Gaithersburg, Maryland - Visitors to the historic mountain villages in central Japan marvel at the elegance of the steep thatched-roof farmhouses found there. Known as “gassho-zukuri,” Japanese for “constructed like hands in prayer,” the architectural style emerged more than 250 years ago to ruggedly withstand the area’s heavy winter snowfalls. Recently, a National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) fire researcher and his Japanese colleague conducted a special fire test to learn how to protect these treasured icons, and other thatched-roof structures around the world, from a more insidious threat: fire.

Washington, DC - On December 20, 2017, by Executive Order 13818, the President declared a national emergency with respect to serious human rights abuse and corruption around the world and, pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), took related steps to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.

Washington, DC - Vice President Pence met today with Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters of New Zealand. The two reaffirmed the close strategic partnership between the United States and New Zealand and committed to maintaining the close ties of friendship between our two countries.  Vice President Pence and Deputy Prime Minister Peters discussed the United States’ Indo-Pacific Strategy, with a particular focus on the Pacific Islands region.  The Vice President welcomed the Deputy Prime Minister’s recent announcement of increased New Zealand assistance to Pacific Island nations. 

Washington, DC - A former member of the board of directors of a publicly traded healthcare services company was arrested at John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport for allegedly participating in a wide-spread scheme to defraud investors and others out of hundreds of millions of dollars in connection with a merger transaction designed to convert the company into a private entity, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito for the District of New Jersey announced.

Washington, DC - President Donald J. Trump today announced the designation of a Presidential Delegation to the Federative Republic of Brazil to attend the Inauguration of His Excellency Jair Bolsonaro on January 1, 2019, in Brasilia, Brazil.

Washington, DC - One of the defendants involved in MOBE, a massive internet marketing and business coaching scheme alleged to have bilked hundreds of millions of dollars from consumers worldwide, has agreed to settle with the Federal Trade Commission.