WHITE HOUSE STATEMENT ON ISRAEL'S NEW GOVERNMENT

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE
May 07, 2015
Statement by the Press Secretary on the Formation of Israel’s New Government

The President congratulates the Israeli people, Prime Minister Netanyahu and the new governing coalition on the formation of Israel’s new government.  President Obama looks forward to working with Prime Minister Netanyahu and his new government.  As the President has emphasized, the United States places great importance on our close military, intelligence, and security cooperation with Israel, which reflects the deep and abiding partnership between both countries.  We also look forward to continuing consultations on a range of regional issues, including international negotiations to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and the importance of pursuing a two-state solution.

USFWS VIDEO: Habitat for All Seasons: Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge

CINCO de MAYO SOLAR FLARE

FROM:  NASA 

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the sun constantly, captured these images of a significant solar flare – as seen in the bright flash on the left – peaking at 6:11 p.m. EDT on May 5, 2015. Each image shows a different wavelength of extreme ultraviolet light that highlights a different temperature of material on the sun. By comparing different images, scientists can better understand the movement of solar matter and energy during a flare. From left to right, the wavelengths are: visible light, 171 angstroms, 304 angstroms, 193 angstroms and 131 angstroms. Each wavelength has been colorized.

Solar flares are powerful bursts of radiation. Harmful radiation from a flare cannot pass through Earth's atmosphere to physically affect humans on the ground, however -- when intense enough -- they can disturb the atmosphere in the layer where GPS and communications signals travel. This flare is classified as an X2.7-class flare. X-class denotes the most intense flares, while the number provides more information about its strength. An X2 is twice as intense as an X1, an X3 is three times as intense, and so on.  Image Credit: NASA/SDO/Wiessinger.

PRESIDENT OBAMA'S LETTER REGARDING NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO ACTIONS OF SYRIA

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE
May 06, 2015
Letter -- Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Actions of the Government of Syria

Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)

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 with respect to the actions of the Government of Syria declared in Executive Order (E.O.) 13338 of May 11, 2004 -- as modified in scope and relied upon for additional steps taken in E.O. 13399 of April 25, 2006, E.O. 13460 of February 13, 2008, E.O. 13572 of April 29, 2011, E.O. 13573 of May 18, 2011, E.O. 13582 of August 17, 2011, E.O. 13606 of April 22, 2012, and E.O. 13608 of May 1, 2012 -- is to continue in effect beyond May 11, 2015.

The regime's brutal war on the Syrian people, who have been calling for freedom and a representative government, not only endangers the Syrian people themselves, but could yield greater instability throughout the region.  The Syrian regime's actions and policies, including pursuing chemical and biological weapons, supporting terrorist organizations, and obstructing the Lebanese government's ability to function effectively, are fostering the rise of extremism and sectarianism and continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.  For these reasons, I have determined that it is necessary to continue in effect the national emergency declared with respect to this threat and to maintain in force the sanctions to address this national emergency.

In addition, the United States condemns the Asad regime's use of brutal violence and human rights abuses and calls on the Asad regime to stop its violent war and allow a political transition in Syria that will forge a credible path to a future of greater freedom, democracy, opportunity, and justice.

The United States will consider changes in the composition, policies, and actions of the Government of Syria in determining whether to continue or terminate this national emergency in the future.

SECRETARY KERRY'S REMARKS AT EMBASSY DJIBOUTI CONSULAR SECTION

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Secretary's Remarks: Remarks at the Embassy Djibouti Consular Section
05/06/2015 12:54 PM EDT

Remarks at the Embassy Djibouti Consular Section

Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
U.S. Embassy Djibouti
Djibouti, Djibouti
May 6, 2015

SECRETARY KERRY: All right. Well, I’m delighted to see you all here. You guys can’t see. Can you see over there? I’m doing my own press operation here today. (Laughter.) There you go. Wow, we don’t want that to happen.

PARTICIPANT: (Inaudible.)

SECRETARY KERRY: There you go. All right. So as these people know better than anybody, and as you know as well as they do, I guess, you have been doing an amazing job under very, very difficult circumstances over the course of these past weeks, and we’re very, very proud of you. In fact, at the State Department I will tell you we’ve been hearing the stories of all of you down at the docks greeting every citizen; there isn’t anybody who’s come in who hasn’t been warmly received. And you’ve done an amazing job not only of protecting American citizens but of working with the community here in order to make this a seamless transition under the most difficult circumstances.

And I know that it’s always a little bit chaotic. I wanted to personally come here really just to tell the world about the story of what’s behind the news headlines when they read “Refugees trapped in Yemen,” or “trapped in Aden, people trying to get out.” And people have no sense of all the machinery that has to come together to work to find a way to get out, a safe way, get onto a boat, the harrowing nature of traveling across water under those kinds of circumstances; your family huddled on a deck or down below, or if you’re lucky, on a larger military ship where you have greater protection and comfort; and then to come into a port in another country and you don’t know what’s waiting for you, you don’t know where you’re going, you don’t know if you’re going to eat, you don’t know what’s going to happen to you. And a – friendly faces on the dock waiting to say, “It’s going to be okay,” makes all the difference in the world.

And the entire State Department family contributed to this effort from – literally, from Madrid to Jerusalem to Casablanca, people have come together in order to work to provide not only additional people, but to provide the connections so people know who’s real, who’s what, how do you connect them to family, make those critical phone calls. And the entire embassy here in Djibouti and the entire embassy community – American and local staff – have all joined together to provide – they’ve donated food, they’ve donated clothing, they’ve donated water to some of the most needy U.S. citizens. And I will tell you everybody appreciates it, but particularly every American back home says thank you to you for doing beyond your jobs.

The – let me tell you a little bit about a few of the people so this gives you a real human being to attach to this. Saleh Mohsen Nasser arrived here from Yemen on April 11th with his wife, Arwa, and their two children, Sharifa and Mohammed. And the family fled together with Saleh’s stepmother from the port of Aden, and they arrived with some 60 other U.S. citizens on the Indian naval ship Tarkash.

Saddam Lashuel arrived here from Yemen. Did I pronounce that – mispronounce it?

PARTICIPANT: Yeah, Saddam. Saddam Lashuel.

SECRETARY KERRY: Saddam Lashuel – all right – came from Yemen on April 16th on the Indian naval ship Sumitra with his wife, their two children, who I see here – Hadeel and Zuha. And he was already documented – they were documented as a U.S. citizen at birth, but Zuha had not yet received her first U.S. passport, so there was a hurdle you have to cross. And through consular officers at the port, Saddam was able to pass a message to his brother in the United States through Ambassador Kelly to let him know that the family had arrived here safely.

Amar Motahar Zabarah arrived here from Yemen on April 16th on the Indian naval ship Sumitra with his U.S. citizen brothers, Hamzah, and Hamzah’s wife, Eman; his U.S. citizen sisters, Nasiebah and Nafiesah and Ala’a and his Yemen-born sister, Aya. And the family was in contact with the department before they left Yemen. Several officers helped them to find the transportation they needed and laid the groundwork for further assistance on arrival here in Djibouti. And actually, members of Congress had reached out to the United States – to the State Department and the embassy on the family’s behalf expressing their concern in trying to help break through the red tape.

So what you have all done and what we do, frankly, every day here – but this is special because it’s been so intense – is to change a catastrophic and daunting situation for individual human beings, American citizens, into something manageable and something less traumatic and something that ultimately can reunite them with family and with country. And so it means an enormous amount to President Obama, to me, and to every American to know that people are over here working like that to represent our country and to take care of American citizens no matter where they may be living and no matter what their circumstances may be.

This is not the easiest time, as we all know, for diplomacy in the Middle East. Four United States embassies have been closed because of the security situations in one part of this world or another, and there is extra pressure on the posts, therefore, that are open. And because of the location, Djibouti is carrying a large part of this burden, so that is a major reason why I wanted to come here today. This country, as small as it is, and its mission are extremely important, and everybody here can now begin to see more realistically why that is.

So thank you for carrying the flag, thank you for working the extra hours, for going to such great lengths to represent us as well as you have all done. We are very, very proud of you. Thank you so much. (Applause.)

CFTC CHARGES UAE RESIDENTS WITH SPOOFING IN GOLD AND SILVER FUTURES

FROM:  U.S. COMMODITY FUTURES
May 5, 2015

CFTC Charges United Arab Emirates Residents Heet Khara and Nasim Salim with Spoofing in the Gold and Silver Futures Markets

Court Issues an Ex Parte Restraining Order Freezing Defendants’ Assets and Preserving Records

Washington, DC – The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) today announced the filing of a civil enforcement action in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York against Heet Khara and Nasim Salim, residents of the United Arab Emirates.  According to the CFTC’s Complaint, Defendants engaged in unlawful disruptive trading practices known as “spoofing” in the gold and silver futures markets by placing bids and offers with the intent to cancel them before execution.

Based on Defendants’ pattern of unlawful spoofing conduct and the potential for dissipation of Defendants’ assets, on May 5, 2015, U.S. District Judge Deborah A. Batts issued an Order freezing and preserving assets under Defendants’ control and prohibiting them from destroying documents or denying CFTC staff access to their books and records. The court scheduled a hearing on the CFTC’s motion for a preliminary injunction for May 19, 2015.

The Complaint alleges that between at least February 2015 and at least April 28, 2015, Defendants Khara and Salim, both individually and in a coordinated fashion, regularly placed larger aggregate orders for gold and silver futures contracts on the Commodity Exchange, Inc. (COMEX) opposite smaller orders and cancelled the larger orders after the smaller orders were executed.

CME Group Inc.’s (CME Group) Market Regulation Department identified the disruptive trading practices and initiated an investigation.  On or about April 30, 2015, CME Group issued notices summarily denying Defendants Khara and Salim’s access to all CME Group markets and any trading platforms owned or controlled by CME Group.  CME Group Inc. operates four self-regulatory organizations and designated contract markets, which are the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc., Board of Trade of the City of Chicago, Inc., New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc., and COMEX.

CFTC Director of Enforcement Aitan Goelman commented: “Protecting the integrity and stability of the U.S. futures markets is critical to ensuring a properly functioning financial system.  Aggressive prosecution of spoofing is an important part of that mission.  Today’s actions make clear that the CFTC will partner with self-regulatory organizations to find and swiftly prosecute those who engage in such disruptive trading practices, wherever they may be.”

In its ongoing litigation, the CFTC is seeking preliminary and permanent injunctive relief, civil monetary penalties, and equitable relief including trading and registration bans and disgorgement.

The CFTC thanks and acknowledges the assistance of the CME Group in this matter.

CFTC Division of Enforcement staff members responsible for this matter are Patryk J. Chudy, David Oakland, Neel Chopra, Katie Rasor, Trevor Kokal, Lenel Hickson, and Manal Sultan.

U.S. FISSILE MATERIAL REDUCTIONS

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Arms Control and International Security: U.S. Support for Fissile Material Reductions
05/05/2015 12:24 PM EDT

U.S. Support for Fissile Material Reductions

Reductions

The total U.S. highly enriched uranium inventory as of 2004 was 686.6 MT. In declarations in 1994 and 2005, the United States declared that a significant portion of that inventory totaling 374 MT of HEU would be removed from further use as fissile material in nuclear warheads.

To date, the United States has down-blended more than 146 MT of HEU—enough material for more than 5,800 nuclear weapons.

The landmark 1993 United States-Russia HEU Purchase Agreement eliminated 500 metric tons of Russian weapons- origin HEU, which was converted to LEU and shipped to the United States where it was used for peaceful purposes as fuel in American nuclear power reactors. The amount downblended was equivalent to roughly three warheads worth of HEU per day for most of the last two decades.

In 2009, the United States reported the plutonium inventory was 95.4 metric tons. In 1994 and 2007, 61.5 metric tons of plutonium had been declared excess and removed from further use as fissile material in nuclear warheads.

The U.S.-Russian Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement requires each state to dispose of no less than 34 metric tons of plutonium declared excess.
Consolidations

Since the early 1980s, the size of the U.S. nuclear complex has shrunk to approximately half of its original size and reduced the workforce by two-thirds.
Looking forward, the United States anticipates shifting from retaining large numbers of non-deployed nuclear warheads towards a more responsive infrastructure. Investing in a more modern physical infrastructure can allow for further reductions in total nuclear forces.

UNDERCOVER INSPECTIONS OF FUNERAL HOMES UNCOVERED FUNERAL RULE OFFENDERS

FROM:  U.S. FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
Undercover Inspections of Funeral Homes in Six States Prompt Compliance with Funeral Rule Disclosure Requirements
FTC’s Funeral Rule Requires Funeral Homes to Provide Price Lists to Consumers

Investigators working undercover in six states found failures to disclose pricing information to consumers, as required by the Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule, in 27 of the 100 funeral homes they visited during 2014. All but two of the 27 homes have agreed to enter the Funeral Rule Offenders Program (FROP).

The FTC conducts undercover inspections every year to ensure that funeral homes comply with the agency’s Funeral Rule. The Rule, issued in 1984, gives consumers important rights when making funeral arrangements. Key provisions of the Rule require funeral homes to provide consumers with an itemized general price list at the start of an in-person discussion of funeral arrangements, a casket price list before consumers view any caskets, and an outer burial container price list before they view grave liners or vaults. The Rule also 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. By requiring itemized prices, the Funeral Rule enables consumers to compare prices and buy only the goods and services they want.

Funeral homes with price list disclosure violations can enter a training program designed to increase compliance with the Funeral Rule. This year all the homes found in violation chose to enter the FROP run by the National Funeral Directors Association rather than subject themselves to the possibility of a civil penalty action by the FTC. The FROP provides participants with a legal review of the price disclosures required by the Rule, and on-going training, testing and monitoring for compliance. Funeral homes that participate in the program make a voluntary payment to the U.S. Treasury in place of a civil penalty, and pay annual administrative fees to the Association.

The results of the FTC inspections for price list disclosures by region are as follows:

In Northwest Arkansas, 5 of the 16 funeral homes inspected failed to make a price list disclosure;
In Bakersfield, California, 7 of the 11 funeral homes inspected failed to make a price list disclosure;
In Annapolis, Maryland, and vicinity, 4 of 13 funeral homes inspected failed to make a price list disclosure;
In St. Louis, Missouri, 3 of 16 funeral homes inspected failed to make a price list disclosure;
In Westchester County, New York, 3 of 29 funeral homes inspected failed to make a price list disclosure; and
In Seattle, Washington, 5 of 15 funeral homes inspected failed to make a price list disclosure.
In addition, the FTC identified a number of homes, within the six states, with only minor compliance deficiencies. In such cases, the FTC requires the funeral home to provide evidence that it has corrected the problems.

Since the FROP program began in 1996, the FTC has inspected more than 2,900 funeral homes, and found 503 homes with violations, 486 of which have agreed to enter the FROP program, with the remainder subject to FTC law enforcement actions.

DOJ SEEKS TO SHUT DOWN TAX PREPARATION BUSINESS ACCUSED OF PREPARING FRAUDULENT TAX RETURNS

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Florida Tax Return Preparer and Owner of Tax Preparation Business

The United States filed a civil injunction suit seeking to bar a Tampa, Florida, man from owning, operating or franchising a tax return preparation business and from preparing tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today.  The complaint also requests that the court order the defendant to disgorge the fees that he obtained through alleged fraudulent tax return preparation.

The suit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, alleges that Milot Odne owns and operates Rapid Tax 1, a tax return preparation business in the Tampa area.  According to the complaint, Odne was previously a franchisee of LBS Tax Services.

The suit alleges that Odne targets primarily low-income customers with deceptive and misleading advertisements, prepares and files fraudulent tax returns to fraudulently increase his customers’ refunds, and profits through unconscionable and exorbitant fees — all at the expense of his customers and the U.S. Treasury.

According to the suit, there is a “culture of greed” at Odne’s tax return preparation stores “that expressly promotes and encourages the preparation of false and fraudulent federal tax returns in order to maximize corporate and individual profits.”  The complaint alleges that Odne’s stores engage in fraudulent activity, including:

            •           Falsely claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit;

            •           Claiming improper filing status (i.e., head of household);

            •           Fabricating businesses and related business income and expenses;

            •           Fabricating itemized deductions on a Schedule A, including for unreimbursed employee business expenses, automobile expenses and charitable contributions;

            •           Falsely claiming education credits to which customers are not entitled;

            •           Improperly preparing returns based on paystubs rather than Forms W-2; and

            •           Failing to provide customers with a copy of a competed tax return, as required.

According to the complaint, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) estimates that the tax loss resulting from these activities for the 2012, 2013 and 2014 tax years could be up to $35.5 million or more.

This lawsuit is one of several filed against former LBS Tax Services-related individuals, including Walner Gachette, Douglas Mesadieu, Jean Demesmin, Kerny Pierre-Louis, Demetrius Scott, Jason Stinson, Wilfrid Antoine, Tonya Chambers, Jehoakim Victor and Lauri Rodriguez.  In February 2015, a court barred Victor and Rodriquez from preparing tax returns for others and from owning or operating a tax return preparation business.

READOUT: VP BIDEN'S MEETING WITH IRAQI KURDISTAN PRESIDENT BARZANI

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE
May 06, 2015
Readout of Vice President Biden's Meeting with Iraqi Kurdistan Regional President Masoud Barzani

This morning, Vice President Joe Biden hosted Iraqi Kurdistan Regional President Masoud Barzani at the Naval Observatory for breakfast. The Vice President underscored the United States’ strong commitment to working with the global coalition and the Iraqi people to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL through a comprehensive campaign including military, political, economic, and humanitarian efforts. Vice President Biden and President Barzani discussed ongoing U.S. security assistance to the Kurdish Peshmerga in full coordination with the Government of Iraq. Both leaders agreed on the profound need for close cooperation between the Government of Iraq, the Kurdistan Regional Government, and the global coalition in the ongoing fight against ISIL, particularly with respect to the liberation of Mosul. They also agreed on the need for close coordination between Baghdad and Erbil to advance key elements of the Government of Iraq’s national program.

WHITE HOUSE VIDEO: 5/6/15: WHITE HOUSE PRESS BRIEFING

DOJ STATEMENT ON BALTIMORE MAYOR'S REQUEST FOR INVESTIGATION INTO BALTIMORE POLICE PATTERN OR PRACTICE

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Justice Department Statement on Baltimore Mayor's Request for a Pattern or Practice Investigation into the Baltimore Police Department

Justice Department spokesperson Dena Iverson released the following statement Wednesday following the request from Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake for a pattern or practice investigation into the Baltimore Police Department.

“The Attorney General has received Mayor Rawlings-Blake’s request for a Civil Rights Division 'pattern or practice' investigation into the Baltimore Police Department.  The Attorney General is actively considering that option in light of what she heard from law enforcement, city officials, and community, faith and youth leaders in Baltimore yesterday.”

DOD NEWS REGARDING OPERATION INHERENT RESOLVE

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Airstrikes Hit ISIL Terrorists in Iraq
From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, May 6, 2015 – U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of the latest airstrikes in Iraq, 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 Iraq

Attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 11 airstrikes in Iraq, approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense:

-- Near Huwayjah, three airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and two ISIL staging areas, destroying an ISIL vehicle.

-- Near Beiji, four airstrikes struck one large and two small ISIL tactical units, destroying five ISIL fighting positions, eight ISIL structures, six ISIL fuel tanks, three ISIL vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices and an ISIL vehicle.

-- Near Mosul, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying two ISIL buildings and an ISIL fighting position.

-- Near Ramadi, two airstrikes struck one large and one small ISIL tactical units, destroying four ISIL structures and an ISIL mortar system.

-- Near Sinjar, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying three ISIL fighting positions and three ISIL buildings.

CJTF-OIR conducted no airstrikes against ISIL terrorists in Syria between 8 a.m., yesterday, and 8 a.m., today, local time.

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.

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, Canada, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

NASA VIDEO: WHAT'S UP FOR MAY 2015

DOD DETAILS OF RECENT AIRSTRIKES IN IRAQ, SYRIA

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
ISIL Tactical Units, Fighting Positions Destroyed in Airstrikes
From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, May 5, 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

An attack aircraft conducted one airstrike near Hasakah, which destroyed an ISIL fighting position.

Airstrikes in Iraq

Attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 12 airstrikes in Iraq, approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense:

-- Near Beiji, three airstrikes struck one large and two small ISIL tactical units, destroying three ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL structures, an ISIL warehouse, an ISIL heavy machine gun, an ISIL excavator and an ISIL rocket-propelled grenade.

-- Near Fallujah, three airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units, destroying two ISIL structures, two ISIL vehicles and an ISIL mortar tube.

-- Near Mosul, four airstrikes struck three ISIL fighting positions, destroying an ISIL excavator.

Tactical unit, destroying three ISIL structures, three ISIL tanks and an ISIL armored vehicle.

-- Near Tal Afar, an airstrike destroyed an ISIL fighting position.

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, Canada, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

SECRETARY KERRY'S REMARKS IN MOGADISHU, SOMALIA

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks in Mogadishu, Somalia
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Mogadishu, Somalia
May 5, 2015

I’m very, very pleased to be able to come to Somalia. It was important to be able to meet face to face with President Hassan Sheikh and with Prime Minister Sharmarke and regional leaders and with a range of civil society representatives. As everybody knows, more than 20 years ago, the United States was forced to pull back from this country. And now we’re returning in collaboration with our international community and with high hopes mixed, obviously, with ongoing concerns.

My brief visit confirms what diplomats have been telling me: The people here are both resilient and determined to reclaim their future from the terrorists and the militias who’ve been attempting to steal it. Over the past quarter century, Somalis have known immense suffering from violence, from criminals, from sectarian strife, from dire shortages of food, and from an inability to remain safely within their villages and their homes. In Kenya yesterday, I spoke through an internet link with refugees in Dadaab who had fled their homes for protection from the persecution and from the violence, from the war. I met Somalis who were 15, 18, 20 years old who had never lived anywhere except in a refugee camp; this in an era of unprecedented globalization and opportunity.

So I’m here today because Somalia is making progress in its mission to turn things around. Three years have passed since a new provisional constitution was adopted and a parliament was sworn in. With help from AMISOM, the UN mission here, the United Nations has contributed significantly to this progress. Somali forces have pushed al-Shabaab out of major population centers. A determined international effort has put virtually all of Somalia’s pirates out of business. New life has returned to the streets of Mogadishu, and fresh hope to the people of all the country. I want to acknowledge particularly the remarkable commitment and sacrifice of the nations and countries that make up a part of AMISOM, particularly Kenya, Burundi, Ethiopia, Uganda, Djibouti, and previously Sierra Leone. It is really a great statement about the leadership of African nations stepping up to deal with African problems.

The question now is how quickly and completely the next steps of governing will be taken. The Somali Government has put forward a blueprint for the country’s development as a unified and federal state. It is working with the new regional administration to enhance stability and sow the seeds of prosperity in every part of Somalia. That includes finding the right balance of authority and responsibility between the national, the regional, and the local levels. And we look forward to seeing progress soon on an integration process between the regional forces into the Somali National Army so that we can broaden our security assistance to those forces.

The government is also working towards finalizing and holding democratic elections in 2016. The president, the prime minister, and the regional leaders affirmed to me today that they are committed to making progress on these issues and ensuring that there is a broad consensus on exactly how the constitutional review and the elections are going to proceed. And in addition, he also committed to me today that the mandate will not be extended beyond 2016, that the government will keep the schedule of Vision 2016 and avoid delays, that they will appoint the members of the national independent electoral commission and the boundaries and federation commission by next week. He committed that they will work with parliament to pass the political parties law by next month, and committed to move forward with the integration of the National Army. So I am confident that the leaders came together today from the regions and the federal government to affirm solidly their determination to work cooperatively with the international community and to move the reform process of governance of Somalia forward.

We all have a stake in what happens here in Somalia. The world cannot afford to have places on the map that are essentially ungoverned. We learned in 2001 what happens when that is the case, and we have seen on a continued basis with splinter groups how they are determined to try to do injury to innocent people and to whole nations by operating out of ungoverned spaces. And so Somalia’s return to effective government is an historic opportunity for everybody to push back against extremism and to empower people in a whole country to be able to live the promise of their nation.

In recognition of the progress made and the promise to come, I’m pleased to announce that the United States will begin the process of establishing the premises for a diplomatic mission in Mogadishu. And while we do not yet have a fixed timeline for reopening the embassy, we are immediately beginning the process of upgrading our diplomatic representation. And I look forward, as does the President, to the day when both the United States and Somalia have full-fledged missions in each other’s capital city again. And I look forward as well to the time when we can say, and all the world will be able to see and to measure, that this country is fully united, combining regional strengths with national purpose, able to welcome its refugees home, and secure in a new Somalia that occupies an honored place on the regional and global stage for generations to come.

That is a job, in the end, that only Somalis can accomplish. But together with many other international partners, the United States is prepared to do what we can to help bring Somalia the peace and prosperity and security and the future that the people of Somalia want and that they deserve. Thank you.

MISCLASSIFICATION OF WORKERS, COMPLIANCE ARE PRIORITIES FOR LABOR'S WAGE AND HOUR DIVISION

FROM:  U.S. LABOR DEPARTMENT
Focusing on Compliance

Misclassification of construction workers as independent contractors and improving labor law compliance in government-funded construction are priorities for the Wage and Hour Division, Administrator Dr. David Weil told a Quality Construction Alliance national issues conference in Washington, D.C., on April 28. "I challenge you to be creative and to work with us to build innovative solutions to these issues," said Weil. "We are committed to combating violations, to protect workers and contractors alike. Doing the right thing must not cost law-abiding contractors opportunities when bidding against those skirting the law. That is the principal behind the president's executive order on fair pay and safe workplaces." The QCA is a coalition of specialty construction contracting groups formed to ensure that taxpayer money is respected and spent wisely.

SECRETARY KERRY'S REMARKS AT WREATH-LAYING CEREMONY IN NAIROBI, KENYA

 FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks at Wreath-Laying Ceremony
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
August 7 Memorial Park
Nairobi, Kenya
May 4, 2015

Rukia, thank you very, very much, not just for the welcome and my introduction and your words, but thank you for your amazing example, for your extraordinary courage, and thank you for still being part of this great family. We really appreciate it. Everybody here has such respect for your journey personally, and we’re grateful to you. Thank you.

Ambassador Godec, Mr. Kiragu, Ms. Selebwa, friends, members of the State Department and the embassy staff here, and those of you who were here on that terrible day in 1998 or who lost loved ones who were here, I am very, very honored to come to this beautiful Memorial Park and to visit with you in what is really hallowed space. And you have made it so welcoming and so restful and peaceful, which is what it should be.

17 years ago, this space was transformed in a single, terrible moment from a hub of commercial and diplomatic business into a site of sheer anguish and horror. Some of you were there, as I mentioned, and suffered severe harm or saw family members or colleagues die. It’s with deep respect and sadness that I lay a wreath dedicated to the many Kenyans and Americans who perished or were injured or who lost loved ones on that day.

Let me be clear: The terrorists who struck on August 7th, 1998 failed utterly in their purpose, which was to implant fear in the hearts of the Kenyan people and to divide America from the citizens of this country. They failed for the same reason that terrorists will always fail. Yes, they can reduce a building to rubble; and yes, they can even deprive innocent people of their lives. But they do not give anyone anything of what really makes life worthwhile: a sense of community, of looking out for one another, of creating something valuable and new, of living in dignity and honor. Without a doubt, those who delight in the suffering and death of others have actually already lost everything that makes life worth living for.

My friends, we know that the struggle in which we are all engaged now is not going to be over soon. Nearly two years ago at Westgate Mall, five weeks ago at Garissa University – the college – and at other times in smaller yet equally vile attacks, terrorists have brought more tragedy to families here in Kenya. So as Rukia said, words are not sufficient to express our sorrow, our outrage, or our wish that we could somehow reverse time and bring all of the victims back. But we do not have that power. We do, however, have the power to fight back, not only with our military and law enforcement, but also through something that may even be more powerful and that may make a bigger difference in the end, and that is our unity and the character of our ideals. Unlike some, we do not define ourselves in terms of hate. We are builders. We are teachers. We are dreamers. We are doers. And we can see proof that in Rukia Ali, who suffered and grieved with others, both American and Kenyan, who worked at the embassy in 1998; we can see it by giving and receiving strength from her colleagues – and look, she has continued to serve. That tells the whole story, marking this year the conclusion of 25 years of a career.

And we see proof of character in the example of Joash Okindo. You all know the story – I just learned it recently – of how this man stood at the doorway when the terrorists were trying to come in and pretended that he didn’t have his keys because he was frantically calling for help, but people didn’t know he was serious. But by keeping those terrorists from getting inside, they had to detonate their bomb outside the protective fence. And just imagine what would’ve happened if Joash had not kept his head and kept his cool. Make no mistake: There is more strength by far in the respect and solidarity that we feel towards one another than there could ever be in any terrorist attack.

So let us agree the only place for al-Qaida, al-Shabaab, Boko Haram, Daesh, and others like them is in the past. The future does not belong to them. The future belongs to the children who are laughing and playing right now in the streets of Nairobi, of New York, of Kano, of Dar es Salaam, of Mogadishu, of Garissa – children who have the right to grow up with joy in their hearts and the opportunity to build full lives of accomplishment and love, and to build families and a future. It is to them that we must dedicate our own efforts to apprehend and prosecute the guilty, secure borders, strengthen governance, invest in the health and well-being of all people, and unite across every boundary of race, nation, ethnicity, and creed to defeat terror and to enrich life.

That is our obligation, and all you have to do is read the words there: “May the innocent victims of this tragic event rest in the knowledge that it has strengthened our resolve to work for a world in which man is able to live alongside his brother in peace.” That’s our mission, and I’m proud to be here to work on it and to join in it with all of you. Thank you and God bless. Thank you. (Applause.)

TOM MALINOWSKI MAKES REMARKS ON THE 25 YEARS SINCE MONGOLIAN REVOLUTION

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor: Democracy and Free Speech: The Mongolian Experience at Twenty-Five Years
05/04/2015 12:22 PM EDT

Democracy and Free Speech: The Mongolian Experience at Twenty-Five Years

Remarks
Tom Malinowski
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
Freedom Online Conference
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
May 3, 2015

I’m delighted to be here with you to celebrate the 2015 World Press Freedom Day. Every year at this time we reflect on the state of press freedom around the world and honor the sacrifices made by journalists who have lost their lives or been threatened or imprisoned for doing their job, for discovering and telling the truth.

So, as we thank journalists for their work, we also call on governments to recognize the universal human right to free expression both online and offline.

A free press keeps people informed and holds government accountable, and the fact is that we can’t govern honestly without it. This is as true today as it has ever been in the past. Now, it’s true that much has changed in our global media environment. In many developed democracies, there are fewer daily newspapers. More and more people get their information from social media. But whenever I hear about a journalist who is attacked or threatened or censored somewhere in the world, it reminds me just how important journalism is – if it wasn’t important, as a means of giving power to ordinary citizens and curbing the power of governments, no one would go to the trouble of trying to restrain it. In this sense, the death of journalists on the job is proof that the death of journalism – something people in my country ocassionally talk about – is a myth.

It is also, of course, a call to action for all countries committed to human rights. At the State Department last week, we launched our annual Free the Press campaign, in which we highlight cases of individual reporters who have been wrongly imprisoned in countries around the world. One of them is Gao Yu, a 71-year-old Chinese journalist; she was arrested last year, coerced into making a televised confession, and sentenced to seven years in jail. In Syria, Mazen Darwish remains imprisoned by the Asad regime for trying to expose the regime’s brutal atrocities. In Vietnam, Ta Phong Tan continues to serve a 10-year sentence for unmasking government corruption. In Ethiopia, Reeyot Alemu, was arrested for writing an article critical of the Ethiopian government, and remains in prison under terrorism charges.

On Friday, we also invited three journalists who have been censored or detained in their own countries, Russia, Ethiopia and Vietnam, to come to the White House and interview President Obama—because we thought that the best reward you can give to a journalist isn’t praise, it’s an exclusive interview with the President of the United States. When governments go after journalists, this is how the U.S. responds.

We’ve included more details about these brave journalists on www.HumanRights.gov. And we tweeted about these cases using the hashtag #FreethePress. I encourage all of you to share their stories with your community, be that through retweeting, drafting articles or blogs, or if you must, revert to that old-fashioned mode of communication—simply tell your family and friends.

I know that many of you in this room experienced the transition from living in a political system in which freedom of expression was not protected to living in a system that guarantees your power to speak and write according to the dictates of your conscience. Arguably more than many of us in the United States and Europe, you know how important these freedoms are.

It’s been twenty-five years now since Mongolia held a remarkable, peaceful democratic revolution. In an era that saw so much violence and upheaval, Mongolia provided an example of a swift and nonviolent transition to a government that seeks to listen to its people in order to, as we often say in America, form a more perfect union. As the Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, I wish there were more “Mongolias” in the world.

Mongolia has not rested on this significant achievement either. It has used the last 25 years to enact reforms protecting human rights and expanding social and economic opportunities for its citizens. Though there is still much difficult work to be done, the government has been doing what governments are supposed to do: removing restrictions on people to let them live lives of their own choosing according to their abilities.

Mongolia has also been recognized as one of the countries leading East Asia to a more democratic and free future. It is an active participant in important multilateral institutions, including the Community of Democracies and the Freedom Online Coalition. It recently chaired the Security Forum of the OSCE, it has been a strong partner of NATO and contributes above and beyond its size to UN Peacekeeping efforts in order to promote peace and security worldwide. We are grateful for Mongolia’s participation in those organizations to promote respect for democracy and human rights in the region.

I’d like to share with you a quote from a speech by President Elbegdorj [pron: EL-beg-dorj] before the Community of Democracies in 2013: “Mongolia stands ready to share her democratic lessons, achievements and success. We stand open to discuss our mistakes, the ways to correct them and to be studied by others. We are ready for action and engagement. Look at us as a center of democracy education, a life model for challenges and opportunities of freedom.”

It is important for countries that believe in these issues and share these values to band together. And Mongolia’s voice is particularly resonant. You are a democracy wedged between two countries with troubling human rights records and a history of censorship and suppression. You are the first country in Asia to participate in the Freedom Online Coalition. You may be smaller than your neighbors to the north and south, but your willingness to lead on these issues, to stick out your neck, makes Mongolia distinctive in the region. It increases Mongolia’s voice in the world.

And this, by the way, is good for you, too. It’s good for Mongolia’s future. You are more likely to attract foreign investment if you have a reputation as a stable country that respects the rule of law. Russia may have resources, strength, a sizable market, but its democratic failings have been felt in a powerful way. A smaller country with similar problems of corruption and abuse of power is simply not going to be able to compete. Your comparative advantage is your reputation.

Now, many factors have played a role in the success of Mongolia’s democracy, but there’s no doubt in my mind that a free media has been front and center. You’ve also faced a question every young democracy must answer, when it suddenly finds itself with dozens of new publications and TV and radio channels operating with few rules or traditions to guide their actions: how do you protect media freedom while encouraging media responsibility? This is a hard question. I would just leave you with this advice: Every country has good journalism and bad journalism. Every country has truth and falsehood in its media. But the government should not be the one deciding the difference. And the answer to bad journalism is not to put journalists in prison, even if we think a particular story they’ve published is untrue. Because when governments have the power to do that, they tend to use it against journalists who criticize them – against journalists who are just doing their job. A far better answer is to encourage the media to adopt high standards of its own, and to police them through strong mechanisms of self-regulation.

In your 25th year of democracy, the United States is eager to help you think through these challenges and build on your achievements thus far. We thank you for your commitment to democratic freedoms and for your leadership. You’ve set a powerful example not just in Asia but around the world, and I am certainly not alone in recognizing the value of our partnership. I would like to echo Vice-President Biden’s comments when he visited your country in 2011, which still ring true. He said we are “very proud to be considered a ‘third neighbor.’ And, like any good neighbor should, we’ll continue to do our part to support Mongolia’s political and economic development.”

On our panel today, we have Ms. Narajargal (Director of Globe International, NGO devoted to press freedom), MP Temuujin (former Minister of Justice), MP Batchimeg (human rights activist), Mr. Galaid (Director, Confederation of Mongolian Journalists), and Mr. Jargalsaikhan (famous Mongolian political and economic journalist). Thank you for joining us today and sharing your expertise as we examine the relationship between democracy and free speech in Mongolia.

Now I’m going to turn the floor over to the excellent panel assembled here today to discuss some of these issues. Please join me in welcoming them.

FTC OBTAINS COURT ORDER HALTING MARKETING OF WEIGHT LOSS PRODUCTS BY SALES SLASH

FROM:  U.S. FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
FTC Halts Deceptive Marketing of Bogus Weight-Loss Products

Sale Slash Charged With Using “Fake News” Websites, False Weight-Loss Claims, Phony Celebrity Endorsements, and Spam Email to Sell Their Unproven Dietary Supplements

The Federal Trade Commission has obtained a court order temporarily halting a Glendale, California, operation  that allegedly used millions of illegal spam emails, along with false weight-loss claims and fake, unauthorized endorsements from celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, to market its unproven diet pills.

The court order halts the defendants’ illegal conduct, freezes their assets, and appoints a temporary receiver over the corporate defendants. The Commission ultimately is seeking to recover money from the defendants that would be used to provide refunds to consumers who bought the defendants’ diet pills.

The FTC’s complaint charges that the defendants behind Sale Slash violated the FTC Act and the CAN-SPAM Act.  According to the complaint, the defendants used affiliate marketers to send illegal spam emails and post banner ads online that led consumers to fake news sites designed to appear as if an independent consumer reporter, rather than a paid advertiser, had reviewed and endorsed the products. The complaint alleges that these fake news sites made false weight-loss claims and used phony celebrity endorsements to promote the defendants’ diet pills.

“Sale Slash is a fraud trifecta,” said Jessica Rich, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “The company made outlandish weight-loss claims for its diet pills using fake news sites, phony celebrity endorsements, and millions of unwanted spam emails.”

Since 2012, the defendants allegedly have marketed and sold a variety of products nationwide, including supposed weight-loss supplements such as Premium Green Coffee, Pure Garcinia Cambogia, Premium White Kidney Bean Extract, Pure Forskolin Extract, and Pure Caralluma Fimbriata Extract.

According to the complaint, the defendants’ affiliates used stolen email user accounts to blast the users’ contacts with spam containing brief messages like: “Breaking news…,” and “Hi! Oprah says it’s excellent,” followed by hyperlinks. Because the messages were sent to the “contacts” of hacked accounts, they appeared to be coming from a friend or family member instead of defendants’ affiliates. The spam often contained no information about how consumers could opt out of getting future emails. Sale Slash’s affiliate marketers also placed banner ads making claims like, “1 Tip for a tiny belly,” “Cut down on a bit of your belly every day following this 1 old weird tip,” and “Garcinia Cambogia Exposed – Miracle Diet or Scam?”

Sale Slash paid its affiliate marketers a commission whenever consumers clicked through from a fake news website to one of the defendants’ sites and bought their supplements, according to the complaint.

The defendants named in the case include: Sale Slash, LLC; Purists Choice, LLC; Artur Babayan, individually and as an owner and manager of the two companies; and Vahe Haroutounian, individually and doing business as Prisma Profits.