PRESIDENT'S REMARKS WITH KING WILLEM-ALEXANDER OF THE NETHERLANDS

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE
June 01, 2015
Remarks by President Obama and King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands After Meeting
Oval Office
11:37 A.M. EDT

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Well, it is a great honor to welcome His and Her Majesties, Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima.  They have been wonderful friends to myself and Michelle and the girls, personally.  I want to thank once and again the people of the Netherlands for the incredible hospitality they had shown us in the past, including most recently during the Nuclear Security Summit that took place in Amsterdam and The Hague.

We have 400 years of history between our two countries.  In Europe, that doesn’t mean a lot, but in the United States that is as old as it gets.  And so the Dutch are some of our oldest and more precious allies.  That continues to this day.

We’ve had the opportunity to discuss the shared work that we do through NATO in making sure that the transatlantic relationship stays strong.  We discussed the continuing challenges in Ukraine and the importance of making sure that the Minsk agreement moves forward.  And I continue to make the solemn commitment to support the Dutch in the investigation of the Malaysia Airlines tragedy, and to make sure that not only is the truth brought forward, but there’s accountability for what took place.

We discussed our shared concerns in other parts of the world, including in the Middle East, where Dutch troops work alongside U.S. and other coalition members to help defeat ISIL and to stabilize Iraq.

We talked about the excellent work that the United States partnered with the Dutch when it comes to Ebola, and the work that still remains to be done around establishing the kind of health infrastructure that’s going to be so important to preventing diseases in the future.

I was particularly impressed with the outstanding work that Her Majesty the Queen is doing with the United Nations around inclusive financing.  One of the things that we know is that all around the world there is enormous human potential that so often is locked up because of the difficulty of accessing capital.  And the creative work that Her Majesty is doing in providing micro-loans and new mechanisms for credit, again, is making an enormous difference, particularly, I should add, when it is provided equally to women, who so often are even facing greater challenges in accessing capital.

And we discussed the ongoing work that we’ll be doing to build on the progress that’s been made over the last several years through the Nuclear Security Summit and the importance of non-proliferation.

So whether it’s in Afghanistan, whether it’s in public health issues, whether it’s in Europe and the need for us to maintain solidarity and uphold the principles that have been central to building a unified and peaceful Europe, the Netherlands has consistently been one of our greatest allies.  And I think for His Majesty the King and Queen to have gone to Arlington and to honor not only the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, but to meet some of that Greatest Generation who helped to liberate Europe and the Netherlands and to usher in this era of peace and prosperity is extraordinarily significant.

So many of our World War II veterans during the 70-year anniversary are at the twilight of their lives, and for them to hear directly from such important people how much of a difference they made and to get that recognition is truly significant.  So I’m grateful, Your Majesty, for that, and even more grateful for the continuing friendship that the Dutch people have shown the United States of America.

KING WILLEM-ALEXANDER:  Well, thank you very much, Mr. President, for your warm words of welcome here.  On behalf of my wife and myself, we’re very thankful to be back at the White House.  Great to see you again since last year at the Nuclear Security Summit.

First of all, I’d like to express my sympathy to the people in Texas and Oklahoma for their suffering in such severe weather conditions right now.  The floodings are terrible.  The victims and families are going through a rough time.  And if we can help as the Netherlands, of course we are willing to help.

Second of all, my heartfelt condolences for Vice President Biden for a second big tragedy in his life, now losing a son while he is serving as best he can as Vice President here in the United States.

The main reason for our visit obviously was to thank the United States for what you’d done for us 70 years ago. Especially the 82nd and 101 Airborne have played a major role in liberating our country, taking away the Nazi oppression and giving us back justice and rule of law and freedom.  And ever since that moment, we are grateful.  And as long as the Netherlands exist, we will be grateful for the United States for giving that to us.

This morning, at Arlington, the wreath-laying ceremony, we honored those people that gave their utmost, their life, for our country.  And speaking with the veterans and the Rosies was very impressive for us -- veterans that have liberated my country; the Rosies that took the place in the industry here and that kept this country running so that the men could fight on the other side of the ocean.  Very, very impressive, I must say.  And once again, USA, thank you very much for liberating us.

Those values that you stood for at the time and that were not available to us and we regained, we now stand shoulder by shoulder fighting ISIL -- “shoulder by shoulder,” meaning a small shoulder and a big shoulder.  But still, we stand next to each other and we have the same values we want to defend facing ISIL.

So having said that, the next part of our visit will be also looking back at the Dutch history.  First, Hudson of 1609, and then the first salutes to the American flag from the Island of Statia in November, 1776.  When the Andrew Doria sailed there, the Dutch saluted the flag.  And ever since, we’ve had a great bond with your country.  Four and a half million Americans are from Dutch descent.  You are the largest investor in our country; we are the third largest in your country.  So this is really worthwhile to continue our relationship, and that’s what we are working on these days.

We’re going off to Michigan, to Holland, Michigan, to Grand Rapids, to see a lot of these descendants, and we’re going to Chicago, where we hope to have a party -- your hometown, obviously.  But also the origin of House -- the House of Orange is hoping to see some good music there at Millennium Park and also look at some serious topics as healthy aging, urban farming, solar, and there a lot of things that we can learn from each other.

But once again, Mr. President, thank you very much for receiving my wife and myself here.  It is great to see you again.  All the best of luck for the United States.

END

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DHS AND USDA BREAK GROUND ON $1.25 BILLION BIOCONTAINMENT FACILITY

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
DHS and USDA Break Ground for National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility
Release Date: May 27, 2015
For Immediate Release
DHS Press Office

MANHATTAN, KS – Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack today broke ground to officially begin construction of the National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) main laboratory structure in Manhattan, Kansas.

"The NBAF laboratory will provide the nation with cutting edge, state-of-the-art, lab capabilities and help protect our food supply and the nation’s public health,” said Secretary Johnson.  “NBAF addresses a serious vulnerability. The economic impact of a bio agricultural threat – deliberate or natural – could have a substantial effect on the food supply of this Nation and have serious human health consequences.  We will soon be able to ensure availability of vaccines and other rapid response capabilities to curb an outbreak.  With the NBAF, our Nation will have the first Bio Level 4 lab facility of its kind – a state-of-the-art bio-containment facility for the study of foreign animal and emerging diseases.”

When completed and fully operational in 2022, the $1.25 billion NBAF will be a 570,000 sq.ft, biocontainment facility for the study of foreign animal and emerging zoonotic (transmitted from animals to humans) diseases that threaten animal agriculture and public health in the United States.

“This innovative new facility is capable of producing the research needed to protect our nation’s farmers, food supply, public health and the rural economy.  It has been a national priority for USDA, DHS, and our other partners as we work to replace aging facilities,” said U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

Secretaries Johnson and Vilsack were joined by DHS Under Secretary for Science and Technology Dr. Reginald Brothers, Kansas Governor Sam Brownback, Sens. Pat Roberts and Jerry Moran of Kansas, Reps. Tim Huelskamp, Kevin Yoder and Lynn Jenkins of Kansas, Mayor of Manhattan Karen McCulloh, and Kansas State University President Dr. Kirk Schulz. A unique partnership among DHS, the State of Kansas, and the City of Manhattan came together to construct this facility.

NBAF, located in the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor—the largest concentration of animal health companies in the world, will replace the Plum Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC) in New York, providing capabilities that exceed those of PIADC. Specifically, NBAF will boast a maximum biocontainment (ABSL-4) laboratory space. The first laboratory facility in the United States of its kind, this facility will allow researchers to study zoonotic diseases that affect livestock and other large animals. Underscoring the need for this research is the knowledge that approximately 75 percent of new and emerging infectious diseases over the last 30 years have been zoonotic diseases.

Similar to the work at PIADC, NBAF will be a strategic national asset, providing modern laboratory space for DHS and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to carry out their unique yet complementary missions. The key functions of the NBAF laboratory space will include basic research, sample receipt testing and diagnosis, veterinarian training, countermeasures and vaccine candidate development, and vaccine efficacy trials.

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NAVY ME WORKS TO IDENTIFY HUMAN REMAINS

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Medical Examiner Explains Identification Process
By Amaani Lyle
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii, May 29, 2015 – A glass-walled lab offers a brightly lit view of tables displaying hundreds of meticulously placed bone fragments and other human remains, aligned much like military formations.

The lab has a sterile, silent feel, yet the scientists and lab technicians studying and handling the remains don’t seem detached as much as they seem focused.

Navy Capt. (Dr.) Edward Reedy, the first medical examiner for the newly reorganized Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, said he and his team use multiple lines of evidence -- circumstances, forensic anthropology, odontology and more -- to effectively identify service members.

Their Reason for Working

“This is not just a job,” he said. “It’s not some place just to come to work for eight hours and then go home. This is literally their reason for working.”

The captain noted that lab technicians and scientists understand deeply the importance of providing answers to next of kin, if only through trace evidence, decades later. He likened walking into the lab to walking into a church.

“It’s sacred ground to people,” he said.

With World War II alone having left more than 73,000 unaccounted for, many of them in the Asia-Pacific region, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency seeks to further enhance DNA testing techniques at the largest forensic anthropology facility and one of the largest pool of anthropologists in the world.

“We take a tremendous amount of pride in the scientific product and the ability to return missing American service people to their loved ones,” Reedy said. “We will periodically go back into our evidence and see if there’s any other material that has previously been unable to be identified because of its small size to be resubmitted for DNA.”

This process, the captain said, helps scientists try to identify even especially small bone fragments.

Less is More Through Technology

In the early 1990s, scientists had a minimum sample submission requirement of about 3 to 5 grams, with each gram about the size of a raisin.

“We’ve reduced that requirement now to less than 1 gram,” Reedy said. “So now 0.8 grams is the minimum sample size required for DNA extraction.”

The recovery process time frame can be daunting. It ranges from as few as six to nine months to decades, depending on the quality of the remains, which can vary depending on climate changes and the soil type where they were found. “For example, in Southeast Asia, the soil there is extremely acidic and will degrade the bone to the point where very little DNA is able to be extracted,” Reedy said.

Some remains, however, come with built-in protective covering, Reedy explained.

“Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body, and it will literally survive decades,” Reedy said. The enamel protects the tooth material, which can significantly aid the identification process, he added.

It’s important to give a family answers about their missing relative, no matter how much time has passed, Reedy said.

Different Incarnations

Previously known as the Central Identification Laboratory, the facility has existed under several different incarnations since the end of World War II, but the science in earlier days was largely absent, Reedy explained.

“Back in the late ’40s and up until the early ’90s, there was no such thing as DNA technology,” he said. Scientists relied instead on anthropological techniques to identify recovered remains through race, stature or identifying marks or fractures, particularly on the bones, Reedy said.

But by about 1992, he added, advances in DNA technology occurred, allowing scientists to extract mitochondrial DNA from “ancient remains,” or skeletal material in which the decomposition process has already taken place.

Exponential Advances

“Mitochondrial DNA was the first technology method that was used to help in the identification process,” Reedy said.

Science overall has advanced exponentially, which has inherently yielded important partnerships with organizations such as the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, Reedy noted.

“AFDIL has really been a pioneer in advancing DNA technology -- not just for this laboratory, but the entire world,” the captain said.

While AFDIL scientists developed the extraction technique of DNA from bone, DPAA pushed for the evolution, Reedy said. “We were the driving force to make those advancements, to progress the science to the point where we could reliably identify individuals,” he added.

AFDIL developed demineralization protocol that completely removed all the calcium from submitted material, which releases the DNA in a sample during testing. “So not only is mitochondrial DNA released, but autosomal, nuclear DNA,” Reedy said.

Efforts Benefit Diplomacy

Reedy described DPAA’s worldwide, humanitarian mission as one that, in exchange for access to a country, can bring first-class medical care to a remote area, sometimes to villages that may have been deprived of treatment for years.

“It’s another extension of the Department of Defense’s mission to provide the best care to the world,” Reedy said. “That’s an advantage the country’s government can provide to their people.”

Reedy, also a forensic pathologist, said taking care of someone who is deceased is a task he values and treats reverentially.

“This mission really dovetails well into my training,” he said. “It’s very personal for me.”

SEC CHARGES TWO PENNY STOCK PROMOTERS WITH MANIPULATING TWO MICROCAP STOCKS

FROM:  U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged a pair of penny stock promoters in Canada with manipulating two microcap stocks to create the false appearance of market interest.

The SEC alleges that Mike Taxon and Itamar Cohen distributed promotional mailings of glossy “newsletters” with fake publication names like “Stock Trend Report” and “Global Investor Watch” in order to tout the stocks of purported gold and silver exploration company Raven Gold Corporation (RVNG) and natural gas production company Kentucky USA Energy (KYUS).  The newsletters misled investors with purportedly positive – but fake – price and volume trends for these stocks and other false information about the promoters’ identity, compensation, and control of the stock. In reality, most of the touted market activity was generated by Taxon, Cohen, and their associates who controlled large blocks of the companies’ stocks.  Earlier this week, the SEC charged attorney Adam Gottbetter for his role in the scheme involving Kentucky USA Energy stock.

In a parallel action, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey today announced criminal charges against Taxon and Cohen.

“Taxon and Cohen lured investors to these stocks by depicting the illusion of an active market and positive market trends,” said Andrew M. Calamari, Director of the SEC’s New York Regional Office.

The SEC’s complaint filed in federal court in New Jersey alleges that Taxon and Cohen violated Sections 5(a), 5(c) and 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, and violated and aided and abetted violations of Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5.

Taxon and Cohen agreed to partial settlements of the SEC’s charges, with monetary sanctions to be determined by the court at a later date.  They consented to the entry of a judgment enjoining them from future violations and barring them from participating in penny stock offerings.  The partial settlements are subject to court approval.

The SEC’s investigation has been conducted by Simona Suh of the Market Abuse Unit and Nancy A. Brown and Elzbieta Wraga of the New York office.  The case is being supervised by Amelia A. Cottrell and Michael J. Osnato Jr.  The SEC appreciates the assistance of the Newark Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

SECRETARY OF STATE KERRY'S STATEMENT ON BEAU BIDEN'S DEATH

FROM:  THE STATE DEPARTMENT
5/31/2015 09:47 AM EDT
Statement on the Passing of Beau Biden
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
May 31, 2015

Teresa and I are heartbroken for Hallie, Hunter, Ashley, Jill, and Joe, and particularly for Beau and Hallie’s two remarkable children, Hunter and Natalie. Beau’s loss is crushing for everyone lucky enough to have known him and the whole Biden family, because you can’t know them without feeling their overwhelming love for each other – for family.

For the Bidens, being there for each other was and is everything. Any real conversation with Joe was about family and how much he and Jill loved their children and grandchildren.

Life for them is family.

I’ll never forget what Joe Biden said to me about Beau while he was serving his country in Iraq. Beau had just turned down what some considered the opportunity of a lifetime, to be appointed to the Senate seat his Dad had held for almost 40 years.

"Beau is just so good," Joe said. "He's so good."

What an all-encompassing statement about how much Joe loved his eldest son and how much Beau loved his Dad.

Beau Biden was a son any father might hope to raise, and Joe Biden is the kind of father any boy would want. It made their relationship special. Beau also was special.

I got to know him just listening to Joe talk in the Senate cloakroom about his boys. Then I was fortunate to spend time with Beau when he first ran for Attorney General in 2006. He went off to war two years later. He didn't have to go. He didn't have to do any of it. But he was filled with a sense of honor, duty, and humility – to the core. He was a class act, period, ingrained with integrity, compassion, a sense of moral obligation to help others, and especially people who were hurting.

All that and more has long been ingrained in the Biden family, which has experienced pain before and come out stronger at the broken places, as Hemingway wrote so poignantly.

As we know, there are some things only God can explain. The tragic loss of the good, the young and the brave has haunted me for a long, long time now – and again today, with Beau's passing.

A few years ago, Joe, who, tragically, was already speaking from experience, described the period after losing a loved one as akin to "that black hole you feel in your chest, like you're being sucked back into it." But Joe has also said there comes a day "when the thought of your son or daughter, or your husband or wife, brings a smile to your lips before it brings a tear to your eyes."

As usual, Joe said it better than anyone else could. And while I know it may not come soon, Teresa and I wish that same peace for the Biden family, and all those who love them.

That's the solace we all rely on as we mourn Beau Biden and extend our profound shared sorrow to all the Biden family.

TEXAS ARMY NATIONAL GUARD AT WORK DURING FLOODS

FROM: U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 

Soldiers and local first responders rescue three people from a stalled vehicle stuck in water near Granbury, Texas, May 27, 2015. The soldiers are engineers assigned to the Texas Army National Guard's 111th Engineer Battalion. Texas National Guard photo by U.S. Army 1st Lt. Max Perez.

Texas Army National Guardsmen rehearse water rescues with first responders while waiting to assist with problems from flooding in the North Texas region, Texas, May 16, 2015. The guardsmen provided light medium tactical vehicles to emplace TXTF-1 inflatable boats in flood waters to simulate potential flood victim rescues in controlled conditions. The responders are assigned to Texas Task Force 1. Texas National Guard photo by U.S. Army Capt. Maria Mengrone - 

U.S. AND ALLIED NAVIES CONDUCT EXERCISES SOUTH OF KOREAN PENINSULA

FROM:  U.S. NAVY 

WATERS TO THE SOUTH OF THE KOREAN PENINSULA (May 25, 2015) The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Lassen (DDG 82), front, conducts a trilateral naval exercise with the Turkish navy frigate FTCD Gediz (F-495) and the Republic of Korea navy destroyers Seoae Ryu Seong-ryong (DDG 993) and Gang Gam-chan (DDH 979) in support of theater security operations. Lassen is on routine patrol in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Naval Air Crewman (Helicopter) 2nd Class Evan Kenny/Released)

150525-N-ZZ999-006
USS Lassen Conducts Multilateral Exercises with Allied Navies
Story Number: NNS150527-01Release Date: 5/27/2015 9:02:00 AM
From Commander, Naval Forces Korea Public Affairs

BUSAN, Republic of Korea (NNS) -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Lassen (DDG 82) and ships from the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) conducted separate one-day multilateral naval exercises with France and Turkey in the waters south of the Korean peninsula May 23 and 25.

The exercises, conducted with French frigate FS Aconit (F-713) May 23 and Turkish frigate TCG Gediz (F-495) May 25, were designed to increase maritime interoperability and strengthen long-standing partnerships with these participating United Nations Sending States.

France and Turkey are two of the 17 nations that have reaffirmed their national commitment as Sending States to the United Nations Command with a promise to return to Korea should the armistice agreement fail.

"It is an incredible experience to conduct high-speed tactical drills with the French, Turkish and ROK navies," said Lt. j.g. Gerie Palanca, the signals warfare officer aboard Lassen. "During both exercises, it was obvious that their ship handling skills were flawless and the communication was very professional. We always look forward to interacting with our partners."

The exercises took place in international waters around the Korean peninsula and consisted of tactical maneuvering drills, non-maneuvering voice drills and signal communication training.

"Through multilateral training, the participating navies can improve operational proficiency and integration," said Cmdr. Lee, Jong-Sik, of the Republic of Korea Fleet Headquarters in Busan. "By working with our allied partners, we help ensure the continued peace and stability throughout the region."

Lassen, one of seven destroyers assigned to Destroyer Squadron 15, is on patrol in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

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FORMER U.S. SENATE COMMITTEE STAFFER CHARGED WITH WIRE FRAUD

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Former Senate Staffer Charged with Wire Fraud

A former staff member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation was charged by indictment in the Eastern District of Virginia with defrauding at least three women of approximately $500,000, announced Assistant Attorney General Leslie Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Dana J. Boente of the Eastern District of Virginia.

The indictment charges Robert Lee Foster, 65, of De Pere, Wisconsin, with nine counts of wire fraud.

According to the indictment, from 2008 through May 2015, Foster devised a scheme to fraudulently obtain money and property from at least three women, whom Foster targeted because of their age, health, marital or family status, or other personal circumstances.  The indictment alleges that Foster used his affiliation with the U.S. Senate to gain the victims’ trust and confidence, and that he made various false and fraudulent representations to the victims, which prompted them to send Foster money, which funds he then used for his own personal benefit.

An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

This case was investigated by the FBI.  The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Kevin Driscoll and Peter Halpern of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamar Walker of the Eastern District of Virginia.

CDC REPORTS WORKER-FATALITY RATE IN OIL/GAS EXTRACTION INDUSTRY DECLINED DURING GROWTH PERIOD

FROM:  CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION
Occupational Fatalities During an Oil and Gas Boom — United States, 2003–2013

The worker-fatality rate in the oil and gas extraction industry significantly decreased during 2003-2013, a time of dramatic growth, despite an increase in the number of fatalities. A new NIOSH analysis found the oil and gas extraction industry experienced a 36% decrease in the worker fatality rate among workers from 2003-2013, despite a time of dramatic growth and an increase in the number of worker fatalities. NIOSH analyzed data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to describe trends in worker deaths in the U.S. oil and gas extraction industry. During 2003-2013, the workforce more than doubled and the number of drilling rigs increased by 71%. The worker fatality rate resulting from contact with objects and equipment experienced the greatest decrease while transportation incidents continue to be the leading cause of death. NIOSH recommends implementing effective safety measures that target the most frequent fatal events and enhancing surveillance activities in this industry.

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HHS WORKS WITH HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS TO REDUCE RISK OF HEART DISEASE AND STROKE

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
May 28, 2015

New Affordable Care Act payment model seeks to reduce cardiovascular disease
Speaking today at the White House Conference on Aging regional forum in Boston, Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell announced a unique opportunity for health care providers to decrease cardiovascular disease risk for tens of thousands of Medicare beneficiaries by assessing an individual patient’s risks for heart attack or stroke and working with them to reduce those risks.

Heart attacks and strokes are a leading cause of death and disability. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 610,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year – accounting for one in every four deaths and costing an estimated $315.4 billion annually. The Million Hearts® Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Risk Reduction model proposes an innovative way of lowering those risks. Currently, providers are paid to meet specific blood pressure, cholesterol or other targets for their patients as a group. In a new approach, the Million Hearts® model will use a data-driven, widely accepted predictive modelling approach to generate personalized risk scores and modification plans for patients.

“The Million Hearts initiative is a part of our efforts to promote better care and smarter practices in our health care system,” said Secretary Burwell. “It recognizes that giving doctors more one-on-one time with their patients to prevent illness leads to better outcomes, and that greater access to health information helps empower patients to be active participants in their care.”

Beginning today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is accepting applications for the Million Hearts® CVD Risk Reduction model.  Health care providers who participate in the model will work with Medicare beneficiaries to determine their individual risk for a heart attack or stroke in the next ten years (for example, 25 percent). Then, providers will work with patients to identify the best approach to reduce their individual risk —for example, stopping smoking, reducing blood pressure, or taking cholesterol-lowering drugs or aspirin—and show them the benefits of each approach.  Each patient will get a personalized risk modification plan that will target their specific risk factors. Providers will be paid for reducing the absolute risk for heart disease or stroke among their high-risk patients.

The Million Hearts® CVD Risk Reduction model will operate for five years and aims to enroll over 300,000 Medicare beneficiaries and 720 diverse practices, varying in size and patient case mix; and including providers in general/family practice, general internal medicine, geriatric medicine, multi-specialty care, or cardiovascular care.

Million Hearts® is a broad national initiative to prevent one million heart attacks and strokes by 2017. Million Hearts® brings together communities, health systems, nonprofit organizations, federal agencies, and private-sector partners from across the country to fight heart disease and stroke.

SCIENCE/MATH HAVE LIMITS PREDICTING NATURAL DISASTERS LIKE EARTHQUAKES

FROM:  NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Earthquakes expose limits of scientific predictions

But math and science are refining ways to predict, limit impact of disasters
In 2012, six Italian seismologists were sent to prison because they failed to predict the 2009 L'Aquila 6.3 magnitude earthquake.

To some that may seem absurd but it points to the faith so many have come to place in science's ability to predict and prevent tragedies. Experts had for decades predicted that Nepal would experience a massive earthquake, but were unable to provide a more precise warning about the recent 7.8-magnitude quake that devastated the country. The Italian seismologists had similarly predicted earthquake probabilities but could not give an exact date.

Science and mathematics have not reached a point where they can forecast with certainty the exact time and specific severity of these cataclysmic events--and may never do so.

"The best we can do is make an assessment of there being a heightened risk in a certain geographic area over a certain window of time," said William Newman, a theoretical physicist at the University of California, Los Angeles, who has received funding from the National Sceince Foundation (NSF) for his work aimed at improving natural hazard predictions. "We can determine a sense of what is likely to occur, but we will never know exactly."

Newman has spent much of his 35-year career working in computational and applied mathematics but also has employed mathematics in applications to probe natural disaster issues such as earthquakes and climate change.

These days, mathematicians seem to be able to model almost anything, but, as Newman points out, the devil is not only in the details but in creating models that can be used for accurate prediction. In the case of tectonic plates, the randomness of their interaction limits the certainty of predictions, and those predictions become less certain as time passes. In much the same way that a weather forecaster can be more certain about predicting tomorrow's weather than next month's, Newman believes earthquake prediction accuracy has the potential to fall off.

"For mathematicians, three aspects come to mind," Newman said. "We like to think of the equations being well posed, well defined, and that we can run with them. In [Edward] Lorenz's case (whose model of turbulence celebrated its 50th anniversary recently), his equations about atmospheric behavior were, by and large, eminently reasonable. He supersimplified and saw that if he perturbed the initial conditions, after a certain amount of time, he could predict nothing."

Yes, you read that right: nothing.

The problem for mathematicians is that forecasting accuracy can only weaken as more variables cloud the equations and models they build. In the case of earthquakes, Newman says the prospects for good predictions are even more dismal than for atmospheric ones. Chaotic dynamics and complexity prevail.

In Los Angeles, where Newman lives, mathematicians and geophysicists have worked together and determined that sometime in the next 30 years, the area is likely to see a substantial earthquake due to its proximity to the San Andreas Fault. And as each year passes, the risk increases in this window of time. The mathematicians can only put so many pre-determined variables into their equations, including the patterns of tectonic plate changes and the environmental conditions that coincide with earthquake occurrences.

"We have to go into this realizing there are bounds," Newman said. "We are looking at complex systems that can produce patterns we just don't understand."

Additionally, while the news focuses on an earthquake and its aftershocks, there are also "foreshocks." But recognizing a a foreshock is impossible without seeing the seismic event that follows. So trying to formulate day-to-day seismologic predictions after any earthquake event can also be confounding.

Why even try to predict earthquakes?

One could easily draw the conclusion at this point that we walk away from the issue, shaking our heads. But mathematicians, computer scientists, physicists, geologists, engineers, and social scientists working together on this issue do provide value, each adding something that could improve the scientific community's understanding of this obviously complex issue.

As instruments become increasingly refined and data proliferate around the world, scientists also gain a better understanding of the consequences of earthquakes.

"It is true that scientists know very little about earthquake predictions," said Junping Wang, program director in NSF's mathematics division. "But this is exactly why we need to support earthquake research. Researching is the only way we can ever hope to build models that help to improve earthquake prediction and build a resilient society."

As they conduct more research in seismology, scientists are able to gain more and better knowledge that can benefit local policymakers looking to enhance preparedness and emergency response to earthquakes and cascading disasters.

"There are still plenty of opportunities where scientific and mathematical research can improve our knowledge," Wang said. "Understanding why an earthquake happened and how it happened helps us build better models, even if they can't tell us a specific date and time. With increased knowledge comes better preparedness."

Earthquake advice from a mathematician

"We can only tell people that there is a certain risk in a certain window of time," Newman said. "Then it's a matter of preparedness."

He cites the example of the Northridge earthquake that rocked the UCLA Mathematical Sciences Building in 1994. Architects designed expansion joints in different sections of the building because they knew that, at some point, it would have to cope with the trauma of earthquakes. In that case, some of the offices went through an "unexpected expansion," but Newman notes that ultimately the repairs were "essentially cosmetic."

Newman, who carries the distinction of being a member of UCLA's mathematics, physics and geology departments, routinely takes students to the San Andreas Fault--and specifically Vazquez Rocks, a set of formations exposed by seismic activity--for their research. He emphasizes that to prevent the fallout of earthquakes like the recent one in Nepal, policymaking that establishes building codes and individual preparedness are essential.

"If you live here, you have to earthquake-proof your home and your business. You need to be able to take care of yourself," he said. "And then when an earthquake does occur, hopefully, it will just be an inconvenience."

-- Ivy F. Kupec,
Investigators
William Newman
Vladimir Keilis-Borok
Related Institutions/Organizations
University of California-Los Angeles

U.S. OFFICIAL'S REMARKS AT HELMETS FOR KIDS EVENT IN HANOI, VIETNAM

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks at Helmets For Kids Ceremony
Remarks
Charles H. Rivkin
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs
20 October Kindergarten
Hanoi, Vietnam
May 27, 2015

Thank you for that introduction.

I am thrilled to be here with you today on my first visit to Vietnam. I would like to recognize the honorable ministers of the Government of Vietnam, members of the press, members of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hanoi, and the leadership and staff members of the Asia Injury Prevention – or AIP – Foundation.

Let me also extend greetings to the children and teachers from the 20 October kindergarten. When Secretary Kerry joined with former President Clinton to help launch AIP Foundation’s Helmets for Kids program 15 years ago, he visited this school.

He was a Senator then, and I was a businessman in California. Things have changed. He is now the Secretary of State (and my boss!). It is an honor to serve him, and to convey the abiding good wishes of our government, as we celebrate 20 years of extraordinary economic and diplomatic progress between our two countries.

What better way to kick off that celebration than showing how our two governments and businesses can work together to build our people-to-people ties and grow our shared prosperity?

If I may, I would like to relive a very decisive moment that occurred in the lives of three Vietnamese children, all living in different parts of the country: a boy named Hung; another boy named Trung, and a girl named Yen.

At this decisive moment, they did what approximately seven million other young schoolchildren do every day: they hopped on to the back of a motorbike, and draped their tiny hands around the back of a parent or loved one.

What they didn’t realize was – statistically – they were sitting in the most dangerous place a child could be. Every year, more people between the ages of 15 and 29 die on the road than from any other cause. It’s the second highest reason for a child’s death between 5 and 14.

About 22,000 Vietnamese of all ages die in road traffic crashes every single year, according to the World Health Organization. And more than 433,000 Vietnamese are injured.

On that particular day, Hung, Trung and Yen – three Vietnamese children who didn’t know each other – were hit by careless drivers on other motorbikes. All three would almost certainly have died if they weren’t wearing protective helmets.

Those helmets – made by Protec, an American non-profit social enterprise – were part of a program of public awareness that the AIP Foundation has created and maintained in Vietnam for the past 15 years. That program includes targeted education programs, public awareness campaigns, as well as global and legislative advocacy.

Today, I’m here to help launch a public-private partnership between the AIP Foundation and the Department of State that will build on the AIP Foundation’s example, through road safety training and many more child helmets.

This initiative highlights our recognition that our American companies have an ethical responsibility and, frankly, a profitable incentive, to support better lives for the communities where we do business.

American companies working in Vietnam will be helping to distribute up to 25,000 child helmets. Each helmet will carry the U.S. company name as well as a logo commemorating the 20th anniversary between our two countries. And they will be distributed at kindergartens and primary schools in 15 provinces throughout Vietnam.

Right now, most adults in Vietnam wear helmets, but only 38 percent of children in the cities do. Many parents believe – mistakenly – that helmets hurt children’s spines.

But as AIP Foundation President Greig Craft will tell you, it’s urban legend. It’s simply not true. The Vietnamese people deserve better information – and their children deserve better protection. By encouraging more child helmets and providing communities with education on road safety, we believe we can help turn those numbers around.

The late Nelson Mandela once said: “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.”

As we commemorate 20 years of diplomatic and economic engagement, and hope for many years more, we believe we must look to the future’s most precious and growing asset: our children.

Helmets for Kids is one way that we can help do that, by addressing a problem that is damaging in many ways.

Each death on the road does more than steal children from their families and communities in personal ways. It also takes its toll on the economy. In 2010, Vietnam lost more than $3 billion due to traffic crashes – that’s more than ten times what the country receives in development assistance.

There is also the incalculable cost of a young life interrupted. Each of these children could have grown up to be a productive member of their communities and the economy at large.

By ushering in a growing generation of safer road users, we can give every Vietnamese boy and every Vietnamese girl the best chance possible to participate in their country’s future.

That, in turn, will help to grow our mutual prosperity and extend our ties so that we will see many more commemorative celebrations like the one we celebrate this year.

Thank you.

SAMANTHA POWER'S REMARKS ON FREEDOM OF THE PRESS AND PROTECTION OF JOURNALISTS

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks at a UN Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Journalists in Conflict Situations
Samantha Power
U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations
New York, NY
May 27, 2015
AS DELIVERED

Thank you, Foreign Minister Linkevicius, for chairing this session and for Lithuania’s consistent effort to integrate the issue of press freedom – and threats to it – across the work we do at the Council. I also want to thank our guest briefers, Mr. Deloire and Ms. Pearl, for your powerful words today, and for the tremendous work that you are doing to advance this most critical cause. Ms. Pearl, you have been a tremendous force for good in the world. As a mother and a former journalist I’m in awe of your strength. And a special thanks to your son Adam for being here today. You’re the best reminder – he’s paying attention – you’re the best reminder we have for why we need to do more to protect journalists, so thank you for being here.

Nearly two years ago, in July 2013, when the Council last met to discuss the issue of protection of journalists, the United States raised the case of Mazen Darwish, the head of the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression. Darwish had been held incommunicado since February 2012, when he was detained by regime officials along with several colleagues. Today, he remains behind bars along with two fellow staff members, Hani Al-Zantani and Hussein Ghrer. On May 13th, earlier this month, their trial was suspended for the 24th time – little surprise given that their only “crime” was to report the truth about the Assad regime’s atrocities. Since the beginning of this month, the whereabouts of the three men have been unknown.

Mazen’s brave wife, Yara Badr, who has lead the Center since his arrest and campaigned all around the globe for his release, is here with us in the chamber today. Thank you, Yara, for all that you’re doing.

Darwish’s case exemplifies the first of three challenges I want to highlight today with respect to the protection of journalists: How does the international community protect journalists from parties that deliberately target them? In the four-plus years since the Syrian conflict began, more than 80 journalists have been killed, and at least 90 more abducted, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, CPJ. Countless more have been threatened, attacked, wounded, barrel-bombed or disappeared.

They have been targeted by both the Assad regime and violent extremist groups like ISIL, whose grotesque executions of journalists – alongside humanitarian aid workers, foreign soldiers, and people of different religions or political beliefs – seem aimed both at using their victims’ suffering as a recruiting tool, and at dissuading other journalists from covering the conflict. Unfortunately, their tactics seem to be working, as the videos of their executions are widely disseminated on social media, while both international and national coverage of the Syrian conflict itself has declined dramatically.

What the Assad regime, ISIL, and other State and non-State actors like them that target journalists have in common is that they do not want people to see them for what they really are – whether that is a regime willing to torture, bomb, gas, and starve its people in order to hold onto power, or a group masquerading as religious that routinely desecrates the basic dignity of human beings. That is why the Mazen Darwishes, James Foleys and Daniel Pearls of the world are so dangerous to these groups and governments. Their reporting strips away the façade and shows us what lies beneath.

This brings me to the second challenge: How do we protect journalists and, more broadly, press freedoms, in situations in which violence is escalating and there is a risk of mass atrocities? This is important, as we know that a robust press can play a key role in helping prevent crises from metastasizing into full-blown conflicts and mitigating the conditions in which grave human rights violations tend to occur.

We are seeing this right now in Burundi. After the ruling party’s announcement of the candidacy of President Nkurunziza for what would be his third term, despite the explicit two-term limit set by the Arusha Agreement, there were large public protests. The government responded by shuttering the country’s most important media outlets.

Not long after members of the military attempted to oust the Nkurunziza government, the offices and equipment of at least four independent radio stations – which have generally been critical of the Nkurunziza government – were attacked and their equipment destroyed.

Since the unlawful attempt to seize power was quashed, several independent journalists report being told that they are on a list of people to be arrested, and many more reportedly have been threatened with death, torture, and disappearance, leading them to go into hiding. One Burundian journalist said in an interview, “no journalists feel safe enough to look for information.” That is right now, in Burundi.

Even in countries that are not experiencing conflicts or at imminent risk of sliding into unrest, the erosion of press freedoms is often a harbinger of the rolling back of human rights that are critical to healthy democracies. This is the third challenge I’d like to raise: How do we – and by we I mean the UN, bodies such as the Security Council, and our individual Member States – push back against the erosion of press freedoms by governments intent on silencing critical voices and other key outlets of free expression?

Look to any region, and you will see alarming warning signs of how the crackdown on press freedom is coupled with a broader crackdown on civil and political rights. Take Ethiopia, where nine journalists, six of them bloggers from the collective Zone 9, which covers political and social news, have been imprisoned since April 2014 under Ethiopia’s Anti-Terrorism Proclamation. After 20 administrative hearings, their trial finally began on March 30th. If convicted under the Proclamation, they could face up to more than a dozen years in prison.

Take Azerbaijan, where Khadija Ismayilova, a contributor to Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty’s Azerbaijani Service, remains incarcerated on charges widely viewed as politically motivated. Ismayilova is known for her reporting on corruption.

After arresting her in December 2014 on charges of inciting a man to commit suicide, authorities raided RFE/RL’s Baku office, interrogated its staff, confiscated reporting notes, and sealed the newsroom. New charges have been added to Ismayilova’s case as she awaits her trial, including embezzlement, illegal business, and abuse of power.

It is worth noting that all around the world, for every individual or group targeted through prosecution, attacks and threats, there are countless more impacted – people who, seeing the risks, either begin to self-censor, go into hiding, or flee the countries that so desperately need their independent voices.

Given the critical importance of press freedoms in advancing so many of the goals of this Council, let me make four recommendations in closing as to how we can meet these challenges.

First, we must condemn the governments and non-State actors that attack journalists, as well as the overly restrictive laws and regulations that undermine their freedom. It is much easier to prevent these spaces from closing than it is to fight to reopen them.

Second, we must give the journalists the tools they need to protect themselves, particularly working in conflict zones and repressive societies. The $100 million that the United States has invested in training more than 10,000 at-risk journalists and human rights defenders in digital safety, and in providing them with anti-censorship tools, is one example. Another is the training provided by civil society groups such as the Institute for War and Peace Reporting, whose director in Iraq, Ammar al-Shahbander, was killed by a car bomb on May 2nd – a devastating loss for his family, the community of journalists he mentored, and his nation.

Third, we can be sure that the people who attack journalists are actually held accountable for their crimes. The failure to effectively investigate and prosecute these crimes sends a clear message to perpetrators that they can continue to commit these crimes without any consequences.

Fourth, and finally, we can help create programs to protect journalists operating in conflict zones, particularly those targeted for their work. Colombia shows how this can be done. The National Protection Unit established by the government in 2011 is empowered to protect nineteen vulnerable groups, including journalists and human rights defenders. As of last year, more than 80 journalists – this is extraordinary – were receiving protection measures ranging from cell phones and transport subsidies to bodyguards and armored cars. The program has an annual budget of $160 million, which speaks to Colombia’s commitment to protecting these individuals, and the country’s recognition of the crucial role that these groups play.

One of the journalists who has received protection is Jineth Bedoya Lima. In 2000, when Bedoya was 26 years old, she was heading into one of the country’s most dangerous prisons to report on paramilitary groups when she was abducted, drugged, and driven to a hideout, where she was raped and beaten by three men. As they were abusing her, one of her captors told her, “We are sending a message to the press in Colombia.” Later, they left Bedoya, bound, by a trash dump. She fled the country soon after.

Today, Bedoya is back in Colombia, reporting stories with the protection of bodyguards from Colombia’s unit. She still feels fear, but she perseveres, driven by a commitment to tell the stories that otherwise would go untold. And that includes her own. In speaking out about her own experience, Bedoya has helped make the serious – and seriously underreported – problem of sexual assault in Colombia’s long-running conflict more visible. And she has become a leading advocate of accountability, even as several of her own attackers continue to roam free. Bedoya also led a country-wide campaign to establish a National Day for the Dignity of Women Victims of Sexual Violence, which, last year, Colombia’s President Juan Manuel Santos, agreed to establish. Colombia just honored the day for the first time two days ago, on Monday, May 25th.

There are few greater living testaments to the value of protecting journalists than Bedoya’s story. We must not allow voices like hers to be silenced. Thank you.

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