
Related Institutions/Organizations
University of California-Berkeley