text:
Chicken Thieves: Police Confiscate Poultry & Destroy Them; No Charges Filed
March 27, 2014 in News by The Manimal
Source: Political Outcast
For some reason the New Bern police decided that a guy with a lot of chicken and roosters must be engaged in illegal cockfighting. That is how it looks from this news story anyway. They were serving a drug warrant and then took almost sixty chickens and roosters "as part of an investigation."
The owner was never charged, and he never got his property returned to him.
Copblock reports:
The station reports officers also seized training muffs, a vest, syringes and antibiotics [in addition to poultry].
Byrd told the station in January that he hadn't done anything wrong. "They're show birds," he said. "I show them at the fair." He also explained that the muffs were used for breeding and the vest was actually a beer holder.
Earlier this month, the station reported that District Attorney Scott Thomas said there was not enough evidence to charge Byrd and he gave the go-ahead for the chickens to be returned, passing the buck to Animal Control.
"They were my pets," he said. "The birds mean everything to me."
Before he could get them back, some of the birds allegedly contracted "a contagious disease." Some died. The rest were killed by the county government.
Scott Harrelson, county health director, said that the chickens were already sick when they were taken into custody, but Byrd denies that claim.
Byrd is requesting $50,000 in damages, for the birds and the cages that were ripped open during the raid.
The station reports that a police spokesperson says there is no plan to compensate Byrd for his losses.
As Copblock points out, no matter who is at fault, the police or animal control, the taxpayers are the ones on the hook. The police are given the luxury of risk-free raids and risk-free property seizures. When they take property for no justifiable cause, and some victimized citizen manages to take them to court and win, only the taxpayers are billed to compensate that victim.
Tags: law enforcement, New Bern police, police state, Search and Seizure, theft
Comments Off on Chicken Thieves: Police Confiscate Poultry & Destroy Them; No Charges Filed
← FBI severs ties with liberal, domestic terrorism-inspiring Southern Poverty Law Center
Deutsche Bank-er Explains Why He Committed Suicide →


After an exciting night at TELCA in the Honourable Artillery Gardens, we are elated to announce that our newly appointed director has been awarded the Energy Live News 2016 Business Person of the Year award!
We're incredibly excited that Kelly Ivison has been recognised in the prestigious energy industry award scheme, TELCA, and can think of no one more deserving of the prize.
Kelly joined the business in the early days and hasn't looked back since. She has persistently committed more than anyone could ever expect from a team member, putting her other commitments on hold when it has been needed. She has been a key driver in our growth and continues to aid it through her innovative and tactical approach to objectives.
She was only promoted to the position of director at Exchange Utility in March 2016 and has since been a driving force behind our workforce expansion, new site establishment and culture maintenance.
We had a fantastic night at The Energy Live Consultancy awards and lavish garden party, followed by the award ceremony where we enjoyed socialising with some of the best in the industry! What an amazing event and venue for this year's TELCA ceremony.
This TELCA award gives recognition to all of Kelly's hard work at Exchange Utility and her huge achievements within the business. The improvements she has made to both our culture and the way in which we work has vastly enhanced our business and her drive will undoubtedly propel us to even bigger heights. Well done Kelly!
We'd like to say a huge thank you for all involved in the organisation, judging and planning of TELCA. It was an incredible night for us and we are so humbled and proud to come away with this award. It's a dream come true for us and we are grateful for all who have supported us.
Congratulations to all the winners, nominees and finalists of the TELCA 2016. It was an unforgettable evening. Given this year's success, we're already looking forward to next year's Energy Live News Awards and would recommend the experience to any other businesses looking to make an impact on the energy world.


The SRS-A1 is designed around the core components of accuracy with aircraft grade materials to minimize its size and weight. The A1 design has been refined with enhancements in reliablility and durability with its improved firing and extraction mechanisms. It also utilizes new technology polymer that increases its strength more than 150% for the same weight.
The SRS-A1 maintains 1/2 MOA accuracy or better because it incorporates match grade (free-floated) barrels, chambers and crowns, a match trigger, and a solid return-to-zero barrel mounting system.
The SRS-A1 is the shortest sniper rifle in the world. With its telescoping bolt and bullpup configuration it is almost a foot shorter than conventional sniper rifles.
The SRS-A1 is the most versatile sniper system in the world. With the ability to quickly switch between seven different calibers, operators can change rifle length, penetration, and distance capabilities based on mission requirements.


Surfing anonymously without having a fear of being tracked and hacked!
What if we say, it is no longer a dream? Amazed?
Well, the increasing risks of hacking and inspection by agencies have also increased the ways by which you can hide from the online world. Here we are not talking about the precautionary measures. You can now use the internet without restrictions and with complete anonymity by several free web proxies.
You might now be curious to know about these proxies.
Basically, a web proxy is a computer server that changes the user's IP address without online traffic encryption. So, it allows the user to surf the internet with complete privacy. It also makes difficult for the trackers to trace your information via your browsing history.
Unblock websites and surf the internet anonymously with these tested to work free proxies. Take your internet freedom back right now!
The web proxy also allows the users to access the sites that are blocked by specific networks as in schools, universities, and offices.
Some of the web proxy servers are paid. However, we are here providing you the proxy server list that might help you to browse at liberty.
Why do you need a web proxy?
How does a web proxy work?
What makes an anonymous proxy best?
Are proxies and VPNs same?
You are habitual of net surfing. Eventually, you encounter a site that is banned in your country! That is irritating, right?
Likewise, you are a student and want to access the website that might help you a lot for completing your assignment. But your school or university that does not allows you to do so.
A similar situation can also occur while working in an office.
Fortunately, all of such frustrating situations can be handled just by using an appropriate proxy.
Proxy site is a way of accessing the websites that are blocked by your ISP, educational institute, office, or even by your government.
Similarly, if you are a journalist, then you must provide comprehensive reports on the current situation of any country. But you cannot access the reliable sources of that country. Don't be sad. The web proxies might help you to access the sites of the country to which you are officially limited.
The top proxy sites can also allow the companies to save bandwidth, especially when thousands of employees access heavy sites.
Everyone is afraid of being tracked by a spy or by mischievous websites having viruses. A web proxy also solves this issue. The proxies provide security to its user. These servers block the access of malicious sites and third parties. That offers the user safe and anonymous surfing.
You might be wondering that if the proxy server is not encrypting the online trafficking, then how it works.
The anonymous paid or free web proxies work by camouflaging your identity. It acts as an intermediary server between your computers and the desired website.
The online request from your PC will first go to the proxy server. Here, the requests are processed and then proceeded to the web source.
Similarly, the response from the web will reach the relay, after which it gets directed to your PC. Briefly, these servers function by filtering the internet requests through a web.
Generally, both the premium and the free web proxy services increase the privacy by hiding your original IP (Internet Protocol) address. These web proxies divert your online trafficking to public servers and addresses that can easily access any blocked site.
By using a web proxy, you can also easily access the banned websites of your country. That is because it shows the IP address from the state that supports the site like yours. Likewise, if your network does not support a website, then using web proxies will resolve the issue.
A top web proxy server can also compress online traffic, cache files, and even ads from the websites before giving access to you.
As mentioned earlier, a wide variety of web proxy services are now available that claim to be the best free proxies ensuring privacy and freedom. Unfortunately, there are some web proxies as well that are known for stealing your data. These services also check your activities and track you. Therefore, one should be very cautious in selecting a web proxy service.
The pace while searching through a web proxy is slower than the usual Typically, the best anonymous proxy is provided with nominal speed.
A secure internet proxy actually bridges between your device and your desired websites. It routes your data to different servers that are available worldwide and make use of different IP address.
Both web proxies and VPN (Virtual Private Network) aim to provide privacy to the user. But, the way by which they both do so, is different.
Some of the web proxies are available without requiring any payment; whereas, a VPN service is mostly paid.
If you want to disguise yourself in a new appearance, then proxies are enough. However, for surfing anonymously with best possible privacy, VPN service is a more efficient option.
All the web proxy servers can only change your IP address without encrypting the internet traffic. Therefore, there is still a chance to be monitored by your ISP or government. But a VPN encrypts your traffic. Thus, even your ISP cannot trace you.
Web proxy servers are browser-specific. These can only filter and control the internet traffic that generates from the browser using the proxy. On the other side, VPNs are designed for the whole device. These can be effective for databases and other non-web browser activities.
Proxies are confined to the browser. So, they have to be restarted again if the browser is closed. On the contrary, VPNs are configured differently. When the computer is turned on or the previous VPN disconnects, the VPN service automatically links you to the server.
You can find many proxy server lists on the internet. However, not every web proxy is beneficial. A public web proxy can create a problem for you. The unreliable and unsecured web proxy server can alter the responses you receive, or can also induce a malware to your computers. Such a web proxy might store all your data that can be used later.
We are here providing you the most reliable proxy websites that are secure and might help you out in anonymous browsing.
Mostly, the sites that offer best quality work are paid. You can take VPN as the best example. If you need more privacy and anonymity, then IPVanish VPN service will help you the most. It encrypts all your online traffic. So, even your ISP cannot track you and see your activities. It is also a web proxy that can provide you access to your favorite applications and websites.
Masking your true online identity is available for free too. You can find several free services by which you can open any blocked site. Just write the site name on any proxy, and then, get ready for anonymous and hidden internet ride.
Let's have a look at the best free anonymous proxies which might suit you.
HideMyAss is the best option for accessing the restricted web content. It is a collection of VPN proxies from all around the world. It offers the services of both VPN and free proxies. Also, it prevents the advertisements to enter your online traffic.
HideMyAss stores your IP address and that of the VPN server to which you are connected. But, this logging is just for two to three months.
HideMyAss is undoubtedly the best free proxy as it is fast. It is also more flexible and secure as compared to other proxy services. It is the easiest way to access worldwide content.
You just have to write your desired site on the address bar, and you will get what you want. You can select and get connected to the fastest server and enjoy fast net surfing. It also has a 'Location Mode' by which you can connect to the server of your desired country.
This free proxy has a Google Chrome extension as well. You can choose this proxy for satisfying your browsing needs like streaming HD content, playing games online, and much more.
ProxySite.com is another site to access several websites for free. It also offers premium VPN option.
Just like HideMyAss, you can also browse faster with this fantastic free proxy. Comprising a user-friendly interface, this proxy site supports your favorite websites like Facebook, Twitter, Imgur, Reddit, and also YouTube. Interesting, isn't it?
It is an SSL-encrypted secure site by which you can browse from a variety of proxy servers in Europe and US. You can also change the server anytime you want. All you have to do is to write your desired website in its URL bar.
Another one of the free web proxies is Hide.me. Just like its name, it will genuinely hide you. The servers offered by this site do not save any of your databases and IP addresses permanently. It also provides a subscription VPN service for its users. In addition, it is free from annoying ads and popup windows.
It is also a faster, most professional-looking proxy site.
Hide.me provides you some outstanding features such as encrypting pages and URL, blocking harmful scripts, and controlling cookies. You can also select and change your location to US, Germany, and Netherlands by its Proxy location option.
Make the internet history untraceable. Immediately after you end your browsing, the URL provided by this site will be expired. That will disable any spy or hacker to steal your information by your browsing history.
AnonyMouse is one of the best browser-based proxies available online. You can access various sites by merely inserting the name in the address bar. It offers both free and paid services.
If you go for the free version, then you have to tolerate ads, which remain blocked in the premium version. The premium version offers more amazing features as compared to the free version.
Low-cost subscription to AnonyMouse will provide you additional features such as faster proxy servers, ability to access HTTPS or secured websites. It also allows the users to download large files.
Premium version also provides SSL-encrypted connections and cookies handling options that further enhance your privacy.
The free version allows the users to browse and send emails anonymously. It also supports Usenet (news) proxies that enable posting in newsgroups with a hidden identity.
However, the free version of AnonyMouse is annoying too. It does not provide any way out to switch the proxy server. Additionally, it has difficulties to tackle flash flies.
The best feature of this proxy site is its availability in both English and German languages.
Among other free web proxies is Whoer.net. It can change your IP address quickly.
You might think that feature is common in every web proxy. So, let us tell you that despite changing the IP address, it also offers Ping test. This unique option enables you to determine the response time of the server.
Hold on. There is something more astonishing in Whoer.net. You can perform a test to check the speed of your internet connection.
Additionally, this site offers seven to nine different servers. You can manually choose the server by yourself. The servers are from different countries including UK, France, Netherland, Russia, Sweden, Paris, and others.
Unfortunately, you might get irritated by the massive ad of VPN service at the top. You cannot remove this by anyway.
Here comes an excellent free proxy site – KProxy. Not just it is ad-free, but it is unique in many aspects.
It is portable and free. It has a free extension for the commonly used browsers Chrome and Firefox. You can easily download the extension.
Besides these two, you can also have the specific proxy browser for KProxy. It is not a separate browser. Instead, it is just the Firefox browser with the extension already installed.
It allows the user to hide the menu at the top of the screen. This menu may interfere while browsing. Other web proxies lack this feature.
KProxy provides you ten different servers. You can switch quickly from one server to other. This switching allows access of the user to all the blocked sites by changing the IP.
This web proxy also supports HTTPS websites.
You can enjoy anonymous net surfing on your other devices as well. You can install KProxy applications concerning Chrome and Firefox browsers.
KProxy is very much similar to VPN. However, it can only work for Chrome and Firefox browsers.
4everproxy is not merely a web proxy but is also one of the best proxy sites for videos. It provides free access to wide range of websites. It also unblocks YouTube videos by keeping aside your geographical location, school or workplace network.
4everproxy offers unlimited bandwidth or speed, which makes it efficient for other video sites.
It provides a list of other safe and friendly proxy sites for a better experience. It gives intense security and privacy to the user by deleting anonymous browsing sessions after every two hours. This feature also enhances the performance of the server. Quite impressive!
BlewPass is another free proxy – part of 4everproxy described above. Unlike 4everproxy, this allows you to manage cookies and web page encryption. This site claims to dodge all the firewalls and filters. Thus, it provides access to all the blocked and banned websites including Facebook, Gmail, and Metacafe.
It is compatible with YouTube HTML5 and Flash videos. Therefore, it is also able to unblock YouTube.
BlewPass is a fast proxy site with no restriction to bandwidth. It provides complete anonymity to its users by hiding the IP and other features. It is also secured by SSL (Secure Socket Layer) which ensures privacy and security.
Blewpass keeps the records of the files for just seven days. You can think of it as one of the top proxy sites, however, not the best. The government and law agencies can get your record from it before it deletes. So, if you want to hide, then you have to choose some other proxy site.
Securefor.com was previously known as Proxy.org. It offers over 800 free web proxies, among which 40 are extremely popular, by total visits and hits. This incredible collection of a variety of web proxies, allows the user to switch to the best for complete anonymous browsing.
For using this superb proxy directory, just type and enter the website's URL in the search bar. This address bar is present at the bottom of the page.
Dontfilter.us is another free web proxy site. Like the others mentioned above, it also claims to provide you access to wide range of blocked websites.
It offers five outstanding options that everyone wants in a web proxy site. Its simple search bar is provided with features such as, removing the objects, page encryption, enabling or disabling the cookies, encrypting the URL as well as eliminating the scripts that might harm your computers.
Dontfilter is a bit slower when compared to other web proxies. However, it has a friendly and simple design that helps the user to navigate quickly.
FilterByPass is another free proxy site typically suitable for videos. It also provides quick anonymous access to several popular websites. It mainly supports the major streaming sites including YouTube, Dailymotion, NowVideo, and Facebook.
FilterByPass has a user-friendly and professional layout. It allows unrestricted browsing via removing all the internet filters.
You can count it among the most reliable proxy websites due to SSL encryption.
NewIPNow, as its name implies, allows you to select new IP according to your very own preference. It does not impose its very own IP. Rather it offers the IP addresses from different countries. You can choose the one which is most suitable for you.
NewIPNow is a free web proxy. But, its premium version is also available.
It also has a Firefox extension. It allows the users to surf the internet with full safety and feasibility.
Hidester proxy site is another reliable proxy website. It is also a free web proxy with a Chrome extension. It is similar to Hide.me. However, it allows limited proxy location. You can only get a proxy server from the United States and Europe.
Besides bypassing geo-restriction, it has multiple features that make you a happy user of Hidester. SSL encryption supports it. It protects the users from malicious scripts and other objects that can be harmful to your computers. You can also manage and clear cookies from the websites that save them, and can even encrypt URL.
Hidester also provides you a password generator and a temporary email address for free. The paid version of it gives access to several proxies in various countries. Isn't that amazing?
Continuing with our list of free web proxies, here comes the VPNBook – a robust proxy feature offered by VPN service provider. It is an anonymous web proxy, which provides encrypted connections with the different IP. It supports HTTPS and includes proxy servers from Canada, US, and the UK.
VPNBook provides easy access to the websites just by typing the site URL at the top bar. It offers numerous services to the user like unlimited website access with complete anonymity, no bandwidth limitation, smart CDN Fallback, free PPTP, and OpenVPN services.
Unfortunately, you cannot control cookies and block scripts by using VPNBook.
However, it enables region-specific browsing which can help you in many ways. For example, to access the sites banned in the particular region, especially Torrent.
Megaproxy is quite different from all other best free anonymous proxies mentioned earlier. It not only hides your exact IP but also masks the browser and the operating system. It disables the access to your last visit by hiding HTTP referrer information. This makes tracking by any spy, hacker or even security services difficult. It also has an option to block the cookies, remove ads from web pages, and prevent animation repetition.
Megaproxy provides the user for encrypting and transforming cookies. It converts 20 web cookies into session-only cookies. This feature increases the user privacy.
Don't get overexcited. You cannot enjoy all the options for free. It offers paid services too that have more facilities. By using free service, you can have anonymity and security to a basic extent.
However, the paid service is free from all these restrictions. It provides SSL encryption. It also offers an anti-caching option that protects saving of temporary files by the browser.
Boom proxy, just like Dontfilter.us and other secure internet proxy sites, offers page encryption and scripts removal. It is also a free site with good speed. It claims to unblock all the blocked sites you want to visit. This anonymous web proxy provides you privacy by hiding your IP address.
Boom Proxy offers unlimited browsing with no bandwidth restriction.
The only lacking of this site is that it is difficult to use in daylight. The layout is more compatible with the dark. Besides this, it has a smooth and clean interface.
You can also include Zend2 among the best proxy sites for videos on YouTube and other favorite sites like Facebook, Instagram, eBay shop, and BuzzFeed. You can visit all these sites without paying a single penny. It provides safety to the users by hiding the IP address.
This free service allows the users to enable or disable page and URL encryption, cookies, objects, and scripts. However, it does not support any alteration in the settings ones you start browsing.
ProxyTurbo is another free proxy site that offers anonymous browsing and access to blocked websites including YouTube and Facebook. It not only hides your IP but also provides SSL encryption to offer more privacy. It forms a barrier between the user and his desired website. Hence, only the snooper can see the site you are visiting.
The cookies required here to log in are automatically removed after 24 hours. So, you do not have to worry if you have forgotten to clear them. It allows the user to remove the object from the site.
UnblockProxy acts as an intermediate server between your internet traffic. It changes your original geographical location, thus, hiding your actual profile. This allows the user to access the websites blocked in a particular country.
You first have to connect with the server of the country in which the site is open and then proceed to the website. You will appear accessing the site from a remote device.
Besides computers and laptops, you can also use this astonishing proxy site on your smartphones as well.
It claims to unblock most popular sites such as Facebook, YouTube, and others.
Privoxy is another free proxy. It is a non-caching, "privacy enhancing" web proxy with numerous options to increase privacy. It provides advanced filtering facilities required for confidentiality, controlling cookies, and altering web page data and HTTP headers. Furthermore, it enables the users to customize the settings according to their own will. The users can remove advertisements and other internet junk by using Privoxy.
The most characteristic feature of Privoxy is its flexible configuration. It permits the users to modify it for both the stand-alone systems, as well as multi-user networks.
Privoxy also works well in combination with other proxy sites. It is the best option to bypass internet filters.
Using the internet anonymously anywhere including any educational institute, office or any public place, even the firewall protection not hindering your way – Sounds thrilling?
This aim is no longer a daydream. Here is the best free proxy named Ninja Cloak.
This free site allows you to browse anonymously. It hides the user's IP address from the web. Therefore, you can surf the internet freely and securely.
By creating a barrier between you and the website, it protects you from the invasion of Viruses, Worms, Trojan, and other malicious programs.
This site is so named because it lets the user wear a ninja suit and become invisible to the internet world.
You can access YouTube, Facebook, Google, Myspace, and Twitter from anywhere you want without any restriction.
It is also straightforward to use. You just have to type the URL of your desired website in the bar below. Then see the magic!
Proxify is also listed among the most reliable proxy websites. Besides Windows, you can also use it on other software like Mac and Linux.
Proxify promises to provide complete privacy and anonymity to the users. It claims to keep your data safe and unexposed. It hides the exact IP of the user and directs the internet trafficking through encrypted connections.
This site offers two different services – Proxify Basic and Proxify Pro. You can take advantage of this proxy site on popular browsers, like Chrome and Firefox.
Moreover, Proxify empowers you to choose your location from 1300 different servers to access the blocked websites in your area.
By using XRoxy, you can easily hide your IP and access the sites you want to visit. It offers a wide range of Proxy IP addresses and location database. This allows the user to open any blocked site by selecting the best proxy.
It gives a flexible interface for the users by letting them alter specific settings. With XRoxy, you can change the proxy type, level of anonymity, connection latency, and many other options.
It offers a free trial of anonymous browsing. However, once the service is expired, you have to subscribe the premium service.
Tor proxy browser is among the most trusted web proxy browsers. It is used extensively for freedom and privacy while visiting blocked websites.
It connects the user to a series of virtual channels before linking to a website. This ensures user's privacy and security. One can use this site for personal matters, confidential business accomplishments, state security tasks, and much more.
Tor is a free website offering unrestricted and uncensored web access. You can easily control your IP and your original location via Tor.
This secured site prevents everyone to monitor your online activities. Isn't that impressive?
Our best free proxies servers list online will be incomplete if we do not mention the fantastic 24 Proxy. It allows the users to perform internet surfing anonymously. It guarantees your security and privacy from hackers and spies by hiding your IP address.
This site is very easy to use. What you have to do is type the URL, and then, get ready to visit the blocked website.
Besides the sites mentioned above, you can still hide your IP.
You just have to download the software. This software will help to hide your IP for making Gmail or any other account without verification.
The steps to download the software are quite simple.
To surf the internet without exposing the original identity is the greatest desire of everyone. We find many websites that are useful for us. But one can get annoyed when he/she tries to visit any website and find it banned. Not just the office employees, but also many of the students suffer from this situation too.
Fortunately, a number of proxies are available that claim to open the blocked websites. These web proxy services act as a middleman and open the site for you. They do so by hiding your original IP address and geographical location. Briefly, these sites let you browse anonymously.
Proxy websites are usually paid which everyone cannot use. Moreover, if you find any free service, there is still a chance that the proxy server leaks your private information.
However, you don't have to worry anymore.
We, in this free web proxies guide, have covered all the best proxy services for accessing the popular websites. These proxies are secured and won't disclose your identity. By using these proxies, you can access the sites that are banned in your schools, offices, and even in your country. You just have to type the website URL in any of the web proxy site mentioned above and let the site open your favorite link.
Hope our list of most reliable free proxy websites aids you to surf online safely and anonymously. If you are a regular user of any other proxy website that you find perfect, then do share with us your choice.


text:
Future Leaders Summit: Delegates
US-Africa Leaders Summit
Al-Shabaab in Kenya
Egypt Crisis
Obama Sweden Russia
US Government Shutdown
Shaping US Defense
Africa Extremism
2014 Wales NATO Summit
NATO Summit Home
NATO Summit Country Briefs
Scowcroft Center
Young Atlanticist Program
NATOSource Blog
Future Leaders Summit
Future Leaders Summit: WATCH NOW
Future Leaders Summit: Speakers
Future Leaders Summit: Gallery
Congo on the Edge
US-German Next Generation Project
India-US 2015: Partnering for Peace and Prosperity
Europe after Greece
The Megacity Security Conference
Abu Dhabi Strategic Debate 2015
Toward a Transatlantic Strategy for Europe's East
Gulf Policy Working Group
Beyond Riyadh
Beyond Brexit
North Korea Watch
Kingdom at a Crossroads
US-Cuba Relations Home
Resilient World Podcast
The Global Innovation Sweepstakes
International Conference on Cyber Engagement 2019
Strategic Forces Policy
Back to the main event page
See the full agenda
On September 4-5, the Council will host more than forty delegates to the Future Leaders Summit to discuss global security issues alongside the 2014 Wales NATO Summit conference. Read their bios below.
Delegates by Country
Afghanistan | Albania | Algeria | Azerbaijan | Belgium | Bulgaria | Canada | Croatia | Czech Republic | Denmark | Estonia | Finland | France | Germany | Greece | Georgia | Hungary | Italy | Latvia | Lithuania | Moldova | The Netherlands | Norway | Poland | Portugual | Romania | Slovakia | Slovenia | Spain | Sweden | Turkey | Ukraine | United Kingdom | United States
Ms. Aarya Nijat
Founding Partner, Duran Consulting
Aarya is a Founding Partner of Duran Consulting, a research, political risk analyses and program assessment firm. With more than ten years of experience in the development sector in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Aarya previously served as the Director of Capacity and Institutional Development at the Government of Afghanistan's Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG), where she worked to develop Afghanistan's first ever anti-harassment policy. She also spent time working as a Political Analyst at the Embassy of Canada in Kabul and as a Sub-National Governance Policy Specialist for the United Nations Development Program and Acting Director of Policy for the IDLG, where she extensively contributed to the development of Afghanistan's first ever Sub National Governance Policy.
A Fulbright Scholar and a Mary Boies Fellow, Aarya received her MA in Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, her MSc in International Relations from Quaid-i-Azam University, and both an LLB and a BA in Political Science from Punjab University. Her most recent publication offers an extensive overview of Afghan Governance and can be accessed at: http://www.areu.org.af/EditionDetails.aspx?EditionId=730&ContentId=7&ParentId=7&Lang=en-US.
Mr. Abdul Basir Yosufi
Senior Advisor to the Minister, Afghan Ministry of Interior
Basir Yosufi is a Senior Advisor to Minister at the Afghan Ministry of the Interior, where he previously served as a Policy Advisor and Ministerial Policy Analyst. He also works as a lecturer at Mashal University in Kabul. Prior to joining the Ministry of Interior, Basir Yosufi worked in non-profit and private sectors. He worked at International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) in Washington, DC, and as the Founder and Manager of the Ariana Educational Center in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan. Basir Yosufi received his MS in Foreign Service, focusing on International Security and Development, from Georgetown University and a BA in Political Science from Delhi University. His research interests are security and development, counterinsurgency, nation building and ethnic conflict. Basir Yosufi speaks Persian, English, Pashtu, Urdu, and some Arabic.
Mr. Sami Jabarkhail
International Recruiter, Texas A&M University-Commerce
In his current position, Sami is an International Recruiter for Texas A&M University – Commerce. He previously worked as a consultant for Afghans for Afghanistan's Development, Recruiting Manager for American University in Central Asia, and as a Program Manager and HR Representative at the American Councils for International Education's Kabul and DC offices, respectively. He has implemented multiple international exchange and women's empowerment initiatives in Afghanistan. Sami received a BS in Human Resources and Administration from Texas A&M University with a Minor in Business Administration and a BA in Education and English Literature from Kabul University.
While working for American Councils in Afghanistan, Sami has convinced numerous conservative government officials including ministers and governors to support women's education. Sami has been awarded American Council's World of a Difference award for promoting international exchange and advancing gender diversity in international education programs.
Mr. Bledar Feta
Research Associate for South East Europe Programme, Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy; Political Analyst, Oxford Analytica
Bledar is a Research Associate and Policy Expert for the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP), where he works in their South East Europe Programme. He also cooperates with Oxford Analytica, providing analysis of current political affairs and developments in Albania. He previously worked as a Junior Project Evaluator for the UK's Department for International Development, as a Junior Researcher at the Joint Policy Programme between the Hellenic Centre for European Studies in Athens and the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC. Bledar received his MA in South East European Studies from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and his BA in International and European Studies from the University of Piraeus.
Mr. Rabah Ghezali
Managing Director,Government Affairs & Public Advocacy, NYSE Euronext
Rabah is Managing Director at NYSE Euronext in Paris, France. In this role, he is the Director of Government Affairs and Public Advocacy, and previously worked for NYSE Euronext in Brussels, Belgium. He is also currently an Associate Professor in Economics at Sciences-Po Paris and was previously an attorney at law specializing in International Dispute Settlement and Corporate Law.
Rabah received his MPhil in International Relations and Economics from Trinity College at the University of Cambridge, his LLM in European and Comparative Law from the University of Oxford. From Ecole Normale Supérieure, he has received an LL.B, a Masters of Law, and a Masters in Economics and Business Administration, and from has qualified as an Attorney at law to the Paris Bar.
Rabah is also a Research Fellow at the Center for Analysis and Proposals for Middle East and North Africa where his research focused on the economics, politics and security of the MENA region as well. His research led him to study the relationship between NATO and the MENA region. He has been made United Nations Alliance of Civilizations Fellow.
Mr. Bakhtiyar Hajiyev
Director, Human Capital Consulting; Co-Founder, Positive Change Youth Movement
Bakhtiyar is currently a Director at Human Capital Consulting in Azerbaijan. A pro-democracy activist, Bakhtiyar co-founded the Positive Change Youth Movement in Azerbaijan and was a candidate for Parliament in the fall of 2010. He previously worked as a Short Term Consultant at the World Bank, as a Regional Coordinator for the Education Development Center's Europe and Eurasia Social Legacy Project, and as the Founder and Member Committee President of AIESEC in Azerbaijan. He was also United Nations Youth Delegate of Azerbaijan at the UN's 60th General Assembly. In 2012, Bakhtiyar met privately with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her visit to Baku on youth movements and democracy in Azerbaijan. He received his MA in Public Policy from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and his BA in Applied Mathematics and Economic Cybernetics from Baku State University.
Mr. David-Jan Bosschaert
Vice-President, Flemish Youth Parliament
David-Jan currently works as an EU Trainee at the European Economic and Social Committee. Among his broad range of extra-curricular activities he's the Vice President of the Flemish Youth Parliament. He also served as Political Secretary to the Leuven chapter of Belgium's Christen Democratische Studenten (CDS) and also as President of the CDS National Congress in 2011-12, leading to his appointment as CDS' current international secretary.
During the current Swiss presidency David-Jan served as Youth ambassador of Belgium to the Model OSCE conference charged with writing the new OSCE Youth Action Plan. He also was the head delegate of the EU delegation to the Y8 summit in London in 2014 and was the head delegate at the Y8 Summit in 2013.
David-Jan obtained his MA in Law at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KULeuven) majoring in International, European and Public Law. He also holds a BA in Law from KULeuven and a BA in History from the Facultés Universitaires Notre-Dame de la Paix (FUNDP).
Mr. Georgi Michev
Chief Expert, Transformation Branch, Crisis Management and Disaster Response Centre of Excellence, Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Bulgaria
Georgi serves as a Chief Expert in the Transformation Branch at the Crisis Management and Disaster Response Centre of Excellence (CMDR COE) in the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Bulgaria. Currently he is a Member of the Community Advisory Board to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Republic of Bulgaria. He was a Junior Expert in the Bulgarian Ministry of Defence in the Joint Facilities Department. Georgi previously worked as a Project Assistant at Open Society Institute in Sofia. He is currently pursuing an MA on Diplomacy and International Relations from New Bulgarian University, from which, he also received with honors his MA on Security and Defence and BA in Political Science. In 2011 he was awarded with the Bulgarian national prize "Student of the Year" at professional field "Security and Defence".
Ms. Marta Rzechowka
Captain, Canadian Armed Forces
Marta currently serves as a regional analyst in the Canadian Armed Forces. She was selected to deploy to Afghanistan as the senior national representative to the NATO Special Operations Component Command-Afghanistan in Kabul. She previously served as a research analyst for the Canadian Army Historian, creating a first-of-its-kind narrative of the military effort in Afghanistan; as a Policy Developer at the Canadian Defense Academy; and as a member of the Princess Patricia Light Infantry Battle Group in Kandahar, Afghanistan. She received her MA in War Studies from the Royal Military College of Canada and her BA in Political Science from the University of Alberta.
Mr. Hrvoje Ćuriċ Hrvatiniċ
Diplomat, Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia
In his current role, Hrvoje is a Diplomat for the Croatian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs working in its NATO Division. Between 2011 and 2013, he served as the youngest Croatian diplomat ever sent to the ISAF mission in Afghanistan, where he was the sole Croatian representative. Hrvoje graduated from the Croatian Diplomatic Academy in 2008. He received his MA and BA in History and Philosophy from the University of Zagreb and also received an MA and BA in Political Science from the University of Zagreb.
Ms. Michaela Bendikova Dodge
Policy Analyst for Defense and Strategic Studies, The Heritage Foundation
Michaela is a Policy Analyst for Defense and Strategic Issues at The Heritage Foundation in Washington, DC. Prior to becoming a Policy Analyst, Michaela worked as a Research Associate for Strategic issues and a Research Assistant for Missile Defense and Foreign Policy at the Heritage Foundation. She also spent time working at the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Political Science at George Mason University and received her MS in Defense and Strategic Studies from Missouri State University and her BA in International Relations and Defense and Strategic Studies from Masaryk University.
Ms. Sofie Dalgaard
Assistant, Economic Diplomacy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark
Sofie is currently an assistant at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, working with Economic Diplomacy. Prior to this she worked at the Danish Embassy in Washington, DC and the Consulate General of Denmark in Chicago. In Copenhagen, she has worked as a Journalist on the Foreign Desk at Radio24syv and as a Columnist at RÆSON News magazine where she covered the Middle East. She has also worked at the Danish Broadcasting Corporation, and the Seattle Weekly. Sofie is pursuing her MSc in Political Science at the University of Copenhagen and received her MSc in Theory and History of International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science, where she won the Medlicott Prize for dissertation of the year.
Mr. Patrik Maldre
Specialist, Cyber Security Policy, Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Patrik is a Specialist in Cyber Security Policy for the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he is the Estonian MFA's point of contact for NATO, the EU, and other international organizations. He previously served the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a Public Diplomacy Specialist. Before arriving at the Ministry, Patrik achieved the rank of Sergeant in the Estonian Defense Forces, and interned at the Embassy of Estonia in Madrid. Patrik is pursuing his MA in International Relations with a specialization in International Security from the Institut Barcelona d'Estudis Internacionals and received his BA in Political Science and Philosophy from the University of Illinois.
Ms. Pauliina Törmä
Analyst, Prime Minister's Office, Government of Finland
Pauliina works in the Finnish Prime Minister's Office as an Analyst on international and national security matters. Before joining the Prime Minister's Office, she was a Political and Development Advisor to the NATO Senior Civilian Representative in Kabul, Afghanistan. She also served as a Policy Officer at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, and worked at the Mission of Finland to NATO. Pauliina received her MSSc in World Politics and Peace and Conflict Research, as well as her BSSc in World Politics, from the University of Helsinki.
Mr. Martin Michelot
Non-Resident Fellow, The German Marshall Fund of the United States
In his current role, Martin manages the Transatlantic Security Task Force at the German Marshall Fund (GMF) and helps develop GMF's foreign and security policy programs. He is a regular contributor on France 24, TV5 Monde, Radio France Internationale, BFMTV, and Europe 1 on American domestic and foreign policy. Martin previously worked as a Research Assistant at the Brookings Institution; as a Program Coordinator at Humanity in Action; and as a Parliamentary Assistant at the France National Assembly. He received his MA in International Relations from Science Po Lyon and his BA from Université Lumière in Lyon.
Mr. Tobias Bunde
Head of Policy and Analysis, Munich Security Conference
Tobias is head of the policy and analysis team at the Munich Security Conference (MSC). He previously worked as a policy advisor and speechwriter for Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger, the Chairman of the MSC, and at stiftung neue verantwortung, a Berlin-based think tank. He is currently a PhD candidate in political science at the Berlin Graduate School for Transnational Studies at Freie Universität in Berlin, writing his dissertation on "NATO's Contested Globalization: Constructivism, Collective Identity, and Collective Action."
Tobias received his MA in International Relations from Freie Universität Berlin and BA from Technische Universität Dresden, and also studied at Universität Konstanz, George Washington University, and the Institut d'Etudes Politiques in Strasbourg, France.
Mr. Nikolas Katsimpras
Lecturer, Negotiation and Conflict Resolution, Columbia University
Currently, Nikolas is a Lecturer on Negotiation and Conflict Resolution at Columbia University and John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and a Lab Instructor at the School of International and Public Affairs in New York. A ten year veteran and former officer of the Hellenic Navy with multiple high profile deployments, Nikolas has been awarded by the International Institute of Humanitarian Law in San Remo. He was a Fellow at Columbia University's Advanced Consortium on Cooperation, Conflict and Complexity, and has also worked at the Teachers College International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution. Nikolas Received his MS in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution from Columbia University and his BS in Naval Military Science from the Hellenic Naval Academy. He is a member of the Association for Conflict Resolution and a frequent contributor on Huffington Post.
Ms. Nino Gogoladze
National Programme Manager, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities
In her current position, Nino Gogoladze is a National Programme Manager for the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (OSCE/HCNM) in Tbilisi. She previously worked as a Project Coordinator at the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), a Programme Coordinator at the Heinrich Boell Foundation, and as a National Anti-Trafficking Officer for the OSCE Mission to Georgia. Nino received her MA in International Relations and European Studies from the Central European University and her BA in International Relations from Tbilisi State University.
Nino oversees the activities of the OSCE HCNM in Georgia, seeking to prevent ethnic conflict in the country and integration of national minorities. She follows closely political situation in Georgia and evaluates its possible impact on inter-ethnic relations. As a program manager Nino is responsible for project implementation, monitoring, and analysis of the impact of ongoing course of the OSCE HCNM activities in the country. She is also a liaison for Governmental bodies, international organizations and NGOS, and represents OSCE HCNM in Georgia.
Mr. Daniel Lederer
Director, Milestone Institute Budapest
Daniel is Director and Co-Founder of the Milestone Institute in Budapest and the CEO of Milestone Consulting. Prior to founding the Milestone Institute, Daniel has worked in the Hungarian Prime Minister's Office as a Foreign Policy Advisor, where he was also the head of the National Security and Foreign Policy Advisor's Office.
Daniel has worked with the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence in the UK, the Center for European Integration Studies in Germany and the German Bundestag. Daniel studied Sociology and Political Science in Budapest, Bonn, and Berlin, and received his MA in Economics and International Relations from the University of St. Andrews, writing his thesis on Russia's Energy Policy.
Ms. Elena Cesca
Parliamentary Assistant, Italy's Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly
Elena currently works as a Parliamentary Assistant at the Office of the Head of Italy's delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and is the Foreign Affairs Editor in Chief for the online magazine Europinione.it. She previously worked at the Istituto Affari Internazionali in Rome where she focused on European and NATO security, defense, and public diplomacy issues. Elena received her MA in International Relations from The LUISS Guido Carli and her BA in Political Science from the Università del Salento.
Allied Command Transformation Future Leader
Mr. Federico Casprini
Independent Consultant, Federico Casprini Analysis & Consultancy
In his role as an independent consultant, Federico has served as an editor and researcher for the Bruno Kessler Foundation, as an academic expert analyst at the 2014 NATO Strategic Military Partners Conference, and as a rapporteur at the "Flexible Frameworks, Beyond Borders" international conference for the Asia-Pacific Region Working Group. Previously, he worked as Academic Coordinator with the Strategic Plans & Policy Division at NATO Allied Commander Transformation. Federico received his MA in Diplomacy and International Studies from the University of Bologna and his BA in Language and Political and Economic Institutions of Eastern Asia from Cà Foscari University of Venice.
Ms. Anda Bergmane
Senior Desk Officer, Defence Planning Section, Ministry of Defence
As Senior Desk Officer of the Defence Planning Section at the Ministry of Defence of Latvia, Anda is responsible for developing Latvia's position on issues related to NATO defence planning and capability development, defence spending and new NATO initiatives, among several key areas. She is also responsible for coordinating Latvia's involvement in multinational NATO projects.
Anda has a Master's of Political Science from the University of Latvia and has studied new military and non-military threats to security as a part of the Erasmus Exchange Programme in Uppsala University, Sweden.
Ms. Algirde Pipikaite
Head of International Practice, Fabiani & Company
Algirde lives and works in Washington, DC. Her main specialization is international relations and business development. She currently heads the international practice of Fabiani & Company, a government relations company. Before moving to DC, Algirde worked in Brussels, Belgium, where she ran the European Affairs office of Fabiani & Company. Before joining private business, Algirde served as a staff assistant to Prof. Leonidas Donskis, a Member of the European Parliament in Brussels, and she has also worked in the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania.
Algirde holds a Master's in International and European Business and Economic Law from the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, and a Bachelor of Law and Management from Mykolas Romeris University in Vilnius, Lithuania. She has attended two Executive Education programs on Leadership at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, focusing on International Politics, Economics, and Leadership Skills. Algirde has studied and worked in Lithuania, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, Italy, and the United States. She speaks and writes Lithuanian, French, German, Italian, and English, is conversant in Russian, and is studying Arabic.
Algirde is a member of the Board of Editors of the European Energy Journal. She frequently publishes on issues of foreign affairs and energy. Algirde is a former Lithuanian junior champion in chess and figure skating.
Mr. Vasile Rotaru
Postdoctoral Researcher, National School of Political Studies and Public Administration (Bucharest)
Vasile is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the National School of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA) in Bucharest, Romania. Before pursuing his Doctorate, he was a Counselor at the Romanian Government and an Editor-Presenter at Realitatea TV in Bucharest. Vasile received his PhD in International Relations from SNSPA, with a thesis of "The Eastern Partnership - a turning point in EU-Russia relations?" He also received his MA in South East European Studies from the University of Bucharest and his BA in Journalism and Communication from the West University of Timisoara. Vasile was also PhD research fellow at the Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium) and the University of Tartu (Estonia).
Ms. Rowinda Appelman
President, Youth Atlantic Treaty Association
As President of the Youth Atlantic Treaty Association (YATA), Rowin oversees a transatlantic network with chapters in 36 NATO member and partner countries that seeks to educate and inform the public on international security affairs. She also serves as the President of the Dutch Atlantic Youth Association, as a guest lecturer at Weekend Academies, and as a Community Manager for the expat organizations Meetup and Internations.
Rowin previously worked as a Staff Member Research at VU University Amsterdam's Faculty of Psychology and Education, as the coordinator of the Weekend Academie Westerpark, and as a Staff Member in the international office at VU University Amsterdam. She received an MSc summa cum laude in Political Science from Universiteit van Amsterdam and a BA and MA summa cum laude in Communication and Information Sciences from VU University Amsterdam.
Mr. Lars Ragnar Aalerud Hansen
Advisor, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Lars recently rejoined the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he is currently working as an adviser in the Section for Russia, Eurasia and regional cooperation. He previously served as a Personal Advisor to the High Commissioner on National Minorities of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe; as the Deputy Head of Mission at the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Baku, Azerbaijan; as a Staff Officer in the Defense Attaché's Office at the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Moscow; and as an officer in the Norwegian Army. Lars received his BA in Russian and Eastern European Studies fro the University of Oslo and later earned an MA in International Relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy where he studied as a Fulbright fellow. He previously completed the Norwegian Defense Intelligence and Security School's officer training program.
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Future Leader
Ms. Marte Ziolkowski
Information Adviser, Norwegian Atlantic Committee
Marte is an information adviser at the Norwegian Atlantic Committee, where she has worked since 2013. Her main areas of expertise include NATO, the European Union (particularly the Common Security and Defence Policy), and transatlantic relations. She received her MSc in Politics and Government in the EU from the London School of Economics and Political Science, specializing in European Security and Defence and strategic culture, and her BSc in Political Science from the University of Bergen. She is a former member of the board of YATA Norway and Project Manager for the Nordic Security Conference.
Ms. Joanna Kaminska
Advisor/Parliamentary Administrator, Foreign Affairs Committee, European Parliament
Joanna advises members of the European Parliament on Common Foreign and Security Policy, European Neighborhood Policy, the Eastern Partnership, and relations with EU Eastern neighbors. She also is a Senior Research Associate and visiting lecturer at the Institute for European Studies at Vrije Universiteit Brussels (IES-VUB). She previously worked as a Policy Officer at the European Commission's Secretariat General.
Joanna holds a PhD from University of London, Royal Holloway College, where she was a British Chevening Scholar. She received her MA and undergraduate degrees from the University of Warsaw's Institute of Political Science, and a Certificate of Political Studies from Ínstitut d'Études Politiques d'Aix-en-Provence, France. She is publishing a book, Poland and the EU Enlargement: Foreign Policy in Transformation, this year with Palgrave MacMillan.
Mr. Alexandre Marques Pinho
Subject Matter Expert, NATO Centre of Excellence and Vice-President, DECIDE
Alexandre is a Subject Matter Expert at NATO's HCOE for transformation and capability development in the field of intelligence. Previously, he has worked at headquarters of Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, the Joint Analysis Lessons Learned Centre and Heineken International. Additionally, he is also Vice-President of DECIDE (Portuguese Association of Young auditors for Defence, Security and Citizenship). DECIDE is an independent NGO that works to promote awareness and informed public debate on security and national defence issues.
Alexandre is a civilian graduate of the Military Academy (Portugal) and received his BA in Politics and International Relations from the University of Kent (UK).
Mr. Radu Magdin
CEO, Smartlink Communications
Radu leads Smartlink, a strategic communications and public affairs consultancy whose clients include the World Economic Forum, World Bank, Allegro Group, SCL Elections, and Yahoo. Radu worked previously as a Policy Manager at Google in Brussels; as a Communications Manager at EURACTIV Media; as a Press Officer for the Romanian Social-Democrat Delegation at the European Parliament; as an Editor on EU Affairs at AGERPRES, the Romanian National News Agency; and as a Diplomat at the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He received an MA in European Union Law and an MA in Security Studies from the University of Bucharest and a Law Degree with a focus in European Studies from the Sorbonne in Paris. He is a regular contributor in the Romanian media, commenting, among others, in Forbes Romania, Money Channel, and Radio France International.
Mr. Boris Ecker
Political Officer, Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic
Boris coordinates Slovak-US political relations for the Slovak Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, including supporting the 2013 bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Fico and President Obama and the 2014 EU-US Summit. Boris previously spent five years working as a Country Officer for NATO's Public Diplomacy Division in Brussels, where he worked in the Media Operations Center during Operation Unified Protector and coordinated public outreach efforts in Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Poland. He received his BA and MA in International Relations and Diplomacy from Matej Bel University.
Ms. Katja Gersak
Co-Founder, Regional Dialogue; Advisor, Centre for European Perspective (CEP)
Katja is currently an advisor to the Center for European Perspective (CEP) in Slovenia. In this role, Katja is responsible for conceptualizing, implementing, and fundraising for activities that stimulate policy discussions and improve policy making in the fields of foreign and security policy. Katja also serves as the Co-Founder of Regional Dialogue, Uzbekistan, a rule of law and capacity building NGO in the area of human rights and justice sector reform and consults independently in the foreign policy space in Slovenia. Previously, she worked at the Institute for Strategic Studies (ISS), Control Risks, CSIS, and the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Katja has a Masters of Philosophy in International Relations from Cambridge University and a Bachelor's in International Affairs from George Washington University.
Mr. Sergio Ortiz Martín
Director and Project Manager, Youth Mediterranean Dialogue
Sergio was the director and lead organizer of the first Youth Mediterranean Dialogue in April 2014, serving as a driving force in launching the dialogue in collaboration with NATO, the Spanish Ministry of Defense, and the US Embassy in Spain. The dialogue, held on the 20th anniversary of NATO's first high-level Mediterranean Dialogue, convened 90 students from across NATO member and partner countries to discuss security cooperation and critical issues facing the region.
In his work at Rey Juan Carlos University, Sergio serves as a research assistant and teaching fellow for faculty at the Jean Monnet Center of Excellence. He received his undergraduate degree in Law and Public Administration and in Management from Rey Juan Carlos University and is currently pursuing his MA in Terrorism Studies.
Ms. Mona Samadi
Academic Dean and Associate Professor of International Law, Stockholm School of Theology
Mona is the Dean of the Stockholm School of Theology's Human Rights and Democracy Program, where she also functions as an Associate Professor of International Law. Her research is focused on the relations between Islamic law and international law and its impact on the Middle East. In addition to numerous other lecturing positions, Mona also worked as a Political Secretary in the Swedish Parliament and as a Law Clerk at Business Law Inc.
She received her PhD from Örebro University, writing her Dissertation on "Defamation of Religion – The Right to Freedom of Expression in International and Islamic Law". She has also been a visiting scholar at the George Washington University and Toronto University and received a Masters of Legal Science and a Bachelors of Legal Science from Örebro University.
Mr. Emre Tunçalp
Managing Partner, Sidar Global Advisors
Emre oversees daily operations for Sidar Global Advisors' (SGA) research, risk advisory, and business intelligence practices and advises clients on political risk, political economy, and energy security in emerging markets in Eastern Europe, Eurasia, and the Middle East and North Africa.
He previously worked as the Private Sector Division Director and the Operations Director for SGA, a Research Assistant at the German Marshall Fund, a project consultant on energy and environment at the Inter-American Development Bank, and a Research Assistant at the Center for European Policy Studies in Brussels. Emre received his MA in International Relations and International Economics from Johns Hopkins University and his BA from Sabanci University in Istanbul.
Ms. Beyza Unal
PhD Candidate,Adjunct Instructor, and William J. Fulbright Fellow, Old Dominion University
Beyza is a PhD candidate, adjunct instructor, and Fulbright Fellow at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA, where she specializes in conflict and cooperation, interdependence, energy, and transnationalism. She is currently writing her dissertation on nuclear nonproliferation. Beyza previously worked at Allied Command Transformation's Strategic Analysis Branch as a civilian intern, with a focus on Strategic Foresight Analysis and Framework for Future Alliance Operations; as an international elections observer in Iraq; and as a graduate assistant at Bilkent University. She received her MA in Eurasian-Atlantic Security Studies from Bilkent University and her BS in Political Science and International Relations from Cankaya University. She has attended special nuclear security and safety programs funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Mr. Vasyl Myroshnychenko
Partner, CFC Consulting
Vasyl is a Partner at CFC Consulting. He advises international and local clients on strategic communications, including public affairs and crisis communications. Vasyl is a co-founder of Ukraine Crisis Media Center, launched in March 2014 to provide the international community with objective information about events in Ukraine and threats to national security, particularly in the military, political, economic, energy, and humanitarian areas. Before joining CFC Consulting, he was a Parliamentary Assistant in the Canadian House of Commons and also spent time doing an internship in the United States Embassy to the Ukraine. Vasyl received his MSc in Politics of The World Economy from the London School of Economics and Political Science, as well as an MA and BA in International Relations from Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko University.
Ms. Claire Yorke
Doctoral Researcher, King's College London
Claire is an PhD candidate at King's College, where she is studying the role of narratives in foreign policy with a focus on negotiations. Before starting at King's College, Claire was the Programme Manager at Chatham House's International Security Research Department, where she managed a wide-range of research projects on international security, including defense policy, cyber-security, terrorism, nuclear weapons, human security, and strategy.
She previously worked as Parliamentary Researcher to Sir Nick Harvey, a frontbench Liberal Democrat MP (North Devon) who later became Minister of State for the Armed Forces. Claire is the co-organiser of Women in International Security UK, which she helped re-establish, and an Advisory Board Member at Future Foreign Policy, a think tank that offers youth opportunities to inform and analyze foreign affairs. Claire received her MA in Middle East Politics from Exeter University and her BA in Politics and International Relations from Lancaster University.
Ms. Eimear O'Casey
Risk Analyst, Control Risks
Since 2013, Eimear has been a researcher in the Eurasia team for a political risk and corporate investigations consultancy in London and in Moscow. Previously, Eimear was a Fellow of the Alfa Fellowship Program in Moscow. She has also worked at the Constitution Unit at University College London; as an election observer in Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Armenia, and Ukraine for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE); for the democratization department's office of democratic institutions and human rights at the OSCE; the Institute for Government, London; the Justice Department of the Scottish Government in Edinburgh; and elsewhere. Eimear has a MA in Legal and Political Theory from University College London, and a Bachelor's in History from the University of Edinburgh.
Mr. Henry Collis
Senior Policy Advisor,Office of Cyber Security and Information Assurance, Cabinet Office
Henry is currently a Senior Policy Advisor on cyber security and information assurance in the Cabinet Office, a central government body supporting the work of the cabinet and providing governmental oversight in the United Kingdom. At the Cabinet Office he has been instrumental in the reformation of the relationship between the Ministry of Defence and the Treasury to streamline, reduce risks, and cut costs in the MoD procurement process. Henry previously worked as part of ISAF in Afghanistan leading the development of analytical methodology for NATO strategists and analysis of insurgent leadership influence. He has also worked for GRMC Advisory Services in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and Oxford Business Group in Bahrain, Qatar, and Malaysia.
Henry has a Master's of Science in Political Economy and Development from SOAS in London and a Bachelor's in Economics with Management from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. He is also a Trooper in the Honourable Artillery Company of the British Army Reserve and has been a volunteer consultant for the Aga Khan Foundation.
Ms. Hannah Iqbal
Forced Migration Researcher and PhD Candidate, Cardiff University
Hannah is a policy researcher and human rights advocate, working towards the protection of human rights for young refugees within the United Kingdom and globally. She is currently a visiting lecturer at Cardiff University and the University of South Wales where she teaches undergraduate and graduate level classes on human rights issues revolving around refugees and youth. She is also in the final year of a PhD scholarship funded by the Economic and Social Science Research Council, conducting research on the experiences of young people who have fled conflict and now reside in the UK. Previously, Hannah has conducted impact assessments for the Welsh Government and several NGOs.
Hannah serves as a Board Member for a number of local charities and is currently enrolled on several Leadership Development Programmes. She is being mentored as part of the Fabian Society Political Leadership Program and is taking part in the Welsh Government Women in Public Life Development Program. Hannah has a Master's of Science in Social Research, a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Forced Migration from Cardiff University.
Ms. Ashlee Godwin
Deputy Editor, RUSI Journal, Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies
Ashlee Godwin is a Fulbright Scholar in national security policy-making (particularly in the United States) with an interest in a wide range of defence and IR issues, including US-UK relations. In 2013, she participated in a RUSI research trip to Sierra Leone, investigating post-conflict peace-building. Ashlee also blogs for the Huffington Post and volunteers for Centenary News, a website dedicated to events commemorating the First World War.
She holds an MA in War Studies (Distinction) from King's College London and a degree in Modern History from Oxford University, where her research focused on British military history and the conduct of international diplomacy. Prior to joining RUSI, Ashlee worked at an international technology company, first as an editor of print and web publications and then at the head of the global communications and PR team.
Mr. Andreas Stradis
PhD Candidate and Teaching Assistant, University of Bristol
Andreas is currently a PhD Candidate at the University of Bristol working on the project 'Thucydides: Reception, Reinterpretation & Influence' under the department of classics and ancient history where he is also a teaching assistant. Andreas is also a senior research fellow and member of the executive board of the Atlantic Council of the United Kingdom and a second lieutenant British Army. Previously, Andreas was a researcher in the land operations and capabilities program of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), London. Andreas has a Master's of Science from London School of Economics and Political Science in International Relations, a Graduate Diploma in Law from BPP Law School, London, and a Master's in English Language and Literature from the University of Oxford.
Mr. Scott Erwin
Scott Erwin is an Engagement Manager with McKinsey & Company in London. He completed his doctorate in theology from the University of Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship and is the author of "The Theological Vision of Reinhold Niebuhr's The Irony of American History: 'In the battle and above it'" (Oxford University Press, 2013). Scott previously worked as a Policy Advisor to the US Department of Defense in Iraq, where he supported the training and equipping of Iraqi police and founded a civics program for university students in Baghdad.
He also worked at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York as a Research Associate to the Henry A. Kissinger Senior Fellow for US Foreign Policy. Scott is originally from Kansas City, completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Richmond, and currently lives in London with his wife, Nita, where he works to strengthen the transatlantic bond by sharing American BBQ with the British.
Mr. Michael Hermann
National Security Legislative Assistant, Office of Congressman James Langevin (D-RI)
Michael manages all policy and legislative issues for Representative Langevin's work on the Armed Services and Select Intelligence Committees, including in his role as Ranking Member of the Intelligence, Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee, and serves as the Democratic staff lead for the Congressional Cybersecurity and Directed Energy Caucuses.
He previously worked as a Legislative Assistant to Congressman Henry Waxman (D-CA), covering defense and science, among other areas, and as an Executive Assistant to the CEO at Dutko Worldwide. Michael received his MA in Strategic Security Studies from the National Defense University and his BA in Political Science and Bachelor of Music in Performance from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Ms. Gina Maria Jones
Senior Strategic Planner, Defense Intelligence Agency
In her capacity as a senior strategic planner at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), Gina is engaged in numerous high-profile portfolios, including: advising an initiative to ensure the Afghanistan-Pakistan Task Force Transition meets DIA strategic objectives, participating in the DIA Director's Tiger Team on transportation-specific intelligence resources, and contributing text for the 2014 National Intelligence Strategy. Gina previously served as an intelligence officer in the US Air Force, deploying to Iraq during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM; as a Booz Allen Associate and intelligence analyst at US Army South; and as the chief of a socio-cultural analytical team at US Africa Command in Stuttgart, Germany.
She received her Master of Military Art and Science from the US Army School of Advanced Military Studies; an MA with Honors in Global and International Studies through the Interagency Studies Program at the University of Kansas; and graduated cum laude from Boston University with a BA in East Asian Studies, and a BA and MA in Economics.
Mr. Mark David Simakovsky
Russia Country Director,Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia (RUE), US Department of Defense
In his current role, Mark develops and manages US defense policy towards Russia, including assisting in the Department of Defense response to the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Prior to this position, Mark worked as RUE's Eurasia Strategy Advisor and NATO Coordinator and as the Georgia and Moldova Country Director, where his work coordinating the response to the Russian-Georgian conflict was profiled in the Washington Post.
He has also served as a National Security Fellow in the Office of Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) on a Brookings Legis Fellowship; as a Non-Resident Fellow at the German Marshall Fund; as a Presidential Management Fellow at the Office of Russian Affairs in the State Department's Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs; and as a Fulbright Scholar at the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies in Tbilisi. Mark has been awarded the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Civilian Service and recognized as a "Top 99 under 33 Foreign Policy Leader" by the Diplomatic Courier. He received his MSFS magna cum laude from Georgetown University and his BA magna cum laude from Miami University.
NATO Summit
NATO's Framework Nations: Capabilities for an Unpredictable World
At the upcoming summit in September 2014, the NATO nations are...
Why Europe Whole and Free?
Twenty-five years after the reunification of Germany and a decade after...
2014 NATO Emerging Leaders Working Group
Heads of state and government from all 28 NATO nations will...
ABOUT THE 2014 WALES NATO SUMMIT
The 2014 NATO Summit is critical for the alliance as it grapples with crises in Ukraine, Afghanistan, the MENA region - and the organization's own trajectory.
The Atlantic Council's Future Leaders Summit will be the only event inside the official NATO Summit venue where over fifty heads of state and government will convene. The summit is a flagship Atlantic Council event and the premier global security gathering for future leaders.
This page is the Council's hub for news and analysis on the official NATO and the Future Leaders Summits, and includes information about the delegates, speakers, agenda, and webcasts.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Call for help in mountains or on rock faces are made with light or sound signals. Calls and replies should be repeated until a firm and clear connection is established. Call signs are made six times over a minute, every other minute, and replies with same signals three times every other minute. Forming of the letter "Y", for "yes", with one's body (body upright with arms raised up and aside) is the sign that assistance is required, similar to firing a red flare.


text:
Wash. City Settles on $150K for Family of Intubated Dead Patient
Denver Pratt
Wash. Fire Dept. Sued for $15M After Intubating Dead Patient
Wash. Firefighters Suspended After Using Deceased Patient for Practice
The Bellingham Herald (Bellingham, Wash.)
The city of Bellingham has settled $150,000 in claims for damages filed by two family members of the deceased man Bellingham Fire Department employees practiced performing endotracheal intubations on in late July, according to Bellingham City Council meeting minutes.
On July 31, 11 fire department employees, including two office workers, admitted to performing "tube checks" on the body of Bradley Ginn Sr. while he was on the floor of Station 1. His body was waiting to be picked up to be taken to a funeral home.
A report by Seattle attorney Sarah I. Hale revealed that "tube checks" were an accepted practice paramedics used to meet certification requirements. After patients died, paramedics took out breathing tubes that were placed as life-saving measures and then quickly re-inserted them to help paramedics practice the procedure.
Bradley Ginn Jr., Bradley Ginn Sr.'s son, filed a claim Oct. 16 seeking $200,000. In the claim, Ginn Jr.'s lawyer called the conduct of fire department employees "reprehensible" and says the intubations took place during a time when family members were trying to locate Ginn Sr.'s body.
They also say Ginn Sr. had a do-not-resuscitate directive, which prohibited the use of invasive procedures such as intubations, according to records with the City Attorney's office.
City Council members agreed to settle the claim for $75,000 at their Monday night meeting. The motion was carried 7-0, the minutes state.
In addition to monetary compensation, Ginn Jr. asked the city to implement a written policy that prohibits similar conduct in the future. In early October, Bellingham Fire Chief Bill Newbold said the tube checking practice was no longer allowed.
Supervising physician Emily Junck issued a directive to all medical personnel on Oct. 3 stating that "Patient care and procedures should only be provided with the goal of patient resuscitation.
After a patient has been pronounced as deceased, no further procedures should be provided without consent of next of kin or (durable power of attorney)," according to information previously provided by city communications director Vanessa Blackburn.
Blackburn said Junck, EMS Division Chief Scott Rykman and Assistant Chief Jay Comfort completed a policy that outlines what happens when a patient dies in an ambulance. The policy is being reviewed for approval and has been communicated to Bellingham Fire employees, Blackburn said.
Newbold, who has been chief for five years and with the department since 2013, is planning to retire in March.
The city also settled for $75,000 with Aurieona Ginn, Ginn Sr.'s daughter. She had filed a claim Oct. 9 seeking $350,000.
Bellingham Mayor Kelli Linville signed both settlement agreements earlier this week, according to Blackburn. Linville declined to comment Friday on the settlements.
Ginn Sr.'s wife, Jai Ginn, filed a claim Oct. 4 seeking $15 million, saying she has suffered physical and mental pain, and disability resulting in economic and non-economic damages. She also made claims for the unauthorized invasion and desecration of a dead body without permission and possible wrongful death. Her claim is still pending.
Twelve Bellingham Fire Department employees were disciplined for their actions taken on July 31 on Ginn Sr.'s body.
The state Department of Health is also investigating nine members of the department for their roles in the July 31 incident. Although 11 employees admitted to intubating Ginn Sr., only nine were credentialed health care providers. A state health department spokesperson said the investigation could take up to 170 days.
Ginn Sr.'s family and Newbold did not respond to requests for comment.
GMR Companies Respond to Calif. Earthquakes
Upstate N.Y. Agency, PatientCare Logistics Partner to Expand Services
Tex. Paramedic, Nurse Lose Home, Dogs in Fire
Pulmodyne Acquiring Innovative Products
Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation Donates $17K to Fla. EMS


We herein report a case of invasive candidiasis presenting rare findings on chest computed tomography (CT). The chest CT scan showed multiple small cavitary lesions and nodules with surrounding ground-glass opacity, and also bilateral pleural effusion. Although this CT finding is thought as specific for pulmonary aspergillosis, two sets of blood culture specimens were drawn which yielded Candida albicans in our case. Antifungal therapy was started and the chest CT findings showed a remarkable improvement. To our knowledge, this is the first case report describing multiple pulmonary cavitary lesions in invasive candidiasis.
It has been reported that invasive candidiasis is rare but associated with considerable mortality in immunocompromised or critically ill patients. The most common chest computed tomography (CT) findings of invasive candidiasis have been reported as multiple bilateral nodules often associated with air-space consolidation . Here, we present a rare case of invasive candidiasis presenting multiple pulmonary cavitary lesions on chest CT. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of invasive candidiasis with this finding in English literatures.
An 80-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for the treatment of small bowel obstruction. Initial management involved nasogastric tube insertion and fluid resuscitation with central venous (CV) catheters. His small bowel obstruction did not resolve, and on the 8th day, he presented fever and hypoxemia. He had a history of stage IV chronic kidney disease secondary to hypertensive nephrosclerosis for 15 years, and distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer 20 years before. He did not have smoking history and risk factors for HIV infection, and drank alcoholic beverages occasionally. Physical examination revealed poor oral hygiene only. The chest x-ray revealed multiple nodules in the right upper lung field, and also mixed ground-glass and airspace opacities in the entire right lung (Figure 1). The chest CT scan showed multiple small cavitary lesions and nodules surrounded by ground-glass opacities, and also bilateral pleural effusion (Figure 2). Examination of sputum showed no predominant pathogen and no acid-fast organisms on staining. Laboratory tests revealed elevated serum β-D-glucan (483 pg/ml, normal, < 20 pg/ml) positive serum Candida antigen latex agglutination test, and negative serum Aspergillus galactomannan antigen test. Two sets of blood culture specimens were drawn on the 8th day which yielded Candida albicans. Transbronchial biopsy and bronchial washings of the cavitary lesion in the right upper lobe were performed, however, non-specific inflammation of the lung tissue without any bacteria was revealed. Moreover, transbronchial biopsy did not reveal aspergillus hyphae. The patient was diagnosed as affected with invasive candidiasis. Therefore, potentially contaminated CV catheter was removed and antifungal therapy with intravenous fluconazole was started. The patient became afebrile after the 3rd day of the initiation of antifungal therapy, and blood culture of the same day did not yield any organisms. The treatment was continued for three weeks, and on the 15th day of antifungal therapy the chest CT findings showed a remarkable improvement (Figure 3).
Multiple nodules and ground-glass opacities. The chest x-ray showed multiple nodules in the right upper lung field, and mixed ground-glass and airspace opacities in the entire right lung.
Multiple small cavitary lesions and nodules. Chest CT images obtained on the 14th day of admission showed multiple small cavitary lesions and nodules surrounded by ground-glass opacity, and also bilateral pleural effusion. These lung abnormalities seemed to be in a peribronchovascular distribution.
Chest CT after antifungal therapy. Chest CT images obtained on the 29th day of admission showed that multiple small cavitary lesions, nodules and ground-glass opacity had improved after antifungal therapy.
Candida spp. exist as normal flora of the human skin, oropharynx, lower gastrointestinal tract, and genitourinary system. Candida spp. are now one of the most common causes of nosocomial blood stream infections worldwide . Invasive candidiasis is a fungal infection that can occur when Candida spp. enter the bloodstream. Once the fungus is in the bloodstream, it can spread to other parts of the body and cause infection. There are risk factors for invasive candidiasis, such as central venous catheter, surgical procedure, acute renal failure, disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, parenteral nutrition and the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics . In our case, parenteral nutrition with CV catheter was thought to be the risk factor for invasive candidiasis. Moreover, small bowel obstruction was also thought to be the risk factor because the protective mechanisms of intestinal mucosa were thought to be broken.
The few available studies on this topic indicate that pulmonary manifestations of invasive candidiasis are seen in no more than 0.2 to 8.0% of at-risk ICU patients and cancer patients . As with other opportunistic mycoses, sputum cultures are unreliable for diagnosis, because the organism frequently colonizes in the upper airways, and a definitive diagnosis requires culture of Candida from blood, normally sterile organ or body cavity [3,4]. We could diagnose our case as invasive candidiasis by the positive blood culture and chest CT findings. The most common chest CT findings were reported as multiple bilateral nodules often associated with air-space consolidation, however these findings are nonspecific and the differentiation from other fungal infections (especially aspergillosis) is difficult. In pulmonary fungal infections cavitation has been considered to represent concomitant bacterial infection or hemorrhagic lung infarcts, and the surrounding ground-glass or air-space opacity has been considered to represent a mixture of edema and hemorrhage . The multiple cavitary lesions seen in our patient were thought to represent septic pulmonary infarcts due to blood-stream infection of Candida albicans, and this CT finding is rare in invasive candidiasis. It was reported that cavitary lesions were less common in invasive candidiasis (4%) than in aspergillosis (16%) , and, to our knowledge, this is the first case report describing multiple pulmonary cavitary lesions in invasive candidiasis.
In conclusion, multiple pulmonary cavitary lesions are rare CT manifestations of invasive candidiasis. This CT finding is thought as specific for pulmonary aspergillosis, however, we should also consider this finding in invasive candidiasis occurring in patients who have risk factors. We believe that our case will be helpful to the understanding and recognition of the spectrum of this rare condition.
YY was directly involved in manuscript preparation, data analysis, the care of the patient and the conception and design of the report. TK helped to prepare and review manuscript. TK was involved in the care of the patient. MA, YY assisted in drafting the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.


text:
About this Chinese Translation
This Heidelberg Catechism translation is based on the following:
The English translation adopted by the Christian Reformed Church in North America in 1975, with later editorial revisions incorporated as approved by the Synod of 1988.
The latter part of Question 80 has been removed, in line with a decision of Synod 2006.
Some revisions are made to allow for more clarity in reading by congregations in worship. Example: In the 1975/1988 version, Lord's Day 47 starts with the question: What does the first request mean? In our revised version, this reads: In the Lord's Prayer, what does the first request mean?
The Chinese translation is that of Paul Zhiyong Wang. See his earlier translation in Simplified Chinese.
Minor revisions are incorporated for improved accuracy and user-friendliness.
In 2013 we celebrated the 450th anniversary of the Heidelberg Catechism. For our part, we offer this Chinese version in order to make the catechism accessible to more readers.
All glory be to the Lord our God!
David Cheung Ph.D., University of London (UK)
President Emeritus, Asia Theological Seminary (RP)
Senior Pastor, Immanuel Christian Reformed Church (Canada)


dangerousmeta! || San Antonio Exp/News: Woman falls to her death at Grand Canyon after posting image on cliff's edge.
I just finished reading Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon and was also surprised that this doesn't happen more often. There are only 56 deaths of this kind - since 1925! If you take into account the huge numbers of visitors, this number seems extremely small to me.
Just wait until these "Pokemon Go" people start wandering around Grand Canyon and Yellowstone (particularly in the hot springs areas) ... Eeeeeyow!
I have to admit that I read the "Death in Yellowstone" book too (morbid? me?). The hot springs and the rim of Grand Canyon are probably the top places where you want to look where you walk! Someone playing Pokemon Go there is setting themselves up for a Darwin award.
<< Previous entry: ANN: Another 23 shipwrecks located off the Greek island of Ikaria.


text:
The Stand Syracuse's South Side Newspaper Project
The Stand's History
Distribution Sites
Denise Nickens, mother of Habakkuk Nickens, speaks to the crowd about ending gun violence the Gone But Not Forgotten balloon release held July 15, 2016, at Billings Park in downtown Syracuse. She assisted in finalizing the event, which was organized by her son who is currently incarcerated. | Aubrey Moore
Former Gang Member Promotes Cease-Fire
Balloon release allows families to remember those lost to violence
A former V-NOT gang member is attempting to put an end to neighborhood violence — despite the fact that he is locked up in federal prison.
Habakkuk Nickens, 30, is serving a 20-year prison sentence in Federal Correctional Institution, Ray Brook, in upstate New York. A jury convicted Nickens for a pattern of racketeering activity, which included acts of murder, drug trafficking and robbery.
While incarcerated, he worked for months to plan July's Gone But Not Forgotten event, which released balloons at Billings Park in downtown Syracuse.
This is the second year Nickens has put on this event, which was bigger than his first one, thanks to support from local groups such as O.G.'s Against Violence, Real Fathers/Real Men, Empower Incarcerated Young People and Fall Forward.
After speeches by community members and local leaders, balloons were released, each with the name of someone who died because of violence.
Helen Hudson, common councilor at-large, stood in front of the crowd and stressed that the black community needs to love one another.
"We carry so much anger," she said, "and we don't even know why we carry it."
Through her work with Mothers Against Gun Violence, Hudson has talked to more than 200 mothers who have lost their children to what she calls senseless violence.
"We need to take care of these babies that are left behind."
Tabarrie "TJ" Tillie Jr. wears a dogtag with photos of his father, Tabarrie "Dooly" Tillie, who was shot and killed this past June. | Dominique Hildebrand
Jazmin "Jazzy" Boatwright, 5, lost her father, Adon "Lil Donnie" Boatwright Jr., when she was 3. She was excited to release a balloon in memory of her father and was brought to the event by her grandmother, Vickie McCullough.
"She knows that her daddy's an angel," said McCullough, who learned about the balloon release on Facebook. She said her son and granddaughter wanted to attend because they know three people close to their family who were killed by gun violence.
"Our neighbor, cousin and her father," McCullough said. "She was so young when it happened, and her mother, my daughter, still has a hard time with the loss."
General Davis speaks passionately about ending gun violence during the Gone But Not Forgotten balloon release held in July. | Aubrey Moore
General Davis, co-founder of Real Men/Real Fathers, praised Nickens during his remarks. "He's doing more on the inside than many are doing out here," he said.
He was joined by his oldest son, General Davis Jr., who recently was released from prison and is working with his father to mentor youth. "I've changed my life for my pops, to be a better person," Davis Jr. said.
Nickens' mother, Denise Nickens, learned a bit about her son's actions that resulted in his incarceration. Most details came out in news articles and at trial. She is thankful he is still alive and views his current incarceration as part of God's plan. She describes herself as her son's foot soldier. After working full days, she would spend evenings carrying out her son's plans to ensure his event would be a success.
"While incarcerated, he and others put their heads and their hearts together to make a difference," she said during the event.
Nickens was the driver in a fatal drive-by shooting in 2010, which resulted in the death of 19-year-old Kihary Blue, a former star football and basketball player at Henninger High School. At the July event, Nickens' mom released a balloon with Blue's name written on it.
"To the woman who lost her son, I made a vow to do something in my days to repay her and make her smile," said Nickens, who has also sent a letter of apology to Blue's mother through the judge who presided over the case. "I figured I wasn't going to just help her, but help everybody."
Nickens said he now considers himself a changed man. As evidence, he spoke in a phone interview from prison about how he founded the anti-gang program M.E.N. — Men Educating Neighborhoods — in November 2014. The program relies on volunteers who share his belief that gang violence must be reduced.
The crowd listens to speakers. | Shweta Gulati
"I owe it to my family members, kids and my community, because I know I'm better than that," Nickens said. "I came in here with the attitude that I'm going to change something."
Nickens said he first decided to change his ways shortly after Blue's death. He originally founded a community outreach program called Help Break Down the Silence, with the goal of helping at-risk youth. Although the program was short-lived, Nickens said he's hoping to continue his community work through M.E.N.
In 2010, Nickens ran Mary Nelson's annual backpack giveaway, his mother said. "He was always busy and gave back," she said. "Mary let him run her event one year, and a week later he held his own backpack giveaway that Mary helped him with."
His mother remembers Nickens as a teen holding several jobs, writing and performing plays and serving as a mentor to younger kids at the Southwest Community Center. She said it wasn't until his 20s that she noticed any bad behaviors. She was told his small offenses were guilt by association.
"But God has a plan," she said, adding that she gets through tough times with the help of prayer. "Prayer changes things."
Tyrone Hines, who was sentenced to life in prison in 1995 for running a drug-trafficking ring in Syracuse, said he first met Nickens in November 2014 while in prison. Shortly after, Hines said he became one of the initial members of M.E.N. in an attempt to right his wrongs and try to end the rise of violence in Syracuse. "Even if we save one life, or two lives, it's working," Hines said.
Nickens concludes: "Maybe it was heaven-sent that I'm here, because if I wasn't, then I wouldn't be able to help all of these people."
For more photos, click here
— Article by Ari Gilberg, Urban Affairs reporter; with additional reporting by Ashley Kang, The Stand director
Balloons fly in memory of those lost to gun violence at the conclusion of the Gone But Not Forgotten balloon release. | Aubrey Moore
Balloon Release Denise Nickens Former V-NOT gang member Gone But Not Forgotten Balloon Release Habakkuk Nickens M.E.N. Men Educating Neighborhoods NY Syracuse Syracuse Cease Fire Tyrone Hines V-NOT Gang	2016-08-30
Ashley Kang
@MySouthSide
RT @HendricksChapel: The arts are bringing MLK's message to life at Syracuse University! Join us for three special performances featuring a… 2020/01/17
Check out this @suartgalleries show "Black Subjects in Modern Media Photography" on display now through March 13 :… https://t.co/2mzw8bYXfz 2020/01/17
Past student contributors have even gone on to have their published stories win @syrpressclub awards -- in the prof… https://t.co/8BIH6Bf1wx 2020/01/17
Stop by to chat -- she'll be sipping coffee in The Stand T-shirt from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. -- or help spread the word… https://t.co/8mMuGva28z 2020/01/17