The Royal Museum for Central Africa (RMCA) in Tervuren (Belgium) is part of the FishBase Consortium and responsible for the information on the fresh- and brackish water fishes of Africa. Through an agreement with the Belgian Development Cooperation and as part of the FishBase program, the RMCA has five grants available for a 3-month training program in the use of FishBase and the taxonomy of African fishes.

The training includes three subsets:

1. A detailed explanation of FishBase in all its aspects;
2. A training in the taxonomy of African fishes;
3. A case study based on data from FishBase or on taxa for which taxonomic problems have been encountered.

This course has been offered annually since 2005 and is held at the Royal Museum for Central Africa (Leuvensesteenweg 13, B-3080 Tervuren, Belgium). To apply for traineeship and for more information, please click here or here. Please note that for 2015, this course will be given in English only.

Questions? Contact Dimitri Geelhand de Merxem (dimitri.geelhand@africamuseum.be).

The GEO Workplan Symposium 2015 is planned to take place on 5-7 May 2015 in Geneva, Switzerland.

For more information, please consult the GEO meetings list.

The 2015 Biodiversity Informatics TDWG Annual Conference will be held from 28 September to 3 October 2015 in Nairobi, Kenya. The theme of the conference is Applications, Standards and Capacity Building for Sustaining Global Biodiversity.  Subprograms will include: Digitization, Semantic Technologies, Phyloinformatics, Outreach and Collaboration, ePublications, Trait Data, and Conservation informatics. 

A  5-day capacity building workshop for African participants in the conference is being organized for the week before the conference (21-25 September). The primary focus of the training is on biodiversity collection digitization, biodiversity databases, data cleaning, and georeferencing, but other topics are being considered. 

For more information about the conference, how to register, programme and call for papers, please visit the ofiicial event webpage.

• How to best evolve environmental monitoring, in order to make use of new and smart technologies for improved and cost-effective monitoring?
• How do we assess and document the value of data and knowledge of environmental ecosystems?

The Eye on Earth Summit 2015 is the foremost gathering of global thought leaders from government, the private sector, academia and civil society, all committed to filling the economic, social and environmental data gap to inform and improve decision-making for sustainable development. The event will take place from 6 to 8 October 2015 in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Attendees will learn about the pioneering work of the Eye on Earth movement and network with a growing body of like-minded experts and influencers to revolutionise the way we collect, access and use data for positive change. Join the Eye on Earth community, create opportunities for future action and share your knowledge. Make a difference to current and future generations.

For more information on the event and registration. please visit: http://www.eoesummit.org/

PECS 2015 will take plave fro 3 to 5 November 2015 and will gather scientists from various disciplines, from within and beyond the PECS network, to share cutting-edge research insights on social-ecological dynamics in the Anthropocene. The conference will engage and involve multiple stakeholders concerned with sustainable development and who are interested in developing new solutions and strategies. The conference is intended to highlight PECS achievements and ambitions, and to synthesize and integrate PECS-related research to provide a basis for a future social-ecological research agenda, especially in light of Future Earth.

PECS 2015 will be complemented by several side events such as topical workshops with regional focus and methods workshops. It will also include a science-policy-practice dialogue, involving a total of around 100 participants, building on a South African series of workshops and the broader Future Earth project on "Seeds of the Good Anthropocene".

For important deadlines, registration and further information, please visit the conference official website: http://www.pecs2015.org/

The GEO-XII Plenary and the Ministerial Summit, as well as all the associated meetings and events will be hosted by the Mexican Government and will take place at the Hotel Hilton Reforma and at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Mexico City from 9 to 13 November 2015.

The Twelfth Plenary Session of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO-XII), hosted by Mexico, will take place in Mexico City, from 11 to 12 November 2015. The GEO 2015 Mexico City Ministerial Summit will take place on 13 November 2015.

The GEO-XII Plenary will take place at the Hilton Reforma, Mexico City, on its first meeting day, Nov 11th 2015.

On November 12th 2015, the second day of GEO-XII Plenary, the meeting will be held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores - SRE), Plaza Juárez #20, located a few steps away from the Hilton Reforma.

Caucus Meetings and the Executive Committee Meeting, will take place from 9th-12th November, 2015, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

GEO Side Events will take place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Hotel Hilton.

The GEO exhibit will be held at the Hilton Reforma Mexico City, from November, 10th–12th, in conjunction with the LAGF 2015 exhibits, and will be open exclusively for Ministers on Thursday afternoon  12th November, 2015.

Call for side events is also open now, all submissions should be sent by 12 June 2015.

More information is available on the offical event website: http://www.earthobservations.org/geo12.php

The Global Bioeconomy Summit 2015 will take place on 25 & 26 November at the Berlin Congress Center (BCC), Berlin, Germany.

Food security, sustainable development, economic growth and the conservation of scarce natural resources – the promises of bioeconomy are manifold. The Global Bioeconomy Summit is the first community building platform to discuss bioeconomy policies globally. This summit builds on the post 2015 development goals to start a multilateral agenda setting process for a sustainable bioeconomy. For this purpose the German Bioeconomy Council invites more than 500 leaders from policy, research, industry and civil society to Berlin.

For more information about the congress and registrtion, please visit: http://www.gbs2015.com/home/

Post-conference event: The first iDiv Science Hackathon will immediately follow the conference (4 - 6 December). The aim of this hackathon is to attract researchers from a variety of iDiv member groups to catalyze the efficient realization of highly novel collaborative projects focusing on evolution and adaptation. 

More information available on teh official conference website.

The 2015 AGU Fall Meeting "Earth Observations in Environmental Management & Policy" will take place from 14 to 18 December in San Francisco, CA.

With nearly 24,000 attendees, the AGU Fall Meeting is the largest Earth and space science meeting in the world. Now in its 48th year, the AGU Fall Meeting is the best place to present your research, hear about the latest discoveries, trends, and challenges in the field, and network and make connections that can enhance your career.

For more information see the event's offiicial webpage: http://fallmeeting.agu.org/2015/

On this week's edition of The Watchman, we're joined by Joel Richardson, New York Times bestselling author of "The Islamic Antichrist," to discuss his new book, "When a Jew Rules the World."

On this week's edition of The Watchman, we examine the Islamic terrorist attack in San Bernardino and what's next in ISIS's war against America.

On this week's edition of The Watchman, we interview Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, founder of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, about the new authorized biography on his life and work, "The Bridge Builder." We also recap ...

CBN NewsWatch: March 2, 2015: Netanyahu in US for 'fateful, historic mission'; ISIS frees 19 Assyrian Christian captives; Rand Paul, Scott Walker - what you missed at CPAC; and more.

On Newswatch CBN, March 3: Today's the day: Netanyahu addresses Congress; ISIS sends death threats to Twitter CEO, employees; Boko Haram beheading video a 'Hallmark of ISIS'; and more.

On CBN Newswatch, March 4: Obama antagonism to Israel called 'heartbreaking'; Is it the beginning of the end for Obamacare?; Alabama Supreme Court halts same-sex marriage; and more.

On CBN Newswatch, March 5: Millions of Americans brace for 'winter's last stand'; Hillary Clinton's State Dept. e-mail scandal deepens; US envoy 'stable' after knife attack in S. Korea; and more.

On CBN Newswatch, March 6: What speech means for Netanyahu's political future; Storm strands drivers, leaves thousands powerless; Five wounded in Jerusalem vehicular attack; and more.

On CBN's Newswatch, March 9: Boko Haram swears allegiance to ISIS, now what?; Remembering Selma: thousands mark 'Bloody Sunday'; Anti-Netanyahu rally speaker 'blind to reality'; and more.

On CBN Newswatch, March 10: Bipartisan group appeals Gov. McDonnell's conviction; GOP Senators' letter to Iran draws White House ire; Chaplain's choice: 'Religious freedom or your career'; and more.

On CBN Newswatch, March 11: For critics, Clinton email explanation falls flat; Israeli voters divided, Christians urged to pray; Iraqi forces recapture key town from ISIS; and more.

On CBN Newswatch, March 12: Record Religious Genocide: 'ISIS as Toxic as Nazis'; Police officers shot during Ferguson protests; Israeli voters divided, Christians urged to pray; and more.

On CBN Newswatch, March 13: Father of slain ISIS teen: 'my son was no spy'; Bishop's urgent plea to prevent Christian Annihilation; Americans say government is the problem; and more.

May's Toolbox offers some great solutions.

Tools from Alpine, Miller/Honeywell, Kraft Tool Co., and Trim-Tex.

Join the National Safety Council in Atlanta for the world’s largest annual event for environmental, health and safety professionals. Here are online resources to help you plan and enjoy your trip to the show, or to follow along from home.

The 2014 SDM 100 ranks U.S. companies that provide electronic security systems and services to both residential and non-residential customers. This ranking is based on information provided to or, in few cases, estimated by SDM. Ranked companies were asked to submit an audited or reviewed financial statement, or a copy of their income tax return.

Most of the largest security dealers in the industry confirm they were on solid footing in 2014, and their 3.8 percent aggregate growth in RMR proves it. But for many dealers, new competitors are too close for comfort.

Arlington, VA – Ten miners were killed during the first three months of 2015, according to preliminary data from the Mine Safety and Health Administration.

Arlington, VA – Eighteen miners died during the first half of 2015, down from 22 deaths during the first six months of 2014, according to the Mine Safety and Health Administration.

Arlington, VA – Last year, 28 miners died on the job – the lowest total on record, according to preliminary data from the Mine Safety and Health Administration.

SDM’s 2015 Dealer of the Year combines both old and new ideas to pave the way for the future.

Results of SDM’s Industry Forecast Study, coupled with an outlook from leading dealers and integrators, offers positive assurance for the security industry’s 2015 performance: 13.9 percent growth. It will be driven by a higher level of services being offered to consumers and businesses. 

Longmeadow, MA – More than 1,000 worker deaths have occurred during the first seven months of 2015, according to the U.S. Worker Fatality Database.

Washington – The national injury and illness rate for private-sector employees decreased in 2015, continuing a more than decade-long trend, according to data released Oct. 27 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Washington – The overall rate of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses requiring days away from work – as well as the number of median days needed to recover – decreased in 2015, according to data released Nov. 10 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Safety+Health’s 2015 Job Outlook offers good news for occupational safety and health professionals: Most respondents to the survey reported that jobs are secure and opportunities are expanding.

The results of Safety+Health’s 2015 Salary Survey are in, featuring data from 1,400 safety professionals, broken out by job title, experience, region and more. How does your salary stack up?

Catawba County will mail data verification, income and expense request, to property owners as 2015 revluation process continues on May 17, 2013. Owners are requested to verify the information found on the data verification sheet, provide pertinent additional information and make any necessary corrections, and return the form to the revaluation office. http://www.catawbacountync.gov/events/revalmailer13.asp

Tortilla versatility, better-for-you ingredients and on-trend flavors continue to attract consumers looking for bread replacements and healthier eating options.

New shapes, interesting flavors and better-for-you ingredients help make tortilla chips the second most-popular salty snack among U.S. consumers.

The Tortilla Industry Association will hold its first major East Coast event Oct. 21-22 in Atlantic City, NJ. Online registration is available now.

Several factors are prompting the company to reduce its sales and earnings expectations for the fiscal year ending in May 2015.

Puffed and extruded snacks are shedding their junk-food image with more nutritious ingredients and no-fry processing, plus on-trend flavors, textures and shapes to add more fun.

While all of the content that we put forth generates interest, the most-read articles from 2015 point to top industry interests and trends.

Better-for-you ingredients and innovative flavors continue to keep potato chips at the top of consumers’ list of favorite snacks, while the classics still resonate.

Is it just me or does it seem like the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate came out just last week? 

After the resounding victory by Republicans at all levels of government—local, state and federal—in November, there was some speculation about the posture and tone President Obama might take in his final two years in office.

When 2015 began, most Washington, D.C. observers predicted more gridlock in Washington.