Main Street Bondholders to Gather in Washington to Attend Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on Puerto Rico
WASHINGTON, Nov. 30, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — On Tuesday, December 1, Main Street Bondholders from the U.S. mainland and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico will come to Washington, DC to draw attention to their cause as the Senate Judiciary Committee’s convenes a hearing on the Puerto Rican debt crisis. The Senate hearing is scheduled to feature testimony from Puerto Rico Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla and Banco Popular CEO Richard Carrion, as Puerto Rico’s leaders continue to lobby Congress to violate the Island’s Constitution and wipeout bondholders by restructuring all of the Commonwealth’s public debts.
Main Street Bondholders members will also attend a press conference to speak out against the Governor’s dangerous and unprecedented plan for Puerto Rico.
“Rather than engaging in a consensual process that has been offered by creditors, Governor Garcia Padilla has embarked on a warpath toward total debt avoidance,” said the 60 Plus Association’s Vice President Matthew Kandrach. “His actions will eviscerate the Constitution, tarnish Puerto Rico’s economic credibility, rattle municipal markets, and destroy the retirement savings of thousands invested in Puerto Rican bonds.”
Last week, both the New York Times and El Nueva Dia reported that some of the island’s largest creditors were willing to engage in a consensual process to address the island’s fiscal problems.
The members of Main Street Bondholders will be available for questions from media following their remarks.
What: Main Street Bondholders Press Conference
When: Tuesday, December 1, immediately following the Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing at 10:00 am
Where: Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill, Capitol Room B – 400 New Jersey Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
RSVP: RSVP to [email protected]
Main Street Bondholders Coalition is a project of the 60 Plus Association, and is comprised of small bondholders from across America who are committed to a policy process that returns Puerto Rico to sound financial management, respect for the rule of law, and the protection of their retirement savings.
CONTACT: Janet Wootten, 202-506-0606, [email protected]
Ismael Cala to Present His Best Seller “El secreto del bambú” at the Guadalajara Book Fair
MIAMI, Nov. 30, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — CNN en Español host, author and international lecturer Ismael Cala will be presenting his best seller “El secreto del bambú” (The Secret of Bamboo) this Thursday at Mexico’s Guadalajara Book Fair, the most important in the Hispanic world.
“El secreto del bambú” (HarperCollins Español) is an inspiring story about leadership and personal transformation. It takes place in a remote village in the South American Amazon where bamboo is present everywhere. After traveling the world, the community’s leader has chosen to live in the middle of the jungle where he leaves a legacy to his three children that he had been working on in secret.
The presentation will be Thursday, December 3, 2015, at 7pm at the Gonvill Bookstore stand (I-3) of the Guadalajara Expo.
“I am delighted to be returning to the largest Spanish-language book fair and thus be able to share with Mexican readers the virtues of bamboo. If you are or aspire to be like bamboo — flexible and strong at the same time — we look forward to seeing you in Guadalajara this Thursday,” said Cala from Miami.
ABOUT ISMAEL CALA
Ismael Cala is a TV host, author and international lecturer on the subjects of personal development and leadership. Christened the “Latin Larry King” by The New York Times, he is the host of “Cala” on CNN en Español, a primetime interview program with the most powerful and important personalities of the international scene.
He appears regularly on the Univision program “Despierta América”, writes a weekly column for more than 50 Latin American and U.S. publications, directs the digital magazine “Cala 3.0” and is one the most highly acclaimed inspirational lecturers on the continent.
Author of the best sellers “El poder de escuchar” (2013) and “Un buen hijo de P…” (2014), Cala was born in Santiago de Cuba (1969) and received a degree in art history from Oriente University. He graduated with honors from the School of Communication at York University in Toronto and holds a diploma from Seneca College in television production.
Nurse Summits Mount Kilimanjaro On World Prematurity Day
Honoring 15 Million Babies Born Preterm Around the World
WHITE PLAINS, New York, Nov. 30, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Brenda Kieran, a newborn intensive care unit (NICU) nurse from Providence, Rhode Island, and nurse colleague, Katie Baker summited Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, the tallest mountain in Africa, on Nov. 17, World Prematurity Day, in honor of babies born premature and benefit the March of Dimes.
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“Summiting the tallest mountain in Africa on behalf of the March of Dimes mission to prevent babies born too soon is the highlight of my life,” says Brenda. “It’s also on behalf of my goddaughter, Elizabeth who was born preterm and my inspiration to become a NICU nurse. As Prematurity Awareness Month comes to a close I hope that my small accomplishment helps to inspire everyone around the world to support the March of Dimes mission to prevent and treat premature babies.”
The United States preterm birth rate ranks among the worst of high-resource countries, the March of Dimes says. Worldwide, 15 million babies are born preterm, and nearly one million die due to early birth or its complications. Babies who survive an early birth often face serious and lifelong health problems, including breathing problems, jaundice, vision loss, cerebral palsy and intellectual delays.
Brenda has worked at Women & Infants Hospital in Providence for the past ten years. She has raised more than $5,000 to support March of Dimes research to prevent premature birth, but hopes to raise more. You can make a donation to her March of Dimes page.
The March of Dimes leads the World Prematurity Network (WPN), a global coalition of consumer and parent groups working together to raise awareness and prevent premature birth in their countries. Through World Prematurity Day and other joint efforts, members call for action to prevent preterm birth and improve care for babies born too soon. Nearly 100 countries participated in World Prematurity Day 2015 with building and landmark lightings, outdoor events, petitions, and other demonstrations of support.
The March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.org or nacersano.org. Find us on Facebook and Twitter.
Food Safety Before, During, and After a Power Outage
SILVER SPRING, Maryland, Nov. 30, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The winter of 2015-2016 is in its early stages, and yet many parts of the country are already experiencing extreme weather conditions and power outages. In fact, a power outage can happen at any time, and it can affect the safety of your food. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reminds you that the best way to ensure that food stays safe is to have a plan in place, and to know what food safety precautions to take if a power outage does occur.
Experience the interactive Multimedia News Release here: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7674751-fda-power-outage-food-safety/
Learn more and watch a video and webinar about food safety during a power outage at:
http://www.fda.gov/Food/RecallsOutbreaksEmergencies/Emergencies/ucm076881.htm
http://www.fda.gov/Food/RecallsOutbreaksEmergencies/Emergencies/ucm076881.htm#POVideo
http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/Transparency/Basics/ucm457532.htm
Be Prepared
Plan ahead to keep food safe if the power goes out. Stock up on supplies, or know where to obtain them if needed.
- Use a refrigerator and freezer thermometer, and check before an outage to ensure that the refrigerator temperature is at or below 40 degrees F and the freezer is at or below 0 degrees F.
- Plan for ice. Know where you can get dry or block ice. Make ice cubes and freeze containers of water or gel packs to help keep food cold in the freezer, refrigerator, or coolers.
- Keep coolers on hand to store refrigerated food if the power will be out for more than 4 hours.
- Freeze refrigerated items that you may not need immediately and group food together in the freezer.
- Stock your pantry with a few days worth of ready-to-eat foods that do not require cooking or refrigeration.
If the Power Goes Out
Cold temperatures slow the growth of harmful bacteria, so keeping food at safe temperatures is critical to reduce the risk of foodborne illness.
- Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. The refrigerator will keep food cold for about 4 hours, and a full freezer will keep the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if unopened.
- Use ice (dry or block, ice cubes, and frozen containers of water/gel packs) to keep your refrigerator and freezer as cold as possible.
When Power is Restored
Before consuming any food after a power outage, check the temperatures inside your refrigerator and freezer.
- If the power was out for no more than 4 hours, refrigerated food should be safe as long as the doors were kept closed. Discard any perishable food (such as meat, poultry, seafood, milk, eggs, or leftovers) that has been above 40 degrees F for 2 hours or more.
- If the freezer thermometer reads 40 degrees F or below, food is safe and may be refrozen. If you did not have a thermometer in the freezer, check each package to determine its safety; you can’t rely on appearance or odor. If the food still contains ice crystals or is 40 degrees F or below, it is safe to refreeze or cook.
- Be aware that perishable foods that are not kept adequately refrigerated or frozen may cause foodborne illness if consumed, even after they are thoroughly cooked.
Contact: Media: 1-301-796-4540 Consumers: 1-888-SAFEFOOD (toll free)
Cayman Trust Licence Enables Hawksford to Expand Presence and Global Capabilities
SAINT-HÉLIER, Jersey, Nov. 30, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Hawksford is now able to provide a full range of trust services in the Cayman Islands, having secured a Trust Licence.
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The Trust Licence, which is issued by The Cayman Islands Monetary Authority, enables Hawksford Services (Cayman) Limited to provide a full range of trust services to private and corporate clients.
Hawksford director Steve Robinson, who will help to build Hawksford’s name in the Cayman market, says the trust licence represents a milestone for the international corporate, private client and funds business. With this expansion into Cayman, Hawksford can now offer fiduciary services to clients from Europe, Asia and the Caribbean.
‘We are delighted that Hawksford now has operating capabilities in the Cayman Islands, this is a significant development for the company and our clients. Hawksford’s new Cayman business will bring scalability to how we are able to service our international client base and will open up new service areas for the company. From a structuring perspective, our broadened capabilities will be particularly complementary for our clients in the Asian, UK and US marketplaces,’ said Mr Robinson.
Hawksford’s chief executive, Maxine Rawlins, added: ‘As part of our international growth strategy, Hawksford is building a network of jurisdictions around the globe and we are delighted to extend our footprint into the Cayman Islands. Obtaining this licence reinforces our commitment to provide our clients with an international service. The operations, risk and legal teams have worked extremely hard to secure this licence, and we are looking forward to growing our capabilities in the Caribbean region.’
Hawksford is an international corporate, private client and funds business offering a range of comprehensive services to trusts, companies, foundations, partnerships, family offices and investment funds. Hawksford is backed by UK mid-market private equity firm Dunedin.
Notes to editors
About Hawksford Group: http://www.hawksford.com
Twitter: @HawksfordGroup
Hawksford is an international and award-winning corporate, private client and funds business which consistently delivers impeccable service and is focused on thinking beyond tomorrow.
Hawksford has operating capabilities in Jersey, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates and is actively seeking expansion into countries that will add further value to clients.
Contact:
Cherith Fothergill
[email protected]
+44-(0)-1534-740264
Higher Ed Institutions Look to Next Gen Student Learning Measurement
PRINCETON, New Jersey, Nov. 30, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Higher education institutions of all kinds — state, private and community — are increasingly being asked for more evidence of student learning. Many are looking for ways to demonstrate their students’ general education skill levels and use information derived from student learning outcomes (SLO) assessments to enhance the learning experience on their campuses.
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“Our intercampus faculty group was looking for an assessment that would help us incorporate competencies relevant to their programs,” said Michelle Soler, Director for Competency-based Education and Assessment for all 17 University of North Carolina campuses.
Earlier this year, a variety of institutions participated in a pilot program for the new HEIghten™ Outcomes Assessment Suite from Educational Testing Service (ETS). The suite consists of six modules measuring general education skills identified by educators as most important for students to have. The HEIghten suite is designed to enable colleges and universities to obtain valid data about their students’ skills, benchmark and track student performance, and identify areas for potential curriculum enhancement.
“Using national frameworks and the latest research from the higher education community, we designed HEIghten to be used alongside institution-developed assessments,” said Ou Lydia Liu, Director of Higher Education Research at ETS. “This way, institutions can tailor their mix of assessments to their unique mission and goals.”
SLO assessments created internally are aligned to the specific education goals of the institution, while third-party assessments, like the HEIghten suite, offer standardization so that colleges and universities can benchmark their performance against similar institutions throughout the nation.
“We had been doing our own in-house assessments, but it worried me that we were not able to see how well our students are doing nationally,” said Julie Lessiter, Associate Vice Chancellor of Academic Services at Louisiana State University Shreveport.
ETS worked with higher-ed institutions to develop a tool that provides actionable data without burdening their already limited resources. The goal is to help schools maintain their autonomy in an environment of ever-growing pressure for more accountability measures.
HEIghten is designed for educators. “Faculty can administer the assessment during one class period, see how their students performed, and go back to make any changes necessary to improve learning,” said Nancy Williams Parks, Associate Professor and Director of Advising, Assessment and Testing at Pierpont Community & Technical College.
Three HEIghten modules are currently available: Critical Thinking, Written Communication and Quantitative Literacy. Three additional modules will be available in 2016.
To learn more about HEIghten, check out this video or visit www.ets.org/heighten.
About ETS
At ETS, we advance quality and equity in education for people worldwide by creating assessments based on rigorous research. ETS serves individuals, educational institutions and government agencies by providing customized solutions for teacher certification, English language learning, and elementary, secondary and postsecondary education, and by conducting education research, analysis and policy studies. Founded as a nonprofit in 1947, ETS develops, administers and scores more than 50 million tests annually — including the TOEFL ® and TOEIC ® tests, the GRE ® tests and The Praxis Series ® assessments — in more than 180 countries, at over 9,000 locations worldwide. www.ets.org
Sean “Diddy” Combs & DELEÓN™ Tequila Take Holidays To The Next Level Via “Combs Concierge” Program
NEW YORK, Nov. 30, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Today, Sean “Diddy” Combs invites consumers to use his personal concierge for their gifting needs this holiday season and beyond. Joining the ranks of established luxury-houses that offer personalized products, the DELEÓN™ Tequila Combs Concierge Program, in partnership with Reserve Bar, provides engraved bottles of the brand’s Platinum or Reposado variants. The packages are then delivered to the legal drinking aged recipient of your choice except in states where prohibited by law. With online spending towards luxury goods on the rise, this premium service launches just in time for America’s busiest online shopping day of the year, Cyber Monday.
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Consumers can take their holiday shopping to the next level by logging-on to CombsConcierge.com to place an order for this premium gift, which is perfect for the season filled with celebratory gatherings with friends and families. Ordering is a simple, three-step process: select a recipient, choose a product variant and enter a message of your choice for engraving. The ornate, custom-engraved bottle is accompanied by a high-end DELEÓN™ Tequila signature-serve cocktail kit which includes bespoke drink stirrers and a personal note from Sean “Diddy” Combs.
This Holiday season, Mr. Combs is giving his closest friends and family the gift of great taste with Combs Concierge. Now, consumers across the country can gift like the ultimate curator of style.
“There’s nothing like a personal touch to show someone that you care,” says Sean “Diddy” Combs, Chairman of Combs Enterprises. “That’s why I developed the Combs Concierge program – to help people give the gift of luxury with a personalized bottle of DELEÓN™, the world’s finest tequila.”
DELEÓN™ Tequila is made of 100% Blue Weber agave sourced from the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico and achieves the highest level of smoothness and quality across multiple variants. The bottle, made from high quality fragrance-grade glass boldly tattooed with the distinguishing mark of the DELEÓN™ brand, also serves as the ultimate keepsake as it adds an edgy flare to office décor or can be utilized for an at home do-it-yourself project.
Consumers will have the option of customizing DELEÓN™ Platinum for $55 USD or DELEÓN™ Reposado for $65 USD. Please allow 7-10 days from order processing to fulfillment. All orders must be placed by December 15, 2015 to be received by December 25, 2015 via ground shipping and December 18, 2015 to be received by December 25, 2015 via 2-day shipping. This also makes a great gift for an entire office; for orders of 12 bottles or more, please call the Combs Concierge VIP Line at 1.844.9.DELEÓN.
This holiday season, DELEÓN™ wants to remind you to celebrate responsibly with friends and loved ones.
About DELEÓN™
DELEÓN™ Tequila was initially created in the Guanajuato region, home to the town of Leon and the town of Purisima del Rincon. The DELEÓN™ brand launched in 2009 to an elite following in Hollywood and the U.S. music industry. Purchased in 2014 by a joint venture between business mogul and international icon Sean Combs and the world’s largest spirits company Diageo North America, Inc., DELEÓN™ Tequila defies conventions to establish a new standard of luxury in tequila. The DELEÓN™ portfolio boasts six provocative ultra-premium and luxury expressions made from the finest, hand-selected 100% Blue Weber agave sourced from the highlands of Jalisco. By instilling an innovative blend of traditional yet unique tequila making processes, DELEÓN™ Tequila curates exquisite smoothness and abundant character. For more information, visit: www.DELEÓNtequila.com.
About Diageo North America, Inc.
Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands across spirits, beer and wine categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, JεB, Buchanan’s, Windsor whisky, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness.
Diageo is a global company, and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and the New York Stock Exchange (DEO). For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice.
Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.
Combs Wine & Spirits
Combs Wine & Spirits is a privately owned, premium spirits and wine business created by Sean “Diddy” Combs in 2013. Combs Wine & Spirits is focused on delivering high impact growth driven product development strategies that promote a healthy business structure while highlighting social responsibility. The company, which is based in New York, co-owns DELEÓN™ Tequila and is responsible for all strategic marketing for Cîroc Ultra Premium Vodka™, both in partnership with Diageo.