Towns solve power problem privately

BEIRUT: Nearly 25 years after the Civil War ended, the state-owned electricity company, Electricite du Liban, is still unable to keep the lights on around the clock, despite promises by successive governments to provide a constant supply.

As a result, having power for 24 hours a day – without the help of generators – remains a pipedream in Lebanon, a country that suffers from chronic power outages, especially now that the government is confronting hundreds of striking contract workers who are blocking entrances to EDL offices across the country.

In certain mountain villages, however, residents are oblivious to all that ruckuss, thanks to a winning collaboration between private entrepreneurs and municipalities.

“We in Barouk don’t feel the lack of electricity,” said Toufic Abou Alwan, a resident of the Chouf mountain town southeast of Beirut. “When there is a power outage, we don’t even notice it because it takes [just] a few seconds to have a normal electricity [supply] again.”

A few years back, most residents and institutions in Barouk – as in most of Lebanon – had private generators to secure a continuous supply of electricity, as EDL power was sometimes cut off for several days in a row. Those who could not afford such an expensive luxury had to get used to living without electricity just as their ancestors did before them.

“We were using gas lamps again, storing long-life food in cool places and washing our clothes by hand,” said Abu Maarouf, a local farmer and one of those residents who did not have the means to buy his own generator or subscribe to an expensive private provider.

But this all changed a couple of years ago, when the municipality made agreements with private entrepreneurs “to ensure the provision of that service [electricity] to the people without interruptions,” Barouk Mayor Elie Nakhle explained.

Thanks to four power generating stations, connected to houses via a brand new network of modern cables, the town has since been powered without interruption.

The cables are covered in aluminum to prevent people from stealing electricity illicitly and to protect them from bad weather.

Unusual for Lebanon, special meters were also installed next to their rarely used EDL counterparts to record consumption.

“You pay as much as you consume [of the private electricity]. You don’t have to pay lump sums which are imposed regardless of the quantity consumed,” Abu Maarouf said. “At least this is fair and all people, rich and poor, alike, can afford it.”

The giant generators are also used to keep street lighting on at night.

According to municipality officials, almost all of Barouk now relies on electricity supplies from private businesses, with monthly bills that are markedly less expensive than those from EDL.

The supply is so reliable that residents are trying to get rid of their private generators, which they have not used in years.

“We don’t know what to do with our [own] generators anymore,” Abou Alwan said. “Mine has been rotting in the garage for a while now with no potential buyer in sight.”

In Baysour, a village located in the Aley district east of the capital, locals are benefiting from a similar success story.

“We have two entrepreneurs providing for Baysour’s power needs, a [setup] that prevents monopoly in the business and allows positive competition,” Mayor Walid Aridi said.

He explained that the municipality did not interfere in the operation or management of the private power generating systems, stressing that what mattered was that the “people are not deprived of this essential service and are neither being abused nor exploited.”

“The entrepreneurs have their own collectors and maintenance teams. At the end of each month, they read the meters and prepare detailed billings which are later collected according to a schedule,” he explained. “Also the quick maintenance that is provided by the private businesses prevents long interruptions of power supply. It is a system that is working perfectly.”

“All classes of people can now afford to have electricity during long power outages by EDL. You have bills as low as LL30,000 and others which go over LL300,000, because now you can consume as much as you can afford,” Aridi added.

Brushing aside allegations that the sale of electricity by private entrepreneurs was an “illegal” activity, Aridi pointed to ministry-issued and monthly updated indices of diesel prices and related costs that private generator operators can charge.

“By doing so, the government has in fact indirectly legalized individual enterprises,” Aridi said.

He argued that because the government was incapable of fully providing such a vital service, it had unofficially sought the assistance of the private sector to compensate for the shortfall.

Lebanon’s electricity sector, already in bad shape after the destructive 1975-90 Civil War, was further seriously damaged during the 2006 war with Israel.

Today, Lebanon produces barely 65 percent of its power needs and relies on imported energy in the form of Turkish power boats.

The electricity supply system is controlled by EDL, which suffers from poor financial circumstances, a shortage in human resources and a heavy reliance on government budget subsidies for operations, especially in the wake of rising fuel prices.

A combination of a low proportion of collected bills, unbilled consumption and old power plants with aging equipment and inefficient power production have made the power sector unsustainable and a main contributor to the government’s budget deficit.

The pressure on the already overstrained grid was further aggravated by the presence of more than 1.2 million war-displaced Syrians who have sought refuge in Lebanon over the past three years.

However, not everyone agrees with Aridi’s assessment.

Ziad Hayek, secretary-general of the Higher Council on Privatization, opposes the existence of private businesses selling electricity, saying it was a lamentable consequence of the government’s failure to exercise its authority and implement the law.

“It is a free-for-all situation ... it is simply chaotic,” Hayek said.

But he also admitted that he knew there was very little other choice: “Having municipalities generate and distribute private electricity is unfortunate though understandable. At the end of the day, the municipalities want to cater for their people and secure that vital service.”

Hayek argued that the energy sector should be reformed before private investments are encouraged, referring to the energy privatization law 462 of 2002, which calls for corporatizing EDL and establishing an Electricity Regulatory Authority that would be tasked with setting the criteria for power production, issuing official licenses and overseeing production by the private sector.

“Until this regulatory body is put in place no licenses can be issued. Only then can the private sector generate or produce power,” Hayek said. “But they should sell it to the government according to regulations, not to the consumers directly.”

Towns solve power problem privately

BEIRUT: Nearly 25 years after the Civil War ended, the state-owned electricity company, Electricite du Liban, is still unable to keep the lights on around the clock, despite promises by successive governments to provide a constant supply.

As a result, having power for 24 hours a day – without the help of generators – remains a pipedream in Lebanon, a country that suffers from chronic power outages, especially now that the government is confronting hundreds of striking contract workers who are blocking entrances to EDL offices across the country.

In certain mountain villages, however, residents are oblivious to all that ruckuss, thanks to a winning collaboration between private entrepreneurs and municipalities.

“We in Barouk don’t feel the lack of electricity,” said Toufic Abou Alwan, a resident of the Chouf mountain town southeast of Beirut. “When there is a power outage, we don’t even notice it because it takes [just] a few seconds to have a normal electricity [supply] again.”

A few years back, most residents and institutions in Barouk – as in most of Lebanon – had private generators to secure a continuous supply of electricity, as EDL power was sometimes cut off for several days in a row. Those who could not afford such an expensive luxury had to get used to living without electricity just as their ancestors did before them.

“We were using gas lamps again, storing long-life food in cool places and washing our clothes by hand,” said Abu Maarouf, a local farmer and one of those residents who did not have the means to buy his own generator or subscribe to an expensive private provider.

But this all changed a couple of years ago, when the municipality made agreements with private entrepreneurs “to ensure the provision of that service [electricity] to the people without interruptions,” Barouk Mayor Elie Nakhle explained.

Thanks to four power generating stations, connected to houses via a brand new network of modern cables, the town has since been powered without interruption.

The cables are covered in aluminum to prevent people from stealing electricity illicitly and to protect them from bad weather.

Unusual for Lebanon, special meters were also installed next to their rarely used EDL counterparts to record consumption.

“You pay as much as you consume [of the private electricity]. You don’t have to pay lump sums which are imposed regardless of the quantity consumed,” Abu Maarouf said. “At least this is fair and all people, rich and poor, alike, can afford it.”

The giant generators are also used to keep street lighting on at night.

According to municipality officials, almost all of Barouk now relies on electricity supplies from private businesses, with monthly bills that are markedly less expensive than those from EDL.

The supply is so reliable that residents are trying to get rid of their private generators, which they have not used in years.

“We don’t know what to do with our [own] generators anymore,” Abou Alwan said. “Mine has been rotting in the garage for a while now with no potential buyer in sight.”

In Baysour, a village located in the Aley district east of the capital, locals are benefiting from a similar success story.

“We have two entrepreneurs providing for Baysour’s power needs, a [setup] that prevents monopoly in the business and allows positive competition,” Mayor Walid Aridi said.

He explained that the municipality did not interfere in the operation or management of the private power generating systems, stressing that what mattered was that the “people are not deprived of this essential service and are neither being abused nor exploited.”

“The entrepreneurs have their own collectors and maintenance teams. At the end of each month, they read the meters and prepare detailed billings which are later collected according to a schedule,” he explained. “Also the quick maintenance that is provided by the private businesses prevents long interruptions of power supply. It is a system that is working perfectly.”

“All classes of people can now afford to have electricity during long power outages by EDL. You have bills as low as LL30,000 and others which go over LL300,000, because now you can consume as much as you can afford,” Aridi added.

Brushing aside allegations that the sale of electricity by private entrepreneurs was an “illegal” activity, Aridi pointed to ministry-issued and monthly updated indices of diesel prices and related costs that private generator operators can charge.

“By doing so, the government has in fact indirectly legalized individual enterprises,” Aridi said.

He argued that because the government was incapable of fully providing such a vital service, it had unofficially sought the assistance of the private sector to compensate for the shortfall.

Lebanon’s electricity sector, already in bad shape after the destructive 1975-90 Civil War, was further seriously damaged during the 2006 war with Israel.

Today, Lebanon produces barely 65 percent of its power needs and relies on imported energy in the form of Turkish power boats.

The electricity supply system is controlled by EDL, which suffers from poor financial circumstances, a shortage in human resources and a heavy reliance on government budget subsidies for operations, especially in the wake of rising fuel prices.

A combination of a low proportion of collected bills, unbilled consumption and old power plants with aging equipment and inefficient power production have made the power sector unsustainable and a main contributor to the government’s budget deficit.

The pressure on the already overstrained grid was further aggravated by the presence of more than 1.2 million war-displaced Syrians who have sought refuge in Lebanon over the past three years.

However, not everyone agrees with Aridi’s assessment.

Ziad Hayek, secretary-general of the Higher Council on Privatization, opposes the existence of private businesses selling electricity, saying it was a lamentable consequence of the government’s failure to exercise its authority and implement the law.

“It is a free-for-all situation ... it is simply chaotic,” Hayek said.

But he also admitted that he knew there was very little other choice: “Having municipalities generate and distribute private electricity is unfortunate though understandable. At the end of the day, the municipalities want to cater for their people and secure that vital service.”

Hayek argued that the energy sector should be reformed before private investments are encouraged, referring to the energy privatization law 462 of 2002, which calls for corporatizing EDL and establishing an Electricity Regulatory Authority that would be tasked with setting the criteria for power production, issuing official licenses and overseeing production by the private sector.

“Until this regulatory body is put in place no licenses can be issued. Only then can the private sector generate or produce power,” Hayek said. “But they should sell it to the government according to regulations, not to the consumers directly.”

Refugee crisis hinders Lebanon development

BEIRUT: In the face of the the Syrian refugee crisis, Lebanon is failing to meet vital national development goals related to female empowerment, the environment and poverty, a report unveiled at the Grand Serail Monday showed.

“A third of the population is below the poverty line,” said Zeina Abla, who presented the Lebanon Millennium Development Goals Report for the years 2013-14. “[This statistic] increased under the impact of the Syrian refugee crisis.”

Since the start of the civil war in neighboring Syria over three-and-a-half years ago, more than 1.2 million refugees have resettled in Lebanon. Slightly smaller in size than the U.S. state of Connecticut, Lebanon now hosts more refugees per capita than any other country on earth.

“[The Syrian refugee crisis is] the highest burden on a country since the 1980s according to UNHCR,” Abla said. “It cannot be ignored.”

Abla also called for better integration of international aid with “self-aid,” saying Lebanon needed international help but also had to properly implement policies to help meet its developmental goals.

She highlighted strategies that could be used to achieve this, such as institution building, changing the current cliental and sectarian government policies, and increasing the accountability of all institutions.

It wasn’t all bad, as Lebanon has met its goals in literacy rates, family and universal education, and decreasing child mortality rates, the report noted, but the country has also fallen in many other areas.

Randa Hamade, representing the Health Ministry, noted a gap between local and international policy. She stressed that certain changes were needed with regard to health care, including an increase in the role of municipalities, community partnership and integration, wider access to medical centers, and greater local awareness of what is available.

Lebanon currently has 200 primary health care centers, of which 67 percent are run by NGOs, according to Hamade.

As with everything in Lebanon, the Syrian refugee crisis has also affected the ability of primary health care centers to function properly and provide full services as they struggle to deal with hundreds of thousands of extra people seeking medical assistance.

Hamade also mentioned the current security situation, which has led to a number of setbacks in all sectors as the country’s attention has been shifted to car bombs, rocket attacks, and border infiltrations.

“Security is always a concern,” she said.

To try and improve coordination between ministries and local communities in order to meet the country’s development goals, four ministries have signed a memorandum of understanding with the UNDP. The MoU was signed by the ministries of Health, Social Affairs, Education and Interior.

“[This MOU] is for places with needs,” said Helen Clark, visiting UNDP Administrator and former Prime Minister of New Zealand, during the event. She added that “strength in local government and community engagement delivers better results for people.”

Clark noted that before the Syrian war, around 28 percent of the population was living on below $4 a day – well below the poverty line in Lebanon.

Today, that figure is over 33 percent, largely due to the influx of refugees – an influx Clark noted was “the largest per capita host of anywhere in the world.”

Clark earlier met Prime Minister Tammam Salam at the Grand Serail, where she spoke of UNDP’s commitment to continuing and expanding its projects in the country.

According to a statement by the prime minister’s office, Clark talked about Lebanon’s serious need for structural development as a way to both enhance growth and reduce unemployment and poverty.

“Enhancing efforts in this direction has become an urgent need in light of the harsh challenges Lebanon is facing due to the Syrian crisis and the flow of refugees into its territory,” she said.

Salam echoed Clark, highlighting the importance of implementing projects that target Lebanon’s poorest areas, which are currently hosting a disproportionately high number of Syrian refugees.

The prime minister said his office had completed “a list of urgent projects submitted by several ministries that could be used to help and support Lebanon.”

During the meeting Salam thanked the UNDP for supporting Lebanon over the years with wide and effective projects in the areas of administrative reform, as well as social and economic development.

He also spoke of the need to establish a comprehensive approach to initiate sustainable growth for the country in harmony with the millennium goals set by UNDP.

Children council warns against kids abuse

BEIRUT: The Higher Council for Childhood renewed its calls for children to be protected from cyber exploitation in a workshop held Monday at the Rotana Hotel.

The workshop was the result of collaboration between Save the Children and the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

“There are thousands of pictures circulating on the Internet that are considered a violation of a child’s childhood,” said Guillermo Galarza Abizaid, ICMEC’s program director.

He stressed that the authorities, including the government and any organizations tackling human rights issues, should assist in implementing new rules that protect children from cyber abuse: “The responsibility falls on the civil society and security authorities to address the abuse of children through the Internet.”

His comments were echoed by council Secretary-General Rita Karam. “The council’s mission, work and importance [is a result] of the integration with the private sector and security services,” she said.

The representative of Social Affairs Minister Rashid Derbas, Fahmi Karami, explained that with the new technological and educational advancements and the wide availability of portable computers, tablets and smartphones, the Internet had become a vital tool for children.

“With the vastness of the Internet network, the lack of restrictions and the difficulty of prevention, problematic dangers have surfaced,” he said. “The most important problems are those affecting the physical and psychological safety of children.”

According to Karami, this is what had prompted the ministry to take measures through the council in the hope of preventing further abuse.

He urged support and cooperation between the government, local and international civil societies and experts to ensure a strong nation that provided its young with a safe childhood.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Daily Star on September 16, 2014, on page 4.

Advertisement

Welcoming the Third Class of Presidential Innovation Fellows

Ed. note: This is cross-posted on the U.S. General Services Administration's blog. See the original post here.

We recently welcomed the newest group of Presidential Innovation Fellows into the federal government. This diverse group represents some of the nation’s most talented and creative civic-minded innovators.

More than 1,000 candidates applied to serve the country in this unique capacity. From this pool of amazing and incredibly motivated applicants, we selected almost 30 designers, developers, entrepreneurs, and executives to bring their unique skills into government.

You can learn more about this inspiring group of Fellows here.

read more

Vermont rail upgrade grant rejected by feds

MONTPELIER, Vt. -- A Vermont Transportation Agency official said Monday he was disappointed the state didn't get a federal grant that would have helped complete an upgrade to the rail system between Rutland and Burlington, but officials remain committed to restoring passenger rail service to the route.

The agency learned last week that their application for a transportation infrastructure grant of almost $10 million was rejected.

Chris Cole, the agency's director of policy, planning and intermodal development, said they hadn't learned yet why the application was rejected.

"It's a setback," Cole said. "It puts in question the timeline where we had been talking about potentially two to three years getting the train into Burlington, it definitely puts that into question, but I don't believe it jeopardizes the goal of returning passenger rail service to Burlington.

Restoring passenger rail service between Rutland and Burlington has been a goal of the state of Vermont for years. It is seen as an economic development tool, both because for the passengers it would carry and how the improved rail line would better serve the freight trains that use it.

The grant would have helped install continuously welded-rail on the final 11-mile stretch between Rutland and Burlington. The rest of the line has been upgraded or the funding has been identified to pay for the upgrade.

In addition to the upgrades on the rail itself, restoring passenger service would also require upgrading about a dozen road crossings and building a siding for freight trains.

If the Department of Transportation offers the grants again next year, Vermont could apply again, Cole said. Failing that, the state could apply for other federal grants or possibly seek federal loans or consider issuing state bonds to pay for the project.

"We're going to keep working toward it and continue to look for partnerships with the feds," Cole said.

Gas prices drop 3 cents per gallon in Rhode Island

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The price of a gallon of regular gas in Rhode Island has fallen 3 cents to an average of $3.48.

That's according to a weekly survey released Monday by AAA Southern New England.

AAA says despite the drop, gas in Rhode Island is still more expensive on average than in the nation as a whole. The national average for regular unleaded this week is $3.39 per gallon, 9 cents less than in Rhode Island.

The price of gas has fallen 21 cents in Rhode Island since this time last year, when the average price was $3.69 per gallon.

Chinese city creates cellphone sidewalk lane

BEIJING -- Taking a cue from an American TV program, the Chinese city of Chongqing has created a smartphone sidewalk lane, offering a path for those too engrossed in messaging and tweeting to watch where they're going.

But the property manager says it's intended to be ironic — to remind people that it's dangerous to tweet while walking the street.

"There are lots of elderly people and children in our street, and walking with your cellphone may cause unnecessary collisions here," said Nong Cheng, the marketing official with Meixin Group, which manages the area in the city's entertainment zone.

Meixin has marked a 50-meter (165-foot) stretch of pavement with two lanes: one that prohibits cellphone use next to one that allows pedestrians to use them — at their "own risk."

Nong said the idea came from a similar stretch of pavement in Washington D.C. created by National Geographic Television in July as part of a behavior experiment.

She said that pedestrians were not taking the new lanes seriously, but that many were snapping pictures of the signs and sidewalk.

"Those using their cellphones of course have not heeded the markings on the pavement," she said. "They don't notice them."

Johnson Controls shakes up heating, cooling unit

NEW YORK -- Johnson Controls said Monday that it is reorganizing its building efficiency business to drive growth.

The business provides heating and air conditioning systems for buildings.

Johnson Controls said it will separate the unit's North America business from its global products business. Bill Jackson, who was most recently an executive vice president at the company, is taking over as president of the building efficiency business after Dave Myers resigned.

Johnson Controls, based in Milwaukee, makes car interiors, electric car batteries and video surveillance systems.

Shares of Johnson Controls Inc. slipped 55 cents to $46.03 in afternoon trading Monday.

BC-Noon Oil

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Hale calls for unity in the face of chaos

Hale calls for unity in the face of chaos

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Sisi pledges support to Lebanon stability

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Conn. Supreme Court backs wind energy regulation

HARTFORD, Conn. -- The Connecticut Supreme Court announced Monday a unanimous decision backing a state agency regulating wind energy, rejecting a challenge by opponents of a wind project.

The court ruled 6-0 that a trial court was correct to dismiss appeals by opponents of the project by BNE Energy Inc. to build three wind turbines in Colebrook in northwestern Connecticut.

Fair Wind for Connecticut, a group of nearby residents who oppose the project, argued that the state Siting Council incorrectly determined it has jurisdiction and did not have "substantial evidence" to back the height of the wind turbines.

Wind power is a small source of energy in Connecticut, which has neither access to the Atlantic Ocean nor sweeping vistas as in the Plains states to capture wind for power. But Connecticut has plenty of opposition from homeowners who complain about the height of wind turbines, shadows created by sunlight flickering through the turbines' blades, noise and other issues.

"Certainly, we did not expect the ferocity that this particular group brought upon us," said Melanie Bachman, acting executive director of the Siting Council. "We've fulfilled our duty under the legislative act."

Joyce Hemingson, president of Fair Wind for Connecticut, said the Supreme Court decision was "not totally unexpected."

Still, she praised legislators for enacting regulations since the litigation began.

"A lot of good things have happened. Everybody learned something from this," she said.

State lawmakers approved wind power regulations in April, breaking an impasse over energy policy.

The Supreme Court concluded that the trial court properly ruled that the Siting Council had jurisdiction over BNE's application because the projects fell under the jurisdiction of state law. The court cited the General Assembly's passage of legislation in 2011 directing the Siting Council to consult with state energy officials to adopt wind turbine regulations.

BNE Energy did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

The Supreme Court also dismissed opponents' complaints that the Siting Council's approval of turbine heights was not supported by "substantial evidence."

"We conclude that the approval was supported by substantial evidence and that, even if the council improperly allowed BNE to present evidence without providing the plaintiffs with an opportunity for rebuttal, any impropriety was harmless," the justices said.

Here's What a Medal of Honor Presentation at the White House Looks Like:

This afternoon at the White House, President Obama will award the Medal of Honor to Army Command Sergeant Major Bennie G. Adkins and Army Specialist Four Donald P. Sloat for their actions in Vietnam.

Most Americans know that the Medal of Honor is the highest military award that a member of the U.S. armed forces can receive -- but what goes into the actual award ceremony at the White House?

In June, we went behind the scenes as the President presented the Medal of Honor to Cpl. William "Kyle" Carpenter, a retired United States Marine, for his actions during combat operations in Afghanistan.

Take a look here -- and pass it on:

Watch on YouTube

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Grain higher, livestock unchanged

CHICAGO -- Grain futures were higher Monday in early trading on the Chicago Board of Trade.

Wheat for Dec delivery was unchanged at $5.0250 a bushel; Dec corn was unchanged at $3.3850 a bushel; Dec oats were unchanged at $3.4825 a bushel; while Nov soybeans was unchanged at 9.8525 a bushel.

Beef and pork unchanged on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

Dec live cattle was unchanged at $1.5925 pound; Oct feeder cattle was unchanged at 2.2592 a pound; Dec lean hogs unchanged at $.9630 a pound.

Greenwood airport joint agreement vote coming

GREENWOOD, Miss. -- A proposed joint operating agreement for the Greenwood-Leflore Airport Board appears on its way for quick approval by the Greenwood City Council this week.

The Greenwood Commonwealth reported (http://bit.ly/YKSYTK ) the proposed agreement cleared the Leflore County Board of Supervisors last week. It would provide for the airport board — jointly appointed by the city and the county — to approve routine business, including the approval of leases, contracts and repairs, without seeking approval from the council and the supervisors.

City Council President Ronnie Stevenson said the airport board appears to be working well and should be able to conduct limited business without the council acting. He also said grants or contracts could be lost because of the requirement of city and county approval.

Council members Johnny Jennings, Lisa Cookston and Charles McCoy all voiced strong support for the plan and said they'll vote for the new agreement when it comes up for consideration on Tuesday.

Cookston said the Airport Board should have more authority.

"I feel like the board is capable and competent to run an airport," she said. "I know nothing about running an airport. I'm for giving them more autonomy."

McCoy said the proposed agreement will get his vote.

"We don't need to micromanage them. They have their own board, their own lawyer," he said.

Councilman David Jordan opposed giving the board greater autonomy and said having council oversight is healthy.

French Senators to meet Salam and Berri this week

UNDP head meets Salam at the Grand Serail

The United Nations Development Program's projects in Lebanon were the topic of discussion between the program's head,...

Olive Garden defends breadstick policy

NEW YORK -- Olive Garden is defending its practice of giving customers as many breadsticks as they want, saying the policy conveys "Italian generosity."

The remark is part of a response by the chain's parent company, Darden Restaurants Inc., to a nearly 300-page criticism released by hedge fund Starboard Value last week. Starboard took Olive Garden and its management to task for a litany of issues, including its liberal distribution of breadsticks, its failure to salt the water used to boil its pasta and even the length of the asparagus it serves.

Darden's 24-page response doesn't specifically address each of Starboard's criticisms, but states that the company is already implementing a variety of strategies to improve Olive Garden's performance. The company says it has introduced new menu items to underscore value, for instance, and is testing ordering technologies using table-top tablets.

Starboard is lobbying to gain control of Darden's board of directors at the company's annual meeting Oct. 10. Darden, which is based in Orlando, Florida, has struggled to boost sales at Olive Garden with the growing popularity of chains such as Chipotle, where people feel they can get food similar in quality to a sit-down restaurant for less money. Under pressure to boost results, Darden recently sold off Red Lobster, which was doing even worse than Olive Garden. But Starboard and others took issue with the sale and wanted the company's breakup structured differently.

As for its breadsticks, Starboard said last week that Olive Garden was being wasteful because servers weren't sticking to the policy of providing one breadstick per customer, plus an extra for the table. The investor said servers lacked "training and discipline" and were bringing out too many breadsticks at a time, which also led to cold breadsticks. Starboard noted that it wasn't calling for Olive Garden to stop giving away unlimited breadsticks, but simply exercise more control in how they're distributed.

Starboard also said servers were overfilling salad bowls and using too much dressing, which it said drives up costs.

In its response Monday, Darden said that "Olive Garden's salad and breadsticks have been an icon of brand equity since 1982." The company didn't say whether it would change the way salad and breadsticks are brought out, however.

Qatar to help build Lebanon central prison: Areiji

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Rifi urges swift trials for Islamist detainees

BEIRUT: The judiciary should speed up the trials of Islamist prisoners detained in Roumieh prison, Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi said Monday in a statement commemorating the start of the new judicial year.

Rifi called on the judiciary to speed up all trials including trials that have made progress and are near conclusion, saying that justice would prevent "all kinds of violence, chaos and vengeful acts."

ISIS and the Nusra Front, the two groups holding at least 22 soldiers and policemen captured during battles with the Lebanese Army last month, have demanded the release of some 94 Islamist detainees.

The government is working through the Justice Ministry with the judiciary to find “a legal and judicial solution” for the cases of Islamist detainees held in Roumieh prison since 2007 without trial.

The justice minister also urged “fruitful cooperation with the Special Tribunal for Lebanon,” pressing for a swift issuance of verdicts in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005.

Rifi said that despite sizable efforts, the judiciary should do more in order to shoulder its full responsibilities.

“With the start of the new judicial year, we will all strive to further reinforce the role of the judiciary,” Rifi said.

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Tiny college launches $2M fundraising challenge

CRAFTSBURY, Vt. -- A tiny Vermont college that focuses on environmental stewardship is launching a $2 million fundraising challenge.

Sterling College President Matthew Derr said Monday that an anonymous donor has pledged a gift of $1 million for the Craftsbury Common college to be matched by donations from trustees, alumni, and friends.

He says it's the largest single donation in the history of the college.

The donation and fundraising challenge comes after the college announced it had raised $1.7 million in the past fiscal year.

Sterling College has 124 students, one of the smallest four-year schools in the country, but the number is up 25 percent in the last two years.

Sterling College says it was among the first colleges in the country to focus on sustainability.

Office Depot moving its stock to Nasdaq market

NEW YORK -- Office Depot is leaving the New York Stock Exchange to list its stock on the Nasdaq.

The office supplies retailer said Monday that its stock will stop trading on the NYSE at the close of business on Sept. 25, and will start trading on the Nasdaq stock market on Sept. 26.

The company's ticker symbol, "ODP," will remain the same.

Office Depot's Chief Financial Officer Stephen Hare said Nasdaq is providing "cost effective access to a portfolio of tools and services to reach investors."

An Office Depot spokeswoman declined to give a reason for the switch. A spokeswoman for the NYSE, which is owned by Intercontinental Exchange Inc., declined to comment.

Office Depot Inc., based in Boca Raton, Florida, has more than 2,000 stores around the world. In November 2013, the company completed a $1.2 billion merger with rival OfficeMax.

Office Depot shares fell 5 cents to $5.86 in morning trading Monday.

Apple iPhone 6 pre-order demand overwhelms supply

NEW YORK -- Apple says it had more than 4 million pre-orders of its new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in 24 hours, exceeding its initial pre-order supply.

The company says the phones will be delivered to customers starting Friday and throughout September, but many won't be delivered until October.

Phones will be available on a walk-in basis beginning Friday at Apple retail stores. Both phones will also be available beginning Friday from AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless and other carriers and other authorized Apple resellers.

The new phones were announced last week and have larger screens, faster performance, and come equipped with Apple Pay, a contactless payment service. They start at $199 at most wireless providers with a two-year contact.

Official: Shuttered train depot could get overhaul

DETROIT -- An official says the shuttered Michigan Central train depot in Detroit could get $80 million in renovations over the next three years.

The Detroit Free Press reports (http://on.freep.com/1y5UJdI ) Detroit International Bridge Co. President Dan Stamper disclosed the plan last week while before Detroit City Council.

Depot owner Manuel (Matty) Moroun also owns the nearby Ambassador Bridge. The depot was built in 1913 and fell into disrepair after rail service ended in 1988. It stands, mostly hollowed out, just outside of downtown. Moroun bought the building in 1990s.

The building was designed by the same architects responsible for New York's Grand Central Terminal. Over the years, plans to turn the Michigan Central train depot into a casino, a headquarters for Detroit police and a trade center haven't materialized.

Airbus officials meet with Ohio businesses

DAYTON, Ohio -- Officials of the aircraft manufacturer Airbus planned to meet Monday with representatives of nearly 100 Ohio companies to talk about doing more business with them.

Airbus officials arranged the meeting with companies at a procurement conference in suburban Dayton to promote and facilitate increased business between the state's aerospace manufacturers and Airbus.

Airbus spent $14.4 billion last year on aircraft-related procurement in the U.S. That includes $6.1 billion in Ohio, the company's No. 1 supplier state, according to the Dayton Daily News (http://bit.ly/1APQ8Zm ). Airbus' procurement spending in Ohio increased more than 19 percent last year.

Airbus intends to nearly double that spending amount in the U.S. by 2020 to meet growing global demand for more fuel-efficient jets.

France-based Airbus forecasts air traffic will grow 4.7 percent annually over the next 20 years, requiring 29,200 new passenger and freighter aircraft to be built, including 10,400 to replace existing planes with more efficient ones, at a total value of nearly $4.4 trillion.

American rival Boeing Co. forecasts long-term demand for 36,770 new aircraft, valued at $5.2 trillion, including 15,500 to replace older, less efficient models.

Ohio has more than 1,200 private companies in the aerospace and defense industry, and directly employs over 130,000 full-time aerospace and aviation workers, according to JobsOhio, the state's private economic development agency.

Airbus held three previous supplier summits in 2009 and 2010 in Cleveland, Columbus and in the Dayton suburb of Kettering. This year, the company is hosting one statewide conference at the National Composite Center in Kettering.

Track signing ceremony planned for rail project

DETROIT -- Two 5-foot sections of steel streetcar tracks will be signed during a ceremony celebrating the public-private partnership behind Detroit's M-1 Rail project.

The track signing is scheduled Monday morning at Grand Circus Park.

It will follow a keynote address by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx. Other federal, state and local officials including Gov. Rick Snyder and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan are expected to attend.

The 3.3-mile project is designed to link downtown Detroit to the city's New Center area. It's scheduled for completion in 2016.

The federal government announced a $12 million grant last week to help complete the $140 million light rail line which will have 16 curbside and four median passenger stations. It is expected to spur economic and job growth along the Woodward Corridor.

Wealth gap report paints grim picture for Oregon

By JONATHAN J. COOPER The Associated Press

SALEM, Ore. -- A new report showing that rising income inequality could negatively affect state tax revenue comes amid a push by Gov. John Kitzhaber, legislative Democrats and others to overhaul Oregon's tax code.

With no sales tax and property taxes constrained by 1990s ballot measures, Oregon relies on the income tax for nearly $7 of every $10 it collects — more than any other state.

A report released Monday by the credit rating agency Standard & Poor's suggests that income tax-reliant states like Oregon face a future of declining growth in state revenue. That could force the state to severely cut services or raise tax rates, particularly on the wealthiest taxpayers, as Oregon lawmakers have done twice in the past five years.

Between 1950 and 1979, Oregon tax revenue grew on average 9.49 percent per year, according to S&P's report. The figure has decreased in subsequent decades, and since 2009, annual revenue growth has averaged 6.52 percent. Meanwhile, since 1980, the share of total income going to the top 1 percent of earners has doubled, now reaching about 20 percent.

Since wealthy taxpayers tend to earn most of their money from capital gains, relying more on them is likely to tie Oregon's revenue more closely to the volatility of financial markets, the S&P report suggests. Oregon's reliance on a single revenue source already contributes to a volatile revenue stream that spikes when the economy is churning and sputters during rough patches.

Kitzhaber, a Democrat seeking re-election this year, has been working for more than a year to get union and business lobbies to set aside their longstanding animosities and compromise on a more diverse tax system. He's also working with pollsters and Republican and Democratic political consultants to come up with a plan that has a strong chance of passing muster with voters.

Local governments are pushing to loosen up on restrictions that voters added to the state constitution, which limit growth in property tax revenue. And some economists advocate a sales tax to diversify Oregon's revenue sources.

Kitzhaber has long advocated a sales tax, but he's also recently acknowledged that it would be a major political hurdle and may be unfeasible. Oregonians, after all, have rejected a sales tax nine times in the past century.

The S&P report found that states that are highly dependent on the sales tax area also likely to face declines in revenue growth under higher income inequality. That's because wealthy taxpayers spend a smaller share of their income on taxable goods.

Three Malaysians arrested over fake credit cards in Beirut

BEIRUT: Police Monday have appealed for victims of three Malaysian fraudsters to come forward and press charges against the suspects, who used fake credit cards to purchase jewelry and watches in Beirut.

In a statement, the Internal Security Forces said they arrested the three Malaysian men after they went on a shopping spree at several shops in Downtown Beirut using 48 fake credit cards.

The three confessed to the crime and told police the name of the Malaysian man who had provided them with the cards.

The Malaysian mastermind behind the scam had asked the three to come to Lebanon for a few days to purchase expensive items using the credit cards, the detainees told investigators.

They also said that they used the credit cards at the hotel the stayed in, as well as some restaurants and shops.

Police have asked citizens to contact the following numbers: 01-290881 or 01-293683.

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Microsoft to buy Minecraft maker for $2.5 billion

NEW YORK -- Microsoft will acquire the maker of the popular game Minecraft for $2.5 billion.

The technology company said it will buy Stockholm-based game maker Mojang. Minecraft, which lets users build in and explore a virtual world, has been downloaded 100 million times on PC alone since its launch in 2009. It is the most popular online game on Xbox, and the top paid app for Apple's iOS and Google's Android operating system in the U.S.

The deal is expected to close in late 2014. Microsoft expects the acquisition to be break-even in fiscal 2015.

Microsoft is primarily known for business software like Word and Outlook. But this acquisition will help Microsoft expand its gaming division which also includes game franchises such as the "Halo" shooter game and "Forza" racing game.

For fans, college football poses wedding dilemma

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Emily Younker isn't getting married until next year but she's already made sure the date doesn't conflict with college football and sent one invitation: To Big Al, the elephant mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide.

College football poses a huge dilemma for brides and grooms in states like Alabama where college football reigns supreme: Get married on a Saturday, when friends and relatives might pick football over the ceremony, or watch the game?

Or, perhaps, do both?

From the start of the season in late August until early December, when conference championships are played, some couples avoid Saturday nuptials altogether to ensure friends and relatives will attend rather than skip out for college football. After all, it's tough to sit quietly in a pew when 101,000 fans are screaming for your team in a stadium a few miles away.

Many couples take the risk and have TVs at the reception to keep guests happy, and it's not unheard of to see a groomsman in a tuxedo wearing an earbud as he listens to a game on his smartphone. But the choicest fall wedding date isn't when the leaves are turning colors, planners say, it's when your team has an open Saturday on the schedule.

For Younker, an Alabama fan like her fiance, the answer was simple: Wed Brandon Cutts on June 20, 2015, before football begins. That way, guests won't have to decide whether to attend a game or the wedding; she won't have to miss a game to get married; and a student dressed as Big Al — who will appear at a wedding in his Crimson Jersey for a $400 fee — can appear at the wedding for photos.

And, as a bonus, Younker won't have to cope with the in-season passions of her mom's family, who are Tennessee fans; her dad's family, which pulls for South Carolina; and her brother, who attends Auburn.

"We decided to just do it during the summer and incorporate football into it," said Younker, a second-grade teacher in Montgomery. "I'd rather deal with the heat than with football schedules."

While professional football is huge in the North and Midwest, college football is the biggest game in town across the South, in Texas and in Plains states like Oklahoma and Nebraska. In the fall, life revolves around the college schedule as fans tailgate outside stadiums on Saturday or have game-watching parties in homes and bars.

With the average wedding costing nearly $30,000 last year according to a survey by XO Group Inc., which operates the wedding website TheKnot.com, couples aren't willing to risk having leftover food and drinks should guest decide to watch college football rather than attend the ceremony.

In Dallas, longtime wedding planner Micki Novak said fall weddings often are planned around the Texas and Southern Methodist football schedules, but she's also booked the Horned Frog mascot of Texas Christian to appear at couple of receptions.

During the fall, Novak heads off one potential problem during wedding rehearsals by telling groomsmen not to watch or listen to the game on their smartphone during the ceremony. But what about a couple who insists on getting married on the Saturday of the Texas-Oklahoma game?

"If you are silly enough to plan a wedding on that weekend you are going to run into transportation problems and all sorts of other things," said Novak, executive director of the American Association of Certified Wedding Planners.

Professional wedding planner Kavonda L. Rogers of Montgomery said "World War III" nearly broke out a few years ago when a bride settled on a wedding date not realizing it was the same day as the South's oldest football rivalry game, Auburn-Georgia.

"It was intense. People were saying, 'No, you have to move the wedding. You can't do this,'" said Rogers.

The solution: Rogers arranged for a big-screen television to be turned on in a room right off the reception area. At game time, most of the men left the reception to huddle around the TV.

Boston wedding planner Alexis Eliopoulos O'Mara said the only time she worries about a college football conflict is when a couple might want to get married at Boston College on a game day. Even then, it's not much of a concern because there are so many other factors to consider in a major city.

"College football isn't a big deal," said O'Mara, of Unique Weddings by Alexis. "People are much more into pro football up here, and they don't build campuses around football stadiums like they do in the South."

Coroner: Bitcoin exchange CEO committed suicide

SINGAPORE -- A Singapore Coroner's Court has found that the American CEO of a virtual currency exchange committed suicide earlier this year in Singapore because of work and personal issues.

The death on Feb. 26 of 28-year-old Autumn Radtke triggered media interest because it occurred not long after the high-profile collapse of the Mt. Gox bitcoin exchange in Tokyo.

The report released Monday said that Radtke was "determined to end her life and had made concerted efforts toward facilitating this outcome," including by researching suicide methods on the Internet.

"The magnitude of the issues on the work and personal front had taken a toll on her," it said.

Details of the coroner's findings were reported on the website of the Singapore state broadcaster Channel NewsAsia.

It said Radtke died from multiple injuries sustained from her fall from an apartment building.

Radtke's startup company, First Meta, allowed users of virtual currencies such as bitcoin to trade and cash out the currencies. It is one of several such exchanges.

Jumblatt calls for a revival of Army conscription

BEIRUT: The Lebanese Government should consider reinstating Army conscription, MP Walid Jumblatt said Monday, arguing that the move would reinforce the military during times of need.

Jumblatt urged parties to adopt mandatory military service as a means of reinforcing Army reserves. This, the Progressive Socialist party leader said, was necessary in the absence of sufficient financial resources to fund all state expenses, including the cost of volunteers in security institutions.

Previously, conscription in Lebanon meant men were required to enlist in the Army for a one year period.

On May 4, 2005 this period was shortened to a six-month service, and there was a pledge to end conscription within two years.

As of February 10, 2007 mandatory military service no longer existed in Lebanon, meaning the Army is made up entirely of those who volunteered to enlist.

Jumblatt’s concern for the military did not stop at the lack of reserves, the PSP chief also urged all parties to pledge their full support for the institution, after northern MPs voiced their skepticism of the Army's role following clashes last month with militants in Arsal.

Speaking on the international coalition tasked with fighting terrorism in Iraq and Syria, Jumblatt said that “the features of the western and Arab plan to battle what is known as the Islamic State are ambiguous and incomplete.”

The PSP head said that while Lebanon awaits detailed clarifications of the plan, the country still shoulders a large burden in fighting terrorism, which necessitates swift logistic and military support.

The need for further aid however, does not overshadow the importance of previous aid commitments, with the PSP leader asking for updates concerning Saudi Arabia’s pledged Army support.

“Why is there an absence of news about the three billion dollar aid?” he asked.

Gilead to license generic version of Sovaldi

Gilead Sciences has reached a deal with several generic drugmakers to produce cheaper versions of its popular, expensive hepatitis C drug Sovaldi for use in developing countries.

Gilead said Monday that the India-based drugmakers will make a generic version of Sovaldi, also known as sofosbuvir, and another investigational drug for distribution in 91 countries.

Sovaldi hit the U.S. market late last year, and Gilead has taken criticism over the $1,000-per-pill price attached to the drug, which has been hailed as a breakthrough treatment. A full course of treatment can cost $84,000.

Hepatitis C is a liver-destroying virus carried by an estimated 3 million to 4 million Americans. Until late last year, the standard treatments required taking up to 12 pills a day, alongside antiviral drug injections that can cause flu-like symptoms. That approach cured only about 75 percent of patients.

U.S. regulators approved Sovaldi last December, and it was quickly embraced by physicians based on its once-a-day pill regimen and increased effectiveness, curing between 80 percent and 90 percent of patients.

The drug is expected to generate several billion dollars in sales this year alone for Foster City, California-based Gilead. The drugmaker has said that Sovaldi's costs for payers will be recouped over the long term as fewer patients suffer liver failure and transplant complications. It also has said it offers financial assistance to patients who cannot afford the drug and related insurance costs.

Even so, Congressional leaders have criticized the drug's pricing, and some state-based Medicaid plans are scaling back access to the treatment.

Gilead Sciences Inc. did not detail the price on the generic version of Sovaldi to be sold in developing markets.

The Indian companies, which include Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd. and Mylan Laboratories Ltd., will pay sales royalties to Gilead. They will receive a technology transfer that helps them start production quickly.

Gilead's agreement also covers another treatment, a single tablet combination of sofosbuvir and another antiviral drug, ledipasvir. Regulators in both the United States and Europe are currently reviewing that combination.

Shares of Gilead slipped $1.11 to $102.55 in premarket trading Monday about 90 minutes before markets opened. But the stock had already climbed 38 percent so far this year, as of Friday's close.

Bassil, Kerry discuss Lebanon role in combating terrorism

Israel sees mass Hezbollah incursion in future fight

A future war with Hezbollah could see the group cross the border in strength and seize Israeli territory, a senior...

Health Ministry to audit hospital medical bills

BEIRUT: The Health Ministry issued a warning to hospitals tampering with medical bills, announcing that it was sending doctors to audit the receipts and ensure they are transparent.

Doctors have been sent by the ministry to affiliated hospitals in order to audit “their work and the way they carry out the duties required of them,” Health Minister Wael Abou Faour said in a statement released Monday.

The auditing doctors should be meticulous in their observations, and must also ensure the sound treatment of patients, the health minister added.

Working on the ministry's behalf, the doctors should also audit the hospitals' medical bills, and reject any illegal fees added on to the receipts for the hospitals' private benefit.

The health minister also called on “hospitals to abide by contracts signed with the ministry, with regards to receiving all patients without exception.”

He called on patients to abstain from paying “any additional fee that goes beyond the actual value of the medical bill,” urging citizens to contact the ministry if they suspect any violation.

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Meridian council to vote on health insurance plan

MERIDIAN, Miss. -- Meridian city officials could choose a different carrier for employees' health insurance when the city council meets on Tuesday.

The mayor and council have heard recent proposals from the city's existing carrier, Fox-Everette and from United Healthcare.

Fox-Everette representatives told the council their prices are competitive and there was a cost-saving measure for dialysis that could save between $35,000 and $40,000 on claims each month.

United Healthcare representatives said they could save the city at least 8 percent in costs.

Of the approximately 550 full time employees, The Meridian Star reports (http://bit.ly/1oO9ZlK) 431 have the city's health policy.

Medical program added at William Carey

HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- William Carey University will soon offer a doctorate in physical therapy.

WDAM-TV reports (http://bit.ly/1nRgC6K ) the university's board of trustees must raise $1.5 million to get the program started.

University officials say the program would be housed in the Thomas Business Building. Classes could begin as soon as fall 2015.

William Carey President Tommy King says a program director and other staff have been hired and more will be added.

He says the Thomas Business Building will need renovation to prepare for the new program.

The board also is considering adding a school of pharmacy that would be based at the university's Gulf Coast campus.

Hillary Clinton Keeps Iowa Crowd Guessing About Her Presidential Plans

i i

Former Sec. of State Hillary Clinton, former President Bill Clinton and U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin work the grill during Harkin's annual fundraising Steak Fry in Indianola, Iowa, on Sunday. Charlie Neibergall/ASSOCIATED PRESS hide caption

itoggle caption Charlie Neibergall/ASSOCIATED PRESS

Former Sec. of State Hillary Clinton, former President Bill Clinton and U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin work the grill during Harkin's annual fundraising Steak Fry in Indianola, Iowa, on Sunday.

Charlie Neibergall/ASSOCIATED PRESS

Hillary Clinton, who has a huge lead in many early presidential polls, returned to Iowa on Sunday. The woman who says she has not yet decided on a 2016 presidential run appeared along with former President Bill Clinton in a state she has not visited since she lost the 2008 Iowa caucuses to Barack Obama.

Her speech at the annual steak fry hosted by U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, a must-attend event for state Democratic activists, revealed little about her intentions. But also did nothing to dampen the widespread believe that will indeed run.

Harkin has hosted his steak fry for 37 years. Sunday's was his last, because he'll leave office in January after five terms. The buzz in the crowd, however, was all about Hillary Clinton. The group Ready For Hillary — call them a pre-campaign organization — was everywhere with yard signs, bumper stickers and more.

Cindy Pollard, 57, wasn't looking for a new Hillary T-shirt — she was wearing the one she's had since Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign.

"I was a precinct captian for Hillary. I've been decided. These people are wearing these Ready Ror Hillary. I have been ready," Pollard says.

It was a gorgeous September Iowa day as the event took place on a huge open field in Indianola. The stage featured a giant American flag and bales of straw. In the background, rolling hills and corn fields.

After speeches by Iowa Democrats running in 2014 for the U.S. Senate, Congress and governor, Sen. Harkin spoke, and then he introduced Hillary Clinton.

He mentioned her new memoir: "There are 25 chapters in the book. I'm here to tell you that there are many more chapters to be written in the amazing life of Hillary Clinton."

As the crowd chanted her name, Clinton stepped up to the microphone: "Hello Iowa. I'm baaaack."

"Now when Tom Harkin called and asked me to come, I have to admit I wasn't sure what to say. I've got a few things on my mind these days," Clinton said.

She noted that she and Bill are on grandchild watch as daughter Chelsea is expecting this month. Then Clinton got to the big thing on this crowd's mind.

"And then of course, there's that other thing," she said playfully as the crowd cheered.

"It is true I am thinking about it," she added, "But for today that is not why I'm here," she added as the crowd groaned.

"I'm here for the steak," Clinton said.

Nobody expected her to announce anything here. Still, nobody in the crowd seemed to doubt she's running. And some were as coy as Clinton herself about their intentions as voters.

Linda Dedecker, who's wearing a Clinton button, is an accountant from Ames. "I'm considering her," she says but, "I don't know who else is going to run."

Dedecker insists it's important that Clinton really campaign in Iowa — meeting people face to face. There was a sense eight years ago that she and her advisers didn't fully appreciate the states caucus system. Back then she was the front-runner in the race but stumbled to a third place finish in the caucuses.

Karen Hill of Marshaltown — a potential supporter — offers this advice for 2016: "Don't take anything for granted — come and hang out with us for a while."

Also at the steak fry, there was a table set up on behalf of the push to get Sen. Elizabeth Warren into the race as what her backers call a progressive alternative to Clinton. One Warren supporter said it's important not to anoint Clinton so early — before anyone has officially declared that they are running.

Cognizant buying TriZetto for $2.7 billion

TEANECK, N.J. -- Cognizant will buy the health care software company TriZetto for $2.7 billion in cash.

Privately held TriZetto Corp. is based in Englewood, Colorado. The company and its 3,700 workers will join Cognizant's existing health care information technology business, the company said Monday.

The information technology consulting and outsourcing company is expecting the acquisition to significantly accelerate its market position. Health care currently makes up about 26 percent of Cognizant's revenue.

Company President Gordon Coburn said that the deal will provide an opportunity to integrate across traditional IT services; high-growth businesses such as management consulting, business process services and IT infrastructure services and emerging delivery models.

The Teaneck company plans to finance the transaction with available cash and debt. It is expected to close in the fourth quarter and immediately add to earnings.

Shares of Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. rose $1.33, or 3 percent, to $46.09 in premarket trading.

Growing Our Economy and Strengthening Our Financial System

Six years ago today, Wall Street was rocked by a financial crisis that culminated in the bankruptcy filing of Lehman Brothers, the largest in U.S. history. The financial crisis resulted in the longest and deepest recession the American economy had experienced in 60 years. While more work remains to continue digging out of the deep hole that was left by the crisis, this week offers a chance to reflect on the significant progress that has been made since then in strengthening the economy and reforming the financial sector.

To understand how far we have come, it is important to remember the dark days that marked the beginning of the financial crisis. In the span of a few weeks in 2008, many of our nation's largest financial institutions failed or were acquired to avoid insolvency. Capital markets froze, and the availability of credit for mortgages, student, auto, and small business loans was drastically reduced. The recession ultimately eliminated nearly 9 million jobs, threatened the American auto industry, and shrank the economy by hundreds of billions of dollars. The crisis was the result of many factors, including an overvalued housing market, predatory lending practices, thinly capitalized financial institutions that took big risks, and a regulatory system that was outdated and unequipped to meet modern challenges.

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Danish TDC to buy Norway's Get for $2.2 billion

HELSINKI -- Danish TDC telecom group says it plans to acquire Norway's leading cable TV company Get AS, in a deal valued at 13.8 billion kroner ($2.2 billion).

TDC says the transaction would provide "considerable synergy opportunities" and will make it Scandinavia's largest communication and home entertainment company with some 1.7 million households in Denmark and Norway.

TDC has around 1.2 million TV customers of whom about 500,000 are also broadband customers, while Get serves 500,000 households and businesses in Norway.

TDC said Monday that Get has delivered double-digit percentage growth almost every year since 2000 and is one of "the most innovative and profitable" cable TV companies in Europe.

The transaction, expected to close by the end of the year, is subject to approval by Norway's competition authorities.

Heineken rejects SABMiller takeover bid

AMSTERDAM -- Family-controlled brewer Heineken says it has rejected a takeover bid by rival SABMiller.

In a statement issued late Sunday night, the Dutch brewer said the Heineken family informed SABMiller it intends "to preserve the heritage and identity of Heineken as an independent company."

Heineken did not release any details of the SABMiller bid.

Heineken is the world's third largest brewer while SABMiller, producer of brands including Miller Genuine Draft and Grolsch, is the second largest.

Anheuser-Busch InBev, famous for its Budweiser and Corona brands, is the world's largest brewer.

In February, Heineken reported a 52 percent fall in net profit for 2013, to 1.36 billion euros from 2012, when it booked a one-time gain of 1.49 billion euros on its Asian Pacific Breweries business.

Detroit bankruptcy trial set to resume after break

DETROIT -- A judge is set to resume Detroit's bankruptcy trial after a three-day break tied to a settlement with a major creditor.

Judge Steven Rhodes is hearing evidence to help him decide whether Detroit's plan is fair to creditors and feasible for the city in the years ahead. He suspended the trial last week until Monday.

The timeout allowed Detroit to iron out settlement details with bond insurer Syncora and other parties and also to try to reach a deal with another bond insurer.

The judge has been hearing testimony about years of neglect in the police and fire departments and a plan to pump millions of dollars into each.

Emergency manager Kevyn Orr still is expected to testify as well as an expert hired by the judge.

Envelopes in Marriott hotels invite tips for maids

By BETH J. HARPAZ The Associated Press

NEW YORK -- Do you leave a tip in your hotel room for the maid? Marriott is launching a program with Maria Shriver to put envelopes in hotel rooms to encourage tipping.

The campaign, called "The Envelope Please," begins this week. Envelopes will be placed in 160,000 rooms in the U.S. and Canada. Some 750 to 1,000 hotels will participate from Marriott brands like Courtyard, Residence Inn, J.W. Marriott, Ritz-Carlton and Renaissance hotels.

The name of the person who cleans the room will be written on the envelope along with a message: "Our caring room attendants enjoyed making your stay warm and comfortable. Please feel free to leave a gratuity to express your appreciation for their efforts."

Shriver, who founded an organization called A Woman's Nation that aims to empower women, says many travelers don't realize tipping hotel room attendants is customary. "There's a huge education of the traveler that needs to occur," she said. "If you tell them, they ask, 'How do I do that?'" She said envelopes make it easy for guests to leave cash for the right person in a secure way.

So how much should you leave? Marriott International CEO Arne Sorenson says $1 to $5 per night, depending on room rate, with more for a high-priced suite.

Michael Lynn, a professor at Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration, says his research shows that "30 percent of people stiff the maid," while 70 percent said they usually leave a tip.

Sorenson noted that housekeepers "are less frequently tipped" than other hotel workers because they do an "invisible task." In contrast, workers who carry bags, hail cabs and park cars tend to get tipped because they "make a personal connection" with guests, he said.

Rosario Rodriguez, who works as a housekeeper at Marriott's Times Square hotel, says many guests don't tip and welcomes the envelope campaign as "a good idea."

Jessica Lynn Strosky of DuBois, Pennsylvania, who earns $7.75 an hour cleaning rooms at a hotel that's not a Marriott, says only 1 in 15 or 20 guests leaves a tip. When they do, it's a dollar or two; she's lucky to get $20 a week in tips. "I've talked to lots of people who say they don't know they are supposed to tip," she said.

Unlike waitresses who earn less than minimum wage because tips are expected to raise their earnings, hotel housekeepers are paid minimum wage, and in expensive markets, substantially more. In Washington D.C., Sorenson said, Marriott housekeepers start in the mid-teens per hour.

Not everyone applauds the envelope concept. "It is not Marriott's responsibility to remind customers to tip; it's their responsibility to pay their workers enough so that tips aren't necessary," said author Barbara Ehrenreich, who tried working as a hotel maid for her 2001 book "Nickel and Dimed," which chronicled her experiences in low-wage jobs.

But Scott Lazerson, 42, who lives in Sundance, Utah, said he "had no idea" tipping was customary until his wife told him on a recent trip to Orlando. He said he "feels stupid" for not knowing all these years, and added: "Yes, the hotel industry needs to do a campaign about it."

Global stocks down after weak China data

BEIJING -- World stock markets sank Monday on weak Chinese economic data as investors looked ahead to a U.S. Federal Reserve meeting and Scotland's independence referendum.

KEEPING SCORE: Germany's DAX was little changed at 9,650.62 and France's CAC-40 declined 0.3 percent to 4,428.59. Britain's FTSE 100 shed 0.1 percent to 6,800.15. Wall Street appeared set for more losses. Standard & Poor's 500 futures were down 0.2 percent and Dow futures fell 0.1 percent. On Friday, the S&P lost 0.6 percent, the Dow lost 0.4 percent and the Nasdaq composite declined 0.5 percent.

CHINESE SLOWDOWN: Weak data released on the weekend fueled concern China's economic slowdown is deepening, prompting hopes for stimulus spending on construction or other projects. Industrial production in August grew at its slowest rate since the 2008-09 global financial crisis. Investment in infrastructure and manufacturing also slowed. Data reported earlier showed credit growing more slowly than forecast. Royal Bank of Scotland trimmed its growth forecast for China this year from 7.2 percent to 7.1 percent.

ASIA'S DAY: Hong Kong's Hang Seng sank 1 percent to 24,356.99 and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 lost 1 percent to 5,473.50. China's Shanghai Composite rebounded from losses, possibly driven by hopes for government stimulus, to end the day up 0.3 percent at 2,339.14. India's Sensex was off 0.7 percent at 26,858.92. Singapore, Seoul, Jakarta and Taipei also fell. Tokyo was closed for a holiday.

THE QUOTE: "The Chinese data pack for August was a major disappointment. Growth momentum suffered a further, significant deceleration. Capital spending was hit particularly hard, mostly due to a deepening downturn in real estate. Largely as a result, industrial output slowed unusually sharply," said Credit Acrigole CIB in a report.

FED MEETING: Members of the Fed's board are due to meet Tuesday and Wednesday and investors will be watching for any change in their guidance about the future direction for interest rates. Analysts have warned over the past week that the Fed might raise interest rates sooner than expected but say such a change still could be some way off.

US GROWTH: Industrial production data for August due out Monday were expected to show growth of 0.3 percent over the previous month, compared with July's 0.4 percent expansion.

SCOTLAND'S CHOICE: Scots vote Thursday on whether to leave the United Kingdom, and investors were on edge about the possible impact on the British pound, trade and finance. Financial institutions including the Royal Bank of Scotland and insurer Standard Life plan to transfer some operations across the border into England to ensure they remain part of British tax and currency systems.

CURRENCIES: The dollar declined to 107.25 yen from the previous session's closing of 107.31. The euro edged down to $1.2923 from the previous session's $1.2959.

ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. oil was down 68 cents a barrel at $91.59 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange on expectations of weaker demand as concern about fighting in Iraq and tensions over Ukraine eased. Brent crude, used to price international oils, declined 34 cents to $97.61.