SEC CHARGES ACCOUNTING FIRMS WITH FAILURE TO PRODUCE AUDIT WORK PAPERS

FROM: U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C., Dec. 3, 2012 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today began administrative proceedings against the China affiliates of each of the Big Four accounting firms and another large U.S. accounting firm for refusing to produce audit work papers and other documents related to China-based companies under investigation by the SEC for potential accounting fraud against U.S. investors.

The SEC charged the following firms with violating the Securities Exchange Act and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which requires foreign public accounting firms to provide the SEC upon request with audit work papers involving any company trading on U.S. markets:
BDO China Dahua Co. Ltd
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Certified Public Accountants Ltd
Ernst & Young Hua Ming LLP
KPMG Huazhen (Special General Partnership)
PricewaterhouseCoopers Zhong Tian CPAs Limited
According to the SEC’s order instituting the proceedings, SEC investigators have been making efforts for the past several months to obtain documents from these firms. The audit materials are being sought as part of SEC investigations into potential wrongdoing by nine China-based companies whose securities are publicly traded in the U.S. The audit firms have refused to cooperate in the investigations.

"Only with access to work papers of foreign public accounting firms can the SEC test the quality of the underlying audits and protect investors from the dangers of accounting fraud," said Robert Khuzami, Director of the SEC’s Division of Enforcement. "Firms that conduct audits knowing they cannot comply with laws requiring access to these work papers face serious sanctions."

An administrative law judge will schedule a hearing and determine the appropriate remedial sanction against the firms. The order requires the administrative law judge to issue an initial decision no later than 300 days from the date of service of the order.

The SEC has launched an initiative to address concerns arising from reverse mergers and foreign issuers. Through the work of a Cross Border Working Group, the agency has deregistered the securities of nearly 50 companies and filed fraud cases against more than 40 foreign issuers and executives. The SEC’s Enforcement Division has taken a series of actions against China-based audit firms. Earlier this year, the SEC announced an enforcement action against Shanghai-based Deloitte Touche Tomatsu for refusing to produce documents for an SEC investigation into one of its China-based clients. That proceeding is ongoing. The SEC previously filed a subpoena enforcement action in federal court against the firm for failing to produce documents in response to a subpoena pertaining to its longtime client Longtop Financial Technologies Limited. In the separate administrative proceeding against Longtop, an administrative law judge found that Longtop was delinquent in its reporting obligations and ordered Longtop’s securities registration to be revoked.

"U.S. investors should be able to rely on the quality of audited financial statements," said Kara Brockmeyer, co-head of the SEC’s Cross Border Working Group. "Our Working Group’s actions demonstrate how the SEC is proactively identifying emerging risks to protect U.S. investors from accounting fraud."

This enforcement action was coordinated by the Cross Border Working Group and involved investigative teams in SEC offices in Washington D.C., Boston, New York, Fort Worth, and Los Angeles.

NEWS FROM ISS FOR DECEMBER 3, 2012

FROM:  NASA

 

U.S. ANNOUNCES $3.43 MILLION IN ASSISTANCE TO COMBAT ILLICIT FIREARMS IN CARIBBEAN REGION

Map:  Trinadad And Tobago.  Credit:  CIA World Factbook.

 FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

United States Launches Initiative to Combat Illicit Firearms Trafficking in Caribbean Region

Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
December 3, 2012　

The United States will announce a $3.43 million assistance program to combat illicit trafficking in firearms as part of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI). This announcement at the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) headquarters will occur on the margin of the Third Caribbean-United States Security Cooperation Dialogue in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago on December 4-5, 2012. IMPACS is an institution of CARICOM created to support member states' national security initiatives through regional cooperation and coordination within the context of a Regional Crime and Security Strategy. This initiative, funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Export Control and Related Border Security (EXBS) Program, will combat illicit firearms trafficking in the region through capacity building measures in collaboration with all members of CARICOM and the Dominican Republic.

The U.S. Department of State has partnered with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to spearhead this initiative comprised of the following agenda which will: 1.) provide two Regional Firearms Advisors in the Caribbean to render on-site assistance; 2.) establish a forensic training program; 3.) provide expert legal, regulatory and parliamentary assistance; and 4.) develop an exchange program that permits Caribbean law enforcement officials to work alongside ATF counterparts in the United States.

The U.S. Department of State has also provided $1 million to the United Nations Regional Center for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) to assist fourteen Caribbean States in the development of National Action Plans on Stockpile Management and Firearms Destruction, specialized training for law enforcement officials, and recommendations on legal reforms, and updates to national firearms acts.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Liliana Ayalde will participate in the ceremony on December 4. Other notable participants include CARICOM Council of Ministers for National Security and Law Enforcement (CONSLE) Chairman and Bahamian Minister of National Security Dr. Bernard Nottage, Interim Executive Director for CARICOM IMPACS Francis Forbes, and ATF Deputy Assistant Director John Torres.

FEMA PHOTOS: HURRICANE SANDY CLEANUP CONTINUES IN MARYLAND

FROM: U.S. FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
Crisfield, Md., Dec. 1, 2012 -- Alex Johnston uses a mini excavator to cleanup downed trees in Crisfield, Md. as cleanup continues after Hurricane Sandy came through the area. FEMA and county officials were assessing the effects from Hurricane Sandy in Crisfield, Md., and in the surrounding Somerset County. Frank Niemeir/FEMA

Crisfield, Md., Dec. 1, 2012 -- Neil Stevens clean debris from an apartment complex that had been flooded in Crisfield, Md., as cleanup continues after Hurricane Sandy came through the area. FEMA and county officials were assessing the effects from Hurricane Sandy in Crisfield, Md. and in the surrounding Somerset County. Frank Niemeir/FEMA

U.S. PRESIDENT OBAMA WARNS SYSRIA NOT TO USE WMDS

President Barack Obama thanks Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, center right, and former Sen. Sam Nunn of Georgia, center, for their work to help in denuclearizing countries after the fall of the Soviet Union at the National Defense University in Washington D.C., Dec. 3, 2012. Prior to the president's speech, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, left, presented Nunn and Lugar with the Defense Civilian Service Award, the highest award the Defense Department can give a civilian. DOD photo by Erin Kirk-Cuomo

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Obama Warns Syria Against Using Chemical, Biological Weapons
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3, 2012 - President Barack Obama today warned Syria's Bashar Assad regime that the use of chemical biological weapons would be "unacceptable."

Speaking to at the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction Symposium at the National Defense University here, Obama addressed concerns of the use of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons in Syria.

"Today, I want to make it absolutely clear to Assad and those under his command [that] the world is watching," he said. "The use of chemical weapons is, and would be, totally unacceptable. And if you make the tragic mistake of using these weapons, there where be consequences, and you will be held accountable."

The president said it has been critical to continue investing in threat reduction programs over the past four years of his administration.

"We simply cannot allow the 21st century to be darkened by the worst weapons of the 20th century," Obama said. "And even as we make some very tough fiscal choices, we're going to keep investing in these programs, because our national security depends on it."

The president noted even after the destruction of thousands of missiles, elimination of bombers and submarines and deactivation of warheads, much work remains to be done.

"There's still much too much material -- nuclear, chemical, biological -- being stored without enough protection," he said. "There are still terrorists and criminal gangs doing everything they can to get their hands on it."

If these criminals get these weapons, they will use them, potentially killing hundreds of thousands of innocent people and perhaps triggering a global crisis, the president said.

"[This is] why I continue to believe that nuclear terrorism remains one of the greatest threats to global security," he added. "[And] why working to prevent nuclear terrorism is going to remain one of my top national security priorities as long as I have the privilege of being president of the United States."

The president emphasized that the United States must sustain efforts across the government to strengthen threat reduction programs such as the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction Program, which he called "one of our most important national security programs."

"[This is] why we haven't just sustained programs like Nunn-Lugar over the past four years," Obama said. "We've worked with all of you to strengthen it, expanding it to some 80 nations, far beyond the old Soviet Union - moving ahead with the destruction of chemical weapons - partnering with others, countries from Africa to Asia and global health organizations to prevent the spread of deadly diseases and bioterrorism."

The work ahead will not be easy, Obama said. "It took decades and extraordinary sums of money to build those arsenals," he explained. "It's going to take decades and continued investments to dismantle them."

Obama also said while this painstaking work rarely makes headlines, it is "absolutely vital to our national security and to our global interests."

"Missile by missile, warhead by warhead, shell by shell, we're putting a bygone era behind us," he said. "Inspired by Sam Nunn and Dick Lugar, we're moving closer to the future we seek -- a future where these weapons never threaten our children again, [and] a future where we know the security and peace of a world without nuclear weapons."

The president also told the audience that the United States will continue to support the "legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people" by engaging with the opposition and providing them with humanitarian aid and by working for a transition to a Syria that's free of the Assad regime.

NASA VIDEO: MOON PHASE AND LIBRATION 2013

FROM: NASA

Moon Phase & Libration 2013: Additional Graphics
This visualization shows the phase and libration of the Moon throughout the year 2013, at hourly intervals. Each frame represents one hour. In addition, this version of the visualization shows additional relevant information, including the Moon's orbit position, subsolar and subearth points, distance from the Earth, and more.


 

Be Tobacco Free

Be Tobacco Free

AFRICOM COMMANDER WORRIES ABOUT COLLABORATGING EXTREMIST

Army General Carter F. Ham

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Collaborating Extremist Groups Worry Africom Commander

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Dec. 3, 2012 – Extremist groups collaborating in Africa pose a threat beyond the region that extends to Europe and the United States, U.S. Africa Command’s top military officer said here today.

Countering violent extremists is a growing challenge for Africom, Army Gen. Carter F. Ham told an audience at George Washington University.

The al-Qaida affiliated terror group al-Shabab is active in Somalia, though it is being dealt with, Ham said, and lawlessness in Libya is attracting another terror group, al-Qaida in the Islamic Mahgreb. That group continues to operate in northern Mali, which Ham calls a "haven" for terrorists.

In Nigeria, the militant group Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for a series of terrorist attacks in recent months. Ham emphasized that these groups and others signal the importance of Africa Command in countering extremists on the continent.

But although those individual organizations are "dangerous and important," Ham said, his biggest worry is a growing linkage and network of collaboration and synchronization among them. That, he added, "poses the greatest threat to regional stability more broadly across Africa, into Europe and the United States as well."

Africom stood up Oct. 1, 2008, and is the newest geographic command. Ham said the command’s mission is to advance the national security interests of the United States in Africa. "We think we do that best by strengthening the defense capabilities of African nations so they are increasingly capable of providing not only for their own security, but contributing to regional security and stability as well," he said.

Africa Command has taken direct action on the continent, as demonstrated last year by the U.S. effort in the skies over Libya to protect civilians there from forces loyal to Moammar Gadhafi. "But we think we are at our best when we are supporting and enabling African nations and African regional organizations to achieve their ends," the general added.

That African officials are best able to confront and surmount African challenges is a mantra for Africom, Ham said, noting that his command is best known on the continent for training African forces and providing enabling technologies.

The defense strategic guidance announced earlier this year gave pause to many on the continent, Ham acknowledged, because of its focus on the Asia-Pacific region. "There was, by my count, one mention of the word Africa" in the document, he said. But he noted the guidance includes more than the Asia-Pacific focus.

"The focus on the Pacific makes sense, but rather than focus on the geographic priorities, take a look at the mission sets that are outlined in the strategic defense guidance," he said. At the top of the list is countering extremist organizations. Next is maintaining global access, followed by building partner capacity. U.S. forces must be ready to contribute to humanitarian and disaster relief missions and to prevent and respond to mass atrocities, the general said.

"All these, sadly, are necessary in Africa," he added.

Remarks by Deputy Secretary Carter at the Cooperative Threat Reduction Symposium at National Defense University, Washington, D.C.

Remarks by Deputy Secretary Carter at the Cooperative Threat Reduction Symposium at National Defense University, Washington, D.C.

U.S. SECRETARY CLINTON AND CZECH REPUBLIC PRIME MINISTER SCHWARZENBERG REMARKS

A-10 Thunderbolt IIs from the 81st Fighter Squadron line up for takeoff in support of a close air support mission during Ramstein Rover 2012 at Namest Air Base, Czech Republic, Sept. 10, 2012. RARO 12 is a NATO partnership-building exercise involving more than 16 nations. Participating in exercises like RARO 12 ensures effective employment of airpower in support of alliance or coalition forces while mitigating risks to civilians in contingency operations. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Natasha Stannard)

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks With Czech Republic Prime Minister Karel Schwarzenberg
Remarks
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
Czernin Palace
Prague, Czech Republic
December 3, 2012

MODERATOR: (In Czech.)

FOREIGN MINISTER SCHWARZENBERG: (In Czech.)

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you, my friend. It is such a pleasure to be back in one of the most beautiful cities in the world and to meet with one of our strongest allies, partners, and friends on the continent.

As the minister said, our friendship dates back to the earliest days of the Czech Republic. It is based on a mutual respect and shared interests founded on three pillars – security cooperation; economic, civil-nuclear, science, and technology cooperation; and cooperation based on our shared values, particularly in the promotion of democracy and human rights around the world.

For many years, we thought primarily in a bilateral way about what we could do together with the Czech Republic. But our partnership has grown far beyond that, and today, we collaborate on global security issues, democratic transitions in the Middle East and North Africa, and so much else. So as the minister said, we covered a lot of issues today, and let me just touch on a few of the highlights.

First, our collaboration on security: In Afghanistan, hundreds of Czech troops stand with Americans and other allied nations to helped the Afghan people build a stable future for their country. We will work together to manage the drawdown on the end of combat operations in 2014 and then to support the Afghan National Security Forces beyond that, and we appreciate greatly the Czech Republic’s commitment to those.

We also are highly impressed by the new multinational training center for helicopter pilots that the Czech Republic is developing, one of the first projects in the smart defense program that NATO adopted earlier this year. And in NATO and beyond, the Czech Republic plays a key role in chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear response. And it is expanding that leadership, for example, with a conference on the challenges posed by Syria’s weapons stockpile that was recently hosted here in Prague.

In Syria, the Czech Republic serves as the United States protecting power, which is essential for our shared effort to help the Syrian people bring an end to their suffering and the beginning of a new democratic transition. More broadly, the Czech Republic has reached out to help countries that can benefit from the very valuable experiences of this country’s transition.

We also want to emphasize greater cooperation on energy. The United States has made energy a priority in our diplomacy. We began the U.S.-EU energy dialogue because this has a major impact on everything from security to climate change. Czech and American scientists are already collaborating extensively in this field, including our effort to develop the first joint civil-nuclear center that the United States will have with a NATO ally.

And as I conveyed to the minister, the Obama Administration strongly supports Westinghouse’s bid to help expand the Temelin Nuclear Power Plant. Given how long term and strategic this investment is, the Czech people deserve the best value, the most tested and trustworthy technology, an outstanding safety record, responsible and accountable management, and job opportunities for Czech companies and workers. Westinghouse offers all of these things.

The United States wants to continue to support investments that produce tangible benefits for Americans and Czechs alike. Temelin is a perfect example, but in fact, the United States is the largest non-European foreign direct investor in the republic, and we hope to make that even bigger. Also, our work together on civil-nuclear power will spur greater cooperation between our scientists and academics and businesses on basic research and innovation.

So again, let me express my appreciation to the minister for hosting us today and to the Czech Republic for being a steadfast ally and partner. The American people have a great deal of affection and respect for how far the Czech Republic has come in the past two decades. And we will continue to support continuing progress and prosperity and our shared values that are rooted in our common experience and history. Thank you very much, Minister.

FOREIGN MINISTER SCHWARZENBERG: Thank you.

MODERATOR: (In Czech.)

QUESTION: Madam Secretary, a question on civil-nuclear cooperation. What importance do you attach to the Westinghouse bid in the Czech Republic with regards to the energy independence and security of this country?

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, let me begin by saying that energy security and energy diversification are top issues for our foreign policies around the world. This is not just about Europe and it is certainly not just about the Czech Republic.

When it comes to civil-nuclear energy, the Czech Republic leads Central Europe both in terms of your commitment to nuclear safety and security here at home and your support for nonproliferation in the international nuclear framework. It was certainly no accident that President Obama came to Prague early in his first term to speak about the global nonproliferation agenda. And through our joint declaration on cooperation in research and development and a series of cooperative ventures that were announced last fall, we already have Americans working with their Czech counterparts to improve the efficiency of reactors and reprocessing of spent fuel, to share best practices among nuclear security experts, and we’re working to stand up a joint center for civil-nuclear cooperation in Prague.

So as I said in my opening remarks, we certainly discussed these issues. We are encouraging the Czech Republic to diversify its energy sources and suppliers in ways that are economically sustainable and environmentally sound, which is an important message for all of our European partners. And we are not shy about pressing the case for Westinghouse to expand the Temelin Nuclear Power Plant because we believe that company offers the best option for the project in terms of technology and safety. It would clearly enhance Czech energy security and further the nuclear cooperation between our two countries and it would create jobs and economic opportunity for Czechs and Americans. It will ensure that the new facility would be built to the highest international standards, using a model that has already been approved by the EU and the International Energy Agency regulators. So we clearly hope that Westinghouse will receive the utmost consideration as this process moves forward.

MODERATOR: (In Czech), New York Times.

QUESTION: Michael Gordon, New York Times. Madam Secretary, there have been reports in recent days of increased activity at Syria’s chemical weapon sites. What is the nature of this activity? Is there a basis for concern? And what would – President Obama has said that the use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime would cross a redline, but he hasn’t made entirely explicit what he would do about it. If the United States saw that Syria was preparing to use chemical weapons, would it intervene militarily to stop it? If it had begun to use chemical weapons, would it again use force to prevent it from continuing to attack its civilians?

And a question for the Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic: Your country has expertise in this area. In a post-Assad environment, if the Syrian leader was to be deposed, would your nation send its expertise and its units to Syria to help dismantle the chemical arsenal?

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, Michael, those are a lot of questions, but they’re important questions and ones that are very much in on the minds of our Administration and likeminded countries around the world, including the Czech Republic. Because as I alluded to earlier, the Czech Republic is widely viewed as having some of the most extensive expertise and experience with chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear matters. And they have already been consulting about what can be and should be done, both at this time and post the inevitable fall of the Assad regime.

We have made our views very clear. This is a redline for the United States. I’m not going to telegraph in any specifics what we would do in the event of credible evidence that the Assad regime has resorted to using chemical weapons against their own people. But suffice it to say, we are certainly planning to take action if that eventuality were to occur.

So we once again issue a very strong warning to the Assad regime that their behavior is reprehensible. Their actions against their own people have been tragic. But there is no doubt that there is a line between even the horrors that they have already inflicted on the Syrian people and moving to what would be an internationally condemned step of utilizing their chemical weapons.

So in talking to the Foreign Minister about this matter, we are certainly united in our warning and condemnation, and will stand with the international community in a united way should there be any evidence that the Assad regime has ignored international opinion on this important matter.

FOREIGN MINISTER SCHWARZENBERG: Just to answer your question, there are some of our people for the moment in Jordan cooperating with the neighboring Jordan forces, and evidently some American friends came here too training for event, we hope, won’t – never happen. Of course, the situation in Syria itself is rather chaotic and we can’t even exclude the case as it, by chance, one of the rebel groups would get hold of these arms. And that, of course, would be a danger as well. So this chaotic situation of a civil war is, with the existence of these kind of arms in the country, highly dangerous.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you.

MODERATOR: (In Czech.)

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you, my friend

US Navy Videos: THE USS ENTERPRISE REMEMBERED

US Navy Videos

U.S. OPPOSES ISRAEL'S SETTLEMENT ACTIVITY

Photo:  Jerusalem Viewed From The Mount Of Olives.  Credit:  CIA World Factbook.

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT

Recent Israeli Announcements on Settlements
Press Statement
Mark C. Toner
Deputy Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
December 3, 2012

The United States opposes all unilateral actions, including West Bank settlement activity and housing construction in East Jerusalem, as they complicate efforts to resume direct, bilateral negotiations, and risk prejudging the outcome of those negotiations. This includes building in the E-1 area as this area is particularly sensitive and construction there would be especially damaging to efforts to achieve a two-state solution.

We have made clear to the Israeli Government that such action is contrary to U.S. policy. The United States and the international community expect all parties to play a constructive role in efforts to achieve peace. We urge the parties to cease unilateral actions and take concrete steps to return to direct negotiations so all the issues can be discussed and the goal of two states living side by side in peace and security can be realized.

U.S. State Department Daily Press Briefing - December 3, 2012

Daily Press Briefing - December 3, 2012

NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR DECEMBER 3, 2012

Photo:  Afghanistan Drawdown.  Credit:  U.S. Army

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Combined Force Arrests Taliban Leader in Balkh Province

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3, 2012 - A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested the senior Taliban leader for eastern Chimtal district in Afghanistan's Balkh province today, military officials reported.

The leader planned and conducted numerous attacks, including improvised explosive device attacks, against Afghan and coalition forces, officials said. He also directly supported other senior Taliban leaders in the province.

In other Afghanistan operations today:

-- In the Shah Wali Kot district of Kandahar province, a combined force arrested a Taliban leader who organized attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and facilitated the movement of Taliban fighters, weapons and ammunition. The security force also detained a suspected insurgent and seized several weapons.

-- A combined force in Helmand province's Nad-e Ali district arrested a Taliban leader who controlled insurgents and facilitated the movement of weapons. He also was responsible for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. The security force also detained two suspected insurgents.

-- In Logar province's Pul-e Alam district, a combined force arrested a Haqqani network leader who controlled a group of insurgents and facilitated the acquisition and movement of weapons and ammunition.

In operations yesterday:

-- A combined force in Baghlan province's Pul-e Khumri district arrested a local Taliban leader who built and distributed IEDs and was responsible for transporting IED components to insurgents.

-- In Helmand province's Nad-e Ali district, a combined force arrested a Taliban leader who oversaw the emplacement of IEDs, conducted direct-fire attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and acquired and distributed IED materials to insurgents. The security force also detained a suspected insurgent.

-- A combined force in Logar province's Pul-e Alam district arrested a Haqqani network leader who led direct-fire attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and facilitated the transfer of weapons and ammunition to insurgents. The security force also detained two suspected insurgents.

-- In Khost province's Khost district, a combined force arrested a Taliban leader who planned and conducted indirect-fire attacks on Forward Operating Base Shan and directed IED attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

– A combined force in Ghazni province's Gelan district detained several suspected insurgents during a search for a Taliban leader who plans and coordinates attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and assists senior Taliban leaders in the province.

In Dec. 1 operations:

-- A local Taliban leader who planned and conducted IED attacks and helped senior Taliban leaders was arrested in the Sar-e Pul district of Sar-e Pul province.

-- An Afghan and coalition security force killed Taliban leader Juma Gul Akhund in Kandahar province's Panjwai district. Akhund oversaw IED operations in three Kandahar districts, and he organized the movement of weapons and IEDs throughout the province.

-- In Baghlan province's Pul-e Khumri district, a combined force killed local Taliban leader Hanif and another insurgent. Hanif oversaw the movement of suicide bombers throughout the province, directly aided more-senior Taliban leaders.

-- A combined security force in Helmand province's Washer district arrested a local Taliban leader who planned and coordinated attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He also stored and distributed weapons for insurgent fighters in the region. The security force also detained two suspected insurgents.

-- In Kandahar province's Panjwai district, a combined force arrested a local Taliban leader who carried out attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and oversaw the emplacement of IEDs. The security force also detained a suspected insurgent.

-- A combined force in Logar province's Pul-e Alam district arrested a Haqqani network facilitator who coordinated the movement of weapons and ammunition into the province and distributed them to insurgent fighters.

-- In Nangarhar province's Khugyani district, a combined force arrested two insurgents while searching for a Taliban facilitator. The security force also seized 500 pounds of narcotics, some Afghan army uniforms and several weapons.

-- A combined force in Paktia province's Lajah–Ahmad Khel district detained several suspected insurgents while searching for a Haqqani network leader who directs attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and is suspected of involvement in the kidnapping and execution of several Afghan soldiers.

In Nov. 30 operations:

-- In Sar-e Pul province's Sar-e Pul district, a combined force arrested two insurgents during a search for a Taliban leader who controls insurgents in Jowzjan and Sar-e Pul provinces and is responsible for attacking Afghan and coalition forces in both provinces.

-- A combined force killed Shukrullah, a senior Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leader, in Faryab province's Almar district. Shukrullah coordinated a Oct. 26 suicide-bomber attack that killed 41 Afghans, and he trained insurgents and provided IED components to IMU and Taliban fighters.

ALAN GROSS BEGINS FOURTH YEAR IN A CUBAN PRISON

Satellite image of Cuba (center) and Jamaica (lower right). The southern tip of Florida, the Florida Keys, and the Florida Strait appear at the top. The bright blue green color around the islands, particularly around those of the Bahamas in the upper right, is likely due to the brighter solar reflection over the more shallow waters that surround the islands. Image courtesy of NASA.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Alan Gross Begins Fourth Year of Unjust Imprisonment
Press Statement
Mark C. Toner
Deputy Spokesperson,
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
December 3, 2012
　

Tomorrow Alan Gross will begin his fourth year of unjustified imprisonment in Cuba. He was arrested on December 3, 2009 and later given a 15-year prison sentence by Cuban authorities for simply facilitating communications between Cuba’s Jewish community and the rest of the world.

Mr. Gross is a 63-year-old husband, father, and dedicated professional with a long history of providing assistance and support to underserved communities in more than 50 countries.

Since his arrest, Mr. Gross has lost more than 100 pounds and suffers from severe degenerative arthritis that affects his mobility, and other health problems. His family is anxious to evaluate whether he is receiving appropriate medical treatment, something that can best be determined by having a doctor of his own choosing examine him.

We continue to ask the Cuban Government to grant Alan Gross’s request to travel to the United States to visit his 90-year-old mother, Evelyn Gross, who is gravely ill. This is a humanitarian issue.

The Cuban government should release Alan Gross and return him to his family, where he belongs.

SECRETARY OF STATE CLINTON'S MEETING WITH STAFF AND FAMILIES OF U.S. EMBASSY IN PRAGUE

The Hradcany (Castle District) in Prague; its two most prominent features are St. Vitus Cathedral (upper right) and Prague Castle (the long white building, which is one of the largest castles in the world).

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT

Meeting With Staff and Families of the U.S. Embassy in Prague
Remarks
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
U.S. Embassy
Prague, Czech Republic
December 3, 2012


Oh, thank you all. It is wonderful to be back in Prague, one of my favorite cities, and to have a chance to not only say thank you to each and every one of you for the work you do every single day, but also Happy Holidays, so it’s an especially appropriate time. As you may recall, I was here with my husband about a year ago this time of year for President Havel’s memorial service, and it’s wonderful to be back.

I want to thank Ambassador Eisen for his leadership. And under it, you have really carried the torch forward, especially on our three pillars of security, economics, and shared values, which I know are kind of a mantra, a famous mantra here. I also want to thank your DCM Joe Pennington. You’ve kind of pioneered a new brand of diplomacy, rock star diplomacy, not just because of that Bruce Springsteen photo hanging in your office, but because of the rock stars you have here at this Embassy.

Many of you have been working very hard on the new civil-nuclear center. This will unlock new opportunities for research and trade and bring us even more closely allied with our Czech partners. We’re working together in Afghanistan. The Czech Republic is protecting our interests in Syria. We’re working to support the fight against corruption, promoting human rights both here and around the globe. And thank you for providing the first-rate services to all the Americans visiting the Czech Republic. This is not easy at any time, but particularly, I know managing an embassy that is made up of interconnected wings of a castle that is centuries old is even more challenging. But it is very much appreciated in Washington.

I also want to thank you for bringing your children here because they are beautiful and I love seeing them, but it’s also a reminder of why we do this work. And let me ask all of our Czech employees, our local staff, to raise your hands so that we can show you our appreciation. (Applause.) I often say ambassadors come and go, and certainly secretaries do as well, but our locally-employed staff provide the memory bank and the nerve center for every one of us, and we are very grateful.

And to all the Americans, thank you for your service, thank you for your commitment to this absolutely critical bilateral relationship. It was no accident that President Obama came here so soon in his first term to speak about our nonproliferation agenda, and that our partnership is one that we are deeply committed to and we hope will only continue to grow in strength and breadth.

What I want to do now is come down and thank you personally for your dedication and for all that you have accomplished, and to really express, on my behalf and behalf of the State Department and the Administration, our gratitude. Thank you all. (Applause.)

MAN AND COMPANY IN TROUBLE WITH CFTC FOR ALLEGED FRAUD IN COMMODITY AND STOCK FUTURES

Photo Credit:  U.S. Marshals Service.

FROM: COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION

CFTC Charges North Carolina Resident Michael Anthony Jenkins and his Company, Harbor Light Asset Management, LLC, with Solicitation Fraud, Misappropriation, and Embezzlement in Ponzi Scheme

Defendants charged with fraudulently soliciting and accepting at least $1.79 million from approximately 377 persons

In a related criminal action, Jenkins was indicted for securities fraud and is in custody awaiting trial

Washington, DC – The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) today announced the filing of a federal civil enforcement action in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, charging Michael Anthony Jenkins of Raleigh, N.C., and his company, Harbor Light Asset Management, LLC (HLAM), with operating a Ponzi scheme for the purpose of trading E-mini S&P 500 futures contracts (E-mini futures). From at least January 2011 through January 2012, the defendants fraudulently solicited at least $1.79 million from approximately 377 persons, primarily located in Raleigh, N.C., in connection with the scheme, according to the complaint.

The CFTC complaint also charges Jenkins, the owner and President of HLAM, with embezzlement and failure to register with the CFTC as a futures commission merchant. Furthermore, Jenkins allegedly misappropriated $748,827 of investors’ funds to trade gold and oil futures, stock index futures, and E-mini futures in his personal accounts. Jenkins also used misappropriated funds to pay for charges at department and discount stores and gasoline stations, and for cellular phone bills and airline tickets, according to the complaint.

The CFTC complaint, filed on November 20, 2012, alleges that HLAM’s Investment Agreement falsely represented to investors that their investment was solely for investing in E-mini futures and that investors’ funds would be immediately wired to a specific trading account. However, according to the complaint, most of investors’ funds were misappropriated by HLAM and Jenkins. To conceal and continue the fraud, Jenkins allegedly sent trading spreadsheets and statements to investors that falsely reported trades and profits earned and inflated the value of investments. The defendants’ fraudulent conduct resulted in a loss of approximately $1.3 million in investor funds, consisting of $1.16 million in misappropriated and embezzled funds and $140,000 in trading losses, according to the complaint.

In its continuing litigation, the CFTC seeks restitution, return by Jenkins and HLAM of all ill-gotten gains received, civil monetary penalties, trading and registration bans, and permanent injunctions against further violations of the Commodity Exchange Act, as charged.

In a related criminal action by the Securities Division of the North Carolina, Department of the Secretary of State, Jenkins was indicted on August 20, 2012 on three counts of securities fraud in The General Court of Justice, State of North Carolina, Wake County, and is in custody awaiting trial.

The CFTC appreciates the assistance of the Securities Division of the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State.

La più chiara prova ad oggi delle perdite di ghiaccio polari

La più chiara prova ad oggi delle perdite di ghiaccio polari

Una galaxia de purpurina

Una galaxia de purpurina

U.S. SENATOR CARL LEVIN ON EXTENDING THE "PRODUCTION TAX CREDIT" THAT BENEFITS ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Senator Carl Levin

FROM:  MICHIGAN'S WIND ENERGY INDUSTRY

Wind Production Tax Credit
Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., today entered the following statement in the Congressional Record, thanking Sen. Mark Udall of Colorado for his Senate floor speech on Michigan’s wind energy industry and the need to extend the Production Tax Credit that expires at the end of this year.

I want to thank Senator Udall for his work bringing attention to this important issue.

To me, this issue is simple: Alternative energy, including wind power, is not only a vital component of our environmental protection efforts, but to growing our economy and creating jobs for the middle class.

Michigan is the state that put the world on wheels. Through innovation and dedication, entrepreneurs, engineers and Michigan workers combined their efforts not just to revolutionize transportation, but to create an explosion of manufacturing employment that helped create and sustain the American middle class.

Today, a new generation of Michigan innovators is harnessing the power of wind, the promise of biofuels, the power of advanced batteries. Earlier this year, I visited a wind farm in Breckenridge, Michigan, that is a marvel of technology, as far removed from the farmstead windmills of days past as a jet fighter is from the Wright Brothers’ plane. That wind farm is a textbook example of how the advance of technology is helping Michigan’s economy, enabling us not just to recover from the setbacks of the past, but to lead us into a brighter economic future.

Wind power is an important part of that advance. It’s a rapidly growing sector of our state’s electrical generating system: Wind generating capacity more than doubled in 2011, and projects under construction or in the development pipeline could increase capacity 10-fold or more. The more power we generate from wind, the more affordable, clean energy is available to our state and nation.

Michigan also has an important role in building advanced wind generation equipment, not just for our state, but for the United States and the world. Roughly 40 Michigan facilities are engaged in this business, many of them businesses that have turned expertise developed in the automotive industry to this new and growing field. Already wind is responsible for hundreds of good manufacturing jobs, and the potential is nearly as limitless as the wind itself.

That’s why renewal of the Production Tax Credit is so important. The PTC has been an important factor in helping this new industry grow. If it is allowed to expire at the end of the year, it would not only hamper efforts to generate more clean energy for Michigan homes and businesses, but also dampen the potential for new manufacturing jobs tied to wind power. That’s not a good outcome for our environment, for Michigan families or for the American economy.

So again I thank Senator Udall for his focus on this issue. I hope as we work to address the many pressing issues we must resolve before the end of the year, we can resolve this one as well, and maintain the momentum of clean energy to help our environment and our economy.