Washington, DC - Vice President Mike Pence spoke by phone today with Iraqi Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani. President Barzani and Vice President Pence discussed the security situation in northern Iraq, including the importance of enhancing efforts to bring stability to the disputed territories and allowing for the return of Iraqis, including religious and ethnic minority communities, displaced by conflict.

Washington, DC - Every day Americans enjoy an abundant food supply that is among the safest in the world. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration works tirelessly to ensure that foods available to consumers, whether they are produced domestically or abroad, meet the FDA’s food safety requirements and that we are using all available tools to ensure compliance.

San Diego, California - Rear Adm. Scott Robertson, commander of Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center (SMWDC), congratulated the Navy’s 11 newest Warfare Tactics Instructors (WTIs) on Friday, August 23 at a ceremony onboard Naval Base Point Loma, Harbor Drive Annex. The event marked the latest SMWDC Anti-Submarine Warfare / Surface Warfare (ASW/SUW) WTI course’s ending, with each graduate earning the distinctive red-and-black WTI patch.

Norfolk, Virginia - Seven of the Surface Fleet’s top surface warfare officers (SWO) completed the Amphibious Warfare (AMW) Warfare Tactics Instructors (WTIs) course and earned their WTI patch on August 23.

Philippine Sea - The Ronald Reagan Strike Group conducted a combined cruise with the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force guided-missile destroyer JS Myoko (DDG-175) Aug. 13-23.

West Lafayette, Indiana -  Human pathogens, such as HIV and viruses causing respiratory tract infection, have molecular fingerprints that are difficult to distinguish. To better detect these pathogens, sensors in diagnostic tools need to manipulate light on a nanoscale.