U.S. Global Leadership in Landmine Clearance and Conventional Weapons Destruction

Washington, DC - The United States is the world’s single largest financial supporter of efforts to address humanitarian hazards from landmines and unexploded ordnance in post-conflict countries and to reduce the availability of excess, loosely-secured, or otherwise at-risk weapons and munitions.

Wildfire Task Force Update

Yuma, Arizona - On Sunday December 10, 2017, the Task Force our Yuma Fire Department personnel are part of completed their assignment on the “Creek” fire near Sylmar, CA. and they have been reassigned to the “Thomas” fire burning near Ventura, CA. They had been working on the Creek Fire since arriving in the area last Tuesday evening. They have been working 24 hour shifts patrolling for and extinguishing hot spots in their assigned area. At last report the Creek fire has burned over 15,000 acres and is 95% contained.

Scientists Channel Graphene to Understand Filtration and Ion Transport into Cells

Washington, DC - Tiny pores at a cell’s entryway act as miniature bouncers, letting in some electrically charged atoms - ions, but blocking others. Operating as exquisitely sensitive filters, these “ion channels” play a critical role in biological functions such as muscle contraction and the firing of brain cells. To rapidly transport the right ions through the cell membrane, the tiny channels rely on a complex interplay between the ions and surrounding molecules, particularly water, that have an affinity for the charged atoms. But these molecular processes have traditionally been difficult to model and therefore to understand using computers or artificial structures.

Attack on MONUSCO

Washington, DC - The United States strongly condemns last night’s attack against MONUSCO, the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which killed at least 14 Tanzanian peacekeepers and wounded more than 50 others, in addition to at least five members of the DRC armed forces. We express our deepest condolences to the families of those killed, to the Government of Tanzania, the Government of the DRC and to MONUSCO. We wish those wounded a full and swift recovery.

Federal Voting Assistance Program Announces Changes to Legacy Electronic Transmission Service for 2018

Washington, DC - Beginning January 1, 2018, the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) will provide an email-to-fax conversion service for voters who have difficulty sending election materials to States that do not accept emailed documents.