China and Russia have joined forces in an aggressive disinformation campaign involving both covert and overt operations designed to discredit a key Pentagon agency.

Millions of uninvited guests have shown up at the U.S. border since President Biden was sworn in.

The Washington Commanders woke up in second place in the NFC East on Monday morning. Sunday's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Commanders' third of the season, allowed the rival Philadelphia Eagles to slip into the top spot in the division.

The Vatican and Microsoft on Monday unveiled a digital twin of St. Peter's Basilica that uses artificial intelligence to explore one of the world's most important monument's while helping the Holy See manage visitor flows and identify conservation problems.

Japanese technology group SoftBank swung back to profitability in the July-September quarter, boosted by positive results in its Vision Fund investments.

Disney+ has ordered a new series for the Marvel character, picking up where WandaVision left off.

The post Vision Is Getting His Own Show, From Star Trek’s Terry Matalas first appeared on SciFi Stream.

Join the online community of EU BON and create buzz around the project. Take full advantage of our social network channels to interact with stakeholders and contribute to the EU BON discussion. Get an easy access and the latest updates on news and events around the project. You are a click away from making a difference to the project’s visibility.

Like, follow or join EU BON Social Media and get involved in the community now!

A joint WP2/3/4/6/7 workshop took place on 23-24 November 2015 in Cambridge, UK. The overall goal of the workshop was to identify synergies and overlapping objectives across WP3/4 and 6/7 and beyond and to thereby identify applications of EU BON’s tools to decision-making, including at the policy level.

The idea for this small, focused workshop emerged as a result of the popularity and outreach achieved by the Aquamaps North-Sea fisheries infographic, developed under WP6. This infographic has demonstrated how the AquaMaps modelling tool can help answer a clear policy or question relevant to decision-making.

Under EU BON, WP3 and WP4 have developed some powerful tools, and more are in the making. The next challenge for EU BON is to use these tools to address policy-relevant issues/questions and to link EU-BON’s modelling capacity to policy needs. Producing cutting-edge innovations is important, but their implementation for policy and decision-making needs is what has real impact.

This is what the Cambridge workshop was about - bringing different players together to identify the right ways to make EU BON innovation policy relevant.

Outcomes of the meeting:

• An improved vision of how to ‘market’ EU BON’s products for end-users;

• A better understanding of the end-users and the barriers that they face in accessing and using biodiversity data tools; and

• Improved collaboration between EU BON Work Packages and a coherent vision for future synergies.

From 22 to 24 March 2015, the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) will host an international conference at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, entitled, Africa Rising: Mobilising Biodiversity Data for Sustainable Development. The event is being organised in partnership with the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and the United Nations Environment Programme – World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). It aims to:

1. Accelerate regional understanding of the biodiversity data-science-policy value chain and draw attention to the opportunities and solutions that biodiversity data presents for sustainable development in Africa;
2. Strengthen regional engagement, learning networks, and collaborative synergies with a view to streamlining the data-science-policy value chain; and
3. Galvanise political commitment to mobilising Africa’s biodiversity data.

The event emanates from the project, Mobilising Africa’s Biodiversity Data, which is generously supported by the JRS Biodiversity Foundation and entails developing a strategy for capturing, digitising and publishing Africa’s policy-relevant biodiversity data whilst strengthening regional capacity and collaboration in biodiversity information management.

More information is available at: http://www.sanbi.org/news/sanbi-host-africa-rising-mobilising-biodiversity-data-sustainable-development-conference

The "International Workshop Decision Models and Population Management" will take place from 2 to 4 February, 2014 in Paris, France. The three days international and interdisciplinary workshop is devoted to the decision making, in particular in presence of multiple actors with or without interaction. These problems occur in a natural way in management of populations, where the dynamics are strongly related to the decisions. The workshop aims to bring together Mathematicians, Computer Scientists and Ecologists around the problem of populations management. The population dynamics, viability theory and game theory form an umbrella of helpful mathematical tools in this context. On the other hand, the computer sciences bring the online and algorithmic mechanism design.

The workshop is motivated by concrete problems proposed by ecologists and aims to create a synergy between scientists from different backgrounds to address the challenging modelling of decision making in the context of ecological paradigms.

Invited Speakers
- Michel BENAIM (Université de Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Swtizerland)
- Renato CASAGRANDI (Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria Politecnico di Milano, Italy)
- Denis COUVET (Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France)
- Sylvain DUCTOR (LIP6, UPMC, Paris, France)
- Marino GATTO (Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria-Politecnico di Milano, Italy) 
- Ihab HAIDAR (Sorbonne Universités, Paris, France)
- Sophie MARTIN (UR LISC - IRSTEA)
- Nicolas MAUDET (LIP6, UPMC, Paris, France) 
- Paco MELIÀ (Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria Politecnico di Milano, Italy)
- Jean-Baptiste MIHOUB (UPMC-Sorbonne Universités, Paris, France)
- Vianney PERCHET (Université Denis Diderot, Paris, France)
 - Karl SIGMUND (University of Vienna, Wien, Austria)
- Sylvain SORIN (IMJ-PRG, UPMC, Paris, France)
- Jean-Philippe TERREAUX (IRSTEA-ADBX, Bordeaux, France)
- Tristan TOMALA (École des hautes études commerciales de Paris, Paris, France)
- Vladimir VELIOV (Institute of Statistics and Mathematical Methods in Economics, Vienna University of Technology, Vienna, Austria)
- Yannick VIOSSAT (Université Paris-Dauphine, Paris, France)

The conference covers scenarios and modelling applications in marine, freshwater and terrestrial systems, across all relevant disciplines of natural and social sciences. It is open to scientists and experts working in the field, policy makers and practioners. The conference focuses on: (i) Exploring recent advances in modelling human impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services, (ii) Addressing the use of scenarios and models for decision support, (iii) Mobilising observations of biodiversity and ecosystem services for model development and testing, (iv) Capacity building for developing scenarios and models and for their use in decision making, (v) Horizon scanning and addressing gaps in knowledge.

More information available on the conference website.

JOAQUIM Forn was Catalonia’s interior minister until he was arrested for his role in the October 2017 independence referendum. He has been in jail since.

THE NATIONAL

18th December 2018

Exclusive by GREG RUSSELL

Forn has also been on hunger strike for two weeks, one of four prisoners taking this drastic course of action. Here, he talks about his incarceration, the forthcoming trials and Europe.

What is your view of events such as the continuing refusal of European leaders to take up your cases; and the way Spain is lurching further to the right almost every day?

I am worried that Europe turns its back on the situation we are in. What is happening is a clear violation of civil rights and liberties. In Spain, an involution is happening as a consequence of a weak left that is being dragged by the discourse of the PP (People’s Party) and Ciudadanos (Citizens) and also due to the rise of the extreme right with Vox.

Europe should not be unconnected to this regression and should position itself in defence of our liberties.

The political prisoners have a huge amount of support with daily protests outside Lledoners – does that support give you more strength?

Absolutely. Some of us have been for more than a year in pretrial and preventative detention. First in prison in Madrid and now in Catalunya.

These last few months have been very tough and we have been able to overcome them thanks to the support from our families and the societal mobilisation that there is in Catalunya.

From the prison courtyard we can hear the chants and shouts of support. Without this great support, the situation would have been more difficult to bear.

You have been on hunger strike now for two weeks, are you not worried that this protest can damage you?

We have not imposed a time limit upon ourselves. Our hunger strike aims to denounce the inaction of the Constitutional Court (TC), which has not reviewed our appeals. Some of these were submitted a year ago. The court, who should be the guarantor of our rights, is acting subordinate to political interests and is denying us access to European justice.

What we are enduring in Spain should not only worry independence supporters. Any democrat should react to this arbitrariness. We are clearly worried about the possible consequences to our health. The medical services from jail check us daily. We cannot forget that our trial is starting next month and that we should confront it in the best possible condition, both physical and mentally.

The TC judges have said they will hear you appeals next month (and will hear some cases before then) – do you believe that they will stick to that timetable?

From the moment we started the hunger strike, the TC made some moves. This week, it has started to resolve five of almost 30 appeals that all the defendants have presented.

Next week it will continue to resolve other appeals. It is clear that the TC knows it has not acted according to the law and should face our complaint.

How do you view the world’s response to what is happening in Catalonia?

I would like there to be a bigger awareness of what is happening in Spain. The governments of both PP and PSOE (Spanish Socialist Party) have dismissed dialogue, which is the political way, and have ended up imposing criminal law solutions against the political demands of millions of Catalans.

The fact that in Europe, in the 21st century, we are talking about exiled and imprisoned politicians should worry the European states and citizens. The crisis being lived in Catalunya should speak to all democrats. The debate about liberties is very alive in Europe and the world, so we cannot turn our backs as if this debate does not concern us.

How worrying is the prospect of not receiving a fair trial?

Without a doubt, we are very worried. In any case, I see the trial as an opportunity. We are not in the pretrial proceedings any more, so now the accusations need to be argued with proof.

The prosecution wanted to create the narrative of rebellion and sedition, based on the police reports from the Civil Guard and the National Police. The German courts have compellingly ruled out these crimes. The trial will be broadcast live, with the presence of international observers.

I have not lost faith and I truly think that with the criminal code in hand, the only possible sentence is absolution.

Is there anything else you’d like to say?

I would like to thank the Scottish people for showing their solidarity and support. We have received hundreds of letters and postcards. We cannot answer them all which is why I want to take this opportunity to thank them for their gesture.

A "a collector of curiosities" once lived there.

The post Salem visitors can learn about this 1729 home by scanning a code appeared first on Boston.com.

When the world of the moving picture arrived in the early part of the 20th century, it was a revolution. What is often referred to ... Read more

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In a previous article, I was fortunate enough to focus on female composers, and amongst the collection was Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179). Why did I ... Read more

The post The Mystical Music of Hildegard of Bingen: A Medieval Composer and Visionary appeared first on CMUSE.

A set of contemplation and catharsis, maintaining its emotional grip for a long time.

???????? Pats play bully ball

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Lizzie Borden was tried and acquitted of killing her father, a wealthy investor, and her stepmother, despite the strong evidence against her.

The post As Halloween approaches, tourists visit a Fall River home with a gruesome past appeared first on Boston.com.

Find an amusement park near you for some summer thrills.

The post 14 amusement and water parks to visit in New England this summer appeared first on Boston.com.

Find out about fall activities, prices, and more.

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"I think it was a great play to start Jacoby Brissett, let Drake [Maye] develop."

The post Rob Gronkowski is the latest Patriots icon to defend decision to start Jacoby Brissett over Drake Maye appeared first on Boston.com.

President Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric ran high in the run up to the US midterm elections. He called the migrant caravan making its way north through Mexico an invasion. He even sent troops to the southern border between the US and Mexico to keep out the migrants. But now that the Democrats are in control of the House of Representatives, President Trump may not have as much power as he used to in executing his immigration policies.

Also: Maria Mendoza and Eusebio Sanchez were deported from the US to Mexico, leaving their four children behind. Now their eldest daughter, Vianney, is looking after her siblings; Jose Antonio Vargas talks about his life in the US as an undocumented immigrant; Terrell Jermaine Starr on the difficulties of being a black reporter in Ukraine; Plus, why some passports are more valuable than others.

(Members of a family reunited through the border wall between Mexico and United States, in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua state, Mexico. Credit: Herika Martinez/Getty Images)

One is in Massachusetts.

The post 3 of the best places to visit in December are in New England, according to Good Housekeeping appeared first on Boston.com.

According to city officials, 87,351 visited on Oct. 31 alone.

The post Salem reports a scary big number of visitors this Halloween season, breaking past records appeared first on Boston.com.

Families can take part in scavenger hunts, nightly s’mores, and more.

The post A Maine destination is one of 10 surprising family-friendly getaways in the U.S., says Thrillist appeared first on Boston.com.

Fear. In my experience, and from what I’ve seen in other people’s lives, fear is a decision maker. For many of us it has made too many decisions. It has ruled our lives, our thought processes, and our actions. There are obviously different types of fears; rational and irrational, healthy and unhealthy. It’s the fear of things that haven’t happened yet that keep many people up at night. And that is not the kind of life Jesus promised. 

We’ve all heard the sermons about how God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, right? He gave us a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind, but why do we so easily forget this? As a worship leader/music director I’ve found that one of my biggest fears has been a fear of failure. A fear of looking stupid or not living up to the hype. It’s in these struggles with that kind of fear that I realized that I was trying to lean on so much of my strengths, that I wasn’t leaning on God as much. I was trying to figure out everything on my own. I was leaning on my own understanding…and in that, I realized that slowly a fear of failure had crept in. It wasn’t God’s fault. It was my own. This isn’t the only fear people deal with.

Many others deal with a fear of the unknown. Whether it’s moving to a new city, a new job, and new anything…people can get caught up in the whirlwind that is the unknown. The unknown affects a lot of people. In my life I have encountered many different types of people. I’ve met people who are very strategic. Everything is carefully planned out and the outcomes are able to almost be a sure thing. Fear can creep in if things don’t go as planned. Then there are people like me who prefer the spontaneous. The people who don’t have to have every detail of their life planned out. Typically this is a sign of a creative type person…and that’s me. However, fear can also creep in if we feel confined. Say we have to get a regular job. The fear of never reaching our full potential can cripple our creativity.

The common denominator is that when fear sets in, for most people, it changes their actions. They start to rely more on their own ways than to press into what God has. For me, prayer has been my lifeline during seasons of the unknown. To be in a season where you’re not sure what the next move needs to be can be scary, but I’ve learned to trust God. I’ve seen His hand move so many times in my life that I’m not afraid anymore to take a step of faith even if I’m not exactly sure what the next step is. 

Can you imagine what God would do through you if you stopped letting fear control your actions? Now, this isn’t a free pass to just go do something crazy. The Bible gives us clarity in that we must lean on His understanding. To trust in Him and to seek His righteousness. All I’m trying to get at is, fear of a lion is a healthy fear. Fear of not being good enough isn’t. It’s those fears that will keep many people from the destinies that God has called them into. It’s time to dream again, let those lungs breathe again. Stop allowing the voice of fear to be louder than the voice of God. 

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and self-control.  2 Timothy 1:7

The Chicago Cubs are just a couple of pieces away from finally returning to the playoffs. In 2024, the Cubs were profoundly mediocre on both sides of the ball. Improving the rotation is a worthy objective for the Cubs, because Imanaga could be due for regression as the league adjusts to his unique high-spin fastball. Chicago may try for the Corbin Burneses and Max Frieds of the world, but perhaps a lower-budget option could turn out to be the perfect Cubs addition.

On this week's edition of The Watchman, we analyze the growing ISIS threat to America in the wake of the Paris attacks. We also examine how Europe's capital, Brussels, is in the crosshairs of radical Islamists.

If you’re feeling panicked about money in these uncertain times, I want you to hear me on this:  You are not alone. You will be okay. People all across the country are wanting to know how the COVID-19 virus will affect their finances. Here are some of the top questions I’m getting about how to handle money during this trying time. What should I do to protect myself and my family right now? Conserve your financial resources. This means cutting unnecessary spending, like cable television, eating...

Have you ever made a decision you regretted later?  Maybe you decided to do something that would offer a moment of pleasure, but the end result wasn’t so pleasant. For example, have you ever been thirsty, and instead of reaching for a bottle of water, you chose a soda or coffee, or even a milkshake?  Or have you ever been hungry, but instead of getting a healthy meal, you chose fast food? We all know what the better choices are. However, we sometimes accept less than the best and pay for it...

When times are good, people become complacent. Riding in gas guzzling land-yachts and dwelling in cavernous McMansions tends to dull the senses and lulls people into a false sense of security. The scale that was once used to measure the distance between wants and needs became dangerously off-kilter.

The new bill that extends many tax provisions.

Chris Sherwood says the charity’s public profile can make it feel like a ‘goldfish bowl’

The racial justice charity accepts the wording and statistics used in posts about the Chris Kaba case ‘were not as carefully expressed as they should have been’

ClarkDietrich announced on Oct. 1 the acquisition of Studs Unlimited, effective immediately.

Washington — OSHA is requesting input on potential revisions to Table 1 of its respirable crystalline silica standard for construction, according to a Request for Information slated for publication in the Aug. 15 Federal Register.

Zoe’s Place Liverpool had said it faced closure by the end of the year

The Fundraising Regulator says it saw ‘little supporting documentary evidence’ to suggest the charity had comprehensive oversight over the work carried out by a clothing collection company in its name

The Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance partnered with World Vision, a humanitarian organization helping children, families and their communities overcome poverty and injustice, to provide school supplies to in-need children during the 2024 FGIA Fall Conference on Sept. 16-19.

For the chief executive who has made an outstanding contribution to their organisation, or the wider sector, during their first two years in post

Paul Johnson Drywall LLC has completed the acquisition of Stratis Construction Inc., one of the leading drywall subcontractors in Arizona.

As income from traditional fundraising methods starts to come under strain, a three-year project has been exploring new models of income generation for charities. Rebecca Cooney looks at the results so far