The European Network for Cyber Security (ENCS) submitted earlier this month feedback to the European Commission on the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) technical description of the categories of important and critical products with digital elements including webinars and online consultations were hosted to get feedback and comments from members and experts that the Cyber Resilience Act will be instrumental to strengthening cybersecurity across Europe but it’s essential that its definitions are precise and aligned with operational realities in critical sectors like energy “Inaccurate definitions – such as those currently proposed for ‘smart meter gateways’ and ‘hardware devices with security boxes’ – risk misdirecting regulatory efforts and resources.” “In a time of escalating cyber threats and geopolitical tensions we must ensure that regulation focuses on the systems and components that truly impact the resilience of our electricity grids,” Nijk added “If definitions are too expansive or ambiguous we may dilute attention from the assets that genuinely require the highest level of protection potentially undermining rather than enhancing energy security.”  The current definition of ‘smart meter gateway’ does not fully align with the implicit definitions commonly used in the sector The primary concern is that the definition is complex and may be interpreted in multiple ways A rephrased version has been proposed to reduce ambiguity For the ‘hardware devices with security boxes’ the ENCS expressed concern that the current definition is too broad Most products that include countermeasures against physical attacks seem to fall under the proposed definition This includes many products that are not currently covered under certification schemes and that do not pose a critical risk to essential entities under NIS2 if they are compromised through a physical attack The proposed definition should be refined to incorporate the properties that critical products are expected to have as outlined in point (46) of the CRA recitals In its feedback submission to the technical description of important and critical products of the Cyber Resilience Act, the ENCS wrote that “as a member organization representing 29 distribution and transmission system operators in Europe ENCS is concerned about the possible impact of two of the definitions of critical products on the electricity sector.”  the current definition does properly reflect the implicit definitions used in the sector,” it added “Our only concern is that the definition is complex and hence may be read in different ways we propose a rephrasing to remove the ambiguity.”  The agency suggested that for the hardware devices with security boxes “we are concerned that the current definition is too broad and that do not pose a critical risk to essential entities under NIS 2 if they are compromised through a physical attack We think the proposed definition needs to be refined to incorporate these properties that critical products should have according to point (46) in the CRA recitals.” The Cyber Resilience Act requires the Commission to specify the technical description of the categories of important and critical products with digital elements listed in Annex III and IV to the Regulation Such products may be subject to more stringent conformity assessment procedures Stakeholders were encouraged to submit their feedback to this consultation by using the attached template in order to facilitate feedback consolidation In its submission, the ENCS recommended that the definition be limited to products where protection against physical risks is essential to counter critical threats Including any product with tamper resistance in this category could lead to unnecessary costs as even products with low physical security risks would be required to meet the stringent requirements for critical products This could have the unintended consequence of manufacturers opting to exclude physical security measures altogether to avoid classification as a critical product reducing the overall security of some devices Regarding the first paragraph of the technical definition ENCS proposed the following wording: “Hardware products with digital elements that include a physical hardware envelope offering countermeasures against physical attacks and that are specifically designed to securely store and manage sensitive data and cryptographic operations could pose a critical risk to essential entities as defined in Article 3 of Directive (EU) 2022/2555 or could cause serious disruptions to supply chains within the internal market.” The agency recommended adding ‘monitoring and control to the capabilities described in the gateway definition within the first paragraph: “Products with digital elements that manage communication between components in smart metering systems as defined in Article 2(23) of Directive (EU) 2019/944 and authorised third parties such as utility providers as well as other devices within the smart grid infrastructure perform monitoring and control functions for the electricity system and protect data and information flows by supporting cryptographic functions such as encryption and decryption and by acting as a firewall between the wider network and the local network.” All rights reserved | Terms and Conditions Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy California-based bus manufacturer ENC plans to begin offering wireless inductive charging hardware from InductEV on its electric buses ENC will initially offer InductEV’s wireless charging system on its battery-electric Axess EVO-BE bus which is offered in 32- 35- and 40-foot lengths and features Proterra Powered battery packs with up to 738 kWh of energy storage ENC’s wireless-ready electric buses will be available as Buy America or Canadian Content compliant ENC uses a common platform for its battery-electric InductEV’s wireless charging system allows a bus to be charged with no driver intervention wireless charging en route can allow an operator to serve a given route with a smaller battery and wireless charging can also extend battery life InductEV’s wireless charging system is currently in operation in bus fleets in Washington State “ENC is poised to become a major force in North American transit by embracing proven technology and delivering next-generation zero-emission buses with the advantages of wireless inductive charging,” said John F “We’ve been following InductEV’s municipal transit deployments across the US and look forward to adding its high-power wireless charging solution to meet the varied needs of our customers,” said Dan Trujillo Their proven deployments in transit fleets with over 3 million miles driven and over 3 GWh of power delivered wirelessly make them a reliable provider for our new product line.” Source: Clean Trucking The free webinar sessions from our Spring 2025 Virtual Conference are now available to view on-demand Register for a session below to watch the recording and download the presentation Register Register Register Register Register Register Register Register Register Register Register Register Register Register Register Register Register Register Register Register Register Register Register Register Register Register Register Register Register Register Register LOAD MORE SESSIONS Wintery weather is moving into the ENC region for the second time this year this storm is bringing more ice-related dangers Road conditions and power outages are a large concern for the region Authorities in ENC are urging residents to stay off the roads if possible We are tracking a coastal winter storm in the StormTrack 12 Weather Center A Winter Storm Warning for most of eastern Carolina through Thursday Morning but the southern half of the viewing area could see freezing rain or sleet mix in midday and after Be on the alert for adverse driving conditions This could lead to dangerous travel conditions Temperatures will remain cold over the region with highs only reaching mid to upper 30s inland and low to mid 40s at the beaches The snow and wintry mix remains over the area during the evening and overnight This will bring more of a mix of ice and freezing rain to the south Most of the accumulating snow will remain north of highway 264 You can expect the concern for ice to be a problem for most areas in the evening and overnight Lows end up near the mid to upper 20s inland and low to mid 30s along the coast The Martin County Sheriff's Office and Sheriff Drew Robinson released the following: Flights from Charlotte through Wednesday evening have been canceled NC Emergency Management officials recommend these tips: NCSHP officials tell us that collisions are widespread throughout Pitt County at this time Collaboration to Meet Growing Demand from U.S and Canadian Municipal Transit Agencies for Battery Electric Bus Charging Infrastructure Optimized for Transit 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- California-based bus manufacturer ENC has partnered with wireless EV charging pioneer InductEV to give transit operators a broader selection of electric bus options including proven high-power wireless charging eliminating range limitations and providing more favorable economics than wired or Pantograph systems It marks the first time in recent years that transit agencies will have access to a new and improved vehicle option— a vital development amid ongoing supply chain disruptions and performance challenges across North America ENC will begin offering wireless inductive charging on its battery-electric buses using InductEV's high-power hardware Municipal transit agencies across the U.S. including multiple fleets in Washington State are now successfully using this wireless charging solution on their routes and in hybrid on-route and depot deployments "ENC is poised to become a major force in North American transit by embracing proven technology and delivering next-generation zero-emission buses with the advantages of wireless inductive charging," noted John F combined with InductEV's wireless charging technology reinforces its leadership position in sustainable public transportation." ENC's common platform offers battery-electric providing municipalities flexibility and reduced risk the Axess EVO-BE will now feature InductEV's wireless charging the stainless chassis Axess EVO-BE seamlessly integrates into diverse transit networks providing a scalable solution for agencies of all sizes "We've been following InductEV's municipal transit deployments across the U.S and look forward to adding its high-power wireless charging solution to meet the varied needs of our customers," added Dan Trujillo make them a reliable provider for our new product line." InductEV's wireless charging eliminates electro-mechanical connections enabling fully hands-free operation that enhances safety Designed for interoperability across all vehicle classes—including paratransit and double-deckers—InductEV's system enables dependable opportunity charging throughout the day allowing for a one-to-one replacement of diesel buses and the elimination of battery replacements during the useful life of the vehicle This one-to-one replacement of diesel with battery electric is practically impossible with wired charging solutions and is enabled by InductEV's wireless charging system These factors allow wirelessly charged bus fleets to be less expensive than those leveraging traditional wired and pantograph charging systems The system operates via inductive charging pads: an in-ground pad that instantly activates when aligned with an under-the-vehicle pad  This intelligent approach to electrification reduces infrastructure footprint and enhances overall transit system reliability The wireless-ready buses will be available as Buy America or Canadian Content compliant Every ENC bus is built to rigorous standards, completing FTA/Altoona durability testing and surpassing third-party crash and performance benchmarks With compliance across FMVSS, CMVSS, DOT, EPA, ADA, and NHTSA requirements, ENC ensures unparalleled flexibility and safety accommodating nearly any design or fuel system request Toronto-based City View Specialty Vehicles will serve as ENC's exclusive dealer and service provider across Canada "City View is proud to serve as the exclusive distributor of ENC's next-gen battery-electric buses throughout Canada," said company President Joseph D'Urso "We look forward to working alongside the forward-thinking teams at ENC and InductEV and ensuring each vehicle meets buy Canadian content." About ENCFor over 45 years, ENC has been delivering reliable and high-quality buses that connect people to their destinations Serving diverse markets—including public transit and universities—it provides several customizable floorplan configurations and multiple propulsion platforms to meet the unique needs of every customer About City View Specialty VehiclesFounded in 1995, City View Specialty Vehicles serves the private and public sectors across Canada and the US, with a core focus on delivering innovative vehicle solutions for municipalities and government agencies as well as the private sector. Since its inception the company has expanded and diversified its products and services to meet customers' evolving and specialized needs Media Inquiries (InductEV)Peter Himler, Flatiron Communications LLC(m) 516-729-6461[email protected] Erin Mahoney(m) 917-213-2935[email protected]  a pioneer in wireless electric vehicle charging solutions will deploy its high-power inductive chargers in partnership with port terminal.. Wireless EV charging pioneer InductEV today announced that it has joined the port industry trade alliance ZEPA to help accelerate port.. Green Technology Computer & Electronics Transportation, Trucking & Railroad Automotive Do not sell or share my personal information: WNCT WNCT 9 On Your Side introduced you to four remarkable women making a difference in our communities The winner for 2025 is La’Neika Benbow-Bruinton very thankful for this opportunity,” Benbow-Bruinton said It’s kind of like passing along the support for me to them for other people.” “Her unwavering compassion and dedication to people she puts others first and she has shown me how to put my feelings aside and help those that we serve,” Ashley Dearcia “I can’t think of anyone else well-deserving of this opportunity,” Benbow-Bruinton’s husband Shon said “I’ve seen her numerous nights just sit up and the wheels turning in her head just thinking about the different things she could do that’s what I love about her.” Benbow-Bruinton gets $1,000 toward the charity of her choice and she will meet up with all the local winners at the National Remarkable Women’s event in Los Angeles California-based bus manufacturer ENC has partnered with wireless EV charging firm InductEV to give transit operators a broader selection of electric bus options eliminating range limitations and providing more favorable economics than wired or Pantograph systems.  It marks the first time in recent years that transit agencies will have access to a new and improved vehicle option — a key development amid ongoing supply chain disruptions and performance challenges across North America ENC will begin offering wireless inductive charging on its battery-electric buses using InductEV’s high-power hardware combined with InductEV’s wireless charging technology reinforces its leadership position in sustainable public transportation.” “We’ve been following InductEV’s municipal transit deployments across the US and look forward to adding its high-power wireless charging solution to meet the varied needs of our customers,” said Dan Trujillo make them a reliable provider for our new product line.”  InductEV’s wireless charging eliminates electro-mechanical connections Designed for interoperability across all vehicle classes — including paratransit and double-deckers — InductEV’s system enables dependable opportunity charging throughout the day California-based bus manufacturer ENC has partnered with InductEV InductEV’s charging system operates via inductive charging pads which are integrated into the ground and instantly activate when aligned with an under-the-vehicle pad “This intelligent approach to electrification reduces infrastructure footprint and enhances overall transit system reliability,” InductEV wrote in its press release “ENC is poised to become a major force in North American transit by embracing proven technology and delivering next-generation zero-emission buses with the advantages of wireless inductive charging,” noted John F combined with InductEV’s wireless charging technology reinforces its leadership position in sustainable public transportation.” “We’ve been following InductEV’s municipal transit deployments across the U.S and look forward to adding its high-power wireless charging solution to meet the varied needs of our customers,” added Dan Trujillo “InductEV’s system creates stability make them a reliable provider for our new product line.” The new charging technology is even already in use: municipal transit agencies across the U.S. ENC first showed up on our radar in 2022, when the Californian bus manufacturer announced a supply deal for batteries with Proterra. InductEV was involved in a bus order from Seattle last year together with local public transport operator Sound Transit and bus manufacturer ADL prnewswire.com I agree with the Privacy policy electrive has been following the development of electric mobility with journalistic passion and expertise since 2013 we offer comprehensive coverage of the highest quality — as a central platform for the rapid development of this technology Much of Eastern North Carolina was under a Tornado Watch Wednesday afternoon as severe weather moved through the region The National Weather Service received multiple reports of trees down in Lenoir County and some traffic lights in the New Bern area were out in the early afternoon with New Bern Police Department crews directing traffic The National Weather Service has released the following storm reports: | Havelock | Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative reported limbs on powerlines on Speight Street in Havelock | Maysville | Some very minor damage to a barn At the same location a tree was snapped at the base | Kinston | Multiple trees down along Dobbs Farm Road Some are necessary and we can’t switch them off Others help us to provide you with the best possible service We use cookies to personalise content and ads to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic We also share anonymous information about your use of our site with our social media By accepting cookies you will be helping us to continue to provide you with the best possible service California-based bus manufacturer ENC said it has partnered with wireless EV charging company InductEV to give transit operators a broader selection of electric bus options aimed at eliminating range limitations and providing more favorable economics than wired or pantograph systems ENC said that as part of the collaboration it will begin offering wireless inductive charging on its battery-electric (BE) buses using InductEV’s high-power hardware which integrates into diverse transit networks flexibility and ease of use,” said Dan Trujillo “Their proven deployments in transit fleets reducing maintenance and maximizing vehicle uptime The system operates via in-ground inductive charging pads that instantly activate when aligned with an under-the-vehicle pad Designed for interoperability across all vehicle classes the InductEV system allows for opportunity charging throughout the day It also makes one-to-one replacement of diesel buses possible which is practically impossible with wired charging solutions Wirelessly charged bus fleets are also less expensive than those using traditional wired and pantograph charging systems The trusted reference and buyer’s guide for 83 years The original “desktop search engine,” guiding nearly 10,000 users in more than 90 countries it is the primary reference for specifications and details on all the components that go into engine systems Unique marketing services that create demand for your products locally Marketing Services Download Media Kits the Erie Canal provided a water route from Albany to Buffalo The Canal connected the Hudson River with the Great Lakes via parts of the Mohawk River through various land cuts and natural lakes NOAA cartographers from the Marine Chart Division are converting paper nautical charts to a digital format and incorporating them into NOAA electronic navigational charts (NOAA ENC) NOAA created its suite of ENCs by digitizing its paper nautical charts An ENC is a vector database that supports all types of marine navigation Marine navigators can use the system to see their real- time position in relation to features on a chart NOAA can now provide ENCs for the canal from Albany to Lake Ontario NOAA cartographers standardized the chart scales covering the canal moving away from the 64 irregularly shaped paper charts in chart 14786 1:10,000 SCALE NOAA Custom Chart output near Waterford The ENC is the primary nautical navigation product of the agency which is ending the production and maintenance of its traditional paper and raster nautical chart products The remaining paper charts are only being updated with critical corrections until they are fully canceled Chart 14786 will be one of the last ones canceled marine users are referred to the NOAA Custom Chart Application It is an online map tool for users to create paper and PDF nautical charts derived from the official NOAA ENC subscribe to GPS World to receive more articles just like it The European Network for Cyber Security (ENCS) has announced that IPTO has officially joined the network as a full member Cybersecurity is crucial for grids (photo: IPTO) 0 The European Network for Cyber Security (ENCS) has announced that IPTO has officially joined the cybersecurity network as a full member With this new partnership, IPTO will actively participate in shaping the ENCS’s strategy while benefiting from the extensive cybersecurity knowledge sharing according to the operator of the high-voltage power grid This membership marks a significant step forward for IPTO in reinforcing its commitment to protecting the power grid against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats Nijk: IPTO’s deep technical expertise will significantly enhance collective efforts to secure critical infrastructure as the backbone of Greece’s high-voltage power grid plays a crucial role in maintaining the stability and security of Europe’s energy infrastructure IPTO’s deep technical expertise and strategic insights will significantly enhance our collective efforts to secure critical infrastructure across Europe safeguarding the security of our power grid has become more essential than ever Raftopoulos: Through our membership with ENCS we strengthen our own cybersecurity measures we strengthen our own cybersecurity measures while actively supporting Europe’s collective efforts to secure the energy sector We are excited to work alongside ENCS members to exchange knowledge and best practices,” Raftopoulos added The European Network for Cyber Security is a non-profit organization owned by grid operators Membership offers access to the cyber security knowledge which is shared in ENCS’ extensive network through events 2024 marked the adoption of the European Union’s first-ever network code on cybersecurity for the electricity sector common level of cybersecurity for cross-border electricity flows in Europe adding that the act is an important step to improve the cyber resilience of critical EU energy infrastructure and services Be the first one to comment on this article 05 May 2025 - The delegations from the two countries met on the sidelines of the 10th summit meeting of the Three Seas Initiative 05 May 2025 - The Trebinje 3 photovoltaic plant would have an installed capacity of 53.63 MW and an estimated annual production of 85.5 GWh 05 May 2025 - VDE Renewables found that SolarEdge’s advanced safety capabilities minimize photovoltaic system risks and effectively prevent fire hazards 02 May 2025 - The project is located in Constanța county recognized for its superior yields in green energy production © CENTER FOR PROMOTION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 2008-2020 website developed by ogitive QUINCY ‒ Citing "significant financial headwinds," Eastern Nazarene College's board of trustees announced its unanimous vote to close the 124-year-old college in Quincy Details of how the Christian liberal arts college will wind down operations remain unclear “We know many in our community will have questions about immediate next steps and long-term plans for ENC’s programs and assets,” said ENC President Rev “While the outcome of this process is known The board said in a statement that ENC would transition to an undefined “educational enterprise” to carry on the small liberal arts college mission of Christian-based teaching Bowser said the interests of current students faculty and staff are the institution’s top priority The college will continue services for undergraduate and graduate students scheduled to graduate by year’s end Other students can transfer to Gordon College in Wenham; Mount Vernon Nazarene University in Mount Vernon Ohio; and Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville Affected faculty and staff will receive job-placement services 20-acre campus nestled in Quincy’s Wollaston neighborhood remains uncertain City Council referred the overlay to committee The measure was prompted by ENC’s agreement with the state to shelter migrant families on campus temporarily a move city officials interpreted as a sign of financial distress The overlay district would limit future development of the area to low-density housing for persons 55 and older ENC Vice President of Academic Affairs Bill McCoy attributed the college’s financial difficulties to the so-called “enrollment cliff," a decline in the number of graduating high school seniors seeking college opportunities McCoy said ENC tried appealing to nontraditional students through fully online academic programs The college also partnered with MassHire to offer certifications in bookkeeping and accounting for people trying to rejoin the workforce In May 2022, Eastern Nazarene opened 30 residence halls to Quincy College nursing students who need affordable housing It has also increased the scope of its summer camp and conference programs The 2024-25 costs to attend ENC are listed on the school's website as $41,274 for tuition, housing, food and student fees. Peter Blandino covers Quincy for The Patriot Ledger. Contact him at pblandino@patriotledger.com.  Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Patriot Ledger subscription. Here is our latest offer. Disproportionate Assets Case: ACB arrests Kaleshwaram former ENC Hyderabad: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials have registered a case of disproportionate assets to the known sources of income that was registered against Bhookya Hari Ram The accused officer had acquired assets by indulging in unlawful practices and dubious means during his service currently serving as the managing director of the Kaleshwaram Corporation and ENC for the Gajwel region was involved in securing approvals and loans for KLIS serves as deputy ENC in the Irrigation department Searches were conducted at the house of the accused officer and his relatives in13 other locations including Kothagudem and Edurugadda village in Bhadradri Kothagudem district The ACB raid comes after the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) submitted its report on the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS) project and the reasons behind the sinking of some piers of the Medigadda barrage several properties included a villa at Shaik pet 28 acres of agricultural land at Markook mandal The other property details include two independent houses in Srinagar Colony one farm house on 6 acres with a mango garden at Bommalaramaram one building under construction at Kothagudem Gold ornaments and Bank deposits were unearthed The searches revealed that the above-accused officer had acquired these movable and immovable properties by abusing his official position The market value of the movable and immovable property seized is estimated to be in the hundreds of crores The accused officer was arrested and sent to judicial remand The ACB officials urged people to call 1064 (toll-free number) to report any public servant asking for a bribe The name and details of the complainant will be kept confidential Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine caused the largest forced migration in Europe since the end of World War II Up to a third of the population has been displaced About two years since the conflict erupted ten million Ukrainians still cannot return to their homes Almost four million remain internally displaced within Ukraine and more than six million refugees have found shelter abroad The mass migration triggered by the Russian-instigated war is not just about fleeing Ukraine to the nearest safe country; it has become more complex This complexity has become particularly evident in recent months as the movement of refugees from countries directly bordering Ukraine has expanded further west where there is a robust Ukrainian diaspora Many Ukrainians maintain contact with home through short-term moves back and forth building on pre-existing patterns of seasonal labour migration Millions of refugees have returned permanently to their homeland but rarely to the areas where they fled The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that there are currently around 6 million Ukrainian refugees in Europe The distribution of refugees has changed significantly over the past year Poland was still the country with the highest number of forcibly displaced persons about 1.1 million Ukrainian refugees currently reside in Germany The refugee situation has changed dramatically in Poland as well Of the more than 1.6 million refugees to whom Poland granted temporary protection Focusing on the number of refugees per capita with about 37 Ukrainian temporary protection holders per 1,000 inhabitants report a higher proportion of refugees in their populations refugees comprise almost a twentieth of the population it is not Germany but Ireland which boasts the highest relative number of refugees the Ukrainian population in this island country has already passed 100,000 and continues to grow Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar's government has struggled with the relentless increase in the number of refugees particularly as it exacerbates the long-standing crisis in the housing market it is important to note that in the case of Ireland the Ukrainian refugee crisis is just one of many The mass arrival of Ukrainians is occurring at the same time as record numbers of asylum seekers from non-European countries such as Syria and Venezuela are arriving in these countries just over 210,000 people have entered Canada under the CUAET programme The US granted either Temporary Protected Status or (for those who arrived after 1 April 2022) a special humanitarian visa granted under the Uniting For Ukraine (U4U) programme to most of the approximately 270,000 Ukrainians who came is a guarantee by individuals or families who already legally reside in the US or volunteers from the general public can take on this sponsorship role The relatively high interest of Ukrainians in emergency movement to Canada and the USA can be explained There has been a robust Ukrainian diaspora in both North American countries since the nineteenth century these figures reflect the number of people crossing the Russian border and are drastically overestimated Many experts estimated the actual number of displaced people at 1.2 million The newly revised UNHCR figures are consistent with this Not much is known about the fates of Ukrainians who resettled in Russia Based on a previously adopted government resolution the new arrivals are redistributed across all 85 Russian regions starting with the Voronezh and Rostov regions claim that a substantial percentage of transfers to Russia are deportations the International Criminal Court in The Hague issued an arrest warrant for Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in connection with the abduction of Ukrainian children there are at least 8,000 abducted children in Russian territory A significant number of refugees have already returned to their homeland. The UNHCR has registered over 11 million border crossings into Ukraine as of early April 2023. This figure, however, includes repeat crossings. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) estimates the actual number of returnees at around 4.6 million Refugees' plans to return have remained constant for a long time: opinion polls of displaced individuals across Europe show that most intend to return to Ukraine leading Ukrainian officials and independent experts agree that a mass return will only be possible if the country can meet three basic conditions: work Internal displacement is an often overlooked but integral aspect of the Ukrainian refugee crisis. According to the IOM's most recent report, as of October 2023, the number of internal refugees was approximately 3.7 million. The Ukrainian authorities estimate that there are around 4.9 million IDPs including those already displaced before 24 February 2022 Almost half of those displaced come from the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions The distribution of internal refugees has changed significantly over time: while in the early months of the war most people sought refuge in the west of the country more than a third now remain in the war-affected east Nearly a fifth of IDPs have found temporary homes in Kyiv or the wider Kyiv region As you were browsing something about your browser made us think you were a bot There are a few reasons this might happen: please make sure that cookies and JavaScript are enabled before reloading the page We're getting everything ready for you and you'll be on your way in just a few moments The goal of the Eurojust National Coordination System (ENCS) is to coordinate the work of national authorities and Eurojust the carrying out of the tasks of Eurojust and helps to ensure information related to the Member States concerned is relayed to the Case Management System of Eurojust in an efficient and reliable manner With an overall mandate to facilitate the transmission of information the ENCS plays a key role in determining whether a request requires the attention of Eurojust or the EJN and helps the National Members at Eurojust to identify the relevant authorities connected to the execution of requests for judicial cooperation The ENCS also maintains close relations with the Europol National Unit and ensures that Eurojust provides feedback to judicial practitioners in the Members States The national correspondents for Eurojust are responsible for the functioning of the ENCS in their respective Member State The ENCS in each of the Member States connects and ensures coordination of the work carried out by: The ENCS facilitates the carrying out of Eurojust’s tasks within the Member State concerned The information contained in ENCs is the same as the information in traditional paper charts if the hydrographic data was poor on paper charts it is on ENCs as well in many cases the user can assess the accuracy of hydrographic data using the category zone of confidence or CATZOC ENC producers divide the ENC data into areas of different survey quality based on positional accuracy The results are shown using a symbol – as shown in the following table – which advises the user of the accuracy of the hydrographic data One particular area of note is in Indonesian waters where many parts of the coastal passages are ZOC U – unassessed – or ZOC C – poor quality/ lack of data In the appraisal stage of passage planning crew should reference multiple sources of information to assist in assessing which route to take for example Admiralty Ocean Passages for the World (NP136) and Sailing Directions As a large proportion of Indonesian waters has a CATZOC of U (unassessed) Ocean Passages of the World recommend using deeper water routes known as the Archipelagic Sea Lanes or ASL Using Indonesian waters as a good example of the issues being encountered the Indonesian Archipelago Sea Channel (ALKI) was established to connect two free streams namely the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean ALKI I crossing the South China Sea-Karimata Strait-Sunda Strait ALKI II crossing the Sulawesi Sea-Makassar Strait-Lautan Flores-Lombok Strait ALKI III crossing Pacific Sumatra – Maluku Strait as they are heavily used and incidents are few even with a lower CATZOC the depth of water is such that the risk of navigational issues is reduced consider not only the vessel’s draught and squat when determining the under-keel clearance (UKC) but also allow for the CATZOC of the area in which they are navigating the UKC should be 25% of the calculated vessel’s draught Also consider the positional accuracy as well as the depth as underwater obstructions could be out of position or not chartered at all depending on the CATZOC shown We have seen instances of vessels grounding on completely uncharted reefs in Indonesia Many operators take the riskier coastal route when navigating in Indonesian waters to reduce the distance of the passage Sometimes this follows advice from weather routing companies or is to avoid disputes with a charterer assess the risks during the appraisal stage of passage planning and maintain evidence that the following were considered: CATZOC – Show that the passage plan considered the CATZOC in the area This can be done in a risk assessment that shows the CATZOC in relation to the available depth of water and proximity of navigational hazards Make reference to this in your passage plan narrative Bridge Publications – Ocean Passages of the World and Sailing Directions should be listed in the risk assessment and the passage plan narrative These documents should be accessible to all members of the bridge team SMS procedures – Your own under keel clearance and bridge procedures should be considered and referenced Members should carefully review the terms of their charterparty in conjunction with the passage appraisal discussed above have the parties agreed that the vessel will follow a specific defined route or agreed to a third-party company’s routing guidance What are the consequences if that route/guidance is not followed It is quite common to see wording in time charters such as “…The Charterers may supply an independent weather bureau advice to the Master during voyages specified by the Charterers and the Master shall comply with the reporting procedure of the weather bureau the Master remains responsible for the safe navigation and choice of route…” Such clauses are usually considered in the context of speed and consumption disputes but can be relevant to disputes concerning the specific route taken by the vessel Even in the absence of such a clause in a time charter a master is likely obliged to prosecute the voyage with the utmost despatch which would entail performing the voyage by the usual and reasonable route which will presumed to be the most direct geographical route unless either there was some navigational reason for not doing so or some other exception applies Such an obligation would be subject to responsibility for the safety of ship We have seen time charter disputes where the route the vessel has taken has been questioned resulting in allegations of time lost and bunkers overconsumed the decision-making process discussed above will come under close scrutiny and it is very important to check the charter and plan properly There may also be competing obligations regarding routing under specific clauses of a charterparty and under the bill of lading If you have any further questions or issues to discuss arising from this article please reach out to your usual contact at NorthStandard NE1 3DU United Kingdom Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority NorthStandard business in the EEA is underwritten by NorthStandard EU DAC a wholly owned subsidiary of NorthStandard Limited incorporated in Ireland and regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland committed to only hiring contractors and labor in the state of Illinois Chicago contractor ENC Construction & Development broke ground on the $430 million Colman Yards development in Rockford The project team will redevelop 10 buildings on the 26-acre campus, all erected between 1907 and 1948, according to the City of Rockford’s website Formerly known as the Barber Colman Campus the development group will also create 73 new townhomes two parking garages and 43 “three-flats,” or three apartment units stacked in a single building Jeffers claims the project will create a total of 400 full-time equivalent construction jobs all the employed builders will be Illinois contractors The development team also expects between 20% and 30% participation of Minority- Women- Veteran- and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises in the construction process.​ The project will be financed through a mix of public and private funding, including River Edge Historic tax credits, which provide state income-tax credits equal to 25% of a project’s qualified expenditures to owners of historic properties Additional funds come from revolving loan funds The Colman Yards build is divided into phases. As the $100 million Phase 1A of construction starts, the $70 million Phase 1B is scheduled to begin in January 2025 according to a July press release from the Rockford City Council Get the free daily newsletter read by industry experts urgently needs to increase funding to shore up facilities as climate change and emerging contaminants like PFAS pose growing threats Job openings data indicate contractors are reluctant to dismiss workers even as unfilled positions fell year over year Subscribe to Construction Dive for top news The free newsletter covering the top industry headlines Operation and Maintenance Engineer-in-Chief (ENC) Nagender Rao faced a barrage of questions from the commission reportedly answering over 130 questions during the three-hour session Hyderabad: Justice P C Ghose Commission probing the issues in the construction of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme barrages continued its open inquiry on Wednesday with Operation and Maintenance Engineer-in-Chief (ENC) Nagender Rao appearing before the panel He faced a barrage of questions from the commission The commission questioned who was responsible for the gate operations and water storage and why the gates were not opened during floods The commission also inquired about the instructions to store water beyond the barrages’ capacity and whether the Operation and Maintenance Department had prepared a manual Nagender Rao said that there were no dedicated staff for operation and maintenance until January 2021 He submitted an Operation and Maintenance inspection report to the commission QUINCY − Tempers flared as hundreds of people gathered to discuss one of the city's most heated topics: the temporary shelter for migrant families at Eastern Nazarene College Some people attended the meeting at Central Middle School on Tuesday night to question and criticize state There was a large police presence inside and outside the meeting One of the officers cautioned a spectator after state Secretary of Housing and Human Services Kathleen Walsh was the target of profanity and threats from a small number of people at the meeting Walsh had said the families arrive after "very long journeys" lasting "literally for years." "They've experienced trauma we can't imagine," she said Her words were met with a mix of cheers and boos operated by Baystate Community Services at Eastern Nazarene ENC has contracted with the state to host the program for one year Walsh said 350 families have passed through ENC since operations began July 31 The temporary shelter can house a maximum of 58 families at one time There are two separate services for the immigrants at ENC: the Family Welcome Center given a health screening and a needs assessment and then hooked up with other service providers; and a temporary family emergency shelter run by AMI Expeditionary Healthcare basic medical care and transportation while the families are on campus said none of the children housed at the temporary shelter have been enrolled in Quincy Public Schools due to their short stays in the city State Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities Ed Augustus said the state's system of shelters is facing "unprecedented demand." He said 6,400 homeless families in Massachusetts rely on the state for emergency shelter By law, Massachusetts must provide housing to families. The 1983 "right to shelter" legislation applies to adults with minor dependents as well as pregnant mothers It does not cover individuals or undocumented families Augustus said the law "reflects many of our values." Augustus said the migrant families, the majority from Haiti, all have legal status. In December 2022, the Department of Homeland Security extended "temporary protected status" for Haitian refugees until Aug Augustus emphasized that Quincy is not being singled out permanent shelters and other facilities to refugee families saying "all people should have a home" and there should be no hierarchy for who receives services for basic needs He responded to several shouts from the audience falsely characterizing the migrant families as "illegals." "Do a little research," he said, and referred to the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 the first of several laws that restricted immigration by race and ethnicity until their repeal by the Immigration Act of 1965 A number of Chinese immigrants spoke through an interpreter against the admission of refugees into the United States and the services at ENC saying they waited years to come to the United States Vietnamese refugee and Quincy resident Thuy Leung talked about how she fled violence in her country eight years ago spending 10 days on a boat in the Pacific Ocean "(The migrant families) are running for their lives," said Leung fighting back tears as she spoke to the crowd She said that thanks to the open hearts of ordinary Americans she was able to make a life for herself in the United States Leung proposed a teddy bear drive for children housed temporarily at Eastern Nazarene Walsh said that while many of the migrant families entering Massachusetts struggle with English However, snags in the work authorization process have prevented migrants from filling jobs in the human services sector, Walsh said. Gov. Maura Healey recently pressed the Biden administration to speed up these authorizations Several neighbors of the Eastern Nazarene campus faulted the school for a lack of communication Addressing Vice President of Academic Affairs Bill McCoy Jennifer McGrail said ENC should have sent out letters before the welcome center and temporary shelter opened said two of her friends were displaced from their dormitories with only 30 days' notice She said her friends had to give up their jobs and move out of state because they could not find affordable accommodations elsewhere in the city McCoy acknowledged the displacements but said 30 days' notice was given before ENC agreed to house the Family Welcome Center The dorms formerly occupied by the displaced students now house college employees Mayor Koch responds to criticism over shelter in QuincyMayor Koch also received criticism during the meeting Sarah Balforth asked what Quincy is doing to welcome and support the temporary shelter Mimi Balsamo criticized a letter circulated by the mayor that stated the city had no role in planning or approving the welcome center She said the letter tried to "disavow responsibility." Koch said the city has been and remains a city of immigrants with 30% of its population coming from other countries He said his administration has supported agencies such as Quincy Asian Resources Inc On Saturday, a group of neo-Nazis marched outside Eastern Nazarene where migrant families are housed They held flares and chanted "go home," Quincy police said a group of counterprotesters voiced their support for the migrant families US-based bus manufacturer ENC, a subsidiary of the REV Group will use propulsion and power management technology from BAE Systems in its new battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell transit buses BAE Systems will supply its Gen3 power inverters and electric motors Modular Power Control System (MPCS) and Modular Accessory Power System (MAPS) to ENC for use in its Axess Battery Electric Bus (EVO-BE) and its Axess Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Bus (EVO-FC) The EVO-BE will include a Proterra Powered battery system and the EVO-FC will have a 125 kW hydrogen fuel cell from Plug BAE Systems’ electric propulsion technology is developed and serviced at its facilities in Endicott  Source: BAE Systems Metrics details Immunogenicity of vaccines against meningococcal serogroup B (MenB) has been assessed pre-licensure with a human serum bactericidal activity assay (hSBA) We report the qualification/validation of an alternative qualitative hSBA which uses endogenous complement (enc-hSBA) present in the vaccinee’s serum Serum samples were collected from adults pre-vaccination and post-vaccination with the 4-component MenB vaccine (4CMenB) A representative panel of invasive isolates and 4 antigen-specific indicator strains were used in qualification experiments Each strain was tested in ≥3 experiments with pre/post-vaccination sera to evaluate intermediate precision A 110-strain panel and the 4 indicator strains met qualification criteria specificity and sensitivity were demonstrated using the 4 indicator strains allows testing across large panels of epidemiologically-relevant MenB strains and accounts for complement activity differences between vaccinees enc-hSBA enables a more accurate estimation of effectiveness for vaccines against MenB Prevention through vaccination is the best defense against this aggressive disease that leaves little time for intervention Audioslides on the enc-hSBA assay principle are available on the Figshare repository (https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.13547006) serum bactericidal activity assay using endogenous human complement; T65 140 were randomly selected and 139 were supplied to the laboratory by at least 2 different operators on at least 2 different days each of the 3 experiments was conducted using the same panel of 20 serum samples collected pre-vaccination (10) or post-vaccination (10) with 4CMenB The objective of the qualification process was to demonstrate consistency of results in the triplicate testing Consistency was demonstrated if the same result was observed for ≥75% of serum samples (15 of 20 tested samples for each strain) serum bactericidal activity assay using endogenous human complement; MenB The percentages of samples with bactericidal activity for individual strains at 4-fold dilution varied from 0% to 100% pre-vaccination and from 6.7% to 100% post-vaccination The average percentage of samples with bactericidal activity was 42.3% at pre-vaccination and 82.8% post-vaccination The percentages of samples with bactericidal activity for individual strains at 8-fold dilution varied from 0 to 100% The average percentages of pre-vaccination and post-vaccination samples with bactericidal activity were 22.5% and 65.9% The limit of blank (LOB) was defined as the lowest % CFU count observed when repeatedly measuring a blank sample (with the blank giving full bacterial count with 100% CFU) any % CFU count <LOB contains with high probability immunologically active antibodies The CFU counts of the heat-inactivated controls were used to represent blank (antibody negative) samples. Heat-inactivated complement controls for all measurements (20 samples per strain × 3 tests × 2 replicates) of the intermediate precision, performed in qualification experiments (Supplementary Note 1) For each strain, the LOB was calculated as one-sided prediction limit with respect to two different type I error rates, for α = 0.95 and for α = 0.99, across all bacterial counts observed for the heat-inactivated samples at 4-fold dilution. The one-sided lower prediction limits (LPL) were calculated from Eq. (1): where Yn and sn are arithmetic mean and empirical standard deviation calculated from the existing n data points and t1-α,n-1 is the (1–α)-quantile of the t-distribution with n-1 degrees of freedom All calculations were performed for square root-transformed data and then reconverted to the original units For all strains, the 99% LPL was above 50% (Table 3) indicating that a sample for which a value <50% CFU is observed during routine testing is with very high probability not a blank Since an enc-hSBA titer of 1:4 is only assigned if both determinations in the duplicate measurement are positive the chance for a false positive result was reduced further to approximately 0.01% the assay was considered as suitable for a certain strain if the corresponding 99% LPL lies above the cut-off of 50% Robustness experiments were performed using 2 indicator strains (M14459 and NZ98/254 specific for the fHbp and PorA components of 4CMenB) A potential effect of the sample preparation/storage on the stability of complement activity in serum samples was investigated as the current process involves short-term storage of the samples at −20 °C The samples (handled as described in the Sample management subsection) were tested in enc-hSBA after being stored several times at −20 °C Storage of samples up to 6 times at −20 °C was found to have no significant impact on the intrinsic complement activity of serum up to five freeze-thaw cycles (1 h at room temperature followed by re-freeze at −80 °C for at least 2 h) were shown to have no influence on complement activity and consequently No significant difference between titers calculated at OD620nm = 0.650 or OD620nm = 0.900 was observed (data not shown) Specificity was evaluated by inhibition experiments which aimed to demonstrate that killing of the 4 indicator strains was induced by vaccine-specific antigens The inhibition experiments were performed by adding 4CMenB proteins to the tested serum sample As the 4CMenB proteins can bind vaccine-induced antibodies this would lead to a lower antibody availability for binding the bacterial strain’s proteins on the bacteria surface a decrease in the enc-hSBA titer indicating reduction of bactericidal killing 2 post-vaccination serum samples with a positive MenB titer (≥1:8) were selected A pool of recombinant proteins with OMV was added to the undiluted sample and the aliquot was incubated overnight (16–24 h) at +4 °C and then measured in enc-hSBA 4CMenB components were mixed in a fHbp: NHBA: NadA: OMV ratio of 1:1:1:2 leading to final concentrations of 111.1 μg/mL for fHbp Adding 4CMenB proteins to positive MenB sera (titer ≥ 1:8) led for all 4 test strains to a titer reduction to <1:4, demonstrating vaccine-specific killing (Fig. 3a). Enc-hSBA specificity evaluated by inhibition experiments (a) andsensitivity evaluated by spiking experiments (b using testing against the 4 indicator strains 4-component meningococcal serogroup B vaccine; fHbp Note: *From 2 different sets of experiments Sensitivity was evaluated by spiking experiments, designed to demonstrate whether the enc-hSBA results are affected by the presence of other antibodies and to show that the assay can discriminate between killing due to MenB and non-MenB antibodies (Fig. 3b, c) 2 MenB negative (titer < 1:4) serum samples and 1 buffer sample were selected and spiked with 2 samples that contained MenB vaccine specific antibodies (positive serum) As a control the 2 negative samples and the MenB positive samples were tested alone the 2 negative samples showed a titer of <1:4 and the 2 MenB positive samples showed a titer of 1:8 the negative sera and the buffer were each incubated in a 1:1 ratio with the MenB positive sample The measured enc-hSBA titer for the spiked buffer samples for all 4 strains was 1:4 while the titer of the negative sera spiked with the MenB positive samples was ≥1:4 for all 4 indicator strains the bactericidal activity of the MenB-positive samples was retained in the presence of negative sera 10 MenB negative samples were spiked with 1 MenB positive sample For all MenB negative samples without spiking a titer of <1:4 was observed while the titers increased to ≥1:4 after spiking the titer of negative samples was increased in the presence of positive sera 10 serum samples with negative MenB titer but a positive MenACWY titer (≥1:8 for at least one serogroup) were investigated using the 4 indicator strains The MenACWY positive samples were spiked (1:1) with a MenB negative sample (titer < 1:4) and separately with a MenB positive sample (titer ≥ 1:8) MenACWY positive samples spiked with a MenB negative sample showed a titer of <1:4 while spiking MenACWY positive samples with a MenB positive sample shows a titer of ≥1:4 for all 4 indicator strains the presence of the MenACWY capsular polysaccharide antibodies does not affect the enc-hSBA measured complement-mediated killing by MenB-specific antibodies This paper presents the development of a qualitative method which can be applied to measure the effectiveness of MenB vaccines through the evaluation of complement-mediated bactericidal killing against a large panel of MenB strains using the vaccinated individuals’ sera as a source of complement The qualification of enc-hSBA for a large panel of 110 invasive MenB strains was performed The method was then further validated using 4 indicator strains specific to each 4CMenB antigen indicating that the 110-strain panel remains representative of invasive MenB strains circulating in the US in terms of factors which may impact assessment of SBA the qualification of the 110-strain panel for enc-hSBA provides the means to more accurately assess protection afforded by vaccines containing MenB components with estimations which continue to be relevant to the current epidemiology of MenB-caused IMD in the US When validated with the 4 MenB indicator strains with a pronounced transition from negative to positive of samples the established LOB above 50% bacterial count ensures that the probability of false positive samples is limited to ~0.01% Assay specificity was also shown using the 4 indicator strains which were killed by 4CMenB specific antibodies in the enc-hSBA the presence of antibodies not related to MenB did not inhibit the killing in enc-hSBA enc-hSBA has several potential limitations and results can only be reported as one of 3 possible outcomes (titer of 1:4 the true titer for each sample tested with enc-hSBA is not known which precludes the statistical evaluation of geometrical mean titers or variations over time in titers above the assay’s threshold for positivity A large number of tests have to be performed to cover all strains in the qualified panel which translates into a high operational burden because a limited volume of serum is available from each individual not all strains can be tested with the same sample; however this is not likely to impact the generalizability of the results since strains are randomly assigned to each serum sample before testing as enc-hSBA is based on the use of the individual’s own complement bactericidal activity might be impaired for patients with asplenia and/or persons receiving treatments that impact the complement system allowing reproducible measuring of bactericidal killing against a large variety of circulating MenB strains The method can also be applied to new strains thus allowing testing vaccine effectiveness across large panels of epidemiologically relevant strains selected as representative of the continuously-evolving MenB strains enc-hSBA is not vaccine-specific and can be applied to other MenB-containing vaccines after qualification which would allow a direct comparison between vaccine effectiveness estimates for different vaccines Enc-hSBA accounts for this source of variability and therefore its added value is its use for the assessment of a responder-based vaccine effectiveness enc-hSBA could also be used to test bactericidal killing induced by MenACWY vaccination against non-MenB strains although this has not yet been investigated enc-hSBA is a robust qualitative method that allows testing against large panels of circulating MenB strains and provides epidemiologically-relevant predictions of strain coverage and the respective vaccine effectiveness across MenB strains Enc-hSBA could be used to evaluate the performance of vaccines against MenB-caused IMD master seeds and working seeds were prepared by growing the bacteria overnight on solid chocolate agar and subsequently preparing aliquots for storage at −80 °C a master seed was sub-cultured and cultivated overnight on chocolate agar followed by preparation of aliquots in glycerol-media Working seeds and master seeds were stored at −80 °C a new working seed aliquot was thawed and cultured the following acceptance criteria were defined: (i) the number of CFU at T0 must be 30–100 (to ensure a sufficient number of bacteria in each well) and (ii) the slope between the mean CFU calculated at T0 to T65 must be at least 0.9 To ensure that any bactericidal activity observed is complement-mediated and that the serum sample does not have complement independent killing activity each individual serum sample was heat-inactivated and tested at a 4-fold dilution If the T65 CFU for the heat-inactivated sample was <75% of T0 CFU for both replicates or ≥75% of T0 for one replicate but <50% of T0 for the other the sample was defined as toxic and tested again or additionally the T65 CFU was ≥75% of T0 for one replicate and ≥50%–<75% for the other replicate If the outcomes of the 2 determinations did not match (one positive and one negative) the result was considered inconclusive and the sample was retested If the first and second determinations yielded titers of 1:4 and 1:8 then a titer of 1:4 was reported for the sample A prozone effect was defined for samples which have higher bactericidal killing at the 8-fold (>50% of T0 CFU counts) than at the 4-fold (<50% of T0 CFU counts) dilution All samples with unclear killing curves (at least one replicate with CFU counts lower at 8-fold than at 4-fold dilution) were re-tested any samples with test abortion (due to human handling error and unusual bacterial growth) were also retested In validation experiments using the 4 indicator strains a positive (titer ≥ 1:4 or 1:8) and a negative (titer < 1:4) control were included for each assay and for each strain with predefined titers and acceptance criteria to monitor assay performance over time Serum samples from healthy adults before and after vaccination were collected during completed clinical trials or from donors vaccinated with 4CMenB Sera from the following sources were tested: clinical trials NCT01478347 (study A) and NCT01911221 (study B) 2 phase 3b studies in which participants aged 18–65 years received 4CMenB according to a 0 and 1 month post-2nd vaccination samples); a phase 3b study in which adults 18–50 years of age received 4CMenB according to a 0,2-month schedule and agreed to donate their blood for use as a reference in SBA tests (pre-2nd vaccination and post-2nd vaccination samples); healthy adults 18–65 years old with no previous meningococcal vaccination history enrolled in a non-interventional study (study D) for collection of blood and plasma from selected SBA-negative donors for meningococcal assays (pre-vaccination samples); vaccinated individuals with a documented history of immunization of 3 doses of 4CMenB donating blood at the Marburg (Germany) Siemens blood bank (post-vaccination samples); The origin of serum samples used for qualification/validation experiments is presented in Supplementary Table 1 An informed consent form which included permission for potential (re-)use of the biological samples was obtained for participants in all the clinical trials and the individual blood donors Sera collected from the clinical trials were separated in the day of blood sample collection and stored at −80 °C to preserve the intrinsic complement activity Serum aliquots were sent on dry ice to the laboratory where enc-hSBA testing was performed 81-slot cryoboxes (one per each sample) were cooled on ice All samples collected from the same individual were thawed at 37 °C for 5–10 min and aliquoted (maximum 81 × 80 μL aliquots in 2 mL tubes placed in cryoboxes) on ice the aliquots and any left-over material were stored at −80 °C until the assay was performed An interactive response technology (IRT) system was used to calculate the number of strains to be tested for each sample and to randomly assign sample aliquots to strains Laboratory personnel sorted the samples for testing according to the blinded report generated with the IRT system and prepared sorting lists which document the strains to be tested the location of the sample and available aliquots Sorting and transfer of aliquots to test boxes for each strain was performed in a cold room at −20 °C Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B (MenB) accounts for a large proportion of invasive meningococcal disease cases immune response pre-licensure is currently assessed by the human serum bactericidal assay (hSBA) The hSBA assay measures whether antibodies from people who have been vaccinated can kill MenB laboratory reference strains hSBA requires seronegative exogenous complement from unvaccinated individuals and can therefore only be performed against a limited number of MenB reference strains Manuscript highlights and take-home message which is based on hSBA but uses the vaccinated person’s readily available sera as the complement source we show that enc-hSBA is a robust qualitative method that allows testing against a large panel of MenB strains enc-hSBA can measure immune responses against a wide variety of circulating MenB strains It enables more accurate estimations of the protection afforded by MenB-containing vaccines Case fatality rates of invasive meningococcal disease by serogroup and age: a systematic review and meta-analysis The global evolution of meningococcal epidemiology following the introduction of meningococcal vaccines Systematic review of invasive meningococcal disease: sequelae and quality of life impact on patients and their caregivers Global estimate of Neisseria meningitidis serogroups proportion in invasive meningococcal disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis The Global Meningococcal Initiative meeting on prevention of meningococcal disease worldwide: Epidemiology antibiotic resistance and high-risk populations World Health Organization. Invasive meningococcal disease–Serogroup distribution. http://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/meningitis/serogroup-distribution-2018.pdf?ua=1 (2018) Antigenic similarities between brain components and bacteria causing meningitis Implications for vaccine development and pathogenesis Emerging experience with meningococcal serogroup B protein vaccines Meningococcal B vaccine (4CMenB): the journey from research to real world experience Introduction of a second MenB vaccine into Europe-needs and opportunities for public health Meningococcal vaccine antigen diversity in global databases Meningococcal Antigen Typing System (MATS)-based Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B coverage prediction for the MenB-4C vaccine in the United States Prevalence and genetic diversity of candidate vaccine antigens among invasive Neisseria meningitidis isolates in the United States Genetic meningococcal antigen typing system (gMATS): A genotyping tool that predicts 4CMenB strain coverage worldwide Distribution of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup b (NmB) vaccine antigens in meningococcal disease causing isolates in the United States during 2009-2014 Breadth of coverage against a panel of 110 invasive disease isolates immunogenicity and safety for 2 and 3 doses of an investigational MenABCWY vaccine in US adolescents-Results from a randomized Predicting the susceptibility of meningococcal serogroup B isolates to bactericidal antibodies elicited by bivalent rLP2086 Bactericidal antibody against a representative epidemiological meningococcal serogroup B panel confirms that MATS underestimates 4CMenB vaccine strain coverage Does vaccination with 4CMenB convey protection against meningococcal serogroup B strains not predicted to be covered by MATS Vaccination of infants with meningococcal group B vaccine (4CMenB) in England Impact of a mass vaccination campaign against Serogroup B meningococcal disease in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec four years after its launch A review of complement sources used in serum bactericidal assays for evaluating immune responses to meningococcal ACWY conjugate vaccines Complement: a primer for the coming therapeutic revolution Download references This work was sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals SA which funded all costs associated with the development and the publishing of this manuscript The authors thank Paola Pedotti for careful review of the manuscript and Walter Hoyer for performing the statistical analysis The authors also thank the Modis platform for writing support editorial assistance and manuscript coordination Petrar provided medical writing support and Divya Kesters coordinated the manuscript development and provided editorial support planned and performed the qualification and validation experiments provided expert support on the epidemiology and current representativeness of the 110-strain panel data All authors contributed to data interpretation wrote the initial draft of the manuscript; all authors reviewed and approved the final manuscript All authors are employees of the GSK group of companies hold shares in the GSK group of companies as part of their employee remuneration All authors declare no non-financial competing interests Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations Download citation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-021-00286-8 Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: a shareable link is not currently available for this article Sign up for the Nature Briefing: Microbiology newsletter — what matters in microbiology research announced the next generation of its zero-emission products Axess® Battery Electric Bus (EVO-BE™) and Axess Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Bus (EVO-FC™) Both buses utilize the Axess platform and have advanced technology enabling longer ranges Available to order now with expected delivery in 2023 ENC offers multiple Axess variations: Axess EVO-BE in 32- 35- and 40-foot and Axess EVO-FC in 40 feet “The innovative designs of the next generation Axess EVO-BE and Axess EVO-FC further support ENC’s commitment to revolutionizing the heavy-duty transit bus industry by advancing zero-emission vehicles,” said Jason Moore “We are implementing the most ground-breaking low and zero-emission technology by working with best-in-class suppliers.”  The next generation Axess EVO-BE will have 738 kWh of battery energy storage. The battery system and energy storage for the bus are supplied by Proterra Powered™ a manufacturer of battery packs for zero-emission electric vehicles The next-generation Axess EVO-FC bus is designed to have a range up to 400 miles and will build on the legacy of ENC’s Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric bus ENC says it was the first bus manufacturer to complete the 12-year/500,000 miles FTA Altoona test for a Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric powered bus in 2018 a provider of electric drive systems and controls for the transit industry for its new Gen3 powertrain for the next generation Axess EVO-FC Both the Axess EVO-BE and EVO-FC buses leverage a common structural platform This provides a simpler solution of aftermarket support employee training and maintenance for customers that currently or in the future operate a mixed battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell electric fleet California (ENC) has partnered with City View Bus Sales & Service and the Stark Area Regional Transit Authority for the Canadian leg of the authority’s borrow a bus zero-emissions tour The ENC Axess-FC® hydrogen fuel cell-powered (HFC) bus led the six-stop tour showcasing the potential of zero-emission transportation This marked the first time the 40-foot ENC Axess-FC bus was displayed and operated in Canada The borrow a bus program was created to raise awareness about and generate support for innovative zero-emission technology in transit applications the Canadian phase of the tour began at the Toronto Transit Commission on July 26 Additional stops included Niagara Falls Transit; Halifax Transit (virtual) GO Transit and Mississauga Transit at City View Bus Sales & Service “ENC has been a leader in alternative fuel options for transit operations over the last 40 years,” said Jason Moore “As the Canadian transit market transitions to zero emissions the ENC Axess-FC bus is ideally suited given its industry-leading fuel range and service-proven chassis design We thank SARTA and City View Bus for partnering with us on this opportunity to demonstrate its capabilities in cities and at transit authorities throughout Ontario The Canadian government has pledged to help purchase 5,000 zero-emission buses over the next five years as the country works toward a net-zero emission future The ENC Axess-FC is equipped to meet and exceed the 25 percent Canadian Content requirement for transit buses sold into the provinces of Ontario and Quebec Its non-corrosive 100 percent 304 Grade stainless steel body construction and fully composite exterior skins are designed for the corrosive Canadian transit market environment ENC says its ENC Axess-FC is the only hydrogen bus in the industry that’s federally certified for 3-point seat belts and electronic stability control The Axess-FC was the first hydrogen fuel cell bus to complete Federal Transit Administration Altoona testing and has passed both physical side impact and roof crush tests Less than half the hydrogen fuel capacity was utilized for all the ride-and-drive demonstrations showcasing the efficiency of the ENC Axess-FC bus Representatives from City View Bus Sales & Service BAE Systems and Ballard were present at stops on the tour all presentations were held in accordance with local health and safety guidelines Inc.'s subsidiary ElDorado National California (ENC) will display its Axess EVO-BE zero-emission battery electric bus at the Zero Emission Bus Conference (ZEB Con) in San Diego marking the first time Axess EVO-BE will be shown publicly “We are incredibly excited to showcase the new Axess EVO-BE and our latest zero-emission technology at this year’s ZEB Con,” said Mike Ammann “This event is the perfect opportunity to show leaders in the drive for electrification the advanced performance and superior capabilities of our new battery electric bus.” ENC’s Axess EVO-BE was developed along with the Axess EVO-FC Both buses represent zero-emission transportation being utilized by advanced technology to enable longer ranges the Axess EVO-BE delivers a longer range per charge making it ideal for transit and shuttle applications Axess EVO-BE features a state-of-the-art electric propulsion system and is available in multiple configurations for passenger seating and wheelchair accommodations You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience AHOSKIE – As the owner of an industrial supply company Melissa Keys had ample opportunity to open her distribution center where the density base of her customers is higher Robert and Melissa Keys (center) cut the ceremonial ribbon to formally open ENC Industrial Supply located on North Railroad Street in Ahoskie Merle Brown of the Ahoskie Chamber of Commerce Executive Director of the Ahoskie Chamber of Commerce Keys and her company – ENC Industrial Supply – have left the hustle-bustle of Chesapeake purchased a home in Ahoskie last October and opened a product distribution center for the busienss at 423 North Railroad Street “We help our customers with any of the supplies they need to support their facility or their work crew We offer triple protection equipment,” Keys said The company also stocks an industrial grade degreaser popular among municipalities that provide sewer services “We’ve owned property in Rich Square for about 15 years; we built a small home there to use as our weekend getaways from the fast-paced life of the big city,” she said “When we started looking for warehouse space in Virginia we found much more reasonable prices here in Ahoskie.” Keys added that Ahoskie is more of a central location for her business “If it’s shipped to our warehouse on one certain day of the week we can make deliveries the very next day,” she stressed which cuts down on the amount our customers pay for having the products shipped to them That’s even more of a cost saving factor for our customers in rural areas In a larger city such as Chesapeake or Norfolk “I tell everyone who are looking to start a new business There’s plenty of business rental space or purchase opportunities here ENC Industrial Supply is a fairly new company “I worked with companies that sourced products,” she said everybody experienced supply chain issues because so many of the supplies were imported from other countries I started my company with a focus on sourcing products that are made right here in the United States That helps to stabilize the supply chain.” ENC Industrial Supply is open from 7 am until 5 pm, Monday through Friday. For more information, call 252-862-8300 or visit www.ENCIndustrialSupply.com a 40-year veteran of the newspaper industry serves as the Editor at Roanoke-Chowan Publications publishers of the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald MEAC foes square off when the Norfolk State Spartans (20-9 10-2 MEAC) travel to face the North Carolina… The Miami Heat (28-31) host the Washington Wizards (11-48) in a matchup of Southeast Division teams at Kaseya… Pierre-Luc Dubois and Brady Tkachuk will be two of the best players to watch when the Washington Capitals… The Norfolk State Spartans (25-4) aim to continue a six-game road winning streak at the North Carolina Central… Southeast Division foes meet when the Miami Heat (28-31) host the Washington Wizards (11-48) at Kaseya Center Sponsored - The following content is created on behalf of Ricci Law Firm and does not reflect the opinions of Gray Media or its editorial staff. To learn more about Ricci Law Firm, visit https://www.riccilawnc.com/ We are excited to feature our May winner of Eastern NC Cares brought to you by Brian Ricci of the Ricci Law Firm. Our winner is Children’s Miracle Network, locally raising money to support ECU Health Maynard Children’s Hospital located at ECU Health Medical Center in Greenville We are excited to share that the 40th annual CMN Telethon will be coming up on WITN May 31st and June 1st the 170 member hospitals that make up Children’s Miracle Network treat 10 million children for every disease and injury imaginable Children’s hospitals provide state-of-the-art care and preventative education for children 24 hours a day Children’s Miracle Network was founded with two simple goals The first is to help as many children as possible by raising funds for children’s hospitals The second is to keep those funds in the community in which they were raised to help local children 100% of the money raised by our local Children’s Miracle Network program stays right here in eastern North Carolina to support the children’s hospital and the 29 counties it serves Maynard Children’s Hospital had over 54,000 pediatric visits treating children with all types of illnesses and injuries Visit our winner online to learn more on how you can join the Ricci Law Firm and help support this nonprofit organization Be sure to stay tuned for more Eastern NC Cares with the Ricci Law Firm Eastern NC is a wonderful community and there are a lot of great people and organizations working to make a difference in Eastern NC We all know it takes everyone pulling together to make a difference in our community At Ricci Law Firm the legal team is not only dedicated to giving back to their clients but giving back to the community above all else Brian Ricci and his team are committed to participating in various community events and organizations The Ricci Law Firm is bringing a special initiative to Eastern NC called Eastern NC Cares Each month the Ricci Law Firm will recognize people and organizations that are giving back to Eastern NC and helping to make a difference “I love Eastern North Carolina and all the wonderful people that care for others in our area That is why we’re proud to support those people and organizations with Eastern NC Cares.” E-navigation has been enhanced with new features added to ECDIS and satellite-derived bathymetry data added to a chart overlay service Raytheon Anschütz has released a range of new features for ECDIS to enable tactical operations and collaboration Among the key features is IMO’s IAMSAR Manual Volume III supporting search and rescue operations with multiple search patterns Raytheon also added GeoObjectEvents to ECDIS helping offshore and fishery control vessels to monitor specified sea areas which could also be used for Marpol Annex VI emission control area surveillance to calculate a course to steer to reach a target at a given speed in the shortest possible time the Outhouse feature was added to define a fixed common reference position for a helicopter and its landing platform which can be used on offshore vessels or megayachts These features are available as software options for any existing Raytheon ECDIS NX installations ECDIS NX is a fully compliant IMO ECDIS software application with an intuitive user interface It already includes features for route planning ChartWorld has improved the accuracy of electronic navigational charts (ENCs) by using multi-spectral satellite imagery to detect thousands of underwater objects These are added to its existing bathymetry data in ENCs to highlight more hidden shoals and navigation hazards to mariners Satellite information improves the accuracy of depth data in areas where bathymetry surveys are infrequent or low resolution ChartWorld expects this additional information to reduce ship groundings and enable more of these sea areas to be used for ship navigation it used Earth Observations and Environmental Services (EOMAP) to survey an area in southeast Asia of which only 92 could be matched on existing ENCs ChartWorld offers this information as part of its StayAway Service as it is integrated into the CIO+ chart information overlay which shows the real extent of underwater features rather than showing them as points in ECDIS data StayAway can be implemented for route planning and for ECDIS-alert functions It is available in the Caribbean and southeast Asia This will be extended into the South Pacific and other regions in the future Voyage planning will be discussed during Riviera Maritime Media’s next Vessel Optimisation Webinar Week, 9-12 August - use this link to access more details and to register for these webinars heavy-duty electric propulsion specialist BAE Systems is to provide Californian company ElDorado National (ENC) with its Gen3 product line solutions These solutions are to drive ENC’s next-generation battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell transit buses will integrate BAE Systems’ Gen3 power inverters and electric motors into Axess Battery Electric Bus (EVO-BE) and Axess Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Bus (EVO-FC) BAE says the Gen3 will become a common structural powertrain across both platforms ENC’s EVO-FC will feature a 125kW hydrogen fuel cell from Plug Power BAE Systems says that the ProGen 125kW fuel cell provides the best-in-class power density fuel-based operational flexibility and range flexibility for hydrogen fuel cell buses “We’re excited to collaborate with BAE Systems and provide our 125kW hydrogen fuel cell for their integrated electric drive system,” said Jose Luis Crespo General Manager Fuel Cell Applications/Global Accounts at Plug Power “Our proven ProGen fuel cells deliver the benefits of green hydrogen with a highly reliable zero-emission solution Plug is working with BAE Systems to bring our technology into sustainable transit bus fleets.” BAE points out that over 55,000 Plug fuel cells are in daily service across North America. This cooperation was announced in April 2021 under which the two companies offer transit operators in North America an all-inclusive On the Axess EVO-BE platform, BAE Systems’ Gen3 technology will integrate with a battery system supplied by Proterra Powered, providing zero-emission operation under the same common powertrain. Under the multi-year supply agreement signed in September 2022, Proterra will supply its S-Series battery system to power ENC’s Axess Battery Electric Bus (EVO-BE) the US American company promises an “industry-leading 738 kWh of battery energy storage” Deliveries of the first Proterra battery-powered ENC Axess EVO-BEs are expected to begin in 2023 businesswire.com ElDorado National-California (ENC) has unveiled at an open house its zero-emission Axess FC a fuel cell electric bus and the first 12-year including transit agencies and representatives from California Air Resources Board (CARB) and Air Quality Management District (AQMD) also known as “battery dominant fuel cell bus,” offers an innovative alternative fuel solution relying on compressed hydrogen for power Electric fuel cells produce electricity and that energy is stored in hydrogen tanks The resulting energy storage is twice that of a battery electric bus and a faster fueling time which means no major disruption to the bus facility can eliminate 1,690 tons of carbon dioxide 10 tons of nitrogen oxide and 350 pounds of diesel particulate matter “We’re working hard to design and innovate to provide the safest environment for our passengers,” said Mike Ammann “With the most robust 304 grade stainless-steel structure on the market 10-15-minute fuel fill and versatile route deployment our Axess-FC is a breakthrough in sustainable transportation.” ENC is already partnering with SunLine Transit Agency in Palm Desert Calif.; Stark Area Regional Transit Authority in Stark County Ohio; OCTA and University of California in Irvine Calif.; as well as a Federal Transit Administration Demonstration Project in Flint Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority at Harvard University More than in many other RPGs, inventory management and carry weight in Dragon's Dogma 2 is very important Striking the right balance is hard; you need to walk around the wilderness plucking ingredients and gathering materials but you’ll soon notice that plundering ore and picking apart ruins will weigh heavily on your back Things get even worse when you’re playing a class that relies on heavy armour or weaponry to dish out and soak up damage – my Mystic Spearhand’s battle gear alone takes up a vast section of what she can carry But there are a few ways and means of spreading the weight across your party and allowing your team to run like Gimli and Aragorn over the hills and cliffs or Vermund and beyond – if you know what you’re doing Let’s break down how encumbrance in Dragon’s Dogma 2 works – and what you can do to make your long journeys a bit easier on the body Max Encumbrance is a fancy word for ‘carry weight’ – the number of items you can comfortably have in your pack at any one time without it slowing you down or how much stamina you use when you run (and how quickly it comes back) The stat is broken up into five sections: Very Light If you go over ‘Very Heavy’ and carry more than your character is capable of (a stat visible by hitting Pause and selecting ‘Status’ from the menu) and your stamina will drain at an accelerated rate There are three main ways you can increase your total carry weight in the game is to level up – not every single level will provide a bonus to your Max Encumbrance but you’ll notice that it will go up at certain intervals If you need a quicker – and permanent – boost to the total weight you can load on your main character or your main pawn you need to start looking for Golden Trove Beetles – perhaps one of the most essential finds out in the wilderness across the whole game and other places of interest throughout Vermund and Bhattal you’ll come across these creatures when you head off the beaten path – following a road and climbing rocky outcrops or exploring encampments away from major settlements tends to lead you to these creatures Either your main character or your pawn can consume the beetles to add a total 0.15kgs to your total carry weight especially – I would recommend you snarf all these bugs yourself: you’re going to pick up more stuff than your pawn (including quest items and rewards) and being able to carry more overall will require fewer trips to the inventory menu Similarly to the first Dragon’s Dogma, your character's size actually matters. The Character Creator gives you the option to adjust your height to your liking, and bigger characters – you guessed it – can carry more weight heavier character is a wise choice – though just be aware that this will come at a disadvantage in other areas since lighter characters regenerate stamina at a faster rate and typically have lesser stamina usage overall If you intend to play as a more physical class making a beefier character is the way to go Even if you eat a whole colony of Golden Trove Beetles you’re still going to get weighed down by the spoils of your adventure – it’s the nature of the game But there are a few things you can do to ease the burden and (as you’d expect in a game so pawn-coded) There are two main pawn Specializations you’re going to want to look out for: Hawker and Logisitician One way to lighten your load is to teach your main pawn the Hawker Specialization The pawn will sell all non-essential items when you make camp or rest or gems in your backpack will be sold in one block You need to be careful when you accept this offer from a pawn since it will bulk sell the items and if you’re keeping hold of anything – say a slate-coloured horn to upgrade your weapons or armour – the pawn will automatically sell that off You can earn a scroll that teaches this skill to your pawn – we’ll update this guide when we know more Another way to lighten your load is to teach your main pawn the Logistician Specialization While your pawn won't have the ability to throw away anything of their own volition (with the exception of rotten perishables) this Specialization allows them to re-arrange the packs of the entire party at will shuffling things around so that everyone's encumbrance is kept roughly even It's a helpful solution in the medium-term if your Arisen is inclined to pick up and hoard everything that isn't nailed down You can gain the scroll for Logistician midway through the main story quest The Caged Magistrate although we'll avoid saying more here to keep spoilers to a minimum Eager to get to grips with more of Dragon's Dogma 2's often-opaque systems? See our page explaining the Dragon's Dogma 2 save system for more important information No part of this website or its content may be reproduced without the copyright owner's permission VG247 is a registered trademark of Gamer Network Limited ENC Security’s new Recovery application is the data-recovery tool for anyone who has lost a file or accidentally interrupted a saving action Recovery performs exactly as its name implies: Recovery will find and restore a user’s data and previously established file system so their data is brought back to life just as it was before it was lost While recovering a Vault with its directory structure is not typically possible with other programs ensuring any files saved in a Vault are also retrievable “At some point nearly everyone experiences the loss of important files leaving people wondering if their data is recoverable or otherwise gone forever,” said Jeroen Wortelboer “ENC Recovery brings swift peace of mind by not only being able to recover the data in a few simple steps but also restoring the filing system that was previously established ENC shows proof of data recovery before a customer has to pay for the software There’s zero barrier to entry in the event you find yourself with lost files.” Unmatched in Nearly Every Way ENC Security has been in the industry for years amassing millions of customers who look to them to provide the most trusted security solutions around backup and recovery The new Recovery software features unmatched power and versatility with the simplest user interface possible The software will restore any type of recoverable file or folder regardless of the scenario that led to the need for recovery Recovery can be completed in just five easy steps starting with downloading and installing the free ENC Recovery program onto a PC or Mac hard drive The next step is to open Recovery and then select the drive that held the lost folders and files ENC Recovery will show if the files are restorable guide users through the purchase of the ENC Recovery license The last step is to restore the files to any location Added Wortelboer: “We designed ENC Recovery with an intuitive interface that expedites recovery operations while the search options are intelligently organized and simplified This streamlined user experience radically reduces the need to seek additional customer support and puts the user in control.” For more information about ENC Recovery visit www.encsecurity.com and CIO interviews of medium and large enterprises exclusively from Enterprise Security Mag Company ENC Security I agree We use cookies on this website to enhance your user experience. 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More info We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience on our website and to provide personalized content and advertisements By clicking "Accept," you agree to the use of these technologies as described below You can manage your choices or withdraw consent at any time by visiting our Privacy Policy page Essential Cookies: We use essential cookies to make our site work You may disable these by changing your browser settings but this may affect how the website functions Types of Personal Data Processed: We process personal data including unique identifiers and browsing behavior please refer to our Cookie and Privacy Policies Google Services: Please note that we use Google services such as Ad Manager and Google Analytics GA4 to improve our website's functionality and performance Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device (computer They allow the website to recognize your device and store certain information about your preferences or actions We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes: You have the option to accept or reject non-essential cookies when you first visit our website You can also manage your cookie preferences at any time by adjusting your browser settings or visiting our cookies consent form Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings You can typically find these settings in the "Options" or "Preferences" menu of your browser Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website if you would like to share the information in this article www.enterprisesecuritymag.com/enc-security Timothy Wooster sent an email to the student body announcing that the proposed merger between Eastern Nazarene College and Trevecca Nazarene University would not move forward Corlis McGee stepped down following the 2016-2017 academic year Dan Boone would become president of both Trevecca and ENC There’s a stipulation in both schools’ bylaws that states the president must be full-time The exploratory merger period began after the Board of Trustees meeting in March 2017 and was intended to last three years Boone was voted president-elect of ENC and was inaugurated the next month several institutions must approve the action Wooster explained in more depth about the previous vision for the merger and how the partnership will exist now offering the programs that we’ve been offering corporately we would move under Trevecca,” he says Trevecca would have to get permission from the state of Massachusetts to grant degrees in this state.” If the merger had passed ENC students would have been granted degrees from Trevecca so the institutions had time to explore the merger and receive the required approvals “When the time frame for the process exceeded that,” Wooster says “it was clear that their accreditation agency would no longer allow him to be president The search for a new president will begin after the Board of Trustees meeting on March 23 and 24 President-elect is a term to describe someone who has been elected to the position but not yet assumed the role This is also seen during elections for the president of the United States in that the successor is elected in November but not inaugurated until January he absolutely functioned in an advisory way we viewed him in that stature and in that role.” Although he was our figurehead the signing of official documents fell to the Chief Operating Officer If a student spends a semester at Trevecca Access to online courses and team teaching of courses will remain “The movement away from merger is really a technical change,” Wooster says “What would not have been overly different is the ENC identity What is certain is that students will miss Boone An Instagram page was dedicated to the president-elect Several students kept the pictures of Boone that were handed out at homecoming “We even have one in the Third Memorial showers even though I have no idea who put it there Although Boone will no longer be serving as president elect Wooster states he “will still be engaged in strategic planning functions” until further notice February 2019 Report December-January 2018-19 Report November 2018 Report October 2018 Report August-September 2018 Report Summer 2019 Course Offerings More Archives In a 2014 report by British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on the naming conventions of babies researchers concluded that “our name has the potential to color our interactions with society.” For nearly 60 years Eastern Nazarene College’s mascot gave off a shade that became too dark to carry into the next generation of ENC ENC adopted the mascot of Crusader for ENC’s traveling male quartet over the summer of 1949 The Spirit Makes a Difference: The History of Eastern Nazarene College the band of singing ENC students had no idea they had just created what would be the symbol of ENC for the next 60 years It was then made official by in 1956 by former ENC president Edward Mann once the school could compete in intercollegiate athletics after public outcry from the student population and the growing sentiment by the NCAA that derogatory mascots will no longer host Division championships ENC relented and changed their mascot from the Crusaders to the Lions ENC followed Southern Nazarene University as they changed from the Redskins to the Crimson Storm in 1999 Eight years after we dropped the Crusader mascot Northern Nazarene University followed suit opting for the Nighthawks mascot instead In his book The Things That Count: Twelve Challenges to Dynamic Living Edward Mann goes on record stating that “one of the qualities most important to the spirit of a Christian college is a high regard for your heritage.” Like it or not we inherited the benefits of 11th-century military expeditions We inherited the land that came as a result of the bloodshed We even inherited the pain that has come with it Mann alludes to the idea that people nowadays are hesitant to appreciate the past “We ought to be grateful for our national heritage,” said Mann following his 22-year presidency at ENC the iconoclasts have been so busy toppling our founding fathers from their pedestals that we have lost most of our heroes.” As much as we would like to blot out certain parts of our history Killing in the name of Jesus can’t be justified under any circumstance Jesus shows the redemptive power of Christianity I see the Crusader mascot as a reminder of the past that has brought us to the present as Christians The Crusader is a reminder of a cruel history that took place for Christianity to survive Wicked and obscene things happened for Christianity to prevail We can be convicted by the benefits of the cross without carrying the cruelty and sacrifice that Jesus took upon us to get there There’s a level of guilt that we need to accept as Christians for those Crusades because those crusaders could have been us that we should have guilt for our sins sending Jesus to the cross The Crusader mascot was a reminder of the guilt Christians feel when we think about the early century Crusaders that raped pillaged and terrorized people in the name of Jesus we embraced the Crusades as a part of our past Imagine if the people of Israel just decided to forget the fact that Jesus died for the terrible things they did they repented and were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins People can look at the Crusader mascot and associate it with the wretched history or they can be encouraged to see how far we have come as Christians When people would look at the Crusader mascot and look at the lives of students at Eastern Nazarene College I hope that they saw a massive difference between the student and the symbol but are they that much different than what we see today Sometimes it looks as though we traded in disheveling someone’s home for Jesus to disowning our family for Jesus Mann considered it to be ‘humbling experience’ to acknowledge our past what will be symbolic of the history that brought us here What will remind us of how far we came 100 years from now Darvence is a Senior at Eastern Nazarene College and has written for the Veritas since the Fall of 2015 with a minor in Sports Management and hopes to pursue a Masters in Sociology