(NewsUSA) - He’s written more than 70 books and is drawing heavy praise for his recurring female protagonist, an autistic who made herself into a genius air-crash investigator. In Miranda Chase, author M.L. Buchman has given readers a most compelling lead character in his fast-growing series of political technothrillers.

Publishers Weekly compares Buchman’s work to that of the iconic Tom Clancy, stating Clancy’s fans will “clamor for more.” Fresh Fiction says, “He has catapulted his way to the top tier of my favorite authors.” Adds Kirkus Reviews, “I knew the books would be good, but I didn’t realize how good.”

And as for Miranda Chase, author Ernest Dempsey calls her “one of the most addicting, compelling, fascinating characters in any genre.”

In OSPREY, Buchman’s 13th and most recent book in the Miranda Chase series, Russia teeters on the brink of collapse, spoiling for a battle to end all wars. All it needs? One thin excuse.

A close fly-by of an American CMV-22 Osprey tiltrotor goes desperately wrong over the North Sea. Will the tipping point for World War III break the moment a favored daughter of the Oligarchy goes down in flames?

When the NSA’s secret military base at Menwith Hill in the UK needs specialized expertise, they call in Miranda Chase. She and her elite team of air-crash investigators must avert a crisis like none before – a crisis that unravels her past, batters at her autism, and threatens to crush her team in the ultimate grinder of East vs. West.

Miranda understands military planes, but not people. And the conspiracies that threaten her team? She doesn’t understand them at all. Yet, she’s the woman fighting the battles no one else can win.

OSPREY follows the recent release of Buchman’s NIGHTWATCH, another Miranda Chase political technothriller in which a Chinese freighter is attacked and a sabotaged passenger jet crashes in Quebec. And high overhead, an E-4B Nightwatch, America’s fortress-in-the-sky, sees all. With nations shifting to high alert, Miranda lands once more in the midst of the fray.

Where does Buchman get his ideas? “I look at the world around me and ask a few basic questions. What scares me? What do I wish I could understand better? What do I wish I could change? There are a thousand things around us that need fixing, that need care. Every one of them contains story.”

Buchman started his first novel while flying from South Korea to ride across the Australian Outback. All part of an around-the-world bicycle trip (a midlife crisis on wheels) that ultimately launched his writing career. His true loves are military romantic suspense and political technothrillers. He has designed and built houses, flown and jumped out of airplanes, and consulted in IT to the Fortune 100.

For an author who continues to take the political technothriller genre by storm, read M.L. Buchman’s OSPREY and NIGHTWATCH, both available on Amazon and other popular retail outlets wherever books are sold. To learn more, visit www.mlbuchman.com.

(la Oficina del Defensor de Inmigrantes Detenidos) - La Oficina del Defensor de Inmigrantes Detenidos (OIDO) está aquí para ayudar a la comunidad de inmigrantes detenidos. La OIDO, una oficina independiente del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional (DHS) de EE. UU., se dedica a promover y apoyar condiciones seguras y humanas para las personas detenidas por motivos de inmigración. Como única entidad de supervisión del DHS centrada exclusivamente en la detención de inmigrantes, la OIDO cuenta con personal que visita regularmente las instalaciones para hablar con los detenidos sobre sus inquietudes. La Oficina también realiza inspecciones, ofrece recomendaciones y propone soluciones para mejorar las condiciones de detención de los inmigrantes.

La OIDO cuenta con un equipo de expertos médicos que evalúan los casos individuales y asesoran sobre cuestiones sistémicas y políticas. El equipo está formado por asistentes médicos, enfermeros titulados, psicólogos y farmacéuticos que trabajan junto a los administradores de casos e investigadores de OIDO.

La OIDO adopta un enfoque neutral para observar y analizar los asuntos relacionados con las condiciones de detención de inmigrantes, al tiempo que destaca los problemas de tratamiento de forma oportuna. La OIDO se basa en las inspecciones anunciadas y no anunciadas de un equipo de investigadores dedicados que visitan centros de detención tanto administrados por el gobierno como contratados de forma privada en todo el país. La Oficina también coloca administradores de casos en los centros de detención de todo el país para gestionar quejas que van desde necesidades físicas como el acceso a mantas, cepillos de dientes y mejoras en la calidad de la comida, hasta garantizar que los centros de detención ofrezcan acceso suficiente a personal médico, zonas de videoconferencia y bibliotecas jurídicas.

Cuando se recurre a la OIDO para que ayude con asuntos que requieren atención inmediata y que no han sido resueltos por el Servicio de Aduanas y Protección de Fronteras (CBP) de EE. UU. o el Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE), la OIDO puede llamar la atención adicional sobre estos asuntos.  Su trabajo puede dar lugar a una recomendación formal de mejora al Secretario del DHS, Alejandro Mayorkas, y al Congreso.

El año pasado, la OIDO emitió una Alerta al Defensor en relación con la falta crítica de personal médico de un contratista independiente en la frontera suroeste. Los expertos médicos de la OIDO colaboraron con la Oficina del Médico Jefe del CBP y con la Oficina de Servicios de Salud del DHS para abordar las deficiencias de la atención médica en todo el país, lo que se tradujo en índices de dotación de personal que han aumentado un 100% a nivel nacional este año.  Tras una minuciosa investigación, el informe final, Análisis de la OIDO: Contrato de apoyo médico del CBP para la frontera suroeste y Tucson (OIDO Review - CBP Medical Support Contract for Southwest Border and Tucson), se publicó en julio.

Cuando se levantó el Título 42 en mayo, la OIDO movilizó personal a la frontera sur y estuvo presente en muchos emplazamientos de la Patrulla Fronteriza, al tiempo que continuaba con su labor habitual de supervisión en los centros de detención de inmigrantes. “La OIDO está comprometida con garantizar las mejores condiciones posibles para quienes se encuentran en nuestro sistema de detención de inmigrantes”, declaró el Defensor de Inmigrantes Detenidos interino, David Gersten. “Posicionamos a los administradores de casos y a los investigadores de todo el país para que tengan un acceso fácil a las instalaciones del ICE y del CBP, lo que nos permite resolver los problemas de detención de forma proactiva y lo más rápidamente posible”.

Los altos directivos de la OIDO también participaron en estas observaciones. Un área de enfoque crítica fue el cuidado de los niños no acompañados y de las familias, junto con las instalaciones adecuadas, la higiene, el acceso y la calidad de los alimentos y el agua, el acceso a los servicios jurídicos y el manejo de los bienes personales.

Las personas detenidas deben sentirse seguras sabiendo que solicitar ayuda a un administrador de casos de la OIDO no afecta a su estatus migratorio. Deben empezar por pedir hablar con un administrador de casos de la OIDO en su centro o hacer que un representante rellene un Formulario de admisión de casos para cualquier asunto relacionado con su bienestar que no haya sido tratado.

En un caso reciente, un detenido solicitó ayuda a un administrador de casos de la OIDO, afirmando que no se le permitía acceder a la documentación relacionada con la inmigración que tenía en su poder cuando llegó por primera vez al centro. El individuo informó a la OIDO de que se habían hecho múltiples peticiones de los documentos, pero estos no habían sido devueltos. Según las Normas de Detención del ICE, los centros de detención de inmigrantes deben permitir a las personas detenidas acceder a su documentación legal personal. Con el apoyo del administrador de casos de la OIDO, que transmitió esta queja al personal del centro, el individuo recibió rápidamente su documentación.

Con la misión de servir como recurso neutral, objetivo y creíble para todos los afectados por la detención de inmigrantes, la OIDO seguirá identificando los procesos que no funcionan como deberían y trabajando para obtener resultados. Se estima que para finales de este año, la OIDO habrá abordado más de 20,000 casos sobre las condiciones de detención.

“Nuestro objetivo es seguir mejorando eficaz y rápidamente las condiciones en todos los centros de detención, al trabajar para mitigar los problemas y mejorar los procesos del ICE y el CBP”, dijo Gersten.

Para obtener más información sobre la OIDO o presentar una queja, visite DHS.gov/OIDO.

(the Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman) - The Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman (OIDO) is here to help the immigration detention community. OIDO, an independent office within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), is dedicated to promoting and supporting safe and humane conditions for people being held in immigration detention. As the only DHS oversight entity solely focused on immigration detention, OIDO has staff who regularly visit facilities to speak with detained individuals about their concerns.  The Office also conducts inspections, provides recommendations, and proposes solutions to improve conditions in immigration detention.

OIDO has a team of medical experts that assess individual cases and advise on systemic and policy issues. The team is composed of physician assistants, registered nurses, psychologists, and pharmacists who work alongside OIDO’s case managers and investigators.

OIDO takes a neutral approach to observing and reviewing matters related to the conditions of immigration detention while calling attention to treatment issues in a timely manner. OIDO relies on announced and unannounced inspections from a team of dedicated investigators who visit both government-operated and privately contracted detention facilities throughout the country. The Office also places case managers within detention facilities across the country to handle complaints that range from physical needs such as access to blankets, toothbrushes, and improvements in food quality, to ensuring detention centers provide sufficient access to medical personnel, video conference areas, and law libraries.

When OIDO is called on to help with issues needing immediate attention that have not been resolved by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) or Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), OIDO can call additional attention to these matters.  Their work can lead to a formal recommendation for improvement to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Congress.

Last year, OIDO issued an Ombudsman Alert regarding an independent contractor’s critical medical understaffing at the Southwest border. OIDO’s medical experts worked with CBP’s Office of the Chief Medical Officer and DHS’s Office of Health Services to address medical care deficiencies nationwide, resulting in staffing rates that have increased 100 percent nationally this year.  Following a thorough investigation, the final report, OIDO Review -- CBP Medical Support Contract for Southwest Border and Tucson, was issued in July.

When Title 42 lifted in May, OIDO surged staff to the southern border and was present at many Border Patrol locations, while continuing its regular oversight work at immigration detention facilities. “OIDO is committed to ensuring the best possible conditions for those in our immigration detention system,” said acting Immigration Detention Ombudsman David Gersten. “We position case managers and investigators across the Nation to have easy access to ICE and CBP facilities, enabling us to resolve detention issues proactively and as fast as possible.”

OIDO senior leadership also participated in these observations. One critical focus area was the care of unaccompanied children and families, along with appropriate facilities, hygiene, access to and quality of food and water, access to legal services, and the handling of personal property.

People who are detained should feel confident knowing that requesting assistance from an OIDO case manager doesn’t affect their immigration status. They should start by asking to speak with an OIDO case manager in their facility or having a representative complete a Case Intake Form for any issue related to their well-being that has not been addressed.

In one recent instance, a detained person requested assistance from an OIDO case manager, stating that he was not granted access to immigration-related paperwork that was in his possession when he first arrived at the facility. The individual informed OIDO that multiple requests for the paperwork had been made, but the documents had not been returned. According to ICE’s Detention Standards, immigration detention facilities must allow detained people to access their personal legal material. With the support of the OIDO case manager who relayed this complaint to the facility staff, the individual promptly received his documentation.

With a mission to serve as a neutral, objective, credible resource for everyone impacted by immigration detention, OIDO will continue to identify processes that are not operating as they should and work toward results. OIDO is on track to address over 20,000 cases about detention conditions by the end of the year.

“Our goal is to continue to effectively and swiftly improve conditions in all detention facilities, by working to mitigate problems and enhance processes for ICE and CBP,” Gersten said.

To learn more about OIDO or file a complaint, visit DHS.gov/OIDO.

(NewsUSA) - CME Group, the world’s leading derivatives marketplace, is reminding students that registration in its 20th Annual University Trading Challenge will remain open until Thursday, September 28 at 5 p.m., Central Time.

This year’s University Trading Challenge kicks off on Sunday, October 1 and concludes on Friday, October 27. Undergraduate and graduate students from colleges and universities around the world will be competing on student-lead teams, or in cooperation with a faculty advisor, to see who can best manage a variety of environmental, economic and other marketplace risks to protect their mock investment portfolio.      

"As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of our University Trading Challenge program, we are extremely proud of the role we play in educating up-and-coming professionals on the significant impact risk management can have on the economy, as well as on businesses and individuals globally," said Anita Liskey, Global Head of Brand Marketing and Communications at CME Group. "Through this engaging and competitive trading simulation, thousands of students around the world have been able to compete against each other, while learning about futures markets and the importance of hedging."

During the month-long competition, students will experience the energy, excitement, disappointments and daily challenges of a real-world trading environment on a simulated, professional trading platform provided by CQG. They will also receive education, market-related data and news, including live updates from Dow Jones newsfeeds and The Hightower Report, that will test their abilities to evaluate and react to changing market dynamics in real-time.

Each eligible member of the winning team will receive a $2,000 cash prize*. Additional prizes will be awarded for second through fifth place.

Student participants will also have the opportunity to attend CME Group’s Day of Market Education. This one-day forum will provide them with an exclusive look into CME Group and the derivatives industry.     

More than 500 teams of nearly 2,000 students from 23 countries participated in last year's University Trading Challenge, with the winning team coming from Mexico's Universidad Anahuac UG. 

CME Group is committed to educating the next generation of finance professionals on the significance of global derivatives markets and risk management. In addition to interactive events like the University Trading Challenge, CME Group also partners with other industry organizations to offer broad educational tools, such as Futures Fundamentals, a one-stop educational resource that explains the role of futures markets in everyday life. The goal of the site is to make financial education an engaging experience for anyone, regardless of how well versed they are in the world of finance.

To register and view details on eligibility, rules, regulations and requirements, please visit: https://www.cmegroup.com/events/university-trading-challenge.html.

For social media updates throughout the competition, make sure to follow #TradingChallenge2023.

*Eligibility to receive competition prizes is only open to residents in the United States (US), Canada (CA) excluding Quebec, United Kingdom (UK), Germany (DE), Netherlands (NL), Switzerland (CH), Republic of Korea (KR), Taiwan (TW), and Japan (JP).

(NewsUSA) - We Never Knew of Darkness by Dennis Snyder

In April 1994, Hutu extremists—known as the Interahamwe —assassinated Rwanda's president and embarked on a campaign of ruthless genocide against the minority Tutsi populations. Elijah Mutabazi, a sergeant in the Rwandan army, finds his younger sister, having been gang-raped and slaughtered by teenage killers recruited by the Interahamwe. Elijah spends his every waking hour caring for his father and protecting their village.

 Upon returning to active military duty, Elijah learns that the international community had not come to aid those who survived the genocide, but ensured safe passage for the Interahamwe overlords. Elijah deserts his army post and enters a world of reckless abandon via heroin, psychedelics, and grain alcohol.

 Elijah's singular mission becomes vengeance against an active Interahamwe cell and its maniacal leader, who once served as a captain in the Rwandan Army and had been Elijah's mentor. Purchase at https://bit.ly/3QCVA2Y.

The Sacrifice by Caroline Steiger

A chilling journey with a captivating storyline and well-developed characters, this novel will keep readers on the edge of their seats from beginning to end.

Spring Break. A rite of passage. A ritual. A must-do until everything turns on its side. A sociopath amid the revelry. The three J's, their ringleader John. Always together and never apart. The witnesses to his crime or accomplices, as he refers to them. "You did nothing to stop me," says John, and his friends are forever linked to him.

A sacrifice made to keep them from prison and their souls forever fractured. The Sacrifice is a psychological thriller spanning three timelines, three murders and souls forever bound by the carnage of their ill-fated spring break to the exotic Cancun in 1989. Purchase at https://bit.ly/44ByYmU.

Finding His Way Home by Katie Mongelli

“A celebration of the most important aspects in our lives (family, love, friendship), which often get placed on back burners as we drive toward what we think we want,” says Elizabeth B. Splaine, author of Steel Butterflies.

Escape to the picturesque town of Pine Lake, where the weight of the world is washed away by the gentle lapping of crystal-clear waters. Zachary Hartmann, a man teetering on the edge of ruin, seeks solace amidst the tranquil embrace of this lakeside haven. Zachary yearns to rediscover himself and untangle the knots of his unraveling existence. However, fate has a different plan when he crosses paths with the captivating Missy Wagner. Her girl-next-door allure and an infectious spirit enchant Zachary, as he finds himself falling under her spell. Purchase at https://bit.ly/3Kq1xN4.

Two Roads by Randy Wojnarowicz

An unforgettable, heartbreaking love story set in picturesque New England, where a family discovers, as Jean Baptiste Racine forewarned, "There are no secrets that time does not reveal!"

As Ray Shipman slips deeper into Alzheimer’s, he reveals a dark family secret that threatens to destroy the people he spent a lifetime protecting. Ray and his wife Allison face a reality they avoided since the first year of their marriage, forcing them to question whether their 50-year love story was real. Ray’s daughter Dorothy struggles to find the truth of who she really is and whether Ray is the loving father she adores—or a fraud

Two Roads takes readers on an emotional ride, seen through the eyes of three generations—as they grapple with their past, losing Ray, and an unimaginable tragedy no one sees coming. Purchase at https://bit.ly/3qwKAtC.

(NewsUSA) - Henderson House by Caren Simpson McVicker

An enchanting boardinghouse tale of sisters, secrets, and later-in-life romance, Henderson House invites readers to pull up a rocking chair and lose themselves in the heartaches and hopes of 1940s Oklahoma.

In May 1941, Bartlesville, Oklahoma, hums with talk of spring flowers, fishing derbies, and the growing war in Europe. And for the Blackwell sisters, who reside in a quiet neighborhood boardinghouse, the winds of change are blowing.

Mrs. Henderson, the landlady, cook, and adopted matriarch of the Blackwell clan, possesses an uncanny intuition about all her boarders. She knows true love when she sees it. But soon her vision becomes clouded as Florence schemes to undermine her sister's budding romance. In a desperate attempt to keep Bessie by her side, Florence exposes the sisters' darkest secret – a secret that will change their lives, and the lives of those they love. Purchase at https://bit.ly/3rJJoDf.

The Little Green Armchair and Tales of Echo Forest by Lisa Luttrell
A beautiful Spring morning in Echo Forest is the setting for three sentimental journeys of blossoming friendships, courage and enduring love. The Little Green Armchair illustrates how solitude, peacefulness and nature create connections that span a lifetime.

In The Windy Day Picnic, Primrose Possum and her little possum family exhibit the extent to which a parent will go to make sure her children are safe at the end of a long adventure. And, finally, Neville, The Thirsty Little Stinkbug, provides a little story about how wonderful friendships can be created and blossom out of troubled situations.

“Multiple whimsical plot lines are woven together to create a magical tale. The author lets your imagination run wild with characters that come to life,” says one reviewer. The Kops Fetherling International Gold Award Winner for 2020. Purchase at https://bit.ly/44tLbuH.

Soldier On by Bracha Horovitz

A true story about what it means to be a woman, and how the heat of hardships can forge strong character.

The daughter of an Auschwitz survivor, author Bracha Horovitz set her heart on living a life that would honor her family, her community, and her heritage. At eighteen, Bracha joined the Israel Defense Forces. Intense military training taught her that women, too, can be fierce fighters. Then she was selected to participate in the Miss Israel beauty pageant, raising new questions about the meaning of womanhood and her purpose in life.

Bracha married an honorable, entrepreneurial man. They seemed to have it all—lucrative careers, a happy marriage, and a small family. Invited to work in the U.S., they struggled to maintain their Israeli identity while adapting to cross-cultural life. But then tragedy struck. Purchase at https://www.endeavorliterary.com/popular-books.

Shit That We Should Never Pass Along, and All That We Cannot Leave Behind by MJ Boin De 

In late 1980s rural Kansas, Mara takes on more than she can chew. Mara’s mother is a woman ahead of her own time when it comes to the investigative day job she holds and her progressive take of thoughts on the day’s larger social issues. Mara’s mother divorces her abusive stepfather and moves with Mara and her two youngest sisters from city life to a new rural awakening.

 An authentic throwdown between the Baby Boomer and Gen Xers, delving into childhood abuse, racism, abortion, religion, higher education, and ensuring those familial elitists we all know are set for the next generation of epic failure and loss. Sure to infuriate all comers, keep everyone laughing and crying in equal measures. Intended for mature audiences over 25 years. Purchase at https://bit.ly/3KMbWTi.