Tuesday, March 24, 2015
U.S. ARMY PARACHUTE TEAM, GOLDEN KNIGHTS, READY FOR SEASON
FROM: U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Members of the U.S. Army Parachute Team, Golden Knights, perform an uncompressed three stack with the U.S., POW/MIA and the Army Flag during canopy training over Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla., March 12, 2015. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Larry Miller.
Members of the U.S. Army Parachute Team, Golden Knights, steer canopies after performing a side-by-side while training over Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla., March 12, 2015. U.S. Army photo by Jerry Morrison.
TROOPS AND TAXPAYERS THANKED FOR SUPPORT BY AFGHAN PRESIDENT GHANI
Right: U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter, left, shakes hands with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani at the Pentagon, March 23, 2015. Carter hosted Ghani and Afghan Chief Executive Dr. Abdullah Abdullah for a visit. During remarks in the Pentagon's courtyard, Ghani thanked U.S. service members and veterans who served in Afghanistan for their efforts and sacrifices. DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Sean Hurt.
Afghan Leader Thanks U.S. Troops, Taxpayers for Support
By Cheryl Pellerin
DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON, March 23, 2015 – Taking the stage with U.S. leaders early this morning in the Pentagon courtyard, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani thanked U.S. troops and all Americans for their support of his country.
Senior officials joining Ghani included Afghan Chief Executive Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, Secretary of State John F. Kerry, Defense Secretary Ash Carter, Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work, and other senior officials.
During his introduction of Ghani, Carter told the audience that the Afghan president is here on behalf of all Afghans “to thank all the Americans whose service has kept the United States secure and given hope and opportunity to his countrymen.”
Ghani has deep ties to the United States, the secretary added, naming the Afghan president’s attendance at American University in Beirut and Columbia University in New York, and teaching posts at the University of California-Berkeley and Johns Hopkins University in Maryland.
Easing the Afghan Transition
Later, as a scholar, Carter said, Ghani studied state-building and breaking the cycle of conflict.
“As a practitioner at the World Bank and the United Nations,” the secretary said, “[Ghani] applied those lessons, managing large-scale economic development projects in countries like India and China, and helping ease the transition in Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban.”
In his career and in his leadership of Afghanistan, Ghani demonstrates that public service is a public trust, Carter said.
“Along with Dr. Abdullah, President Ghani has made clear to the Afghan people that, for all the assistance that the United States, our military and the international community can and will furnish, Afghanistan's future is ultimately for Afghans to grab hold of and for Afghans to decide,” the defense secretary said.
Paying Tribute to the Fallen
Addressing the audience after Carter’s introduction, Ghani said, “I want to first pay tribute to … [the] 2,215 Americans who paid the ultimate sacrifice. To more than 20,000 American soldiers who have been wounded in action … [and] close to a million American service men and women who have gotten to know my country.”
American troops have been in Afghanistan’s most-remote valleys and on the highest peaks, in parched deserts and beautiful valleys, he said, “but also in the most demanding situations. Each one of you has left a legacy, but I also understand that Afghanistan has marked you.”
Ghani added, “When you wake up at night, sometimes you're not sure whether you're back there or here, but what gratifies me as the president of Afghanistan is what I've had the honor to hear repeatedly from American veterans, ‘I have left a piece of my heart in Afghanistan.’ Thank you,” he said to applause.
Each service member deployed to Afghanistan also left a memory in the heart of every Afghan that they encountered, Ghani added.
'Not There Just to Fight'
“You were not there just to fight. … You built schools, you built dams, you build roads, and while the physical infrastructure [has] changed lives, it is the attitude [of caring, discipline and sacrifice] that you brought with it. … The Afghan people, but particularly the Afghan security forces, honor that attitude,” the Afghan president said.
The U.S. combat role in Afghanistan ended on Dec. 31, 2014, and the legacy is a proud Afghan security force “that has dealt with the best of you and emulates the best of your example,” he said.
Ghani told the Pentagon audience that he will name a section of the Marshal Fahim National Defense University in Kabul, where he said generations of Afghans will be trained, in honor of Army Maj. Gen. Harold J. Greene, who served as deputy commanding general of Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan.
Greene, whose widow was in the audience this morning, was the first U.S. general officer killed in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He and more than a dozen others were killed and more were wounded in an attack at the military academy by a lone gunman in August 2014.
Tribute to Tough Partners
Ghani also paid tribute to “tough partners” Carter and Kerry, and to President Barack Obama for their long-standing support of Afghanistan.
And he thanked the American taxpayer, the men and women who are making “your hard-earned dollars available for Afghanistan. And because of that, the government of national unity … is committed to account for every single one of those dollars and pennies.”
This phase of the U.S.-Afghan partnership with the defense community is about building systems, procedures and processes, Ghani said, so the right leadership and the dedicated staff can use those resources for the best purpose.
Speaking Truth to Terror
“We are not going to be a burden,” Ghani added.
“We do not now ask what the United States can do for us, if I can play on President [John] Kennedy. We want to see what Afghanistan will do for itself and for the world. That means we are going to put our house in order,” he said.
He called Afghanistan a front-line state, adding, “We die on a daily basis. … We die, but we will never be defeated.”
Terrorism is a threat, Ghani said to applause, “but we, the people of Afghanistan, are willing to speak truth to terror by saying, ‘No, you will never overwhelm us, you will never subdue us, we are going to overcome.’”
Partnership is Foundational
In this endeavor, he said, “our partnership with the United States is foundational because we will be the first line of defense for freedom globally.”
The Afghan president added, “Thank you. God bless the friendship between the United States and Afghanistan.”
SECRETARY KERRY, AFGHAN PRESIDENT GHANI MAKE REMARKS AT CAMP DAVID
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks With Afghan President Ashraf Ghani
Remarks
Camp David, MD
March 23, 2015
SECRETARY KERRY: Well, good morning, everybody. On behalf of President Obama, Vice President Biden, and the entire Administration and my fellow secretaries, we are very, very pleased to welcome Dr. Ashraf Ghani, the president of Afghanistan, and Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, the chief executive officer, to Camp David. President Obama thought it would be a good idea to invite the president to come to Camp David, which is historically a place of diplomacy when it is not the retreat for the President. And we are gathered here with the entire security team of the President in order to spend a quiet, thoughtful day in an atmosphere of open discussion in order to talk about the remarkable transition that is taking place in Afghanistan.
This is President Ghani’s first visit to Washington since the peaceful transfer of power in Afghanistan in a democratic process for the first time in history, and also the first time in history a unity government. Both Dr. Abdullah and President Ghani took great steps to make that happen. So he has an extraordinarily busy schedule: a full day of discussions today; a visit to the White House, a lengthy one, tomorrow; a joint session of Congress address; a trip to New York to meet with the secretary-general; and a lot of meetings in between with economists, journalists, various women’s groups, NGOs, and others here in Washington.
So we have a lot of work to do. We’re delighted to be able to enjoy these remarkable surroundings as a place to really talk about the future of Afghanistan. (Inaudible.)
PRESIDENT GHANI: Good morning. First of all, Dr. Abdullah and I are here with our team to say a very big thank you to the American public, American Administration, American Congress for selfless support over the years. The partnership of the United States is foundational for the government of national unity, and we are delighted to have the full team to discuss a changing context and to be able to affirm a partnership that is based on value, respect for democratic process, electoral reforms, comprehensive reforms of the economy, governance, and related issues.
Our message is one that it’s time for Afghanistan to reciprocate the gift that the United States has so generously provided over the years. Reciprocating the gift means owning our problems, solving them, and asking of ourselves what we must do for ourselves and for the region. We pursue a very active diplomacy at the regional level, at the Arab-Islamic level, and global level. This is a remarkable opportunity for us to discuss issues in depth, to be able to say thank you again, and to put the strategic partnership agreement and the bilateral security agreement into an operational (inaudible).
So thank you, Mr. Secretary, for your personal engagement. Thank you to Secretary Carter, Secretary Lew – old friends of ours. We are all looking very much forward to an in-depth discussion and open environment, and thank you for allowing us to remove the ties. (Laughter.)
SECRETARY KERRY: We have a lot of work to do. We’re going to go do it, and we’ll, all of us, have a chance to talk with you when we finish. Thank you.
PRESIDENT GHANI: Thank you.
Remarks With Afghan President Ashraf Ghani
Remarks
Camp David, MD
March 23, 2015
SECRETARY KERRY: Well, good morning, everybody. On behalf of President Obama, Vice President Biden, and the entire Administration and my fellow secretaries, we are very, very pleased to welcome Dr. Ashraf Ghani, the president of Afghanistan, and Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, the chief executive officer, to Camp David. President Obama thought it would be a good idea to invite the president to come to Camp David, which is historically a place of diplomacy when it is not the retreat for the President. And we are gathered here with the entire security team of the President in order to spend a quiet, thoughtful day in an atmosphere of open discussion in order to talk about the remarkable transition that is taking place in Afghanistan.
This is President Ghani’s first visit to Washington since the peaceful transfer of power in Afghanistan in a democratic process for the first time in history, and also the first time in history a unity government. Both Dr. Abdullah and President Ghani took great steps to make that happen. So he has an extraordinarily busy schedule: a full day of discussions today; a visit to the White House, a lengthy one, tomorrow; a joint session of Congress address; a trip to New York to meet with the secretary-general; and a lot of meetings in between with economists, journalists, various women’s groups, NGOs, and others here in Washington.
So we have a lot of work to do. We’re delighted to be able to enjoy these remarkable surroundings as a place to really talk about the future of Afghanistan. (Inaudible.)
PRESIDENT GHANI: Good morning. First of all, Dr. Abdullah and I are here with our team to say a very big thank you to the American public, American Administration, American Congress for selfless support over the years. The partnership of the United States is foundational for the government of national unity, and we are delighted to have the full team to discuss a changing context and to be able to affirm a partnership that is based on value, respect for democratic process, electoral reforms, comprehensive reforms of the economy, governance, and related issues.
Our message is one that it’s time for Afghanistan to reciprocate the gift that the United States has so generously provided over the years. Reciprocating the gift means owning our problems, solving them, and asking of ourselves what we must do for ourselves and for the region. We pursue a very active diplomacy at the regional level, at the Arab-Islamic level, and global level. This is a remarkable opportunity for us to discuss issues in depth, to be able to say thank you again, and to put the strategic partnership agreement and the bilateral security agreement into an operational (inaudible).
So thank you, Mr. Secretary, for your personal engagement. Thank you to Secretary Carter, Secretary Lew – old friends of ours. We are all looking very much forward to an in-depth discussion and open environment, and thank you for allowing us to remove the ties. (Laughter.)
SECRETARY KERRY: We have a lot of work to do. We’re going to go do it, and we’ll, all of us, have a chance to talk with you when we finish. Thank you.
PRESIDENT GHANI: Thank you.
VIRUSES IN THE DEEP
FROM: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
The 'intraterrestrials': New viruses discovered in ocean depths
Viruses infect methane-eating archaea beneath the seafloor
The intraterrestrials, they might be called.
Strange creatures live in the deep sea, but few are odder than the viruses that inhabit deep ocean methane seeps and prey on single-celled microorganisms called archaea.
The least understood of life's three primary domains, archaea thrive in the most extreme environments on the planet: near hot ocean rift vents, in acid mine drainage, in the saltiest of evaporation ponds and in petroleum deposits deep underground.
Virus in the deep blue sea
While searching the ocean's depths for evidence of viruses, scientists have found a remarkable new one, a virus that seemingly infects archaea that live beneath the ocean floor.
The researchers were surprised to discover that the virus selectively targets one of its own genes for mutation, and that this capacity is also shared by archaea themselves.
The findings appear today in a paper in the journal Nature Communications.
The project was supported by a National Science Foundation (NSF) Dimensions of Biodiversity grant to characterize microbial diversity in methane seep ecosystems. Dimensions of Biodiversity is supported by NSF's Directorates for Biological Sciences and Geosciences.
New information about life in ocean depths
"Life far beneath the Earth's subsurface is an enigma," said Matt Kane, program director in NSF's Division of Environmental Biology. "By probing deep into our planet, these scientists have discovered new information about Earth's microbes and how they evolve."
"Our study uncovers mechanisms by which viruses and archaea can adapt in this hostile environment," said David Valentine, a geoscientist at the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) and co-author of the paper.
The results, he said, raise new questions about the evolution and interaction of the microbes that call the planet's interior home.
"It's now thought that there's more biomass inside the Earth than anywhere else, just living very slowly in this dark, energy-limited environment," said paper co-author Sarah Bagby of UCSB.
Using the submersible Alvin, Valentine and colleagues collected samples from a deep-ocean methane seep by pushing tubes into the ocean floor and retrieving sediments.
The contents were brought back to the lab and fed methane gas, helping the methane-eating archaea in the samples to grow.
When the team assayed the samples for viral infection, they discovered a new virus with a distinctive genetic fingerprint that suggested its likely host was methane-eating archaea.
Genetic sequence of new virus holds the key
The researchers used the genetic sequence of the new virus to chart other occurrences in global databases.
"We found a partial genetic match from methane seeps off Norway and California," said lead author Blair Paul of UCSB. "The evidence suggests that this viral type is distributed around the globe in deep ocean methane seeps."
Further investigation revealed another unexpected finding: a small genetic element, known as a diversity-generating retroelement, that accelerates mutation of a specific section of the virus's genome.
Such elements had been previously identified in bacteria and their viruses, but never among archaea or the viruses that infect them.
"These researchers have shown that cutting-edge genomic approaches can help us understand how microbes function in remote and poorly known environments such as ocean depths," said David Garrison, program director in NSF's Division of Ocean Sciences.
While the self-guided mutation element in the archaea virus resembles known bacterial elements, the researchers found that it has a divergent evolutionary history.
"The target of guided mutation--the tips of the virus that make first contact when infecting a cell--is similar," said Paul.
"But the ability to mutate those tips is an offensive countermeasure against the cell's defenses, a move that resembles a molecular arms race."
Unusual genetic adaptations
Having found guided mutation in a virus-infecting archaea, the scientists reasoned that archaea themselves might use the same mechanism for genetic adaptation.
In an exhaustive search, they identified parallel features in the genomes of a subterranean group of archaea known as nanoarchaea.
Unlike the deep-ocean virus that uses guided mutation to alter a single gene, the nanoarchaea target at least four distinct genes.
"It's a new record," said Bagby.
"Bacteria had been observed to target two genes with this mechanism. That may not seem like a huge difference, but targeting four is extraordinary."
According to Valentine, the genetic mutation that fosters these potential variations may be key to the survival of archaea beneath the Earth's surface.
"The cell is choosing to modify certain proteins," he said. "It's doing its own protein engineering. While we don't yet know what those proteins are being used for, learning about the process can tell us something about the environment in which these organisms thrive."
Viral DNA sequencing was provided through a Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation grant. The research team also included scientists from the University of California, Los Angeles; the University of California, San Diego; and the U.S. Department of Energy's Joint Genome Institute.
-NSF-
Media Contacts
Cheryl Dybas, NSF
The 'intraterrestrials': New viruses discovered in ocean depths
Viruses infect methane-eating archaea beneath the seafloor
The intraterrestrials, they might be called.
Strange creatures live in the deep sea, but few are odder than the viruses that inhabit deep ocean methane seeps and prey on single-celled microorganisms called archaea.
The least understood of life's three primary domains, archaea thrive in the most extreme environments on the planet: near hot ocean rift vents, in acid mine drainage, in the saltiest of evaporation ponds and in petroleum deposits deep underground.
Virus in the deep blue sea
While searching the ocean's depths for evidence of viruses, scientists have found a remarkable new one, a virus that seemingly infects archaea that live beneath the ocean floor.
The researchers were surprised to discover that the virus selectively targets one of its own genes for mutation, and that this capacity is also shared by archaea themselves.
The findings appear today in a paper in the journal Nature Communications.
The project was supported by a National Science Foundation (NSF) Dimensions of Biodiversity grant to characterize microbial diversity in methane seep ecosystems. Dimensions of Biodiversity is supported by NSF's Directorates for Biological Sciences and Geosciences.
New information about life in ocean depths
"Life far beneath the Earth's subsurface is an enigma," said Matt Kane, program director in NSF's Division of Environmental Biology. "By probing deep into our planet, these scientists have discovered new information about Earth's microbes and how they evolve."
"Our study uncovers mechanisms by which viruses and archaea can adapt in this hostile environment," said David Valentine, a geoscientist at the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) and co-author of the paper.
The results, he said, raise new questions about the evolution and interaction of the microbes that call the planet's interior home.
"It's now thought that there's more biomass inside the Earth than anywhere else, just living very slowly in this dark, energy-limited environment," said paper co-author Sarah Bagby of UCSB.
Using the submersible Alvin, Valentine and colleagues collected samples from a deep-ocean methane seep by pushing tubes into the ocean floor and retrieving sediments.
The contents were brought back to the lab and fed methane gas, helping the methane-eating archaea in the samples to grow.
When the team assayed the samples for viral infection, they discovered a new virus with a distinctive genetic fingerprint that suggested its likely host was methane-eating archaea.
Genetic sequence of new virus holds the key
The researchers used the genetic sequence of the new virus to chart other occurrences in global databases.
"We found a partial genetic match from methane seeps off Norway and California," said lead author Blair Paul of UCSB. "The evidence suggests that this viral type is distributed around the globe in deep ocean methane seeps."
Further investigation revealed another unexpected finding: a small genetic element, known as a diversity-generating retroelement, that accelerates mutation of a specific section of the virus's genome.
Such elements had been previously identified in bacteria and their viruses, but never among archaea or the viruses that infect them.
"These researchers have shown that cutting-edge genomic approaches can help us understand how microbes function in remote and poorly known environments such as ocean depths," said David Garrison, program director in NSF's Division of Ocean Sciences.
While the self-guided mutation element in the archaea virus resembles known bacterial elements, the researchers found that it has a divergent evolutionary history.
"The target of guided mutation--the tips of the virus that make first contact when infecting a cell--is similar," said Paul.
"But the ability to mutate those tips is an offensive countermeasure against the cell's defenses, a move that resembles a molecular arms race."
Unusual genetic adaptations
Having found guided mutation in a virus-infecting archaea, the scientists reasoned that archaea themselves might use the same mechanism for genetic adaptation.
In an exhaustive search, they identified parallel features in the genomes of a subterranean group of archaea known as nanoarchaea.
Unlike the deep-ocean virus that uses guided mutation to alter a single gene, the nanoarchaea target at least four distinct genes.
"It's a new record," said Bagby.
"Bacteria had been observed to target two genes with this mechanism. That may not seem like a huge difference, but targeting four is extraordinary."
According to Valentine, the genetic mutation that fosters these potential variations may be key to the survival of archaea beneath the Earth's surface.
"The cell is choosing to modify certain proteins," he said. "It's doing its own protein engineering. While we don't yet know what those proteins are being used for, learning about the process can tell us something about the environment in which these organisms thrive."
Viral DNA sequencing was provided through a Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation grant. The research team also included scientists from the University of California, Los Angeles; the University of California, San Diego; and the U.S. Department of Energy's Joint Genome Institute.
-NSF-
Media Contacts
Cheryl Dybas, NSF
FORMER RABOBANK TRADER ARRAIGNED ON CHARGES RELATED TO LIBOR INTEREST RATE MANIPULATION
FROM: U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Friday, March 20, 2015
Former U.K. Rabobank Trader Appears in U.S. Court to Face LIBOR Interest Rate Manipulation Charges
The former global head of liquidity and finance for Coöperatieve Centrale Raiffeisen-Boerenleenbank B.A. (Rabobank) has waived extradition and appeared in U.S. federal court today for an arraignment on charges related to his alleged role in a scheme to manipulate the U.S. Dollar (USD) and Yen London InterBank Offered Rate (LIBOR), a benchmark interest rate.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Attorney General Bill Baer of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and Assistant Director in Charge Andrew G. McCabe of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.
Anthony Allen, 43, of Hertsfordshire, England, appeared in the Southern District of New York and pleaded not guilty to a superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud and substantive counts of wire fraud. The court released Allen on a $500,000 bond and set a trial date for Oct. 5, 2015.
According to the superseding indictment, at the time relevant to the charges, LIBOR was an average interest rate, calculated based on submissions from leading banks around the world, reflecting the rates those banks believed they would be charged if borrowing from other banks. It serves as the primary benchmark for short-term interest rates globally and is used as a reference rate for many interest rate contracts, mortgages, credit cards, student loans and other consumer lending products. LIBOR was published by the British Bankers’ Association (BBA), a trade association based in London. LIBOR was calculated for 10 currencies at 15 borrowing periods, known as maturities, ranging from overnight to one year. The published LIBOR “fix” for U.S. Dollar and Yen currency for a specific maturity was the result of a calculation based upon submissions from a panel of 16 banks, including Rabobank.
According to allegations in the superseding indictment, Allen, who was Rabobank’s Global Head of Liquidity & Finance and the manager of the company’s money market desk in London, put in place a system in which Rabobank employees who traded in derivative products linked to USD and Yen LIBOR regularly communicated their trading positions to Rabobank’s LIBOR submitters, who submitted Rabobank’s LIBOR contributions to the BBA. Rabobank traders entered into derivative contracts containing USD or Yen LIBOR as a price component and they allegedly asked others at Rabobank to submit LIBOR contributions consistent with the traders’ or the bank’s financial interests, to benefit the traders’ or the banks’ trading positions.
The charges in the superseding indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by special agents, forensic accountants and intelligence analysts in the FBI’s Washington Field Office. The prosecution is being handled by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the Antitrust Division. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs has provided assistance in this matter.
The Justice Department expresses its appreciation for the assistance provided by various enforcement agencies in the United States and abroad. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Division of Enforcement referred this matter to the department and, along with the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority, has played a major role in the investigation. The Securities and Exchange Commission also has played a significant role in the LIBOR series of investigations, and the department expresses its appreciation to the United Kingdom’s Serious Fraud Office for its assistance and ongoing cooperation. The department has worked closely with the Dutch Public Prosecution Service and the Dutch Central Bank in the investigation of conduct at Rabobank. Various agencies and enforcement authorities from other nations are also participating in different aspects of the broader investigation relating to LIBOR and other benchmark rates, and the department is grateful for their cooperation and assistance.
Friday, March 20, 2015
Former U.K. Rabobank Trader Appears in U.S. Court to Face LIBOR Interest Rate Manipulation Charges
The former global head of liquidity and finance for Coöperatieve Centrale Raiffeisen-Boerenleenbank B.A. (Rabobank) has waived extradition and appeared in U.S. federal court today for an arraignment on charges related to his alleged role in a scheme to manipulate the U.S. Dollar (USD) and Yen London InterBank Offered Rate (LIBOR), a benchmark interest rate.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Attorney General Bill Baer of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and Assistant Director in Charge Andrew G. McCabe of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.
Anthony Allen, 43, of Hertsfordshire, England, appeared in the Southern District of New York and pleaded not guilty to a superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud and substantive counts of wire fraud. The court released Allen on a $500,000 bond and set a trial date for Oct. 5, 2015.
According to the superseding indictment, at the time relevant to the charges, LIBOR was an average interest rate, calculated based on submissions from leading banks around the world, reflecting the rates those banks believed they would be charged if borrowing from other banks. It serves as the primary benchmark for short-term interest rates globally and is used as a reference rate for many interest rate contracts, mortgages, credit cards, student loans and other consumer lending products. LIBOR was published by the British Bankers’ Association (BBA), a trade association based in London. LIBOR was calculated for 10 currencies at 15 borrowing periods, known as maturities, ranging from overnight to one year. The published LIBOR “fix” for U.S. Dollar and Yen currency for a specific maturity was the result of a calculation based upon submissions from a panel of 16 banks, including Rabobank.
According to allegations in the superseding indictment, Allen, who was Rabobank’s Global Head of Liquidity & Finance and the manager of the company’s money market desk in London, put in place a system in which Rabobank employees who traded in derivative products linked to USD and Yen LIBOR regularly communicated their trading positions to Rabobank’s LIBOR submitters, who submitted Rabobank’s LIBOR contributions to the BBA. Rabobank traders entered into derivative contracts containing USD or Yen LIBOR as a price component and they allegedly asked others at Rabobank to submit LIBOR contributions consistent with the traders’ or the bank’s financial interests, to benefit the traders’ or the banks’ trading positions.
The charges in the superseding indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by special agents, forensic accountants and intelligence analysts in the FBI’s Washington Field Office. The prosecution is being handled by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the Antitrust Division. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs has provided assistance in this matter.
The Justice Department expresses its appreciation for the assistance provided by various enforcement agencies in the United States and abroad. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Division of Enforcement referred this matter to the department and, along with the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority, has played a major role in the investigation. The Securities and Exchange Commission also has played a significant role in the LIBOR series of investigations, and the department expresses its appreciation to the United Kingdom’s Serious Fraud Office for its assistance and ongoing cooperation. The department has worked closely with the Dutch Public Prosecution Service and the Dutch Central Bank in the investigation of conduct at Rabobank. Various agencies and enforcement authorities from other nations are also participating in different aspects of the broader investigation relating to LIBOR and other benchmark rates, and the department is grateful for their cooperation and assistance.
RESEARCHERS USING METALLIC GLASS, OTHER MATERIALS AT CELL BREAKAGE
FROM: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Materials, like metallic glass, can help us understand how cells break
Research could lead to faster wound recovery and prove valuable in constructing buildings, producing golf clubs and more
"Disordered" materials are so-called because they are made up of objects that are in total disarray. Their composition, whether of atoms, molecules, grains or cells, do not lie in a neat, orderly pattern, but, instead, are all jumbled up.
"They're like sand on a beach, or mayonnaise," says M. Lisa Manning, an assistant professor of physics at Syracuse University. "When you mix up the oil and water for mayonnaise, the oil droplets sit unordered. That's what makes the mayonnaise stiff, all the little oil droplets packed together."
Many of these disordered materials, metallic glass, for example, are exceptionally strong, stronger than other metals, which offers potential for many industrial uses. But they also are prone to failure, and often break. Manning is studying these materials, searching for the defects in each that produce a crack-like fissure called a shear band.
"If we can find and identify these defects, then we can understand what causes the shear band," Manning says. "My goal is to figure out how they break. I am looking for defects in these materials. Once we figure out how they break, we can then figure out how to prevent them from breaking."
If successful, these materials--because of their inherent strength--could prove valuable in manufacturing, from constructing buildings to producing golf clubs, and "would be extremely good for making precision objects, because they don't change shape when they cool down," Manning says.
Insights from her research also could have important applications for biology, ultimately leading to possible future medical treatments, because disordered cells also exist in tissues, in developing embryos and in certain cancers.
"If you look at the cells in these tissues, they are disordered and look almost identical to pictures of foams, or emulsions," Manning says. "Embryos look like this, and so do healing wounds, and some cancer tissues too."
Biologists have a good understanding of what happens when a single cell migrates, or moves, she says. "But what is not well studied is how cells in this dense packing order move through tissues, which is important for wound healing," she says. "A cell has to push its way through its neighbors to move.
"If I can understand how non-biological particles move, this can provide new and exciting insights as to how a cell can move through tissues," she adds. "How stiff are the cells around it, for example? If I want a cell to move faster in tissue, should I make it softer or stiffer? The goal is to answer this, and test it."
Understanding this process could speed wound healing and "help repair embryonic defects when cells don't move to the correct places," she says.
In cancer, "recent work has shown that cancer cells are softer than other cells, and have different mechanical properties," she says. "One question I hope to answer: if a cancer cell is softer, does that make it easier to move through tissue and metastasize? If I could stiffen up that cell with a drug, maybe it wouldn't move anymore."
To find the defects, Manning creates computer simulations of the materials and studies sound modes that vibrate within the structure, much like a specific musical note vibrates inside an organ pipe. When the researchers find "localized" vibrations, that is, a mode where the structure vibrates a lot more in a certain place, "that's where the defect is located," she says.
Manning is conducting her research under an NSF Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award, which she received in 2014. The award supports junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of their organization.
As part of the grant's educational component, Manning plans to develop tutorials for high school juniors and seniors in Syracuse University's Project Advance, a program that enables these students to earn college physics credits. Project Advance provides instructional materials to high school teachers, and sponsors extra training sessions for them at the university. Manning is designing teaching modules about current research in materials science that can be directly integrated into the introductory physics curriculum, as well as an online math tutorial to tune up students' math skills.
"The goal is to increase diversity and retention in STEM disciplines," she says, referring to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. "We need more engineers, and we want to keep the ones we have, and recruit a more diverse body of students."
-- Marlene Cimons, National Science Foundation
Investigators
M. Lisa Manning
Related Institutions/Organizations
Syracuse University
Materials, like metallic glass, can help us understand how cells break
Research could lead to faster wound recovery and prove valuable in constructing buildings, producing golf clubs and more
"Disordered" materials are so-called because they are made up of objects that are in total disarray. Their composition, whether of atoms, molecules, grains or cells, do not lie in a neat, orderly pattern, but, instead, are all jumbled up.
"They're like sand on a beach, or mayonnaise," says M. Lisa Manning, an assistant professor of physics at Syracuse University. "When you mix up the oil and water for mayonnaise, the oil droplets sit unordered. That's what makes the mayonnaise stiff, all the little oil droplets packed together."
Many of these disordered materials, metallic glass, for example, are exceptionally strong, stronger than other metals, which offers potential for many industrial uses. But they also are prone to failure, and often break. Manning is studying these materials, searching for the defects in each that produce a crack-like fissure called a shear band.
"If we can find and identify these defects, then we can understand what causes the shear band," Manning says. "My goal is to figure out how they break. I am looking for defects in these materials. Once we figure out how they break, we can then figure out how to prevent them from breaking."
If successful, these materials--because of their inherent strength--could prove valuable in manufacturing, from constructing buildings to producing golf clubs, and "would be extremely good for making precision objects, because they don't change shape when they cool down," Manning says.
Insights from her research also could have important applications for biology, ultimately leading to possible future medical treatments, because disordered cells also exist in tissues, in developing embryos and in certain cancers.
"If you look at the cells in these tissues, they are disordered and look almost identical to pictures of foams, or emulsions," Manning says. "Embryos look like this, and so do healing wounds, and some cancer tissues too."
Biologists have a good understanding of what happens when a single cell migrates, or moves, she says. "But what is not well studied is how cells in this dense packing order move through tissues, which is important for wound healing," she says. "A cell has to push its way through its neighbors to move.
"If I can understand how non-biological particles move, this can provide new and exciting insights as to how a cell can move through tissues," she adds. "How stiff are the cells around it, for example? If I want a cell to move faster in tissue, should I make it softer or stiffer? The goal is to answer this, and test it."
Understanding this process could speed wound healing and "help repair embryonic defects when cells don't move to the correct places," she says.
In cancer, "recent work has shown that cancer cells are softer than other cells, and have different mechanical properties," she says. "One question I hope to answer: if a cancer cell is softer, does that make it easier to move through tissue and metastasize? If I could stiffen up that cell with a drug, maybe it wouldn't move anymore."
To find the defects, Manning creates computer simulations of the materials and studies sound modes that vibrate within the structure, much like a specific musical note vibrates inside an organ pipe. When the researchers find "localized" vibrations, that is, a mode where the structure vibrates a lot more in a certain place, "that's where the defect is located," she says.
Manning is conducting her research under an NSF Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award, which she received in 2014. The award supports junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of their organization.
As part of the grant's educational component, Manning plans to develop tutorials for high school juniors and seniors in Syracuse University's Project Advance, a program that enables these students to earn college physics credits. Project Advance provides instructional materials to high school teachers, and sponsors extra training sessions for them at the university. Manning is designing teaching modules about current research in materials science that can be directly integrated into the introductory physics curriculum, as well as an online math tutorial to tune up students' math skills.
"The goal is to increase diversity and retention in STEM disciplines," she says, referring to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. "We need more engineers, and we want to keep the ones we have, and recruit a more diverse body of students."
-- Marlene Cimons, National Science Foundation
Investigators
M. Lisa Manning
Related Institutions/Organizations
Syracuse University
Monday, March 23, 2015
U.S. CONGRATULATES PEOPLE OF GREECE ON THEIR NATIONAL DAY
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
03/23/2015 04:39 PM EDT
On The Occasion of Greek National Day
Press Statement
Washington, DC
March 23, 2015
On behalf of President Obama and the American people, I congratulate the people of Greece on the 194th anniversary of your independence.
Our two nations are united by shared values like democracy, freedom, and liberty; all first articulated in the agoras of ancient Greece.
As NATO Allies and transatlantic partners, we have fought for these values against all threats to our ways of life, including the forces of tyranny, fascism, and terrorism.
Men and women from Athens to Kalamata have also forged a rich tradition on American soil, including in my home state of Massachusetts. Thousands of Greek-Americans raise their families in my hometown of Boston. They helped build American industry in the factories of Lowell along the Merrimack River. And they’ve strengthened our democracy as elected officials, having occupied the Governor’s suite in the State House and the U.S. Senate seat I once held in Washington, D.C.
On this joyous occasion, I wish all people of Greece peace and a return to prosperity.
Συγχαρητήρια!
03/23/2015 04:39 PM EDT
On The Occasion of Greek National Day
Press Statement
Washington, DC
March 23, 2015
On behalf of President Obama and the American people, I congratulate the people of Greece on the 194th anniversary of your independence.
Our two nations are united by shared values like democracy, freedom, and liberty; all first articulated in the agoras of ancient Greece.
As NATO Allies and transatlantic partners, we have fought for these values against all threats to our ways of life, including the forces of tyranny, fascism, and terrorism.
Men and women from Athens to Kalamata have also forged a rich tradition on American soil, including in my home state of Massachusetts. Thousands of Greek-Americans raise their families in my hometown of Boston. They helped build American industry in the factories of Lowell along the Merrimack River. And they’ve strengthened our democracy as elected officials, having occupied the Governor’s suite in the State House and the U.S. Senate seat I once held in Washington, D.C.
On this joyous occasion, I wish all people of Greece peace and a return to prosperity.
Συγχαρητήρια!
DOD REPORTS AIRSTRIKES AGAINST ISIL FOR MARCH 22, 2015
FROM: U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Coalition Continues Airstrikes Against ISIL in Syria, Iraq
DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON, March 22, 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 and remotely piloted aircraft conducted four airstrikes in Syria:
-- Near Raqqah, an airstrike destroyed an armored personnel carrier.
-- Near Kobani, three airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, three ISIL vehicles and destroyed three ISIL fighting positions.
Airstrikes in Iraq
Attack and fighter aircraft conducted five airstrikes in Iraq, approved by the Iraq Ministry of Defense:
-- Near Mosul, three airstrikes destroyed two ISIL excavators and an ISIL shipping container.
-- Near Ramadi, two airstrikes destroyed an ISIL homemade explosive cache, an ISIL heavy machine gun and an ISIL building.
Part of Operation Inherent Resolve
The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, the region, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said.
Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Syria include the United States, Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Coalition Continues Airstrikes Against ISIL in Syria, Iraq
DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON, March 22, 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 and remotely piloted aircraft conducted four airstrikes in Syria:
-- Near Raqqah, an airstrike destroyed an armored personnel carrier.
-- Near Kobani, three airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, three ISIL vehicles and destroyed three ISIL fighting positions.
Airstrikes in Iraq
Attack and fighter aircraft conducted five airstrikes in Iraq, approved by the Iraq Ministry of Defense:
-- Near Mosul, three airstrikes destroyed two ISIL excavators and an ISIL shipping container.
-- Near Ramadi, two airstrikes destroyed an ISIL homemade explosive cache, an ISIL heavy machine gun and an ISIL building.
Part of Operation Inherent Resolve
The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, the region, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said.
Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Syria include the United States, Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
ORION SPACECRAFT SUIT BEING TESTED AT JOHNSON SPACE CENTER
Engineers and technicians at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston are testing the spacesuit astronauts will wear in the agency’s Orion spacecraft on trips to deep space. On March 17, members of the Johnson team participated in a Vacuum Pressure Integrated Suit Test to verify enhancements to the suit will meet test and design standards for the Orion spacecraft. During this test, the suit is connected to life support systems and then air is removed from Johnson’s 11-foot thermal vacuum chamber to evaluate the performance of the suits in conditions similar to a spacecraft. The suit, known as the Modified Advanced Crew Escape Suit, is a closed-loop version of the launch and entry suits worn by space shuttle astronauts. The suit will contain all the necessary functions to support life and is being designed to enable spacewalks and sustain the crew in the unlikely event the spacecraft loses pressure. This is the first in a series of four tests with people in the suits to evaluate the performance of the spacesuit systems in an environment similar to a spacecraft. Image Credit: NASA/ Bill Stafford
PRESIDENT ANNOUNCES "CALL TO ARTS" INITIATIVE
FROM: THE WHITE HOUSE
March 20, 2015
President Obama Announces New “Call to Arts” Initiative as Part of his National Call To Service
AFI and SAG-AFTRA Answer the President’s Call to Service and Pledge to Work Toward One Million Hours of Mentorship in Support of the Next Generation of Storytellers
Washington, DC - Today President Obama will host the second-annual White House Student Film Festival where he will announce a new Call to Arts Initiative through the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency tasked with leading United We Serve, to help inspire and mentor young artists around the country. The President will also announce that the American Film Institute (AFI) and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) have answered his call and will work toward a goal of one million mentor hours over the next three years together with the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).
The film festival showcases 15 students’ visions on the theme, “The Impact of Giving Back” and highlights the promise of mentorship in the arts and calls for the entertainment industry to build upon their mentoring programs and engagement nationwide. The fifteen student videos from around the country were chosen as “Official Selections” in collaboration with the American Film Institute who engage with Participant Media and their Teach Initiative to expand the festival this year.
In keeping with President Obama’s vision of giving every child the chance to reach their full potential, the Administration continues to expand opportunities for mentoring and to support the individuals who enable future leaders. The Administration is working with businesses to increase apprenticeship programs and connect groups traditionally underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and math fields with role models in STEM careers. First Lady Michelle Obama's Reach Higher initiative is encouraging campus groups and college students to connect with high schoolers and other near-peers who do not always see themselves completing higher education. The Council on Women and Girls and initiatives like My Brother’s Keeper were launched by the President to recognize our responsibility to reach every young person regardless of who they are or where they come from.
About the “Call to Arts”:
The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency that leads the President’s United We Serve initiative, is joining forces with the American Film Institute (AFI) and AFTRA to help lead a three-year effort entitled Call to Arts aimed at inspiring young artists. AFI and SAG-AFTRA will enlist mentors to help young people grow as artists by sharing their passion and furthering their goals.
These groups share a goal of together dedicating more than a million mentorship hours during the next three years.
How this Partnership Works:
CNCS, working with organizations like MENTOR: The National Mentoring Project, will identify partner organizations that can link SAG-AFTRA members to local organizations where they will share their skills and experience to inspire young people to pursue careers in the arts. Serve.gov/CalltoArts, the website for the President’s Call to Service, will include resources and guidance for SAG-AFTRA members. This feature will be in addition to the existing mentoring resources open to all Americans. www.serve.gov/calltoarts
Mentoring:
President Obama believes that we all have unique talents that can open more doors of opportunity for our young people through mentoring. He is now calling on the artist community to join in and help nurture the creativity in the next generation. Research shows that mentoring works. Studies by MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership show:
Students who meet regularly with their mentors are 52% less likely than their peers to skip a day of school and 37% less likely to skip a class.
Youth who meet regularly with their mentors are 46% less likely than their peers to start using illegal drugs and 27% less likely to start drinking.
Seventy-six percent of at-risk young adults who had a mentor aspire to enroll in and graduate from college versus half of at-risk young adults who had no mentor. They are also more likely to be enrolled in college.
Mentoring reduces “depressive symptoms” and increases “social acceptance, academic attitudes, and grades.”
About United We Serve:
United We Serve, President Obama’s nationwide service initiative, is built on the belief that ordinary people can come together and achieve extraordinary things when given the proper tools. This initiative aims to both expand the impact of existing organizations by engaging new volunteers in their work and encourage volunteers to develop their own "do-it-yourself" projects.
If we want to realize change in our communities, we've got to be in it for the long haul, and it starts with each of us.
Serve.gov, the online home of United We Serve, is managed by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency charged with promoting and fostering volunteering and national service programs like AmeriCorps for the nation.
March 20, 2015
President Obama Announces New “Call to Arts” Initiative as Part of his National Call To Service
AFI and SAG-AFTRA Answer the President’s Call to Service and Pledge to Work Toward One Million Hours of Mentorship in Support of the Next Generation of Storytellers
Washington, DC - Today President Obama will host the second-annual White House Student Film Festival where he will announce a new Call to Arts Initiative through the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency tasked with leading United We Serve, to help inspire and mentor young artists around the country. The President will also announce that the American Film Institute (AFI) and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) have answered his call and will work toward a goal of one million mentor hours over the next three years together with the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).
The film festival showcases 15 students’ visions on the theme, “The Impact of Giving Back” and highlights the promise of mentorship in the arts and calls for the entertainment industry to build upon their mentoring programs and engagement nationwide. The fifteen student videos from around the country were chosen as “Official Selections” in collaboration with the American Film Institute who engage with Participant Media and their Teach Initiative to expand the festival this year.
In keeping with President Obama’s vision of giving every child the chance to reach their full potential, the Administration continues to expand opportunities for mentoring and to support the individuals who enable future leaders. The Administration is working with businesses to increase apprenticeship programs and connect groups traditionally underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and math fields with role models in STEM careers. First Lady Michelle Obama's Reach Higher initiative is encouraging campus groups and college students to connect with high schoolers and other near-peers who do not always see themselves completing higher education. The Council on Women and Girls and initiatives like My Brother’s Keeper were launched by the President to recognize our responsibility to reach every young person regardless of who they are or where they come from.
About the “Call to Arts”:
The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency that leads the President’s United We Serve initiative, is joining forces with the American Film Institute (AFI) and AFTRA to help lead a three-year effort entitled Call to Arts aimed at inspiring young artists. AFI and SAG-AFTRA will enlist mentors to help young people grow as artists by sharing their passion and furthering their goals.
These groups share a goal of together dedicating more than a million mentorship hours during the next three years.
How this Partnership Works:
CNCS, working with organizations like MENTOR: The National Mentoring Project, will identify partner organizations that can link SAG-AFTRA members to local organizations where they will share their skills and experience to inspire young people to pursue careers in the arts. Serve.gov/CalltoArts, the website for the President’s Call to Service, will include resources and guidance for SAG-AFTRA members. This feature will be in addition to the existing mentoring resources open to all Americans. www.serve.gov/calltoarts
Mentoring:
President Obama believes that we all have unique talents that can open more doors of opportunity for our young people through mentoring. He is now calling on the artist community to join in and help nurture the creativity in the next generation. Research shows that mentoring works. Studies by MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership show:
Students who meet regularly with their mentors are 52% less likely than their peers to skip a day of school and 37% less likely to skip a class.
Youth who meet regularly with their mentors are 46% less likely than their peers to start using illegal drugs and 27% less likely to start drinking.
Seventy-six percent of at-risk young adults who had a mentor aspire to enroll in and graduate from college versus half of at-risk young adults who had no mentor. They are also more likely to be enrolled in college.
Mentoring reduces “depressive symptoms” and increases “social acceptance, academic attitudes, and grades.”
About United We Serve:
United We Serve, President Obama’s nationwide service initiative, is built on the belief that ordinary people can come together and achieve extraordinary things when given the proper tools. This initiative aims to both expand the impact of existing organizations by engaging new volunteers in their work and encourage volunteers to develop their own "do-it-yourself" projects.
If we want to realize change in our communities, we've got to be in it for the long haul, and it starts with each of us.
Serve.gov, the online home of United We Serve, is managed by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency charged with promoting and fostering volunteering and national service programs like AmeriCorps for the nation.
OSHA CITES UNIVERSITY FOR EXPOSING FACULTY TO FORMALDEHYDE
FROM: U.S. LABOR DEPARTMENT
OSHA cites Nova Southeastern University for exposing faculty to high levels of formaldehyde
Employer name: Nova Southeastern University
Inspection site: 3301 College Ave., Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33314
Date inspection initiated: The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration initiated the investigation on Nov. 5, 2014, after receiving a complaint about faculty in the anatomy lab being exposed to formaldehyde.
Inspection findings:
OSHA issued 10 serious citations to the employer for not providing personal protective equipment to workers exposed to formaldehyde; exposing workers to formaldehyde levels beyond the safe exposure limits; not providing a medical surveillance program for workers found to be over the short term exposure limit; not taking corrective action to reduce worker exposure; and not providing eyewash stations in the work area where workers prepared a formaldehyde solution. Additionally, the employer failed to provide the employees who were over the exposure limit their sampling results and neglected to take the necessary steps to reduce or eliminate the exposure. A serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
Quote: "Nova Southeastern University failed to protect its workers from the hazards of over-exposure to formaldehyde," said Beatriz Cabrera acting area director of OSHA's Fort Lauderdale Area Office. "Formaldehyde can irritate the eyes and nose, and cause coughing and wheezing. It is a sensitizer, which means that it can cause allergic reactions of the lungs, skin and eyes, such as asthma, rashes and itching. It also has been linked to cancer."
Proposed Penalties: $50,000
OSHA cites Nova Southeastern University for exposing faculty to high levels of formaldehyde
Employer name: Nova Southeastern University
Inspection site: 3301 College Ave., Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33314
Date inspection initiated: The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration initiated the investigation on Nov. 5, 2014, after receiving a complaint about faculty in the anatomy lab being exposed to formaldehyde.
Inspection findings:
OSHA issued 10 serious citations to the employer for not providing personal protective equipment to workers exposed to formaldehyde; exposing workers to formaldehyde levels beyond the safe exposure limits; not providing a medical surveillance program for workers found to be over the short term exposure limit; not taking corrective action to reduce worker exposure; and not providing eyewash stations in the work area where workers prepared a formaldehyde solution. Additionally, the employer failed to provide the employees who were over the exposure limit their sampling results and neglected to take the necessary steps to reduce or eliminate the exposure. A serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
Quote: "Nova Southeastern University failed to protect its workers from the hazards of over-exposure to formaldehyde," said Beatriz Cabrera acting area director of OSHA's Fort Lauderdale Area Office. "Formaldehyde can irritate the eyes and nose, and cause coughing and wheezing. It is a sensitizer, which means that it can cause allergic reactions of the lungs, skin and eyes, such as asthma, rashes and itching. It also has been linked to cancer."
Proposed Penalties: $50,000
EXPORT-IMPORT BANK TOUTS AN EXPORT SUCCESS STORY
FROM: U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK
Export-Import Bank Small Business Success: Semi-Bulk Systems of Fenton, Mo.
Washington, D.C. – Semi-Bulk Systems (SBS) is a manufacturer of modular engineered process solutions involving dry ingredient handling and dry and liquid mixing systems for the food, beverage, and paint industries based in Fenton, Mo. As a result of financing support provided by the Export-Import Bank of the U.S. (Ex-Im Bank), the company has witnessed a considerable increase in export sales to global markets.
Founded in 1975, the St. Louis area company began utilizing Ex-Im Bank’s export credit insurance, which empowers companies to increase export sales by limiting their risk of buyer nonpayment. The company employs 30 people in Fenton, Mo.
“Without Ex-Im support, it would be difficult to pursue opportunities and offer products and services to our international customers around the world,” said Charles S. Alack, CEO and COO. “With Ex-Im support, however, our export sales have grown from 10 percent of total sales up to 50 percent.”
“Small businesses in Missouri like SBS that wish to boost their sales abroad and support more good-paying jobs at home have a reliable ally in Ex-Im Bank,” said Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg. “In FY 2014 alone, Ex-Im Bank supported $83.9 million in Missouri exports, 67 percent of which were small business exports.”
Export-Import Bank Small Business Success: Semi-Bulk Systems of Fenton, Mo.
Washington, D.C. – Semi-Bulk Systems (SBS) is a manufacturer of modular engineered process solutions involving dry ingredient handling and dry and liquid mixing systems for the food, beverage, and paint industries based in Fenton, Mo. As a result of financing support provided by the Export-Import Bank of the U.S. (Ex-Im Bank), the company has witnessed a considerable increase in export sales to global markets.
Founded in 1975, the St. Louis area company began utilizing Ex-Im Bank’s export credit insurance, which empowers companies to increase export sales by limiting their risk of buyer nonpayment. The company employs 30 people in Fenton, Mo.
“Without Ex-Im support, it would be difficult to pursue opportunities and offer products and services to our international customers around the world,” said Charles S. Alack, CEO and COO. “With Ex-Im support, however, our export sales have grown from 10 percent of total sales up to 50 percent.”
“Small businesses in Missouri like SBS that wish to boost their sales abroad and support more good-paying jobs at home have a reliable ally in Ex-Im Bank,” said Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg. “In FY 2014 alone, Ex-Im Bank supported $83.9 million in Missouri exports, 67 percent of which were small business exports.”
ELEPHANT REFUGE MANAGER FOUND WITH CHEST CRUSHED: OSHA ISSUES HAZARD ALERT LETTER
FROM: U.S. LABOR DEPARTMENT
OSHA issues hazard alert letter to Hope Elephants following death
Maine elephant refuge instructed to follow industry safety standards
Employer name: Hope Elephants
Inspection site: 49 Hatchet Rd., Hope, Maine 04847
Date of incident: James Laurita, co-founder, curator and elephant manager of the Hope Elephant Refuge was found dead in the refuge's compound on Sept. 9, 2014, with a crushed chest.
Investigation findings: OSHA's inspection found that Mr. Laurita routinely entered the compound to work with the two elephants then in residence at the refuge. As a result, OSHA has issued a hazard alert letter to Hope Elephants' board of directors noting the hazards of having individuals routinely enter the elephant enclosure without protection against crushing injuries caused by elephants and recommending that protected contact, consistent with industry standards, be used when employees work with elephants.
The letter also recommends that Hope Elephants develop and implement a policy as to how it will ensure that elephant care providers are not present in the same unrestricted space as elephants, except in rare circumstances as detailed in the policy. While elephants are no longer present at the facility, the letter instructs the board to notify OSHA of its progress in protecting workers if and when elephants are brought back to the facility or any other owned or managed by the company.
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums' standard for elephant management and care stipulates that institutions have adequate infrastructure to manage and care for elephants with barriers and/or restraints in place to increase employee safety. The AZA measures compliance with the standard through a determination that elephant care providers do not share the same unrestricted space with elephants, except in certain, well-defined circumstances.
"James Laurita's death is a tragic example of what can happen when employers fail to follow industry requirements and to take the necessary steps to protect employees. The care and management of elephants and other wild animals can be a rewarding profession, but not if it comes at the cost of a worker's life," said Maryann Medeiros, OSHA's area director for Maine.
OSHA issues hazard alert letter to Hope Elephants following death
Maine elephant refuge instructed to follow industry safety standards
Employer name: Hope Elephants
Inspection site: 49 Hatchet Rd., Hope, Maine 04847
Date of incident: James Laurita, co-founder, curator and elephant manager of the Hope Elephant Refuge was found dead in the refuge's compound on Sept. 9, 2014, with a crushed chest.
Investigation findings: OSHA's inspection found that Mr. Laurita routinely entered the compound to work with the two elephants then in residence at the refuge. As a result, OSHA has issued a hazard alert letter to Hope Elephants' board of directors noting the hazards of having individuals routinely enter the elephant enclosure without protection against crushing injuries caused by elephants and recommending that protected contact, consistent with industry standards, be used when employees work with elephants.
The letter also recommends that Hope Elephants develop and implement a policy as to how it will ensure that elephant care providers are not present in the same unrestricted space as elephants, except in rare circumstances as detailed in the policy. While elephants are no longer present at the facility, the letter instructs the board to notify OSHA of its progress in protecting workers if and when elephants are brought back to the facility or any other owned or managed by the company.
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums' standard for elephant management and care stipulates that institutions have adequate infrastructure to manage and care for elephants with barriers and/or restraints in place to increase employee safety. The AZA measures compliance with the standard through a determination that elephant care providers do not share the same unrestricted space with elephants, except in certain, well-defined circumstances.
"James Laurita's death is a tragic example of what can happen when employers fail to follow industry requirements and to take the necessary steps to protect employees. The care and management of elephants and other wild animals can be a rewarding profession, but not if it comes at the cost of a worker's life," said Maryann Medeiros, OSHA's area director for Maine.
DOJ ASKS COURT TO SHUT DOWN TAX RETURN PREPARER IN CASE INVOLVING INELIGIBLE CHILD TAX CREDITS, OTHER ALLEGATIONS
FROM: U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Justice Department Asks Federal Court to Shut Down Indiana Tax Return Preparer
The United States filed a complaint seeking to permanently bar an Indianapolis woman from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today.
The civil injunction complaint against Jennifer Carolina Gonzalez, doing business as Jenny’s Tax Services, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, alleges that Gonzales fraudulently adjusted customers’ income claimed on Schedule C (Profit or Loss From Business) to either increase an Earned Income Tax Credit the customer was not entitled to, or to reduce the customer’s tax liability. Gonzalez, according to the suit, also frequently prepared returns claiming head of household filing status for customers who were ineligible. The complaint alleges that Gonzalez frequently prepared returns claiming child tax credits for customers’ relatives who lived in Mexico and had never lived in the United States, even though Gonzalez knew that children living in Mexico cannot be used to support child tax credits and additional child tax credits.
Tax return preparers must provide their Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) on returns they prepare. As alleged in the complaint, as part of a pattern of non-compliance, Gonzalez failed to provide her own PTIN on returns she prepared until January 2013. Instead, the complaint alleges that Gonzalez used a PTIN assigned to a person living in New Jersey, who has no connection to Gonzalez and has never authorized Gonzalez or anyone else to use the PTIN.
The complaint further alleges that, in 2012, Gonzalez sold the use of the third-party PTIN she had appropriated, her own Electronic Filing Identification Number (EFIN) and Jenny’s Tax Services’ Employer Identification Number (EIN) to another tax preparation business, which agreed to pay Gonzalez $20 per return filed containing Gonzalez’s identification numbers. Despite selling the use of the identification numbers, Gonzalez continued to use the identification numbers when preparing returns for the 2011 tax year, as did the purchaser.
According to the complaint, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) estimates that Gonzalez, through Jenny’s Tax Service, has prepared more than 2,000 tax returns since 2011. The suit alleges that the false information she included on her customers’ tax returns generated larger refunds or reduced tax liabilities for Gonzalez’s customers, and that the losses to the U.S. Treasury could exceed $3.9 million.
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Justice Department Asks Federal Court to Shut Down Indiana Tax Return Preparer
The United States filed a complaint seeking to permanently bar an Indianapolis woman from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today.
The civil injunction complaint against Jennifer Carolina Gonzalez, doing business as Jenny’s Tax Services, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, alleges that Gonzales fraudulently adjusted customers’ income claimed on Schedule C (Profit or Loss From Business) to either increase an Earned Income Tax Credit the customer was not entitled to, or to reduce the customer’s tax liability. Gonzalez, according to the suit, also frequently prepared returns claiming head of household filing status for customers who were ineligible. The complaint alleges that Gonzalez frequently prepared returns claiming child tax credits for customers’ relatives who lived in Mexico and had never lived in the United States, even though Gonzalez knew that children living in Mexico cannot be used to support child tax credits and additional child tax credits.
Tax return preparers must provide their Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) on returns they prepare. As alleged in the complaint, as part of a pattern of non-compliance, Gonzalez failed to provide her own PTIN on returns she prepared until January 2013. Instead, the complaint alleges that Gonzalez used a PTIN assigned to a person living in New Jersey, who has no connection to Gonzalez and has never authorized Gonzalez or anyone else to use the PTIN.
The complaint further alleges that, in 2012, Gonzalez sold the use of the third-party PTIN she had appropriated, her own Electronic Filing Identification Number (EFIN) and Jenny’s Tax Services’ Employer Identification Number (EIN) to another tax preparation business, which agreed to pay Gonzalez $20 per return filed containing Gonzalez’s identification numbers. Despite selling the use of the identification numbers, Gonzalez continued to use the identification numbers when preparing returns for the 2011 tax year, as did the purchaser.
According to the complaint, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) estimates that Gonzalez, through Jenny’s Tax Service, has prepared more than 2,000 tax returns since 2011. The suit alleges that the false information she included on her customers’ tax returns generated larger refunds or reduced tax liabilities for Gonzalez’s customers, and that the losses to the U.S. Treasury could exceed $3.9 million.
Sunday, March 22, 2015
PRESS STATEMENT ON DEATH OF LEE KUAN YEW, FIRST PRIME MINISTER OF SINGAPORE
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Death of Lee Kuan Yew
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
March 22, 2015
When Lee Kuan Yew became its first Prime Minister in 1959, Singapore was a newly independent nation with an uncertain future. By the time he left office 31 years later, the small island had been transformed into one of the most prosperous and dynamic countries in the world.
Lee Kuan Yew exuded wisdom. The counsel I was fortunate to glean from conversations with him--about life and politics and global affairs--is among the most valuable and insightful I have received. He was, of course, a uniquely astute analyst and observer of Asia, and it is largely through his life's work that Singapore became one of the United States' strongest strategic partners in the region.
Teresa and I join so many around the world in offering our deepest condolences to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who has so ably carried on his father's legacy, to the entire Lee family, and to the people of Singapore, who Lee Kuan Yew always knew were his nation's greatest resource. May he rest in peace.
Death of Lee Kuan Yew
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
March 22, 2015
When Lee Kuan Yew became its first Prime Minister in 1959, Singapore was a newly independent nation with an uncertain future. By the time he left office 31 years later, the small island had been transformed into one of the most prosperous and dynamic countries in the world.
Lee Kuan Yew exuded wisdom. The counsel I was fortunate to glean from conversations with him--about life and politics and global affairs--is among the most valuable and insightful I have received. He was, of course, a uniquely astute analyst and observer of Asia, and it is largely through his life's work that Singapore became one of the United States' strongest strategic partners in the region.
Teresa and I join so many around the world in offering our deepest condolences to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who has so ably carried on his father's legacy, to the entire Lee family, and to the people of Singapore, who Lee Kuan Yew always knew were his nation's greatest resource. May he rest in peace.
U.S. STATEMENT ON SITUATION IN YEMEN
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Samantha Power
U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations
New York, NY
March 22, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The UN Security Council met today to discuss how we can support the resumption of a peaceful, inclusive, and consensus-driven political transition under the leadership of the legitimate President of Yemen, Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi. All parties must re-commit to a transition through peaceful participation in talks mediated by UN Special Advisor Jamal Benomar. On March 21, President Hadi called for dialogue on the basis of the Gulf Cooperation Council Initiative and National Dialogue outcomes, and we urge all Yemenis to heed this call to prevent further violence and destabilization.
Unfortunately, the Houthis’ actions – taken in close collaboration with former President Ali Abdullah Salih – have consistently undermined Yemen’s transition. In recent days, forces loyal to the Houthis and Salih carried out airstrikes against the Presidential Palace in Aden – attacking the government’s democratically elected leader. Earlier today, Houthi forces launched destabilizing attacks on the city of Taiz. These attacks are but the latest in a series of violent actions perpetrated by the Houthis since they chose to overrun Sana’a, take over government institutions, and attempt to govern by unilateral decree. To preserve Yemen’s security, stability, and unity, all parties must refrain from any further unilateral and offensive military actions.
The human costs of instability in Yemen grow every day. On Friday March 20, we were shocked and outraged by the horrific terrorist attacks on mosques in Sana’a and Saada that killed more than 130 and injured hundreds more. The United States reiterates again our condemnation of these attacks, which were cowardly attempts to divide the Yemeni people.
And it is the Yemeni people who will continue to feel the consequences if all parties do not immediately cease military actions and return to Yemen’s political transition. Nearly 16 million people – 61 percent of the population in Yemen – are in grave need of humanitarian assistance.
Today, the Security Council spoke with one voice, reaffirming its support for President Hadi as Yemen’s legitimate president, deploring the Houthis’ failure to withdraw their forces from government institutions, and reiterating the Security Council's condemnation of Houthi unilateral actions that undermine the political transition process.
Yemen’s crisis can still be solved peacefully through the full implementation of the GCC Initiative and National Dialogue outcomes, which provide for a Yemeni-led democratic transition. All Yemenis have a right to peacefully participate in the process of determining Yemen’s future. Having worked bravely and tirelessly to bring about a political transition, the Yemeni people should see this process resume with meaningful public timelines for finishing a new Yemeni constitution, holding a referendum on this constitution, and launching national elections.
The United States remains firmly committed to supporting all of Yemen’s diverse communities in this endeavor. Since the Yemeni people took to the streets to demand change in 2011, Yemen’s transition has succeeded when its communities have come together to support a transition by consensus, as opposed to by unilateral decree. We remain firmly convinced that the peaceful future Yemenis deserve will only come through a return to an inclusive transition led by President Hadi with the full support of all Yemenis.
Samantha Power
U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations
New York, NY
March 22, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The UN Security Council met today to discuss how we can support the resumption of a peaceful, inclusive, and consensus-driven political transition under the leadership of the legitimate President of Yemen, Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi. All parties must re-commit to a transition through peaceful participation in talks mediated by UN Special Advisor Jamal Benomar. On March 21, President Hadi called for dialogue on the basis of the Gulf Cooperation Council Initiative and National Dialogue outcomes, and we urge all Yemenis to heed this call to prevent further violence and destabilization.
Unfortunately, the Houthis’ actions – taken in close collaboration with former President Ali Abdullah Salih – have consistently undermined Yemen’s transition. In recent days, forces loyal to the Houthis and Salih carried out airstrikes against the Presidential Palace in Aden – attacking the government’s democratically elected leader. Earlier today, Houthi forces launched destabilizing attacks on the city of Taiz. These attacks are but the latest in a series of violent actions perpetrated by the Houthis since they chose to overrun Sana’a, take over government institutions, and attempt to govern by unilateral decree. To preserve Yemen’s security, stability, and unity, all parties must refrain from any further unilateral and offensive military actions.
The human costs of instability in Yemen grow every day. On Friday March 20, we were shocked and outraged by the horrific terrorist attacks on mosques in Sana’a and Saada that killed more than 130 and injured hundreds more. The United States reiterates again our condemnation of these attacks, which were cowardly attempts to divide the Yemeni people.
And it is the Yemeni people who will continue to feel the consequences if all parties do not immediately cease military actions and return to Yemen’s political transition. Nearly 16 million people – 61 percent of the population in Yemen – are in grave need of humanitarian assistance.
Today, the Security Council spoke with one voice, reaffirming its support for President Hadi as Yemen’s legitimate president, deploring the Houthis’ failure to withdraw their forces from government institutions, and reiterating the Security Council's condemnation of Houthi unilateral actions that undermine the political transition process.
Yemen’s crisis can still be solved peacefully through the full implementation of the GCC Initiative and National Dialogue outcomes, which provide for a Yemeni-led democratic transition. All Yemenis have a right to peacefully participate in the process of determining Yemen’s future. Having worked bravely and tirelessly to bring about a political transition, the Yemeni people should see this process resume with meaningful public timelines for finishing a new Yemeni constitution, holding a referendum on this constitution, and launching national elections.
The United States remains firmly committed to supporting all of Yemen’s diverse communities in this endeavor. Since the Yemeni people took to the streets to demand change in 2011, Yemen’s transition has succeeded when its communities have come together to support a transition by consensus, as opposed to by unilateral decree. We remain firmly convinced that the peaceful future Yemenis deserve will only come through a return to an inclusive transition led by President Hadi with the full support of all Yemenis.
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