text: This is a moment of both angst and opportunity for Hollywood filmmakers. Major cracks have opened up in the studio infrastructure. There have been regime shifts at three studios, bankruptcy looms over another, costs are being cut mercilessly and both production and development money is hard to come by. Another cloud hanging over the biz is the uncertainty about the long-term viability of the traditional business model that sends pics through a pipeline that starts with the box office and wends through various video-on-demand, pay TV, DVD and other TV licensing windows. At the same time, the overall pace of production is finally picking up among studios and indies, after setbacks from the WGA strike and the economic crisis. While there's agreement that the old system doesn't work, the filmmaking fraternity is doggedly finding ways around the system — indeed, creating a new system. The show must go on, after all. Variety reports on the ying and yang of opportunities in Hollywood today.


text:
No matter the situation, growing up will always present challenges. However, children who immigrate to another country will face unique obstacles. Understanding these trials is an important part of helping your children benefit as much as possible from your move.
Forming identity
Adults, for the most part, have already formed their personal identity. Children, however, are still going through this process. Moving to another country may present unique trials for this process.
One of the biggest challenges that immigrant children face is constructing a mixed identity. Children may feel caught between two cultural identities and feel an inherent "otherness" both to their peers and family.
How you can help
Immigrant parents can help their children with this process. Here are some things you can do to help your children with the move:
- Talk with your children about challenges they are facing and encourage them to communicate.
- Adapt your rules and boundaries to accommodate both cultures your child experiences.
- Engage positively with your children about their culture(s). You can do this both by encouraging them to engage with your home culture, and by learning more about the new culture you live in.
Immigrating to a new country is not an easy decision. As a parent, you want to provide the best for your children. Being aware of the challenges that they will face in a new country can help you make sure your move is as positive as possible for your entire family.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Michael Moore: Traverse City Film Fest Tops $500,000 Fund Goal
TRAVERSE CITY (AP) - Michael Moore says the year-end fundraiser for the theater that hosts the annual Traverse City Film Festival has topped its $500,000 goal with days to spare.
The Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker and festival co-founder held a news conference Thursday and talked about the progress of the campaign that started in November. So far, he said, the drive has taken in $40,000 more than its goal.
"We see now that we're not only going to be able to fund all community programs for 2012, we could possibly do it for 2013 if a wave of money comes in over the next five days or so," said Moore.
The nonprofit film festival owns the 534-seat State Theatre, first opened in 1916, and has said it needs money to balance its budget and upgrade the landmark venue's facade. About $250,000 will cover a new facade and other repairs, with the remainder going to the State's community fund.
Moore said that if the campaign raises $75,000 more, it can ensure community programming for two years, the Traverse City Record-Eagle reported.
The campaign got a big boost with matching grants of $125,000 from CMS Energy Co.'s Consumers Energy unit and $50,000 from Rotary Charities, Moore said.
"It was a good combination of those who can afford to give large grants such as Consumers, Rotary and myself, and those who can give $5," said Moore. "We raised $5,000 just on the canister on the counter. That's a lot of quarters."
He said the success of the fundraising effort validates the community's support for the theater.
"It's sort of become the town square of Traverse City," said Moore. "Considering the economy, it's amazing, and to happen in such a short period of time. I'm surprised only because the economic situation in northern Michigan, but I'm not surprised because I know the community's feelings toward this theater. There's a real sense of ownership."
The Flint native moved to the Traverse City area in 2003 and made the State Theatre the primary venue for his first film festival, which later acquired the building.
Moore won an Academy Award for the 2002 documentary "Bowling for Columbine." His other films include "Roger & Me," "Fahrenheit 9/11," "Sicko" and "Capitalism: A love Story."
© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
for more features.


text:
By MATT PARSONS/Montana State News
The Gallatin Valley YMCA would like to build a $10 million to $12 million wellness and aquatic facility in Bozeman. According to YMCA Chief Executive Officer Andrea Stevenson, they may know within the next two months whether it is feasible.
"We have hired a funding capabilities firm to assess whether the community could privately support a facility like the one we'd like to build," said Stevenson. "We will build something. We're just not sure what it will look like yet."
With Bozeman's growing population, the aquatic facilities have become overcrowded, and the few we have are aging. According to Dan McCarthy, aquatic director for the city of Bozeman, a new outdoor pool is what Bozeman desperately needs. "If the pool at Bogert Park makes it through this coming summer we'll need to find an alternative. But that's a big if," said McCarthy. Bogert pool, at the end of last season, was leaking 10,000 gallons of water a day.
"Bozeman's recreation facilities are at a critical mass," said Stevenson. "We've become extremely creative. There are lacrosse teams practicing in horse barns. Any kind of facility we could build would be a needed community asset for the Gallatin Valley."
The YMCA has been steadily growing its youth programming in the Gallatin Valley and sees a fitness facility as the only way to be able to continue that growth.
The Gallatin Valley YMCA currently owns 23 acres on Baxter Lane where the facility will be built. According to Stevenson the ideal facility would be 41,000 sq. ft. and house a family aquatics pool, basketball gymnasium, teen center, child care center, multipurpose fitness classrooms, indoor track, wellness workout facility and outdoor ball fields.
If the facility is built, it would relieve some of the burden on the Bozeman Swim Center, according to Mitch Overton, director of Bozeman Parks and Recreation. Currently the Swim Center houses activities for a wide variety of user groups. The YMCA facility would focus on swim lessons and recreational swimming which could free the Swim Center to focus on lap swims and competitive swim meets.
"The great thing about a Y facility is that it would be community driven," said Stevenson. "Our community will tell us what they need."
– Edited by Alex Komsthoeft


text:
An official website of the State of Oregon
How you know »
(how to identify a Oregon.gov website)
An official website of the State of Oregon »
You are here:
Courthouse HoursMonday thru Friday8:00am - 12:00pm | 1:00pm - 5:00pm
Court Office ServicesEffective September 1, 2021Reduced Court Business Hours and Services9:00am - 4:00pmClosed Noon - 1:00pmExcluding Legal Holidays
ADA ContactMolly Nix503.434.7496Additional ADA Information
Presiding JudgeLadd J. Wiles503.434.3054
Trial Court AdministratorMandi Montgomery503.434.7496
Main AddressYamhill County Courthouse
535 NE 5th StreetMcMinnville, Oregon 97128Map
Mailing AddressYamhill County Circuit CourtYamhill County Courthouse535 NE 5th StreetMcMinnville, Oregon 97128
The Oregon Judicial Department values your feedback. Please let us know about your recent experience with our courts and our services by filling out the Access and Fairness Survey here.
The Access and Fairness Survey will assist the Oregon Judicial Department in measuring its progress towards ensuring access to justice for all court users, enhancing the public's trust and confidence in the judicial branch, and improving the court user's experience. The responses to this survey will be used to guide and coordinate resources to broaden access to justice for litigants and other court users.
The survey takes about 10-15 minutes and is anonymous. Visit Survey - Click Here
A Discussion on Ensuring Racial Justice in Court
The Yamhill Circuit Court is the 25th Judicial District of Oregon. Yamhill County's judicial district has four elected judges.
The current Courthouse was built in 1964, and is located in Historic Downtown McMinnville. The county was named for the original inhabitants of the area, the Yamhill Indians, a tribe of the Kalapooian family, who lived around the Yamhill River.
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
A lock icon ( ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website.
Only share sensitive information on official, secure websites.
Your browser is out-of-date! It has known security flaws and may not display all features of this and other websites. Learn how


text:
Men's All Over Print Rash Guard-by Fashion Fanz
Regular price $62.00
Unit price per
Don't let sunburn, wind, sand, or other elements ruin your day!
This smooth and versatile long-sleeve rash guard-
will protect you while you have fun doing sports.
It is slim-fitted with a flat ergonomic seam and extra comfort.
• 82% polyester, 18% spandex
• Fitted design
• Comfortable long body and sleeves
• Flat Seam and cover stitch
• Very soft four-way stretch fabric that stretches and-
recovers on the cross and lengthwise grains.
Size Guide


text:
Traced back to the Middle Ages, erysipelas is a superficial bacterial skin infection that usually extends into the lymphatic system. Also called St. Anthony's Fire for the Egyptian healer who most successfully treated the infection, erysipelas appears as a painful, raised red rash. At one time, erysipelas appeared most often on the face, but now it often develops on the lower extremities.
Usually, erysipelas responds well to oral or intravenous antibiotics. Your doctor will probably recommend a 10 to 14 day course. Although you will notice some improvement immediately, your skin may take several weeks to return to normal.


text:
The notification widget offers more informative feedback about system state.
This sample uses CTP (Community Technical Preview) features. The API and behavior may change when these features are released with full support.
Check out my messages
This sample is designed for a larger screen size.
On mobile, try rotating your screen, view full size, or email to another device.
The widget can be bound to the igValidator and the igEditors widgets. It has four different message states: success, error, warning and info. These can be shown in either inline or popover mode, while auto mode chooses those automatically. The popover mode also can be shown in four directions: top, left, right, or bottom. If there is not enough room for it to be shown in the chosen direction, it will be shown in the next available direction, following the order of top > left > right > bottom.
Code View
Copy to Clipboard


text:
Emergency Petrol In Diesel Car in Glencullen
Petrol In Diesel Car from a Local Company in the
Glencullen Area
One of the reasons our company has chosen to focus on the Glencullen region is that we want to be able to minimise the time that you're left stood around and because it's our regional place. We believe customer service and healing our clients how they need to be treated. As soon as you end up in need of petrol in diesel car you are automatically at a disadvantage and might even feel vulnerable. Towing 247 friendly yet professional approach will put you at ease and not having to wait around for hours on end for somebody to come out to you may make the incident much less traumatic.
We're a business who know the requirement to return on the road as soon as possible with minimum of fuss in the event of a breakdown. We are a common sight in the Glencullen area and locals are used to seeing our petrol in diesel car traveling to and from, in and about Glencullen. Our reputation for fast responses when a vehicle is in need of attention is the thing that keeps people coming back time and time again.
Our dedicated staff also specialise in accident recovery. Being involved in an accident on the street is a less than pleasant experience. Our response staff will be on hand to help you when we have police clearance we'll deal with the removal of your vehicle so it repaired and may be analyzed as appropriate when you need it most.
As with petrol in diesel car companies we endeavour to restore your car or van there and then, getting you back on your way and in the street. If the vehicle need the interest of a garage we will ensure your automobile is quickly and efficiently packed onto the transporter (although occasionally towing is an option) so you may get your car fixed and yourself home.
The great thing about being a local business is having the ability to call upon local residents and customers for reliable recommendations. On getting the job done right the first time Included in the community we put a high value. Whether you are just passing through or a newcomer to the area, you might be sure that our first class support is as good as our reputation indicates.
In regards to restricting the aggravation which accompanies being involved in a breakdown in or around we are the specialists. Call us when you want us so you understand that in the event you want us, our variety is close at hand, and save our information.
With no vehicle a lot of people would find themselves seriously inconvenienced. Public transport is often unreliable and few men and women enjoy the idea of hanging around a train station late at night. Being on independent and the street is far more convenient, until something goes wrong. You are in the Glencullen region and In case the worst should happen you needn't worry as help is at hand.
Glencullen (Irish: Gleann Cuilinn, meaning "valley of the holly") is a village and townland in the county of Dún Laoghaire in south County Dublin, Ireland. It is also the name of the valley above one end of which the village sits, and from which it takes its name, and is on the R116 road, on the slopes of Two Rock Mountain. The highest point of the area is at a height of about 300 metres (980 ft),[2] making Glencullen one of the highest villages in Ireland.
Glencullen is in the civil parish of Kilternan and the barony and Poor Law Union of Rathdown.


text:
Livestock Care Conference focuses on turning ideas and innovations into action
Posted: March 30, 2014
Livestock producers and industry leaders are on the right track in shepherding agriculture through an important period of transition, innovation and heightened management expectations in a new world of farm animal care.
This was reinforced by a series of speakers tackling the hot topics and developments at the Livestock Care Conference, March 26-27, 2014 in Edmonton, Alta. The annual conference was hosted by Alberta Farm Animal Care (AFAC) in partnership with the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association (ABVMA).
Over 180 participants attended, including everyone from industry leaders and individual producers to researchers, industry, students, government and other stakeholders with an interest in farm animal care.
Developments in farm animal care have never been higher profile or more important to success in today's livestock sector. Producers and industry have made strong progress with new Codes of Practice, assessment approaches and science and leadership driven initiatives. However, keeping 'reality' in perspective is essential when addressing the very real issues surrounding animal welfare and the animal rights movement, says Dr. Tim Blackwell, lead veterinarian in disease prevention with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food.
"The vast majority of stockpeople are professionals who are champions of farm animal care," say Blackwell. "But when issues arise we need to take ownership and fix them. This includes how we respond to challenges from activist organizations such as the PETAs of the world. We might be surprised at the response if we thank them for bringing issues to our attention, own up to our mistakes and fix our mistakes."
It's an approach that has merit, says Kay Johnson-Smith of the Animal Agriculture Alliance. "Animal rights activists don't want the conflict to go away because that would mean losing their funding base and losing press coverage. They live by creating and exploiting conflict. Ultimately their goal is to put a wedge between you and the typical consumer."
Taking ownership is also critical when it comes to communicating, emphasized several speakers. A leading recent Alberta example is the FarmOn initiative, which among other things has developed a social networking community for farmers to tell the story of agriculture in a real and authentic way to consumers and society.
Consumer research indicates the demand for food is changing, says Michael von Massow, a professor in the College of Management and Economics at the University of Guelph. "The good news is consumers think we're doing a good job with animal welfare. The bad news is their awareness of what we're doing is low. There's a temptation to say 'if it ain't broke don't fix it.' But critics of agriculture are making statements and driving the consumer perceptions. It's important we get out there and tell our story."
Science is just part of the conversation, says von Massow. "Science can tell us what we can't do. It can't tell us what we should do. While science can inform the process, it can't be the only thing."
Producers are the frontline of building trust, says Frank Novak of Sunhaven Farms. "Producers need to take the stage and become champions. We cannot hide in the background. We need to be managers of our own destiny."
Cherie Copithorne-Barnes of CL Ranches west of Calgary agrees. "Farm animal care is an important part of the quality of our product and our image with the public," she says. "It's something we do every day and we need to be spreading awareness of that."
Additional conference components included a major "Industry Innovation Showcase" session featuring several case study examples, as well as key sessions focused on students and social media opportunities. Watch for more conference highlights and the LCC Blog available through the AFAC website at www.afac.ab.ca.


text:
How much will you need?
Fancy a new set of wheels? Here's some food for thought to help you focus on exactly how much you'll need to square away to afford your new motor.
New versus second hand
If you're buying brand new, there's always small print around the price quoted. So make sure you're aware of what comes as standard and what you'll need extra funds for. Those bits and pieces can add up to a considerable amount quite quickly.
If it's a second hand car, you might want to have a mechanic check it out before you hand over your cash just to be sure everything is ok. So that could set you back about €100 or more. Do ask friends and family for recommendations on mechanics they've maybe used in the past. Also, an import will incur VRT.
Your absolute must haves
Engine size, number of doors, alloy wheels, colour and finish can all inflate costs. So be confident about what you will and won't compromise on at the outset to keep your costs realistic.
You might find that being practical rather than flashy is more affordable, particularly when it will do the same job either way … get you from A to B.
The necessary extras
Car tax and insurance are unavoidable when you have a car. An average combined cost for both could come in at around €1,500 or more. You should also budget for petrol or diesel costs based on a forecast of your mileage for the year. And don't forget your annual service and NCT.
Time to make a savings plan
With a view on approximate costs, you can start putting the 'wheels' in motion in terms of developing your savings plan. Commit to a time by which you'd like to have your new car and use our
online calculator to work out how much you'll need to save each month to get there.
If, for example, you opt to go the second hand car route and you've defined a cost of €2,500 over 8 months, that's approximately €312 per month.
No place for tyre kickers
Savings momentum can be difficult to maintain when life gets in the way. Here are a few tips to keep the show on the road
- Picture this: Stick a picture of your new car on your fridge or work computer as a reminder of what will soon be yours to keep your savings goal in sight.
- Don't overstretch yourself: Be prudent about what you can genuinely afford to save each month. Start by reviewing your monthly spending habits to see what you might be able to do without. Then put the savings made towards your new car.
- Open a GoalSaver Account: Save regularly in a dedicated Goal Saver Account, deposit lump sums and access to your money at short notice, but not so often that'd you'd be tempted to dip in and out all the time.
- Motivate yourself: Regularly check in on your savings goal target monthly. The 365 Online app is the perfect way to do this.
Savings hacks to make you go vroom
- Share costs: If you can, be smart and share the cost of your new car with a sibling or friend. Going halves will help you reach your goal faster.
- Tax upfront: When it comes to tax, you can save a few quid if you pay the annual amount up front. You'll end up paying that little bit extra if you renew every 3 or 6 months.
- Grab a loan: If you're opting to buy a brand new car, the lump sum required can be difficult to save in a short period. Check out our competitive rates on a Bank of Ireland car loan for the bulk of the cash and continue to save for the additional costs in your Goal Saver Account. Find out more
- Competitive insurance: Check out our competitive car insurance rates. Your one stop shop for all things motor. Find out more


text:
Select your location
Select your language
Select your language
Select your language
What's the weather like in Tenerife in November?
If you're looking for some sun late in the year then Tenerife holidays are a great option, as it has warm weather even over winter. Thanks to its location off the west coast of Africa, you'll get lots of sun and not much rain if you go there at this time.
Geographical influences
Tenerife's parallel to the Sahara Desert, which would give it even hotter weather if not for the Canary Current. This is a cool stream of water that comes from the Atlantic Ocean, and not only keeps temperatures down on the island but also gives Tenerife great diving conditions. Things can get hot when winds come in from the desert, which can bring the occasional dust storm, most likely when the seasons are changing. Mount Teide's the highest point in Spain and one of the world's tallest volcanoes. It shelters Tenerife's south from north easterly winds and attracts most of the rain, keeping you dry on the coast.
The average high temperature during November is 23ºC, so you can still look forward to some warm sunshine at this time. You should pack a warmer jumper for the evenings as, though it's not exactly cold, things do cool down a bit. The average sea temperature's 22ºC, while humidity's low and ranges from 50% to 80%. Average rainfall's 47mm over five rainy days.
During November you can expect 11 hours of daylight with six hours of sunshine each day. UV levels will still be moderate, so make sure you use plenty of sun cream. Sunset's around 6.15pm in November.


text:
o you think of the 'Arriba Nacional' from Ecuador you think of fruity and floral cocoa. This is a bar that is just the opposite.
Where Soma from Canada recently scored high on the International Chocolate Awards world final with a 'single estate' cocoa from Ecuaodr, Hogarth from New Zealand has done a very different job with a single estate cocoa from Ecuador. Very nice because we tasted these two bars in succession and the difference can hardly be greater.
That really is in the difference between the makers, the cocoa percentage and the processing. We think it's pretty intense. Not bitter, very dark and especially a lot of cocoa flavor and some nutty notes. That taste also lingers for a long time, and we do not find ourselves pleasant, but in doing so we have to say that we do not like dark chocolate flavor in the strongest way – while others appreciate it.
You can read more about this specific cocoa on the website of Hacienda Victoria.
Tastes: mild, little bitter, dark roasted, nutty, strong cocoa flavor.
Ingredients: 85% cocoa (cocoa beans, cocoa butter), sugar.
Allergy note from the makers: May contain traces of nuts and milk.


text:
Forsan's Kobe Richardson wins back-to-back district MVP awards
Forsan High School's Kobe Richardson was named the Most Valuable Player on the All-District 7-2A boys basketball team, the second consecutive district MVP award for the senior.
The Offensive MVP of his district as a sophomore, Richardson helped lead the Buffaloes to an undefeated district championship in 2018-19.
Forsan's Zane Riffe, a junior, was the Defensive MVP, while Forsan head coach Cory Richardson was the Coach of the Year for a second year in a row.
Eldorado's Korbin Covarrubiaz, a freshman, was the Newcomer of the Year. Eldorado finished second in district play.
Christoval's Azul Salinas, a junior, was the Offensive MVP. Christoval was third in district.
Winters, the fourth-place team, had the Sixth Man of the Year, junior Peyton Anderson.
All-District 7-2A Boys Basketball Team
MVP: Kobe Richardson, Sr., Forsan
Offensive MVP: Azul Salinas, Jr., Christoval
Defensive MVP: Zane Riffe, Jr., Forsan
Newcomer of the Year: Korbin Covarrubiaz, Fr., Eldorado
Sixth Man of the Year: Peyton Anderson, Jr., Winters
Coach of the Year: Cory Richardson, Forsan
First team: Clayton Edmiston, Jr., Christoval; Aiden Dennis, Soph., Eldorado; Cesar Garcia, Jr., Eldorado; Caden Williams, Sr., Forsan; Kuail Kraatz, Sr., Miles; Alex Salas, Soph., Winters; Cameron Perkins, Sr., Winters.
Second team: Josh Fava, Fr., Christoval; Eric Reyes, Jr., Eldorado; Jordan Enriquez, Sr., Forsan; Aaron Gutierrez, Sr., Forsan; Mason Bryan, Sr., Miles; Davian Martinez, Jr., Miles.
Honorable mention
Christoval -- Eric Biggerstaff, Jr.; Apiatan Salinas, Fr.; Brayden Wilcox, Soph.; Eldorado -- Kayden Rodriguez, Soph., David Barajas, Soph.; Forsan -- Paul Evans, Soph.; Jonathon Gabehart, Jr.; Cayden Morgan, Fresh.; Miles – Sterling Baker, Sr., Miles; Ozona -- Alec Lara, Jr.; Marcus Perez, Jr.; Abraham Rodriguez, Jr.; Riley Williams, Sr.; Jon Kullen Busher, Fresh.,
Academic All-District
Christoval – Luke Baker, Soph.; Seth Baker, Soph.; Eric Biggerstaff, Jr; Clayton Edmiston, Jr.; Beau Jolly, Fr.; Apiatan Salinas, Fr.; Azul Salinas, Jr.; Dylan Scott, Jr.; Brayden Wilcox, Soph.; Elijah Woodfin, Jr.
Eldorado -- Aidan Dennis, Soph.
Forsan -- Ryan Buske, Jr.; Jordan Enriquez, Sr.; Ty Freeman, Sr.; Jonathon Gabehart, Jr.; Cayden Morgan, Sr.; Kobe Richardson, Sr.; Caden Williams, Sr.
Ozona – Carlos Cantu, Fresh.; Michael Esparza, Soph.; Jose Munoz, Soph.
Winters – Peyton Anderson, Jr.; Jon Kullen Busher, Fr., Hunter Duggan, Jr.


text:
BUDAPEST Iconic pictures
Breathtaking locations in and around Budapest and Vienna! Capturing your most exciting moments whilst discovering the city with your private tour photographer. Sometimes it's a fun day out with your friends, a hens party or maybe traveling solo. YOU just might be looking to propose to your partner and wish to capture those surprise and candid engagement moments while you are on vacation. Whatever your plan, I will work with you on a bespoke photographic surprise package to suit your unique requirements. Book your amazing photo shootnow!


text:
By Cory Baird, staff writer
With the average worker's pay barely rising and inflation hovering just above zero, it is easy to overlook the resilience of Japan's economic growth streak, which is currently on track to become the longest in the postwar era.
Yet both internal headwinds, such as the upcoming consumption tax hike slated for this coming October, alongside slowing global growth and stock market downturns around the world, indicate that the party may finally be coming to a close.
While it is highly uncertain as to which looming events will hold back global commerce, professional economic soothsayers appear in agreement on one theme for 2019: Growing risks and subsequent uncertainty will significantly slow Japan's economic growth over the next few years.
According to analysis from a dozen top Japan-based think tanks, which publish economic outlook reports at the end of the year, there is broad consensus that the domestic economy will grow by less than 1 percent in 2019, a decline from 1.9 percent growth achieved in 2017.
"The Chinese economy is slowing, the Eurozone is slowing, America is also approaching a slowdown — these are not good signs for the Japanese economy," said Hide Yoneyama, an economist at Fujitsu Research Institute.
Many analysts believe the broad economic slowdown can be partially attributed to the actions of central bankers around the world as they move away from easy-money policies after years of conducting monetary stimulus.
Yoneyama also explained that the potential global slowdown combined with other risk factors — a consumption tax increase, the U.S.-China trade war and the United Kingdom's potential no-deal exit from the European Union — create a perfect storm that is likely to slow Japan's own economy.
But not all of Japan's business sectors are exposed to equal levels of risk from these global trends.
Technology industries such as e-commerce, mobile payments and artificial intelligence are expected to see robust growth over the next few years. Yet these nimble technology companies still represent a fraction of the overall economy and stand in stark contrast to many sectors, such regional banking and many small businesses, which will have less wiggle room to escape the intense pressures wrought by a shrinking population.
If economic forecasters are on the mark, these new upstart companies will be unable to offset the crushing force of demographic pressures, making it likely 2019's slowdown in growth may be a new norm rather than a temporary setback.
The tax hike bite
The most visible threat to Japan's economy is the planned tax hike set for October 2019. Although many predict a surge in sales prior to the increase of the consumption tax to 10 percent from the current 8 percent, consumers are also likely to cut back in the immediate aftermath.
And many analysts believe that this will be a major headwind for the Japanese economy from 2019 and beyond.
Estimates for economic growth in 2019 range from 0.4 percent, according to Fukoku Mutual Life Insurance Co., to 0.8 percent, according to separate analysis from Nomura Securities Co., Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Co. and the Daiwa Institute of Research.
According to a mid-November analysis from Nomura, the impact of the tax hike will push down private consumption by 0.2 percent over the long term, the byproduct of taxes taking a permanent bite out of household spending power.
Another deleterious effect of the tax increase is that business may be reluctant to invest in such an uncertain environment. A recent survey conducted by Teikoku Databank Ltd. showed that the tax increase is the leading concern for businesses in 2019, with over 55 percent citing it as having the potential to slow down sales.
While the government is preparing countermeasures, many forecasters believe its efforts will be unable to completely alleviate the negative effects of the increase. The Daiwa Institute of Research, for example, predicts that even as the government readies a slew of policies aimed at supporting the economy, the total income loss associated with the tax increase will be around ¥3.2 trillion.
Beware of the trade war
The other elephant in the room is the ongoing trade war between the U.S. and China.
The two sides applied tit-for-tat tariffs on over $300 billion in goods in 2018 alone, with U.S. President Donald Trump threatening to ratchet up tariff rates more over the coming year.
Although the overall impact of the trade dispute has thus far remained muted, experts remain concerned the negative impacts may still be building, with the potential to damage investment and consumer sentiment in Japan.
The Fujitsu Research Institute and the Hamagin Research Institute both listed the ongoing U.S.-China trade war as the largest risk facing the Japanese economy in 2019.
Trump and Xi indicated that a compromise may still be on the table, announcing a temporary truce on the sidelines at the recent Group of 20 meeting in Buenos Aires.
But with details of the cease-fire unclear, and a famously mercurial U.S. president dictating how the negotiations proceed, exactly which direction the trade winds blow in 2019 remains up in the air.
Global risks grow
A potential slowdown in Europe and the U.S. financial markets; risks stemming from increasing U.S. debt; and financial instability in developing markets round out the top three risks facing the global economy, according the a mid-November year-end report conducted by Mitsubishi Research Institute.
In part due to these risks, alongside a wide variety of other factors, the International Monetary Fund moved to downgrade the 2018 and 2019 global economic growth projections by 0.2 percent in October, compared to earlier forecasts made in January last year.
And there is a growing list of worries in other parts of the globe as well.
The Daiwa Institute of Research, in a Nov. 21 outlook on the Japanese economy, detailed external "tail risk" scenarios, which they believe could slow down Japan's real economic growth by a combined 2.6 percent. These scenarios include the United Kingdom exiting from the European Union without a deal, instability in the Middle East and an abrupt slowdown in Chinese growth.
A sliver of hope
Not all analysts are down on the prospects for growth in the Japanese economy.
Hajime Takata, chief economist and managing executive officer at Mizuho Research Institute, believes that the world economy is on the verge of returning to what he calls "a normal era."
"Based on the United States fiscal policy being able to single-handedly push up the world economy, there is a possibility that the run up to 2020 could be a (positive) economic turning point," wrote Takata in a year-end report published on Dec. 21 on the outlook of the Japanese economy.
New technologies, which have the potential to unleash productivity increases and growth, are another reason for optimism.
One of Japan's largest daily newspapers, the Nikkei financial daily, reported in mid-December that the number of startup companies with a valuation in excess of ¥10 billion doubled from the year before. The largest of these firms were in artificial intelligence or financial technology, also known as fintech.
Japanese businesses and consumers also appear to be on the path to adopting mobile payments, a process that could be sped up as the government offers incentives to use these technologies as a part of its policy package intended to cushion the blow from the consumption tax increase.
The Cabinet Office and other ministries are aiming to utilize financial technologies and other new industries, in a plan the government has labeled "Society 5.0," which they hope can push up economic growth.
On the other hand, regardless of whether these new industries take off, it is unlikely they can offset a broader decline in Japan's economy as the labor force shrinks. Regional banks and small-to-midsize enterprises, who have struggled to remain profitable despite healthy economic conditions, are emblematic of the uphill climb that many traditional industries face.
Net income at regional banks dropped by 2.4 percent in fiscal 2017, according to data from the Bank of Japan.
With a shrinking workforce, alongside the hangover from the tax hike, Nomura Securities Co. forecasts even slower growth in 2020, at 0.5 percent.
Thus, even if the world can power through 2019 and beyond — an increasingly precarious assumption — the Japanese economic expansion appears ready to once again slow to a glacial pace.


text:
Large Fashion Statement Earrings ENNA jewellery
Beautiful Large Fashion Statement Earrings are very comfortable and trendy this season. The geometric shapes are made with high-quality acrylic connected to acrylic bead.
With length of 12cm/4.7in approx. the earrings are perfect to complete your evening look. For those who feel like making a unique statement, the unusual and trendy colours are perfect to achieve it.
This pair comes in a branded box and lovingly .


text:
The World's Rarest Tree
The last of its species remaining in the wild, in the shola forests of the Western Ghats. Thought to be extinct, and known previously only from a single specimen, it is being propogated by the Vattakanal Conservation Trust as a last-chance conservation. To learn more, or to contribute to their conservation initatives, visit www.vattakanalconservationtrust.org


text:
By Alma Gill
NNPA Columnist
A Niece with Sticky Fingers
Dear Alma,
About six months ago, my sister moved back to our hometown with her daughter, who is 10 years old. They don't live that far from me, its walking distance. I recently noticed when my niece comes by to visit without her mother, after she leaves, a few of my things have been missing. Never any money, mainly jewelry. I've never see her steal from me, but I know it has to be her. I'm hoping she isn't a kleptomaniac and I'm not sure how to bring this to my sister's attention. I know she misses her Dad, since they moved back and maybe she's doing this to get attention. How would you suggest I handle this problem?
Hey now Carla,
Once a thief, always a thief, or so that's what they say. Yea, right, we both know that ain't true. This email takes me back to the 1970s. I'm gonna pause a minute to tell the truth and shame the devil. Since we're all over 50, I'm naming names – lean in close, while I whisper. I remember once Neasy, Andrea and I, got caught stealing earrings from Zayre Department Store. OMGoodness, I was scared to death! All three of us were probably 11 or 12 at the time. The thought of going to jail terrified me. Let's just say, I never did that again, LOL.
You know it's no secret, I have a soft spot when it comes to our kids. Don't run and tell her mama just yet. Take the time to talk to her directly. You're her Auntie, you got this. Your sister, I'm sure would be appalled and so angry, she'd probably punish her for life. So here's what I'd suggest, the next time she's over, fix a light meal and step to her directly. Place a necklace around her neck and say something like this, "Hey potato chip, have you been pilfering through my things? If you wanna borrow some of my jewelry, just ask." I think it's important to talk to her and use the word "borrow." Politely ask her to return your items. Discuss how stealing is wrong and how it invades a person's privacy. Let her know how that choice of action will not allow you or anyone else to trust her.
I'm asking you to take this route because she's only 10 years old. There's more to this behavior than meets the eye – she's clearly calling out for help. I agree with you, that she may be missing her dad. Either way, this is your teachable moment. Become the support she needs right now. It will build an unbreakable bond the two of you will share for a lifetime.
If she dives off the deep end, tell her you'll have no choice but to mention this to her mother. I'm keeping my fingers crossed all's well that ends well. Be sure to let me know what happens. I can't wait to hear.
Alma Gill's newsroom experience spans more than 25 years, including various roles at USA Today, Newsday and the Washington Post. Email questions to: email@example.com. Follow her on Facebook at "Ask Alma" and twitter @almaaskalma.


text:
Miss Cresswell's London Triumph
Miss Cresswell's London Triumph
Related collections and offers
Product Details
|Belgrave House
|Publication date:
|Sold by:
|Barnes & Noble
|Sales rank:
|File size:
Read an Excerpt
"Aunt Cathie, Aunt Cathie, letters from India!" Theodore shouted, rushing into the library as fast as his short five-year-old legs could carry him and waving two stained envelopes in his pudgy hands. "They're from Uncle Freddie and Ned," he added unnecessarily.
Cassandra looked up from her reading and smiled at the bundle of energy which had interrupted a morning spent rereading select passages of Homer. The small white terrier at her feet cocked his head expectantly at all the commotion. Fond as he was of Cassie, he had found life sadly flat since the departure of her rambunctious twin Freddie two years ago, but Theodore's eruption into the library promised some interest. Theodore was still too young to provide Wellington with as much excitement as the twins' adventures had brought the little dog, but he did appear to be cast in the same mold as the twins and therefore had a great deal of potential, which, if encouraged, was sure to bring activity again to a household that had become, in Wellington's opinion, far too orderly and serene.
"What do they say? Read them to me, pleathe, pleathe," begged Theodore, his eyes shining with anticipation as he plopped himself at her feet. Cassie opened the envelope that was nearly totally covered with her twin's disorderly scrawl. Knowing her nephew's bloodthirsty nature, she felt sure he would prefer the catalog of tiger hunts, elephant rides, and narrow escapes from murderous thugs certain to be in Freddie's letter to the probable discussion of the Hindu religion and its effect on British/Indian relations in Ned's. His letters, filled with descriptions of temple architecture, Hindu customs, sculpture and painting had piqued hercuriosity, stimulated her thoughts, and relieved much of the boredom she had suffered in the absence of her best friends and most constant companions.
"Does he say anything about any more tiger hunts? I wath hoping he would get a tiger at the next one tho we could have itth head here over the fireplace," Teddy announced, indicating the spot now graced by the portrait of a venerable ancestor which would be much improved by such a replacement.
Cassie looked down into his earnest chubby face whose missing front teeth only added to its endearing expression. "I'm sorry, Teddy, my wits were wandering. Let's see what is the latest news.'' She picked up Freddie's letter and began to read.
If Freddie were to be believed, India existed solely to challenge the skill and daring of adventurous young Englishmen. His wild scrawl related one colorful episode after another, the most important of these apparently having to do with a signal service rendered to the Nabob of Bhopaul, whose gratitude had been effusive and rewarding beyond their wildest dreams. Having amassed a vast sum and, as an aside, having accomplished what they had set out to do, he and Ned were heading home hoping to see everyone at Cresswell and Camberly in the not-too-distant future. At this last piece of news, Theodore let out a whoop and went running in search of his mother. "Mama, Mama, Uncle Freddie and Ned are coming home. Mama, Mama..."
Cassie listened to his voice echoing down the hall, remembering the day several years ago when Freddie's voice had echoed much the same way, "Cassie, Cassie, we're going to India!" How she had missed them! Her thoughts strayed back to the other letter and its writer. If she had missed Freddie's joie de vivre and his penchant for tumbling them into one mad scrape after another, she missed even more Ned's insatiable thirst for knowledge, and the smile that lurked at the back of his eyes as he teased her and challenged her to think and question as well. If Freddie had been exuberant at the thought of high adventure in the fabulous Indian subcontinent, Ned had been subdued over their departure--subdued and determined to overcome his unhappy memories and to change that part of his personality that had occasioned them in the first place.
Poor Ned. Cassie's image of her dejected friend remained as clear as it had been the day his misery began. She had been sitting reading, much as she was now, when he strode in, his blue eyes dark and hurt in a white, set face. "She won't have me, Cassie," he had groaned, throwing himself into the nearest chair.
Knowing full well who "she" was, Cassie had heaved a mental sigh of relief before urging him to pour out his tale of woe. Privately, she thought Ned well rid of the vain and spoiled Arabella Taylor, who had, in Cassie's opinion, remained as selfish and obstinate as she had been when she had insisted on tagging along after them as children and then refused to play any games that had not been proposed by her. But Cassie knew that she was the only person in the entire neighborhood who continued to retain these unkind thoughts in the face of Arabella's flashing dark eyes, riotous dusky curls, bewitching dimple, and lilting, childlike voice that only added to the enchantment of a mouth too often compared to a rosebud. Everyone, even the studious Ned, had been overcome when Arabella reappeared on the local scene, polished to perfection by an exclusive seminary for young ladies of gentle birth and high expectations. Even Freddie, inclined to dismiss all women except his sisters as useless and helpless creatures, seemed to have forgotten completely the whining, crying child who had always insisted on being the center of attention. She was no different now, Cassie reflected, just more practiced and charming at claiming that attention. But Cassie loved Ned nearly as much as she loved Freddie, and she felt his pain intensely, so it was with real sympathy that she heard him out.
"She wouldn't even listen to me, Cassie! When I"--he paused and gulped for air--"when I told her how much I admired her, she laughed me off. But when she saw that I was serious and wouldn't be fobbed off, she told me straight out that she was looking forward to a brilliant Season and was not going to be deprived of it by someone she had known this age. And then"--his fists clenched at his sides as he continued--"and then she said that we should never suit anyway because: she had to have gaiety and parties and that everyone knew I was"--he drew a deep breath--"a prosy old bore."
And that, thought Cassie, is the only intelligent observation Arabella Taylor has ever made. Empty frivolity is all that she understands and someone of Ned's intellectual capacities would be bored silly within a fortnight. However, she concealed her true feelings about her childhood playmate, generously defending her instead. "She's young, Ned, and very pretty. Of course she wants to go to parties and be the reigning beauty. For her, the idea of settling down and giving all that up would make her reject even the most dazzling of Corinthians."
He brightened somewhat, "Do you really think so?"
"I am certain that it is more the loss of a brilliant Season than a distaste for your company that turned her against the notion," she reassured him.
"But she called me a prosy old bore. Am I a prosy old bore, Cassie?" he asked anxiously.
Cassie smiled and stretched out her hand. "No. You are our own dear friend who enlivens the dullest conversation at assemblies and parties and keeps them from being a complete waste of time."
He stared fixedly out the window until what seemed hours later, when in a hard voice devoid of all emotion, he announced, "No. She's right. I am a prosy old bore, but I shall change that. If Freddie can go to India, so can I! And when I return, I shall immerse myself in so many ton parties that no one will recognize me."
Cassie could happily have killed Arabella for causing his brave smile to go awry. She was overwhelmed by a great rage at Arabella in particular and the type of women in general who seemed to have nothing better to do than dress for one social occasion after another so they could chatter empty-headed nothings and enslave as many luckless swains as possible. It was true that most of these victims were equally busy with their tailors and valets preparing to do exactly the same thing in return, so why couldn't it have been one of these fops dying for love of the toast of their Hampshire society that Arabella had rejected instead of poor Ned, who had so much greater a heart to lose than the squire's son and his would-be Corinthian cronies? Cassie knew there was very little comfort she could offer. In time he would bless Arabella for having been so blind to his good qualities, but for the moment it was best to put her out of his life and his mind.
"It would relieve me no end to have you with Freddie in India. He's a dear and he means well, but sometimes his enthusiasm gets the best of him and he doesn't think," Cassie remarked. This was a patently obvious observation, as the impetus for Freddie's departure had been an ill-judged prank at university. The master of Balliol had not found it amusing to return to a sow and six piglets rooting around his rooms and lapping up his best sherry, spilled from what had been a precariously placed decanter. So Freddie had been sent down. He wasn't repining, school never having been his strong point. When his attention was engaged, he was as good a student as the next man, but Oxford had offered too many distractions for a young man possessed of an abundance of high spirits and conviviality.
Rustication soon palled on someone as active as Freddie, and he began to toy with the idea of purchasing a cornetcy, having made up his mind he wasn't cut out to be a student, nor was he interested in taking up politics or any of the other occupations people took up. Before he could take more drastic measures to occupy himself, his brother-in-law hit upon a plan that offered an exciting alternative. Many years ago Lord Julian Mainwaring had inherited the fortune and far-flung concerns of a childless uncle who had been one of the Empire's first nabobs. For a long time Lord Mainwaring had looked after these interests himself, but his brother's untimely death, which had brought the burden of running several estates and the guardianship of his children, coupled with his subsequent marriage to the twins' sister, Lady Frances Cresswell, and his involvement in politics had left him with little time to do more than glance at the reports submitted by the agents appointed to administer these establishments for him. Julian Mainwaring liked Freddie and knew him for a decent and intelligent, if rash, young man. He seemed the perfect representative to send to remind the agents of Lord Mainwaring's continuing interest in their effectiveness in discharging their duties. Such a task would provide an outlet for the restlessness natural to an active young man, who had, since the beginning of their acquaintance, evinced a singular knack for tumbling from one scrape to another. As he had also demonstrated an equally strong propensity to overcome every mishap and emerge unscathed, Julian felt confident that Freddie would acquit himself admirably when challenged by truly adventurous situations.
So it had been decided that Freddie was to spend a year in India, or however long it took to visit and oversee Lord Mainwaring's operations. He had been preparing for an imminent departure to that mecca of every young man bent on winning his fortune when Ned had suffered his unhappy setback.
Ned, unlike Freddie, was a student--a scholar in fact--if enthusiastic masters were to be believed. Raised in a quiet household which, after his parents' death and before Lord Julian had taken over his guardianship, had been dominated by women, he had withdrawn to his grandfather's abundant library for companionship. He loved his effervescent sister Kitty dearly, but she had always turned to Lady Frances Cresswell for friendship, and the twins had been a little wary of one so quiet, well mannered, and clean as Ned. It wasn't until he'd accompanied Kitty to London for her come-out that he had really become acquainted with Cassandra and Frederick Cresswell, though there was little more than two miles between the gatekeeper's lodge of Camberly and the drive to Cresswell. In London, deprived of their normal pursuits, the neighbors had been thrown together more often while Lady Frances accompanied Kitty and lent her moral support at social functions. The exuberant twins had taken to riding in the park as one of the few permissible ways of working off excess energy. It was during one of these rides that Ned had caught their interest. Oddly enough for one who was naturally quiet and reserved, he was a bruising rider and disported himself with ease on a mount that the twins admitted would have been too challenging for them.
When they had returned to the country, they had remained riding companions and friendship had blossomed. Freddie discovered Ned to be a far more expert judge of horseflesh than his louder, more boisterous acquaintances. Ned also possessed a seemingly inexhaustible knowledge of history, which was, at least the military and exploratory part, one of Freddie's true interests. Cassie liked him better than anyone else Freddie spent time with because he accepted it as natural that she should do everything her brother did--sometimes, as in the case of climbing trees, with much greater skill and daring. To her, their five-year difference in age made him practically an adult and she was flattered that he shared his thoughts with her as though she had been grown up. On his part, Ned had found Cassie to have a mind that exhibited all the curiosity and adventurousness of her tomboyish spirit.
The twins' parents. Lord and Lady Cresswell had been scholars of some note. They had traveled extensively with their family in Greece, haunting the important spots of the world until "that barbarian Bonaparte," as Lord Cresswell was wont to call him, had driven them home. In fact, they, along with their good friend the Comte de Vaudron, had been of inestimable service to Lord Elgin in ensuring that his priceless marbles were brought to England. Of all the children, Cassie had inherited her parents' scholarly turn of mind. Frances had put her excellent if unusual education to good use as an authoress of children's histories and continued to exercise an excellent mind as a brilliant political hostess and helpmeet to her husband, whose healthy respect for her intelligence made him bring his ideas to her for criticism and advice before he advanced them to the world at large. But it was Cassie who was the true intellectual, and her appetite for knowledge was as insatiable as Ned's. She was as well versed in the classics as he, and her more daring nature led her to question established opinion more readily. She did not hesitate to argue with him and challenge his opinions. To Ned, who rarely found anyone to share his interests, much less discuss them, this was as novel as it was refreshing, and they became fast, though occasionally argumentative, friends.
As time went by, some of the Cresswell exuberance rubbed off on Ned and he became more relaxed and ready to enter into new things. He, in turn, with his greater foresight and more levelheaded approach to life, kept the twins from falling into scrapes so disastrous that adult assistance was required to extricate them. They greatly appreciated this freedom from embarrassment and rewarded their new companion with their respect and occasional requests for advice.
But those busy happy days, for Cassie at any rate, had vanished with the boys. She and Lord Mainwaring had ridden with them up to London, where they had made some final purchases at S. Unwin's General Equipment Warehouse in Lombard Street before stowing their belongings on the ship that was to take them to Bombay. The captain was an acquaintance of Lord Mainwaring's, and Cassie had been glad to think that Freddie and Ned would have at least one friend on the long voyage. She had watched and waved as they sailed with the tide and then returned home, feeling lonelier than she ever had in her entire life. Freddie had always been more than a mere brother. He had been her constant companion, while Ned was the one person in the whole word who truly understood and appreciated her. It was true that Lady Frances encouraged Cassie's studies and her brother-in-law discussed them with her. Both of them included her as an equal in their conversations, but no one took the place of Ned, who teased her and delighted in challenging her ideas and stimulating her mind.
At least she had the mail, but it was slow and unpredictable. It could take ages for her replies to her letters to arrive--letters she had filled with thoughts on her reading, reflections on life in general, and questions about his experiences--but she reveled in his responses when they did come. His style, so very like him, made Ned seem present at the moment she was reading his letter. His reflections and comments, fashioned as they were to address her particular interests and tastes, made what could have been a mere traveler's description spring to life before her eyes. Thus, even though she sorely missed his companionship, she continued to feel the strength of his friendship. He had never mentioned Arabella again, but Cassie knew his sensitive retiring nature too well to think that she had been forgotten. For her part, Cassie had found it extraordinarily difficult even to exchange the politest of commonplaces with Arabella and was quite relieved when the girl had quit the neighborhood for what had been a predictably brilliant Season. Of course she had been hailed as an incomparable. How could anyone so devoted to herself and her toilette have become anything less than a diamond, Cassie had reflected cynically.
A belle who had enjoyed such success could not be expected to leave the scene of such triumph to bury herself in Hampshire, and many of those attending assemblies around Cresswell and Camberly that summer bemoaned the loss of their brightest star. Cassie, however, found such events to be much more enjoyable without Arabella's disturbing presence--a presence that seemed to have fostered nothing but dissension and jealousy as much among her envious female competitors as among vain young men.
Having seen what misery beauty, unaccompanied by heart or wit and bent solely on pursuit of its own pleasure, could cause, Cassie was not inclined to want a come-out of her own, but here she was having some difficulty. Her ordinarily levelheaded and sympathetic sister, who had suffered one miserable Season herself, was adamant that Cassie at least experience the world of the ton before condemning it out of hand.
"But Fanny," Cassie had wailed, "how can you, of all people, insist that I waste my time in society when you were so unhappy there yourself? You thought most of those routs and balls excessively silly. And I daresay that I am less inclined to society than you."
"Yes, love. You are entirely in the right of it. I was desperately unhappy, but that was my first Season when I was under the aegis of Lady Bingley, who was as feather-headed a female as you could hope to meet. Directly on bringing me to a gathering she would retire to the card room, leaving me to gaze around the room and wish intensely that I could become part of the nearest pillar or bank of flowers. But when I helped Lady Streatham chaperon Kitty, it was altogether different. Lady Streatham's acquaintances were not the empty-headed dowagers that comprised Lady Bingley's coterie; she made every effort to put me as well as Kitty forward and make us feel comfortable. And then the Comte de Vaudron made me see that dressing beautifully and fashionably could be as much an exercise of one's aesthetic sense and taste as any other sort of creative expression and it need not be merely empty competition to see whose dressmaker can make one resemble the most stunning fashion plate in La Belle Assemblée. Besides, Julian and his friends are in the ton and they certainly discuss more serious subjects than the cut of their coats or their own favored ways of tying a cravat."
Cassie recognized the truth of this, but while she admitted that Lady Frances Mainwaring and Lady Elizabeth Streatham had found men who could carry more than one thought in their heads at a time, she remained skeptical about the possibility that there were enough such people to make a trip to London worthwhile, especially since two of the few intelligent men were at present on the high seas heading home.


text:
English speaking wedding and portrait Photographer based in Valencia on the Costa Blanca Spain. Specialising in weddings, and portraits of children and babies. Available for photoshoots abroad, and throughout Spain.
Fotografo de bodas en Valencia. Especialista en reportajes de boda y retratos familiares y de niños.
© Anna Sinclair Photography


text:
To: All Member States of the UN General Assembly
Dear Ambassador,
On October 20 a number of our organizations wrote to you to urge the UN General Assembly to demand an end to the government-sponsored violence in Syria. A lot has happened since. On November 2, Syria pledged to abide by the Arab League peace plan and cease the violence, withdraw its troops from cities, release prisoners, and allow in independent journalists and human rights monitors.
These pledges have not been fulfilled. Instead, according to human rights groups, more than 370 Syrians and counting have been killed since November 2 alone. As a result, the Arab League voted to suspend Syria's membership last week, and most recently gave Syria three days to end the "bloody repression" and allow in a monitoring mission.
As you know, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay has raised "credible allegations of crimes against humanity in Syria," and according to the UN, since March, more than 3,500 people have been killed, including at least 187 children, while thousands more have been arrested, detained, forcibly disappeared, and tortured.
On November 17 a large and diverse group of countries, including many from the region, answered our call by tabling in the Third Committee of the General Assembly a resolution condemning the systematic human rights violations by the Syrian authorities. The text calls for an end to the widespread abuses by the Syrian security apparatus and for the implementation of the plan of action of the Arab League, as well as cooperation with the UN commission of inquiry.
We urge you to support this resolution and demonstrate that the world will not simply stand idle while ordinary Syrians are being killed, arbitrarily detained, and tortured.
We are aware that abuses in Syria are also being addressed by the UN Human Rights Council (HRC). Unfortunately, given the Syrian government's refusal to heed the calls of the HRC and cooperate with the commission of inquiry it established, we are convinced that the UN General Assembly, the parent body of the HRC, needs to step in. This was made all the more necessary by the exercise of their veto rights by two permanent members of the Security Council to block action by a majority.
This resolution provides the General Assembly with a critical opportunity to demonstrate leadership in the midst of a human rights emergency, and support the valuable efforts of the Arab League to finally end the bloodshed.
- African Center for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (ACDHRS)
- African Democracy Forum (ADF)
- Amnesty International
- Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)
- Avaaz
- Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights
- Cairo Institute of Human Rights Studies (CIHRS)
- CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation
- Conectas Direitos Humanos
- East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project (EHAHRDP)
- The Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
- Human Rights & Democracy Media Center "SHAMS" / Palestine
- Human Rights Watch
- International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
- International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)
- Reporters sans frontières / Reporters Without Borders
Share this Post


text:
Spending some quality time away from your normal life can easily be achieved by taking a cruise. This can lead to new adventures, plenty of relaxation, and the fun time you deserve. It doesn't matter if you have never gone on a cruise or if you go all the time, this is a great way to travel and Carnival cruises offers many destinations for you to choose from.
With spring break coming around March, you may want to plan accordingly. At this time of year, many cruises to the warmer weather areas will book up fast and will be full. If you plan to travel in March or even sometimes in April, you need to book your cruise well in advance to ensure you get a spot. This will help to make sure you get exactly what you want out of your cabin and out of your trip.
However, if you don't want to travel at this time you can find one of the best cruise deals by booking for a different type of the year. You just need to know when to book and decide what you really want out of the cruise you are going to take. Sometimes you can find great last minute deals out of ports like Galveston, Texas or Miami, Florida if you wait until a month before you book your cruise. This can ensure you get a great deal and works well if you want to travel in September.
Carnival provides many different types of cruises including three day, five day, seven day, and even longer. The shorter your cruise, the less expensive it will be, but you will also go to fewer ports. They are a very experienced company and offer more ships in most ports than any other company in the United States offers. This gives you plenty of choices and helps to ensure you are not limited with options. This also helps to keep the cost down and allows you to get a price that you can afford for your cruise.
Most of the time their cruises go to areas in the Caribbean, Europe, and Alaska, but they also travel to Mexico, Hawaii, and a few other islands. If you were to travel to one of these destinations by plane, you would find it to be very expensive. This makes a cruise a wonderful option to see parts of the world you have never seen. You can find a port near you, fly or drive to the port area, get on a boat, and enjoy the open sea while traveling to many great destinations you would not be able to afford to see any other way.
You do want to spend some time reading reviews and finding out the information about the different ships they offer and what amenities they will include. Some ships cater more to families, while others are perfect for adults looking to get away. This will help you to decide on the ship that offers exactly what you want and goes to the places you want to go to. The atmosphere of the cruise will also vary depending on where you are headed. Those heading to Europe or Alaska will act the same as those heading to a tropical destination, just like a cruise for families will be much different than one for an adult.
Find out More about the Cruises from Galveston Texas by Visiting this website: www.CruisesGalveston.net


text:
Delicious healthy Chinese home cooking recipes, useful guides on Asian herbs and food ingredients, cooking tips, and more.
Owner: Sharon_Lee
Listed in: Food & Drink
Language: English
Tags: recipes, healthy, soups, chinese, asian
Site Statistics
Unique Visitors Today:
Page Views Today:
Unique Visitors this Week:
Page Views this Week:
Unique Visitors this Month:
Page Views this Month:
Total Unique Visitors:
Total Page Views:
Total Hits Out:
Latest Blog Posts for Chinese Soup Pot
- Cooking with Bah Kut Teh Spiceson Apr 1, 2013 in zBlogOne of the key ingredients in making Chinese Pork Ribs soup (aka Bah Kut Teh) is the spice mixture. A concoction of fragrant spices like grounded peppercorn, salt, star anise, cinnamon, and cloves are combined and cooked with the soup. These spic...
- Pork Ribs Tea – Bah Kut Teh (肉骨茶)
- How to Make Homemade Baked Pumpkin Seedson Sep 24, 2012 in zBlogIf you purchased a pumpkin for cooking or decorative carving, save the seeds! The seeds are tasty when roasted, and they offer valuable minerals like zinc, magnesium, copper, iron, and many others. Making your own homemade pumpkin seeds is very easy.
- Herb: Huang Jing | Siberian Solomon's Sealon Sep 19, 2012 in Common IngredientsHuang Jing (Siberian Solomon's Seal) is a medicinal herb that comes from the rhizome of the polygonatum plant. It has a bland sweet taste and feels a little soft and sticky to the touch. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Huang Jing nourishes the yin...
- Herb: Dried Tangerine Peelon Sep 10, 2012 in Common IngredientsDried tangerine peel is a food ingredient used in Chinese cooking and medicine. It is cherished for their distinct bitter and fragrant taste. The best and most valued Dried Tangerine Peel is from a region in China called Xinhui (新會), as they ar...
- West Lake Beef Soup – Gratifying and Flavorsome
- Tofu Skin Water Chestnut Soup with Mushroom & Black Mosson Feb 3, 2012 in Soup RecipesI am heading down an experimental path with my cooking lately. It started with the purple sweet potato I used to re-create a traditional rice dumpling (tang yuan) dessert in my last recipe. This week, I am using an ingredient that I have never co...
- Purple Sweet Potato Dumpling (Tang Yuan)
- Double Steamed Asian Pear Almond Dessert Soupon Jan 9, 2012 in Soup Recipes bitter and sweet almond budget-friendly dessert soup easy to make fruits functional: clear heat & cool functional: moisturize ginger root herbs high fiber kid-friendly light or brothy low calorie low fat low sodium mushrooms / fungus seasonal: fall seasonal: winter vegetarian white fungus ya li pearThis is a delicious classic double steamed Chinese dessert I love. It has a delicate sweetness that is lightly contrasted with a smooth gingery zing that sits over a lovely mellow tone of almond fragrance and fresh pears. This dessert is good year...
- Lunar New Year Gift Card GIVEAWAY – $100 Total Valueon Dec 26, 2011 in Sweepstakes zBlogTo celebrate the upcoming Lunar New Year for 2012, Kee Wah Bakery (奇華餅家) is generously sponsoring me to GIVEAWAY 3 e-GIFT CARDS totaling $100 value redeemable at www.keewah.us. Kee Wah is a time-honored family-operated bakery founded in Hong...
Loading Comments...
{ds_PageTotalItemCount} commentcomments


text:
How To Use Outer Order To Create Inner Calm: 3 Simple Secrets From Gretchen Rubin
You already know a dozen big things you should do to improve your life. Exercise more. Eat healthier. Spend less time using technology. But instead of tackling those big tasks head-on, what if you simply fix the small things in life?
I believe everything is connected. Solving the smallest problems, like putting the remote in its right spot, can have an enormous impact on your day, your mindset, AND your health.
According to my good friend and best-selling author Gretchen Rubin, there's a strong connection between the clutter clogging our lives and how we feel.
Gretchen says, "In my study of happiness, I've realized that for most of us, outer order contributes to inner calm."
I couldn't agree more. Everything affects everything.
- When I'm tearing the house apart looking for my keys, I start the day in a terrible mood.
- When dirty clothes are pouring out of my hamper, I skip the gym because I feel guilty that I'm not doing laundry.
- When the fridge looks like a barren wasteland, I'm far more likely to order out for pizza.
How do the small things in your life, like a messy desk, unmade bed, or dirty dishes, affect you?
Now, think about this…
How would your day, mood, and your happiness improve if you just set aside a few minutes to create more order?
3 Simple Ways To Create An Inner Calm
Don't Let Perfect Be The Enemy Of Good
What stops me from organizing my closet? I'm so glad you asked. I'll tell you!
It's a sea of shoes lining the floor, those shirts I bought on vacation that I just can't throw away, AND the thought that I need an entire day to make any progress.
That's perfectionism at its best! If you don't have the time, why bother? (Are there any fellow recovering perfectionists out there?)
But "good" is always better than "perfect."
The truth is: you don't need an entire day to make progress. You don't need a whole hour or even ten minutes. All it takes is one simple action. Next time you're facing the beast, don't focus on how long the battle will last. Instead, ask yourself, "What's one action I can take to make progress?"
At MyBodyTutor our mantra for crushing perfectionism is progress, not perksin.
Make It Fun
Okay, I know what you're thinking. Come on! Make if fun? There is absolutely nothing fun about decluttering.
Gretchen says, "This approach is arbitrary, but that's one reason that it's effective: it helps us to see our environment in a new, playful way."
When is the last time you turned something into a game? I bet you'll be surprised at how long it actually was.
There's a reason my most successful clients schedule time for fun. Fun is instant happiness! Have you ever seen a kid frown while they're jumping on a trampoline? No? Me either!
Make a game of it. See how big of a dent you can make on the stack of bills and letters piling up on your counter.
Pull out your phone, set a 10-minute timer, get the kids involved, and see what happens. In fact, I want you to give yourself a 3…2…1 countdown and get to it!
Follow The "One-Minute Rule"
One habit you must adopt is the "One-Minute Rule". Here's how Gretchen explains it, "Do any task that can be finished in less than one minute, without delay. Hang up a coat, read a letter and toss it, put a document in a file, throw away a pen that doesn't work, put the toothpaste back in the medicine cabinet and close the door."
Is there a task you're dreading that would take less than a minute to finish? Just do it and be done!
Even better, is there a "one-minute" action you can take to improve your health? Maybe you can log a meal, put a gym visit on the calendar, or set your walking shoes next to the door.
The Takeaway
Everything we do affects everything else – from coming home to a perfectly made bed to the joy of finding that the remote control is exactly where it should be. 😉
When you create order in the things around you, you may just find that you're a little happier, the day is a little easier, you feel an inner calm!
Gretchen's Outer Order, Inner Calm is jam-packed with helpful, practical tips to bring order to your environment.
"By getting rid of the things I don't use, don't need, or don't love, as well as the things that don't work, don't fit, or don't suit, I free my mind—and my shelves—for what I truly value." —Gretchen Rubin


text:
Nations usually commemorate the date of birth or death of a significant historical person. Americans have some dates which concern the Presidents. One of such holidays is Lyndon Baines Johnson Day. It's observed in Texas. When is Lyndon Baines Johnson Day in 2019? How is it observed?
History of the day
L.B. Johnson was born in 1908, on the 27th of August. People know him as LBJ. Initially the young man was going to become a teacher. He graduated Teachers' College in Texas. Later he became a teacher of political subjects. His teaching direction also was public speaking. The man became the President of the USA in the 60s of the 20th century. He was born in 1908, on the 27th of August. Johnson became the President after the tragic J.F. Kennedy's death in 1963.
His political aim was to protect civil rights and to improve educational establishments. President Johnson continued the political direction of the previous American president. This man insisted on the lessening or even cease of racial discrimination. He initiated African Americans' voting. In 1964 the Civil Rights Act was accepted.
The President elaborated the program "Great Society" which was accepted in 1965. It consisted from the following points:
- educational problems were to be decided in the highest degree;
- the rights of ordinary people should be protected;
- African Americans should be given the voting right and other civil opportunities;
- cities and towns needed investments to develop their infrastructures;
- medical programs were to be paid attention to;
- all the American districts were to be improved including beautification and conservation;
- the development of arts was one of the most important paragraphs;
- police control and crime prevention were given attention in the law;
- consumers' rights should be protected in a more strict way.
All these propositions were developed into serious programs which helped to develop the country. Texas was the territory where many African Americans live. They got lots of rights and became equal with white Americans. If you want to watch celebrations, you should write the question in the internet "What day Lyndon Baines Johnson Day in 2019?"
Johnson was famous for strengthening military participation in war with Vietnam. It was the reason of people's opposition. The man finished his presidency in 1969. Then he lived in Texas where he lectured in the Universities and took part in different disputes devoted to sociology.
The former president died in four years after living the post. It was in 1973. Half a year later local authorities decided to make his date of birth a holiday. They proposed to observe the date annually in Texas. It was on the 27th of August.
How to observe the date
Lots of events are held in Texas on the 27th of August. The contribution that was made by L.B. Johnson is nowadays still obvious in many categories of life. Thus, special occasions are carried throughout the state and other parts of the country. People try to commemorate the memory of LBJ and his deeds.
Many programs are made on TV devoted to life and political contribution of L.B. Johnson. Parties and events are held in the Texas State University. "Great Society" was a notable speech of the man. This speech and other reports are commemorated on the day.
People in Texas haven't always a day-off. It is a day when it is required to safe a needed amount of staff in the state governmental offices. In 2019 the date falls on Tuesday; so all the offices will be closed. When is Lyndon Baines Johnson Day 2019? The observance will take place on the 27th of August.
This day visitors may attend different exhibitions in Texas and Washington, DC. The monuments are always popular among the votaries. One of such memorials is near the State University in Texas. It was set in 2006. The people can also visit State Park which bears the name of the 36th President. They can have a rest there. Swimming, fishing and picnicking aren't forbidden at the territory on the day. People can also make a walking tour across the rancho where the president lived for many years.
Facts about LBJ
Lives of famous people are usually full of interesting facts that make their personalities attractive to ordinary people. Lyndon Baines Johnson is not exclusion:
- The young man started his career as a teacher at the school where Mexicans studied. This fact may be an explanation of his political choice and desire to stop racial discrimination.
- In 1948 he became a senator in the elections and got the name "Landslide Lyndon".
- B. Johnson was a leader of the Senate majority for many years.
- His efforts were so strong that he got problems with his heart.
- What is the date of Lyndon Baines Johnson Day 2019? The answer is "On the 27th of August".
- Heart attack made him to lead healthy style of life till his death. He forgot about smoking and kept to a diet.
- During Kennedy's presidency he was regarded as an outsider.
- The man became the President without ordinary elections but after Kennedy's assassination. The same day he took the oath on the board of a plane in Dallas.
- The first months of his presidency were devoted to providing the laws concerning lessening racial discrimination.
- Johnson's wife is regarded to be his motive force. She was called as Lady Bird by Americans. She always accompanied her husband during his political trips. She helped to provide State educational and "beautification" programs.
- Johnson's presidency failed because of his orders concerning Vietnam. The man even had a depression. More than 30 thousand American soldiers were killed in war with Vietnam.
"When is Lyndon Baines Johnson Day in 2019, calendar of commemoration?" The phrase will help to find a schedule of interesting events.


text:
A legend in her own time, Mississippi State's Victoria Vivians is ready for what's next
Victoria Vivians could have gone anywhere. But she didn't.
Florida, Louisville and Kentucky all wanted her, and she was good enough to play immediately at all of them. They were top 10, top 20 programs? And Mississippi State back then? "We weren't top 220," Vic Schaefer said.
But she stayed. The girl from Scott Central that scored a national-record 5,745 points and had earned her own exhibit at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum by the time she graduated high school was back here Monday, a woman ready to accept her fourth C Spire Gillom Trophy as the best women's basketball player in Mississippi.
No one had ever won the award three times until she did that. Now it's four in as many years. And while it may all feel routine on some level for the rest of us, she seemed at ease Monday taking it all in during her last go-around.
More:Victoria Vivians is more focused than ever and her rebounding proves it
From the archives:Victoria Vivians' journey from Forest to Final Four
Schaefer joked that he was probably responsible for the only time she didn't score double-digit points this season, and from behind him she admitted it against LSU and it was because of foul trouble. He said that he's finally gotten used to calling her Tori (which she prefers) but she told the media afterward Victoria is fine for us to use because it's her "professional" name. Yeah, there's the NCAA tournament to worry about, but she's also about to graduate and then head on to the WNBA. It's an exciting time.
"I'm grown now," she said with a laugh.
Story continues after gallery
And she has the accompanying maturity now to handle this setback for the Mississippi State women. She and teammates Teaira McCown and Blair Schaefer were in Jackson not 24 hours after losing the SEC women's tournament championship to South Carolina, spoiling what had been an undefeated season.
They joked that the sky is not falling in Starkville, but the sun did not come out today — it was cloudy in the Golden Triangle. But all kidding aside, the Lady Bulldogs cannot afford another loss, literally.
And if they're going to still achieve their goal of a national championship, they'll have to use the next two weeks to get better, Schaefer said. That's what last year's team did on its way to the national title game. And he'll be relying on Vivians to help lead the way forward.
More:Vic Schaefer's worst fear was realized in Mississippi State's 1st loss in SEC Tournament final
This has been, by some margin, her best season, at a time when she's also had the most help from her teammates (you could have made a legit case for McCowan winning the Gillom after averaging 17.7 points, 13.2 rebounds and nearly two blocks a night). Vivians is averaging 19.6 points per game but instead of being a volume shooter she's at 48.5 percent from the field and 39.5 percent from 3. She's second in the team in rebounds, has a positive assist: turnover ratio and 49 steals in 33 games.
"She's so experienced. She knows what's coming," Schaefer said. "She's already gotten everybody's best scouting report and everybody's best player 100-something times."
That's what she signed up for when she chose Mississippi State 4.5 years ago — she'd be near home and be the No. 1 option. And she believed in Schaefer's vision, and look where that's led her, and the rest of the Lady Bulldogs? Could it get any better?
"Any better? No," Vivians said. "In the moment it feels great. I'm grateful and glad I chose it."
Read more about the MSU women:Subscribe to ClarionLedger.com and get the first month free


text:
In this program, Roger will teach you what the TRUE physiological fundamentals of the golf swing are, and why there is no one right method to swinging a golf club. As Roger breaks down the 3 major fundamentals, he'll give you 12 easy to learn swing drills, that will help make your swing more fundamentally sound and produce a more effective, and easy to repeat golf swing.
This program will clear away much of the confusion that plagues most golfers, and present a crystal clear picture of what a good golf swing really is.
This digital video is part of our Fredericks Golf Video On Demand Series. Each digital video is streamed to your account from your computer, smartphone or tablet for playback. There is no physical DVD with this purchase.


text:
Hotel Information
Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront
1401 SW Naito Parkway
Portland, OR 97201
Guest room rates
$169.00 single or double occupancy(taxes not included)
Make your reservations by Monday, Oct. 31, 2016. Reservation can be made online or by phone (available 24 hours a day) 1.877.901.6632 and be sure to ask for "2016 SOA Health Boot Camps". Reservations made after this deadline are subject to space and rate availability.
A major credit card is required in order to make a reservation. Any guaranteed reservation not cancelled 72 hours prior to arrival will be subject to one night room and tax cancellation fee.
Early Departures
During check-in all guests will be asked to verify their departure date. At that time you may change your departure date without penalty.
Confirmation of your hotel reservation is provided by the hotel. If you have not received a confirmation number prior to your departure for Portland, please call the hotel to make sure your reservation is in order.
Hotel Check-in and Checkout
Check-in time is 4:00 p.m. and checkout time is 12:00 p.m. Those arriving early may check their bags with the bell desk in the hotel lobby.
Parking- Valet Parking is $37.00 per day
Portland International Airport, PDX, is 9 miles away, with estimated taxi fare of $50.
AmTrav Corporate Travel is the Society of Actuaries' official travel agency. AmTrav is focused on providing cost savings and enhanced travel services. Call AmTrav at 866.284.5774 Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. CT or visit their website at amtrav.com.


text:
Interval HarpCello Performance Chairs
HarpCello chairs with interchangeable features
that look after your body and extend your music career!
choice of height ranges:
3″ pneumatic shock 13″ – 16″
Weight 25.2 lb – 11.5 kg
Beautiful and elegant for onstage performance or rehearsal in the studio.
Harp benches, stools, chairs that look after your body
and extend your music career!
Put your health first in choosing performance seating.
The Interval HarpCello Performance Chairs
specifically designed non-swivel.
A harp player may be supporting, with their body, a harp weighing close to 80 pounds (36 kgs). As a result, shoulder and back muscles are strained, as well as one's concentration. A back support of good design provides support for key muscles, replacing strain with support, a hurting body with a healthy body and improving concentration.
Using the back support is always recommended. It can be placed right at the lumbar or wherever you like, adjusts vertically and horizontally, meets your body where you need it.
The HarpCello chair is not an office chair. Seating which swivels is dangerous when playing any instrument.
Measure for height range: measure the chair or bench you currently use from floor to top front edge, including padding, if any. This height should be at the mid-point of the height ranges shown. Please call us to discuss.
Additional information
|Back Support
Straight, 2" bend, 4" bend
|Sitting Height
13" – 16"


text:
Adaptation Fund approved funding to support four projects across Latin America, West Africa and Asia.
Mali accessed US$172 million of IDA financing for climate resilience projects.
Under ADB's new 2030 Strategy, 75% of ADB's committed operations will be supporting climate change mitigation and adaptation by 2030.
31 July 2018: During the month of July, several adaptation programmes around the world achieved access to climate finance. The Adaptation Fund approved a pilot South-South cooperation readiness support package to foster cooperation on adaptation project development, accreditation and access to climate finance. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) finalized its long-term corporate strategy to 2030, with 75% of its committed operations supporting climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Adaptation Fund Enhances South-South Cooperation on Adaptation Project Development, Approves Projects Over US$35 Million Worth
The Adaptation Fund has a growing community of 28 accredited national implementing entities (NIEs) sharing similar intents and needs. According to Mikko Ollikainen, Manager of the Adaptation Fund Board (AFB) Secretariat, learning from each other's lessons can be mutually beneficial in enhancing access to climate finance and improving adaptation practices.
In line with this idea, and building on the Fund's South-South Grant Programme, the AFB approved a pilot South-South cooperation readiness support package, including a US$100,000 grant to enhance access to climate finance. Specifically, the Fund's national implementing partner in Senegal will provide peer guidance to the Governments of Burundi and Mali throughout the process of having NIEs in each of those countries apply for accreditation with the Fund.
The AFB also approved US$35 million for four new climate change adaptation projects across Latin America, West Africa and Asia. The Board further endorsed three climate change adaptation project concepts with US$257,200 in project formulation grants for implementing partners in: Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana; Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan; and Djibouti, Kenya, Uganda and Sudan.
In Ecuador, the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) will implement a US$2.4 million project to strengthen adaptive capacity of local populations in the Toachi-Pilatón watershed with ecosystem- and community-based integrated adaptation approaches.
In Chile and Ecuador, the CAF will implement a US$13.9 million regional project to reduce climate vulnerability in urban and semi-urban areas in three coastal cities. The project also aims to lessen vulnerability to floods, mudflows and landslides by mainstreaming risk-based approaches to adaptation.
In Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Niger and Togo, the West African Development Bank (WADB) will implement a US$14 million regional project to promote climate-smart agriculture, disseminate innovative and regional agricultural best practices and knowledge.
In Mongolia, a US$4.5 million project by the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) seeks to enhance climate resilience to flooding in seven vulnerable Ger (nomadic tent) settlements in Ulaanbaatar, and to reduce their vulnerability to wind and dust storms and air pollution. [Adaptation Fund Press Release]
ADB Builds Resilience in the Region, Agrees Long-Term Corporate Strategy 2030
ADB and the Philippines National Economic and Development Authority and Department of Finance signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) covering an indicative US$7.1 billion sovereign lending program to the country from 2019-2021 to support the government's 'Build, Build, Build' program. US$4.5 billion will be allocated for projects that connect regions and communities and manage urbanization, such as railways, bridges, roads and flood management. The remaining third of the pipeline will focus on policy support and social assistance in the areas of inclusive finance, capital market development, local government development and youth employment. [ADB Press Release on Lending Program to Philippines]
ADB's Strategy 2030 aligns with the SDGs, Addis Ababa Action Agenda, Paris Agreement and Sendai Framework for DRR.
Cambodia received a US$90 million ADB loan supporting projects aimed at strengthening climate resilience and modernizing the agriculture sector using advanced technologies. The Climate-Friendly Agribusiness Value Chains Sector Project received an additional US$10 million loan and a US$30 million grant from the Green Climate Fund (GCF). Cambodia and beneficiaries contribute US$11 million. The project, to be completed in the third quarter of 2024, focuses on climate resilience of critical agricultural infrastructure while helping improve the competitiveness of the value chains of rice, maize, cassava and mango production. Activities include: rehabilitation of irrigation and water management infrastructure; upgrading of agricultural cooperatives' value chain infrastructure; improvement of farm-to-market roads; upgrading of infrastructure for safety and quality testing; and promotion of renewable energy. [ADB Press Release on Loan for climate resilience in Cambodia]
ADB and Switzerland agreed to support Pakistan's National Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Fund which finances high-impact investments in disaster risk reduction (DRR) and preparedness. The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) will provide 1.5 million Swiss francs and technical assistance to the fund. The initial financing of the fund was made through an ADB loan to Pakistan, equivalent to US$200 million, and a $3.4 million grant from the Government of Australia. The fund will finance up to 70% of the cost of eligible projects that will enhance Pakistan's resilience to extreme weather events and other natural hazards. [ADB Press Release on National DRM Fund in Pakistan]
ADB adopted its long-term corporate strategy, Strategy 2030, which aligns with the SDGs, Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA), Paris Agreement on climate change and Sendai Framework for DRR. Under the strategy, by 2030, 75% of ADB's committed operations will be supporting climate change mitigation and adaptation. Climate finance from ADB's own resources is expected to reach US$80 billion for the period 2019-2030.
Focus on support for the region's poorest and most vulnerable countries as well as infrastructure investment remain the Bank's priorities. ADB will expand operations in social sectors and strengthen its country-focused approach, promote the use of innovative technologies, and deliver integrated interventions through a mix of public and private sector operations.
Specifically, ADB's support will focus on seven operational priorities: 1) addressing remaining poverty and reducing inequalities; 2) accelerating progress in gender equality; 3) tackling climate change, building climate and disaster resilience and enhancing environmental sustainability; 4) making cities more livable; 5) promoting rural development and food security; 6) strengthening governance and institutional capacity; and 7) fostering regional cooperation and integration. [Strategy 2030] [ADB Press Release on Strategy 2030]
World Bank Improves Resilience, Food Security, Inclusive Growth in Mali
The World Bank approved US$172 million of International Development Association (IDA) financing to improve agricultural productivity and resilience of drylands communities, foster inclusive growth and support social protection in Mali.
US$60 million in IDA grant and credit finance is allocated to the Mali Second Poverty Reduction and Inclusive Growth Development Policy Operation. The project aims at increasing security of tenure and improving competition in the telecommunications sector through policy reforms with respect to land tenure, energy, agricultural subsidies, telecommunications, social protection and microfinance.
Another US$60 million goes to the Mali Drylands Development Project, which aims to reduce the impact of drought and climate change on poor populations in the country's northern region through various interventions. These measures combine direct and productive cash transfers with the delivery of agricultural inputs, services and infrastructures while supporting community and national institutions.
The Mali Safety Nets Project received additional financing of US$52 million through an IDA grant. This project aims at increasing food security and resilience of poor and vulnerable households by providing quarterly cash transfers to over 390,000 individuals, of which 49% are women. [World Bank Press Release]
CDB Enhances Climate Resilience in Road Infrastructure Projects
The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) expanded the scope of an ongoing road transport project to include Dominica, given the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria in 2017. The project consists of a study on approaches for mainstreaming climate resilience into the road transport sector in the Bank's borrowing member countries (BMCs) as well as the piloting of these approaches in Guyana, Saint Lucia and now Dominica. The aim is to assist governments in investment decisions in their road networks to improve their resilience to climate-related events.
The Project is being implemented under the African Caribbean Pacific-European Union-Caribbean Development Bank Natural Disaster Risk Management in CARIFORUM Countries (ACP-EU-CDB NDRM) Programme. In the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, CDB and the EU agreed that €500,000 would be provided to support recovery efforts in affected BMCs. [Caribank Press Release]
UN-Habitat, UK Collaborate on Urban Resilience
UN-Habitat announced a collaboration with the UK Government on the Strategic Development Phase of the Global Future Cities Prosperity Fund Programme. The focus of the Strategic Development Phase, led by UN-Habitat's Urban Planning and Design Lab, is to support sustainable urban development while achieving inclusive prosperity. The project involves assessing the viability of urban interventions related to urban planning, transportation and resilience, and assessing levels of stakeholder engagement.
The Global Future Cities Programme aims to promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth in 19 cities across ten countries worldwide, including Turkey, Brazil, South Africa, Nigeria, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Viet Nam, Myanmar and Thailand. It supports overcoming development challenges that arise with increasing rapid urbanization, climate change and urban inequality, which can lower long-term growth prospects of cities. The Programme contributes to achieving the SDGs and implementation of the New Urban Agenda (NUA). [UN-Habitat Press Release]
* * *
The SDG Knowledge Hub publishes monthly climate finance updates, which largely focus on multilateral financing and cover, inter alia, mitigation and adaptation project financing news and lessons, institutional events and news, and latest developments in carbon markets and pricing. Past climate finance updates can be found under the tags: Finance Update: Climate Change; and Finance Update: Sustainable Energy.