UAE Ministers and financial leaders to discuss economic growth ...

S&P's annual invitation-only gathering of business leaders, global influencers and finance professionals will focus on the financial community's critical role in driving sustainable economic development in the Middle East.

His Excellency Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansoori, Minister of Economy, stated, "With the region poised to enter a new cycle of growth, we look forward to the financial community's participation and contributions in putting the region's economies back on a high growth track. The S&P Leaders' Forum is a significant event that in many ways anticipates the agenda and sets the tone for the MENA financial community in the coming year."

Stuart Anderson, Managing Director & Regional Head Middle East at Standard & Poor's, said, "The financial community is playing an increasingly active part in economic development in the region with their role evolving toward sustainable wealth creation. Balancing growth with risk management and governance is vital for driving investment in today's increasingly regulated and challenging markets. The region's financial community will play a substantial role in achieving this essential balance. The S&P Leaders' Forum offers a platform for leading issuers, asset managers, economists, investors and business and policy leaders, to collectively discuss and share knowledge on how they can enhance sustainable growth post financial crisis."

The financial sector is currently estimated to generate over 7% of the MENA region's GDP. In the GCC alone, the sector is estimated to contribute $100bn to the economy. With financial services accounting for roughly 40% of market capitalization and employing over 200,000 people in the region, it is a powerful engine for economic growth.

The S&P Leaders' Forum will also discuss how the financial community can promote financial inclusion and job generation in regional economies; the vital need for aligning investment strategies with market needs; strategies for tapping capital markets in vital economic sectors; cross-border growth and investment; and charting the economic course for 2013 and beyond.

S&P's global leadership team including Douglas Peterson, President; Dr. Paul Sheard, Chief Global Economist & Head of Global Economics Research; and Dr. Moritz Kraemer, Head of Sovereign Ratings EMEA will speak at the Forum.

Supported by the Gulf Bond & Sukuk Association (GBSA), UAE Financial Services Association, UN Pearl Initiative, Middle East Private Equity Association and Middle East Investor Relations Society, the Forum will see over 300 participants from leading regional and international businesses, financial services providers, banks, family businesses, sovereign wealth funds, regulatory bodies and governments.

Through a mix of interactive discussions, audience interviews and questionnaires, the Forum will draw a range of opinions and ideas, which will contribute solutions for today's challenges and provide strategies for leveraging growth opportunities.

Robert Baur, Managing Director & Chief Economist at Principal Global Investors, said, "The US economy is emerging slowly from the after effects of its financial crisis, Europe is mired in a recession and growth in China is much slower than the country's two decade average. Under these circumstances, GCC investors should question who and what will drive global economic growth and when will business return to normal? The S&P Leaders' Forum is a great venue to hear valuable discussion on the future of the global economy and its potential for acceleration."

Hasan Al Jabri, Chief Executive Officer at SEDCO Capital, said, "We believe a combination of innovation and relationship depth is crucial to ride these turbulent times and inconsistent market conditions. We rely on our history of strong regional partnerships, expertise in asset allocation and selective global diversification and, as a significant co-investor, look forward to discuss these strategies at the S&P Leaders' Forum."

Marwan Al Turki, Partner at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, said, "The fund raising environment for private equity funds remains challenging. Amongst the developed markets, the environment in Europe is tough and this, coupled with increased scrutiny by LPs of fund terms from a position of strength, has increased the length of fund raising cycles and led many sponsors to reconsider their plans. The position in emerging markets is mixed, with some regions such as MENA, effectively closed for business. This makes for a particularly interesting year ahead."

Other speakers at the Forum include H.E Abdullah S. Al Darmaki, Chief Executive Officer, Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development; Dr. Robert Baur, Managing Director & Chief Economist, Principal Global Investors; Dr. Farrukh Iqbal, Director MENA, The World Bank; Kito de Boer, Director, Public Sector and Social Sector MEA, Head of the McKinsey Center for Government, McKinsey & Company; Marwan Al Turki, Partner, Debevoise & Plimpton; Hasan Al Jabri, Chief Executive Officer, SEDCO Capital; Dr. Ahmed Heikal, Chairman, Citadel Capital; Dr. Farouk Soussa, Chief Economist (Emerging Markets), Citigroup; Dr. Jarmo Kotilane, Chief Economist of the Bahrain Economic Development Board; Dr. Karim El Solh, Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Capital; and Harry Chopra, Managing Director, Global Services, S&P Capital IQ.

Source: http://www.ameinfo.com/uae-ministers-financial-leaders-discuss-economic-317209

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New tool aims to ensure software security policies reflect user needs

ScienceDaily (Oct. 30, 2012) ? Researchers from North Carolina State University and IBM Research have developed a new natural language processing tool that businesses or other customers can use to ensure that software developers have a clear idea of the security policies to be incorporated into new software products.

Specifically, the research focuses on access control policies (ACPs), which are the security requirements that software developers need to bear in mind when developing new software. For example, an ACP for a university grading program needs to allow professors to give grades to students, but should not allow students to change the grades.

"These ACPs are important, but are often buried amidst a lengthy list of other requirements that customers give to developers," says Dr. Tao Xie, an associate professor of computer science at NC State and co-author of a paper on the research. These requirements are written in "natural language," which is the conversational language that people use when talking or corresponding via the written word.

Incomplete or inaccurate ACP requirements can crop up, for example, if the customer writing the ACP requirements makes a mistake or doesn't have enough technical know-how to accurately describe a program's security needs.

A second problem is that programmers may misinterpret some ACP requirements, or overlook them entirely.

In collaboration with IBM Research, Xie's research team has developed a solution that uses a natural language processing program to extract the ACP requirements from a customer's overall list of requirements and translate it into machine-readable language that computers can understand and enforce.

After the ACPs are extracted, they can be run through Access Control Policy Tool (ACPT) -- also developed in Xie's research team in collaboration with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) -- which verifies and tests the ACPs and determines whether the ACP requirements are adequate to meet the security needs of the program.

Once the ACP requirements have been translated into machine-readable language, they can also be incorporated into a policy-enforcement "engine" in the final software product -- which ensures that ACPs cannot be overlooked by programmers.

"In general, developing a program that understands natural language text is very challenging," Xie says. "However, ACP requirements in software documents usually follow a certain style, using terms such as 'cannot be edited' or 'does not have the ability to edit.' Because ACPs tend to use such a limited number of phrases, it is much easier to develop a program that effectively translates natural language texts in this context."

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by North Carolina State University.

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Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_technology/~3/OMwt4-xby1E/121030210353.htm

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It's a Virtual Console Halloween | Joystiq

Welcome to Living in the Past, a weekly column about what's new in old games. Now get off our lawn.

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If you're going to be at home this Halloween, waiting to dispense candy and tinny Wilhelm screams to neighborhood children, why not pass the time with some spooky games? While it's easy to tell you to go play the latest zombie whatever or Castlevania, I am opting instead to mine the downloadable retro lineup of our most terrifying console: the Nintendo Wii.

There might still be some Castlevania.

• Splatterhouse: A young woman is kidnapped and imprisoned in a monster-filled house, and her boyfriend is murdered in the same attack. Meanwhile, a man possessed by a demonic mask is destroying everything in sight. The twist is that the dead boyfriend is the possessed maniac, and is actually the protagonist of the piece.
• Devil's Crush: Fight a transforming demon, dragons, giant skull monsters, undead knights and a weird druid-looking cult. In a pinball game. Devil's Crush is simultaneously the creepiest and the most metal album-cover like game in the era pre-Cr?e Ball.
• Ghouls 'n Ghosts: Gotta have one of these on the list. These are the canonical Halloween games, starting in a graveyard and ending with your inevitable death, a lone skeleton in boxer shorts, murdered without remorse by a playful red demon. And speaking of Firebrand, you can get his own game, Gargoyle's Quest, on 3DS.
• Castlevania: Rondo of Blood: All right, there's a Castlevania game on here. I warned you. But if you haven't played this lost gem of the series, it's worth me being a total hack in a Halloween feature. Originally released on the PC Engine CD-ROM in Japan, it didn't come to America until this Virtual Console release and the Dracula X Chronicles on PSP. Not only is it a great game, it's an interesting transitional step between vintage Castlevania and Symphony of the Night.
• Kid Chameleon: It's a game about wearing masks! In the game, putting on a mask transforms you into a different person with different abilities. I can dress up like a knight in real life, but somehow it doesn't allow me to scale walls. On the upside, it might prevent me from dying when I try.
• Summer Games II: Just kidding.

Let other people wear costumes and go to parties. You can sit at home on your couch and play old games! Those suckers may not ever see Devil's Crush's bonus stages because they're all too busy socializing or whatever.

[Splatterhouse image: HG101]

Source: http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/30/its-a-virtual-console-halloween/

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'Texas Chainsaw 3D' Exclusive Set Visit Is A Bloody Good Time

MTV News goes behind the scenes of Leatherface's return to the big screen.
By Amy Wilkinson

Alexandra Daddario in "Texas Chainsaw 3D"
Photo: Lionsgate

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1696509/texas-chainsaw-3d-set-visit-video.jhtml

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Flood Insurance In Northeast Is Rare

Many homeowners who suffered losses because of flooding from Hurricane Sandy are likely to find themselves out of luck. Standard homeowners policies don't cover flooding damage, and the vast majority of homeowners don't have flood insurance.

Yet it's likely that many Northeasterners will purchase it in coming months, hoping they'll be covered the next time around, at a cost averaging around $600 a year.

That's what happened after Hurricane Irene triggered flooding across 13 Eastern states in August 2011. An annual survey by the insurance industry found that flood coverage in the Northeast rose to 14 percent of homeowners in May from 5 percent before Irene hit.

The head of the industry's Insurance Information Institute attributes the jump to Irene, which hit many inland areas where flooding is historically uncommon.

"Nothing sells flood insurance like a flood," says Robert Hartwig, the organization's president. "There will be many people in parts of the Northeast this week who will be very happy that they spent a few hundred dollars to buy flood insurance this year."

Nearly all flood coverage is purchased through the government's National Flood Insurance Program. Homeowners, renters and business owners in participating communities are eligible to purchase federally backed policies, typically through private insurers that market the coverage. Information is available at . www.FloodSmart.gov

Policies typically cost around $600 a year, but can start as low as $129 in low-risk areas, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which administers the program. The average claim paid last year was more than $28,000. Coverage is provided for up to $250,000 for the home itself, and $100,000 for possessions.

Homeowners who don't live in participating communities can buy private flood insurance, typically through so-called "excess coverage" to a homeowners policy.

To be sure, even with the expanded coverage, the vast majority of Northeasterners responding to the latest industry survey do not have a flood policy. That means if they suffer flood-related damages from Sandy, they will likely have to foot the bill. That's because typical homeowners and renters policies don't cover flooding. It's also common for homeowners who don't live in high-risk locations, such as coastal areas and inland flood zones, to go without coverage.

For those facing high risks, "Irene really was a warning shot to many people in the Northeast," Hartwig says.

Although most homes are unlikely to ever be damaged by flooding, nearly 20 percent of flood claims come from areas considered to be at moderate to low risk for flooding, according to the National Flood Insurance Program. In high-risk zones, flood insurance is required to get a mortgage from federally regulated or insured lenders. "High risk" areas are those deemed to face a 26 percent chance of flooding at some point during the term of a 30-year mortgage ? a roughly 1 percent chance of flooding in a given year.

It's unclear whether flood-related losses from Hurricane Sandy will surpass the nearly $1.3 billion paid out through the federal flood insurance program after Hurricane Irene. Flood claims came in from an area stretching from North Carolina to Vermont, with an average payout of $29,236. In terms of total flood losses, Irene was the fourth-costliest hurricane in the U.S., after Katrina in 2005, Ike in 2008 and Ivan in 2004.

Whether water damage is covered by a homeowners policy depends on how it came about. Standard policies cover structural and water damage only in limited circumstances ? for example, when a falling tree knocks a hole in a roof or breaks a window, allowing rain to fall inside. But homeowners are generally not covered for damages to the home or personal belongings when damage results from rising water. That includes water that seeps up from saturated ground through a basement floor, and storm surges that flood homes near the coastline. Sandy triggered surges along much of the East Coast.

Nationwide, 13 percent of homeowners have flood insurance according to the industry's latest annual survey. That marks a decline from 14 percent a year ago. The expansion in coverage in the Northeast was offset by declining coverage in the Midwest, which fell to 6 percent from 13 percent; and in the West, which dropped to 6 percent from 12 percent. The highest regional coverage rate was in the South, at 21 percent.

So far this year, the number of major floods has been below-average. Through September, the federal government had declared 15 major flood disasters, compared with 53 in all of 2011.

Also on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/30/flood-insurance-in-northeast_n_2045031.html

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Official: Iraq searches Syria-bound Iranian plane

BAGHDAD (AP) ? Iraqi authorities forced an Iranian cargo plane heading to Syria to land for inspection in Baghdad to ensure it was not carrying weapons, an Iraqi official said Sunday.

It was the second such forced landing this month. The plane was released after the check.

The move appeared aimed at easing U.S. concerns that Iraq has become a route for shipments of Iranian military supplies that might could Syrian President Bashar Assad battle rebels in his country's civil war.

The head of the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority, Nassir Bandar, said the inspection took place Saturday. The inspectors allowed the plane to continue its flight after they determined there were no weapons onboard, he said.

"Our experts found that the plane was carrying only medical supplies and foodstuffs," Bandar said, "so the flight was allowed to proceed."

Bandar said Iraqi authorities would continue searching planes suspected of transporting arms to Syria. Iraqi officials have repeatedly said they would not allow their country or airspace to be a corridor for arms shipments to either Syrian government forces or rebels.

Iraq ordered another Iranian cargo plane to land for inspection on Oct. 2. No weapons were found in that search, either.

Last month, Iraq banned a North Korea plane from crossing its airspace because of suspicions it was carrying weapons to Syria.

American officials have expressed concern that Iranian planes may be ferrying weapons over Iraq, and they have pressed Baghdad to take stronger action to ensure that no such transfers occur.

Also Sunday, police said three people were killed and eight others wounded when two bombs exploded near a market southeast of Baghdad.

Police said the simultaneous attacks Sunday morning took place in Madain, about 20 kilometers (14 miles) southeast of Baghdad, as shoppers started to arrive.

Medics in a nearby hospital confirmed the casualties. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to reporters.

Sunday's blasts followed a string of attacks that killed 40 people in the Iraqi capital a day earlier, including evening explosions near a market and a bus station in the Shiite neighborhood of Sadr City.

Saturday was the deadliest day from attacks in nearly six weeks.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/official-iraq-searches-syria-bound-iranian-plane-161409778.html

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The 5 Best Websites For Preschool Readiness | Pregnancy Blog

Posted on 24. Oct, 2012 by Danielle Buffardi in Family

If you have a little one on the brink of being a preschooler, then you know you?re in for a time full of learning coupled with playing.

And, since the Internet is so easily accessible and entertaining to our little ones, why not engage them with fun and free games they can not only learn from but be engrossed in at the same time?

Here are five of the best websites that you and your toddler can use to ready themselves for preschool.

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1. Starfall.com Website

Easily navigated and large graphics make Starfall.com a favorite among teachers and kids.

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2. PBS Kids Website

A long time go-to for parents and educators looking to give their kids and students a helping hand in the learning department, PBSkids.org makes good use of its children?s programming characters to get kids interested in learning.

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3. The Sesame Street Website

Kids can learn with their favorite Sesame Street character by playing games, watching videos, and interacting in alphabet games.

Visit SesameStreet.org to get started.

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4. The Sprout Website

The website of the Sprout Channel, Sprout Online is a safe and secure site for kids of all ages.

When your kids visit SproutOnline.com, a world of fun awaits them.

Everything from coloring pages to games and even craft ideas are just waiting to be discovered.

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5. NickJr?s Website

Chances are, your toddler will know every single character on this fun website and they?ll just adore being able to play and learn with them.

From old favorites such as Blues Clues and Dora the Explorer to brand new shows such as Mike the Knight and Tickety Toc ? NickJr.com will have your whole family learning without even realizing it.

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About the author: Danielle is a professional blogger, freelance writer, social media manager, and web content editor specializing in parenting, family, pregnancy, social media, start-ups, and entrepreneurial topics. To learn more about Danielle, please visit her website at www.PenPointEditorial.com.

Tags: preschool websites for learning

Source: http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyblog/2012/10/the-best-5-websites-for-preschool-readiness/

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