Independent Online reports that Equatorial Guinea's President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo said the trial of four men sentenced to death for an attack on the presidential palace was "open" and "fair."

According to Independent Online, in statement released by the government based on a speech when he opened parliament, President Obiang said "the laws governing Equatorial Guinea were respected and implemented, as well as the procedures of a legal, open and fair trial, with all guarantees of a defense team and recourse that might have been necessary."

"The verdict handed down" at the end of the trial that began on August 13 "is no different from in trials that take place in other parts of the world," President Obiang said according to Independent Online.

Independent Online also states that President Obiang said the main purpose of laws and courts was to keep the peace and security, with "a political and social balance, and economic development for the well-being of the people. If for this, we need to take exceptional measures, we will do it whenever's called for."

"The death penalty has not been abolished," he stressed as reported by Independent Online. "Pardons and reductions in sentences do not signify a weakness or tolerance in our judicial system, but rather an effort to rehabilitate those who have violated the principles that underpin the state of law in Equatorial Guinea."

About Equatorial Guinea

The Republic of Equatorial Guinea (Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial) is the only Spanish-speaking country in Africa, and one of the smallest nations on the continent. In the late-1990s, American companies helped discover the country's oil and natural gas resources, which only within the last five years began contributing to the global energy supply. Equatorial Guinea is now working to serve as a pillar of stability and security in its region of West Central Africa. The country will host the 2011 Summit of the African Union. For more information, visit http://www.guineaecuatorialpress.com.

This has been distributed by Qorvis Communications, LLC on behalf of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea. More information on this relationship is on file at the United States Department of Justice, Washington, DC.

SOURCE Republic of Equatorial Guinea

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Opposing any changes to the tax code that would encourage trial attorneys to file more lawsuits and add to the overall cost of health care, the American Medical Association (AMA) and 90 medical organizations sent a letter to the U.S. Treasury Department.  The organizations oppose a policy under consideration that would allow trial attorneys nationwide to deduct litigation expenses from their taxes in certain cases. 

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20081209/AMALOGO)

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081209/AMALOGO)

"Changing the tax policy to allow trial attorneys to deduct court costs and other expenses would cost taxpayers $1.5 billion and increase the cost of health care in our nation," said J. James Rohack, M.D., AMA Immediate Past-President.  "This change would encourage trial attorneys to file more lawsuits."

The federal government should not create new incentives for attorneys to bring lawsuits.  A recent report by the AMA found 95 medical liability claims filed for every 100 physicians. Currently, 65 percent of medical liability claims are dropped or dismissed.  Average defense costs range up to more than $100,000 and take physicians away from patient care.  

"Any increase in the number of lawsuits filed will add unnecessary costs to our health care system," Dr. Rohack said.  "Many physicians are forced to practice defensive medicine to protect themselves from meritless lawsuits.  The U.S. government estimates the cost of defensive medicine to be between $70-126 billion per year."

"Any change to the tax code that encourages more lawsuits is a step in the wrong direction for our health care system," Dr. Rohack said.  "Instead, the AMA supports proven medical liability reforms already working in California and Texas, as well as testing for innovative reform models, to reduce health care costs and keep physicians caring for patients. The Congressional Budget Office found that medical liability reforms that include a quarter-million dollar cap on non-economic damages would reduce the federal budget deficit by about $54 billion over ten years.  As our nation works to reduce the growth in health care costs, it's clear that medical liability reform must be part of the solution."

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About the American Medical Association (AMA)

The American Medical Association helps doctors help patients by uniting physicians nationwide to work on the most important professional, public health and health policy issues. The nation's largest physician organization plays a leading role in shaping the future of medicine. For more information on the AMA, please visit www.ama-assn.org.

SOURCE American Medical Association

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Indiana today filed papers with the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles becoming the fifth government entity to decline to intervene in a lawsuit brought against JM Eagle, the world's largest producer of plastic pipe, on behalf of a fired ex-JM Eagle employee by the law firm Phillips & Cohen LLP.  In filing a pleading with the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, Indiana joins California, where the suit was filed, Florida, Massachusetts as well as the federal government in declining to intervene in the case.

Eleven states and the District of Columbia were named by the plaintiff's counsel as "real parties in interest" – a listing that essentially invited those states and D.C. to join, or "intervene," in the lawsuit. Only four states have chosen to do so while three states and D.C. are still deciding.  The decision by four large states and the federal government to opt out of direct participation in the case supports the growing perception that the case against JM Eagle is unfounded.

The U.S. government conducted its own intensive three-year investigation of JM Eagle's products and quality-control processes and declined to join the case in February. Federal statistics show that 94 percent of these kinds of lawsuits are eventually dismissed when the federal government chooses not to get involved.

"We are gratified that Indiana was not persuaded by the dishonest pressure campaign directed at states by the plaintiff's contingency-fee law firm.  This large state has stood up for what is right in human nature by deciding not to intervene in this baseless, frivolous lawsuit," said Neal Gordon, JM Eagle's vice president of marketing. "We are confident that as more states and local governments learn about the facts of the case they also will see no benefit in intervening."

A few points in addition:

* Results of recent tests by the independent Jana Laboratories confirm the quality and reliability of JM Eagle PVC pressure pipe - both currently and during the period covered by the lawsuit. The lab conducted the tests on pipe from the same batch provided to the federal government for its own inquiry. The company's pipe has been certified by the industry-standard certification bodies NSF International and UL to meet all long-term strength requirements. In addition, the number of claims against the company's pipe over the last 10 years was miniscule - at a rate of less than one-tenth of one percent and most of those claims related to installation or other non-manufacturing errors.

* In a serious blow to the central claim in the lawsuit (and as alluded to above), one of the plaintiff's key witnesses denied in a sworn statement ever saying that JM Eagle intentionally compromised the quality of its pipe. After reading quotes from the Second Amended Complaint that were falsely attributed to him by Phillips and Cohen, Brian Wang, a long time plant manager, gave a sworn affidavit claiming the falsity of the quotes. Wang denied under oath that JM ever sacrificed pipe quality by using cheaper ingredients, speeding up production or failing to replace parts on extruders. Wang, who is the most senior JM Eagle employee listed in the lawsuit's Second Amended Complaint, worked for J-M Manufacturing - now JM Eagle - from 1984 to June 2006, including as a plant manager at three of the company's 22 plants.

* JM Eagle has spent more than $350 million in the last 15 years to deploy the most modern manufacturing practices and equipment available to ensure that its products set the standard for superior quality in the plastic-pipe industry. The company recently announced a capital-improvement project budgeted at $20 million to further improve its manufacturing facilities this year alone.

* In addition to its own rigorous in-house testing, JM Eagle is subjected to more than 400 unannounced audits and inspections each year across its 22 plants, conducted by reputable, independent agencies including Underwriters Laboratories, NSF, Factory Mutual (FM), International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), Canadian Standards Association (CSA) and International Organization for Standardization (ISO).    

* JM Eagle recently announced an unprecedented 50-year warranty against manufacturing defects for its pipe products. This warranty-unmatched by any other pipe manufacturer-is a significant first step toward rebuilding the nation's crumbling infrastructure and proof the company stands 100 percent behind its pipe.    

* Vendors and suppliers providing various raw materials and equipment have issued letters verifying the quality of the products used by JM Eagle in the manufacture of its plastic pipes. In fact, these letters confirm that all plastic pipe manufacturers use essentially the same standards-compliant raw materials to make their products as JM Eagle. This is in direct opposition to claims made in the lawsuit, which alleges that JM Eagle used inferior or non-standard materials in order to trim costs.

* There is clear evidence that John Hendrix, the fired ex-employee who brought the lawsuit, was also the architect of a kickback scheme to defraud JM Eagle. The company has a sworn affidavit confirming that he offered to inflate a claim in return for money to be sent directly to his home. Also, after Hendrix was fired, he was caught impersonating a JM Eagle employee in order to obtain from a lab proprietary test results on the company's pipe, using his personal email address and offering to pay with his personal credit card.

* A diverse coalition of civil rights and community organizations, including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Anti-Defamation League, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund and the Asian Pacific American Legal Center (APALC) cosigned a letter expressing outrage over racially insensitive language contained in the complaint about the ethnicity and nationality of JM Eagle's employees and leaders. APALC also sent a letter to Phillips & Cohen's named partners demanding that they withdraw the irrelevant and offensive references from the lawsuit immediately. In a condescending and insulting reply to the request, Phillips & Cohen refused to drop the needless race-baiting language. Their insensitive refusal is proof of Phillips & Cohen purposefully putting racial intent into the lawsuit.

About JM Eagle

With 22 manufacturing plants throughout North America, JM Eagle manufactures the widest array of high-grade, high-performance polyvinyl chloride and high-density polyethylene pipe across a variety of industries and applications including utility, solvent weld, electrical conduit, natural gas, irrigation, potable water and sewage. More information can be found at www.jmeagle.com

SOURCE JM Eagle

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The following statement is being issued by Federman & Sherwood, The Rosen Law Firm, P.A., and John E. Barbush, P.C. regarding the Quest Securities Class Action and Derivative Litigation.

This Notice relates to the following actions (the "Quest Actions"):

• Michael Friedman, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated vs. Quest Energy Partners, LP; Quest Energy GP, LLC; Quest Resource Corporation; Jerry Cash; David E. Grose; David C. Lawler; Gary Pittman; Mark Stansberry; Murrell, Hall, McIntosh & Co., PLLP; and Eide Bailly LLP, Case No. 08-CV-936-M

• James Jents, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated vs. Quest Resource Corporation; Jerry Cash; David E. Grose; and John Garrison, Case No. 08-CV- 968-M

• J. Steven Emerson; Emerson Partners; J. Steven Emerson Roth IRA; J. Steven Emerson IRA RO II; and Emerson Family Foundation vs. Quest Resource Corporation Inc.; Quest Energy Partners LP; Jerry Cash; David E. Grose; and John Garrison, Case No. 5:09-cv-1226M

• Bristol Capital Advisors and Bristol Investment Fund, LTD vs. Quest Resource Corporation, Inc.; Jerry Cash; David E. Grose; and John Garrison, Case No. CIV-09-932

• James Stephens, derivatively on behalf of Nominal Defendant Quest Resource Corporation, Inc. vs. William H. Damon, III; Jerry Cash; David Lawler; David E. Grose; Jaime B. Kite, Jr.; John C. Garrison; and Jon H. Rateau and Quest Resource Corporation, Inc., Case No. CIV-08-1025

TO:  ALL PERSONS WHO PURCHASED COMMON UNITS OF QUEST ENERGY PARTNERS, LP (NOW NAMED "POSTROCK MIDCONTINENT PRODUCTION, LLC") (HEREIN REFERRED TO AS "QUEST ENERGY") DURING THE PERIOD FROM NOVEMBER 7, 2007 THROUGH AUGUST 24, 2008, INCLUSIVE, ("QUEST ENERGY CLASS"), AND/OR PURCHASED COMMON STOCK OF QUEST RESOURCE CORPORATION (NOW NAMED "POSTROCK ENERGY SERVICES CORPORATION") (HEREIN REFERRED TO AS "QUEST RESOURCE") DURING THE PERIOD FROM MAY 2, 2005 THROUGH AUGUST 25, 2008, INCLUSIVE, ("QUEST RESOURCE CLASS"), OR ARE SHAREHOLDERS OF POSTROCK ENERGY CORPORATION ("POSTROCK")

YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED, pursuant to an Order of the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, that a hearing will be held on November 29, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. in room 301 before the Honorable Vicki Miles-LaGrange, United States District Judge for the Western District of Oklahoma, 200 NW 4th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73102 for the purpose of determining:  (1) whether the proposed Settlement consisting of the sum of $10,100,000 (of which a total of $1,010,000 will be paid to plaintiffs in both law suits known as Bristol Capital Advisors v. Quest Resource Corporation, Inc., et al., Case No. CIV-09-932, (the "Bristol Capital Litigation"), and Emerson v. Quest Resource Corp., Case No. 5:09-cv-1226M, (the "Emerson Litigation")) should be approved by the Court as fair, reasonable, and adequate; (2) whether the corporate governance reforms approved by the PostRock Energy Corporation board of directors in consideration for a full release and dismissal with prejudice of the derivative lawsuit known as Stephens v. Damon, et al., Case No. 08-CV-1025-M, (the "Stephens Litigation") in addition to other pending derivative lawsuits is fair, reasonable and adequate; (3) whether the proposed plan to distribute the settlement proceeds is fair, reasonable and adequate; (4) whether the application for an award of attorneys' fees of one third of the Settlement amount and reimbursement of expenses of not more than $350,000 should be approved; and (5) whether the class actions made on behalf of the Quest Energy Class and the Quest Resource Class, in addition to the Bristol Capital Litigation, the Emerson Litigation, and the Stephens Litigation, should be dismissed with prejudice.

If you purchased common units of Quest Energy during the class period from November 7, 2007 through August 24, 2008, inclusive, if you purchased common stock of Quest Resource during the class period from May 2, 2005 through and including August 25, 2008, and/or are a current PostRock shareholder, your rights may be affected by this Settlement.  If you are a member of the Quest Energy Class, the Quest Resource Class and/or are a current PostRock shareholder and have not received a detailed Notice of Pendency and Proposed Settlement of Class Actions and Derivative lawsuit and a copy of the Proof of Claim and Release, you may obtain copies by writing to Quest Securities Litigation, c/o The Garden City Group, Inc., Claims Administrator, P.O. Box 9657, Dublin, OH 43017, or going to its website, www.gardencitygroup.com.  

If you are a member of the Quest Energy Class or Quest Resource Class, in order to share in the distribution of the Net Settlement Fund, you must submit a Proof of Claim and Release no later than November 13, 2010, establishing that you are entitled to recovery.  You will be bound by any judgment rendered whether or not you make a claim.  If you desire to be excluded from the Quest Energy Class or the Quest Resource Class you must mail your exclusion request, post-marked no later than November 15, 2010, to The Garden City Group, Inc.  

Any objection to the Settlement, Plan of Allocation, or the Request for Award of Attorneys' Fees and Reimbursement of Expenses must be mailed or delivered such that it is received by each of the following no later than November 15, 2010:

A copy of the Settlement Agreement which has been filed with the Court and related documents can be found on the Claims Administrator's web site at www.gardencitygroup.com.  When Class Counsel's motions for final approval of the Settlement, the Plan of Allocation, and request for attorneys' fees and expenses are filed with the Court, they will be made available on the Claims Administrator's website.  While the deadline to file such final approval motions is 20 calendar days prior to the November 29, 2010 final hearing, Class Counsel (while not obligated to) anticipates filing such motions as early as 41 calendar days prior to the final hearing.  Do check the website regularly.

PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE COURT OR THE CLERK'S OFFICE REGARDING THIS NOTICE.

DATED:  September 3, 2010

BY ORDER OF THE COMMON UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF OKLAHOMA

SOURCE Federman & Sherwood; The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.; John E. Barbush, P.C.

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Cohen & Grigsby, a business law firm with headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA and an office in Bonita Springs, FL, is paying tribute to Pittsburgh's history and heritage with the newest art exhibit featured in its art gallery, located in the firm's Pittsburgh offices (EQT Plaza, 625 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA).  Titled "Portrait of Pittsburgh," the exhibit is the result of a collaborative effort with Pittsburgh's Senator John Heinz History Center and depicts iconic images of the city – from the three rivers that converge at Point State Park and the bridges that soar above those rivers to the steps that cling to Pittsburgh's distinctive hillsides.  

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090305/NE79563LOGO )

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090305/NE79563LOGO )

"At Cohen & Grigsby, we are proud of the city that we call home.  It has a rich history as the birthplace of the modern industrial age in this nation, and it continues to redefine itself as a center for cutting-edge medicine and technology," said Jack Elliott, president and CEO of Cohen & Grigsby.  "We are proud to collaborate with the Senator John Heinz History Center to give 'Portraits of Pittsburgh' a home this summer in our own art gallery."

The exhibition is the latest example of Cohen & Grigsby's commitment to supporting arts and culture in western Pennsylvania.  When the firm re-established its headquarters in the city's Cultural District in 2008, firm leaders decided that they would set aside Cohen & Grigsby's lobby area as an art gallery where local artisans could feature their works.  To date, the firm has hosted several public art exhibitions and has partnered with organizations that include the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh.  Cohen & Grigsby has also forged a partnership with the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.  In 2009, the firm entered its second year as the presenting sponsor of the "Trust Presents" series, which brings a diverse array of entertainment to Pittsburgh's Cultural District.  

"Pittsburgh was recently named the nation's 'Most Livable City,' a designation that is a source of pride," Elliott added.  "For us to maintain such a distinction, it is critical that the region invest in the arts so that they can continue to thrive.  We believe the firm's art gallery and our partnership with the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust can play a role in such an important endeavor."  

The Senator John Heinz History Center worked with Cohen & Grigsby to select the images that are part of "Portrait of Pittsburgh," which is on display at Cohen & Grigsby through September 2010.  Those wishing to view "Portraits of Pittsburgh" may do so by calling 412-297-4900 to make an appointment.  

ABOUT COHEN & GRIGSBY

Established in 1981 in Pittsburgh, PA, Cohen & Grigsby is a business law firm with headquarters in Pittsburgh and an office in Bonita Springs, FL.  Cohen & Grigsby attorneys cultivate a culture of performance by serving as business counselors as well as legal advisors to an extensive list of clients that includes private and publicly held businesses, nonprofits, multinational corporations, individuals and emerging companies.  The firm has more than 130 lawyers in seven practice groups – Business & Tax, Labor & Employment, Immigration/International Business, Intellectual Property, Litigation, Bankruptcy & Creditors' Rights, and Estates & Trusts.  For more information, please visit www.cohenlaw.com.  

SOURCE Cohen & Grigsby

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