November 1-15 Stories

 

Syracuse Research Corp Wins Sensor Beam Support Contract
Syracuse Research Corporation in Syracuse, N.Y., is being awarded a $23,000,000 cost-plus award-fee contract to provide for engineering services in support of Sensor Beam Program. The work is expected to be complete by November 2007.
     TRW, Redondo Beach, Calif., is being awarded a $15,874,677 cost-plus award-fee contract modification to perform services for the US Dept.of Defense.

US HHS Creation of Medical Reserve Corps Units
To help local communities in several states prepare and respond in the event of a public health emergency US HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson announced 42 grants for new volunteer medical response teams.. The money will assist community-based organizations to begin building local Medical Reserve Corps (MRC).
     The local MRC units are comprised of local citizens, volunteers who are trained to respond to health crises. The volunteers’ responsibilities will include emergency response, logistical planning, records keeping, assisting in public health and awareness campaigns and public communications. (Full Story)

US Soldier Declared Dead
Sgt. Ryan D. Foraker, 31, of Logan, Ohio, who had been reported missing from his unit at Camp Delta in Guantanamo, Cuba on September 24th was declared dead by the US DoD on November 1st..
     Ryan Foraker was in charge of transporting and guarding suspected terrorists with links to al-Qaeda. He had been with the 342nd Military Police Company, U.S. Army Reserve in Columbus, Ohio. (Full Story)

USS Constellation Sets Sail to Join Enduring Freedom
The USS Constellation and its battle group left San Diego, California at 9 a.m Saturday for six-month Persian Gulf deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The battle group also includes the USS Valley Forge, USS Bunker Hill, two destroyers and a frigate, the USS Thach.
     One sailor said that it’s not easy to leave my family and friends but ‘it’s the right thing to do, and we’re ready.’ The deployment comes as British and US forces prepare for a possible war against Iraq. "Okay, Let’s Roll" was on a banner flying on the USS Constellation to honor Todd Beamer, one of the civilian heroes in the war on terror who died while stopping 9-11 flight 93 from hitting the White House. (Full Story)

Israeli Survivor of Terrorist Siege in Moscow Theatre
Valerya Lisiansky, was the only Israeli among the hundreds held hostage for three days by Chechen terrorists in the Moscow theatre. Since her rescue by Russian special forces, she described how her concern for her safety brought cooperation between her family, the media and the Foreign Ministry as they were quiet about her presence in the theater during the entire ordeal. According to Lisiansky, no one checked her identity. She was afraid, like all the other hostages, of the terrorists, who threatened not to let anyone leave the theater until Chechnya was liberated. "We didn’t get food. We got water and went to the toilet, but it wasn’t really a toilet. It was a stairwell," she said. (Full Story)

Earth Trembles Across the Globe
Islamabad – A volcano has erupted in Pakistan’s northern region after an earthquake hit the area early Saturday morning. Smoke could be seen coming from mountains while explosions were being heard.
     Earlier a 5.6 earthquake jolted northern areas at midnight between Friday and Saturday. There was no immediate report of casualties from any part of the northern areas.
     Italy is still experiencing aftershocks and large quakes have hit Indonesia and Japan in the past few days. A magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck in central Alaska on Sunday, November 3 about 75 miles from Fairbanks–one of Alaska’s most populated cities. The quake was so strong that it was felt in Washington State. The Alaska oil pipeline was shut down to repair damage to the pipeline’s support structures. Repair crews have been working around the clock to reduce stress on the pipeline.

Taliban, al Qaeda Fire on Special Forces Troops
Armed enemy Afghans fired on Special Forces soldiers in two instances, Nov. 7, DoD officials said.
     In one incident near the village of Khowst, eight Taliban and al Qaeda sympathizers fired on Special Forces soldiers operating three kilometers from their forward base. The team returned fire on the Afghans who were armed with AK- 47s and light machine guns. (Full Story)

Rocket Attacks Launched on U.S. Bases in Afghanistan
Opposition groups launched two hit-and-run rocket attacks against U.S. forward operating bases in Khowst and Gardez.
     Pentagon officials said there were no casualties in either of the attacks.
     In the first incident, opposition groups launched two rockets at the U.S. forward operating base near Khowst at about 4 a.m. Soldiers of the Combined Task Force-82 observed the rounds, which impacted several kilometers away. (Full Story)

Justice Finds Terrorists that Attacked USS Cole
Washington–Two years ago on October 12, 2000, seventeen sailors were killed and 39 injured on the USS Cole by terrorists using explosives in a small boat in the Yemeni port of Aden. The USS Cole was in the Yemini port for a refueling stop when a small boat laden with explosives was detonated beside the ship, blasting a hole in its side. Disabled by the attack, the destroyer was returned to the U.S. aboard the Norwegian heavy transport ship M/V Blue Marlin. (Full Story)

New Research Program In Health, Environment, and Economic Development
BETHESDA, MARYLAND — The Fogarty International Center
(FIC) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced a new research program to support international collaborations to study the relationships between health, environment, and economic development. FIC, with four NIH partners and the United States Geological Survey (USGS), has issued a Request for Applications (RFA) for the first phase of the Health, Environment, and Economic Development (HEED) program. This RFA invites proposals for interdisciplinary, international research collaborations to examine the health effects of major economic development trends that affect the natural environment. (Full Story)

Major Publishers Join to Send Books to U.S. Troops
Three major publishers have revived the World War II practice of publishing special editions of their books for U.S. troops serving overseas.
     They kicked off the new program by giving away several hundred books in the Pentagon.
     During World War II, more than 123 million paperback books were handed out to U.S. troops overseas as special Armed Services Editions. The books were light and small enough to fit in a cargo pocket. (Full Story)

U.S. Signs U.N. Plant Gene Treaty
ROME (AP) – The United States on Wednesday, November 6th became the 76th country to sign an international agreement governing the genetic code of plants, reversing a decision to abstain from the treaty when it was approved last year.
     The treaty is intended to preserve plant diversity and thus food supplies by safeguarding the genetic materials. (Full Story)

Security Council Passes Tough Iraq Resolution
The United Nations Security Council today unanimously passed a strong resolution designed to force Saddam Hussein to disarm his weapons of mass destruction and obey previous Security Council resolutions.
     "The resolution approved today presents the Iraqi regime with a test — a final test," President Bush said following the vote in New York. "Iraq must now — without delay or negotiations — fully disarm, welcome full inspections and fundamentally change the approach it has taken for more than a decade." (Full Story)

Key Factors Uncovered in Fort Bragg Murder Investigations
Marital discord, high personnel tempo and fear of counseling contributed to five murders at Fort Bragg, N.C., Army officials said. In efforts to help military families the base now offers a new special free program, that is easy to access, and is friendly. The program aptly titled Family Advocacy http://www.bragg.army.mil/dv/ is specially designed to " to eliminate child and spouse abuse by providing effective and efficient prevention, intervention, and treatment services."
     During a 6 week period in June and July 2002, there were four homicides of active duty soldiers’ wives at the base. The soldiers have been accused of the crimes. In a fifth case, a woman allegedly killed her soldier husband. (Full Story)

New York’s Beth Israel Doctors Still Treating Bubonic Plague
New York doctors have been on high alert since 9-11 for all types of possible bio-terror attacks when the couple from Santa Fe, New Mexico sought help for sudden illness at Beth Israel. Their awareness is likely the reason for quick diagnosis of the ancient plague, that has not been seen in the city for over a hundred years. Dr. Ronald Primas, Beth Israel Medical Center:said the male patient "was very sick, had a fever of 105, and just sweating profusely, and just extremely weak, couldn’t walk all but a few feet." The disease is said to be painful accompanied by high fevers and skin lesions.
     Dr. Thomas Friedan, NYC Health Commissioner: "Both of them were most likely exposed to infected fleas, probably on their property, where we know there were infected fleas not long ago." Health officials had also said that the New York City public is not in danger because bubonic plague is not passed person-to-person. (Full Story)

FBI Halts Drugs for Stinger Missiles Deal in San Diego, CA
A swift blow was delivered to operatives for al-qaeda as they were arrested in an attempt to get Stinger missiles for the al-qaeda terrorist network. The three operatives had arranged to trade or sell 5 tons of hashish and a half-ton of heroin in San Diego, California then use the money to buy Stinger missiles. Arrests were made in Hong Kong, the suspects were identified as Ilyas Ali 55 of Minnesota, a naturalized US citizen from India and two Pakistani nationals, Muhammed Abid Afridi, 29; and Syed Mustajab Shah, 54.
     The trio will appear in the U.S. District Court in San Diego to face charges of providing material support to a terrorist organization. (Full Story)

Countdown in Baghdad
"We will disarm you", said British Prime Minister Tony Blair to Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein if he uses tricky tactics familiar to the United Nations. "Defy the U.N.’s will and we will disarm you by force. Be in no doubt whatever over that." "Conflict is not inevitable, but disarmament is… everyone now accepts that if there is a default by Saddam the international community must act to enforce its will."
     The first of deadlines for Baghdad to comply with the new unanimously passed UN disarmament resolution comes Friday, November 15th at 10:55am. If Saddam complies, as many nations hope he will, then he must declare all aspects of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons activities and allow an advanced UN inspection team in by December 8th. Following compliance with this step, UN inspectors are expected to be in Baghdad before December 23rd. They must have unfettered access to the many large presidential palaces. A full report is required to the UN by February 2003. (Full Story)