The 2019 Jeep Cherokee is a 4-door, 5-seat Sport Utility, available in 9 trims, ranging from the Latitude FWD to the Overland 4x4. Upon introduction, the $24,795 Latitude FWD is equipped with a standard 2.4L, 4-cylinder, engine that achieves 22-mpg in the city and 31-mpg on the highway. an Automatic transmission is standard. The $38,245 Overland 4x4 is equipped with a standard 3.2L, 6-cylinder, engine that achieves 19-mpg in the city and 27-mpg on the highway. an Automatic transmission is standard.
This collection of new Jeep pictures shows off the styling of the world's oldest off road and sport utility brand. In 1929, the American Austin Company (AAC) was founded in Butler, Pennsylvania to build a version of the Austin Seven, an English car that has been referred to as the British Ford Model T. The AAC was eventually renamed the American Bantam Car Company (ABC).
During the run-up to World War II the War Department was looking for a company to build a new lightweight truck. Only two companies responded to its request for proposals, one of which was ABC. As you'll see in these new Jeep photos, the styling language established by that first ABC prototype informs the look of Jeep models to this day.
The true origin of the "Jeep" name is murky. However, most people assume it was derived from the fact the military called it a General Purpose vehicle. This was shortened to "GP" vehicle, which, when pronounced phonetically came out to be "Jeep". Wherever the name came from, some 640,000 of them were built for use by every branch of the military during the war.
After the war, Jeeps were civilized for everyday use. At one point in Jeep's history it was proclaimed every Jeep model should be capable of traversing any terrain thrown at it. With contemporary consumer tastes trending more toward a quiet and comfortable ride from SUVs, that position has softened somewhat. Featured in this collection of new Jeep images is the entire range of models currently offered by America's oldest SUV brand.


In addition to teaching Psychology & Counseling classes at LeTourneau, Dr. Fasol is a Licensed Professional Counselor with the state of Texas and a neurotherapist and psychotherapist at Focus for Living.
Dr. Fasol works with individuals, couples, and families. She has extensive counseling experience in a variety of settings, including church-based counseling ministries, private practice, and social services organizations.
Malinda served as a director of a non-profit foster care agency, and worked with foster children, foster parents, and biological parents. Additionally, she has worked as a researcher and clinician in the area of media and distorted body image. She is actively involved in promoting healthy body image in teens and adults. Read more about Malinda here.


text:
AFL club St Kilda has parted ways with coach Alan Richardson after five-and-a-half mostly unsuccessful years.
Toulon wins Top 14 as Jonny Wilkinson ends professional rugby career
Photo: Glittering career ... Toulon's Jonny Wilkinson celebrates with the Top 14 championship trophy. (AFP: Boris Horvat)
Related Story: Toulon beat Saracens to retain Heineken Cup
Related Story: England legend Jonny Wilkinson to end rugby career
Related Story: O'Driscoll hailed as Leinster win Celtic League trophy
Map: France
Jonny Wilkinson brought the curtain down on a stunning career by scoring a trademark right-footed drop goal to help Toulon to its first Top 14 success in 22 years on Sunday morning (AEST).
The build up to the match had been more about Wilkinson's last ever match as a professional than Toulon's hopes to make history by completing a European Cup-Top 14 double.
And the 35-year-old rose to the occasion as he had done on so many other occasions to steal the show as Toulon gained revenge on Castres for defeat in last year's final with an 18-10 success - Wilkinson scored 15 points.
Having been the star of England's 2003 World Cup triumph by landing a last minute winning drop goal in extra-time to beat Australia on their soil, it was only fitting that Wilkinson should bow out in similar style.
And he did so by displaying the perfectionism that he made a constant throughout his career.
A left footer, he trained his right foot so diligently as to become as proficient a kicker with that foot as his favoured one.
And so it was that he nonchalantly knocked over a right-footed drop goal to give Toulon the lead in the final for the first time - a lead it would never relinquish.
That success meant that Wilkinson could end his career the way he started it in his first season in professional rugby with Newcastle in 1997/98, as a winner of a national championship.
Wilkinson's trophy cabinet is as bursting as a man of his calibre's should be with a World Cup winners medal alongside two European Cup gongs and one each from both the English Premiership and French Top 14.
Not to mention he was a part of four Six Nations winning sides, including the 2003 grand slam England outfit.
Yet curiously, despite this long list of honours, Wilkinson actually ran the risk of finishing his career with an underwhelming club record until the last couple of years.
He won the English Premiership with Newcastle in 1998, his first season as a professional, but despite World Cup and grand slam glory with England in the meantime, it took him another 15 years to add a second club trophy, not including a couple of Anglo-Welsh Cup successes in 2001 and 2004.
In fact, had he not twice decided to put back his impending retirement, he could have finished with just one club medal.
Newcastle never got near repeating its 1998 triumph, finishing eighth the next season and never managing to finish above sixth during the next decade before Wilkinson moved on in 2009.
He joined the big-spending south coast club Toulon, whose enigmatic owner, the comic-book magnate Mourad Boudjellal, had big plans for his club.
Initially, though, they were to come frustratingly close, without getting the cigar.
Photo: Mr Reliable ... Jonny Wilkinson kicks forward against Castres. (AFP: Thomas Samson)
In Wilkinson's first season in France, Toulon lost the Challenge Cup final to Cardiff in nearby Marseille 28-21.
Two years later they did a double of losing finals, falling to Biarritz in the Challenge Cup and Toulouse in the Top 14 final.
In fact Toulon would lose another Top 14 final in 2013 to Castres but by then, it had ended its long trophy drought, dating back to 1992, by stunning Clermont in the 2013 European Cup final.
It was Wilkinson's first major club medal since 1998 and a welcome relief after three successive final defeats, or four if you include the 2007 World Cup final.
Many thought he would retire but the born winner was not about to go out on a losing final and Wilkinson signed on for one more year with history-making on his mind.
And now he has done exactly that, Wilkinson can go and enjoy his retirement and look back on a career in which he won the lot.
Topics: rugby-union, sport, france, england
Celebrity sightings at the orthodontist just part of new life for Australia's golden girl of golf
SPORT St Kilda parts ways with coach Alan Richardson
Connect with Grandstand
More on Grandstand
Grandstand TV
Commentary team
Listen to Grandstand on the ABC listen app
Programs and podcasts
St Kilda parts ways with coach Alan Richardson
Former Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale pleads not guilty to extortion
Australia dodges a bullet from quake 100 times bigger than tremor that devastated Newcastle
Aboriginal astronomers built an observatory older than Stonehenge, and discovered variable stars

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


White Gold Diamond Rings For Women Engagement Rings – 4 C's Of A Diamond, There are couples future engaged who wish to imitate celebrity diamond engagement rings as a symbol of their future devotion for every other. Plenty of designs and forms of stones can be bought in the market for their selection. Famous people consult designers who create expensive wedding rings. In choosing these wedding rings, jewelers advise couples to understand they really want due to the cut, clarity, color, and carat. These four factors are basic in relation to the final decision before purchase.
Date back to 1863; diamond cutting bits have evolved into a technologically advanced and intensely profitable industry. Diamond core drill bits are very well known in the mining industry and therefore are specifically made for drilling oil and coal wells. Most importantly, this can be one of several special equipments that are effective, reliable and value sensitive even during ever-green demand. Today there's a significant improvement inside process of looking a bit designs to boost overall drilling performance.
Commonly, diamond engagement rings are worn with a soon-to-be bride because it's regarded as just about the most powerful symbol she is "taken" and will soon be married to her sweetheart. The ring describes the love, faith, fidelity, celebration, and also the insightful groom. By placing the diamond rings on ring finger of his soon-to-be-wife, groom gives crystal clear message to any or all who presented there that they not simply loves his beloved but in addition willing to marry her and take her from her father's care.
A lot of people find basic and simple ring because most desirable option for gemstone, but also in actual fact, a lot of the rings are embellished and engraved with jewels. Gold rings with diamonds studs would be the most favored choice amongst a lot of people. The ring may have one diamond, multiple diamonds, or perhaps a solitaire to improve its charm. Generally, the rings with multiple diamonds are arranged with all the bigger stone at the center along with other diamonds and stones encircling it.
The cut will be the only part of the gem that is solely influenced by manpower. Diamond cutting has become traced time for the middle ages, when folks of that time period first took it upon themselves to boost on nature's design. They would polish the crystal faces of the jewel, that is now termed as a point cut, and thus increase the jewel's value.


text:
New routes and direct flights in our Winter Schedule
New international routes, maintaining the regular domestic flights, direct connections, 12 new state-of-the-art aircraft and quality services strengthen the position of SKY express in the preferences of the passenger public.
The new season begins and the company that changes the landscape in aviation, welcomes the full of prospects for the country winter season with an upgraded flight schedule. With the addition of the Airbus A320neo (6 of them) and ATR 72-600 (6 of them), SKY express covers 39 destinations in 6 countries, while expanding its network to existing and new markets.
The youngest and greenest fleet in the country and one of the most environmentally friendly ones in Europe, will operate a total of 817 flights a week to 34 destinations inland and 5 abroad from the company's headquarters in Athens, Thessaloniki and Larnaca. And this always providing quality services to the most competitive fares.
New international routes
Already, flying to London, Paris, Rome, Brussels, Larnaca, the new route that connects Thessaloniki directly with Larnaca has been added. This proves the strategic importance of Cyprus in the company's planning, since it has now added two direct connections from / to Greece (Athens, Thessaloniki).
Maintenance and upgrade of domestic flights
SKY express flight operations continue dynamically during the winter months inland, where it already provides the largest network of destinations in the country (34). This proves the company's commitment to serving even the most remote parts of the country, from Crete to Alexandroupolis and from Corfu to Ikaria.
Especially the maintenance of mobility in destinations that have always attracted tourist interest, such as the cosmopolitan Mykonos and the large islands of the Dodecanese, increase the options provided to travelers throughout the year.
New services and privileges
Travelers have the option of choosing fares between SKY joy, SKY joy + and SKY enjoy, but also the addition of services such as entry to the Lounges of Athens, Thessaloniki, Larnaca, Brussels, London, Paris, Rome and use of the Fast Lane at the respective airports.
At the same time, in international flights, the passenger public enjoys a special in-flight travel experience with free service, but also the proposals of the new Drinks & Bites service with premium branded products. Oriented to the continuous development of its network and the provision of easy access and options to more and more travelers throughout the year, SKY express is the ideal choice for the winter season.


text:
Q: Can't put a breakpoint in Angular constructor or OnInit I have an Angular application, and I am trying to set a breakpoint in F12 tools in Chrome or IE. I have simple test case:
export class LoginComponent implements OnInit {
    message: string;

    constructor(private router: Router) {
        console.log("Login Constructor");
    }

    ngOnInit() {
        console.log("Login OnInit");
    }
}

I see log output in the console, but setting a breakpoint doesn't work. I think it stopped working a few days ago (not sure if it was an upgrade of some library, or Windows, or both browsers). Don't even know where to start looking. The project is built with webpack, and I am getting to this component via routing:
const appRoutes: Routes = [
{
    path: '',
    redirectTo: '/login',
    pathMatch: 'full'
},
{
    path: '/login',
    component: LoginComponent
}
...
]

Note, that button click handler breaks as expected.

A: Sometimes it's missing to breakpoint because a debugger doesn't know the location of the source code or the code is executing faster than debugger can imagine a breakpoint. In this case the code is not debuggable.
However you can set breakpoint directly to the transplitted javascript code if you can understand the javascript. Webpack sometimes writes a wrong path to the sources in the map file, so you have a lot troubles to fix them. But this issue outgoing from the original question. What you have to do is to try a different browser or version of Webpack where the bugs are fixed. If you know it a bug you should submit it to the corresponding bugtracking system.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


As with most First World countries, New Zealand has been victim of the recent obesity epidemic. However, it is still a sporty nation with fitness centres around the country. The Ministry of Health provides a qualification system called the REP (Register of Exercise Professionals), and you should ensure that any gym or facility you sign up with adheres to these guidelines and is made up of REPs.
The beautiful scenery of New Zealand ensures that cycling is an excellent experience. Have a look at the Bike Barn or other sites to find good quality bikes, and note that if you are sticking to urban routes you are best off with a road bike. If, however, you wish to experience the landscapes of New Zealand first hand make sure you buy a mountain bike. Both can be found for $250 NZ upwards, though if you are planning to cycle regularly do some research and buy a higher quality bike.
Cycle New Zealand is an excellent resource for any aspiring cyclists, providing bike hire, maps of routes, and guided cycle tours for beginners or those worried about getting lost. There are hundreds of cycling events all year round ranging from leisurely rides to gruelling off-road events, and the official tourism website provides a calendar of events to check out here.
Fold-up bikes can be carried on most NZ trains free of charge. Some rail services may allow any kind of bike free of charge on a first come, first serve basis as there is a limit to how many bikes can be carried on a train; some services may impose a charge. Make sure you do your research before planning a trip or you may get a nasty surprise in the form of extra fees or even a fine.
If you prefer a full workout, there are over 200 licensed gyms throughout New Zealand, from small independent gyms to large chains. The vast majority contain basic cardio and resistance training (weightlifting) equipment, and many beyond that will have other facilities such as pools, rowing machines, saunas and trained sports masseurs. Subscriptions are generally paid either yearly or monthly and tend to cost from $40 a month, though many gyms will allow you to pay for a day pass. If you prefer not to be drawn into a long contract, some gyms may offer a contractless monthly payments plan wherein you choose how many months you wish to pay for. A full directory of gyms with contact details and a county map can be found here.
Sport is extremely popular in New Zealand. The number one sport is rugby union, and the New Zealand All Blacks are widely considered to be the best rugby team in the world, currently ranked first and holders of the Rugby World Cup. Rugby is the unofficial national sport of the country, and a large part of NZ culture. If you want to take an active role in rugby, have a look at the Rugby Union website which provides a guide on how to get started. Or, visit the Planet Rugby calendar to check out fixtures to attend.
After rugby, the most popular sport in New Zealand is cricket, especially during summer. New Zealand competes as one of ten nations in Test Match cricket, and are currently ranked 7th in the world by the ICC. Cricket clubs can be found in abundance around New Zealand, or you may see it being played on the fields and beaches in summer. Alternatively you can book packages to play and coach around the country and enjoy your surroundings.
The most popular women's sport in New Zealand is netball, and the Silver Ferns are widely regarded as one of the best teams in the sport (currently ranked 2nd in the world, just below Australia). Yet again, clubs and centres can be found around the country if you wish to play, with scouts regularly attending to seek out talent if you are particularly good. For any further information, have a look at MyNetball to book tickets or find a centre.


The Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) Association® is the international leader in alternative investment education and provider of the CAIA designation, the global industry benchmark. The Association grants the CAIA Charter to industry practitioners upon the successful completion of a rigorous two-level qualifying exam. The CAIA Association advocates for the highest standards of professional conduct.


What is I and You about?
I and You is about two teenagers brought together due to an English project concerning Walt Whitman's, Leaves of Grass. Through this project however, they navigate their youth as teenagers in high school as they ponder topics such mortality, love, and New York City.
I play Anthony. Anthony is a high school senior who is an "A" student. He loves life, poetry, jazz, the saxophone, and basketball. His role in the story is the person that comes into Caroline's room with the news that they have an English project to complete that is due the next day.
Anthony's strengths are that he is charismatic and friendly. Weaknesses include procrastination and his undying love of pop tarts.
I think what challenges me most about Anthony is the task of tapping into his life and genuinely playing a high school senior. My high school senior year was only 3 years ago so I still remember, to an extent, what that was like to me. I also keep in mind however, that as high school seniors, Anthony and I have had a very different experience. It's important for me to recognize both the similarities and the differences.
Anthony says at one point, "I'd love to go to New York City." Caroline seconds that. Being born and raised in New York City, it is very cool to hear these characters have this strong desire to go to the "Big Apple." I think it hints at their youthful energy and their desire experience so much more in life than they have experienced already. I think that is such a big part of this play. These two teenagers—whether one wants to admit it or not—are hungry for life. They know that there is so much more out there than their high school experience.
What makes I and You challenging/exciting/interesting to you?
The challenge of this play is for me to convincingly play a high school student whose experience was in most ways not like my own. Not all people in high school had the same experience. I know my experience in high school was far different than Anthony's experience, but you would think that the fact that I went through and graduated from high school only three years ago would be enough preparation to convincingly play a high school student. I believe the audience will be able to tell if I am acting out the clichés of a teenager in high school. The audience, I am sure, would not only see through that, but feel disconnected from my character.
Theatre is important because in some ways it helps people process, digest, and live the human experience. Different stories in theatre can relate to somebody in the audience or inform another person in the audience about a story and/or experience that is not only not their own, but is also a story and/or experience that they were never aware existed. Of course, and this should not go unsaid, theatre is a great form of entertainment. I believe to be entertained is a powerful and important thing that one can give to another person or group of people.
I saw Jabari Matthew's interview for I AND YOU at VSC and need an actor who looks like him for my new play. Please send me his email address so I can contact him at Middlebury. Thanks.


text:
Policy Advisors are selected from the pool of Policy Members to serve for three-year terms. They commit to making a major intellectual contribution to Al-Shabaka's work during their term. Among other things, this includes:
Writing policy briefs and position papers
Peer reviewing policy briefs and position papers
Serving on the Al-Shabaka editorial and other committees
Disseminating Al-Shabaka's policy analysis and opinions through media contacts and other outreach throughout the world
Samer Abdelnour
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Samer Abdelnour is an academic and activist. He co-founded Al-Shabaka in 2009 and served as a founding board member until 2016.
Rabab Abdulhadi
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Rabab Abdulhadi is Associate Professor of Ethnic Studies, Associate Professor of Race and Resistance Studies, and Senior Scholar, Arab and Muslim Ethnicities and Diasporas Initiative at San Francisco State University. She is a long-time feminist activist and scholar who has contributed to the struggle for Palestinian self-determination and the well-being of Palestinian women. From 1982 to 1988, she was the Director of Political and International Relations at the Middle East Research Center in New York.
Oroub el-Abed
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Oroub El-Abed is a postdoctoral research fellow with the Centre for British Research in the Levant (British Academy grant). She holds a PhD in Development Studies from the University of London, School of Oriental and African Studies, and has consulted and written in the area of political economy of development and forced migration, particularly Palestinian refugees in the Middle East. She is the author of Unprotected: Palestinians in Egypt since 1948 (Washington, DC, and Ottawa, CA: Institute for Palestine Studies and the International Development Research Centre, 2009).
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Ali Abunimah is the author of One Country: A Bold Proposal to End the Israeli Palestinian Impasse (2006), and co-founder and director of the widely acclaimed publication The Electronic Intifada. Based in the United States, he has written hundreds of articles and been an active part of the movement for justice in Palestine for 20 years. He is the recipient of a 2013 Lannan Cultural Freedom Fellowship. His most recent book is The Battle for Justice in Palestine.
Naseer Aruri (1934 – 2015)
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Naseer Aruri was Chancellor Professor (Emeritus) of Political Science at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth. He was a founder, former chair, and member-at-large of the Board of Directors of the Trans-Arab Research Institute (Boston), and a member of the Advisory Board of Directors of the International Institute for Criminal Investigations (The Hague). Dr. Aruri was the author of several books, including Dishonest Broker: the U.S. Role in Israel and Palestine (South End Press).
Fateh Azzam
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Fateh Azzam is the Director of the newly established Asfari Institute for Civil Society and Citizenship at the American University in Beirut, and Senior Policy Fellow at AUB's Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy. Previously, he directed al-Haq (1987-1995), was Human Rights Officer at the Ford Foundation (1996-2003), Director of Forced Migration and Refugee Studies at the American University in Cairo (2003-2006) and Middle East regional Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights until July 2012. He is co-founder and former Board Chair of the Arab Human Rights Fund.
Tareq Baconi
Al-Shabaka Analyst Tareq Baconi served as Al-Shabaka's US Policy Fellow from 2016 - 2017. He is currently the Israel/Palestine and Economics of Conflict Analyst at the International Crisis Group. His book, Hamas Contained: The Rise and Pacification of Palestinian Resistance, was published by Stanford University Press. Tareq holds a PhD in International Relations from Kings College London, which he completed alongside a career as an energy consultant. He also holds degrees from the University of Cambridge (International Relations) and Imperial College London (Chemical Engineering). Tareq is an adjunct visiting fellow at the US Middle East Project. His writings have appeared in the New York Review Daily, The Washington Post, Foreign Affairs, and The Guardian.
Sam Bahour
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Sam Bahour does business consulting as Applied Information Management (AIM), specializing in business development with a niche focus on the information technology sector and start-ups. He is also the Chairman of Americans for a Vibrant Palestinian Economy. He helped establish PALTEL and the PLAZA Shopping Center. Until recently, he served on the board of trustees of Birzeit University and was the University's treasurer. He is also a Director at the Arab Islamic Bank and a board member at Just Vision. Bahour is co-editor of HOMELAND: Oral History of Palestine and Palestinians (Olive Branch Press). He writes frequently on Palestinian affairs and his work is posted at www.epalestine.com.
Sami al-Banna
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Sami al-Banna is Director and Chief Technology Officer, NPS Office of Innovation, North American Public Sector at CSC. He was previously director of knowledge systems at McKinsey and Company.
Linah al-Banna
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Linah al-Banna is a Child Psychologist at the Kennedy Krieger Institute.
Rana Barakat
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Rana Barakat is an assistant professor of history and contemporary Arab studies at Birzeit University in Palestine. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Chicago writing about popular politics and resistance in early twentieth century Palestine. Her research interests include the social history of Jerusalem, colonialism, and revolutionary social movements.
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Omar Barghouti is an independent researcher, commentator and activist committed to upholding international law and universal human rights. He is a founding member of the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) and of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel. Barghouti is a frequent public speaker and prolific writer. He is the author of Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions: The Global Struggle for Palestinian Rights (Haymarket, 2011). Among other works, he contributed to the philosophical volume, Controversies and Subjectivity (John Benjamins) and to The New Intifada: Resisting Israel's Apartheid (Verso Books, 2001).
Hatem Bazian
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Hatem Bazian is a senior lecturer in the Departments of Near Eastern and Ethnic Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. He has taught at Berkeley's Boalt Hall School of Law and is also a visiting Professor in Religious Studies at Saint Mary's College of California and adviser to Berkeley's Religion, Politics and Globalization Center as well as Academic Affairs Chair at Zaytuna College of California. He also founded Berkeley's Center for the Study and Documentation of Islamophobia, a research unit dedicated to the systematic study of Othering Islam and Muslims. He is also Chairman of the Board of American Muslims for Palestine.
Samia al-Botmeh
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Samia al-Botmeh is an assistant professor in economics and researcher at the Centre for Development Studies at Birzeit University in Palestine. She has completed her PhD at the School of African and Oriental Studies- University of London, in labour economics, the title of her thesis: "Palestinian Women's Labour Supply: Towards an Explanation of Low and Fluctuating Female Labour Force Participation". Previously, al-Botmeh worked as Senior Researcher and Coordinator of Research at the Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute (MAS) in Ramallah and has published extensively on contemporary Palestinian economics, labor markets, gender differentials, and political economy of development under colonialism.
Kamal Boullata (1942-2019)
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Kamal Boullata was a visual artist and writer. He was the author of Recovery of Place: A Study of Contemporary Palestinian Art (in Arabic, 2000) and Palestinian Art: Discontinuities and Resistance, 1845-2005. He co-edited If Only the Sea Could Sleep (with Mirene Ghossein, 2003) and We Begin Here: Poems for Palestine and Lebanon (with Kathy Engel, 2007).
Diana Buttu
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Diana Buttu is a lawyer who previously served as a legal advisor to the Palestinian negotiating team and was part of the team that assisted in the successful litigation of the Wall before the International Court of Justice. She frequently comments on Palestine for international news media outlets such as CNN and BBC; is a political analyst for Al Jazeera International and is a regular contributor to The Middle East magazine. She maintains a law practice in Palestine, focusing on international human rights law.
Seif Da'Na
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Seif Da'Na is associate professor of Sociology and International Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. He is also a member of the Board of Directors and executive committee of the Trans-Arab Research Institute.
Tariq Dana
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Tariq Dana is an assistant professor at the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies at the Doha Institute of Graduate Studies. He served as the director of the Center for Development Studies at Birzeit University (2015-2017), and was a senior research fellow at Ibrahim Abu-Lughod Institute of International Studies. He earned his PhD at Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Italy. Tariq's research interests include political economy, civil society, social movements/ NGOs, state-building and state-society relations with a particular focus on Palestine and the broader Arab Middle East.
Beshara Doumani
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Beshara Doumani is Professor of Middle East History at the University of California, Berkeley. He writes on the social history of the family, gender and law in Ottoman times, academic freedom, and Palestinian affairs.He is author of Rediscovering Palestine: Merchants and Peasants in Jabal Nablus, 1700-1900. He has been a fellow at Washington D.C.'s Woodrow Wilson Institute, Berlin's Institute for Advanced Studies, and Harvard University's Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Studies. Doumani serves on the editorial committee of the Journal of Palestine Studies as well as the Board of the Palestinian American Research Center. He is helping to establish the Palestinian Museum.
Haidar Eid
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Haidar Eid is Associate Professor of Postcolonial and Postmodern Literature at Gaza's al-Aqsa University. He has written widely on the Arab-Israeli conflict, including articles published at Znet, Electronic Intifada, Palestine Chronicle, and Open Democracy. He has published papers on cultural Studies and literature in a number of journals, including Nebula, Journal of American Studies in Turkey, Cultural Logic, and the Journal of Comparative Literature. Haidar is the author of Worlding Postmodernism: Interpretive Possibilities of Critical Theory and Countering The Palestinian Nakba: One State For All.
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Noura Erakat is an assistant professor at George Mason University where she teaches in the legal studies, international studies, and human rights/social justice studies concentrations. An attorney and human rights advocate, she previously served as Legal Counsel for a Congressional Subcommittee in the House of Representatives and as an advisor on Middle East affairs for Congressman Dennis Kucinich. Noura comments regularly on US foreign policy and international law matters. She has appeared on Al Jazeera International, NBC's "Politically Incorrect," and Fox's "The O'Reilly Factor." Her writings have appeared in The Huffington Post, Berkeley Law School's Journal for Middle East and Islamic Law, Counterpunch, Al-Majdal, and the Middle East Research and Information Project (MERIP).
Randa Farah
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Randa Farah is an Associate Professor at the University of Western Ontario, Anthropology Department. Dr. Farah has written on Palestinian popular memory and reconstructions of identity based on her fieldwork in a refugee camp in Jordan. She was a Research Associate at the Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches sur le Moyen-Orient Contemporain (CERMOC), in Jordan, where she conducted research on Palestinian refugees and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). She held different positions as Visiting Fellow and an Associate Researcher at the Refugee Studies Center (RSC) at the University of Oxford.
Hani Faris
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Hani Faris is Adjunct Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. He previously served at various universities, including Kuwait, Harvard, McGill, and Simon Fraser. He has written many academic articles and his books include Beyond the Lebanese Civil War. He has written more than twenty book chapters and over forty academic articles on such topics as Arab nationalism, the Middle East in world politics, Zionism, Lebanese politics, history of the Palestinian issue, and Third World development. Faris serves on the editorial board of Contemporary Arab Affairs and is president of the Board of Trans Arab Research Institute, (TARI).
Leila Farsakh
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Leila Farsakh is associate professor in political science at the University of Massachusetts Boston. She is the author of Palestinian Labor Migration to Israel: Labor, Land and Occupation, (Routledge, Fall 2005) and editor of Commemorating the Naksa, Evoking the Nakba, (a special volume of Electronic Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, in Spring 2008). She has written widely on the political economy of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and on the one-state solution. Dr. Farsakh has since 2008 has been a senior research fellow at the Center for Development Studies at Birzeit University, in the West Bank. In 2001 she won the Peace and Justice Award from the Cambridge Peace Commission, in Massachusetts, U.S.
As'ad Ghanem
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor As'ad Ghanem is a senior lecturer at the School of Political Sciences, University of Haifa. Ghanem's theoretical work has explored the legal, institutional and political conditions in ethnic states. He has covered issues such as Palestinian political orientations, the establishment and political structure of the Palestinian Authority, and majority-minority politics in a comparative perspective. His books include Palestinian Politics after Arafat: A Failed National Movement (Indiana Series in Middle East Studies). Ghanem has initiated several empowerment programs for Palestinians in Israel.
Toufic Haddad
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Toufic Haddad is a Palestinian-American writer based in Jerusalem. He is the co-author and editor of Between the Lines: Readings in Israel, the Palesinians, and the U.S. 'War on Terror'. (Haymarket Books, 2007, co-written with Israeli author Tikva Honig-Parnass) and Towards a New Internationalism: Readings in Globalization, the Global Justice Movement and Palestinian Liberation (Muwatin: Ramallah 2006, [Arabic] co- written with Ala el Azzeh.) His writings on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have been featured in The National, Al Jazeera English (web), Journal of Palestine Studies, Monthly Review Zine, Znet, Counterpunch, International Socialist Review, and Socialist Worker.
Laila el-Haddad
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Laila el-Haddad is a Maryland-based freelance journalist, author, political analyst, and parent-of-two from Gaza. From 2003-2007, she was Gaza correspondent for the Al-Jazeera English website and a regular contributor to the BBC World Service. She is the author of Gaza Mom: Palestine, Politics, Parenting, and Everything in Between, named for the award-winning blog she has authored since 2004, and was a contributor to The Goldstone Report: The Legacy of the Landmark Investigation of the Gaza Conflict (Nation Books January 2011) and author of the forthcoming Gaza Kitchen. She has been published in The Washington Post, the International Herald Tribune, The Baltimore Sun, The New Statesman, Le Monde diplomatique, and has been a guest on WUNC, WBUR and CNN. She is also a columnist for the Guardian's Comment is Free. She is a graduate of Duke University and Harvard's Kennedy School of Government.
Nadia Hijab is co-founder and board president of Al-Shabaka: The Palestinian Policy Network. She served as its Executive Director between 2011 and March 2018. A writer, public speaker and media commentator, Hijab's first book, Womanpower: The Arab debate on women at work was published by Cambridge University Press and she co-authored Citizens Apart: A Portrait of Palestinians in Israel (I. B. Tauris). She was Editor-in-Chief of the London-based Middle East magazine before serving at the United Nations in New York. She is a co-founder and former co-chair of the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights and now serves on its advisory board.
Jamil Hilal
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Jamil Hilal is an independent Palestinian sociologist and writer, and has published many books and numerous articles on Palestinian society, the Arab-Israeli Conflict, and Middle East issues. Hilal has held, and holds, associate senior research fellowship at a number of Palestinian research institutions. His recent publications include works on poverty, Palestinian political parties, and the political system after Oslo. He edited Where Now for Palestine: The Demise of the Two-State Solution (Z Books, 2007), and with Ilan Pappe edited Across the Wall (I.B. Tauris, 2010).
Khalil Hindi
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Khalil Hindi is President of Bir Zeit University. He was formerly Professor and Associate Dean at Olayan School of Business, American University of Beirut. He held professorships in both engineering and management science in Britain and AUB. He writes occasionally on Palestinian issues.
Muhammad Jaradat
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Muhammad Jaradat is a founding member of BADIL Resource Center, the global Palestine Right-of-Return Coalition and of the BDS Movement. As coordinator of the BADIL Refugee Rights Campaign, he works with Palestinian refugee and internally displaced community organizations in the 1967 Occupied Palestinian Territory, Israel and the Palestinian exile, as well as with the international solidarity movement, in order to enhance knowledge and campaigning skills and facilitate effective community-based campaigns for respect of the fundamental rights of Palestinian refugees and IDPs.
Ingrid Jaradat Gassner
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Ingrid Jaradat Gassner is a co-founder and former director of Badil Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights (Badil). She has worked extensively in the fields of international law and advocacy, including innovative research on Palestinian refugees, the right to return, Israeli colonialism and apartheid and related third-state responsibilities. She has also coordinated research for a Palestinian civic initiative seeking to register exiled Palestinians as voters and campaign for direct PNC elections and carried out advocacy with the Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem. She currently works as an independent consultant.
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Jamal Juma' is a founding member of the Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees, the Palestinian Association for Cultural Exchange and the Palestinian Environmental NGO Network. Since 2002, he has been the coordinator of the Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign. He has been invited to address numerous civil society and United Nations conferences. His articles and interviews are widely disseminated and translated into several languages.
Victor Kashkoush
Victor Kashkoush (d. 2012) served on the first Board of Al-Shabaka, which he joined in 2010 soon after the organization was founded. He brought a wealth of institution-building skills and continued to provide advice and support even when his health was failing due to his long battle with cancer. Victor was director general of the Welfare Association from 1994 to 2000, when he opened his own consulting business, and served as a member of the Board of Trustees from 2005 until his death. He will be remembered for his unfailing commitment to justice, his sharp intelligence, and his generosity. His passing is a great loss to all those who loved him and to the Palestinian people.
Anis Kassim
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Dr. Anis Kassim is an international lawyer based in Amman. He is the chief editor of the Palestine Yearbook of International Law. He helped make the Palestinian case before the International Court of Justice, resulting in its July 9, 2004 Advisory Opinion affirming the illegality of Israel's separation wall and its associated regime.
Victor Kattan
Al-Shabaka policy advisor Victor Kattan is a Senior Research Fellow at the Middle East Institute at the National University of Singapore. He previously served as Al-Shabaka's Program Director and was a postdoctoral fellow at the Law Faculty of the National University of Singapore. He is the author of From Coexistence to Conquest: International Law and the Origins of the Arab-Israeli Conflict, 1891-1949 (London: Pluto Books, 2009) and The Palestine Question in International Law (London: British Institute of International and Comparative Law, 2008). He was a legal adviser to the Palestinian Negotiations Support Project from 2012-2013 and a Teaching Fellow at the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) from 2008-2011 where he obtained his PhD in 2012. He worked for the British Institute of International and Comparative Law from 2006-2008, Arab Media Watch from 2004-2006, and the BADIL Resource Centre for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights from 2003-2004.
Aziza Khalidi
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Aziza Khalidi serves on the board of the Najdeh Association and is a founding member of the Forum of Palestinian women in Lebanon, a network of non-governmental organizations promoting the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women. She is also affiliated to the faculty of economics and business administration at the Islamic University of Lebanon. She works as a freelance research consultant in areas pertaining to health and development for refugees in general, gender issues, and elderly. Contributed to design, implementation and report write up of several field surveys.
Rashid Khalidi
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Rashid Khalidi is the Edward Said Professor of Arab Studies in the Department of History at Columbia University. He is past President of the Middle East Studies Association, was an advisor to the Palestinian delegation to the 1991-1993 Arab-Israeli peace negotiations, and is the editor of the Journal of Palestine Studies. Khalidi is the author of Brokers of Deceit: How the U.S. has Undermined Peace in the Middle East (2013); Sowing Crisis: American Dominance and the Cold War in the Middle East (2009); The Iron Cage: The Story of the Palestinian Struggle for Statehood (2006); Resurrecting Empire: Western Footprints and America's Perilous Path in the Middle East (2004); Palestinian Identity: The Construction of Modern National Consciousness (1997); Under Siege: PLO Decision-making during the 1982 War (1986); and British Policy towards Syria and Palestine, 1906-1914 (1980). He has written over ninety articles on aspects of Middle Eastern history.
Osamah Khalil
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Osamah Khalil is a co-founder of Al-Shabaka. He is an Associate Professor of History at Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Khalil is the author of America's Dream Palace: Middle East Expertise and the Rise of the National Security State (Harvard University Press, 2016).
Ameer Makhoul
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Ameer Makhoul has served for many years as General Director of ittijah – Union of Arab Community Based Associations, the largest coalition of civil society organizations among the Palestinian citizens of Israel. He has also chaired the National committee for the Protection of Political Freedoms, and served as coordinator of the Coordinating Committee of Palestinian Civil Society in the Homeland and Diaspora. He writes frequently on human rights issues and his political analysis is widely circulated.
Camille Mansour
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Camille Mansour is member of the Institute of Palestine Studies' Board of Trustees and chairman of its research committee. He was professor of international relations at Paris University from 1984 to 2004. He also taught at Birzeit University where he founded and headed the Institute of Law (1994-2000) and established al-Muqtafi, the Palestine Judicial and Legislative Databank, and was the dean of its Faculty of Law and Public Administration (2007-2009).
Hani al-Masri
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Hani Al-Masri is Director General of Masarat, the Palestinian Center for Policy Research and Strategic Studies. He founded and was director general of the Palestinian Media, Research and Studies Centre, Badael, between 2005 and 2011. He has published hundreds of articles, research and policy papers in Palestinian and Arab magazines and newspapers including Al-Ayyam and Al-Safir. He previously served as General Manager of the Printing & Publication Department at the Ministry of Information and as a member of the Committee on Government in the Commission of Dialogue held in Cairo in 2009. He is a member of the board of trustees at the Yasser Arafat Foundation.
Salwa Mikdadi
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Salwa Mikdadi is Associate Professor of Art History at NYU Abu Dhabi. She is the author and editor of several books and essays on Arab and Palestinian art and was the curator of the first Palestinian Pavilion for 2009 Venice Biennial. Mikdadi helped establish several art and culture programs in the US, the UAE and in Palestine and the first professional development programs for museum professionals in the UAE and was lecturer at Paris Sorbonne Abu Dhabi. She is a founding member of the Association for Modern and Contemporary Art of the Arab World, Iran and Turkey.
Mary Nazzal-Batayneh
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Mary Nazzal-Batayneh is a UK barrister with vast experience campaigning for human rights. She has worked with several civil society organizations including the Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign. In her capacity as the Chair of the Palestine Legal Aid Fund, she is part of a legal movement to hold Israel accountable for crimes committed against the Palestinian people. She holds degrees from Columbia University, SOAS University of London, the College of Law, and Inns of Court School of Law. Mary is also the President of Landmark Hotels.
Munir Nuseibah
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Munir Nuseibah is a human rights lawyer and academic based in Al-Quds University in Jerusalem, Palestine. He is an assistant professor at Al-Quds University's faculty of law; the director (and co-founder) of Al-Quds Human Rights Clinic, the first accredited clinical legal education program in the Arab World; and the director of the Community Action Center in Jerusalem. He holds an LL.M in International Legal Studies from the Washington College of Law of the American University in Washington DC and a PhD degree from the University of Westminster in London, UK, where his thesis dealt with Forced Displacement in the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict, International Law, and Transitional Justice.
Dena Qaddumi
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Dena Qaddumi is an architect and urbanist currently based in Doha. Her research interests are primarily concerned with how social movements engage with urban space and how this process creates new avenues for citizenship formation.
Mezna Qato
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Mezna Qato is completing her DPhil in History from St. Antony's College, Oxford, on the history of educational regimes for Palestinians.
Najwa al-Qattan
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Najwa al-Qattan is associate professor of history at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. She is a graduate of the American University of Beirut, Georgetown and Harvard Universities. She has published on the Ottoman Muslim court, Jews and Christians in the Ottoman Empire, and the Great War.
Mouin Rabbani
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Mouni Rabbani is an independent writer and analyst specializing in Palestinian affairs and the Arab-Israeli conflict. He is a senior fellow at the Institute for Palestine Studies and is a Contributing Editor to the Middle East Report. His articles have also appeared in The National and he has provided comments for The New York Times.
Fadia Rafeedie Khoury
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Fadia Rafeedie Khoury is a Palestinian living in Los Angeles, originally from El-Bireh and Birzeit. She is a graduate of UC Berkeley and Yale Law School, where she was engaged in activism promoting Palestinian and Arab causes.
Oraib Rantawi
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Oraib Rantawi is the founder and director general of the Amman-based Al Quds Center for Political Studies and an established writer and columnist. He has authored and edited several strategic studies and organized and participated in seminars and conferences in Jordan and internationally. He is also a frequent commentator and analyst on television and has produced his own show "Qadaya wa Ahdath" (Issues and Events.)
Nadim Rouhana
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Nadim N. Rouhana is Professor of International Negotiation and Conflict Studies at The Fletcher School, Graduate School of International Affairs, Tufts University. His current research includes work on the dynamics of protracted social conflict, collective identity and democratic citizenship in multiethnic states, the questions of reconciliation and multicultural citizenship, transitional justice, and international negotiations. His research and writing focused on the Arab-Israeli conflict and on Israeli and Palestinian societies. He is also the Founding Director of "Mada al-Carmel -- The Arab Center for Applied Social Research" in Haifa. The center focuses on issues of identity, citizenship and democracy, and the future relationship between Palestinians and Israelis.
Samah Sabawi
Samah Sabawi is a political commentator, author and playwright. She is a Policy Advisor to Al-Shabaka: The Palestinian Policy Network, and member of the board of directors for the National Council on Canada Arab Relations (NCCAR). Sabawi wrote and produced Cries from the Land (Canada 2003), Three Wishes (Canada 2008) andTales of a City by the Sea (Palestine & Australia 2014). Her past work includes being public advocate for Australians for Palestine, Executive Director for the National Council on Canada Arab Relations (NCCAR) and Subject Matter Expert (SME) for the Canadian Foreign Service Institute's Centre for Intercultural Learning.
Grace Said
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Grace Said is a long-time advocate of Palestinian human rights. She is a member of the Steering Committee of Friends of Sabeel, North America and treasurer of the Washington Interfaith Alliance for Middle East Peace. She has in the past served on the boards of Trans-Arab Research Institute and the Arab-American University Graduates. In 2009 she was a co-founder of Al-Shabaka and also organized a major Sabeel conference in Washington, DC.
May Seikaly
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor May Seikaly is Associate Professor of History at Wayne State University in the Department of Classical Languages, Literatures and Cultures (Near Eastern Studies). Her work has focused on the social history of Arab society, specifically Palestinian and Arabian Gulf societies. May Seikaly has been involved in the collection and archiving of Palestinian memory through the use of Oral documentation for recording, archiving and historicizing oral collections, including her book Haifa: Transformation of an Arab society 1918-1939. She is currently working on a study of Gulf Social History through the eyes of its women, and in essence again utilizing oral history as a major tool.
Omar Shaban
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Omar Shaban is the Founder and Director of the Gaza-based PalThink for Strategic Studies an independent think tank with no political affiliation. He is an analyst of the political-economy of the Middle East and is a regular writer and commentator for the Arab and international media. Omar is a founder of Palestinian groups for Amnesty International, the deputy head of the board of Asala, an association promoting microfinance for women, and a member of the Institute of Good Governance.
Khalil Shaheen
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Khalil Shaheen is a Palestinian Journalist, media expert, researcher, and well-known political and media analyst. He is currently the director of research and policies and board member at Masarat - The Palestine Center for Policy Research and Strategic studies in Ramallah. Since 1981, he has served as a journalist, editor and researcher at several institutions, newspapers and magazines in Lebanon, Syria, Cyprus, Jordan and Palestine, since 1981. His articles and policy studies are widely published.
Halla Shoaibi
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Halla Shoaibi is an S.J.D candidate at American University Washington College of Law in Washington, DC. Prior to that, she served as an Associate for two years at Kamal & Associates, Attorneys and Counselors at Law in Ramallah. Halla holds a masters degree in law from University of Michigan and an LL.B from Birzeit University. Her areas of interest are international criminal law and women's rights.
Jaber Suleiman
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Jaber Suleiman is an independent researcher/consultant in Refugee Studies. Since 2011, he has been working as a consultant and coordinator for the Lebanese Palestinian Dialogue Forum at the Common Space Initiative, UNDP Support Project on Consensus Building, and Civil Peace in Lebanon. Between 2007 and 2010, he worked as a consultant for the Palestinian program of UNICEF in Palestinian refugee camps of Lebanon. He was a Visiting Study Fellow at the Refugee Studies Program, University of Oxford. He is also a co-founder of Aidoun Group & the Centre for Refugee Rights/Aidoun, and has written several studies dealing with Palestinian refugees and the right of return.
Salim Tamari
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Salim Tamari is a senior fellow and director of the Institute of Jerusalem Studies which is affiliated with the Institute for Palestine Studies. He is editor of Jerusalem Quarterly and Hawliyyat al Quds. He is professor of sociology at Birzeit University and has authored several works on urban culture, political sociology, biography and social history, and the social history of the Eastern Mediterranean. He has served as visiting professor at the University of California at Berkeley and Eric Lane Fellow at Cambridge University among other posts.
Alaa Tartir
Alaa Tartir is Program Advisor to Al-Shabaka. Tartir also serves as a research associate at the Centre on Conflict, Development, and Peacebuilding, and a visiting fellow at the Department of Anthropology and Sociology, The Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID), Geneva, Switzerland. Amongst other positions, Tartir was a post-doctoral fellow at The Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) from 2016-17, a visiting scholar and lecturer (2015) at Utrecht University's Department of History and Art History, The Netherlands, and was, between 2010 and 2015, a researcher in international development studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), where he earned his PhD. Follow Tartir on Twitter: https://twitter.com/alaatartir and read his publications at www.alaatartir.com
Dalal Yassine
Dalal Yassine is a lawyer and advocate for gender and human rights for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. Dalal has previously worked with several Palestinian NGOs in Lebanon and formerly served as coordinator for The Right to Work Campaign for Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon. She is the co-author of The Legal Status of Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon (2007) and completed a multi-site study titled The Empowerment of Women in Refugee Camps in Lebanon.
Will Youmans
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Will Youmans is a writer and activist. He is a doctoral candidate at the University of Michigan and holds a degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. He has written on Arab-American issues and US policy in the Middle East.
Mona N. Younis
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Mona N. Younis is an independent strategic planning and organizational development consultant who specializes in human rights. She has extensive experience in research, teaching, philanthropy and non-profit organizations. Mona co-founded the Fund for Global Human Rights (Washington, DC) and the Arab Human Rights Fund (Beirut, Lebanon). She has published on social movements, community development, philanthropy and human rights, and is the author of Liberation and Democratization: The South African and Palestinian National Movements (University of Minnesota Press, 2000).
Issam Younis
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Issam Younis is the Director of Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights in Gaza. He is the Commissioner General of The Palestinian Independent Commission for Hunan Rights (ICHR). He is the president of the Arab Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ANNHRI). He is also a member of the Palestinian Higher Education Council.
Antoine Zahlan (1928-2020)
Al-Shabaka Policy Advisor Antoine Zahlan was a former professor and chairman of the Physics Department at the American University of Beirut and former director of the Royal Scientific Society, Amman, Jordan. He initiated the Arab Project and Development Institute in Lebanon and was a founding member of other Arab institutions such as the Arab Physical Society and the Center for Arab Unity Studies. He published extensively on a broad range of topics from agricultural and educational policies to manpower planning and institution-building.


text:
Tagged murder
Man Arrested in Connection with Homicide at Historic Orlando Gay Hotel Parliament House
Orlando police have arrested a man in connection with a homicide at the historic gay hotel and nightclub Parliament House Resort, reported the Orlando Sentinel. OPD was called around midnight on April 1 aft...
LA County is First Jurisdiction in US to Monitor LGBTQ Murders and Suicides
Los Angeles County in California has become the first jurisdiction in the U.S. to monitor unnatural LGBTQ deaths in the area, reported PinkNews. With the passing of the motion, which was put forward by Repub...
Gay Man Trey Peters Attacked and Killed in DeKalb County
Gay man Ronald "Trey" Peters was shot early Tuesday morning (June 4) after attackers shouted homophobic slurs at him. Peters, 28, was walking home from a MARTA station in Stone Mountain when he was approache...
First Trans Person Murdered This Year in Alabama
Transgender woman Dana Martin from Alabama was murdered on Sunday – the first reported murder of a trans person in the U.S. in 2019. According to the Montgomery Advertiser, Martin, 31, was fatally shot and f...
Update is Released on Number of Trans People Murdered This Year in Honor of Trans Day of Remembrance
In honor of Transgender Day of Remembrance today (November 20), the Transgender Murder Monitoring Project released an update on how many transgender people were murdered between October 2017 and September 2018,...
Murder Charge Lowered in Stabbing Death of Former ANC Commissioner
he ex-boyfriend of gay former D.C. Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Antonio Barnes, who Prince George's County police charged on April 13 with first degree murder for allegedly stabbing Barnes to death, has p...
5 LGBT things to know today, Nov. 10
1. "Transparent" star Jeffrey Tambor is the latest Hollywood actor to be accused of sexual harassment. Tambor's transgender former assistant, Van Barnes (who appeared in "I Am Cait"), made the allegations on he...
Burglars kill gay Stone Mountain man
Theodore Moore, 48, was shot and killed during a home invasion on Sept. 25, DeKalb County police say. Burglars forced their way into the home and locked Moore's husband in a closet when Moore returned from w...
5 LGBT things you need to know today, Aug. 29
1. Hurricane Harvey wreaked havoc in Houston, Texas, this week. The city's Montrose Center, a LGBT resource facility, needs your help to assist displaced LGBT community members. Here's how you can get involved....
Bangladesh LGBT editor hacked to death, NGMA responds
The murder of Xulhaz Mannan, editor of the Bangladesh LGBT publication Roopbaan, along with a friend, Mahbub Rabbi Tonoy, has caught worldwide attention and daily criticism of the treatment of LGBT people in th...
Jacksonville-area fundraiser tonight for slain Atlanta native's family
Friends of Glenn Hucks, the gay Atlanta native whose body was found in Camden County on Jan. 30 , are hosting a fundraiser for his family tonight, Feb. 13, at Jacksonville-area gay bar Hamburger Mary's. Hucks, ...


Picture this: As you're packing up your belongings and getting ready to leave work, you notice a packet on your desk and the title reads, "April 2016 Report". You remember that your boss tasked you with that report and wanted it on his desk by May 1st and you think to yourself, "I've got plenty of time." You pack up the rest of your belongings and start to head out the door when you take a glance at your calendar and realize that it's April 30th.
Looks like you won't be going home for a while.
It's not unlikely that unexpected things like this happen. Whatever the case may be, whether we're too proud, too independent, or just too afraid to ask, sometimes we really can't do everything on our own and we need to ask for help. The good thing is, no one ever said you couldn't ask for help. If you're like me and you don't like to ask for help, keep these simple things in mind.
When I talk about prioritizing your tasks, I'm talking about prioritizing what you will need the most help on. There's a good chance that you'll need more help on your fifteen page report that's due in two days than on a few documents that you need to sign (especially since you have to sign them yourself). Looking at it in a more objective perspective, getting help is like acquiring another resource for you to use, so why not use that resource to its fullest potential. There's no rule that says if someone agrees to help you, you have to give them the easiest thing to do. Let's face it, if that were the case, we might as well not ask for help at all. It's perfectly fine to have someone help you on a big project as long as you let them know the situation. Remember, if they didn't want to help you, they wouldn't have agreed to in the first place.
If you're like me, then you hate asking for help for one main reason: you feel like a burden to others. This is pretty common for people to feel like when they ask for help simply because when people ask for help, they start to feel like they're dragging people down with them. They feel more like a liability than anything else. It's a perfectly normal way to feel, but it needs to stop. The best way to get over this feeling is simply to just accept the fact that you're only human. Just like how people are allowed to make mistakes, you're allowed to ask for help. Obviously if you could finish the job on your own then you're going to. But if you put in your best effort and you really can't finish it on your own, then who can blame you? Don't sell yourself short because you need help. Once we start to feel better about the idea of asking for help, the next question is, how do you go about it? There are two points that I want to address.
No, I'm not talking about Mike from Jersey Shore. I'm talking about the actual situation you're in. When you ask for help, you always want to let the person you're asking know exactly what's going on.
There's nothing worse in a business setting than miscommunication. You could be working as a janitor, in a restaurant, or even working as a senior partner for Apple. If there is no communication, then you will be doomed to fail. Make sure you always fully explain your situation to whoever you ask for help. Whatever message you're trying to get across, make sure that by the end of your conversation, the person who you ask for help knows what's going on. Not only will that person understand the current situation, but that person will also know whether or not to make any adjustments to his or her current schedule in order to fully help you. Keep in mind that if you're hiding something from the person who's helping you, not only is that hurting your chances to finish whatever project you're working on, but also shows that you don't fully trust your coworkers who are willing to help you.
When you ask for help, always keep in mind that you are the one who is asking for help and that if someone agrees to help you, they are taking time out of their schedule (this applies even if you are asking your friend or mentor for help!). It's important to respect that. No one has to agree to help you, but they do because they ultimately care about you and don't want to see you fail. But that doesn't mean you should take advantage of them nor does that mean you can start taking it easy. If you start doing any of these things, remember this: they don't have to help you all the way. It's a simple thing to remember, but it's also very easy to overlook.
Some important things to note when you ask for help are to always accommodate to them and to respect their own work as well. When you ask for help, always make sure to accommodate to their schedule; they should never have to move around their schedule for you, it's just common courtesy since you're the one who needs their help. This also ties into respecting their work. They have deadlines too, don't forget that. They need to have time to do their own work as well; don't take advantage of their time.
We're only human; we can't do everything by ourselves. It's perfectly fine to ask for help from time to time. My advice: work on developing better relationships with your coworkers. I'd rather ask for help from a good friend of mine rather than ask Bob in Human Resources 20 floors below me. That stronger friendship yields a deeper trust and it'll just make asking for help when you need it more comfortable. Not only that, but they'll understand the importance of your asking them for help because of how close you are; they know you don't ask for help often and when you do it's because of something serious.
Just remember to keep it professional and ask away!
Want more tips on how to conduct yourself professionally in a workplace? Read here!


Create your own Carribean vacation!
A professional travel agency that does more than wine.
Seeing the world one cork at a time.
Book Over 120,000+ Tours and activities!
11 days and 10 nights!
We'll visit Barcelona, Valencia and Madrid. Starting at only $2,499 per person!
This small group, of only 10 people, will experience the best that Spain has to offer.
Food, wine, and much more!
We'll eat great food, world class wines, and explore these three great cities!
Would you like to join me on a trip to Bordeaux? Check out this video it might convince you.
We are a group of people who are well-versed in the fun and rigors of traveling. Our travel agency came together to help other people plan and book their dream vacations. Not just limited to wine excursions we offer trips and exciting adventures all over the globe.
Whether you're looking for a wine travel, a trip to an exotic beach, or the whole package, we have you covered! Simple tell one of our specialists where you want to go and we'll help you figure out the rest. Our travel agency works directly with other companies to get the best deals.
Copyright © 2018 Wine Pro Travel - All Rights Reserved.


text:
Peter Luff hosted the 2010 IHS Symposium in Brisbane, Australia, at the Griffith University Queensland Conservatorium where he is on the faculty. He is also associate principal horn with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. Luff cites Barry Tuckwell as his role model, and Tuckwell was Patron of the symposium. Luff also admires Hector McDonald and the American Horn Quartet, and they were featured artists at the symposium.
Luff was born in Perth, Western Australia. He received a music scholarship to attend Churchlands Senior High School, where he developed his interest in the horn. He continued his studies at the University of Adelaide's Elder Conservatorium, graduating in 1986 and taking a position with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. He has earned a master's degree and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree at Queensland Conservatorium.
Luff has performed with the Adelaide Symphony, West Australian Symphony, State Opera Orchestra of South Australia, Queensland Philharmonic, Queensland Wind Soloists, and Southern Cross Soloists. He has published and recorded arrangements for the Southern Cross Soloists.
Luff has conducted brass ensembles, wind ensembles, youth orchestras, and the Queensland Orchestra. He has tutored horn students at institutions and music camps in Australia, Korea, Japan, and the US and has adjudicated competitions at the Australian Academy of Music and Education Queensland's Fanfare competition.
Luff was honored with the Punto Award at the 2010 IHS Symposium.


In the market for certain excellent Door Lock Handle Sets determination? The following Door Lock Handle Sets photograph gallery will be your easiest solution. By way of searching that Door Lock Handle Sets photo stock, you will get a lot of suggestions which is to be advantageous. You may use a recommendations this exhibited as a result of Door Lock Handle Sets photo stock as the significant research as part of your upgrading project. It is possible to get used to the your furniture type Door Lock Handle Sets photo collection to give a natural setting atlanta divorce attorneys room or space of your property. Apart from home furnishings, it is possible to copy in imperative component involving Door Lock Handle Sets photograph collection for example the coloring range which will the create the full property looks much more dazzling. A atmosphere made by way of home that is to say Door Lock Handle Sets image stock will offer tranquility to someone who had been in their home. Involving Door Lock Handle Sets photo collection is likely to make your property in to a house which can be rather pleasant for mates and your own people.
No matter whether you now have the reduced or simply significant space or room, it is possible to employ the themes this Door Lock Handle Sets photo stock exhibit well. This wonderful finish of each one installation with Door Lock Handle Sets pic collection will make your home more pleasing. And at the same time take advantage of your property by pairing a few principles from Door Lock Handle Sets pic stock, naturally, this will create a especially specific appear. To give a striking personality to the house, you are able to DO-IT-YOURSELF lighting fixtures for the topic you end up picking from Door Lock Handle Sets picture collection. The nice homes which suggested just by this approach great Door Lock Handle Sets photo stock can provide the self-assurance and nature to handle your day. The some other profit that you may obtain with working with a suggestions associated with Door Lock Handle Sets snapshot stock to your residence will be the eternal check. Thus you need to appreciate Door Lock Handle Sets image stock for getting impressive ideas. And additionally remember to save this page and also Door Lock Handle Sets graphic stock so that you can update modern layouts.


text:
Supreme Court Upholds IPRs in Oil States
Categories: Patent Civil Procedure, The Software IP Report, USPTO Post-Issue Proceedings
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court released its opinion in Oil States Energy Services, LLC v. Greene's Energy Group, LLC, holding that the inter partes review procedure does not violate Article III of the Constitution. The Court maintained the status quo, and IPRs are still a viable route for defending against or attacking a patent.
The path to the Supreme Court began with an infringement suit. Oil States and Greene's compete in supplying equipment for oil and gas extraction, and Oil States sued Greene's for infringing U.S. Patent No. 6,179,053, which covers a wellhead for hydraulic fracturing. Greene's—like many defendants—petitioned the Patent Trial and Appeal Board to institute an IPR and invalidate the '053 patent. The PTAB did so, and the appeals climbed to the Supreme Court, winnowing to this Question Presented: "Whether IPRs violate the Constitution by extinguishing private property rights through a non-Article III forum without a jury." In other words, is invalidating a patent the type of issue that must be heard by a court instead of an administrative agency? If so, must that court use a jury? (For additional background, check out my webinar discussing the briefing.)
The Court answered "no" by a 7-2 margin, holding that IPRs violated neither Article III nor the Seventh Amendment. Justice Thomas authored the majority opinion. As predicted on this blog, Justice Gorsuch dissented, joined by Justice Roberts.
The majority focused on the public rights doctrine, a significant exception to the statement in Article III that "[t]he judicial power of the United States shall be vested in" the courts. All the parties agreed that issuing patents fell within the public rights doctrine, and rescinding patents is not relevantly different; thus, rescinding patents also falls within the public rights doctrine. The majority referred to patents as public franchises and noted that the executive and legislative branches can apply conditions to franchises. Oil States had cited some cases from the 19th century with language referring to patents as private property, but the majority interpreted these cases as discussing the status of patents under the 1870 Patent Act, not the Constitution.
The other significant argument dealt with whether, at the time of the Constitution, rescinding a patent would have been understood as encompassed by "judicial power." The historical arguments focused on the Privy Council, which was a body of advisers to the King of England. The majority noted that the Founders would have known that the Privy Council—an executive agency—had long had the power to rescind patents and had done so in the 18th century.
The majority dismissed as irrelevant to any test an argument about how "courtlike" IPR proceedings are, and the majority held that, since the Seventh Amendment test is strictly narrower than the Article III test, the Seventh Amendment was also not violated.
To end its decision, the majority cautioned about what the Court had not decided. All in all, the Court intentionally issued a narrow decision. For example, "this case does not require us to add to the 'various formulations' of the public-rights doctrine." Moreover, the Court listed issues it had not decided: whether infringement can be heard in a non-Article III forum, whether IPRs would be constitutional without Federal Circuit review, whether retroactive application of IPRs is constitutional, how due process may constrain IPRs, and whether patents are property for the purposes of the Due Process Clause and Takings Clause.
The dissent emphasized the reliance interests of patent owners before transitioning to a historical argument. Justice Gorsuch essentially asked how you would feel if someone took away your patent that you worked really hard on. On the historical side, the dissent argued that the overwhelmingly common route for invalidating a patent in the 18th century was the court system. The Privy Council was basically defunct before the Constitution was ratified, and the last few cases that the Privy Council decided dealt with munitions during wartime, making those decisions atypical.
The biggest takeaway, of course, is that the status quo has been upheld: IPRs still exist. An accused infringer (or anyone else who has reason to dislike a particular patent) still has the option of petitioning the PTAB for an IPR to invalidate the patent.
The other point to keep in mind is the narrowness of the Court's decision. When practicing at and appealing from the PTAB, the issues that the Court explicitly didn't decide may provide viable grounds for appealing an adverse PTAB decision.
Tags: Constitutional Law, Patent Civil Procedure, Supreme Court, USPTO Post-Issue Proceedings


 Whom Christ loves, His Angles Love Too!
It is a wonderful truth that the Angels in Heaven love our children – indeed, all children – and we can take great comfort that at the moment of our Baptism, when we are received into the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, and He provides each one of us with a Guardian Angel. This Angel remains with us throughout our lives, watching over us, in the same way that we each benefit from the prayers and loving care of our Patron Saint, after whom we are named at our Baptism. The hosts of Heaven love and care for us!
for every transgression I have committed this day.
so that I may not anger my God by any sin.
of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of all the Saints. Amen.
We have the assurance, then that since our Lord God loves us, He loves all of the children, your children –every child, everywhere! Every child is protected under the wings of a Guardian Angel and their Patron Saint. When your child is going through any difficulty or having any health problems, our Lord God is quick to respond. "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of heaven" (St. Matthew 19:14). Here is the foundation of spiritual education and Christian understanding – letting the children come to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is because of His arms wrapped around each child in love that the angels love and protect children.
So when your beloved child walks out the door of your house, or goes to school (including Sunday School) or goes outside to play, be assured that our Lord God watches over your beloved child, just as He has commanded both the child's Guardian Angel and Patron Saint to do.
Even as we get older what continues to remain in us and with is the love of Lord God. He never leaves us or forsakes us. He continues to watch over us, even in the most difficult times, whether in illness, or during any of lives struggles. God is with us, and cares about us. What a loving God we have, who sends us not only the comfort of the Holy Spirit, but even provides us with the further blessings of a Guardian Angel and our Patron Saint whose prayers for us are always rising to the Throne of Grace.
Let us then walk with our God, our Guardian Angel, and our Patron Saint, and ask for their guidance and strength.


text:
The Core Media Player 4.11
Last update: 20 Jan 2006 | License: Freeware | Size: 3.2MB | Downloads: 1149194
The Core Media Player (TCMP) is a powerful multimedia player with lots of features and able to play virtually any audio or video format.
The application is based on the well-known PowerDivX NextGen multimedia player.
The Core Media Player is available in a free, standard version, and in a Premium, paid one, whose additional features are DVD playback and unlimited plugin support.
It even supports Winamp plugins, and its interface is similar to that of Winamp.
Unlike other basic media players, TCMP has skin support and allows you to choose between various theme colors.
Regarding options, TCMP offers you multiple features and customizing possibilities thanks to its comprehensive settings menu.
At the same time, the interface is kept simple, so even if you are a beginner, you will figure out how to use this media player. Once you get more used to it, you will begin to discover its advanced options, too.
Other important features of The Core Media Player are its powerful DirectShow-based core, playlists formats support (NPL, M3U, PLS, XML), skin support with real time Hue variation and Alpha blending, a console mode with Full command Line Interface, the possibility of setting your own hotkeys and an open architecture (any third-party developer can improve TCMP).
The supported formats are another important aspect in every media player. The Core Media Player can play almost any format you throw at it and additionally it has a Dynamic Range Control feature, DS based http streaming support and metadata support for various types of tags.
The Core Media Player is definitely worth trying; it is amazingly complex and smart for its small size, the installation process is fast and simple, and the interface, intuitive and user-friendly.
Printed from: http://www.codecs.com/download/the_core_media_player.htm


We don't wear black or white hats, we just like to get your SEO to work for you, getting your company, products or services on or within the top pages of all search engines.
As simple as that, without wearing any hats.
ma-design.com Design Management and Social Media specialists., Based near Birmingham, UK, since 1987. We can provide design solutions from business cards, right through to major advertising campaigns.
Abstract: ma-design | is a creative design studio who uses design Management techniques., Based near Birmingham, UK, since 1987. We look forward to speaking with you very soon.
Our commitement to providing a focused Design Management service for our clients is backed by our 32 years working within a wide range of industries and market sectors, including: Automation and Control, Automotive, and Pneumatics.
As being involved with both web design and hosting since 1996, we specialise in providing Web Site and Data Hosting solutions to meet exacting business needs for both access and security, from: SEO Optimisation, Social Media marketing, to Data Hosting.
We are so keen to keep abreast of both new technology and marketing processes that can benefit both the packaging industry and end-users directly. In view of this we strongly believe in collaborating and sharing information with other members of key Industrial Associations within the Engineering, Electronics, Property Management, Software Systems, and Food Processing industrial sectors.
We aim to please our customers doing our best to provide you with a quality experience, whether you are looking for; Advertising, or want Signwriting services.
We will always be pleased to talk with you about Social Media Designer, Exhibition Design, or Digital Printing needs.


Imagine high school students having the opportunity to travel to The National Museum in London to view world-famous masterpieces, experience a live performance at London's acclaimed Globe Theatre and pour over medieval manuscripts at Trinity College in Dublin.
This month, students at Phoenix charter school Metro Arts will travel abroad to experience works of art, theater and literature in world-famous museums and theaters as they journey from Dublin to London.
For a decade, Metro students have traveled to such destinations as France, Germany, Japan, Greece, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands to experience new cultures and to see the works of art and theatrical productions the students have been studying in class. This summer, a group of students will embark on a trip to Australia and New Zealand while future destinations include France and Spain. On each adventure, the students record their adventures through journaling, photography and online posts.
In his youth, Baker traveled extensively and even spent a year living in Bologna, Italy, an experience that allowed him to make the transition from the east coast, where he grew up, to Arizona.
For Director of Operations Lisa Starry, coordinating the Metro Arts World Travel Club trips is one of the most rewarding experiences of her 20-year career at the school. From recruiting, promoting and scheduling to training chaperones, Starry is excited to provide unique travel experiences for students.
"The students get to see something they've never seen before, they get to live in a different world for eight to nine days, eating different foods, hearing a different language and using a different currency. They're very excited about becoming travelers in the future," said Starry.
Starry ensures that every travel detail is in place and she loves the process. Her favorite part is seeing the students grow in their confidence and responsibility.


text:
Kazakhstan and Hungary want to boost Silk Road traffic
Source: Csaba Prohaszka Csaba Prohaszka
The developer of the East-West Gate (EWG) intermodal terminal, being built in Hungary and the Kazakh EuroTransit Group, which operates several terminals on the Kazakh-Chinese border, will cooperate in providing a fast and reliable transport route. The parties signed an agreement for cooperation at the ongoing TransRussia International Transport and Logistics Exhibition in Moscow.
East-West Intermodal Logistics Plc, the company currently developing the EWG in Fényeslitke, Hungary and the Kazakh EuroTransit Group are jointly looking for partners. They are offering them complex logistics services between Asia, mainly in Western and Inner China as well as the European Union, under a long-term cooperation agreement.
East-West Gate
East-West Gate is a promising terminal currently under construction. It lies near the border of Hungary and Ukraine, on a route that could provide for an alternative to the heavily consumed route through Poland and Belarus. What is more, it is promising to become the largest intermodal terminal in Europe.
When announcing the agreement in Moscow, Norbert Konkoly, Hungarian Ambassador to Moscow, emphasised that with the investment in Fényeslitke, Hungary could once again become a key player in international rail transport. Hungary is a gateway between the East and the West, and the East-West Gate project will be a tangible realisation of this, he emphasised.
Kazakh EuroTransit Group
The Kazakh EuroTransit Group is a major player in freight traffic between Asia and Europe, a traffic management and transportation group that operates one railway- and several truck terminals on the Kazakh-Chinese border and is currently building a second railway terminal to handle the growing traffic.
Erlan Dikhanbayev, CEO of EuroTransit, said the operation of their railway terminal in Dostyk, the most important transshipment area on the Kazakh-Chinese border, would be coordinated with the East-West Gate in Fényeslitke. Until the two terminals are realised, the shipping base will be built and workflows will be synchronised, which will allow the terminal to operate at full capacity immediately after being handed over.
Tenfold increase for Eurasian rail freight traffic through Hungary
Is a new Silk Road gateway in the making?
New state-of-the art terminal to boost Hungary-Ukraine rail freight
Tags: BRI, Hungary, Kazakhstan, New Silk Road, Ukraine
East-West Intermodal Logistics
2 new rail connections for mega-ship port of Wilhelmshaven
Brittany Ferries confirms wagon order for 'rail freight motorway' service
Hannibal to launch new rail service to connect port of La Spezia with China
Inflation considered biggest risk for shipping industry in 2023
This is how truck companies shift to rail in Germany
Black Forest Terminal opens in German Horb
GTS takes over services in southern Italy after operator bankruptcy
"Combined transport has a big leverage, we don't have to wait for anything"
Brittany Ferries confirms wagon order for 'rail freight motorway' service
Delta Rail will launch a new service between France and Germany


An aging Europe, associated with the report that cognitive decline affects over 20% of those aged 70+, brings new challenges in how to improve the independence and quality of life of elderly people, promote their good health and to integrate assistance without overloading social and public health systems, the elderly, or their relatives.
In Europe people aged 50+ already represent 37% of the population, i.e. 190 million citizens, and Eurostat foresees an increase of two million-persons aged 60+ per annum. Approximately 10-15% of elders are believed to have mild cognitive impairment (MCI), commonly characterized by memory problems, well beyond those associated with normal aging. Because of this, preventing the effects of mental decline is now an international priority. And so, the use of programs to ameliorate memory and other cognitive functions are widely accepted, but it is necessary that they are accepted by elderly people and there is confirmation of their usability and efficacy when applied. Following these considerations, the European Union, through HORIZON 2020, promotes development of tools for avoiding the cognitive and functional impairments in aging.
Thus, our research team and other research groups in Europe, promoted a European project for obtaining funding from H2020 called ehcoBUTLER. This project addresses the aforementioned challenge through development of an innovative ICT technological platform with both leisure and care apps dedicated to stimulate social, cognitive, and even physical functions, in order to improve daily functionality through a self-empowering approach with an expected positive impact on reducing decline patterns of elderly individuals suffering from MCI.
ehcoBUTLER is a three-year project co-funded by the European Commission (Horizon 2020 – research and innovation framework programme) that is being carried out by a multinational consortium composed of 13 members – Everis, CIBER, Telefonica, Fundación INTRAS and Idea SL (Spain); National Foundation for the Elderly (the Netherlands); YourDATA and Aima Napoli Onlus Association (Italy); Mobili (Slovenia); E-Seniors Association (France); VIDAVO (Greece); one Candidate Country (ASISTEL, Serbia) and one Associated country (Clalit Health Services, Israel). During the project frame, the ehcoBUTLER platform will be tested for 20 months in five EU28 Member States (The Netherlands, Spain, Greece, France, Italy), one Candidate Country (Serbia) and one Associated Country (Israel), with more than 1,000 users involved.
The overall objective of the project is to achieve an improvement in the health and social care of older people with cognitive impairments and prevention of progressive cognitive decline.
In fact, elder people suffering from cognitive decline often are not able to report consistently on their emotional and physical well-being or keep track of their medication, treatment, or appointments with care and cure professionals and caring family, friends and neighbors. The ICT-platform aims to fill that gap.
The ehcoBUTLER platform will be developed as a modular application based on two groups of modules: the Leisure Modules (Friends, The Book of Life, Videoconference, My Memories…) and the Care Modules (Nutritional Recommendations, Cognitive Therapies…). These modules are accompanied by horizontal modules such as the Agenda, which will support the therapeutic modules; the Market, which will allow users to download new applications made by third-parties to be incorporated to the ehcoBUTLER platform; the Research Module, which will allow specialists to design and implement several predictive models to detect patterns on users' evolution; and the Management and Follow-Up module which will control the status of users and manage their information.
Taking into account the high expected impact on users' life, specific attention will be paid to two modules: the Cognitive Stimulation Module (based on the GRADIOR software, a solution developed by INTRAS Foundation over the last 15 years of neuropsychogeriatric research) and the Vital Signs Sensing Module (from Mobili).
Pilots of the ehcoBUTLER technology will involve citizens who are experiencing a slight decline in cognitive function but are still in relatively good health and able to perform activities of daily living independently (they live at home and they can use ICT-tools). The overall testing phase will comprise 20 months, and it will involve more than 1,000 users applying the tool to four different environments: Public Care Services, Elder Care Centers Services, Home Care Services and Telecare & TeleHealth Services.
ehcoBUTLER represents a feasible alternative to provide quality social and health care to people with MCI. Through its modular concept, the elderly can access different services tailored to their cognitive or general health profile. Offering cognitive training/stimulation services at home through enjoyable exercises is of great interest since it can contribute to decreasing costs associated with usual preventive and treatment approaches and increase accessibility and universality of care.
The expected impact of the project is ambitious reflecting the high commitment of the ehcoBUTLER partners in developing and testing an innovative solution (IT and methodological approach) to make an important impact on Health and Care systems. In summary, it is expected the development of a health and social care ICT solution and service model will be capable of increasing Quality of Life of older people, delaying the advancement of cognitive diseases, promoting their well-being and improving their emotional state, reducing healthcare system costs, improving care process efficiency, and offering high scalability potential across Europe.