U.S.A.'s interesting news

The White House • April 13, 2018
Driving the Day

Vice President Mike Pence departed Washington, D.C., this morning to represent the United States at the Opening Ceremony of the eighth Summit of the Americas in Peru. Before the summit, the Vice President will meet with Venezuelan opposition leaders at the residence of the U.S. Ambassador in Peru.

Mike Pompeo is the top diplomat America needs

CIA Director Mike Pompeo believes that leadership is about results. And for the past 14 months, those results have been exemplary. From pressuring North Korea to dismantling ISIS, some of the Trump Administration’s biggest foreign policy accomplishments wouldn’t have been possible without CIA support under the watch of Director Pompeo.

Pompeo’s successes come from proven experience. He has been privy to some of America’s toughest national security challenges since 2010, when he served on the House Intelligence Committee as a freshman member of Congress. He’s had stints as a U.S. Cavalry officer, an entrepreneur, an executive—even as Editor of Harvard Law Review.

His storied career adds up to one certainty: Mike Pompeo will be ready to lead the State Department on day one. With the grave threats facing our country, America needs him as our next Secretary of State.

More: Why Mike Pompeo is the leader America needs as its top diplomat

Tax cuts are energizing employers of all sizes

President Trump shared big news from the Rose Garden yesterday. Optimism among American manufacturers has reached unprecedented levels, according to a new survey from a leading industry group. Manufacturer optimism stood at 93.5 percent, the second highest reading in the survey’s history.

Even better news is what that means for workers. The same survey showed that manufacturers anticipate wages will grow at the fastest pace in 17 years. “All you used to hear is that we’re losing our manufacturing jobs; jobs are being taken out of the country,” President Trump said yesterday. “They’re coming back and they’re coming back fast.”

Other major reports tell the same story. Small businesses across sectors are worrying less about taxes and are investing more in their workers, according to a National Federation of Independent Businesses survey last month. And Ernst & Young reports that 89 percent of executives say their companies plan to increase worker compensation as a result of tax cuts.

See how President Trump’s tax cuts are energizing American employers of all sizes.


Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks

President Donald J. Trump delivers remarks on Tax Reform to American Workers

Debt Relief Scammers Settle with FTC and Florida; Will Submit $35 Million in Assets for Consumer Redress Three marketers who allegedly sold phony debt relief services, including fake loans, have agreed to be banned from selling debt relief, credit repair and financial products and services, to be banned from telemarketing, and to turn over assets worth approximately $35 million dollars, under settlements with the Federal Trade Commission and the State of Florida. The settlement orders, if entered by the court, will resolve the agencies’ charges against Jeremy Lee Marcus, Craig Davis Smith and Yisbet Segrea, who allegedly convinced people to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars a month by falsely promising to resolve their debts and improve their credit. Over time, victims found their debts unpaid, their accounts in default, and their credit scores lower – some were sued by their creditors, and some were forced into bankruptcy. The proposed orders impose a $85,326,648.45 judgment against each of the settling defendants, jointly and severally. The order against Marcus, the scheme’s alleged ringleader, is not suspended and requires him to surrender all of his material assets, including 20 residential properties, a 2015 Range Rover, a 2015 BMW i8, a 5.03 carat diamond ring, Rolex, Audemars Piguet, and Louis Vuitton watches, rare coins, a bottle of 1969 Duncan Taylor single malt scotch whisky, and other personal property and financial interests. These assets are estimated to be worth approximately $34 million. The judgment against Smith and Segrea will be suspended in part once they have surrendered all of their material assets, including a 2014 Tesla Model S P85, Rolex and Movado watches, and certain bank accounts. These assets are estimated to be worth approximately $1 million. In addition to the banned activities, the settlements prohibit Marcus, Smith and Segrea from misrepresenting any product, service, plan or program, and from making unsubstantiated claims about any product or service. With regard to Smith and Segrea, the full judgment will become due immediately if they are found to have misrepresented their financial condition. The FTC’s complaint against Marcus, Smith and Segrea, filed in May 2017, also named 11 corporate defendants and 12 relief defendants that profited from the scheme. In August 2017, the FTC filed an amended complaint adding Viking Management Services LLC, Cockburn & Associate LLC, Omni Management Partners, HP Media Inc., White Light Media LLC and Discount Marketing USA S.A. as corporate defendants, and Jack Marcus, Teresa Duda and James Marcus as relief defendants. The FTC would like to thank its co-plaintiff, Florida’s Office of the Attorney General, as well as the following agencies for their assistance in this matter: the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Iowa’s Office of the Attorney General, Ohio’s Office of the Attorney General, Minnesota’s Office of the Attorney General, the Better Business Bureau of Southeast Florida, and the Broward County Sheriff’s Office. The Commission vote approving the proposed stipulated final orders against Marcus, and Smith and Segrea, was 2-0. The proposed orders were filed in the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. NOTE: Stipulated final orders or injunctions have the force of law when approved and signed by the District Court judge.   MedWatch - Coastal Meds Recall of All Products Marketed as Sterile    [Posted 04/13/2018] AUDIENCE: Pharmacy, Nursing, Risk Manager ISSUE: FDA is alerting health care professionals to a voluntary recall of all non-expired products marketed as sterile made by Coastal Meds due to visible particles in some of the drug vials for injection. BACKGROUND: During FDA’s recent inspection of Coastal Meds, investigators observed visible particulates and poor sterile production practices which further raise concerns about particulates in Coastal Meds’ drug products intended for injection. On April 5, 2018, Coastal Meds initiated a voluntarily recall of all products intended to be sterile. FDA requested the compounder inform the public, but they have not done so. Therefore, FDA is alerting health care professionals to dispose of and not administer sterile drug products intended for injection that were produced and distributed by Coastal Meds. RECOMMENDATION: Health care professionals should immediately check their medical supplies, quarantine any sterile drug products intended for injection from Coastal Meds, and not administer them to patients. Health care professionals should make alternative arrangements to obtain any medications they administer to patients from reliable sources that adhere to proper quality standards. Healthcare professionals and patients are encouraged to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of these products to the FDA's MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program: Complete and submit the report Online: www.fda.gov/MedWatch/report Download form or call 1-800-332-1088 to request a reporting form, then complete and return to the address on the pre-addressed form, or submit by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178 Read the MedWatch Safety Alerthttps://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm604630.htm Guixens Food Group Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Sulfites in La Marinera Brand Dried Yellow Potatoes Guixens Food Group, Inc., of Miami, FL, is voluntarily recalling its ten-ounce packages of La Marinera Brand Dried Yellow Potatoes because it may contain undeclared sulfites. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to sulfites run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product. The above-mentioned product was distributed to and available for purchase at retail supermarkets in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, California, and Tennessee. The affected La Marinera Brand Dried Yellow Potatoes come in a 10-ounce, clear plastic bag marked with "Dried Yellow Potatoes - Papa Seca AmariIla" on the label with an expiration date of July 2018. The product UPC code is 7-42287-73054-5. No illnesses or allergic reactions involving this product have been reported to date. The voluntary recall was initiated after routine sampling by the Florida State Department of Agriculture and analysis by food laboratory personnel revealed the presence of sulfites in the product, which were not declared on the label.

Understand the Signs of a Heart Attack

Eating right, exercising and not smoking can help lower your risk for a heart attack, but do you know the signs of a heart attack? Recognizing the symptoms like shortness of breath and lightheadedness can tell you when it's time to call 911 and help save someone's life. Smithsonian Science How Webcast  Have you ever noticed how distinct ferns look and wondered why they look that way? Go behind the scenes with Botanist Eric Schuettpelz to explore fern diversity and history. This live Smithsonian Science How webcast streams on Thursday, April 19 at 11 AM and 2 PM ET. Register today! Teacher-Created Lesson Plans  The Library of Congress has an ever-growing collection of lesson plans, using primary sources created for and by teachers. Find lesson plans for your class covering everything from arts and culture to immigration to sports history!  Astronomy Picture of the Day  Discover a new photograph of the universe every day! Courtesy of NASA, each picture includes helpful information with links for students to explore space, the stars, and the cosmos. Want more? Look back at daily pictures going as far back to 1995!

Smithsonian Gardens Green Ambassador Challenge Gardens and green spaces play a large role in community development across the nation. Parents can help empower teens to become local leaders by making their school or community a healthier place and taking on the Smithsonian Gardens’ challenge to design a green space. Learn about the steps to become a Smithsonian Gardens Green Ambassador.

The Importance of Washing Your Hands Hand-washing is one of the best ways to protect yourself, your family, and others from getting sick. It may seem like a simple task, but knowing when and how to wash your hands is really important. Follow the research from the Centers for Disease Control detailing this important hygiene topic!

Wild Weather Jobs  Imagine controlling a satellite orbiting Earth. Much like a remote-controlled airplane, you send messages and tell it what to do. Learn what weather satellite controller Tom Boyd gets to do every day for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and encourage your kids to a career in the field!