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Looking into the truth about modern workplace environments

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published Workplaces are being transformed, according to the Olivet Nazarene University study ( “ The Truth about Modern Offices “). The days of men and women fitted in formal clothing and working under the harsh glare fluorescent lighting are slipping away. The trends of today are reflective of casual dress codes and soft furnishings. There are signs too that the ‘ animal penning’ ( read cubicles) are starting to be withdrawn, and replaced with open floor plans ( indications are that over half of workplaces – 51 percent – have gravitated towards the ‘ open office’ or open floor plan concept). The survey also showed that 77 percent of U.S. located workers are reportedly happy with the way their office is set up. However, as an indication of thoughts about open-plan areas, those with private offices stated they were happiest Through changing technology, more employees are now having more daily conversations via messaging apps rather than face-to-face interactions ( for every 17 conversations, nine are via messaging systems against eight that are face-to-face). An example of such a system is Skype for Business. The poll also found that 58 percent of U.S. citizens self-report they are less productive when working from home. The main reasons for this loss of productivity include distractions, trouble signing off at the end of the day and difficulty communicating and collaborating with coworkers. Furthermore, 80 percent of those ‘ homeworking’ freely admitted to multitasking. By this, people are choosing to focus on things like laundry, family, or television. So while remote working takes off, there are some apparent downsides to this trend. The data was compiled between November 15 and November 17, 2019. Encompassed in the survey were 2,009 people, who were polled about their current workplace environments. The mean age of the participants was 37 years. By gender, 55 percent of the respondents were female and 45 percent were male. Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news. Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs. The Steppe mammoth was the first stage in the evolution of the steppe and tundra elephants and the ancestor of the woolly mammoth and... Recycling is almost non-existent in the North African country, which produces 2.6 million tonnes of waste each year. Satellites have become invaluable as an added technology in man’ s quest to understand and expand the scope of global climate observation. Boris Johnson's own MPs say they will rebel against the government's new coronavirus restrictions - Copyright UK PARLIAMENT/AFP JESSICA TAYLORBritain’ s health minister has refused... COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2021 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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Hexo refiles financial statements

New York reported a record 90,132 new Covid-19 cases on Saturday as the state passed 4 million total infections since the start of the pandemic. Bitcoin extended its slide into the weekend as the most speculative of assets continues to be hit the hardest while the excesses of the last few years get wrung from global markets. Central bankers need to speak up about economic barriers prompted by racism and the need for inclusion and diversity, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Raphael Bostic said, a response to critics who see the work as a distraction from the Fed’ s main goals. Senator John Thune of South Dakota, the No. 2 Republican leader in the chamber and a potential successor to Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, said he will seek a fourth term. New York Governor Kathy Hochul picked Janno Lieber to head the nation’ s largest public transit system on Saturday, sticking with former Governor Andrew Cuomo’ s choice to help restore ridership decimated by the pandemic. { { video.ContentPackages [ 0 ].ScheduleStartDateTime | fromNow } }

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Japan raid, Turkey arrests in widening Ghosn probe

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published Officials on Thursday raided the Tokyo residence of former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn who fled to Lebanon to avoid a Japanese trial, while Turkey detained several people as part of a widening probe into the security lapse. Ghosn, who faced multiple charges of financial misconduct that he denies, won bail in April but with strict conditions -- including a ban on overseas travel. But the disgraced executive, who has French, Brazilian and Lebanese nationalities, managed to slip out of Japan on Sunday despite having handed over his three passports to his lawyers. A court in Tokyo had allowed Ghosn to keep a second French passport as he needed one to travel inside Japan, a source close to the matter told AFP Thursday. `` He had to keep this passport '' to prove his short-stay status, the source said, adding: `` There was permission from the court. '' Ghosn was allowed this French passport so long as it was kept in a locked case with the code held by his lawyers, the source said. There is no emigration data showing Ghosn's departure from Japan but he entered Lebanon on a French passport, public broadcaster NHK said. Colourful rumours abound regarding the exact circumstances of Ghosn's daring escape. One claim in the Lebanese media was that the mogul was sprung from his Tokyo residence in a musical instrument case -- a story a source in his entourage denied. He is thought to have taken a private jet from Kansai Airport in western Japan on December 29, heading for Istanbul. It is believed Ghosn headed from there to Beirut. Turkey's interior ministry has opened an investigation into Ghosn's apparent transfer between private jets at an Istanbul airport on Monday. Officials questioned seven people, including four pilots, as part of the probe, news agency DHA reported Thursday. - Residence raided - Prosecutors, meanwhile, raided his former Tokyo residence Thursday as part of an initial investigation into his escape. Television footage showed several officers in dark suits entering the property. Authorities are expected to analyse security camera footage from his residence and other places they suspect Ghosn travelled to before he fled, NHK said. Police suspect `` several '' people accompanied him to help him escape `` in an unlawful manner, '' it added. The Japanese government has yet to issue any official statement on the case. When his defence lawyers were arguing for bail, prosecutors claimed he was a flight risk with powerful connections, but Ghosn himself said he wanted to be tried to prove his innocence. One of his lawyers also said at the time that he was such a famous face he had no chance of slipping away undetected. Several countries allow peopleto have two passports of the same nationality -- for example if they are frequent travellers constantly needing visas, or visit nations in conflict with each other. The Japanese government is likely to ask Lebanon to extradite Ghosn through diplomatic channels, but chances of his handover appear slim as Beiruit has no extradition accord with Tokyo. The French government said on Thursday it would not extradite Ghosn if he arrived in the country because it does not extradite its nationals. Officials on Thursday raided the Tokyo residence of former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn who fled to Lebanon to avoid a Japanese trial, while Turkey detained several people as part of a widening probe into the security lapse. Ghosn, who faced multiple charges of financial misconduct that he denies, won bail in April but with strict conditions — including a ban on overseas travel. But the disgraced executive, who has French, Brazilian and Lebanese nationalities, managed to slip out of Japan on Sunday despite having handed over his three passports to his lawyers. A court in Tokyo had allowed Ghosn to keep a second French passport as he needed one to travel inside Japan, a source close to the matter told AFP Thursday. “ He had to keep this passport ” to prove his short-stay status, the source said, adding: “ There was permission from the court. ” Ghosn was allowed this French passport so long as it was kept in a locked case with the code held by his lawyers, the source said. There is no emigration data showing Ghosn’ s departure from Japan but he entered Lebanon on a French passport, public broadcaster NHK said. Colourful rumours abound regarding the exact circumstances of Ghosn’ s daring escape. One claim in the Lebanese media was that the mogul was sprung from his Tokyo residence in a musical instrument case — a story a source in his entourage denied. He is thought to have taken a private jet from Kansai Airport in western Japan on December 29, heading for Istanbul. It is believed Ghosn headed from there to Beirut. Turkey’ s interior ministry has opened an investigation into Ghosn’ s apparent transfer between private jets at an Istanbul airport on Monday. Officials questioned seven people, including four pilots, as part of the probe, news agency DHA reported Thursday. – Residence raided – Prosecutors, meanwhile, raided his former Tokyo residence Thursday as part of an initial investigation into his escape. Television footage showed several officers in dark suits entering the property. Authorities are expected to analyse security camera footage from his residence and other places they suspect Ghosn travelled to before he fled, NHK said. Police suspect “ several ” people accompanied him to help him escape “ in an unlawful manner, ” it added. The Japanese government has yet to issue any official statement on the case. When his defence lawyers were arguing for bail, prosecutors claimed he was a flight risk with powerful connections, but Ghosn himself said he wanted to be tried to prove his innocence. One of his lawyers also said at the time that he was such a famous face he had no chance of slipping away undetected. Several countries allow peopleto have two passports of the same nationality — for example if they are frequent travellers constantly needing visas, or visit nations in conflict with each other. The Japanese government is likely to ask Lebanon to extradite Ghosn through diplomatic channels, but chances of his handover appear slim as Beiruit has no extradition accord with Tokyo. The French government said on Thursday it would not extradite Ghosn if he arrived in the country because it does not extradite its nationals. With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives. A growing number of Western nations and cybersecurity groups have issued digital surveillance warnings for next month's Winter Olympics in Beijing. Cloud ERP leader Acumatica to host annual summit on digital transformation success. A man gets a Covid-19 jab at a vaccination station in Vienna on August 25, 2021; from February 2022, vaccinations against the virus will... US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks at the US embassy in Kyiv amid a standoff with Russia - Copyright AFP/File Mladen ANTONOVShaun TANDONThe... COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2022 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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Pope's bodyguards criticised over slapping incident

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published Pope Francis's attempt to wrest himself from the grasp of an ardent follower this week have left some asking -- where was the pontiff's security detail? Often dubbed the `` People's Pope, '' Francis's ability to engage with crowds -- and his apparent relish in doing so -- puts him in close proximity with the throngs who gather to greet him. Whether taking selfies with the faithful, shaking hands, or blessing children, the head of 1.3 billion Catholics around the world is protected by bodyguards from a special corps charged with the pope's security. But on New Year's Eve in Saint Peter's Square, televised images showed a woman behind a barricade grabbing Francis's hand, while three men in black can be seen in the background. The Pope swats at the woman's hand to free himself, before one of the men is seen restraining her hands. Francis later apologised for setting a `` bad example. '' By Thursday, after the images circulated online, some people took to Twitter to question how the incident could have happened. `` The guy has a literal army to protect him and has to do his own slapping? '' asked one Twitter user. Another commented: `` The Pope has a very lax security detail. '' The Vatican's security department declined to comment. One security expert however said bodyguards should have intervened earlier. `` It's the Pope's security team who should be apologising, '' said the founder of Italy's elite special police interventions unit, whose identity is protected but who goes by the name Commandant Alfa. `` The lady wouldn't let go of the Pope's hand, and he was forced to slap her hand a little bit in order to get out of the way, '' Alfa told the AGI news agency. `` But it shouldn't have gotten to that point. '' The pope's chief bodyguard and head of Vatican security, Domenico Giani, resigned in October after an internal security memo related to a Vatican financial probe was leaked to the press. - Personal style - Papal security became a top priority at the Vatican after the 1981 assassination attempt of pope Jean Paul II by Mehmet Ali Agca, a Turk, in Saint Peter's Square. Heightened security measures that followed included making the Popemobile bulletproof and the addition of metal detectors on entering the square. Francis told a Spanish newspaper in 2014 he preferred not to use the bulletproof Popemobile, likening it to a `` sardine can. '' But even overly enthusiastic fans have posed security risks. In 2009, before a Christmas Eve Mass given by then pope Benedict XVI, a woman who later said she wanted to give the pontiff a hug jumped over a barricade and grabbed his robes, pulling the 82-year-old to the ground. Benedict was not injured but a French cardinal broke his leg in the melee. When Francis became pope in 2013, his low-key style and desire to bring the Roman Catholic Church closer to the people posed new headaches for the Vatican's elaborate security team, whose colourful Swiss Guards are the most visible members. `` You have to respect the personal style of each pope, '' said Francis's spokesman at the time, Federico Lombardi. `` It's not for the heads of security to decide these things. '' Pope Francis’ s attempt to wrest himself from the grasp of an ardent follower this week have left some asking — where was the pontiff’ s security detail? Often dubbed the “ People’ s Pope, ” Francis’ s ability to engage with crowds — and his apparent relish in doing so — puts him in close proximity with the throngs who gather to greet him. Whether taking selfies with the faithful, shaking hands, or blessing children, the head of 1.3 billion Catholics around the world is protected by bodyguards from a special corps charged with the pope’ s security. But on New Year’ s Eve in Saint Peter’ s Square, televised images showed a woman behind a barricade grabbing Francis’ s hand, while three men in black can be seen in the background. The Pope swats at the woman’ s hand to free himself, before one of the men is seen restraining her hands. Francis later apologised for setting a “ bad example. ” By Thursday, after the images circulated online, some people took to Twitter to question how the incident could have happened. “ The guy has a literal army to protect him and has to do his own slapping? ” asked one Twitter user. Another commented: “ The Pope has a very lax security detail. ” The Vatican’ s security department declined to comment. One security expert however said bodyguards should have intervened earlier. “ It’ s the Pope’ s security team who should be apologising, ” said the founder of Italy’ s elite special police interventions unit, whose identity is protected but who goes by the name Commandant Alfa. “ The lady wouldn’ t let go of the Pope’ s hand, and he was forced to slap her hand a little bit in order to get out of the way, ” Alfa told the AGI news agency. “ But it shouldn’ t have gotten to that point. ” The pope’ s chief bodyguard and head of Vatican security, Domenico Giani, resigned in October after an internal security memo related to a Vatican financial probe was leaked to the press. – Personal style – Papal security became a top priority at the Vatican after the 1981 assassination attempt of pope Jean Paul II by Mehmet Ali Agca, a Turk, in Saint Peter’ s Square. Heightened security measures that followed included making the Popemobile bulletproof and the addition of metal detectors on entering the square. Francis told a Spanish newspaper in 2014 he preferred not to use the bulletproof Popemobile, likening it to a “ sardine can. ” But even overly enthusiastic fans have posed security risks. In 2009, before a Christmas Eve Mass given by then pope Benedict XVI, a woman who later said she wanted to give the pontiff a hug jumped over a barricade and grabbed his robes, pulling the 82-year-old to the ground. Benedict was not injured but a French cardinal broke his leg in the melee. When Francis became pope in 2013, his low-key style and desire to bring the Roman Catholic Church closer to the people posed new headaches for the Vatican’ s elaborate security team, whose colourful Swiss Guards are the most visible members. “ You have to respect the personal style of each pope, ” said Francis’ s spokesman at the time, Federico Lombardi. “ It’ s not for the heads of security to decide these things. ” With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives. Omicron's rise has heralded another pandemic-tinged Christmas for billions, with Santa's arrival overshadowed by Covid restrictions. At a time when hospitals and patients are strained due to increasing COVID numbers, threat actors will continue to attack. Millions of Americans are traveling before Christmas even as national Omicron Covid-19 infections surpass Delta's peak. Hong Kong university students paid solemn tribute to two campus statues marking Beijing's 1989 suppression of Tiananmen Square protesters. COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2021 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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Lebanon denies president welcomed fugitive Ghosn

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published The Lebanese presidency on Thursday denied reports that President Michel Aoun had welcomed fugitive former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn upon his arrival in the country. The French-Lebanese tycoon, who had been under house arrest in Japan over several counts of financial misconduct, escaped in mysterious circumstances and arrived in Beirut on Monday. Several media outlets reported that he had been greeted by Aoun but a senior presidency official denied the two men had met. `` He was not received at the presidency and did not meet the president, '' the official told AFP. Ghosn flew in from Istanbul on a private jet and has since been reunited with friends and family. Ghosn said he would speak to the media next week. One of his lawyers in Lebanon, Carlos Abou Jaoude, said a date for the press conference had yet to be determined. He entered Lebanon on a French passport, according to airport documents seen by AFP. The public Japanese broadcaster NHK reported that the court in Tokyo had allowed Ghosn to keep a second French passport so long as it were kept `` in a locked case '' with the key held by his lawyers. The exact circumstances of Ghosn's daring escape from Japan, where he had been released on bail in April pending trial after 130 days in prison, remain unclear, though colourful rumours abound. One claim in the Lebanese media is that the auto mogul, who holds Lebanese, French and Brazilian nationalities, was sprung from his Tokyo residence in a musical instrument case -- a story a source in his entourage denied. How Ghosn was able to jump bail has led to a Japanese investigation into what is seen as an embarrassing security lapse. Ghosn stands accused of deferring part of his salary until after his retirement and concealing this from shareholders, as well as syphoning off millions in Nissan cash for his own purposes. Ghosn has repeatedly denied all charges against him, and said that he fled to Lebanon to escape a `` rigged '' Japanese justice system. Some Lebanese see Ghosn as a symbol of their country's fabled entrepreneurial genius and a proud representative of its vast diaspora. The mood has changed since his November 2018 arrest, however, and, weeks into an unprecedented wave of protests against corruption and nepotism, activists saw his return as another manifestation of privilege and impunity for the super-rich. The Lebanese presidency on Thursday denied reports that President Michel Aoun had welcomed fugitive former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn upon his arrival in the country. The French-Lebanese tycoon, who had been under house arrest in Japan over several counts of financial misconduct, escaped in mysterious circumstances and arrived in Beirut on Monday. Several media outlets reported that he had been greeted by Aoun but a senior presidency official denied the two men had met. “ He was not received at the presidency and did not meet the president, ” the official told AFP. Ghosn flew in from Istanbul on a private jet and has since been reunited with friends and family. Ghosn said he would speak to the media next week. One of his lawyers in Lebanon, Carlos Abou Jaoude, said a date for the press conference had yet to be determined. He entered Lebanon on a French passport, according to airport documents seen by AFP. The public Japanese broadcaster NHK reported that the court in Tokyo had allowed Ghosn to keep a second French passport so long as it were kept “ in a locked case ” with the key held by his lawyers. The exact circumstances of Ghosn’ s daring escape from Japan, where he had been released on bail in April pending trial after 130 days in prison, remain unclear, though colourful rumours abound. One claim in the Lebanese media is that the auto mogul, who holds Lebanese, French and Brazilian nationalities, was sprung from his Tokyo residence in a musical instrument case — a story a source in his entourage denied. How Ghosn was able to jump bail has led to a Japanese investigation into what is seen as an embarrassing security lapse. Ghosn stands accused of deferring part of his salary until after his retirement and concealing this from shareholders, as well as syphoning off millions in Nissan cash for his own purposes. Ghosn has repeatedly denied all charges against him, and said that he fled to Lebanon to escape a “ rigged ” Japanese justice system. Some Lebanese see Ghosn as a symbol of their country’ s fabled entrepreneurial genius and a proud representative of its vast diaspora. The mood has changed since his November 2018 arrest, however, and, weeks into an unprecedented wave of protests against corruption and nepotism, activists saw his return as another manifestation of privilege and impunity for the super-rich. With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives. Images of Ukrainian troops carrying Javelin missile launchers on their shoulders have flashed around the world. North Korea conducted a missile test but the launch failed, Seoul said - Copyright AFP Jung Yeon-jeNorth Korea fired a projectile Wednesday but the... China has moved to free up hospital beds as officials reported thousands of new cases from an Omicron-led coronavirus outbreak. Ukraine's besieged leader urged the U.S. to reconsider his plea for a no-fly zone, invoking the terror of the September 11 attacks. COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2022 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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Lebanese lawyers want Ghosn prosecuted over Israel trip

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published Lebanese lawyers on Thursday filed a report to the judiciary demanding fugitive auto tycoon Carlos Ghosn be prosecuted over a trip he made to Israel as Renault-Nissan chairman in 2008. Ghosn -- who holds Lebanese, French and Brazilian citizenship -- jumped bail in Tokyo in mysterious circumstances and arrived in his native Lebanon early on Monday. The tycoon had travelled to Israel in 2008 to support a partnership with Shai Agassi, an Israeli entrepreneur who had launched an ill-fated electric vehicle venture called `` Project Better Place ''. Three lawyers `` submitted a report to the public prosecutor against businessman Carlos Ghosn for the crime of having entered an enemy country and violated the boycott law, '' the state news agency reported. They said several contracts had been signed during his January 2008 trip and added that Ghosn had taken part in several economic conferences. `` Doing business with Israel is not a matter of opinion -- any normalisation is forbidden by law, '' Hassan Bazzi, one of the lawyers, told AFP. Lebanon is technically still at war with Israel, which occupied the south of the country until 2000, and forbids its citizens from travelling there. Interpol, the international police cooperation body, has issued a `` red notice '' for Ghosn's arrest in the wake of him fleeing Japan, but Lebanese judicial sources have said he can not be extradited there. Ghosn stands accused in Japan of deferring part of his salary until after his retirement and concealing this from shareholders, as well as syphoning off millions in Nissan cash for his own purposes. He has denied all charges and has announced a press conference for next week. Ghosn entered Lebanon on a private jet from Turkey using his French passport, according to airport documents seen by AFP. `` Where were the public prosecutor and general security when Ghosn visited Lebanon, after he travelled to occupied Palestine and was photographed there?, '' Bazzi asked. General security is Lebanon's main intelligence agency, which routinely investigates Lebanese citizens suspected of ties with Israel. `` Lebanon prosecutes poor people while those who have earned millions by investing with the enemy are treated as national heroes, '' Bazzi said. In 2017, French-Lebanese filmmaker Ziad Doueiri was arrested and briefly questioned for filming part of his film `` The Attack '' in Israel. Lebanese lawyers on Thursday filed a report to the judiciary demanding fugitive auto tycoon Carlos Ghosn be prosecuted over a trip he made to Israel as Renault-Nissan chairman in 2008. Ghosn — who holds Lebanese, French and Brazilian citizenship — jumped bail in Tokyo in mysterious circumstances and arrived in his native Lebanon early on Monday. The tycoon had travelled to Israel in 2008 to support a partnership with Shai Agassi, an Israeli entrepreneur who had launched an ill-fated electric vehicle venture called “ Project Better Place ”. Three lawyers “ submitted a report to the public prosecutor against businessman Carlos Ghosn for the crime of having entered an enemy country and violated the boycott law, ” the state news agency reported. They said several contracts had been signed during his January 2008 trip and added that Ghosn had taken part in several economic conferences. “ Doing business with Israel is not a matter of opinion — any normalisation is forbidden by law, ” Hassan Bazzi, one of the lawyers, told AFP. Lebanon is technically still at war with Israel, which occupied the south of the country until 2000, and forbids its citizens from travelling there. Interpol, the international police cooperation body, has issued a “ red notice ” for Ghosn’ s arrest in the wake of him fleeing Japan, but Lebanese judicial sources have said he can not be extradited there. Ghosn stands accused in Japan of deferring part of his salary until after his retirement and concealing this from shareholders, as well as syphoning off millions in Nissan cash for his own purposes. He has denied all charges and has announced a press conference for next week. Ghosn entered Lebanon on a private jet from Turkey using his French passport, according to airport documents seen by AFP. “ Where were the public prosecutor and general security when Ghosn visited Lebanon, after he travelled to occupied Palestine and was photographed there?, ” Bazzi asked. General security is Lebanon’ s main intelligence agency, which routinely investigates Lebanese citizens suspected of ties with Israel. “ Lebanon prosecutes poor people while those who have earned millions by investing with the enemy are treated as national heroes, ” Bazzi said. In 2017, French-Lebanese filmmaker Ziad Doueiri was arrested and briefly questioned for filming part of his film “ The Attack ” in Israel. With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives. A growing number of Western nations and cybersecurity groups have issued digital surveillance warnings for next month's Winter Olympics in Beijing. Cloud ERP leader Acumatica to host annual summit on digital transformation success. A man gets a Covid-19 jab at a vaccination station in Vienna on August 25, 2021; from February 2022, vaccinations against the virus will... US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks at the US embassy in Kyiv amid a standoff with Russia - Copyright AFP/File Mladen ANTONOVShaun TANDONThe... COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2022 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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' I did it alone ', Ghosn says of Japan escape

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published Carlos Ghosn claimed Thursday he organised his dramatic escape from bail in Japan alone as the disgraced auto tycoon enjoyed his first days of freedom in Beirut despite an Interpol arrest notice. The exact circumstances of the former Renault-Nissan boss's escape from a case he said was `` rigged '' were unclear but media reports described a plot that had all the trappings of a spy novel. Turkey said seven people had been detained for questioning, including four pilots, over how the wanted tycoon was able to transit through Istanbul. Ghosn, who had been under house arrest in Tokyo since April, was believed to be holed up his central Beirut residence, where visitors filed in and out under the scrutiny of TV cameras. His surprise return to Lebanon just before New Year's Eve raised fresh questions over his judicial status and marked the latest twist in a saga that has rocked the automotive and business world for more than a year. Lebanon's state news agency quoted Justice Minister Albert Sarhan as announcing that `` the public prosecutor... has received what is known as a red notice from Interpol in the Carlos Ghosn case ''. An Interpol red notice is a request for a provisional arrest, pending extradition or prosecution, but it is not a warrant. - Private operatives - A Lebanese judicial source has already told AFP however that Lebanon and Japan do not have an extradition agreement under which Ghosn -- who holds Lebanese, French and Brazilian nationalities -- could be sent back to Tokyo. Ghosn stands accused in Japan of deferring part of his salary until after his retirement and concealing this from shareholders, as well as syphoning off millions in Nissan cash for his own purposes. His escape caused deep embarrassment in Japan, where prosecutors launched an investigation into the security lapse and on Thursday searched his residence. Japanese authorities are expected to analyse security camera footage from his residence and other places they suspect Ghosn travelled to before he fled, Japanese broadcaster NHK said. According to Japan's Kyodo news agency, Ghosn was smuggled out with the help of two private security operatives who pretended to be part of a music band for a Christmas party at his residence. Quoting a Lebanese consultant in Tokyo, Kyodo said Ghosn hid in an instrument case before boarding a private jet -- a scenario a member of Ghosn's entourage has previously denied. One of the operatives was a former Marine employed by a US security firm while the second worked for a Lebanese firm, Kyodo said. More details could emerge when the former tycoon, who was first arrested in November 2018, speaks to the press in Beirut next week. - Turkey arrests - Ghosn denied through the Paris-based agency handling his PR that his family had anything to do with his escape. `` The media reports saying my wife Carole and other family members played a role in my departure from Japan are falsehoods. I alone organised my departure, '' he said. Meanwhile Turkey also announced that it was holding seven individuals in connection with Ghosn's extraordinary escape. The investigation is focused on two flights. The first, a Bombardier labelled TC-TSR, flew from Osaka in Japan, landed in Istanbul at 5:15 am and parked in a hangar. The second was a private jet to Beirut, a Bombardier Challenger 300 TC-RZA, which left 45 minutes later, according to the Turkish news agency DHA. Ghosn was able to enter Lebanon on a French passport, according to airport documents seen by AFP. NHK reported that the court in Tokyo had allowed Ghosn to keep a second French passport so long as it was kept `` in a locked case '' with the key held by his lawyers. - Privilege and impunity - Although Ghosn was restricted to his lush Beirut home only by the media's glare, not all in Lebanon welcomed his return. Three lawyers submitted a report to the public prosecutor demanding that the businessman be prosecuted over a trip he made to Israel in 2008. `` Doing business with Israel is not a matter of opinion -- any normalisation is forbidden by law, '' Hassan Bazzi, one of the lawyers, told AFP. Lebanon is technically still at war with Israel, which occupied the south of the country until 2000, and forbids its citizens from travelling there. Ghosn had travelled to Israel and met then president Shimon Peres as part of a trip to support a partnership with an Israeli entrepreneur launching an electric car venture. Some Lebanese see Ghosn as a symbol of their country's fabled entrepreneurial genius and a proud representative of its vast diaspora. The mood has changed since his November 2018 arrest, however, and, weeks into an unprecedented wave of protests against corruption and nepotism, activists saw his return as another manifestation of privilege and impunity for the super-rich. Carlos Ghosn claimed Thursday he organised his dramatic escape from bail in Japan alone as the disgraced auto tycoon enjoyed his first days of freedom in Beirut despite an Interpol arrest notice. The exact circumstances of the former Renault-Nissan boss’ s escape from a case he said was “ rigged ” were unclear but media reports described a plot that had all the trappings of a spy novel. Turkey said seven people had been detained for questioning, including four pilots, over how the wanted tycoon was able to transit through Istanbul. Ghosn, who had been under house arrest in Tokyo since April, was believed to be holed up his central Beirut residence, where visitors filed in and out under the scrutiny of TV cameras. His surprise return to Lebanon just before New Year’ s Eve raised fresh questions over his judicial status and marked the latest twist in a saga that has rocked the automotive and business world for more than a year. Lebanon’ s state news agency quoted Justice Minister Albert Sarhan as announcing that “ the public prosecutor… has received what is known as a red notice from Interpol in the Carlos Ghosn case ”. An Interpol red notice is a request for a provisional arrest, pending extradition or prosecution, but it is not a warrant. – Private operatives – A Lebanese judicial source has already told AFP however that Lebanon and Japan do not have an extradition agreement under which Ghosn — who holds Lebanese, French and Brazilian nationalities — could be sent back to Tokyo. Ghosn stands accused in Japan of deferring part of his salary until after his retirement and concealing this from shareholders, as well as syphoning off millions in Nissan cash for his own purposes. His escape caused deep embarrassment in Japan, where prosecutors launched an investigation into the security lapse and on Thursday searched his residence. Japanese authorities are expected to analyse security camera footage from his residence and other places they suspect Ghosn travelled to before he fled, Japanese broadcaster NHK said. According to Japan’ s Kyodo news agency, Ghosn was smuggled out with the help of two private security operatives who pretended to be part of a music band for a Christmas party at his residence. Quoting a Lebanese consultant in Tokyo, Kyodo said Ghosn hid in an instrument case before boarding a private jet — a scenario a member of Ghosn’ s entourage has previously denied. One of the operatives was a former Marine employed by a US security firm while the second worked for a Lebanese firm, Kyodo said. More details could emerge when the former tycoon, who was first arrested in November 2018, speaks to the press in Beirut next week. – Turkey arrests – Ghosn denied through the Paris-based agency handling his PR that his family had anything to do with his escape. “ The media reports saying my wife Carole and other family members played a role in my departure from Japan are falsehoods. I alone organised my departure, ” he said. Meanwhile Turkey also announced that it was holding seven individuals in connection with Ghosn’ s extraordinary escape. The investigation is focused on two flights. The first, a Bombardier labelled TC-TSR, flew from Osaka in Japan, landed in Istanbul at 5:15 am and parked in a hangar. The second was a private jet to Beirut, a Bombardier Challenger 300 TC-RZA, which left 45 minutes later, according to the Turkish news agency DHA. Ghosn was able to enter Lebanon on a French passport, according to airport documents seen by AFP. NHK reported that the court in Tokyo had allowed Ghosn to keep a second French passport so long as it was kept “ in a locked case ” with the key held by his lawyers. – Privilege and impunity – Although Ghosn was restricted to his lush Beirut home only by the media’ s glare, not all in Lebanon welcomed his return. Three lawyers submitted a report to the public prosecutor demanding that the businessman be prosecuted over a trip he made to Israel in 2008. “ Doing business with Israel is not a matter of opinion — any normalisation is forbidden by law, ” Hassan Bazzi, one of the lawyers, told AFP. Lebanon is technically still at war with Israel, which occupied the south of the country until 2000, and forbids its citizens from travelling there. Ghosn had travelled to Israel and met then president Shimon Peres as part of a trip to support a partnership with an Israeli entrepreneur launching an electric car venture. Some Lebanese see Ghosn as a symbol of their country’ s fabled entrepreneurial genius and a proud representative of its vast diaspora. The mood has changed since his November 2018 arrest, however, and, weeks into an unprecedented wave of protests against corruption and nepotism, activists saw his return as another manifestation of privilege and impunity for the super-rich. With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives. Images of Ukrainian troops carrying Javelin missile launchers on their shoulders have flashed around the world. North Korea conducted a missile test but the launch failed, Seoul said - Copyright AFP Jung Yeon-jeNorth Korea fired a projectile Wednesday but the... China has moved to free up hospital beds as officials reported thousands of new cases from an Omicron-led coronavirus outbreak. Ukraine's besieged leader urged the U.S. to reconsider his plea for a no-fly zone, invoking the terror of the September 11 attacks. COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2022 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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Ghosn escape sparks calls to toughen Japan's bail system

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published Carlos Ghosn's stunning flight while on bail awaiting trial has vindicated prosecutors who said he should have been kept in custody, and sparked calls to toughen Japan's justice system that critics say is already overly harsh. `` I knew it! '' was the reaction of a senior Nissan executive cited in the Japanese press upon learning of his former boss's escape to Lebanon to avoid trial in Tokyo. `` This is how he proves his innocence? By fleeing abroad? '' added the Nissan official quoted in the Asahi Shimbun. `` It should be out of the question to grant bail to suspects who deny the accusations against them. '' A senior prosecutor told the Mainichi Shimbun: `` This is what we had predicted '' when arguing Ghosn should remain in custody, bemoaning the fact their painstaking evidence gathering was now moot. There were also calls in the media to tighten bail procedures in the wake of the tycoon's escape, which many papers said made a `` mockery '' of Japan's justice system. `` To prevent a repeat of the incident, we should discuss how to cover the weak points of the system, such as setting bail equal to most of the defendants ' assets, and GPS monitoring, '' said the Yomiuri Shimbun. Ghosn's high-profile arrest on multiple charges of financial misconduct threw an international spotlight on Japan's justice system -- widely considered draconian compared with the West. Suspects can be questioned initially for 48 hours, renewable for two periods of 10 days, bringing the time in custody without formal charges to 22 days. Prosecutors often then `` re-arrest '' a suspect on a slightly different allegation to restart the clock -- which happened several times to Ghosn. - Certain of guilt - When formal charges are eventually pressed, there is a two-month period of pre-trial detention, renewable by one month at a time by appeal to the court. Former prosecutor Yasuyuki Takai told AFP that the system operates in this way so authorities only charge suspects they are absolutely sure are guilty. `` Imagine that 30 or 40 percent of people were found not guilty during a trial. The public would ask why so many innocent people were being charged, '' Takai told AFP, adding that courts have increasingly been granting bail. The Ghosn case, however, `` proves that there are easy escape routes for wealthy people with backing who want to flee overseas, no matter how strictly courts impose bail conditions '', said Tsunehiko Maeda, a former prosecutor. `` We can expect prosecutors to oppose future bail requests much more robustly. '' Critics including rights groups such as Amnesty International have derided Japan's system as `` hostage justice '', designed to break morale and force confessions from suspects. - Every move monitored - When safely in Lebanon, Ghosn pressed this point again, saying he `` would no longer be held hostage by a rigged Japanese justice system ''. However, when pleading for bail in his only public court appearance, Ghosn said he was `` looking forward to beginning the process of defending myself against the accusations that have been made against me ''. One of his lawyers at the time said there was no way a tycoon as famous as Ghosn could escape with the world's media and prosecutors monitoring his every move. `` There is no risk that he will run away. He's CEO of French company Renault. He's widely known so it's difficult for him to escape, '' argued the attorney, Go Kondo. His lead lawyer, Junichiro Hironaka, confessed he was `` dumbfounded '' by news of his flight, but he also said he could `` sympathise '' with some of Ghosn's comments about the justice system. `` I thought it was not unreasonable that Mr. Ghosn has come to feel that way, '' Hironaka told reporters in Tokyo. `` How he was arrested and kept in detention; how they gathered evidence; the way they allowed meetings with Carole ( his wife), and how they disclosed evidence. There must have been many areas that were not acceptable in the eyes of Mr. Ghosn. '' Carlos Ghosn’ s stunning flight while on bail awaiting trial has vindicated prosecutors who said he should have been kept in custody, and sparked calls to toughen Japan’ s justice system that critics say is already overly harsh. “ I knew it! ” was the reaction of a senior Nissan executive cited in the Japanese press upon learning of his former boss’ s escape to Lebanon to avoid trial in Tokyo. “ This is how he proves his innocence? By fleeing abroad? ” added the Nissan official quoted in the Asahi Shimbun. “ It should be out of the question to grant bail to suspects who deny the accusations against them. ” A senior prosecutor told the Mainichi Shimbun: “ This is what we had predicted ” when arguing Ghosn should remain in custody, bemoaning the fact their painstaking evidence gathering was now moot. There were also calls in the media to tighten bail procedures in the wake of the tycoon’ s escape, which many papers said made a “ mockery ” of Japan’ s justice system. “ To prevent a repeat of the incident, we should discuss how to cover the weak points of the system, such as setting bail equal to most of the defendants’ assets, and GPS monitoring, ” said the Yomiuri Shimbun. Ghosn’ s high-profile arrest on multiple charges of financial misconduct threw an international spotlight on Japan’ s justice system — widely considered draconian compared with the West. Suspects can be questioned initially for 48 hours, renewable for two periods of 10 days, bringing the time in custody without formal charges to 22 days. Prosecutors often then “ re-arrest ” a suspect on a slightly different allegation to restart the clock — which happened several times to Ghosn. – Certain of guilt – When formal charges are eventually pressed, there is a two-month period of pre-trial detention, renewable by one month at a time by appeal to the court. Former prosecutor Yasuyuki Takai told AFP that the system operates in this way so authorities only charge suspects they are absolutely sure are guilty. “ Imagine that 30 or 40 percent of people were found not guilty during a trial. The public would ask why so many innocent people were being charged, ” Takai told AFP, adding that courts have increasingly been granting bail. The Ghosn case, however, “ proves that there are easy escape routes for wealthy people with backing who want to flee overseas, no matter how strictly courts impose bail conditions ”, said Tsunehiko Maeda, a former prosecutor. “ We can expect prosecutors to oppose future bail requests much more robustly. ” Critics including rights groups such as Amnesty International have derided Japan’ s system as “ hostage justice ”, designed to break morale and force confessions from suspects. – Every move monitored – When safely in Lebanon, Ghosn pressed this point again, saying he “ would no longer be held hostage by a rigged Japanese justice system ”. However, when pleading for bail in his only public court appearance, Ghosn said he was “ looking forward to beginning the process of defending myself against the accusations that have been made against me ”. One of his lawyers at the time said there was no way a tycoon as famous as Ghosn could escape with the world’ s media and prosecutors monitoring his every move. “ There is no risk that he will run away. He’ s CEO of French company Renault. He’ s widely known so it’ s difficult for him to escape, ” argued the attorney, Go Kondo. His lead lawyer, Junichiro Hironaka, confessed he was “ dumbfounded ” by news of his flight, but he also said he could “ sympathise ” with some of Ghosn’ s comments about the justice system. “ I thought it was not unreasonable that Mr. Ghosn has come to feel that way, ” Hironaka told reporters in Tokyo. “ How he was arrested and kept in detention; how they gathered evidence; the way they allowed meetings with Carole ( his wife), and how they disclosed evidence. There must have been many areas that were not acceptable in the eyes of Mr. Ghosn. ” With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives. Images of Ukrainian troops carrying Javelin missile launchers on their shoulders have flashed around the world. North Korea conducted a missile test but the launch failed, Seoul said - Copyright AFP Jung Yeon-jeNorth Korea fired a projectile Wednesday but the... China has moved to free up hospital beds as officials reported thousands of new cases from an Omicron-led coronavirus outbreak. Ukraine's besieged leader urged the U.S. to reconsider his plea for a no-fly zone, invoking the terror of the September 11 attacks. COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2022 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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Mexico's Santiago River has become a toxic 'environmental hell '

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published In a report published on Monday, the New York Times wrote that “ Jalisco’ s heavily contaminated Santiago River is a powerful example of Mexico’ s failure to protect its environment, ” The river flows over a giant cliff along the edge of downtown El Salto, in Jalisco State. Back in the 1970s, this spot was known as the Niagara of Mexico – a popular tourist spot with fishing and other water activities as well as beautiful scenery and lots of wildlife. That is all gone now that the El Salto and Guadalajara region has been turned into a toxic morass. And a heavily polluted river can kill. So far, over 628 people living near the river have died. The pollution problem garnered some government attention after an eight-year-old fell into a coma and then died in 2008. Miguel Ángel López Rocha had slipped into the river while playing on its bank, and while he was immediately pulled out, 18 days later he died from what doctors said was a fatal dose of arsenic. The outrage over the boy’ s death prompted the government to build El Ahogado, the region’ s biggest wastewater treatment plant that was inaugurated in 2012. However, it doesn’ t treat heavy metals and many synthetic chemicals that doctors say are one of the main causes of so many of the illnesses. The death also prompted a study in 2011 by Jalisco’ s State Water Commission and the Mexican Institute of Water Technology. In the study, 1,090 different pollutants were detected in the river. They included arsenic, lead, cyanide, mercury, chromium, and hormone disruptors that can cause cancerous tumors, birth defects, and other developmental disorders, among others. No oversight with regulations in place The big problem is that there is scant oversight of some of the 10,000 businesses operating in the area because the National Water Commission ( Conagua) has just one inspector in all of Jalisco, according to Mexico News Daily. The report noted that even when Conagua does respond to cases of illegal runoff into the Santiago River, the fines it has the power to impose are too low to act as a deterrent. “ Texas-based chemicals company Celanese Corporation was fined just US $ 4,300 for discharging illegal quantities of waste into the river on 13 separate occasions in the summer of 2015, ” according to documents obtained by the New York Times. In 2018, Jalisco Governor Enrique Alfaro announced that his newly-elected government would invest more than 3.4 billion pesos to tackle the pollution problem. However, when he asked the federal government for the money, he was told there were no funds available – even with the federal environment secretary calling the Santiago River an “ environmental hell. ” The new North American free trade agreement Today, Canada, Mexico, and the United States are close to enacting the new trade deal that will replace the North American Free Trade Agreement ( NAFTA). Mexico made an explicit promise to conserve its environment — a provision that was central to winning approval from Democrats in the US Congress. However, the New York Times notes that after interviewing federal, state and local authorities, as well as families living along the river, the report found that: “ without an overhaul of Mexico’ s flawed legal framework and a change in the political conditions that allowed the Santiago to become little more than a channel for industrial runoff, Mexico is unlikely to be able to meet the terms of the trade deal. ” It is Mexico’ s farms and factories that fuel its economy, and all this is bound up in the new free trade agreement – one that does not allow for the dumping of illegal quantities of toxic waste into the region’ s river. waste with little or no penalty. The federal environmental enforcement agency can also inspect companies for illegal dumping of waste. However, it was found that only 73 out of 10,000 companies were inspected in the five years leading up to 2018. “ The Santiago River is, for me, one of the most shameful, most terrible stories that Jalisco and Mexico have, ” said Governor, Enrique Alfaro. Karen Graham is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for environmental news. Karen's view of what is happening in our world is colored by her love of history and how the past influences events taking place today. Her belief in man's part in the care of the planet and our environment has led her to focus on the need for action in dealing with climate change. It was said by Geoffrey C. Ward, `` Journalism is merely history's first draft. '' Everyone who writes about what is happening today is indeed, writing a small part of our history. Ambassador Robert E. Lighthizer, Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and Mexican Undersecretary of Foreign Relations Jesus Seade in December, 2019, push to enact... It is a disturbing landscape of rotting waste and discarded plastic, where dozens of trash-pickers compete for scraps of food with vultures. Tornadoes ripped through five US states overnight, leaving more than 70 people dead Saturday in Kentucky and causing multiple fatalities. England could face a wave of COVID-19 infections caused by the Omicron variant. COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2021 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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Fired British vegan files landmark discrimination case

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published A British employment tribunal began a landmark hearing Thursday on whether a strict form of veganism is a philosophical belief that must be protected in law. Jordi Casamitjana says he was fired from an animal welfare charity for raising concerns about its pension fund's alleged investment in companies that use animal testing. The League Against Cruel Sports -- a group that wants to ban fox and other forms of recreational hunting in Britain -- says he was dismissed for gross misconduct. The case being heard by the employment tribunal in the eastern England city of Norwich on Thursday and Friday will determine whether ethical veganism is a `` philosophical or religious belief ''. Ethical vegans and moral vegetarians not only follow a vegan diet but also exclude animal-derived products such as wool and leather from their daily lives. They also try to abstain from using items such as cosmetics that underwent animal testing first. `` This case, if successful, will establish that the belief entitles ethical vegans to protection from discrimination, '' Casamitjana's lawyer Peter Daly said in a statement. Britain's 2010 Equality Act says a `` philosophical belief '' must be genuine `` and not an opinion or viewpoint based on the present state of information available ''. The League Against Cruel Sports said it was not contesting that ethical veganism should be protected. A separate hearing into the circumstances of Casamitjana's dismissal will be held at a later date. `` As this is a hearing to decide whether veganism should be a protected status, something which the League does not contest, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further, '' a spokeswoman for the group said. A British employment tribunal began a landmark hearing Thursday on whether a strict form of veganism is a philosophical belief that must be protected in law. Jordi Casamitjana says he was fired from an animal welfare charity for raising concerns about its pension fund’ s alleged investment in companies that use animal testing. The League Against Cruel Sports — a group that wants to ban fox and other forms of recreational hunting in Britain — says he was dismissed for gross misconduct. The case being heard by the employment tribunal in the eastern England city of Norwich on Thursday and Friday will determine whether ethical veganism is a “ philosophical or religious belief ”. Ethical vegans and moral vegetarians not only follow a vegan diet but also exclude animal-derived products such as wool and leather from their daily lives. They also try to abstain from using items such as cosmetics that underwent animal testing first. “ This case, if successful, will establish that the belief entitles ethical vegans to protection from discrimination, ” Casamitjana’ s lawyer Peter Daly said in a statement. Britain’ s 2010 Equality Act says a “ philosophical belief ” must be genuine “ and not an opinion or viewpoint based on the present state of information available ”. The League Against Cruel Sports said it was not contesting that ethical veganism should be protected. A separate hearing into the circumstances of Casamitjana’ s dismissal will be held at a later date. “ As this is a hearing to decide whether veganism should be a protected status, something which the League does not contest, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further, ” a spokeswoman for the group said. With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives. The hunt for answers - like whether the Omicron variant will trigger new waves of infection. Crime is raging across the country, from violent attacks to brazen shoplifting to mob “ smash and grab ” attacks. The Omicron variant that causes COVID-19 likely acquired at least one of its mutations by picking up genetic material from another virus. At its core, Zero Trust is all about authenticating and authorizing access policies that have been designed to provide the least privilege, for the... COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2021 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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US places ban on Cuban defense chief

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published The State Department announced Thursday it was barring Cuba's defense chief from entering the US, citing what it called human rights violations in supporting the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The department said General Leopoldo Cintra Frias, Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba ( MINFAR), `` bears responsibility for Cuba's actions to prop up '' Maduro's leftist regime. `` Alongside Maduro's military and intelligence officers, MINFAR has been involved in gross human rights violations and abuses in Venezuela, including torturing or subjecting Venezuelans to cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment or punishment for their anti-Maduro stances, '' Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement. `` Dismantling Venezuela's democracy by terrifying Venezuelans into submission is the goal of MINFAR and the Cuban regime, '' he said. The announcement bans Cintra Frias and two of his children, Deborah Cintra Gonzalez and Leopoldo Cintra Gonzalez, from entering the United States. The United States is one of more than 50 countries which have recognized Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the legitimate interim leader of Venezuela. But Cuba, as well as Russia and China, continues to support the embattled Maduro. The State Department announced Thursday it was barring Cuba’ s defense chief from entering the US, citing what it called human rights violations in supporting the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The department said General Leopoldo Cintra Frias, Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba ( MINFAR), “ bears responsibility for Cuba’ s actions to prop up ” Maduro’ s leftist regime. “ Alongside Maduro’ s military and intelligence officers, MINFAR has been involved in gross human rights violations and abuses in Venezuela, including torturing or subjecting Venezuelans to cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment or punishment for their anti-Maduro stances, ” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement. “ Dismantling Venezuela’ s democracy by terrifying Venezuelans into submission is the goal of MINFAR and the Cuban regime, ” he said. The announcement bans Cintra Frias and two of his children, Deborah Cintra Gonzalez and Leopoldo Cintra Gonzalez, from entering the United States. The United States is one of more than 50 countries which have recognized Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the legitimate interim leader of Venezuela. But Cuba, as well as Russia and China, continues to support the embattled Maduro. With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives. There is no stated power in the US Constitution to regulate human reproduction. A small dog looking at a christmas tree which has colored lights. Source - Trogain, CC SA 4.0.If you are having trouble finding a... The hunt for answers - like whether the Omicron variant will trigger new waves of infection. The new Omicron coronavirus variant has a high number of mutations which the WHO believes may make it more transmissible or resistant to vaccines... COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2021 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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Medicinal cannabis substitute can treat Parkinson's disease

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published Australian researchers have demonstrated experimentally that a medication called HU-308 can lower involuntary movements termed dyskinesias, which are a side effect following years of treatment for Parkinson’ s disease. Dyskinesia covers twitches, jerking, twisting or simple restlessness but not tremor. So far the benefits for the drug have been shown only in mice; however, the results are sufficiently positive as to signal the need for human trials. In mice HU-308 functions is as effective as another drug called amantadine, which is the only available treatment for dyskinesias ( other than cannabis). In addition, the combination of HU-308 with amantadine turned out to be even more effective compared with either drug used alone. READ MORE: Virtual reality assists with the treatment of Parkinson’ s disease According to lead researcher Professor Bryce Vissel ( University of Technology Sydney): “ Our study suggests that a derivative of HU-308, either alone or in combination with amantadine, may be a more effective treatment for dyskinesias and a much better option than using an unproven potentially harmful substance like cannabis. ” The researcher cautions that not only does cannabis cause a ‘ high’ ( unwanted by many in this context), cannabis causes various effects, some of which are not beneficial in Parkinson’ s disease. Where cannabis works on two brain receptors – CB1 and CB2 ( CB1 causes the psychoactive effect), the drug HU-308 only works on CB2. The research has been published in the journal Neurobiology of Disease. The peer-reviewed research paper is called “ Targeting the cannabinoid receptor CB2 in a mouse model of l-dopa induced dyskinesia. ” Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news. Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs. There are two confirmed cases of the omicron variant of the coronavirus in Ottawa, the Ontario government announced Sunday. Sweden's first female prime minister Magdalena Andersson, leader of the minority Social Democrats, was reappointed on Monday. Scammers are using a technique called “ like-farming, ” where they ask you to like or comment on their post for a chance to win a... Aerial view from a helicopter of a group of Burchell's plains zebras ( Equus quagga burchellii), Okavango Delta, Botswana. Source - Diego Deiso. CC SA... COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2021 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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2020 trends to watch in US beverage

Or wait... Search Free newsletter Subscribe News Retail & Shopper Insights Manufacturers Ingredients Processing & Packaging Markets R & D Regulation & Safety Editor's Choice Industry Voices Promotional Features Site Archive Multimedia Sectors Soft Drinks & Water Energy & Sports Beer, Wine, Spirits, Cider Juice Drinks Dairy Drinks Tea and Coffee Site Archive Multimedia Trends COVID-19 CBD and beyond Low and no alcohol drinks Craft Beverage Entrepreneurs Energy Drinks & Beyond Sustainability Smart Packaging Functional Beverages Emerging Markets Fizzing-Up Carbonates Future Flavors Health and Wellness Premium Indulgence Natural and Organic Alcohol Regulation Soda: taxes & regulation Site Archive Multimedia Big Brands AB InBev Constellation Brands Bacardi Brown-Forman Carlsberg Coca-Cola Danone Diageo Dr Pepper Heineken Molson Coors Nestlé PepsiCo SABMiller Site Archive Multimedia Resources Type of resources Events Shows & Conferences Online Events Editorial Webinars All Events Events Processing & Packaging By Beth Newhart contact 02-Jan-2020 - Last updated on 02-Jan-2020 at 16:12 GMT Related tags: flavor trends, Tea, Coffee, Imbibe, no-alcohol beer, non-alcoholic, Beer, mocktails, functional beverage, Functional ingredients function sanitize gpt value2 ( gptValue) { var vOut= '' ''; var aTags = gptValue.split ( ', '); var reg = new RegExp ( '\\W+ ', `` g ''); for ( var i=0; i < aTags.length; i++) { vOut += aTags [ i ].trim ().replace ( reg, '- ').substring ( 0,40); if ( i! = ( aTags.length-1)) vOut += ', '; } vOut = vOut.toLowerCase (); return vOut; } $ ( document).ready ( function () { dataLayerNews = { }; dataLayerNews.related tags = sanitize gpt value2 ( `` flavor trends, Tea, Coffee, Imbibe, no-alcohol beer, non-alcoholic, Beer, mocktails, functional beverage, Functional ingredients ''); dataLayer.push ( dataLayerNews); }); More low-alcohol and zero-proof drinks are expected to launch as booze alternatives in 2020. Consumers will also gravitate to 'functional plus ' drinks, bright colors, exotic flavors and unique textures in their beverages. As beverage research company Imbibe puts it: “ Many beverage trends will be driven by health and wellness in conjunction with experience-culture and the state of the economy. ” ​ Social insights firm Fizziology reports seeing members of Gen Z discuss alcohol and drinking on social media less than previous generations. US consumers in general are more aware of and open about alcohol addiction and mental health, which is leading to a greater appetite for non-alcoholic and low-ABV drinks. Jen Handley, co-founder of Fizziology, said: “ We foresee this trend continuing in the year ahead with more manufacturers, brands and restaurants providing a wider range of options for those wishing to either abstain or imbibe. ” ​ Premiumisation and functionality continue to be important to consumers in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage categories. More high-end mocktails will be prevalent, as well as beers and cocktails enhanced with functional ingredients like turmeric, blue majik, and coconut water, according to Imbibe. Hard kombucha is also likely to appear on more menus and grocery shelves. Beverage development company Flavorman notes that consumers are becoming more attentive to what they put into their bodies. This will culminate in a boom of launches and higher demand of more ‘ functional plus’ drinks. `` Consumers aren’ t just looking for a simple caffeine boost anymore: ‘ functional plus’ drinks are set to boom in 2020 as consumers look for functionality – and then some! `` ​ it says. CBD is a clear leader of the category, sure to only grow within beverage. But Flavorman said new herbal ingredients will emerge, like dihydromyricetin ( DHM) as a remedy for hangovers and ashwagandha to manage stress and anxiety. Imbibe agrees, and predicts that the next generation of functional beverages will include ingredient combinations that address multiple needs or harmonizing ingredients that help consumers fulfill a specific goal. Energy drinks enhanced with sports nutrition ingredients will be the most popular hybrids, along with probiotic and prebiotic beverages, enhanced RTD coffee and the continued rise of CBD drinks. Imbibe expect brands to ‘ go back to the basics’ by incorporating essential nutrients into beverages, like vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids and protein. Superfruits, vegetables and herbs will live alongside nostalgic flavors like s’ mores, birthday cake and creamsicle represented in better-for-you beverages. “ Demand for beverages that support physical and emotional health will continue to be a catalyst for innovation, ” ​Imbibe said. ​ “ Consumers will seek out adventurous sensory experiences delivered through exotic flavors, bright colors and unique textures. ” ​ The rise in spiked seltzer’ s popularity this year was obvious, and Fizziology attributed its success to Gen Z and millennial consumers that liked the higher quality beverages with a ‘ cool’ brand aesthetic and relatively low sugar content. Flavorman agrees, and says: “ The global craze for seltzer and sparkling water is only just beginning. As consumers continue to prioritize flavor over sweetness, experts at Flavorman predict that ‘ better-for-you’ beverages emphasizing bright and refreshing flavors are set to take center stage in 2020. ” ​ Specific flavors to watch in 2020 will come from botanicals, citrus, ginger and exotic foods. Flavorman said botanicals will add fresh, delicate flavor combinations that can stand without added sugars for taste. Basil, cilantro, lavender, elderflower, sorrel and orange peel are all expected to be popular. Exotic flavors like dragon fruit, coconut and prickly pear will grow more common in beverages, alongside citrus flavors like grapefruit, tangerine, blood orange, meyer lemon and yuzu. These will have particular success paired in alcoholic and non-alcoholic seltzers. And while ginger has been a popular drinks ingredient for some time now, Flavorman expects it to be used as more of a pairing in 2020 to brighten up fruit flavors. “ As consumers become more health-conscious, these flavor trends reflect a market shift towards beverages that maximize on quality and functionality, all while packing a flavor punch, ” ​ Flavorman said. Imbibe sees similar global flavors from Latin America and Asia like guava, chili, cayenne and cardamom growing in beverage use. Ingredients with bold colors like turmeric, beet, matcha, and butterfly pea flower will be incorporated to visually appealing beverages. Nitrogen-infusions and whipped ingredients will cause a rise in beverages with a creamy texture, chewable ingredients like boba and basil seeds will also become more prevalent. Copyright - Unless otherwise stated all contents of this web site are © 2021 - William Reed Business Media Ltd - All Rights Reserved - Full details for the use of materials on this site can be found in the Terms & Conditions Related topics: Ingredients, Energy & Sports, Dairy Drinks, Tea and Coffee, Retail & Shopper Insights, Markets, R & D, Soft Drinks & Water, Beer, Wine, Spirits, Cider, Juice Drinks, Beer, Health and Wellness, Fizzing-Up Carbonates, Natural and Organic, Premium Indulgence, Emerging Markets, Future Flavors, Sustainability, Energy Drinks & Beyond, Functional Beverages, Beverage Entrepreneurs Show more SweeGen Inc. | 21-Oct-2021 | Product Presentation Health-conscious consumers are demanding cleaner, better-tasting low- and no-alcohol beverages. Sweegen is helping product developers rise to the occasion... BC30 | 19-Oct-2021 | Technical / White Paper The global functional beverage market was worth $ 102B in 2020, and growth is predicted at a CAGR of 3.2% through 2025. In an expanding global market, key... BÜCHI Labortechnik AG | 18-Oct-2021 | Application Note Alcohol content for labelling and taxation purposes is a legal requirement for most jurisdictions around the world. This application note presents an accurate... SweeGen Inc. | 21-Sep-2021 | Product Presentation Bitter Blockers play a crucial role in formulating and rebalancing better-for-you products. Sugar can be a great Bitter Blocker, and when less or none... Show more

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Madonna rings in the New Year, ready for another decade of dreams

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published In a social media post, Madonna is seen pole dancing on the beach to Frankie Valli’ s classic hit ballad “ Can’ t Take My Eyes Off You, ” and lipsynching it. She sipped wine and appeared to be having a good time, and didn’ t let her injuries bring her down. The “ Material Girl ” acknowledged in an Instagram post that the one lesson she learned in life is that she has no regrets, ever. She explained that life is a journey and a process. She elaborated that “ we all make mistakes and we learn from them and we move on. ” She noted that 2019 kicked her butt and subsequently taught her some “ very expensive lessons, ” however, she wouldn’ t trade them for anything for what we risk and value. Madonna concluded her post by expressing her gratitude. “ I am so very blessed and grateful for all the beautiful experiences and souls I have encountered and created with and fallen in love with this past year, ” she exclaimed, prior to toasting to another “ decade of dreams. ” She also hashtagged the following words: new beginnings, health, happiness, and love. To learn more about Madonna, check out her official homepage. Read More: Digital Journal’ s Markos Papadatos hailed Madonna for putting on the “ greatest concert by a female artist in 2019 ” at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House in New York. Markos Papadatos is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for Music News. Papadatos is a Greek-American journalist and educator that has authored over 16,000 original articles over the past 15 years. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in music, entertainment, lifestyle, magic, and sports. He is a five-time consecutive `` Best of Long Island '' winner, and in the past two years, he was honored as the `` Best Long Island Personality '' in Arts & Entertainment, an honor that has gone to Billy Joel six times. The push for Canadians to get their vaccine booster shots is ramping up as the COVID-19 Omicron variant spreads across the country. As the Omicron variant gains momentum in Europe and the U.S., the variant is now considered the “ biggest threat to global public health. ” Has Iran become a threat to U.S. interests on par with Russia? An FDA laboratory worker injects an influenza virus into an egg, where it will grow before being harvested—one of the many complex steps involved... COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2021 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

general

Three Industrial Giants You Should Own In 2020

With the end of the year just around the corner, it’ s past time to think about positioning for 2020. When it comes to earnings power in 2020, the Industrial sector is going to be the market leader and that is where I like my money to be. To be clear, when I say Industrial Sector I mean the S & P 500 Industrial Sector as represented by the ETF ( XLI). Yes, the Energy Sector is expected to post EPS growth double that of the Industrials but investors should take that news with a grain of salt. The Energy Sector’ s ( XLE) consensus EPS growth estimate for 2020 is 21% but only after falling -28% this year. The Industrial Sector is expected to grow by 15% next year ( 2nd fastest pace for the S & P 500) after contracting only -3% this year. That means the Energy Sector’ s earnings will still be down on a two-year basis while the Industrial’ s will rise. Energy may yet turn out to be a good investment for 2020 but, on an earnings basis, the Industrials are a much better choice. Don’ t Bet On Boeing Boeing ( BA) is by far the largest holding within the Industrial Sector SPDR but not an investment I recommend at this time. At just over 8% it outweighs the # 2 holding, Honeywell ( HON), by nearly 200 basis points and that is why the XLI is not the best choice for investors today. With the 737-Max scandal still raging it is unlikely Boeing will back in 2020. The most recent news on that front is the ousting of CEO Dennis Muilenberg. Muilenberg has been in charge of Boeing since 2015 and key to the 737-Max crisis, the board decided it was in the company’ s best interest to find someone else. document.write ( ' < a style= '' text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal; color: # 696969; '' target= '' blank '' rel= '' nofollow '' href= '' https: //www.ame ' + 'ricanconsumernews.net/scripts/click.aspx? NativeDisplayAdID=584 & ImpressionID=0 & UserID=0 & Placement=PlaceOnArticlePage '' > '); Buffett is notoriously “ anti technology. ” Which is why this Wall Street Legend's recent discover is so shocking: 21 of Buffett’ s 25 current favorite companies are going “ all in ” one hot new technology… To the tune of $ 1.7 billion!... After decades of being anti-tech... what is making Buffett going all in now? And what is this new technology that America's biggest companies are in a race to implement? There are several stocks within the XLI portfolio on the move and looking bullish. The three I want to highlight today are uniquely set up for 2020 and we can give thanks to the trade war for that. Caterpillar ( CAT), Deere & Company ( DE), and Cummins Inc ( CMI) have all seen their business deteriorate due to the trade war issuing downgrades and missing estimates. Now, with the Phase One Deal in sight, that is all about to change. Once the deal is signed and the details are well known we can expect to see a flurry of analysts upgrades for these stocks and this sector. Cummins Inc, On The Move Cummins Inc is a maker of engines and components for heavy industrial trucks. The company has been suffering due to softening demands for those trucks but you wouldn’ t think so looking at the share price. The price of Cummins has risen nearly 30% since hitting a bottom last August and looks ready to continue rising in 2020. The outlook for growth, and the impact of the Phase One Deal on that outlook, are only part of the reason Cummins is on the move. Cummins is also a solid dividend payer and a prolific buyer of its own stock so a great way to capitalize on this industry. At today’ s prices, the stock yields close to 3% and has a 14-year history of distribution increases. The XLI only pays aobut 1.9%. As for buybacks, the board just announced another $ 2 billion in buybacks slated for 2020. Deere & Company, China Is The Key To Growth Deere & Company, that iconic maker of tractors, recently downgraded its outlook for 2020 due to the trade war. The company says lingering trade tensions played a big roll in the decision which makes the Phase One Deal of particular importance. The idea is that, once the Phase One Deal is signed, trade with China will reinvigorate growth globally, not just in the China segment of the business. Looking at the earnings picture, Deere & Company will be one of 2020’ s best EPS growers despite the recent downgrade to guidance. The consensus estimate for EPS is $ 11.02, a 27% increase from 2019. Like Cummins, Deere & Company is a dividend payer and an attractive one at that. The yield is a little low, only 1.75% at today’ s prices, but it is a safe 1.75%. The payout ratio is only 27% of next year’ s earnings which also leaves plenty of room for an increase. Caterpillar, A Dividend Aristocrat For Capital Gains In 2020 Shares of Caterpillar have been on the move in the second half of 2019 too. The stock is up more than 31% in the last four months and may easily match that gain in 2020. While the business has been struggling this year, the impact of tariffs has not been as great as feared. In addition, Caterpillar’ s CEO says many of its businesses have “ significant potential upside. ” On a technical basis, the stock is forming a Bullish Flag Pattern with a $ 36 flag-pole. If, when, the pattern confirms traders can expect the stock to rise as much as or more than $ 36. Such a move would put the stock at a new all-time high. Regarding the dividend, Caterpillar is a Dividend Aristocrat with 26 years of distribution increases under its belt. The yield at today's prices is about 2.8% with a low 38% payout ratio. 6 Stocks That Will Benefit From a Dovish Federal Reserve The quaint correction that was labeled the “ tech wreck ” of 2018 seems like a distant memory to investors. What also seems like a distant memory is any thought of the Federal Reserve raising interest rates. At the end of 2018, the Federal Reserve had raised its benchmark federal funds rate. With the trade dispute with China dragging on, there was increasing pressure on the Fed to lower interest rates. When interest rates are lower, stocks will generally rise as investors have no other option for growth. In July 2019, the doves got their wish. But in a move that now seems to be a “ what did they know move ”, the Fed dropped rates again in October. The market soared to record highs in January and early February. Since mid-February however, the market has fallen dramatically, and the Fed juiced the market one more time by cutting rates down to levels not seen since the financial crisis. None of us know for sure when the U.S. economy will be opened up. And while stocks are still a good investment, not every stock is a smart investment at this time. But some stocks perform well when interest rates are falling and that’ s why we’ ve prepared this presentation. These six stocks stand to benefit from both low-interest rates and the unique economic conditions being brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic. View the `` 6 Stocks That Will Benefit From a Dovish Federal Reserve ''. Complete the form below to receive the latest headlines and analysts ' recommendations for your stocks with our free daily email newsletter:

business

My experience of surviving cancer twice

“ Helen, I’ m so sorry to tell you that you have stage 4 ovarian cancer. ” I will never forget hearing those words. Cancer treatment was pretty grueling in the 1980s, and outcomes were a lot gloomier than they are today. . My life flashed before my eyes. I was in disbelief. How could I have cancer for the second time in my life? at the age of 32, just 2 years after I had given birth to my daughter, Julianne. I received my diagnosis of breast cancer in 1972, and in those days, treatment was limited. The surgeon believed that a radical mastectomy of my right breast would give me the best outcome. The doctor would prove to be correct, but I was no less devastated in the interim. I was the mother of three children, and instead of tending to my active children, I now needed to focus on my health and well-being. However, I continued to live a blessed life. I was the wife of an Orthodox priest, a secretary, and a preschool Sunday school teacher. I was like any other mother, trying to prioritize my life. The difference being, if I got my priorities wrong, it could cost me my life. The second episode began almost 2 decades later when I woke up feeling very bloated and fatigued. I didn’ t think much of it at first and thought I would feel better the next day. Yet the bloating continued, especially after eating, and I began feeling pressure in my lower abdomen. I decided it was time to contact the family physician. showed nothing. My doctor thought it was a case of gastritis and that I needed to rest and relax. However, 2 years later, my belly was now protruding, and I felt horrible pressure, so I asked my doctor for another test. This time they ordered a . The CT scan showed something was not right, and I would need exploratory surgery to get more information. They found ovarian cancer tangled and webbed intricately through a large part of my lower anatomy. The surgery lasted many hours, and my surgeon believed he had debulked 90% of the cancer. He also told me that I needed to undergo . Cancer treatment was pretty grueling in the 1980s, and outcomes were a lot gloomier than they are today. I had already beaten cancer once, and the chance of surviving a second round seemed bleak. I was offered a cocktail of Cisplatin, anthramycin, and Cytoxan as my best defense. Chemotherapy lasted 7 hours a day, and my side effects lasted even longer. I was unable to complete my final round of chemo as my white blood count dropped too low. My oncologist thought the last round of chemo might have done more harm than good, so he discontinued the therapy one month short of 6 months. The surgeon didn’ t mention a survival time frame to me, of course. He knew I had enough on my mind and didn’ t need to tell me that the consensus was that I had 6 months to live. I guess God had a different plan. I was sitting at the dinner table, having no appetite, looking frail and gaunt, with numbness and tingling in both my hands and feet. I was so tired and thinking that I can’ t go on. I didn’ t realize that I had said that out loud until I was snapped out of my daze by my daughter telling me: “ You can’ t give up, you already lived longer than the doctor said you would. ” I was shocked. I expected to be gone already but felt emboldened by the fact that I wasn’ t. Like a boxer in the late rounds of a fight, I summoned energy I didn’ t know I had. I vowed to not only go another round but to win this fight. I did it once, and I’ ll do it again. I got a second wind, but I needed something more, so I began exploring other avenues to find my cure. This wasn’ t an easy task in the days before internet searches, and it would take considerable effort. In retrospect, I feel there were three things I did that helped in my healing and recovery. The surgery and chemotherapy were a big part of my treatment plan, but I knew I couldn’ t sit back and relax and let the doctors do all the work. I went to church many nights, sometimes by myself. With my head bowed and body low, I asked God for forgiveness and strength, and to help rid me of any anger or resentment I had. As the wife of a priest, I received a lot of support, and people began praying for me all over the United States. I also began juicing ( long before the juicing craze began). I juiced mainly carrots, and once in a while, I would add garlic or an apple. I actually developed carotenosis, a condition that turns your skin orange — I drank so much carrot juice that I looked like a carrot! , and I found it easy to digest. The juicing seemed to provide me with energy, so I could continue to take care of my daily needs and responsibilities. The third and possibly the most interesting approach that I discovered through a dear friend was a technique called “ hands on therapy ” by Janet Ziegler. I met Janet through a friend, and during the introduction, I told her my name is Helen, and I have cancer. She turned towards me with a gentle, compassionate touch and told me, “ You are Helen, and you cancer. ” She taught me a process called visualization. It was as if she retrained my mind into thinking the opposite of what I knew as fact. Before falling asleep that night, I remember asking God to give me a sign of a rainbow that things would be alright. It was that evening I clearly saw a rainbow full of vibrant color. I woke up the following morning feeling refreshed and thankful. Shortly after that experience, I no longer believed I had cancer. The most difficult time in my recovery process was that first year. Once I developed a routine of self-care, I continued to nurture myself and focus on my loved ones. I slept a lot and took many breaks. Looking back, I really believe there was a time when I was in recovery that I stopped believing I had cancer. Perhaps I was in denial, or possibly my deep faith carried me through. The days continued, turning into months and then years. It’ s been 31 years since my battle with cancer. I’ m now a widow, a grandmother five times, and a most appreciative multiple cancer survivor. I can genuinely say, I have experienced God’ s loving grace in what my oncologist says is a medical miracle. I want to reach out and tell anyone going through a similar trauma that if I can do this, so can you. It may seem like there’ s no end in sight, but if you keep fighting, you too can win. I want you to close your eyes and imagine yourself beating the odds just like me. 31 years cancer-free. COVID-19 live updates: Total number of cases passes 2.9 million My name is Chris Fry, and I received a diagnosis of terminal cancer this year. This is how I came to terms with my diagnosis, and what helped me cope. My name is Amy Hoey, and I have several autoimmune conditions. This is the story of my long and frustrating journey pursuing diagnoses. Having experienced a serious brain injury at just 26 years old, I developed aphasia. This is the story of my recovery, and how I relearned everything. My name is Carrie Cantwell, and I am an Emmy-nominated graphic designer and writer. I also have bipolar II disorder. This is my story. My name is Sylvia Arotin, and I have an invisible illness. This is my story of living with dysautonomia, and why I won't let it get in the way of my…

tech

Alcohol-free craft beer from Partake looks to fill whitespace of US market

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Search Free newsletter Subscribe News Retail & Shopper Insights Manufacturers Ingredients Processing & Packaging Markets R & D Regulation & Safety Editor's Choice Industry Voices Promotional Features Site Archive Multimedia Sectors Soft Drinks & Water Energy & Sports Beer, Wine, Spirits, Cider Juice Drinks Dairy Drinks Tea and Coffee Site Archive Multimedia Trends COVID-19 CBD and beyond Low and no alcohol drinks Craft Beverage Entrepreneurs Energy Drinks & Beyond Sustainability Smart Packaging Functional Beverages Emerging Markets Fizzing-Up Carbonates Future Flavors Health and Wellness Premium Indulgence Natural and Organic Alcohol Regulation Soda: taxes & regulation Site Archive Multimedia Big Brands AB InBev Constellation Brands Bacardi Brown-Forman Carlsberg Coca-Cola Danone Diageo Dr Pepper Heineken Molson Coors Nestlé PepsiCo SABMiller Site Archive Multimedia Resources Type of resources Events Shows & Conferences Online Events Editorial Webinars All Events Events Processing & Packaging By Beth Newhart contact 03-Jan-2020 - Last updated on 03-Jan-2020 at 11:44 GMT Related tags: non-alcoholic, alcohol-free, Beer, Beer market function sanitize gpt value2 ( gptValue) { var vOut= '' ''; var aTags = gptValue.split ( ', '); var reg = new RegExp ( '\\W+ ', `` g ''); for ( var i=0; i < aTags.length; i++) { vOut += aTags [ i ].trim ().replace ( reg, '- ').substring ( 0,40); if ( i! = ( aTags.length-1)) vOut += ', '; } vOut = vOut.toLowerCase (); return vOut; } $ ( document).ready ( function () { dataLayerNews = { }; dataLayerNews.related tags = sanitize gpt value2 ( `` non-alcoholic, alcohol-free, Beer, Beer market ''); dataLayer.push ( dataLayerNews); }); With growing interest in low-to-no alcohol beverages, consumers are looking for more high quality, better tasting and widely available options. Toronto's Partake Brewing is leading the non-alcoholic Canadian craft beer market. After forming the idea in 2013, founder Ted Fleming launched Partake’ s first near-beer to retail in 2017. The IPA is now one of five varieties available online, and in retail and on-premise locations in Canada and the US. Fleming told BeverageDaily that throughout the brand’ s life, Partake has had a lot of interest from US customers, sharing that “ we started from day one with the view that the US market was a big opportunity for us. ” ​ The non-alcoholic beer market has since welcomed many new brands and varieties, and is growing in popularity in Canada and the US. Fleming sees a lot of similarities between the North American countries. “ What we have tended to see in Canada is that product launches from the big international beer companies tend to come into Canada first, and then follow into the US, ” ​ he said. This could be down in part to a higher penetration rate in Canada overall for non-alcoholic beer, he says; but also due to the fact the population is concentrated into a few urban centres ( the US, in comparison, being a much larger and populous country). With the introduction of big beer alcohol-free launches, category awareness is trickling down to the smaller craft operations like Partake. This has supported the brand’ s expansion to the Pacific Northwest region of the US. Partake is now available in more than 2,000 locations in Canada, Whole Foods stores in Oregon and Washington state in the US, and Total Wine & More. Fleming said sampling events at the Seattle and Portland marathons have been crucial for educating American consumers on the products’ high quality. “ We get really strong and positive feedback about the taste of our beer and it being more or less indistinguishable from alcoholic beers for your average beer consumer. From a style perspective, there’ s definitely some regional preferences. In the Pacific Northwest, our IPA does particularly well, ” ​he said. “ People know what beer should taste like, we just have to educate them through trial that our beers do taste the way beers are supposed to taste. That’ s why the sampling is fundamental. ” ​ Partake’ s five styles include the IPA, a Pale Ale, a Blonde Ale, a Stout and its most recent launch, a Red Ale. Each 12oz can is between 10-30 calories and 0.3% ABV. Fleming sees a lot of opportunity in the industry for even more health-conscious, low-alcohol options. “ I totally think it has room to grow, I think we’ re just at the tip of the tip of the iceberg with respect to what opportunity there is out there for us. You’ re seeing the convergence of several trends right now. There’ s a generation that’ s growing up on craft beer taste and profiles, and there’ s an authenticity that comes with craft brewing companies that resonates with people, ” ​ he said. In Canada, Partake has noticed a few alcoholic beer brewers dabbling in non-alcoholic products, but it’ s a small movement and mostly regional. Fleming said Partake is the only option in the craft non-alcoholic space that has a national and international footprint. More breweries are taking small steps with lower alcohol beers in the 2% -4% range, rather than cutting the alcohol content completely. “ We’ re not seeing the non-alcoholic space being adopted by established breweries in a significant way at this point, ” ​ Fleming said. This has bolstered Partake’ s on-premise business, however. Fleming shared that as recently as a year ago, a lot of breweries with their own taprooms “ didn’ t want to have anything to do with ​ [ them ]. ” ​ But in 2019, Partake saw a ‘ huge number’ of brewery taprooms bring in Partake beverages. Fleming called it a ‘ fundamental shift’ in how beer brewers viewed Partake, coming to the conclusion that they were not going to invest in a separate in-house non-alcoholic beer, but an alcohol-free was still valuable to offer to customers and keep up with demand. With the health and wellness movement, people are actively trying to drink less alcohol and use it in fewer social situations. The low calorie and carb counts are attractive to those following special diets for diabetes, or paleo and keto. For the US in 2020, Partake is looking to expand in Whole Foods nationwide, as well as Wegman’ s, Sprouts and regional Walmarts. “ It all starts with taste, and there’ s been a long standing stigma around non-alcoholic beer being an inferior product and a compromised product. And I don’ t think it is a compromise anymore. ” ​ Copyright - Unless otherwise stated all contents of this web site are © 2021 - William Reed Business Media Ltd - All Rights Reserved - Full details for the use of materials on this site can be found in the Terms & Conditions Related topics: Ingredients, Retail & Shopper Insights, Markets, R & D, Soft Drinks & Water, Beer, Wine, Spirits, Cider, Beer, Health and Wellness, Emerging Markets, Future Flavors, Alcohol Regulation, Beverage Entrepreneurs, Craft Show more SweeGen Inc. | 21-Oct-2021 | Product Presentation Health-conscious consumers are demanding cleaner, better-tasting low- and no-alcohol beverages. Sweegen is helping product developers rise to the occasion... BC30 | 19-Oct-2021 | Technical / White Paper The global functional beverage market was worth $ 102B in 2020, and growth is predicted at a CAGR of 3.2% through 2025. In an expanding global market, key... BÜCHI Labortechnik AG | 18-Oct-2021 | Application Note Alcohol content for labelling and taxation purposes is a legal requirement for most jurisdictions around the world. This application note presents an accurate... SweeGen Inc. | 21-Sep-2021 | Product Presentation

general

Buonafide 0.0 imports alcohol-free wine from Italy

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Search Free newsletter Subscribe News Retail & Shopper Insights Manufacturers Ingredients Processing & Packaging Markets R & D Regulation & Safety Editor's Choice Industry Voices Promotional Features Site Archive Multimedia Sectors Soft Drinks & Water Energy & Sports Beer, Wine, Spirits, Cider Juice Drinks Dairy Drinks Tea and Coffee Site Archive Multimedia Trends COVID-19 CBD and beyond Low and no alcohol drinks Craft Beverage Entrepreneurs Energy Drinks & Beyond Sustainability Smart Packaging Functional Beverages Emerging Markets Fizzing-Up Carbonates Future Flavors Health and Wellness Premium Indulgence Natural and Organic Alcohol Regulation Soda: taxes & regulation Site Archive Multimedia Big Brands AB InBev Constellation Brands Bacardi Brown-Forman Carlsberg Coca-Cola Danone Diageo Dr Pepper Heineken Molson Coors Nestlé PepsiCo SABMiller Site Archive Multimedia Resources Type of resources Events Shows & Conferences Online Events Editorial Webinars All Events Events Processing & Packaging By Beth Newhart contact 03-Jan-2020 - Last updated on 06-Jan-2020 at 17:35 GMT Related tags: Wine, non-alcoholic, non-alcoholic drinks, Italy function sanitize gpt value2 ( gptValue) { var vOut= '' ''; var aTags = gptValue.split ( ', '); var reg = new RegExp ( '\\W+ ', `` g ''); for ( var i=0; i < aTags.length; i++) { vOut += aTags [ i ].trim ().replace ( reg, '- ').substring ( 0,40); if ( i! = ( aTags.length-1)) vOut += ', '; } vOut = vOut.toLowerCase (); return vOut; } $ ( document).ready ( function () { dataLayerNews = { }; dataLayerNews.related tags = sanitize gpt value2 ( `` Wine, non-alcoholic, non-alcoholic drinks, Italy ''); dataLayer.push ( dataLayerNews); }); Michael Yourison has been in the business of importing olive oil, pasta products and wine from Italy to the US for nearly 11 years. And after giving up drinking alcohol five years ago, he came across a zero-proof wine in Italy that he wanted to bring to the US. Yourison - now CEO of Buonafide Foods - found the US market to be underserved when it came to drinks that are totally alcohol free ( as opposed to those with up to 0.5%): opening up a market for Buonafide 0.0. The beverage is fermented the same way wines are traditionally produced. The alcohol is removed with a reverse osmosis process, sent to a lab to verify it is completely free of alcohol, and then the bottles are dipped into a heated vat to pasteurize the drink and prevent future fermentation. The process makes Buonafide a true wine that still contains polyphenol micronutrients - yet without the effects of alcohol, said Yourison. The drinks also have around half the calories and less sugar than regular wine. While many non-alcoholic wines tend to be sweet and sparkling, Yourison wanted to create a dry wine that works with food pairings. Buonafide’ s seven varieties are made with with Montepulciano d'Abruzzo and Passerina grape varietals. They include Bianco, Sparkling Bianco and Sparkling Extra Dry Taste Bianco, which are young, dry white wines. Rosso and Sparkling Extra Dry Taste Rosso are ruby red in color and everyday Italian table wines. `` Alcohol-free alternatives continue to become increasingly popular and in demand for those who do not consume alcohol for any reason, '' ​ said Yourison. `` ​They provides the same ritual experience and sense of occasion that brings a feeling of inclusiveness and enjoyment with meals and entertainment without the negative effects of alcohol. `` ​ When entering the US market, Yourison wanted to partner with retailers that serve the health-conscious, alcohol-adverse consumer. Whole Foods stood out to him, and the Florida region is the first step. The wines are also available on the Buonafide website and in select bars. Buonafide has been connected with Austin, Texas sobar bar Sans Bar since its launch in 2017: a venue that offers “ live music, a vibrant, upscale environment, and sober drinks that you won’ t find anywhere else. ” ​Sans Bar is taking the brand on its national tour of pop-ups this year; and Buonafide will serve as sponsor of the upcoming events. Yourison said that consumers appreciate Buonafide for being a dry rather than sweet, grape-juice like product; and also work well as an accompaniment to food. “ We do have some traction, and we’ re just looking to fill a need and a void for the people who are looking to have an alternative beverage to wine that doesn’ t have any alcohol, ” ​ Yourison said. Copyright - Unless otherwise stated all contents of this web site are © 2021 - William Reed Business Media Ltd - All Rights Reserved - Full details for the use of materials on this site can be found in the Terms & Conditions Related topics: Ingredients, Retail & Shopper Insights, Markets, Beer, Wine, Spirits, Cider, Health and Wellness, Natural and Organic, Emerging Markets, Beverage Entrepreneurs Show more SweeGen Inc. | 21-Oct-2021 | Product Presentation Health-conscious consumers are demanding cleaner, better-tasting low- and no-alcohol beverages. Sweegen is helping product developers rise to the occasion... BC30 | 19-Oct-2021 | Technical / White Paper The global functional beverage market was worth $ 102B in 2020, and growth is predicted at a CAGR of 3.2% through 2025. In an expanding global market, key... BÜCHI Labortechnik AG | 18-Oct-2021 | Application Note Alcohol content for labelling and taxation purposes is a legal requirement for most jurisdictions around the world. This application note presents an accurate... SweeGen Inc. | 21-Sep-2021 | Product Presentation

general

Oil prices soar as US kills top Iranian general, fans war fears

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published Oil prices soared more than four percent Friday following news that the US had killed a top Iranian general, fanning fresh fears of a conflict in the crude-rich region, with Tehran warning of retaliation. The head of Iran's Quds Force, Qasem Soleimani, was hit in an attack on Baghdad's international airport early Friday, according to Hashed al-Shaabi, a powerful Iraqi paramilitary force linked to Tehran. Later, Donald Trump tweeted a picture of the American flag, and the Pentagon said he had ordered Soleimani's killing. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned of `` severe revenge '' for `` the criminals who bloodied their foul hands with his blood '', while the country's foreign minister called the move a `` dangerous escalation ''. Brent surged 4.4 percent to $ 69.16 and WTI jumped 4.3 percent to $ 63.84 as investors grow increasingly worried about the effects of a possible flare-up in the tinderbox Middle East on supplies of the commodity. Both oil contracts later pared the gains but remained well up. `` This is more than just bloodying Iran's nose, '' said AxiTrader's Stephen Innes. `` This is an aggressive show of force and an outright provocation that could trigger another Middle East war. '' The killing of Soleimani is a dramatic escalation of tensions between the United States and Iran and comes after a pro-Iran mob this week laid siege to the US embassy in Iraq following deadly American air strikes on the hardline Hashed faction. The attack on the embassy highlighted new strains in the US-Iraqi relationship, which officials from both countries have described to AFP as the `` coldest '' in years. Oil prices saw a record surge in September after attacks on two Saudi Arabian facilities briefly slashed output in the world's top exporter by half, with Trump blaming Iran for the attack and previous other blasts on tankers in the Gulf last year. - ' A less safe world ' - The crisis also comes as tensions between the US and North Korea worsen, with Kim Jong Un declaring a self-imposed moratorium on nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests had ended, with US talks going nowhere. `` We are waking up to a less safe world than it was only hours ago, especially if we combine this with simmering tension in the Korean peninsula, '' Innes added. The drama sent investors rushing for the hills and safe-haven units rallied with the yen up 0.6 percent against the dollar and gold climbing 1.4 percent towards $ 1,600 and a near seven-year high. High-risk currencies retreated against the greenback, with South Korea's won down 0.8 percent, Australia's dollar off 0.6 percent and the South African rand down 1.7 percent. Equities were mixed, having been rallying for the second day of the year on China-US trade optimism. Hong Kong fell 0.3 percent, Shanghai ended down 0.1 percent and Singapore retreated 0.7 percent, while Mumbai eased 0.5 percent. But there were gains in Sydney, Seoul, Wellington, Manila and Taipei. Regional energy firms were the big winners, with Santos surging more than two percent in Sydney and while Hong Kong-listed PetroChina climbed 2.8 percent. Markets had all been well up before news of the strike, thanks to ongoing optimism fuelled by the China-US trade agreement, looser central bank monetary policies and easing Brexit worries. `` Investors are worried that the situation in Iran will worsen, since there could be some retaliation, '' said Steven Leung at Mizuho Bank. `` People will want to cut risk ahead of the weekend. Stocks have rallied a lot in the past month or so, so any bad news flow is a reason to take profit. '' In early European trade London fell 0.5 percent, Paris lost 0.6 percent and Frankfurt retreated 0.8 percent. - Key figures around 0820 GMT - West Texas Intermediate: UP $ 1.85 at $ 63.03 per barrel Brent Crude: UP $ 2.19 at $ 68.44 per barrel Hong Kong - Hang Seng: DOWN 0.3 percent at 28,451.50 ( close) Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.1 percent at 3,083.79 ( close) Tokyo - Nikkei 225: Closed for a public holiday London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.5 percent at 7,565.45 Pound/dollar: DOWN at $ 1.3120 from $ 1.3139 at 2200 GMT Euro/pound: UP at 85.14 pence from 85.02 pence Euro/dollar: DOWN at $ 1.1170 from $ 1.1172 Dollar/yen: DOWN at 108.12 from 108.54 yen New York - Dow: UP 1.2 percent at 28,868.80 ( close) Oil prices soared more than four percent Friday following news that the US had killed a top Iranian general, fanning fresh fears of a conflict in the crude-rich region, with Tehran warning of retaliation. The head of Iran’ s Quds Force, Qasem Soleimani, was hit in an attack on Baghdad’ s international airport early Friday, according to Hashed al-Shaabi, a powerful Iraqi paramilitary force linked to Tehran. Later, Donald Trump tweeted a picture of the American flag, and the Pentagon said he had ordered Soleimani’ s killing. Iran’ s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned of “ severe revenge ” for “ the criminals who bloodied their foul hands with his blood ”, while the country’ s foreign minister called the move a “ dangerous escalation ”. Brent surged 4.4 percent to $ 69.16 and WTI jumped 4.3 percent to $ 63.84 as investors grow increasingly worried about the effects of a possible flare-up in the tinderbox Middle East on supplies of the commodity. Both oil contracts later pared the gains but remained well up. “ This is more than just bloodying Iran’ s nose, ” said AxiTrader’ s Stephen Innes. “ This is an aggressive show of force and an outright provocation that could trigger another Middle East war. ” The killing of Soleimani is a dramatic escalation of tensions between the United States and Iran and comes after a pro-Iran mob this week laid siege to the US embassy in Iraq following deadly American air strikes on the hardline Hashed faction. The attack on the embassy highlighted new strains in the US-Iraqi relationship, which officials from both countries have described to AFP as the “ coldest ” in years. Oil prices saw a record surge in September after attacks on two Saudi Arabian facilities briefly slashed output in the world’ s top exporter by half, with Trump blaming Iran for the attack and previous other blasts on tankers in the Gulf last year. – ‘ A less safe world’ – The crisis also comes as tensions between the US and North Korea worsen, with Kim Jong Un declaring a self-imposed moratorium on nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests had ended, with US talks going nowhere. “ We are waking up to a less safe world than it was only hours ago, especially if we combine this with simmering tension in the Korean peninsula, ” Innes added. The drama sent investors rushing for the hills and safe-haven units rallied with the yen up 0.6 percent against the dollar and gold climbing 1.4 percent towards $ 1,600 and a near seven-year high. High-risk currencies retreated against the greenback, with South Korea’ s won down 0.8 percent, Australia’ s dollar off 0.6 percent and the South African rand down 1.7 percent. Equities were mixed, having been rallying for the second day of the year on China-US trade optimism. Hong Kong fell 0.3 percent, Shanghai ended down 0.1 percent and Singapore retreated 0.7 percent, while Mumbai eased 0.5 percent. But there were gains in Sydney, Seoul, Wellington, Manila and Taipei. Regional energy firms were the big winners, with Santos surging more than two percent in Sydney and while Hong Kong-listed PetroChina climbed 2.8 percent. Markets had all been well up before news of the strike, thanks to ongoing optimism fuelled by the China-US trade agreement, looser central bank monetary policies and easing Brexit worries. “ Investors are worried that the situation in Iran will worsen, since there could be some retaliation, ” said Steven Leung at Mizuho Bank. “ People will want to cut risk ahead of the weekend. Stocks have rallied a lot in the past month or so, so any bad news flow is a reason to take profit. ” In early European trade London fell 0.5 percent, Paris lost 0.6 percent and Frankfurt retreated 0.8 percent. – Key figures around 0820 GMT – West Texas Intermediate: UP $ 1.85 at $ 63.03 per barrel Brent Crude: UP $ 2.19 at $ 68.44 per barrel Hong Kong – Hang Seng: DOWN 0.3 percent at 28,451.50 ( close) Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 0.1 percent at 3,083.79 ( close) Tokyo – Nikkei 225: Closed for a public holiday London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.5 percent at 7,565.45 Pound/dollar: DOWN at $ 1.3120 from $ 1.3139 at 2200 GMT Euro/pound: UP at 85.14 pence from 85.02 pence Euro/dollar: DOWN at $ 1.1170 from $ 1.1172 Dollar/yen: DOWN at 108.12 from 108.54 yen New York – Dow: UP 1.2 percent at 28,868.80 ( close) With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives. New York's weaknesses in the face of climate change, the city is erecting a $ 1.45-billion system of walls and floodgates. Kroger, the country’ s biggest traditional grocery chain, is ending some benefits for unvaccinated workers. Australia will push ahead with plans to ease Covid restrictions before Christmas. Nearly 10 years after Imad al-Hisso fled the civil war in Syria, he remains trapped in Gaza, a place he calls `` a prison. '' COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2021 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

general

On the road to AI adoption, execs grapple with expertise and data

CIOs kicked off 2019 with AI as an item to watch in the competition agenda. In 2020, adoption of this technology is more likely to predict market dominance. The levels of adoption cited in the IBM study add confirmation to the trend of increased AI usage. Gartner's CIO survey, published in January 2019, found 37% of enterprise leaders had adopted AI or planned to do so shortly. `` If you are a CIO and your organization doesn't use AI, chances are high that your competitors do and this should be a concern, '' said Chris Howard, distinguished research vice president at Gartner, in the press release accompanying the survey. Amid a landscape marked by augmented workers and redefined business models, companies that fail to overcome the knowledge, data and tool barriers to AI adoption are at risk of ceding ground to the competition. It's a trend IBM hopes to capitalize on, with tools like IBM Watson promising to address real-world problems. `` While there is still work to be done, advances in data discovery and management, skills training and AI explainability are driving the rate of AI adoption faster than many predicted, '' said Rob Thomas, general manager at IBM Data and AI, in a blog post accompanying the survey results. The next step for H & M is deploying machine learning component libraries as retail dives deeper into digital. The COVID-19 pandemic, and ensuing recession, turned security strategies upside down. Subscribe to CIO Dive to get the must-read news & insights in your inbox. Discover announcements from companies in your industry. The next step for H & M is deploying machine learning component libraries as retail dives deeper into digital. Transformation at FedEx required a `` clear-eyed look at what we have and then creating a clear mental model and architecture for what we wanted to become, '' said CIO Rob Carter.

tech

Labor Stocks Are Going To Break Out In 2020

The labor markets were one of the most closely watched segment of our economy in 2019. Despite all the naysaying, the labor market ended the year on the most solid footing its been on in the history of the U.S. The size of the labor force is the largest its ever been, the unemployment rate is trending at historic lows, more minorities are working than ever before, wages are rising at a +3% clip, and the outlook for 2020 is just as robust. If you are worried about what may happen in labor trends this year let me reassure you, the labor market will come to a boil in 2020 and push labor-related stocks to new highs. A recent survey by Manpower, Inc revealed employers are not scaling back their plans for hiring in 2020. According to Manpower’ s survey of 11,500 U.S. employers, only 5% of businesses are planning to cut back on employment. On a seasonally adjusted basis, fully 19% of businesses are planning to expand their workforces in the first quarter of the year while the remainder are going to maintain the workforces they’ ve already built. Manpower, Inc Will Cash In On Labor Shortages Manpower, Inc ( MAN), an international firm specializing in staffing and recruitment services, is going to cash in on labor market shortages. Two of my favorite data points, the number of available workers and the number of open jobs, help drive the reality of this situation home. According to the Employment Situation Report, AKA the Non-Farm Payrolls Report shows 5.8 million American workers ready to go to work right now. The JOLTs report, Job Openings and Labor Turnover, shows upward of 7.3 million open jobs. That’ s a deficit of roughly 1.5 million employees, a fact that will make recruitment and retention a top-priority in 2020. document.write ( ' < a style= '' text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal; color: # 696969; '' target= '' blank '' rel= '' nofollow '' href= '' https: //www.ame ' + 'ricanconsumernews.net/scripts/click.aspx? NativeDisplayAdID=585 & ImpressionID=0 & UserID=0 & Placement=PlaceOnArticlePage '' > '); If you own a cell phone, then mobile service providers hope you never get to see this video going viral. It was shot in downtown Denver by a multi-millionaire, who exposed sensitive truths about cell phones and 5G. His experiment will strike a bad chord with cell phone companies, I know. But you’ ve got to see what this man “ leaked, ” and what it means for phone users in the weeks ahead. Analysts are expecting Manpower, Inc to produce about 4% EPS growth next year but this is a low estimate. Momentum within the labor economy coupled with the gross-shortage of employees is going to drive business in the New Year. At only 13.5X forward earnings Manpower is trading at the lowest valuation of any labor market stock I track. The stock is also paying 2.25% in yield which compares favorably with the broad markets average P/E of 19.5 and yield of only 1.75%. Manpower is also a dividend grower having raised its distrubution for the last 9 years with a 17% CAGR. ADP, Cloud-Based Services For Employers Are In Demand ADP ( ADP) is another labor market stock in good position to cash in on employment trends in 2020. The company provides cloud-based solutions for employers that include payroll processing, insurance, retirement benefits, and human resources applications. At today’ s prices the stock is one of the more highly valued, trading at 27X forward earnings, but that’ s easy to overlook when growth is in the forecast. Analysts are expecting ADP to grow revenue by 6% and deliver a near 12% increase in EPS. Couple this with the stocks newly acheived Dividend Aristocrat status and you have a recipe for double-digit total returns. The stock is currently in an uptrend and consolidating just shy of recently set all-time highs. The indicators are bullish and point to a test of resistance at least. Resistance is near the $ 172 level, a break above this level would be bullish and bring targets near $ 215 into play. Cintas, The Best Play On Labor You Can Buy Cintas ( CTAS) is another Dividend Aristocrat and the best play on labor market conditions you can buy. Trading at 30X forward earnings it is not a cheap stock but that is offset by its outlook for growth. The company has been growing organically in the high-single-digits for year and shows no signs of stopping. The company is also actively growing through acquisitions that promise to boost returns in the coming years. What does Cintas do? Cintas is a provider of employer and employee services that include uniform rentals and delivery, safety products and first aid solutions. Analysts are expecting the company to deliver 6% revenue growth this year and produce 10% earnings growth. Because the company has been successfully cutting costs and widening margins, partly due to synergies realized through acquisitions, the consensus estimates for 2020 are likely too low. Over the past three years, the company has only missed estimates once. Other than the yield, sub-1%, the dividend is quite good. The payout ratios is super-low at 28% which means the company could sustain dividend increases without the expectation of future earnings growth. The distribution has been increased every year for 28 years so there is a high expectation of future increases. Couple this with the growth outlook and the odds of Cintas uptrend continuing are quite high. The stock has been in a protracted uptrend for a decade, coincident with a labor market expansion that began following the global financial crisis. Price action is now consolidating at the fresh all-time highs and on the verge of a major break out. The indicators are still mixed but set up to produce a trend-following swing in momentum that could easily take this stock to new all-time highs during the 1st quarter of 2020. 6 Stocks That May Not Survive the Coronavirus Companies that are in a shaky financial position may sometimes attract investors in a bull market. Traders seeking a short-term profit can often use an oversold condition to capture a quick gain. But in a bear market, these companies frequently are left on the sidelines. But a declining stock price by itself should not be enough to scare investors off. What investors really need to pay attention to is the company’ s ability to finance existing debt or take on additional debt. Companies with low credit ratings face the problem of having too much debt on their books and an inability to finance it at more favorable rates. That’ s one reason we’ ve put together this presentation that highlights 6 companies that may not survive the coronavirus. These companies have low stock prices. In fact, many of them are, or will be, in danger of being delisted if they can not bring their stock above the $ 1 threshold. And on top of that, these companies each carry credit ratings of CCC+ or lower and are at risk of seeing those ratings even go lower. Each of the companies presented here are considered to be among the weakest, if not the weakest, in their sector. If you have any of these falling knives in your portfolio now is the time to cut your losses and walk away. View the `` 6 Stocks That May Not Survive the Coronavirus ''. Complete the form below to receive the latest headlines and analysts ' recommendations for your stocks with our free daily email newsletter:

business

Ginger: Health benefits and dietary tips

If you buy something through a link on this page, we may earn a small commission. How this works. People have used ginger in cooking and medicine since ancient times. It is a popular home remedy for nausea, stomach pain, and other health issues. People typically use fresh or dried ginger in cooking, and some take ginger supplements for their possible health benefits. , and various types of infection. Researchers have also studied its potential to reduce the risk of , and other health problems. In this article, learn more about the possible health benefits of ginger and the research behind them. Ginger may have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, and other healthful properties. Below are some of the possible medicinal uses of ginger. Consuming ginger may help improve digestion. have investigated ginger’ s effects on the gasses that form in the intestinal tract during digestion. Some research indicates that enzymes in ginger can help the body break up and expel this gas, providing relief from any discomfort. Ginger also appears to have beneficial effects on the enzymes trypsin and pancreatic lipase, which are important for digestion. . . and relieve nausea following cancer treatment. . The analysis showed that the supplement led to reduced nausea in most of the people who took it. of studies arrived at similar conclusions. They reported that taking a divided daily dosage of 1,500 milligrams ( mg) of ginger extract helped alleviate symptoms of nausea. They also called for further studies in humans to fully understand the effects of ginger on nausea and other gastrointestinal issues. Here, learn which foods can help relieve nausea. . However, the evidence supporting this remedy is mostly anecdotal. studied the effects of fresh and dried ginger on one respiratory virus in human cells. The results indicated that fresh ginger may help protect the respiratory system, while dried ginger did not have the same impact. set out to investigate the popularity of herbal medicine as a cold or flu treatment. After polling 300 pharmacy customers in two different locations, the researchers determined that 69% of those polled used herbal medicine and that most of this group found it effective. However, while ginger was among the most popular ingredients in these remedies, some of the participants may not have used it. . , which included 74 volunteers, found that a daily dosage of 2 grams ( g) of raw or heated ginger reduced exercise-induced muscle pain by about 25%. of studies concluded that ginger may help reduce dysmenorrhea — pain right before or during menstruation. However, the authors acknowledge that the included studies were often small or of poor quality. Learn more here. One group of researchers concluded that taking ginger by mouth is “ modestly efficacious and reasonably safe ” for treating inflammation caused by osteoarthritis. that the studies included in their meta-analysis were small and may not represent the general population. of 16 clinical trials determined that the phytochemical properties in ginger may combat inflammation. These authors also called for further research into the most effective dosages and types of ginger extract. There is some evidence that ginger extract may help with cardiovascular disease. found that a dosage of 5 g or more can cause significant, beneficial antiplatelet activity. The authors acknowledge that many investigations included in their analysis did not involve human participants or that participant numbers were too small to ensure reliable results. However, they suggest that, with further research, ginger could prove to be a safe form of treatment for cardiovascular disease. found that ginger extract helped reduce the occurrence of heart abnormalities among rats with diabetes. The authors noted that this reduction may stem, in part, from the antioxidant properties of the extract. Ginger does not provide protein or other nutrients, but it is an excellent source of antioxidants. . too many free radicals build up in the body. Free radicals are toxic substances produced by metabolism and other factors. The body needs to eliminate free radicals to prevent them from causing cellular damage that can lead to a range of diseases, including cancer. Dietary help the body get rid of free radicals. for 28 days. The participants all had a high risk of developing . Biopsies showed that the participants who had consumed the ginger had fewer negative changes in healthy colon tissue. This group also had reduced cellular proliferation. The findings indicate that ginger could play a role in preventing colorectal cancer. Find out here. . . This quantity does not provide a significant amount of any nutrient. Find out here. ( FDA) consider ginger to be safe to include in the diet, but they do not guarantee or regulate its use as a medicine or supplement. have not investigated many of the compounds in ginger. Also, scientific evidence does not support some claims about ginger’ s healing qualities. Before adding more ginger to the diet or taking a ginger supplement, consult a healthcare provider. A supplement may interact with medications or cause other health complications. . Some research indicates that ginger may improve digestive health, reduce inflammation, and relieve pain, among other benefits. However, studies often use high dosages of extracts — a person may not experience positive health effects from simply adding ginger to their diet. Also, studies investigating the health benefits of ginger have often been small or inconclusive. Fully understanding the effects and safety of ginger supplements will require more research. has shown ginger to be a safe way to manage nausea during pregnancy. It does not appear to increase the risk of pregnancy loss or symptoms like heartburn or fatigue. Aim to take less than 1,500 mg of ginger extract per day. Ginger is also available as a tea or as chewy or hard candies. Natalie Butler, R.D., L.D. Answers represent the opinions of our medical experts. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice. COVID-19 live updates: Total number of cases passes 2.9 million A look at ginger for diarrhea, a remedy that has been used for a long time. Included is detail on how much ginger is too much, as how much to eat a… Cinnamon is a popular spice in the United States and Europe, and it may have health benefits. In this article, learn about what the research says and… Inflammation plays a role in many chronic diseases. Dietary choices may help people manage their symptoms. Here, learn which foods to eat and avoid on… Turmeric is a member of the ginger family. It is commonly used as a spice, but it is also known for its medicinal purposes. It is thought to benefit… A look at how to get rid of nausea, a common complaint with a range of potential causes. Included is detail on physical changes to make to reduce…

tech

Mysterious Respiratory Virus Strikes 44 People in China

By Nicoletta Lanese published 3 January 20 People have speculated that the viral infection may be a highly contagious disease called SARS. An unidentified form of viral pneumonia has struck several dozen people in the Chinese city of Wuhan, sparking concerns that the country may be facing an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome ( SARS). Back in 2002 and 2003, SARS spread to 26 countries, infecting more than 8,000 people with a severe, flu-like illness and claiming more than 750 lives, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC). The outbreak began in China, where 349 people died from the disease on the mainland and 299 more perished in Hong Kong, according to Asian news channel CNA. The SARS virus spreads through person-to-person contact and can be expelled from an infected individual when they cough or sneeze, contaminating both people and nearby objects. The World Health Organization ( WHO) declared that China was free of SARS in 2004, but now, a mysterious bout of viral illness has led to speculation that the disease is back. Forty-four cases of the unidentified illness have been reported so far, including 11 `` severe '' cases, according to the international news agency AFP. Many of the infected individuals were stall holders at Wuhan's Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, which health authorities have closed until further notice, according to the South China Morning Post. In a further effort to contain the outbreak, airports in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan have ramped up screenings for fever among their passengers. Related: The 9 Deadliest Viruses on Earth The cause of the infections remains unknown, but the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission has ruled out `` influenza, avian influenza, adenovirus infection and other common respiratory diseases '' as potential culprits. `` At this point, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus is not yet confirmed or excluded as the cause of the outbreak, '' said Gauden Galea, WHO's representative in China, AFP reported. In response to speculation about a SARS outbreak, the Wudan police announced Wednesday ( Jan. 1) that eight individuals had been punished for `` publishing or forwarding false information on the internet without verification, '' the AFP added. `` If it were SARS, we are experienced in managing it, '' Emily Chan Ying-yang, a medical professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and a visiting professor at the University of Oxford, told the South China Morning Post. `` But if it is a new strain, then we should pay attention. '' During the 2002 outbreak, SARS caused many fatalities among young people, so it's important to determine whether serious cases of the virus are occurring in young or elderly individuals, she added. The mystery pneumonia may also be caused by a rare virus or one that was previously unknown, Dr. Jiang Rongmeng of Beijing Ditan Hospital told the South China Morning Post. Unlike in the 2002 SARS outbreak, `` no apparent human-to-human transmission has been detected so far. Otherwise, there would have been a community outbreak with more infections, '' Rongmeng added. Originally published on Live Science. Nicoletta Lanese is a staff writer for Live Science covering health and medicine, along with an assortment of biology, animal, environment and climate stories. She holds degrees in neuroscience and dance from the University of Florida and a graduate certificate in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Her work has appeared in The Scientist Magazine, Science News, The San Jose Mercury News and Mongabay, among other outlets.

general

Bruce Campbell discusses Telus

China aims to launch nationwide power trading by 2025, the state planning agency said Friday, as policy makers seek a unified solution to some of the problems that have bedeviled generators in recent years. The bar for China’ s financial markets to do better this year was so low, virtually everyone on Wall Street was saying the country’ s stocks and bonds could only go up. Back in 2016, trying to get an ambitious young financier to choose France over Britain was an often hopeless task. China needs to step up government spending to support an economy that’ s slowing due to coronavirus lockdowns and a property sector downturn, according to the International Monetary Fund. ( Bloomberg) -- Sign up for the New Economy Daily newsletter, follow us @ economics and subscribe to our podcast. { { video.ContentPackages [ 0 ].ScheduleStartDateTime | fromNow } }

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California Doubling Down on Decarbonizing as Fossil Fuel Output Declines

Sign in to get the best natural gas news and data. Follow the topics you want and receive the daily emails. Your email address * Your password * Remember me Continue Reset password Featured Content News & Data Services Client Support Shale Daily Shale Daily | E & P | NGI All News Access | NGI The Weekly Gas Market Report | Regulatory California’ s chief regulatory agency for oil and natural gas development has been renamed going into the new year, with a focus on public health, safety and environmental issues within the energy sector. The newly named California Geologic Energy Management Division ( CalGEM) replaced the Department of Conservation’ s ( DOC) Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources. CalGEM, created last year by Assembly Bill 1057, comes as the state’ s once robust oil and gas industry is steadily shrinking while low-carbon energy sources are growing. DOC Director David Shabazian said the division’ s mission has evolved since it was founded more than 100 years ago and now is focused on protecting public health, safety and the environment while guiding the state to a “ low-carbon future. ” CalGEM is charged with reducing and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions; requiring increased financial protections from onshore operators on the integrity of their operating and idle wells; and mandating additional documentation on changes in well ownership. CalGem chief Udauk-Joe Ntuk said the division will not only expand its focus, but “ concurrently oversee energy production in a manner that aligns with the state’ s clean energy and climate goals. ” Ntuk noted that California remains one of the nation’ s largest oil-producing states, even with a steady drop in volumes over the past 35 years. In 1985, total production was 424 million bbl, compared to a preliminary final total for 2018 of 161.8 million bbl. © 2021 Natural Gas Intelligence. All rights reserved. ISSN © 2577-9877 | ISSN © 1532-1266 | ISSN © 2158-8023 | Related topics: Calgem California Ntuk NGI’ s Shale Price Tracker Shale Product Suite Listen to NGI’ s ‘ Hub & Flow’ Shale Daily Download latest PDF Edition Shale Daily: Trending News Natural Gas Prices Natural gas futures floundered Monday as the prospect of a coronavirus resurgence and the potential for weak weather demand extending into December weighed on markets. At A Glance: Forecasts point to light weather-driven demand next month New coronavirus outbreaks threaten energy consumption Northeast spot prices stood apart, spiking amid regional demand The December Nymex contract… Oil Natural Gas Prices Energy Transition Markets Markets Regulatory LNG Regulatory M & A

general

Tesla ( TSLA) Breaks Shipment Record, Beats Estimates for Fourth Quarter Vehicles Shipped

It could be forgiven, that some might think that Tesla ( NASDAQ: TSLA) was little more than a big pile of pie-in-the-sky nonsense. Yet it seems, these days, that we hear a lot of positive buzz around this maker of electric vehicles that implores we take this company seriously. One more brick in the wall of credibility has fallen into place, as recently, Tesla reported its delivery and production numbers for the fourth quarter of 2019. The news is shockingly good, as evidenced by key phrases like “ record-breaking. ” Production Is Off and Running The key number for the fourth quarter at Tesla was 112,000, which is how many vehicles were delivered worldwide for the period. This not only beat Wall Street estimates by 6,000 vehicles—estimates said 106,000 would go out the door—but it also beat a goal set up by Musk earlier in the year. Interestingly, if Tesla had matched the street estimates, it still would have met Musk's own goal, so it's a surprise for both entities. Tesla noted that, in 2019, it delivered a grand total of around 367,500 vehicles, a move which represents a 50% increase from 2018's figures. Good news by any stretch, and sufficient to drive not only a two percent price increase, but part of an increase of 39% overall for the last year. It's given some of those gains back as of this writing, but it's still handily off yesterday's close of 430.26. A Watched Pot That's Boiling Pretty Hard It's not surprising that Tesla's delivery figures are watched closely. They're considered the best way to figure out Tesla's sales numbers—which is reasonable enough; obviously they aren't selling vehicles they're not delivering, unexpected cancellations aside—and the numbers spotted so far have been substantial. document.write ( ' < a style= '' text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal; color: # 696969; '' target= '' blank '' rel= '' nofollow '' href= '' https: //www.ame ' + 'ricanconsumernews.net/scripts/click.aspx? NativeDisplayAdID=517 & ImpressionID=0 & UserID=0 & Placement=PlaceOnArticlePage '' > '); A Wall Street legend has just made a rather large discovery… For the past several months, he’ s been tracking Warren Buffett’ s top 25 holdings… And what he found was surprising Tesla was expected to deliver 87,900 of its Model 3 vehicles, as well as 9,800 of its Model S and 9,300 of its Model X, according to word from FactSet. Yet Tesla announced sound if approximate defeats on all those fronts, noting that it shipped 92,550 Model 3 vehicles, along with 19,450 Model S and Model X vehicles. While there's some wiggle room for defeat in that last quote—why they didn't say how many of each was shipped rather than putting the two together in their own bloc is unclear—it would mean a serious win in one category or the other. If, for example, its Model X sales faltered and they only got 4,000 out the door, that would mean they shipped 15,450 Model S units, or better than 50% overestimates. Additionally, the production numbers at Tesla are looking sharp as well. While the company was setting production records back in the third quarter of 2019, they were actually delivering more cars than they produced. Yet the company has put a clear focus on production, putting largely to rest concerns that Tesla's total manufacturing capability would leave it a niche product. Tesla Continues to Build a Charge As good as the numbers have been around Tesla lately, the buzz has been even better. Just after Christmas, we saw Wedbush Securities hike its price target from $ 270 to $ 370 a share. Meeting that price target, meanwhile, would require a substantial drop in the current share price. The last few weeks have been enough to take the wind out of predictions from Credit Suisse analyst Dan Levy, who suggesting a potential 40 percent drop in the stock price to come While that was based on the appearance of extra competition in the field—and not out of line, either, as Ford ( NYSE: F) recently noted that reservations for the upcoming Mach-E electric Mustang were full—the production and delivery numbers emerging from Tesla suggests it's in position to effectively take on some competition. There's no doubt that Tesla has been gaining a lot of ground lately. It's already beaten short sellers on at least one notable occasion, and with bull cases suggesting the stock still has room to run over even its current levels, the idea that Tesla is stymied in its push to get more electric vehicles into the market seems flawed at best. What's more, with Tesla having some unexpected advantages in its arsenal, like its rapid improvements in battery technology, there's the possibility that the company could diversify and give itself a couple of extra revenue streams, a point that seldom goes amiss in the face of increased competition. People seem interested in electric vehicles, and right now, Tesla is leading the way in their provision. Competition is likely to follow—these figures are too substantial not to suggest that others want a piece of the pie—but with that diversification potential on hand, Tesla might well be able to hold out and see the levels that only the most ardent bulls can see right now. 5 Oil Stocks That May Not Survive the Current Crisis What would you think of the long-term prospects of a business that paid you to buy their products? That’ s an oversimplification of what occurred to the May futures contract for oil on April 20. The price for that contract sold for a negative price for the first time in history. The crisis befalling the oil companies at this time can best be described as “ only the strongest survive. ” There’ s just no way the oil companies can possibly handle month after month of rock-bottom oil prices. The problem is almost comically simple to understand. There is a massively reduced demand for oil as millions of Americans are following mitigation orders ranging from social distancing guidelines to more restrictive shelter in place orders. At the same time, the market is trying to absorb the oversupply of oil that came from Russia and Saudi Arabia. However, when the year started, things looked like it might be business as usual for oil producers. The U.S. economy was humming along and there was talk that the second half of the year might finally bring the boost to oil prices that many companies badly needed. However, since the middle of February, the bottom has dropped out of the market in general, and oil prices have been one of the main sectors to feel the impact. Initially, investors tried to remain optimistic. A month ago, investors thought that the economy might be reopening sooner rather than later. However, the exact timing of the reopening is about as fluid as a barrel of oil. And with it looking more likely that there will be more demand destruction at least through May, there’ s very little to prop up the stock of any oil companies. And that means that, in all likelihood, there will not be room left for some oil companies. We’ ve highlighted five oil stocks that have a strong probability of not surviving the chaos surrounding the coronavirus and our nation’ s response. View the `` 5 Oil Stocks That May Not Survive the Current Crisis ''. Complete the form below to receive the latest headlines and analysts ' recommendations for your stocks with our free daily email newsletter:

business

Op-Ed: 'Madonna and the Breakfast Club ' is the best docudrama of 2019

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published Director Guy Guido did excellent work writing and directing this incredible film, proving that he is a true visionary. This docudrama is well-crafted and engaging as it chronicles Madonna’ s rise to fame, and how it all started for her. It really delves beyond the surface, and it underscores such qualities as ambition, hard work, innovation, and tenacity. It sheds light on the untold story of the “ Queen of Pop ” and her pre-fame years as she struggled in New York City with her then-boyfriend, musician Dan Gilroy, and their first band, the Breakfast Club, who served as the lead singer. Gilroy taught Madonna how to play the drums and then the guitar. Jamie Auld gave a transformative and compelling acting performance as Madonna, and she chatted with Digital Journal about her experience making the film. Most importantly, in Madonna and the Breakfast Club, Guido and Auld were able to take their fans and viewers on this journey with them. It is a must-watch for all fans of the “ Material Girl. ” Madonna and the Breakfast Club is available on Amazon Prime. Markos Papadatos is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for Music News. Papadatos is a Greek-American journalist and educator that has authored over 16,000 original articles over the past 15 years. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in music, entertainment, lifestyle, magic, and sports. He is a five-time consecutive `` Best of Long Island '' winner, and in the past two years, he was honored as the `` Best Long Island Personality '' in Arts & Entertainment, an honor that has gone to Billy Joel six times. The push for Canadians to get their vaccine booster shots is ramping up as the COVID-19 Omicron variant spreads across the country. As the Omicron variant gains momentum in Europe and the U.S., the variant is now considered the “ biggest threat to global public health. ” Has Iran become a threat to U.S. interests on par with Russia? An FDA laboratory worker injects an influenza virus into an egg, where it will grow before being harvested—one of the many complex steps involved... COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2021 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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Hashed military force says 'US strike ' killed top Iran, Iraq commanders in Baghdad

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published A US strike killed top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani and the deputy head of Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi military force at Baghdad's airport early Friday, the Hashed announced. `` The deputy head of the Hashed, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, and head of the Quds Force, Qasem Soleimani, were killed in a US strike that targeted their car on the Baghdad International Airport road, '' the group said in a statement. The international airport was hit in a volley of missiles just after midnight, Iraq's military said. Security sources said the rockets targeted a Hashed convoy and left eight people dead, including `` important figures. '' The Hashed is a network of mostly-Shiite armed units, many of whom have very close ties to Tehran, who have been officially incorporated into Iraq's state security forces. Muhandis is the Hashed's deputy chief but is widely recognised as the real shot-caller within the group. He has been blacklisted by the US. Soleimani heads the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps ' Quds Force and also serves as Iran's pointman on Iraq. On Tuesday, a mob of Hashed supporters surrounded the US embassy in outrage over American air strikes that killed 25 fighters from the network's hardline Kataeb Hezbollah faction, which is backed by Iran. The US had acted in response to a rocket attack days earlier that had killed an American contractor working in Iraq. A US strike killed top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani and the deputy head of Iraq’ s Hashed al-Shaabi military force at Baghdad’ s airport early Friday, the Hashed announced. “ The deputy head of the Hashed, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, and head of the Quds Force, Qasem Soleimani, were killed in a US strike that targeted their car on the Baghdad International Airport road, ” the group said in a statement. The international airport was hit in a volley of missiles just after midnight, Iraq’ s military said. Security sources said the rockets targeted a Hashed convoy and left eight people dead, including “ important figures. ” The Hashed is a network of mostly-Shiite armed units, many of whom have very close ties to Tehran, who have been officially incorporated into Iraq’ s state security forces. Muhandis is the Hashed’ s deputy chief but is widely recognised as the real shot-caller within the group. He has been blacklisted by the US. Soleimani heads the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force and also serves as Iran’ s pointman on Iraq. On Tuesday, a mob of Hashed supporters surrounded the US embassy in outrage over American air strikes that killed 25 fighters from the network’ s hardline Kataeb Hezbollah faction, which is backed by Iran. The US had acted in response to a rocket attack days earlier that had killed an American contractor working in Iraq. With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives. America’ s Covid-19 infections are climbing again, and could soon hit a weekly average of 100,000 cases a day. Sri Lanka abandoned its quest to become the world’ s first completely organic farming nation. The Old City is in the Israeli-annexed eastern part of Jerusalem, which Palestinians claims as the capital of their future state. On the eve of Thanksgiving, 1971, a nondescript, 40-something man bought a one-way ticket to Seattle... COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2021 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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Top Iran commander Qasem Soleimani killed in US strike on Baghdad

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published Top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani was killed Friday in a US strike on Baghdad's international airport, Iran and the US confirmed, in a dramatic escalation of tensions between the two countries. The Pentagon said US President Donald Trump ordered Soleimani's `` killing, '' after a pro-Iran mob this week laid siege to the US embassy. Following Soleimani's death, Trump tweeted an image of the US flag without any further explanation. The pre-dawn developments mark the most major escalation yet in a feared proxy war between Iran and the US on Iraqi soil. Early Friday, a volley of missiles hit Baghdad's international airport, striking a convoy belonging to the Hashed al-Shaabi, an Iraqi paramilitary force with close ties to Iran. Just a few hours later, Iranian state television carried a statement by the Revolutionary Guard Corps saying Soleimani `` was martyred in an attack by America on Baghdad airport this morning. '' The Hashed confirmed that both Soleimani and its deputy chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis were killed in what it said was a `` US strike. '' `` The deputy head of the Hashed, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, and head of the Quds Force, Qasem Soleimani, were killed in a US strike that targeted their car on the Baghdad International Airport road, '' it said. The Hashed is a network of mostly-Shiite armed units, many of whom have close ties to Tehran but which have been officially incorporated into Iraq's state security forces. The units joined forces to fight the Islamic State group in 2014, after many of them built up years of fighting experience during Iraq's war years, including against the US. - 'Major decapitation strike ' - Muhandis was the Hashed's deputy chief but widely recognised as the real shot-caller within the group. Soleimani headed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps ' Quds Force and also served as Iran's pointman on Iraq, visiting the country in times of turmoil. Both were sanctioned by the United States. The Pentagon said Soleimani had been `` actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region. '' It said it took `` decisive defensive action to protect US personnel abroad by killing Qasem Soleimani, '' but did not specify how. Phillip Smyth, a US-based specialist in Shiite armed groups, told AFP the strike would have `` bigger '' ramifications than the 2011 US operation that killed Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden and the 2019 American raid that killed Islamic State group Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. `` In terms of a decapitation strike, what just happened is the most major decapitation strike that the US has ever pulled off, '' said Smyth. `` There is no comparison, '' he added. The developments come after an unprecedented attack on the US mission in Baghdad. A mob of Hashed supporters surrounded the US embassy on Tuesday in outrage over American air strikes that killed 25 fighters from the network's hardline Kataeb Hezbollah faction, which is backed by Iran. The US had acted in response to a rocket attack days earlier that had killed an American contractor working in Iraq. Trump had blamed Iran for a spate of rocket attacks targeting US forces as well as the siege at the embassy, saying: `` They will pay a very BIG PRICE! This is not a Warning, it is a Threat. '' On Thursday, US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper told reporters there could be more attacks from Iran-backed groups but vowed American forces would respond. `` We are prepared to exercise self-defense, and we are prepared to deter further bad behavior from these groups, all of which are sponsored, directed and resourced by Iran, '' he said. - Oil prices soar - Ties between the US and Iran have deteriorated since Washington pulled out of the landmark nuclear deal with Tehran in 2018. It then reimposed crippling sanctions on Iran, aiming to choke off its oil exports. Oil prices soared following Friday's attack, with Brent surging 4.4 percent to $ 69.16 and WTI jumping 4.3 percent to 63.84. But the attack threatens to destabilise Iraq, which has close political and military ties with both Tehran and Washington. The United States led the 2003 invasion against then-dictator Saddam Hussein and has worked closely with Iraqi officials since. But its influence has waned compared with that of Tehran, which has carefully crafted personal ties with Iraqi politicians and armed factions, even during Saddam's reign. Iraqi officials have warned in recent months that their country could be used as an arena for score-settling between Iran and the US. Top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani was killed Friday in a US strike on Baghdad’ s international airport, Iran and the US confirmed, in a dramatic escalation of tensions between the two countries. The Pentagon said US President Donald Trump ordered Soleimani’ s “ killing, ” after a pro-Iran mob this week laid siege to the US embassy. Following Soleimani’ s death, Trump tweeted an image of the US flag without any further explanation. The pre-dawn developments mark the most major escalation yet in a feared proxy war between Iran and the US on Iraqi soil. Early Friday, a volley of missiles hit Baghdad’ s international airport, striking a convoy belonging to the Hashed al-Shaabi, an Iraqi paramilitary force with close ties to Iran. Just a few hours later, Iranian state television carried a statement by the Revolutionary Guard Corps saying Soleimani “ was martyred in an attack by America on Baghdad airport this morning. ” The Hashed confirmed that both Soleimani and its deputy chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis were killed in what it said was a “ US strike. ” “ The deputy head of the Hashed, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, and head of the Quds Force, Qasem Soleimani, were killed in a US strike that targeted their car on the Baghdad International Airport road, ” it said. The Hashed is a network of mostly-Shiite armed units, many of whom have close ties to Tehran but which have been officially incorporated into Iraq’ s state security forces. The units joined forces to fight the Islamic State group in 2014, after many of them built up years of fighting experience during Iraq’ s war years, including against the US. – ‘ Major decapitation strike’ – Muhandis was the Hashed’ s deputy chief but widely recognised as the real shot-caller within the group. Soleimani headed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force and also served as Iran’ s pointman on Iraq, visiting the country in times of turmoil. Both were sanctioned by the United States. The Pentagon said Soleimani had been “ actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region. ” It said it took “ decisive defensive action to protect US personnel abroad by killing Qasem Soleimani, ” but did not specify how. Phillip Smyth, a US-based specialist in Shiite armed groups, told AFP the strike would have “ bigger ” ramifications than the 2011 US operation that killed Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden and the 2019 American raid that killed Islamic State group Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. “ In terms of a decapitation strike, what just happened is the most major decapitation strike that the US has ever pulled off, ” said Smyth. “ There is no comparison, ” he added. The developments come after an unprecedented attack on the US mission in Baghdad. A mob of Hashed supporters surrounded the US embassy on Tuesday in outrage over American air strikes that killed 25 fighters from the network’ s hardline Kataeb Hezbollah faction, which is backed by Iran. The US had acted in response to a rocket attack days earlier that had killed an American contractor working in Iraq. Trump had blamed Iran for a spate of rocket attacks targeting US forces as well as the siege at the embassy, saying: “ They will pay a very BIG PRICE! This is not a Warning, it is a Threat. ” On Thursday, US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper told reporters there could be more attacks from Iran-backed groups but vowed American forces would respond. “ We are prepared to exercise self-defense, and we are prepared to deter further bad behavior from these groups, all of which are sponsored, directed and resourced by Iran, ” he said. – Oil prices soar – Ties between the US and Iran have deteriorated since Washington pulled out of the landmark nuclear deal with Tehran in 2018. It then reimposed crippling sanctions on Iran, aiming to choke off its oil exports. Oil prices soared following Friday’ s attack, with Brent surging 4.4 percent to $ 69.16 and WTI jumping 4.3 percent to 63.84. But the attack threatens to destabilise Iraq, which has close political and military ties with both Tehran and Washington. The United States led the 2003 invasion against then-dictator Saddam Hussein and has worked closely with Iraqi officials since. But its influence has waned compared with that of Tehran, which has carefully crafted personal ties with Iraqi politicians and armed factions, even during Saddam’ s reign. Iraqi officials have warned in recent months that their country could be used as an arena for score-settling between Iran and the US. With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives. America’ s Covid-19 infections are climbing again, and could soon hit a weekly average of 100,000 cases a day. Sri Lanka abandoned its quest to become the world’ s first completely organic farming nation. The Old City is in the Israeli-annexed eastern part of Jerusalem, which Palestinians claims as the capital of their future state. On the eve of Thanksgiving, 1971, a nondescript, 40-something man bought a one-way ticket to Seattle... COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2021 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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An elegy for cash: the technology we might never replace

Think about the last time you used cash. How much did you spend? What did you buy, and from whom? Was it a one-time thing, or was it something you buy regularly? If you’ d rather keep all that to yourself, you’ re in luck. The person in the store ( or on the street corner) may remember your face, but as long as you didn’ t reveal any identifying information, there is nothing that links you to the transaction. This is a feature of physical cash that payment cards and apps do not have: freedom. Called “ bearer instruments, ” banknotes and coins are presumed to be owned by whoever holds them. We can use them to transact with another person without a third party getting in the way. Companies can not build advertising profiles or credit ratings out of our data, and governments can not track our spending or our movements. And while a credit card can be declined and a check mislaid, handing over money works every time, instantly. We shouldn’ t take this freedom for granted. Much of our commerce now happens online. It relies on banks and financial technology companies to serve as middlemen. Transactions are going digital in the physical world, too: electronic payment tools, from debit cards to Apple Pay to Alipay, are increasingly replacing cash. While notes and coins remain popular in many countries, including the US, Japan, and Germany, in others they are nearing obsolescence. This trend has civil liberties groups worried. Without cash, there is “ no chance for the kind of dignity-preserving privacy that undergirds an open society, ” writes Jerry Brito, executive director of Coin Center, a policy advocacy group based in Washington, DC. In a recent report, Brito contends that we must “ develop and foster electronic cash ” that is as private as physical cash and doesn’ t require permission to use. The central question is who will develop and control the electronic payment systems of the future. Most of the existing ones, like Alipay, Zelle, PayPal, Venmo, and Kenya’ s M-Pesa, are run by private firms. Afraid of leaving payments solely in their hands, many governments are looking to develop some sort of electronic stand-in for notes and coins. Meanwhile, advocates of stateless, ownerless cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin say they’ re the only solution as surveillance-proof as cash—but can they be feasible at large scales? We tend to take it for granted that new technologies work better than old ones—safer, faster, more accurate, more efficient, more convenient. Purists may extol the virtues of vinyl records, but nobody can dispute that a digital music collection is easier to carry and sounds almost exactly as good. Cash is a paradox—a technology thousands of years old that may just prove impossible to re-create in a more advanced form. We call banknotes and coins “ cash, ” but the term really refers to something more abstract: cash is essentially money that your government owes you. In the old days this was a literal debt. “ I promise to pay the bearer on demand the sum of … ” still appears on British banknotes, a notional guarantee that the Bank of England will hand over the same value in gold in exchange for your note. Today it represents the more abstract guarantee that you will always be able to use that note to pay for things. The digits in your bank account, on the other hand, refer to what your bank owes you. When you go to an ATM, you are effectively converting the bank’ s promise to pay into a government promise. Most people would say they trust the government’ s promise more, says Gabriel Söderberg, an economist at the Riksbank, the central bank of Sweden. Their bet—correct, in most countries—is that their government is much less likely to go bust. That’ s why it would be a problem if Sweden were to go completely “ cashless, ” Söderberg says. He and his colleagues fear that if people lose the option to convert their bank money to government money at will and use it to pay for whatever they need, they might start to lose trust in the whole money system. A further worry is that if the private sector is left to dominate digital payments, people who can’ t or won’ t use these systems could be shut out of the economy. This is fast becoming more than just a thought experiment in Sweden. Nearly everyone there uses a mobile app called Swish to pay for things. Economists have estimated that retailers in Sweden could completely stop accepting cash by 2023. Creating an electronic version of Sweden’ s sovereign currency—an “ e-krona ” —could mitigate these problems, Söderberg says. If the central bank were to issue digital money, it would design it to be a public good, not a profit-making product for a corporation. “ Easily accessible, simple and user-friendly versions could be developed for those who currently have difficulty with digital technology, ” the bank asserted in a November report covering Sweden’ s payment landscape. The Riksbank plans to develop and test an e-krona prototype. It has examined a number of technologies that might underlie it, including cryptocurrency systems like Bitcoin. But the central bank has also called on the Swedish government to lead a broad public inquiry into whether such a system should ever go live. “ In the end, this decision is too big for a central bank alone, at least in the Swedish context, ” Söderberg says. China, meanwhile, appears to have made its decision: the digital renminbi is coming. Mu Changchun, head of the People’ s Bank of China’ s digital currency research institute, said in September that the currency, which the bank has been working on for years, is “ close to being out. ” In December, a local news report suggested that the PBOC is nearly ready to start tests in the cities of Shenzhen and Suzhou. And the bank has been explicit about its intention to use it to replace banknotes and coins. Cash is already dying out on its own in China, thanks to Alipay and WeChat Pay, the QR-code-based apps that have become ubiquitous in just a few years. It’ s been estimated that mobile payments made up more than 80% of all payments in China in 2018, up from less than 20% in 2013. It’ s not clear how much access the government currently has to transaction data from WeChat Pay and Alipay. Once it issues a sovereign digital currency—which officials say will be compatible with those two services—it will likely have access to a lot more. Martin Chorzempa, a research fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington, DC, told the New York Times in October that the system will give the PBOC “ extraordinary power and visibility into the financial system, more than any central bank has today. ” We don’ t know for sure what technology the PBOC plans to use as the basis for its digital renminbi, but we have at least two revealing clues. First, the bank has been researching blockchain technology since 2014, and the government has called the development of this technology a priority. Second, Mu said in September that China’ s system will bear similarities to Libra, the electronic currency Facebook announced last June. Indeed, PBOC officials have implied in public statements that the unveiling of Libra inspired them to accelerate the development of the digital renminbi, which has been in the works for years. As currently envisioned, Libra will run on a blockchain, a type of accounting ledger that can be maintained by a network of computers instead of a single central authority. However, it will operate very differently from Bitcoin, the original blockchain system. The computers in Bitcoin’ s network use open-source software to automatically verify and record every single transaction. In the process, they generate a permanent public record of the currency’ s entire transaction history: the blockchain. As envisioned, Libra’ s network will do something similar. But whereas anyone with a computer and an internet connection can participate anonymously in Bitcoin’ s network, the “ nodes ” that make up Libra’ s network will be companies that have been vetted and given membership in a nonprofit association. Unlike Bitcoin, which is notoriously volatile, Libra will be designed to maintain a stable value. To pull this off, the so-called Libra Association will be responsible for maintaining a reserve ( pdf) of government-issued currencies ( the latest plan is for it to be half US dollars, with the other half composed of British pounds, euros, Japanese yen, and Singapore dollars). This reserve is supposed to serve as backing for the digital units of value. Both Libra and the digital renminbi, however, face serious questions about privacy. To start with, it’ s not clear if people will be able to use them anonymously. With Bitcoin, although transactions are public, users don’ t have to reveal who they really are; each person’ s “ address ” on the public blockchain is just a random string of letters and numbers. But in recent years, law enforcement officials have grown skilled at combining public blockchain data with other clues to unmask people using cryptocurrencies for illicit purposes. Indeed, in a July blog post, Libra project head David Marcus argued that the currency would be a boon for law enforcement, since it would help “ move more cash transactions—where a lot of illicit activities happen—to a digital network. ” As for the Chinese digital currency, Mu has said it will feature some level of anonymity. “ We know the demand from the general public is to keep anonymity by using paper money and coins … we will give those people who demand it anonymity, ” he said at a November conference in Singapore. “ But at the same time we will keep the balance between ‘ controllable anonymity’ and anti-money-laundering, CTF [ counter-terrorist financing ], and also tax issues, online gambling, and any electronic criminal activities, ” he added. He did not, however, explain how that “ balance ” would work. Sweden and China are leading the charge to issue consumer-focused electronic money, but according to John Kiff, an expert on financial stability for the International Monetary Fund, more than 30 countries have explored or are exploring the idea. In some, the rationale is similar to Sweden’ s: dwindling cash and a growing private-sector payments ecosystem. Others are countries where commercial banks have decided not to set up shop. Many see an opportunity to better monitor for illicit transactions. All will have to wrestle with the same thorny privacy issues that Libra and the digital renminbi are raising. Robleh Ali, a research scientist at MIT’ s Digital Currency Initiative, says digital currency systems from central banks may need to be designed so that the government can “ consciously blind itself ” to the information. Something like that might be technically possible thanks to cutting-edge cryptographic tools like zero-knowledge proofs, which are used in systems like Zcash to shield blockchain transaction information from public view. However, there’ s no evidence that any governments are even thinking about deploying tools like this. And regardless, can any government—even Sweden’ s—really be trusted to blind itself? That’ s wishful thinking, says Alex Gladstein, chief strategy officer for the Human Rights Foundation. While you may trust your government or think you’ ve got nothing to hide, that might not always remain true. Politics evolves, governments get pushed out by elections or other events, what constitutes a “ crime ” changes, and civil liberties are not guaranteed. “ Financial privacy is not going to be gifted to you by your government, regardless of how ‘ free’ they are, ” Gladstein says. He’ s convinced that it has to come in the form of a stateless, decentralized digital currency like Bitcoin. In fact, “ electronic cash ” was what Bitcoin’ s still-unknown inventor, the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto, claimed to be trying to create ( before disappearing). Eleven years into its life, Nakamoto’ s technology still lacks some of the signature features of cash. It is difficult to use, transactions can take more than an hour to process, and the currency’ s value can fluctuate wildly. And as already noted, the supposedly anonymous transactions it enables can sometimes be traced. But in some places people just need something that works, however imperfectly. Take Venezuela. Cash in the crisis-ridden country is scarce, and the Venezuelan bolivar is constantly losing value to hyperinflation. Many Venezuelans seek refuge in US dollars, storing them under the proverbial ( and literal) mattress, but that also makes them vulnerable to thieves. What many people want is access to stable cash in digital form, and there’ s no easy way to get that, says Alejandro Machado, cofounder of the Open Money Initiative. Owing to government-imposed capital controls, Venezuelan banks have largely been cut off from foreign banks. And due to restrictions by US financial institutions, digital money services like PayPal and Zelle are inaccessible to most people. So a small number of tech-savvy Venezuelans have turned to a service called LocalBitcoins. It’ s like Craigslist, except that the only things for sale are bitcoins and bolivars. On Venezuela’ s LocalBitcoins site, people advertise varying quantities of currency for sale at varying exchange rates. The site holds the money in escrow until trades are complete, and tracks the sellers’ reputations. It’ s not for the masses, but it’ s “ very effective ” for people who can make it work, says Machado. For instance, he and his colleagues met a young woman who mines Bitcoin and keeps her savings in the currency. She doesn’ t have a foreign bank account, so she’ s willing to deal with the constant fluctuations in Bitcoin’ s price. Using LocalBitcoins, she can cash out into bolivars whenever she needs them—to buy groceries, for example. “ Niche power users ” like this are “ leveraging the best features of Bitcoin, which is to be an asset that is permissionless and that is very easy to trade electronically, ” Machado says. However, this is possible only because there are enough people using LocalBitcoins to create what finance people call “ local liquidity, ” meaning you can easily find a buyer for your bitcoins or bolivars. Bitcoin is the only cryptocurrency that has achieved this in Venezuela, says Machado, and it’ s mostly thanks to LocalBitcoins. This is a long way from the dream of cryptocurrency as a widely used substitute for stable, government-issued money. Most Venezuelans can’ t use Bitcoin, and few merchants there even know what it is, much less how to accept it. Still, it’ s a glimpse of what a cryptocurrency can offer—a functional financial system that anyone can join and that offers the kind of freedom cash provides in most other places. Could something like Bitcoin ever be as easy to use and reliable as today’ s cash is for everyone else? The answer is philosophical as well as technical. To begin with, what does it even mean for something to be like Bitcoin? Central banks and corporations will adapt certain aspects of Bitcoin and apply them to their own ends. Will those be cryptocurrencies? Not according to purists, who say that though Libra or some future central bank-issued digital currency may run on blockchain technology, they won’ t be cryptocurrencies because they will be under centralized control. True cryptocurrencies are “ decentralized ” —they have no one entity in charge and no single points of failure, no weak spots that an adversary ( including a government) could attack. With no middleman like a bank attesting that a transaction took place, each transaction has to be validated by the nodes in a cryptocurrency’ s network, which can number many thousands. But this requires an immense expenditure of computing power, and it’ s the reason Bitcoin transactions can take more than an hour to settle. A currency like Libra wouldn’ t have this problem, because only a few authorized entities would be able to operate nodes. The trade-off is that its users wouldn’ t be able to trust those entities to guarantee their privacy, any more than they can trust a bank, a government, or Facebook. Is it technically possible to achieve Bitcoin’ s level of decentralization and the speed, scale, privacy, and ease of use that we’ ve come to expect from traditional payment methods? That’ s a problem many talented researchers are still trying to crack. But some would argue that shouldn’ t necessarily be the goal. In a recent essay, Jill Carlson, cofounder of the Open Money Initiative, argued that perhaps decentralized cryptocurrency systems were “ never supposed to go mainstream. ” Rather, they were created explicitly for “ censored transactions, ” from paying for drugs or sex to supporting political dissidents or getting money out of countries with restrictive currency controls. Their slowness is inherent, not a design flaw; they “ forsake scale, speed, and cost in favor of one key feature: censorship resistance. ” A world in which they went mainstream would be “ a very scary place indeed, ” she wrote. In summary, we have three avenues for the future of digital money, none of which offers the same mix of freedom and ease of use that characterizes cash. Private companies have an obvious incentive to monetize our data and pursue profits over public interest. Digital government money may still be used to track us, even by well-intentioned governments, and for less benign ones it’ s a fantastic tool for surveillance. And cryptocurrency can prove useful when freedoms are at risk, but it likely won’ t work at scale anytime soon, if ever. How big a problem is this? That depends on where you live, how much you trust your government and your fellow citizens, and why you wish to use cash. And if you’ d rather keep that to yourself, you’ re in luck. For now. Discovered more than a decade ago, a remarkable compound shows promise in treating everything from Alzheimer’ s to brain injuries—and it just might improve your cognitive abilities. How a veteran virologist found fresh evidence to back up the theory that covid jumped from animals to humans in a notorious Chinese market—rather than emerged from a lab leak. The US government’ s China Initiative sought to protect national security. In the most comprehensive analysis of cases to date, MIT Technology Review reveals how far it has strayed from its goals. Deepfake researchers have long feared the day this would arrive. Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more. We’ re having trouble saving your preferences. Try refreshing this page and updating them one more time. If you continue to get this message, reach out to us at customer-service @ technologyreview.com with a list of newsletters you’ d like to receive. Our mission is to bring about better-informed and more conscious decisions about technology through authoritative, influential, and trustworthy journalism.

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Tennis and cricket stars rally behind Australia bushfire relief

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published Tennis and cricket stars spearheaded by Nick Kyrgios and Chris Lynn on Friday pledged support for victims of bushfires raging around Australia, donating cash for every ace or six they hit. The blazes have claimed 18 lives and forced mass evacuations, with the country bracing for a weekend heatwave expected to fan the deadly infernos. Tennis Australia also announced a `` Rally for Relief '' exhibition match at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne on January 15 ahead of the Australian Open, with `` the world's top players '' taking part. It also made a Aus $ 1.0 million ( US $ 690,000) donation to help communities repair and rebuild tennis facilities damaged or lost in the bushfires. Kyrgios, a controversial figure with a bad boy reputation, has been at the forefront of building support and pledged Aus $ 200 for each ace he serves in the Australian summer of tennis, starting with the ATP Cup, which began Friday. `` I 'm kicking off the support for those affected by the fires. I 'll be donating $ 200 per ace that I hit across all the events I play this summer, '' tweeted the 24-year-old, who was handed a 16-week suspended ban in September after a series of outbursts. His Australian teammate at the inaugural ATP Cup Alex de Minaur went one better. `` I like this, I will go $ 250 per ace, just because I don't think I 'll be hitting as many aces as you mate, '' he replied, with Australian veteran Samantha Stosur also pledging $ 200 per ace. Kyrgios, who will also play the upcoming Kooyong Classic and the Australian Open, on Thursday issued a call for fundraisers for victims of the blazes, which have been a big talking point at the 24-team ATP Cup being staged in Brisbane, Perth and Sydney. - 'The real heroes ' - Tournament director Tom Larner announced that each ace served at the 10-day event would deliver Aus $ 100 to bushfire relief. The initiative is forecast to raise around Aus $ 150,000, with more than 1,500 aces expected to be sent down over the duration of the January 3-12 tournament. `` Most of the players are already keen to score aces and win a quick point, and having the chance to raise money for the bushfire appeal will give them that extra bit of motivation, '' he said. Tennis Australia chief Craig Tiley said he was working with the ATP and WTA to extend the move to all tournaments in Australia this month, including at Brisbane, Adelaide and Hobart. `` During the Australian Open we also plan to honour and recognise the incredible work of our firefighters, emergency services workers and volunteers who serve our communities so tirelessly, '' he said. `` I know fans will turn out in force to the AO Rally for Relief to support this great cause, as well as get involved in all our other fundraising activities. '' There are fears that smoke haze from the fires could impact the ATP Cup in Sydney, with officials relying on on-site medical experts to monitor air quality, although there were no concerns on Friday. The third cricket Test in Sydney between Australia and New Zealand is also monitoring for smoke, with players wearing black armbands Friday as a mark of respect for those who have died. Two of the biggest hitters in the game, Lynn and Glenn Maxwell, said they would donate $ 250 for every six they smash during the ongoing Big Bash League Twenty20 tournament. `` Hey Guys, for every six I hit in this years Big Bash League I will donate $ 250 towards the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal, '' tweeted Lynn. `` It is special to see so many athletes from various sports getting in behind the real heroes who are fighting to save lives and properties around our country. '' Maxwell, back in action after a short mental health sabbatical, replied: `` Love it Lynny!! I 'll match you on $ 250 per six I hit in this years BBL. '' D'Arcy Short, who was last week added to Australia's squad for their upcoming one-day tour of India, also jumped on board with the same commitment. Tennis and cricket stars spearheaded by Nick Kyrgios and Chris Lynn on Friday pledged support for victims of bushfires raging around Australia, donating cash for every ace or six they hit. The blazes have claimed 18 lives and forced mass evacuations, with the country bracing for a weekend heatwave expected to fan the deadly infernos. Tennis Australia also announced a “ Rally for Relief ” exhibition match at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne on January 15 ahead of the Australian Open, with “ the world’ s top players ” taking part. It also made a Aus $ 1.0 million ( US $ 690,000) donation to help communities repair and rebuild tennis facilities damaged or lost in the bushfires. Kyrgios, a controversial figure with a bad boy reputation, has been at the forefront of building support and pledged Aus $ 200 for each ace he serves in the Australian summer of tennis, starting with the ATP Cup, which began Friday. “ I’ m kicking off the support for those affected by the fires. I’ ll be donating $ 200 per ace that I hit across all the events I play this summer, ” tweeted the 24-year-old, who was handed a 16-week suspended ban in September after a series of outbursts. His Australian teammate at the inaugural ATP Cup Alex de Minaur went one better. “ I like this, I will go $ 250 per ace, just because I don’ t think I’ ll be hitting as many aces as you mate, ” he replied, with Australian veteran Samantha Stosur also pledging $ 200 per ace. Kyrgios, who will also play the upcoming Kooyong Classic and the Australian Open, on Thursday issued a call for fundraisers for victims of the blazes, which have been a big talking point at the 24-team ATP Cup being staged in Brisbane, Perth and Sydney. – ‘ The real heroes’ – Tournament director Tom Larner announced that each ace served at the 10-day event would deliver Aus $ 100 to bushfire relief. The initiative is forecast to raise around Aus $ 150,000, with more than 1,500 aces expected to be sent down over the duration of the January 3-12 tournament. “ Most of the players are already keen to score aces and win a quick point, and having the chance to raise money for the bushfire appeal will give them that extra bit of motivation, ” he said. Tennis Australia chief Craig Tiley said he was working with the ATP and WTA to extend the move to all tournaments in Australia this month, including at Brisbane, Adelaide and Hobart. “ During the Australian Open we also plan to honour and recognise the incredible work of our firefighters, emergency services workers and volunteers who serve our communities so tirelessly, ” he said. “ I know fans will turn out in force to the AO Rally for Relief to support this great cause, as well as get involved in all our other fundraising activities. ” There are fears that smoke haze from the fires could impact the ATP Cup in Sydney, with officials relying on on-site medical experts to monitor air quality, although there were no concerns on Friday. The third cricket Test in Sydney between Australia and New Zealand is also monitoring for smoke, with players wearing black armbands Friday as a mark of respect for those who have died. Two of the biggest hitters in the game, Lynn and Glenn Maxwell, said they would donate $ 250 for every six they smash during the ongoing Big Bash League Twenty20 tournament. “ Hey Guys, for every six I hit in this years Big Bash League I will donate $ 250 towards the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal, ” tweeted Lynn. “ It is special to see so many athletes from various sports getting in behind the real heroes who are fighting to save lives and properties around our country. ” Maxwell, back in action after a short mental health sabbatical, replied: “ Love it Lynny!! I’ ll match you on $ 250 per six I hit in this years BBL. ” D’ Arcy Short, who was last week added to Australia’ s squad for their upcoming one-day tour of India, also jumped on board with the same commitment. With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives. The Steppe mammoth was the first stage in the evolution of the steppe and tundra elephants and the ancestor of the woolly mammoth and... Satellites have become invaluable as an added technology in man’ s quest to understand and expand the scope of global climate observation. Dr. Anthony Fauci warned of a bleak winter ahead as the Covid-19 Omicron variant spurs a new wave of infections globally. The EU's drug regulator will decide Monday whether to approve a Covid jab by Novavax, which uses a more conventional technology. COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2021 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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US Republicans, Democrats spar over killing of Iran commander

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published Donald Trump's order to kill a top Iranian commander has laid bare Washington's stark political divide, with Republicans rallying behind the president and Democrats warning that Friday's attack could trigger a devastating military confrontation. Significant US military operations on foreign soil often gain bipartisan support, as was the case in 2011 when American special forces killed Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan. But such consensus has frayed in recent years, and the surprise pre-dawn attack in Baghdad that killed Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps ' foreign operations arm, has highlighted the widening chasm on Capitol Hill. Democratic lawmakers and aides say congressional leaders including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, both fierce Trump critics, were left in the dark about the deadly strike. The White House traditionally gives warning to senior members of both parties in the Senate and House of Representatives ahead of major military action. But one Republican confidant of Trump, Senator Lindsey Graham, said he `` was briefed about the potential operation '' when he visited with Trump this week at his Florida resort. `` This was a defensive strike to neutralize future attacks that were being planned and executed by Soleimani, '' Graham told Fox News, adding he appreciated `` being brought into the orbit '' of military assault planning. Top House Republican Kevin McCarthy called the attack `` a display of resolve and strength, '' while Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Soleimani was an `` evil man. '' But while Democrats joined their Republican opponents in condemning Soleimani's actions, and involvement in the deaths of Americans, they savaged Trump's order ahead of this year's presidential election. Pelosi said Soleimani's killing risks provoking a `` dangerous escalation of violence. '' And Schumer chimed in that Trump `` may well have brought our nation closer to another endless war. '' `` A trigger happy armchair strongman, lacking congressional authority, has recklessly brought our nation closer to war, '' House Democrat Hank Johnson said on Twitter. The strike on Soleimani also killed the deputy chief of Iraq's powerful Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force. It came after a pro-Iran mob this week laid siege to the US embassy in Baghdad following deadly American air strikes on a hardline Hashed faction in response to a rocket attack that killed an American contractor in Iraq. - 'Stick of dynamite ' - Democrats vying for the right to take on Trump in the November election also weighed in, starting with former vice president Joe Biden, who said the Republican had `` just tossed a stick of dynamite into a tinderbox. '' While most Republicans backed Trump, some party moderates joined Democrats in calling for a full briefing by the administration and a congressional role on future action. McConnell said senators would hopefully get a classified briefing `` early next week, '' and urged them to reserve judgment until they can `` review the facts. '' Senator Rand Paul, long opposed to expanded US military engagement abroad, was seemingly alone in delivering a sharp warning from Republican ranks. `` A war without a Congressional declaration is a recipe for feckless intermittent eruptions of violence w/ no clear mission for our soldiers, '' he tweeted. Donald Trump’ s order to kill a top Iranian commander has laid bare Washington’ s stark political divide, with Republicans rallying behind the president and Democrats warning that Friday’ s attack could trigger a devastating military confrontation. Significant US military operations on foreign soil often gain bipartisan support, as was the case in 2011 when American special forces killed Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan. But such consensus has frayed in recent years, and the surprise pre-dawn attack in Baghdad that killed Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ foreign operations arm, has highlighted the widening chasm on Capitol Hill. Democratic lawmakers and aides say congressional leaders including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, both fierce Trump critics, were left in the dark about the deadly strike. The White House traditionally gives warning to senior members of both parties in the Senate and House of Representatives ahead of major military action. But one Republican confidant of Trump, Senator Lindsey Graham, said he “ was briefed about the potential operation ” when he visited with Trump this week at his Florida resort. “ This was a defensive strike to neutralize future attacks that were being planned and executed by Soleimani, ” Graham told Fox News, adding he appreciated “ being brought into the orbit ” of military assault planning. Top House Republican Kevin McCarthy called the attack “ a display of resolve and strength, ” while Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Soleimani was an “ evil man. ” But while Democrats joined their Republican opponents in condemning Soleimani’ s actions, and involvement in the deaths of Americans, they savaged Trump’ s order ahead of this year’ s presidential election. Pelosi said Soleimani’ s killing risks provoking a “ dangerous escalation of violence. ” And Schumer chimed in that Trump “ may well have brought our nation closer to another endless war. ” “ A trigger happy armchair strongman, lacking congressional authority, has recklessly brought our nation closer to war, ” House Democrat Hank Johnson said on Twitter. The strike on Soleimani also killed the deputy chief of Iraq’ s powerful Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force. It came after a pro-Iran mob this week laid siege to the US embassy in Baghdad following deadly American air strikes on a hardline Hashed faction in response to a rocket attack that killed an American contractor in Iraq. – ‘ Stick of dynamite’ – Democrats vying for the right to take on Trump in the November election also weighed in, starting with former vice president Joe Biden, who said the Republican had “ just tossed a stick of dynamite into a tinderbox. ” While most Republicans backed Trump, some party moderates joined Democrats in calling for a full briefing by the administration and a congressional role on future action. McConnell said senators would hopefully get a classified briefing “ early next week, ” and urged them to reserve judgment until they can “ review the facts. ” Senator Rand Paul, long opposed to expanded US military engagement abroad, was seemingly alone in delivering a sharp warning from Republican ranks. “ A war without a Congressional declaration is a recipe for feckless intermittent eruptions of violence w/ no clear mission for our soldiers, ” he tweeted. With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives. The Steppe mammoth was the first stage in the evolution of the steppe and tundra elephants and the ancestor of the woolly mammoth and... Recycling is almost non-existent in the North African country, which produces 2.6 million tonnes of waste each year. Satellites have become invaluable as an added technology in man’ s quest to understand and expand the scope of global climate observation. Boris Johnson's own MPs say they will rebel against the government's new coronavirus restrictions - Copyright UK PARLIAMENT/AFP JESSICA TAYLORBritain’ s health minister has refused... COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2021 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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Patent Pending: Is warehousing Alphabet's next moonshot?

This is Patent Pending. Supply chain-related patent applications are published every day and this is where we 'll talk about the ones that could have the biggest impact on the supply chain and the ones that challenge the norm. ​We want to give you an idea of where supply chains are heading and what the industry is thinking. Read the last issue here. X Development isn't modest. Its website calls the research company Alphabet's `` Moonshot Factory. '' And, to be fair, the company is behind some of Alphabet's most ambitious initiatives from Project Wing to Waymo. Recent patent applications from the company hint at another supply-chain-oriented focus: warehouse automation. The X team envisions a warehouse with autonomous pallet jacks and real-time inventory counts. A warehouse control system ( WCS) choreographs the systems of sensors and robotics, according to a patent application published this week. The network would track the real-time location of pallets and the inventory count of items stored on pallets. One method would track inventory with automated guided vehicles that would use cameras to navigate and collect information, according to a second patent application. Information on inventory location could also allow the system to create more density within the warehouse. It could determine if two or more pallets of inventory could be condensed to a single pallet and also determine the location of the robotic devices needed for the job. The backroom of a retail store can eat into floor space. But a patent application from Walmart published this week shows a potential alternative: build up, not out. Inventory is stored above a drop ceiling at a retail store. A fleet of robotic vehicles would ferry inventory between attic space and the retail floor using access points and a rail system. The system of rails would allow the vehicle to travel vertically and horizontally across the inventory rack space until it reaches the desired inventory. The storage space could be subdivided based on factors like temperature or other inventory requirements. Sensors, including RFID or cameras, could be used to determine the location of the inventory on its journey to ground level. Drone delivery started to showpromise in 2019 with the first commercial drone deliveries. But a patent application published this week raises a question: Has the process been perfected? This patent suggests a new way drones can carry and drop off parcels: a vacuum. `` The invention can be used for fun or ordinary deliveries of pizza, boxed fast food, medical supplies to homes or businesses, '' the description explains. This would require a pump and a motor and drones are already limited in their flight time based on their battery capacity. If this invention does find a home it might be for short-range jobs. Topics covered: logistics, freight, operations, procurement, regulation, technology, risk/resilience and more. Brands with high exposure to Vietnam are seeing port delays, canceled orders and slow capacity recovery after months of COVID-19 related restrictions. During a speech on Wednesday, President Joe Biden said he envisioned the U.S. will eventually operate on a 24/7 supply chain schedule, and extended hours at ports is just the first step. Topics covered: logistics, freight, operations, procurement, regulation, technology, risk/resilience and more. Topics covered: logistics, freight, operations, procurement, regulation, technology, risk/resilience and more. Brands with high exposure to Vietnam are seeing port delays, canceled orders and slow capacity recovery after months of COVID-19 related restrictions. During a speech on Wednesday, President Joe Biden said he envisioned the U.S. will eventually operate on a 24/7 supply chain schedule, and extended hours at ports is just the first step. Topics covered: logistics, freight, operations, procurement, regulation, technology, risk/resilience and more.

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State Fund to distribute $ 160M to policyholders in 2019

BI’ s Article search uses Boolean search capabilities. If you are not familiar with these principles, here are some quick tips. To search specifically for more than one word, put the search term in quotation marks. For example, “ workers compensation ”. This will limit your search to that combination of words. To search for a combination of terms, use quotations and the & symbol. For example, “ hurricane ” & “ loss ”. The State Compensation Insurance Fund will distribute $ 55 million in dividend funds to its qualifying policyholders, making its total dividend distribution to policyholders $ 160 million for 2019, the fund announced Thursday in a statement. The Pleasanton, California-based State Fund’ s approximately 15% dividend of estimated annual premium reported for the second half of 2019 follows a similar mid-year dividend, in which the fund distributed $ 105 million to qualifying clients with policies that took effect between Jan. 1 and Aug. 19. The State Fund is reporting about $ 1.2 billion in premium in 2019 and $ 110 million in realized capital gains. Since its creation in 2014, it has paid out more than $ 5 billion to policyholders. Eligible policyholders will begin to receive dividend payments in the second half of 2020, said the fund. The State Compensation Insurance Fund will distribute $ 55 million in dividend funds to its qualifying policyholders, making its total dividend distribution to policyholders $ 160 million for 2019, the fund announced Thursday in a statement. The Pleasanton, California-based State Fund’ s approximately 15% dividend of estimated annual premium reported for the second half of 2019 follows a similar mid-year dividend, in which the fund distributed $ 105 million to qualifying clients with policies that took effect between Jan. 1 and Aug. 19. The State Fund is reporting about $ 1.2 billion in premium in 2019 and $ 110 million in realized capital gains. Since its creation in 2014, it has paid out more than $ 5 billion to policyholders. Eligible policyholders will begin to receive dividend payments in the second half of 2020, said the fund. SACRAMENTO, Calif.—Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proposes selling $ 1 billion of the State Compensation Insurance Fund's book of business to help California resolve its budget crisis, a spokeswoman for the governor said Wednesday. 1. Ruling bars suit after COVID death, highlights worker safety concerns 2. DOL sues N.Y. ophthalmologist over reported COVID-19 hazards 3. Serious, repeat violations at USPS facility following employee amputation 4. Alnylam files patent infringement suits against Pfizer, Moderna 5. State Fund declares $ 55M dividend for 2021 policy year 6. Kansas lawmakers consider medical marijuana bill

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Kisses for breakfast? General Mills partners with Hershey on new cereals

Fewer Americans are eating cold cereal with milk for breakfast today than in the past. Instead, consumers looking for healthier alternatives, more protein and more convenient on-the-go solutions have looked beyond the cereal bowl in their search for nutrition. And cereal manufacturers, including General Mills, have seen sales slip for several years. Overall cereal sales decreased 17% from 2009 to 2016. According to Mintel statistics reported by the Wall Street Journal, cold cereal sales are expected to fall an additional 5% between 2018 and 2023. After trying their hand at better-for-you and health-focused alternatives, cereal manufacturers have turned to transforming this breakfast food into a sugary sweet, permissible indulgence. And some of the results have been positive. Post Consumer Brands resurrected its Oreo O's cereal in 2017. The company launched cereals like Sour Patch Kids and Hostess Donettes and Honey Buns last year, and Twinkies cereal started appearing on shelves last month. Post's North American ready-to-eat cereal business saw a 3.5% sales increase in its most recent quarter as it focused on indulgent cereals. ​ The new Hershey candy cereals aren't the only recent super-sweet innovations to come from General Mills ' cereal division. In the last year, the company launched cereals including Cinnamon Toast Crunch Churros, Fruity Lucky Charms and Chocolate Toast Crunch. Hershey and General Mills have also collaborated on cereals before, including Reese's Puffs, Hershey's Cookies and Creme Fillows Cereal and Cocoa Puffs made with Hershey’ s chocolate, Food Business News reported. Those moves could have helped the brand since sales for its U.S. cereal unit saw a 5% increase in its most recent quarter. And now the companies are adding even more options. `` We just decided that, hey, we need to innovate even more to get the cereal category back to its healthy, growing position, '' General Mills ' Director of Marketing for Cereal Scott Baldwin told Food Dive last year. This change in strategy toward a focus on treats could bring more consumers to the category in the short term, but may not be enough to turn the tide of popular opinion. Indulgent cereals are marketed in large part to millennials looking to relive the carefree moments of their childhood. And manufacturers are hoping that those who are parents will share these moments with their children to create a new generation of sugary cereal lovers. Today's parents, however, find nutritional value to be the most important quality in food for their children, and six in 10 limit their sugar intake, according to a survey from BabyCenter Brand Labs Insight, which is part of Johnson & Johnson.. This dichotomy likely limits the expansion of sweet cereal sales. General Mills seems to recognize that a one-size-fits-all strategy will not be effective in changing the category. As a result, the cereal giant is also releasing another Nature Valley option for consumers that are looking to be mindful of their health when it comes to their cereal choice. Releasing a better-for-you cereal in tandem with more indulgent options shows General Mills is looking to develop a multi-pronged strategy and position itself to broadly boost its bottom line rather than piecemeal improvement. The success of this approach will be determined by consumer tastes. Although consumers are currently fond of indulgent options, they could return to a health-consciousness-first mindset. To try and mitigate that risk, General Mills could be wise to develop options that meet each of those needs separately. As consumers turn to other beverages, Gavin Hattersley has moved aggressively into energy drinks, diet soda and tequila to revive his company's portfolio — all while combating challenges like COVID-19 and a security breach. With its products in public school cafeterias and a teen-focused website that connects animal agriculture to global warming, the company aims to feed and educate the next generation. Subscribe to Food Dive to get the must-read news & insights in your inbox. Topics covered: manufacturing, packaging, new products, R & D, and much more. Discover announcements from companies in your industry. As consumers turn to other beverages, Gavin Hattersley has moved aggressively into energy drinks, diet soda and tequila to revive his company's portfolio — all while combating challenges like COVID-19 and a security breach.

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Eric Martsolf of 'Days of Our Lives ' to star in podcast series

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published Most impressive about this series is that it is the world’ s first interactive murder mystery podcast, which puts its viewers at the helm of the investigation. The series premiered in mid-December on Apple Podcasts, the iHeart Radio app and on Spotify. Martsolf plays the role of Dave in The Real Killer episode, which was written and directed by Corey Shurge. On February 8, 2020, Martsolf will be a part of the Star Image Entertainment event “ Karaoke Dance Party ” at the Sheraton Montreal Airport Hotel in Canada, where he will be joined by fellow soap actor Brandon Barash. For more information on the “ Karaoke Dance Party, ” which is hoted by Neil Janna, check out the following website. To learn more about Solve: The Podcast, check out its IMDb page. For more information on Emmy winner Eric Martsolf, check out his Instagram page and follow him on Twitter. Read More: Digital Journal’ s Markos Papadatos chatted with Eric Martsolf back in July of 2019. Markos Papadatos is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for Music News. Papadatos is a Greek-American journalist and educator that has authored over 16,000 original articles over the past 15 years. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in music, entertainment, lifestyle, magic, and sports. He is a five-time consecutive `` Best of Long Island '' winner, and in the past two years, he was honored as the `` Best Long Island Personality '' in Arts & Entertainment, an honor that has gone to Billy Joel six times. A man undergoes a rapid Covid-19 test at a medical van in New York on December 17, 2021. — © AFPThe single remaining monoclonal... Senator Joe Manchin's decision not to back Joe Biden's vast social spending bill dealt a severe blow to the US president's plans to boost... China Minmetals Rare Earth Company said it would merge with two of China's other top rare earth producers into a new company. The review demonstrates that convalescent plasma reduces the need for hospitalization by half for the patients diagnosed as being infected with COVID-19. COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2021 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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UNICEF’ s New Year appeal for Syria: cease fighting in the northwest and end the nine-year war

NEW YORK, 2 January 2020 – “ As a new year begins and the war in Syria approaches its tenth year, the situation for many children – especially in the northwest of the country – remains dire. “ Indeed, just yesterday, five children, aged between 6 and 13-years-old, were killed when rockets hit a primary school in Sarmin, Idlib Governorate. “ New Year’ s Day is supposed to be a day of hope and a time to look forward to the year ahead. For families in Syria, any hope is all too often extinguished by heart-breaking violence. “ Each day, nearly 4,500 children are forced to flee their homes, with many having been displaced multiple times already. At least 140,000 children have been displaced in the past three weeks alone because of heavy violence in and around Idlib in the northwest. “ Attacks on basic civilian infrastructure providing services for children like schools and hospitals have become all too common. In 2019, the UN verified 145 attacks on schools and 82 attacks on hospitals and medical staff. More than 90 per cent of these attacks were in the northwest including in Idlib. “ Brutal winter weather – including recent storms, heavy rains and plunging temperatures – have made conditions on the ground even more gruelling for children and families, particularly for those fleeing heavy violence or living in camps. “ UNICEF is on the ground in Syria, working to keep children alive amidst the violence, chaos and cold, despite restrictions to our humanitarian access. In the northwest, together with our partners we are reaching children with winter clothes and blankets, clean drinking water, waste management services, health consultations and education and psychosocial support to help children overcome the shocks they have endured. “ While these efforts are lifesaving, they are not enough. Only an end to the war can bring Syria’ s children the safety they need and deserve. Until that time, their right to a peaceful present and hopeful future will go unfulfilled. “ As a new year begins, we issue this appeal on behalf of millions of children in Syria. We call on those fighting, especially in the northwest, and those with influence over them for the following: · Stop all attacks on children and services that provide for them including health and education facilities and water systems. · Reach an immediate cessation of hostilities in the northwest of Syria to first and foremost protect children, resume efforts to reach a peaceful agreement and end the war in Syria once and for all. · Renew Security Council Resolutions that facilitate sustained and unhindered humanitarian access to all children in need in the northwest and elsewhere in Syria through all modalities possible including across the lines of control inside Syria or across its borders. “ It is my most heartfelt hope that 2020 will – finally – be a year of peace for Syria’ s children. ” UNICEF works in some of the world’ s toughest places, to reach the world’ s most disadvantaged children. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone. For more information about UNICEF and our work for children, visit www.unicef.org Follow UNICEF on Twitter and Facebook UNICEF launches US $ 9.4 billion emergency funding appeal for children affected by conflict, the climate crisis and COVID-19 Every day, six-year-old Kadriye plays with the toys in the box.

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Micky Dolenz of The Monkees welcomes new grandchild

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published In a tweet to his fans and followers, Dolenz revealed that he was “ blessed with a new grandson ” this holiday season named Finn. “ My daughter, Charlotte and husband, Eric, welcomed their new son on December 15th. We are overjoyed, ” he exclaimed. Most recently, The Monkees released their Christmas Party holiday album on red and white vinyl, as Digital Journal reported. He was also featured on the Thank You, Mister Rogers: Music & Memories tribute album, which came out in October, on the song “ Perfectly Beautiful Day. ” On Sunday, February 23, 2020, Dolenz will be performing two shows at My Father’ s Place at The Roslyn Hotel on Long Island at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. respectively. He will be touring with Michael Nesmith as part of The Monkees in April of 2020. To learn more about Micky Dolenz, his solo tour dates and concerts with The Monkees, check out his official website and his Facebook page. Markos Papadatos is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for Music News. Papadatos is a Greek-American journalist and educator that has authored over 16,000 original articles over the past 15 years. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in music, entertainment, lifestyle, magic, and sports. He is a five-time consecutive `` Best of Long Island '' winner, and in the past two years, he was honored as the `` Best Long Island Personality '' in Arts & Entertainment, an honor that has gone to Billy Joel six times. Omicron's rise has heralded another pandemic-tinged Christmas for billions, with Santa's arrival overshadowed by Covid restrictions. At a time when hospitals and patients are strained due to increasing COVID numbers, threat actors will continue to attack. Millions of Americans are traveling before Christmas even as national Omicron Covid-19 infections surpass Delta's peak. Hong Kong university students paid solemn tribute to two campus statues marking Beijing's 1989 suppression of Tiananmen Square protesters. COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2021 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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Op-Ed: Tavern on The Green is the best restaurant in New York for 2019

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published It is an iconic landmark in the heart of the Big Apple, situated in Central Park West, and is worth checking out anytime anybody is in Manhattan. With its elaborate menu listings, one will not be disappointed and there is something new to try at every visit. This fine restaurant earned a glowing review from Digital Journal, and rightfully so. This journalist and food critic was afforded the distinct privilege to review its “ Summer Solstice Tasting Menu ” in June of 2019, which was prepared elegantly. It featured the Chilled Watermelon Salad, the Grilled Diver Scallop ( with papaya and mango salsa), as well as their Pan Roasted Fillet of Striped Bass, and their Baked Honey Mustard Duck Breast, which was sheer bliss. Their desserts were quite savory as well, including their Key Lime Custard ( with blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries), and their Strawberry Shortcake. This journalist sat down and chatted with Executive Chef Bill Peet, as well as Kelly Neal-Shaw, the Events Director. For more information on Tavern on The Green, check out its official homepage and its Facebook page. Markos Papadatos is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for Music News. Papadatos is a Greek-American journalist and educator that has authored over 17,000 original articles over the past 16 years. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in music, entertainment, lifestyle, magic, and sports. He is a six-time consecutive `` Best of Long Island '' winner, and in the past three years, he was honored as the `` Best Long Island Personality '' in Arts & Entertainment, an honor that has gone to Billy Joel six times. Fire ants aren’ t famous for their negotyiation skills. Despite the dangers of standing up to illegal loggers, fellow conservationists continue to work guarding the El Rosario monarch butterfly sanctuary. Drug overdose deaths have doubled over the past six years amid the Covid-19 pandemic and a continued rise in the use of fentanyl. Queen Elizabeth II complained Wednesday about mobility issues, as she carried out her in-person official engagements. COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2022 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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Iraq Parliament votes to expel U.S. military after drone attack

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published The resolution was backed by most Shiite members of parliament, who hold a majority of seats. Many Sunni and Kurdish legislators did not show up for the session, possibly because they were opposed to the resolution, reports CTV News Canada. The vote comes two days after a U.S. airstrike killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani inside Iraq, raising tensions dramatically in the region. The approximately 5,500 U.S. troops in Iraq are there to help in training the Iraqi military in anti-Isis operations, but their presence has become controversial. The Iraqi resolution calls specifically for ending an agreement with Washington made four years ago that allowed the U.S. to send troops to Iraq to help in the fight against the Islamic State group, per the Associated Press. International Coalition lives at stake Operation Inherent Resolve, the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq has suspended operations against the Islamic State group so its forces can concentrate on protecting US, UK and other troops at bases in Iraq. The announcement came just a few minutes before the Iraqi Parliament vote this morning. In a statement, Operation Inherent Resolve said the coalition was “ fully committed ” to protecting its bases in the light of “ repeated rocket attacks ” from pro-Iranian militias over the past two months, according to The Guardian. “ This has limited our capacity to conduct training with partners and to support their operations against Daesh [ Isis ], and we have therefore paused these activities, subject to continuous review, ” the coalition said. “ We remain ready to return our full attention and efforts back to our shared goal of ensuring the lasting defeat of Daesh, ” the coalition’ s statement concluded. Karen Graham is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for environmental news. Karen's view of what is happening in our world is colored by her love of history and how the past influences events taking place today. Her belief in man's part in the care of the planet and our environment has led her to focus on the need for action in dealing with climate change. It was said by Geoffrey C. Ward, `` Journalism is merely history's first draft. '' Everyone who writes about what is happening today is indeed, writing a small part of our history. New York's weaknesses in the face of climate change, the city is erecting a $ 1.45-billion system of walls and floodgates. Kroger, the country’ s biggest traditional grocery chain, is ending some benefits for unvaccinated workers. Australia will push ahead with plans to ease Covid restrictions before Christmas. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that he wants `` immediate '' talks with the United States and NATO over security guarantees. COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2021 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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Diver killed in Australia shark attack

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published A man has been mauled to death by a suspected great white shark at a popular diving spot off Australia's southwestern coast, officials said Sunday. The man was attacked at Cull Island near the town of Esperance in Western Australia state, the state's primary industries department said in a statement. `` A man received fatal injuries after being bitten by a reported white shark, '' the department said. Surf Life Saving Western Australia said he was believed to be a diver. The fatal attack, the first in Australia this year, is the second in the area in less than three years. A 17-year-old girl was mauled by a shark in full view of her parents near Wylie Bay in 2017. She lost her leg and was pulled from the water, but died shortly after. In 2014, a young surfer lost parts of both arms after being attacked by a great white, also off Esperance. Australia has one of the world's highest incidences of shark attacks, but fatalities remain rare. There were 27 maulings but no fatalities off Australia last year, according to data from Sydney's Taronga Zoo. A man has been mauled to death by a suspected great white shark at a popular diving spot off Australia’ s southwestern coast, officials said Sunday. The man was attacked at Cull Island near the town of Esperance in Western Australia state, the state’ s primary industries department said in a statement. “ A man received fatal injuries after being bitten by a reported white shark, ” the department said. Surf Life Saving Western Australia said he was believed to be a diver. The fatal attack, the first in Australia this year, is the second in the area in less than three years. A 17-year-old girl was mauled by a shark in full view of her parents near Wylie Bay in 2017. She lost her leg and was pulled from the water, but died shortly after. In 2014, a young surfer lost parts of both arms after being attacked by a great white, also off Esperance. Australia has one of the world’ s highest incidences of shark attacks, but fatalities remain rare. There were 27 maulings but no fatalities off Australia last year, according to data from Sydney’ s Taronga Zoo. With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives. Symptoms of a Clostridium difficile infection include diarrhoea, a high temperature and feeling sick. Fire ants aren’ t famous for their negotyiation skills. Despite the dangers of standing up to illegal loggers, fellow conservationists continue to work guarding the El Rosario monarch butterfly sanctuary. Canadian police warned demonstrators opposed to Covid rules who have clogging Ottawa streets to leave or face arrest. COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2022 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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Cambodia building collapse death toll hits 36 as rescue called off

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published The search for victims in the rubble of a collapsed building in southern Cambodia drew to a close Sunday with the final death toll at 36 -- the latest tragedy in a string of deadly construction accidents. Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Sen, said 23 people had been pulled alive from the rubble of the seven-storey hotel, which crumpled to the ground in seaside Kep on Friday afternoon. On Sunday rescuers also managed to free a dog trapped in the debris. `` This is yet another tragedy, '' said Hun Sen, who promised families of victims would get $ 50,000 each in compensation, while those injured would receive $ 20,000, he said. He told reporters the contractor responsible for the construction had died in the accident, while the building's owner had been detained. The rescue effort lasted more 40 hours, mobilizing hundreds of soldiers and labourers using excavators, drills and power saws to clear concrete and cut through metal bars of the pancaked structure. Cambodia is undergoing a construction boom, with hotels, high-rises and casinos springing up under little regulatory oversight. The tough and often dangerous labour is undertaken by an estimated 200,000 construction workers, mostly unskilled, reliant on day wages and not protected by union rules, according to the International Labour Organisation. Last June some 28 people died in the collapse of a building under construction in Sihanoukville, a beach town flush with Chinese investment that. Worker advocacy groups point to low safety standards that raise the risk of accidents at construction sites -- which often serve as the temporary homes for the labourers and their families. Worker Ei Kosal told AFP on Saturday that he, his wife and two other women were having a meal on site when the building collapsed. Their two companions were crushed. `` I did not expect to survive... it's like I have just been reborn, '' Kosal from hospital. The search for victims in the rubble of a collapsed building in southern Cambodia drew to a close Sunday with the final death toll at 36 — the latest tragedy in a string of deadly construction accidents. Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Sen, said 23 people had been pulled alive from the rubble of the seven-storey hotel, which crumpled to the ground in seaside Kep on Friday afternoon. On Sunday rescuers also managed to free a dog trapped in the debris. “ This is yet another tragedy, ” said Hun Sen, who promised families of victims would get $ 50,000 each in compensation, while those injured would receive $ 20,000, he said. He told reporters the contractor responsible for the construction had died in the accident, while the building’ s owner had been detained. The rescue effort lasted more 40 hours, mobilizing hundreds of soldiers and labourers using excavators, drills and power saws to clear concrete and cut through metal bars of the pancaked structure. Cambodia is undergoing a construction boom, with hotels, high-rises and casinos springing up under little regulatory oversight. The tough and often dangerous labour is undertaken by an estimated 200,000 construction workers, mostly unskilled, reliant on day wages and not protected by union rules, according to the International Labour Organisation. Last June some 28 people died in the collapse of a building under construction in Sihanoukville, a beach town flush with Chinese investment that. Worker advocacy groups point to low safety standards that raise the risk of accidents at construction sites — which often serve as the temporary homes for the labourers and their families. Worker Ei Kosal told AFP on Saturday that he, his wife and two other women were having a meal on site when the building collapsed. Their two companions were crushed. “ I did not expect to survive… it’ s like I have just been reborn, ” Kosal from hospital. With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives. An Irishman who refused to wear a Covid mask during a flight from Dublin to New York faces up to 20 years in prison. This week’ s releases include an expanded horror universe; an animated sequel; a strange family drama; a real-life tale and more. Brothers Tashi Lakpa Sherpa ( L) and Chhang Dawa Sherpa are aiming to achieve the hallowed Explorer's Grand Slam - Copyright AFP PRAKASH MATHEMATwo out... Shell's facility at SWcotford is now capturing carbon and storing the greenhouse gas. SOURCE Shell Canada LimitedRoyal Dutch Shell’ s Quest Carbon Capture facility near... COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2022 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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Kaepernick calls out US 'imperialism '

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published Colin Kaepernick, the former NFL quarterback whose kneeling protests of racial injustice roiled the league, called out US `` imperialism '' on Twitter on Saturday. Kaepernick's tweets came a day after the killing of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani, although they did not specifically reference the Baghdad drone strike ordered by US President Donald Trump. `` There is nothing new about American terrorist attacks against Black and Brown people for the expansion of American imperialism, '' Kaepernick tweeted. `` America has always sanctioned and besieged Black and Brown bodies both at home and abroad, '' he added in a separate post. `` America militarism is the weapon wielded by American imperialism, to enforce its policing and plundering of the non white world. '' The assassination of Soleimani has been followed by vows of reprisal from Iran -- met with a warning from Trump that the United States is targeting 52 sites in Iran if the Islamic republic attacks American personnel or bases. Kaepernick, 32, was an NFL star in 2016 when he began kneeling during pre-game playings of the US national anthem to protest racial inequality -- demonstrations that Trump criticized. He opted out of his San Francisco 49ers contract for free agency in 2017, but found no takers. He reached a settlement with the NFL over claims that owners were improperly keeping him out of the league and had insisted in 2019 that he was `` ready to play '' despite almost three years out of the league. His tweets came on the opening day of the NFL playoffs. Colin Kaepernick, the former NFL quarterback whose kneeling protests of racial injustice roiled the league, called out US “ imperialism ” on Twitter on Saturday. Kaepernick’ s tweets came a day after the killing of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani, although they did not specifically reference the Baghdad drone strike ordered by US President Donald Trump. “ There is nothing new about American terrorist attacks against Black and Brown people for the expansion of American imperialism, ” Kaepernick tweeted. “ America has always sanctioned and besieged Black and Brown bodies both at home and abroad, ” he added in a separate post. “ America militarism is the weapon wielded by American imperialism, to enforce its policing and plundering of the non white world. ” The assassination of Soleimani has been followed by vows of reprisal from Iran — met with a warning from Trump that the United States is targeting 52 sites in Iran if the Islamic republic attacks American personnel or bases. Kaepernick, 32, was an NFL star in 2016 when he began kneeling during pre-game playings of the US national anthem to protest racial inequality — demonstrations that Trump criticized. He opted out of his San Francisco 49ers contract for free agency in 2017, but found no takers. He reached a settlement with the NFL over claims that owners were improperly keeping him out of the league and had insisted in 2019 that he was “ ready to play ” despite almost three years out of the league. His tweets came on the opening day of the NFL playoffs. With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives. The Steppe mammoth was the first stage in the evolution of the steppe and tundra elephants and the ancestor of the woolly mammoth and... Recycling is almost non-existent in the North African country, which produces 2.6 million tonnes of waste each year. Satellites have become invaluable as an added technology in man’ s quest to understand and expand the scope of global climate observation. Boris Johnson's own MPs say they will rebel against the government's new coronavirus restrictions - Copyright UK PARLIAMENT/AFP JESSICA TAYLORBritain’ s health minister has refused... COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2021 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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Accelerating the communications highway with structured light

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published The new research involves optimizing quantum mechanics ( science dealing with the behavior of matter and light) through using patterns of light in order to create an alphabet which can be leveraged to create a fast, efficient and secure light-based quantum network. By working with structured light in quantum protocols, a research team have developed a complex encoding alphabet with more information being carried per photon. As lead researcher Dr. Andrew Forbes says: “ Light comes in a variety of patterns that can be made unique — like our faces. ” This is based on the fact that as patterns of light can be distinguished from each other, these forms can be used as a type of alphabet. The use of light in this way creates a means of communication whereby security is more robust, and the interference to noise ( like background light fluctuations) is considerably reduced. With the communications element, this is undertaken between nodes, made possible through quantum key distribution protocols. The nodes are necessary in order to both generate and detect photons entangled in differing patterns ( with individual patterns representing individual codes of the alphabet). The study forms part of a wider investigation into photonic quantum states, where the harnessing quantum states and entangled states, is being considered for quantum inspired sensing, metrology, imaging, computation, as well as for communication. The research has been published in the journal Quantum Science, where the research paper is titled “ Quantum mechanics with patterns of light: Progress in high dimensional and multidimensional entanglement with structured light. ” Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news. Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs. The push for Canadians to get their vaccine booster shots is ramping up as the COVID-19 Omicron variant spreads across the country. As the Omicron variant gains momentum in Europe and the U.S., the variant is now considered the “ biggest threat to global public health. ” British PM Boris Johnson faced questions about his leadership after weeks of controversy culminated in a crushing by-election defeat. An FDA laboratory worker injects an influenza virus into an egg, where it will grow before being harvested—one of the many complex steps involved... COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2021 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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مسيرة ترامب العمياء نحو الحرب by Djavad Salehi-Isfahani

واشنطن العاصمة- قبل أن يقرر ترامب سحب بلاده من خطة العمل المشتركة الشاملة في مايو 2018 كان جواد ظريف وزير الخارجية الايراني والعقل المدبر الايراني للاتفاق النووي من اكثر الشخصيات العامة شعبية في البلاد وبعد سنة من هذا الانسحاب أظهر استطلاع للرأي أجرته جامعة ميريلاند ان شعبية ظريف كانت اقل بكثير من شعبية الجنرال قاسم سليماني قائد الحرس الثوري المتشدد والذي تم اغتياله في بغداد بناء على أمر من ترامب. يقول ترامب انه قام بتفويض ضربة الطائرة بدون طيار والتي قتلت سليماني من أجل `` وقف الحرب ''. ان الاحتمال الأكثر ترجيحا هو انه تسبب في نشوب حرب أو على الاقل البدء في مسيره نحوها. لا يمكن توقع ان يتنبأ القادة على وجه الدقة بتأثيرات قرارات سياستهم الخارجية ولكن يجب ان تكون توقعاتهم واقعية وهذا يعني انه يجب ان تكون مبنية على أساس معلومات استخبارية ذات مصداقية وفهم شامل للديناميه الاقتصادية والتاريخية والثقافية الحالية وعندما تكون التوقعات غير واقعية ، عادة ما تكون النتائج كارثية. We hope you're enjoying Project Syndicate. Subscribe Unlock additional commentaries for FREE by registering. Register Already have an account? Log in For more than 25 years, Project Syndicate has been guided by a simple credo: All people deserve access to a broad range of views by the world's foremost leaders and thinkers on the issues, events, and forces shaping their lives. At a time of unprecedented uncertainty, that mission is more important than ever – and we remain committed to fulfilling it. But there is no doubt that we, like so many other media organizations nowadays, are under growing strain. If you are in a position to support us, please subscribe now. As a subscriber, you will enjoy unlimited access to our On Point suite of long reads, book reviews, and insider interviews; Big Picture topical collections; Say More contributor interviews; Opinion Has It podcast features; The Year Ahead magazine, the full PS archive, and much more. You will also directly support our mission of delivering the highest-quality commentary on the world's most pressing issues to as wide an audience as possible. By helping us to build a truly open world of ideas, every PS subscriber makes a real difference. Thank you. Subscribe Now Writing for PS since 2017 7 Commentaries Djavad Salehi-Isfahani, Professor of Economics at Virginia Tech, is a research fellow at the Economic Research Forum in Cairo and an associate of the Middle East Initiative at the Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center. Before posting a comment, please confirm your account. To receive another confirmation email, please click here. Djavad Salehi-Isfahani cites George Orwell’ s 1946 essay “ In Front of your Nose. ” According Orwell, “ we are all capable of believing things which we know to be untrue, and then, when we are finally proved wrong, impudently twisting the facts so as to show that we were right. Intellectually, it is possible to carry on this process for an indefinite time: the only check on it is that sooner or later a false belief bumps up against solid reality, usually on a battlefield. '' This may seem especially relevant right now, as we survey Trump’ s order to kill Iran’ s second most powerful man. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo may have walked back just how “ imminent ” a threat Qassem Suleimani posed. Rather than shed new light, he opted to talk about what Suleimani had already done, before adding that the slain general’ s campaigns could “ lead potentially to the death of many more Americans. ” Even chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley, was unambiguous: “ I will stand by the intelligence I saw, ” he said. “ That was compelling. It was imminent. It was very, very clear in scale, scope. ” Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the threat was “ a matter days, certainly no more than weeks. ” The Trump administration has a credibility problem, and Pompeo is part of it. He has a history replete with bending the facts to suit his boss, Trump, who claimed the killing of Suleimani was “ to stop a war, ” while in reality he may well be starting one himself.The author also maintains the Trump administration has underestimated Iran’ s strength and misjudged the outcome of unilaterally abandoning the 2015 deal that Tehran signed with world powers. It imposed stringent sanctions that aim to cripple Iran’ s economy and trigger an implosion. Based on “ false assumptions ” Trump and his hawkish advisers, like Pompeo, thought the “ poverty-stricken Iranian public would reject hardliners like Suleimani and support the rise of a new leadership cadre that would bring peace and stability to the region. ” Overconfident, Trump and his hawks apparently have not anticipated that “ two years after the resumption of sanctions, Iran’ s economy would be showing signs of recovery. And yet, during the third quarter of 2019, employment rose by 3.3% year on year, and unemployment declined to a seven-year low. ” The author used raw data for the labour force survey of Iran ( LFS), which – following the ILO guidelines – are all available on the SCI’ s data portal. These figures do cast doubt on IMF’ s “ grim forecast ” for Iran’ s economy. The author debunks the myth “ that Iran’ s hardliners are holding onto power by sheer force. ” But the widespread support for Suleimani, and another hardliner: Ebrahim Raisi, who heads Iran’ s judiciary, arose following Iranians’ disappointment with moderates like Foreign Ministerr Mohammed Javad Zarif and President Hassan Rouhani, whose nuclear deal in 2015 failed to fulfil their dream of peace and prosperity, even though “ they were powerless to stop the US from reneging on it. ” In the absence of economic stability, many rallied behind Suleimani, who had defended Iran against Sadddam Hussein in the 1980s and ISIS in recent years. The author says Iranians have no appetite for “ US-sponsored ” regime change, having learned a lesson from the chaos in the region – Iraq, Libya and Yemen. This will motivate them to stay out of an all-out war with its adversaries – the US, Israel and Saudi Arabia. The pattern of actions is unmistakable - the Trump administration is actively looking for a fight. It is not a blind march to war, as the headline suggests, it is deliberate.There is some confluence of interests within the US government. The administration has been partially purged of Obama era staffers, who wasted their opportunity to resign on impeachment related matters. Any `` hesitation '' regarding Iran is, unfortunately in this context, associated with Obama era national security staff, and is not likely to be taken seriously.Besides this, Pompeo and some of his colleagues are devout religious believers. Although this would in an abstract sense create common ground with their sworn enemies, the state of mind is not helpful in avoiding armed conflict. They are also devout believers in the toxic and unrealistic Bush era narratives of power projection, regime change, what they see as strategic gamesmanship, and the glory of world primacy.They inherit the institutional workings of the better organized Bush and Obama administrations. Namely, blank-check AUMF's, Patriot Act, and Obama-era drone wars. With these already in place, they can write a few check-the-boxes type memos, and the structure set up for them by predecessors goes to work. This allows them to act with little oversight. This is why Abuse of Power is inherent in such governmental structures. It will be the same with the next person to take Trump's place.Although we are hearing some noises about congressional oversight, the basic fact is that Democratic `` opposition '', especially in the Senate, is hawkish on Iran, and scared to death of crossing the national security people or losing the funding of their business partners. Nearly all of Congress was happy to approve of legislation related to the so-called war on terror, like Patriot act and its companions, without even bothering to read the legislation.Most of the operators of Washington's foreign-policy-consensus share the Trump administration's fundamental belief: that anyone defying worldwide US power must be an enemy, that a combination of air power and mercenaries can accomplish noble goals, and that if they try hard enough, success will restore the reputation of the US. Lastly, it is also possible that the Trump administration will see the conflict as an opportunity to mend its strained relationship with factions of the broader policy making world who criticized Trump for other reasons, but ultimately out of political necessity. It may sound somewhat an incongruous statement here! Why in the world, Iranians were run over by and lost Iranian soul to Arab invasions, a long time ago. It appears that you have not yet updated your first and last name. If you would like to update your name, please do so here. After posting your comment, you’ ll have a ten-minute window to make any edits. Please note that we moderate comments to ensure the conversation remains topically relevant. We appreciate well-informed comments and welcome your criticism and insight. Please be civil and avoid name-calling and ad hominem remarks. Your name Your email Friend's name Friend's email Message First Name Last Name Email Phone number Organization Please provide more details about your request Forecasting inflation is a staple of macroeconomic modeling, yet virtually all economists’ predictions for the United States in 2021 were way off the mark. This dismal performance reflected a collective failure to take economic models seriously enough, as well as other analytical shortcomings. When the COVID-19 pandemic ends, the world will need a new governance model that differs from its predecessors in several fundamental respects. 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The Role of Pharmacists in Addressing Disparities in Care

Email: JPalatine @ pharmacytimes.com Strategies aimed at improving patient access and adherence. As key members of the patient care team, pharmacists have a unique opportunity to address the disparities in healthcare that have been exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Although the current public health crisis has highlighted the extent to which multiple populations experience increased incidence of illness, morbidity, and death, the differences in access, usage, quality, and outcomes have been building for decades. The US has historically seen differences in health outcomes among certain socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic groups. The reasons for these disparities can be traced back to several factors, including social disadvantages that impact health outcomes and the corresponding failure of health systems to respond to these needs; poor access to affordable, high-quality healthcare; lack of transportation and high out-of-pocket specialist costs that lead to constrained decision-making; racial, ethnic, and implicit bias; and differences among healthcare organizations, geographic areas, and providers.1 Since the onset of the pandemic, these factors have continued to have an even greater influence on patient outcomes, especially those related to social disadvantages. A significant driver of COVID-19 disparities is the disproportionate number of racial and ethnic minorities who are essential workers in grocery and retail stores, healthcare facilities, factories, restaurants, public transportation, and farms. These employees often work in close contact with the public and other workers, are unable to work from home, and frequently have no access to sick leave benefits, putting this population at significant exposure to the virus. Because of lower high school completion rates and unequal access to high-quality education and college, these groups have also been affected by the unstable job market and have less flexibility to leave jobs that carry high risk of COVID-19 exposure, increased financial pressure to work when sick, and higher reliance on public transportation. Minority populations also face disparities outside of the workplace. Racial and ethnic minorities currently face disproportionate rates of unemployment, leading to eviction and shared housing, both of which result in crowded living conditions that may challenge isolation and social distancing.2-4 While the responsibility of responding to these needs reaches across the entire healthcare system, Pharmacy Times Continuing Education™ ( PTCE) believes that pharmacists have an important role to play in addressing the disparities that impact so many Americans. More than 90% of people in the US live within five miles of a community pharmacy and visit their pharmacists 12 times more frequently than their primary care physician, ­3 placing pharmacists on the frontlines of patient care. This position offers pharmacists the ability to impact the racial and socioeconomic groups disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic through strategies aimed at improving access and adherence. Pharmacies can offer many services, including dedicated private computer access outside of the pharmacy to increase the availability of telehealth; delivery and curbside or drive-thru pick-up for easier access to prescriptions; and drive-thru and curbside COVID-19 testing, vaccinations, and point-of-care testing. Pharmacists can coach patients toward better adherence by recommending simplified medication regimens and deprescribing when appropriate; implementing 90-day supplies, setting up refill alerts and medication synchronization processes; and with education on diet and exercise routines.5,6 At PTCE, we understand the challenges pharmacists are facing as they address the many disparities that affect their patients. We are continually seeking ways to support learners through the education that we provide. In the coming months, we will introduce a COVID-19 curriculum to support pharmacists in administering the vaccine, while empowering them to improve outcomes and ensure health equity for at-risk populations. 1. Fiscella K, Sanders MR. Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the Quality of Health Care. Annu Rev Public Health. 2016; 37:375-394. 2. Health Equity Considerations and Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups. CDC. cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/health-equity/race-ethnicity.html 3. Double Jeopardy: COVID-19 and Behavioral Health Disparities for Black and Latino Communities in the US. SAMHSA. samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/covid19-behavioral-health-disparities-black-latino-communities.pdf

tech

Trump steuert blind auf einen Krieg zu by Djavad Salehi-Isfahani

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Bevor US-Präsident Donald Trump im Mai 2018 beschloss, das Atomabkommen mit dem Iran ( JCPOA) aufzukündigen, war Dschawad Zarif, Irans Außenminister und maßgeblicher iranischer Architekt des Atomabkommens, die beliebteste Persönlichkeit des öffentlichen Lebens in seinem Land. Ein Jahr nach Trumps Ausstieg, so die Ergebnisse einer Umfrage der University of Maryland, wurde Zarifs Popularität bei weitem von General Kassem Soleimani übertroffen, dem unnachgiebigen Kommandeur der Iranischen Revolutionsgarden, der gerade auf Trumps Befehl in Bagdad ermordet wurde. Trump sagt, dass er den Drohnenangriff, der Suleimani tötete, autorisiert hat, um „ einen Krieg zu beenden “. Viel wahrscheinlicher ist, dass er einen Krieg begonnen hat – oder zumindest auf einen zusteuert. Von keinem Staats- und Regierungschef kann erwartet werden, dass er die Auswirkungen seiner außenpolitischen Entscheidungen exakt vorhersehen kann. Aber seine Erwartungen sollten realistisch sein, das heißt, sie sollten auf zuverlässigen nachrichtendienstlichen Erkenntnissen und einem umfassenden Verständnis der zugrunde liegenden wirtschaftlichen, politischen, historischen und kulturellen Dynamiken beruhen. Wenn die Erwartungen nicht realistisch sind, sind die Ergebnisse oft katastrophal. We hope you're enjoying Project Syndicate. Subscribe Unlock additional commentaries for FREE by registering. Register Already have an account? Log in For more than 25 years, Project Syndicate has been guided by a simple credo: All people deserve access to a broad range of views by the world's foremost leaders and thinkers on the issues, events, and forces shaping their lives. At a time of unprecedented uncertainty, that mission is more important than ever – and we remain committed to fulfilling it. But there is no doubt that we, like so many other media organizations nowadays, are under growing strain. If you are in a position to support us, please subscribe now. As a subscriber, you will enjoy unlimited access to our On Point suite of long reads, book reviews, and insider interviews; Big Picture topical collections; Say More contributor interviews; Opinion Has It podcast features; The Year Ahead magazine, the full PS archive, and much more. You will also directly support our mission of delivering the highest-quality commentary on the world's most pressing issues to as wide an audience as possible. By helping us to build a truly open world of ideas, every PS subscriber makes a real difference. Thank you. Subscribe Now Writing for PS since 2017 7 Commentaries Djavad Salehi-Isfahani, Professor of Economics at Virginia Tech, is a research fellow at the Economic Research Forum in Cairo and an associate of the Middle East Initiative at the Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center. Before posting a comment, please confirm your account. To receive another confirmation email, please click here. Djavad Salehi-Isfahani cites George Orwell’ s 1946 essay “ In Front of your Nose. ” According Orwell, “ we are all capable of believing things which we know to be untrue, and then, when we are finally proved wrong, impudently twisting the facts so as to show that we were right. Intellectually, it is possible to carry on this process for an indefinite time: the only check on it is that sooner or later a false belief bumps up against solid reality, usually on a battlefield. '' This may seem especially relevant right now, as we survey Trump’ s order to kill Iran’ s second most powerful man. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo may have walked back just how “ imminent ” a threat Qassem Suleimani posed. Rather than shed new light, he opted to talk about what Suleimani had already done, before adding that the slain general’ s campaigns could “ lead potentially to the death of many more Americans. ” Even chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley, was unambiguous: “ I will stand by the intelligence I saw, ” he said. “ That was compelling. It was imminent. It was very, very clear in scale, scope. ” Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the threat was “ a matter days, certainly no more than weeks. ” The Trump administration has a credibility problem, and Pompeo is part of it. He has a history replete with bending the facts to suit his boss, Trump, who claimed the killing of Suleimani was “ to stop a war, ” while in reality he may well be starting one himself.The author also maintains the Trump administration has underestimated Iran’ s strength and misjudged the outcome of unilaterally abandoning the 2015 deal that Tehran signed with world powers. It imposed stringent sanctions that aim to cripple Iran’ s economy and trigger an implosion. Based on “ false assumptions ” Trump and his hawkish advisers, like Pompeo, thought the “ poverty-stricken Iranian public would reject hardliners like Suleimani and support the rise of a new leadership cadre that would bring peace and stability to the region. ” Overconfident, Trump and his hawks apparently have not anticipated that “ two years after the resumption of sanctions, Iran’ s economy would be showing signs of recovery. And yet, during the third quarter of 2019, employment rose by 3.3% year on year, and unemployment declined to a seven-year low. ” The author used raw data for the labour force survey of Iran ( LFS), which – following the ILO guidelines – are all available on the SCI’ s data portal. These figures do cast doubt on IMF’ s “ grim forecast ” for Iran’ s economy. The author debunks the myth “ that Iran’ s hardliners are holding onto power by sheer force. ” But the widespread support for Suleimani, and another hardliner: Ebrahim Raisi, who heads Iran’ s judiciary, arose following Iranians’ disappointment with moderates like Foreign Ministerr Mohammed Javad Zarif and President Hassan Rouhani, whose nuclear deal in 2015 failed to fulfil their dream of peace and prosperity, even though “ they were powerless to stop the US from reneging on it. ” In the absence of economic stability, many rallied behind Suleimani, who had defended Iran against Sadddam Hussein in the 1980s and ISIS in recent years. The author says Iranians have no appetite for “ US-sponsored ” regime change, having learned a lesson from the chaos in the region – Iraq, Libya and Yemen. This will motivate them to stay out of an all-out war with its adversaries – the US, Israel and Saudi Arabia. The pattern of actions is unmistakable - the Trump administration is actively looking for a fight. It is not a blind march to war, as the headline suggests, it is deliberate.There is some confluence of interests within the US government. The administration has been partially purged of Obama era staffers, who wasted their opportunity to resign on impeachment related matters. Any `` hesitation '' regarding Iran is, unfortunately in this context, associated with Obama era national security staff, and is not likely to be taken seriously.Besides this, Pompeo and some of his colleagues are devout religious believers. Although this would in an abstract sense create common ground with their sworn enemies, the state of mind is not helpful in avoiding armed conflict. They are also devout believers in the toxic and unrealistic Bush era narratives of power projection, regime change, what they see as strategic gamesmanship, and the glory of world primacy.They inherit the institutional workings of the better organized Bush and Obama administrations. Namely, blank-check AUMF's, Patriot Act, and Obama-era drone wars. With these already in place, they can write a few check-the-boxes type memos, and the structure set up for them by predecessors goes to work. This allows them to act with little oversight. This is why Abuse of Power is inherent in such governmental structures. It will be the same with the next person to take Trump's place.Although we are hearing some noises about congressional oversight, the basic fact is that Democratic `` opposition '', especially in the Senate, is hawkish on Iran, and scared to death of crossing the national security people or losing the funding of their business partners. Nearly all of Congress was happy to approve of legislation related to the so-called war on terror, like Patriot act and its companions, without even bothering to read the legislation.Most of the operators of Washington's foreign-policy-consensus share the Trump administration's fundamental belief: that anyone defying worldwide US power must be an enemy, that a combination of air power and mercenaries can accomplish noble goals, and that if they try hard enough, success will restore the reputation of the US. Lastly, it is also possible that the Trump administration will see the conflict as an opportunity to mend its strained relationship with factions of the broader policy making world who criticized Trump for other reasons, but ultimately out of political necessity. It may sound somewhat an incongruous statement here! Why in the world, Iranians were run over by and lost Iranian soul to Arab invasions, a long time ago. It appears that you have not yet updated your first and last name. If you would like to update your name, please do so here. After posting your comment, you’ ll have a ten-minute window to make any edits. Please note that we moderate comments to ensure the conversation remains topically relevant. We appreciate well-informed comments and welcome your criticism and insight. Please be civil and avoid name-calling and ad hominem remarks. Your name Your email Friend's name Friend's email Message First Name Last Name Email Phone number Organization Please provide more details about your request Forecasting inflation is a staple of macroeconomic modeling, yet virtually all economists’ predictions for the United States in 2021 were way off the mark. This dismal performance reflected a collective failure to take economic models seriously enough, as well as other analytical shortcomings. When the COVID-19 pandemic ends, the world will need a new governance model that differs from its predecessors in several fundamental respects. In particular, while finance, economics, and business remain vitally important, they must serve society and nature – not the other way around. Please log in or register to continue. Registration is free and requires only your email address. Email required Password required Remember me? Please enter your email address and click on the reset-password button. If your email exists in our system, we 'll send you an email with a link to reset your password. Please note that the link will expire twenty-four hours after the email is sent. If you can't find this email, please check your spam folder. Reset Password Cancel Email required Sunday newsletter By proceeding, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions.

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Трамптың соғысқа апарар соқыр маршы by Djavad Salehi-Isfahani

Вашингтон, Колумбия округі – АҚШ президенті Дональд Трамп өз елін 2018 жылдың мамыр айында Бірлескен Кешенді Іс-қимыл Жоспарынан шығаруға шешім қабылдағанға дейін, Иран Сыртқы істер министрі және Иранның ядролық келісімнің бас сәулетшісі Джавад Зариф өз еліндегі ең танымал қоғам қайраткері болды. Әскерлерді шығарғаннан кейін бір жылдан кейін Мэриленд университетінің жүргізген сауалнамасы көрсеткендей Революциялық гвардияның қолбасшысы, Трамп бұйрығы бойынша Бағдадтағы өлтірілген генерал Қассем Сулейманидің танымалдығы Зарифтің танымалдылығынан әлдеқайда асып түсті. Трамптың айтуынша ол Сулейманиді өлтірген дронның соққысын `` соғысты тоқтату '' үшін санкциялады. Бірақ бұл ол оны бастады немесе, кем дегенде, оған апарар жолды бастағаны әлдеқайда ықтимал. Бірде-бір көшбасшы өзінің сыртқы саяси шешімдерінің салдарын болжай алмайды. Бірақ олардың үміттері шынайы болуы тиіс, яғни олар экономикалық, саяси, тарихи және мәдени динамикасы шынайы барланған және жан-жақты түсінікке негізделуі тиіс. Күтулер шынайы болмаған кезде, нәтижелер жиі апатты болады. We hope you're enjoying Project Syndicate. Subscribe Unlock additional commentaries for FREE by registering. Register Already have an account? Log in For more than 25 years, Project Syndicate has been guided by a simple credo: All people deserve access to a broad range of views by the world's foremost leaders and thinkers on the issues, events, and forces shaping their lives. At a time of unprecedented uncertainty, that mission is more important than ever – and we remain committed to fulfilling it. But there is no doubt that we, like so many other media organizations nowadays, are under growing strain. If you are in a position to support us, please subscribe now. As a subscriber, you will enjoy unlimited access to our On Point suite of long reads, book reviews, and insider interviews; Big Picture topical collections; Say More contributor interviews; Opinion Has It podcast features; The Year Ahead magazine, the full PS archive, and much more. You will also directly support our mission of delivering the highest-quality commentary on the world's most pressing issues to as wide an audience as possible. By helping us to build a truly open world of ideas, every PS subscriber makes a real difference. Thank you. Subscribe Now Writing for PS since 2017 7 Commentaries Djavad Salehi-Isfahani, Professor of Economics at Virginia Tech, is a research fellow at the Economic Research Forum in Cairo and an associate of the Middle East Initiative at the Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center. Before posting a comment, please confirm your account. To receive another confirmation email, please click here. Djavad Salehi-Isfahani cites George Orwell’ s 1946 essay “ In Front of your Nose. ” According Orwell, “ we are all capable of believing things which we know to be untrue, and then, when we are finally proved wrong, impudently twisting the facts so as to show that we were right. Intellectually, it is possible to carry on this process for an indefinite time: the only check on it is that sooner or later a false belief bumps up against solid reality, usually on a battlefield. '' This may seem especially relevant right now, as we survey Trump’ s order to kill Iran’ s second most powerful man. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo may have walked back just how “ imminent ” a threat Qassem Suleimani posed. Rather than shed new light, he opted to talk about what Suleimani had already done, before adding that the slain general’ s campaigns could “ lead potentially to the death of many more Americans. ” Even chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley, was unambiguous: “ I will stand by the intelligence I saw, ” he said. “ That was compelling. It was imminent. It was very, very clear in scale, scope. ” Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the threat was “ a matter days, certainly no more than weeks. ” The Trump administration has a credibility problem, and Pompeo is part of it. He has a history replete with bending the facts to suit his boss, Trump, who claimed the killing of Suleimani was “ to stop a war, ” while in reality he may well be starting one himself.The author also maintains the Trump administration has underestimated Iran’ s strength and misjudged the outcome of unilaterally abandoning the 2015 deal that Tehran signed with world powers. It imposed stringent sanctions that aim to cripple Iran’ s economy and trigger an implosion. Based on “ false assumptions ” Trump and his hawkish advisers, like Pompeo, thought the “ poverty-stricken Iranian public would reject hardliners like Suleimani and support the rise of a new leadership cadre that would bring peace and stability to the region. ” Overconfident, Trump and his hawks apparently have not anticipated that “ two years after the resumption of sanctions, Iran’ s economy would be showing signs of recovery. And yet, during the third quarter of 2019, employment rose by 3.3% year on year, and unemployment declined to a seven-year low. ” The author used raw data for the labour force survey of Iran ( LFS), which – following the ILO guidelines – are all available on the SCI’ s data portal. These figures do cast doubt on IMF’ s “ grim forecast ” for Iran’ s economy. The author debunks the myth “ that Iran’ s hardliners are holding onto power by sheer force. ” But the widespread support for Suleimani, and another hardliner: Ebrahim Raisi, who heads Iran’ s judiciary, arose following Iranians’ disappointment with moderates like Foreign Ministerr Mohammed Javad Zarif and President Hassan Rouhani, whose nuclear deal in 2015 failed to fulfil their dream of peace and prosperity, even though “ they were powerless to stop the US from reneging on it. ” In the absence of economic stability, many rallied behind Suleimani, who had defended Iran against Sadddam Hussein in the 1980s and ISIS in recent years. The author says Iranians have no appetite for “ US-sponsored ” regime change, having learned a lesson from the chaos in the region – Iraq, Libya and Yemen. This will motivate them to stay out of an all-out war with its adversaries – the US, Israel and Saudi Arabia. The pattern of actions is unmistakable - the Trump administration is actively looking for a fight. It is not a blind march to war, as the headline suggests, it is deliberate.There is some confluence of interests within the US government. The administration has been partially purged of Obama era staffers, who wasted their opportunity to resign on impeachment related matters. Any `` hesitation '' regarding Iran is, unfortunately in this context, associated with Obama era national security staff, and is not likely to be taken seriously.Besides this, Pompeo and some of his colleagues are devout religious believers. Although this would in an abstract sense create common ground with their sworn enemies, the state of mind is not helpful in avoiding armed conflict. They are also devout believers in the toxic and unrealistic Bush era narratives of power projection, regime change, what they see as strategic gamesmanship, and the glory of world primacy.They inherit the institutional workings of the better organized Bush and Obama administrations. Namely, blank-check AUMF's, Patriot Act, and Obama-era drone wars. With these already in place, they can write a few check-the-boxes type memos, and the structure set up for them by predecessors goes to work. This allows them to act with little oversight. This is why Abuse of Power is inherent in such governmental structures. It will be the same with the next person to take Trump's place.Although we are hearing some noises about congressional oversight, the basic fact is that Democratic `` opposition '', especially in the Senate, is hawkish on Iran, and scared to death of crossing the national security people or losing the funding of their business partners. Nearly all of Congress was happy to approve of legislation related to the so-called war on terror, like Patriot act and its companions, without even bothering to read the legislation.Most of the operators of Washington's foreign-policy-consensus share the Trump administration's fundamental belief: that anyone defying worldwide US power must be an enemy, that a combination of air power and mercenaries can accomplish noble goals, and that if they try hard enough, success will restore the reputation of the US. Lastly, it is also possible that the Trump administration will see the conflict as an opportunity to mend its strained relationship with factions of the broader policy making world who criticized Trump for other reasons, but ultimately out of political necessity. It may sound somewhat an incongruous statement here! Why in the world, Iranians were run over by and lost Iranian soul to Arab invasions, a long time ago. It appears that you have not yet updated your first and last name. If you would like to update your name, please do so here. After posting your comment, you’ ll have a ten-minute window to make any edits. Please note that we moderate comments to ensure the conversation remains topically relevant. We appreciate well-informed comments and welcome your criticism and insight. Please be civil and avoid name-calling and ad hominem remarks. Your name Your email Friend's name Friend's email Message First Name Last Name Email Phone number Organization Please provide more details about your request Forecasting inflation is a staple of macroeconomic modeling, yet virtually all economists’ predictions for the United States in 2021 were way off the mark. This dismal performance reflected a collective failure to take economic models seriously enough, as well as other analytical shortcomings. When the COVID-19 pandemic ends, the world will need a new governance model that differs from its predecessors in several fundamental respects. In particular, while finance, economics, and business remain vitally important, they must serve society and nature – not the other way around. Please log in or register to continue. Registration is free and requires only your email address. Email required Password required Remember me? Please enter your email address and click on the reset-password button. If your email exists in our system, we 'll send you an email with a link to reset your password. Please note that the link will expire twenty-four hours after the email is sent. If you can't find this email, please check your spam folder. Reset Password Cancel Email required Sunday newsletter By proceeding, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions.

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Слепой марш Трампа к войне by Djavad Salehi-Isfahani

ВАШИНГТОН, ОКРУГ КОЛУМБИЯ – До того, как Президент США Дональд Трамп решил вывести свою страну из Совместного комплексного плана действий ( СВПД) в мае 2018 года, Джавад Зариф, министр иностранных дел Ирана и главный создатель Иранского ядерного соглашения, был самым популярным общественным деятелем в своей стране. Спустя год после выхода США, согласно опросу Университета Мэриленда, популярность Зарифа значительно превзошла популярность генерала Кассема Сулеймани, бескомпромиссного командира Революционной гвардии, который был убит в Багдаде по приказу Трампа. Трамп говорит, что он санкционировал удар беспилотника, который убил Сулеймани, чтобы “ остановить войну ”. Что более вероятно, так это то, что он ее разжег – или, по крайней мере, сделал шаг в этом направлении. Ни от одного лидера нельзя ожидать точного прогнозирования последствий его внешнеполитических решений. Но их ожидания должны быть реалистичными, а это означает, что выполняя свою работу они должны основываться на достоверных данных и всестороннем понимании экономической, политической, исторической и культурной динамики. Когда ожидания нереалистичны, результаты часто бывают катастрофическими. We hope you're enjoying Project Syndicate. Subscribe Unlock additional commentaries for FREE by registering. Register Already have an account? Log in For more than 25 years, Project Syndicate has been guided by a simple credo: All people deserve access to a broad range of views by the world's foremost leaders and thinkers on the issues, events, and forces shaping their lives. At a time of unprecedented uncertainty, that mission is more important than ever – and we remain committed to fulfilling it. But there is no doubt that we, like so many other media organizations nowadays, are under growing strain. If you are in a position to support us, please subscribe now. As a subscriber, you will enjoy unlimited access to our On Point suite of long reads, book reviews, and insider interviews; Big Picture topical collections; Say More contributor interviews; Opinion Has It podcast features; The Year Ahead magazine, the full PS archive, and much more. You will also directly support our mission of delivering the highest-quality commentary on the world's most pressing issues to as wide an audience as possible. By helping us to build a truly open world of ideas, every PS subscriber makes a real difference. Thank you. Subscribe Now Writing for PS since 2017 7 Commentaries Djavad Salehi-Isfahani, Professor of Economics at Virginia Tech, is a research fellow at the Economic Research Forum in Cairo and an associate of the Middle East Initiative at the Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center. Before posting a comment, please confirm your account. To receive another confirmation email, please click here. Djavad Salehi-Isfahani cites George Orwell’ s 1946 essay “ In Front of your Nose. ” According Orwell, “ we are all capable of believing things which we know to be untrue, and then, when we are finally proved wrong, impudently twisting the facts so as to show that we were right. Intellectually, it is possible to carry on this process for an indefinite time: the only check on it is that sooner or later a false belief bumps up against solid reality, usually on a battlefield. '' This may seem especially relevant right now, as we survey Trump’ s order to kill Iran’ s second most powerful man. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo may have walked back just how “ imminent ” a threat Qassem Suleimani posed. Rather than shed new light, he opted to talk about what Suleimani had already done, before adding that the slain general’ s campaigns could “ lead potentially to the death of many more Americans. ” Even chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley, was unambiguous: “ I will stand by the intelligence I saw, ” he said. “ That was compelling. It was imminent. It was very, very clear in scale, scope. ” Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the threat was “ a matter days, certainly no more than weeks. ” The Trump administration has a credibility problem, and Pompeo is part of it. He has a history replete with bending the facts to suit his boss, Trump, who claimed the killing of Suleimani was “ to stop a war, ” while in reality he may well be starting one himself.The author also maintains the Trump administration has underestimated Iran’ s strength and misjudged the outcome of unilaterally abandoning the 2015 deal that Tehran signed with world powers. It imposed stringent sanctions that aim to cripple Iran’ s economy and trigger an implosion. Based on “ false assumptions ” Trump and his hawkish advisers, like Pompeo, thought the “ poverty-stricken Iranian public would reject hardliners like Suleimani and support the rise of a new leadership cadre that would bring peace and stability to the region. ” Overconfident, Trump and his hawks apparently have not anticipated that “ two years after the resumption of sanctions, Iran’ s economy would be showing signs of recovery. And yet, during the third quarter of 2019, employment rose by 3.3% year on year, and unemployment declined to a seven-year low. ” The author used raw data for the labour force survey of Iran ( LFS), which – following the ILO guidelines – are all available on the SCI’ s data portal. These figures do cast doubt on IMF’ s “ grim forecast ” for Iran’ s economy. The author debunks the myth “ that Iran’ s hardliners are holding onto power by sheer force. ” But the widespread support for Suleimani, and another hardliner: Ebrahim Raisi, who heads Iran’ s judiciary, arose following Iranians’ disappointment with moderates like Foreign Ministerr Mohammed Javad Zarif and President Hassan Rouhani, whose nuclear deal in 2015 failed to fulfil their dream of peace and prosperity, even though “ they were powerless to stop the US from reneging on it. ” In the absence of economic stability, many rallied behind Suleimani, who had defended Iran against Sadddam Hussein in the 1980s and ISIS in recent years. The author says Iranians have no appetite for “ US-sponsored ” regime change, having learned a lesson from the chaos in the region – Iraq, Libya and Yemen. This will motivate them to stay out of an all-out war with its adversaries – the US, Israel and Saudi Arabia. The pattern of actions is unmistakable - the Trump administration is actively looking for a fight. It is not a blind march to war, as the headline suggests, it is deliberate.There is some confluence of interests within the US government. The administration has been partially purged of Obama era staffers, who wasted their opportunity to resign on impeachment related matters. Any `` hesitation '' regarding Iran is, unfortunately in this context, associated with Obama era national security staff, and is not likely to be taken seriously.Besides this, Pompeo and some of his colleagues are devout religious believers. Although this would in an abstract sense create common ground with their sworn enemies, the state of mind is not helpful in avoiding armed conflict. They are also devout believers in the toxic and unrealistic Bush era narratives of power projection, regime change, what they see as strategic gamesmanship, and the glory of world primacy.They inherit the institutional workings of the better organized Bush and Obama administrations. Namely, blank-check AUMF's, Patriot Act, and Obama-era drone wars. With these already in place, they can write a few check-the-boxes type memos, and the structure set up for them by predecessors goes to work. This allows them to act with little oversight. This is why Abuse of Power is inherent in such governmental structures. It will be the same with the next person to take Trump's place.Although we are hearing some noises about congressional oversight, the basic fact is that Democratic `` opposition '', especially in the Senate, is hawkish on Iran, and scared to death of crossing the national security people or losing the funding of their business partners. Nearly all of Congress was happy to approve of legislation related to the so-called war on terror, like Patriot act and its companions, without even bothering to read the legislation.Most of the operators of Washington's foreign-policy-consensus share the Trump administration's fundamental belief: that anyone defying worldwide US power must be an enemy, that a combination of air power and mercenaries can accomplish noble goals, and that if they try hard enough, success will restore the reputation of the US. Lastly, it is also possible that the Trump administration will see the conflict as an opportunity to mend its strained relationship with factions of the broader policy making world who criticized Trump for other reasons, but ultimately out of political necessity. It may sound somewhat an incongruous statement here! Why in the world, Iranians were run over by and lost Iranian soul to Arab invasions, a long time ago. It appears that you have not yet updated your first and last name. If you would like to update your name, please do so here. After posting your comment, you’ ll have a ten-minute window to make any edits. Please note that we moderate comments to ensure the conversation remains topically relevant. We appreciate well-informed comments and welcome your criticism and insight. Please be civil and avoid name-calling and ad hominem remarks. Your name Your email Friend's name Friend's email Message First Name Last Name Email Phone number Organization Please provide more details about your request Forecasting inflation is a staple of macroeconomic modeling, yet virtually all economists’ predictions for the United States in 2021 were way off the mark. This dismal performance reflected a collective failure to take economic models seriously enough, as well as other analytical shortcomings. When the COVID-19 pandemic ends, the world will need a new governance model that differs from its predecessors in several fundamental respects. In particular, while finance, economics, and business remain vitally important, they must serve society and nature – not the other way around. Please log in or register to continue. Registration is free and requires only your email address. Email required Password required Remember me? Please enter your email address and click on the reset-password button. If your email exists in our system, we 'll send you an email with a link to reset your password. Please note that the link will expire twenty-four hours after the email is sent. If you can't find this email, please check your spam folder. Reset Password Cancel Email required Sunday newsletter By proceeding, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions.

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Metal organic frameworks can reduce atmospheric air pollution

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published The process of chemically ‘ scrubbing’ carbon dioxide from smokestack emissions hails from Oregon State University. The technology carries the potential to mitigate global climate change arising from various types of power stations. Air pollution is a major global issue. Short term exposure to fine particulate matter in the air ( termed PM2.5, based on the relative sizes of the particles) is connected with a rise in hospital admissions. More recent British research shows how those living in a more polluted area carry a greater chance of developing glaucoma, which is a debilitating eye condition that can cause blindness. The new scrubbing technology was derived from data mining thousands of nanomaterials called metal organic frameworks. These compounds hold the potential to intercept, via adsorption, carbon dioxide molecules as the flue gases pass out of a smokestack. In all some 325,000 compounds were examined within a digital library. Then researchers selected two metal organic frameworks. These were frameworks which contained a hydrophobic ( water-repelling) adsorbaphore composed of two aromatic cores and tested them. These metal organic frameworks most carbon dioxide removal materials, such as activated carbon and zeolite 13X. These means metal organic frameworks carry great potential as a carbon scrubbing material to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide emissions. The new study is published in the science journal Nature, where the study is headed “ Data-driven design of metal–organic frameworks for wet flue gas CO2 capture. ” In related news, scientists demonstrate how a graphene-titania photocatalyst can degrade up to 70 percent more atmospheric nitrogen oxide compared with current processes, based on tests conducted on real pollutants. Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news. Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs. There are two confirmed cases of the omicron variant of the coronavirus in Ottawa, the Ontario government announced Sunday. Drug and alcohol addiction treatment experts blame treatment services closing their doors to addicts during the pandemic. Donald Trump, pictured in his final days in office, is the first president since Herbert Hoover nearly a century ago to lose the House,... Dubai, a former pearling town and now a brash trade and financial centre, boasts a forest of skyscrapers including the 830-metre Burj Khalifa. COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2021 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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POSTPONED - SpaMedica CET Event – Cataract & AMD Training

Find out all you need to know about cataracts, the symptoms and details of cataract surgery. We’ ve also provided a detailed guide on the full NHS patient journey with SpaMedica, right from diagnosis through to post-op care and everything in between. YAG Capsulotomy is the recommended treatment for PCO ( Posterior capsule opacification) – which is a common complication following cataract surgery and is available for NHS patients. This is a needle free, painless procedure that uses laser technology to improve your vision. We provide treatment, care and support for our AMD patients. There are two types of AMD – wet AMD and dry AMD and wet AMD can be treated if caught early. We have a team of experts who are here to help and support you throughout your treatment course. Vitrectomy surgery is available for existing SpaMedica patients only. You’ ll be advised by one of our team if vitrectomy surgery is required following a complication in cataract surgery. The surgery can improve or restore vision and our SpaMedica team are here to support you every step of the way. POSTPONED: Having monitored the coronavirus ( COVID-19) situation carefully and listened to event stakeholders’ views and concerns over the last few days, SpaMedica has decided to postpone our CET training event, due to be held in Bedford Heights on Sunday 15 March 2020. We will publish an alternative date for the event as soon as this is agreed. All those booked to attend will have the opportunity for first refusal for the new date before we open the invitation to all. You are invited to attend our SpaMedica Cataract & AMD Training CET event in Bedford on Sunday 15th March 2020. SpaMedica is the leading provider of NHS cataract surgeries. Last year, we performed more than 35,000 cataract surgeries across our 16 hospital locations. We are dedicated to growing our reach across the UK, reducing waiting times for treatment, delivering the highest quality care and supporting thousands of patients to achieve better vision. As one of the leading providers of Ophthalmological services in the UK, we are privileged to be in a position where we can share knowledge and expertise. We are registered with the GOC as a CET provider, conducting CET events throughout the year. SpaMedica is registered with the GOC as a CET provider and delegates receive nine CET points for attending all the sessions at this event. If you would like to attend please contact us using our contact form. Wednesday 24th March 2021 | 6:30 – 9pm You are invited to attend our SpaMedica Catar... Wednesday 31st March 2021 | 6:30 – 9pm You are invited to attend our SpaMedica Catar... Read reviews and ratings for SpaMedica and other health services. Our printed patient leaflets are available to order for optometrists and healthcare professionals to hand out to patients. Please select the amount for each leaflet you require. Your leaflets will be with you very shortly.

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Trump’ s Blind March to War by Djavad Salehi-Isfahani

US President Donald Trump says he ordered the drone strike that killed General Qassem Suleimani, Iran's second most powerful leader, to “ stop a war. ” It is far more likely that he has stumbled, one flawed assumption at a time, into starting one. WASHINGTON, DC – Before US President Donald Trump decided to withdraw his country from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action ( JCPOA) in May 2018, Javad Zarif, Iran’ s foreign minister and the nuclear agreement’ s chief Iranian architect, was the most popular public figure in his country. A year after the withdrawal, a University of Maryland poll shows, Zarif’ s popularity was far surpassed by that of General Qassem Suleimani, the hardline Revolutionary Guard commander who was just assassinated in Baghdad on Trump’ s order. Trump says he authorized the drone strike that killed Suleimani to “ stop a war. ” It is far more likely that he has started one – or at least the march toward one. No leader can be expected to anticipate precisely the effects of their foreign-policy decisions. But their expectations should be realistic, which means that they should be based on credible intelligence and a comprehensive understanding of the economic, political, historical, and cultural dynamics at work. When expectations are not realistic, the results are often disastrous. We hope you're enjoying Project Syndicate. Subscribe Unlock additional commentaries for FREE by registering. Register Already have an account? Log in For more than 25 years, Project Syndicate has been guided by a simple credo: All people deserve access to a broad range of views by the world's foremost leaders and thinkers on the issues, events, and forces shaping their lives. At a time of unprecedented uncertainty, that mission is more important than ever – and we remain committed to fulfilling it. But there is no doubt that we, like so many other media organizations nowadays, are under growing strain. If you are in a position to support us, please subscribe now. As a subscriber, you will enjoy unlimited access to our On Point suite of long reads, book reviews, and insider interviews; Big Picture topical collections; Say More contributor interviews; Opinion Has It podcast features; The Year Ahead magazine, the full PS archive, and much more. You will also directly support our mission of delivering the highest-quality commentary on the world's most pressing issues to as wide an audience as possible. By helping us to build a truly open world of ideas, every PS subscriber makes a real difference. Thank you. Subscribe Now Writing for PS since 2017 7 Commentaries Djavad Salehi-Isfahani, Professor of Economics at Virginia Tech, is a research fellow at the Economic Research Forum in Cairo and an associate of the Middle East Initiative at the Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center. Before posting a comment, please confirm your account. To receive another confirmation email, please click here. Djavad Salehi-Isfahani cites George Orwell’ s 1946 essay “ In Front of your Nose. ” According Orwell, “ we are all capable of believing things which we know to be untrue, and then, when we are finally proved wrong, impudently twisting the facts so as to show that we were right. Intellectually, it is possible to carry on this process for an indefinite time: the only check on it is that sooner or later a false belief bumps up against solid reality, usually on a battlefield. '' This may seem especially relevant right now, as we survey Trump’ s order to kill Iran’ s second most powerful man. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo may have walked back just how “ imminent ” a threat Qassem Suleimani posed. Rather than shed new light, he opted to talk about what Suleimani had already done, before adding that the slain general’ s campaigns could “ lead potentially to the death of many more Americans. ” Even chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley, was unambiguous: “ I will stand by the intelligence I saw, ” he said. “ That was compelling. It was imminent. It was very, very clear in scale, scope. ” Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the threat was “ a matter days, certainly no more than weeks. ” The Trump administration has a credibility problem, and Pompeo is part of it. He has a history replete with bending the facts to suit his boss, Trump, who claimed the killing of Suleimani was “ to stop a war, ” while in reality he may well be starting one himself.The author also maintains the Trump administration has underestimated Iran’ s strength and misjudged the outcome of unilaterally abandoning the 2015 deal that Tehran signed with world powers. It imposed stringent sanctions that aim to cripple Iran’ s economy and trigger an implosion. Based on “ false assumptions ” Trump and his hawkish advisers, like Pompeo, thought the “ poverty-stricken Iranian public would reject hardliners like Suleimani and support the rise of a new leadership cadre that would bring peace and stability to the region. ” Overconfident, Trump and his hawks apparently have not anticipated that “ two years after the resumption of sanctions, Iran’ s economy would be showing signs of recovery. And yet, during the third quarter of 2019, employment rose by 3.3% year on year, and unemployment declined to a seven-year low. ” The author used raw data for the labour force survey of Iran ( LFS), which – following the ILO guidelines – are all available on the SCI’ s data portal. These figures do cast doubt on IMF’ s “ grim forecast ” for Iran’ s economy. The author debunks the myth “ that Iran’ s hardliners are holding onto power by sheer force. ” But the widespread support for Suleimani, and another hardliner: Ebrahim Raisi, who heads Iran’ s judiciary, arose following Iranians’ disappointment with moderates like Foreign Ministerr Mohammed Javad Zarif and President Hassan Rouhani, whose nuclear deal in 2015 failed to fulfil their dream of peace and prosperity, even though “ they were powerless to stop the US from reneging on it. ” In the absence of economic stability, many rallied behind Suleimani, who had defended Iran against Sadddam Hussein in the 1980s and ISIS in recent years. The author says Iranians have no appetite for “ US-sponsored ” regime change, having learned a lesson from the chaos in the region – Iraq, Libya and Yemen. This will motivate them to stay out of an all-out war with its adversaries – the US, Israel and Saudi Arabia. The pattern of actions is unmistakable - the Trump administration is actively looking for a fight. It is not a blind march to war, as the headline suggests, it is deliberate.There is some confluence of interests within the US government. The administration has been partially purged of Obama era staffers, who wasted their opportunity to resign on impeachment related matters. Any `` hesitation '' regarding Iran is, unfortunately in this context, associated with Obama era national security staff, and is not likely to be taken seriously.Besides this, Pompeo and some of his colleagues are devout religious believers. Although this would in an abstract sense create common ground with their sworn enemies, the state of mind is not helpful in avoiding armed conflict. They are also devout believers in the toxic and unrealistic Bush era narratives of power projection, regime change, what they see as strategic gamesmanship, and the glory of world primacy.They inherit the institutional workings of the better organized Bush and Obama administrations. Namely, blank-check AUMF's, Patriot Act, and Obama-era drone wars. With these already in place, they can write a few check-the-boxes type memos, and the structure set up for them by predecessors goes to work. This allows them to act with little oversight. This is why Abuse of Power is inherent in such governmental structures. It will be the same with the next person to take Trump's place.Although we are hearing some noises about congressional oversight, the basic fact is that Democratic `` opposition '', especially in the Senate, is hawkish on Iran, and scared to death of crossing the national security people or losing the funding of their business partners. Nearly all of Congress was happy to approve of legislation related to the so-called war on terror, like Patriot act and its companions, without even bothering to read the legislation.Most of the operators of Washington's foreign-policy-consensus share the Trump administration's fundamental belief: that anyone defying worldwide US power must be an enemy, that a combination of air power and mercenaries can accomplish noble goals, and that if they try hard enough, success will restore the reputation of the US. Lastly, it is also possible that the Trump administration will see the conflict as an opportunity to mend its strained relationship with factions of the broader policy making world who criticized Trump for other reasons, but ultimately out of political necessity. It may sound somewhat an incongruous statement here! Why in the world, Iranians were run over by and lost Iranian soul to Arab invasions, a long time ago. It appears that you have not yet updated your first and last name. If you would like to update your name, please do so here. After posting your comment, you’ ll have a ten-minute window to make any edits. Please note that we moderate comments to ensure the conversation remains topically relevant. We appreciate well-informed comments and welcome your criticism and insight. Please be civil and avoid name-calling and ad hominem remarks. Your name Your email Friend's name Friend's email Message First Name Last Name Email Phone number Organization Please provide more details about your request Forecasting inflation is a staple of macroeconomic modeling, yet virtually all economists’ predictions for the United States in 2021 were way off the mark. This dismal performance reflected a collective failure to take economic models seriously enough, as well as other analytical shortcomings. When the COVID-19 pandemic ends, the world will need a new governance model that differs from its predecessors in several fundamental respects. In particular, while finance, economics, and business remain vitally important, they must serve society and nature – not the other way around. Please log in or register to continue. Registration is free and requires only your email address. Email required Password required Remember me? Please enter your email address and click on the reset-password button. If your email exists in our system, we 'll send you an email with a link to reset your password. Please note that the link will expire twenty-four hours after the email is sent. If you can't find this email, please check your spam folder. Reset Password Cancel Email required Sunday newsletter By proceeding, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions.

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特朗普盲目走向战争 by Djavad Salehi-Isfahani

华盛顿—2018年5月，当美国总统决定美国退出联合全面行动计划（JCPOA）时，伊朗外交部长、伊核协议的伊方主要缔造者贾瓦德·扎里夫（Javad Zarif）是伊朗最受欢迎的公众人物。一年后，马里兰大学的一份民意调查显示，扎里夫的支持率被卡西姆·苏莱马尼（Qassem Suleimani）少将远超。苏莱马尼是强硬派革命卫队指挥官，在巴格达被特朗普下令实施的暗杀行动杀害。 特朗普说他授权杀死苏莱马尼的无人机打击是为了 “ 阻止战争 ” 。但更有可能的是他开启了一场战争——或至少开启了迈向战争的征程。 不能指望领导人精准预测到他们的外交政策决定的影响。但他们的预期应该是现实的，即，应该基于可信的情报和对经济、政治、历史和文化动态的全面理解。如果预期不现实，结果常常是灾难性的。 We hope you're enjoying Project Syndicate. Subscribe Unlock additional commentaries for FREE by registering. Register Already have an account? Log in For more than 25 years, Project Syndicate has been guided by a simple credo: All people deserve access to a broad range of views by the world's foremost leaders and thinkers on the issues, events, and forces shaping their lives. At a time of unprecedented uncertainty, that mission is more important than ever – and we remain committed to fulfilling it. But there is no doubt that we, like so many other media organizations nowadays, are under growing strain. If you are in a position to support us, please subscribe now. As a subscriber, you will enjoy unlimited access to our On Point suite of long reads, book reviews, and insider interviews; Big Picture topical collections; Say More contributor interviews; Opinion Has It podcast features; The Year Ahead magazine, the full PS archive, and much more. You will also directly support our mission of delivering the highest-quality commentary on the world's most pressing issues to as wide an audience as possible. By helping us to build a truly open world of ideas, every PS subscriber makes a real difference. Thank you. Subscribe Now Writing for PS since 2017 7 Commentaries Djavad Salehi-Isfahani, Professor of Economics at Virginia Tech, is a research fellow at the Economic Research Forum in Cairo and an associate of the Middle East Initiative at the Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center. Before posting a comment, please confirm your account. To receive another confirmation email, please click here. Djavad Salehi-Isfahani cites George Orwell’ s 1946 essay “ In Front of your Nose. ” According Orwell, “ we are all capable of believing things which we know to be untrue, and then, when we are finally proved wrong, impudently twisting the facts so as to show that we were right. Intellectually, it is possible to carry on this process for an indefinite time: the only check on it is that sooner or later a false belief bumps up against solid reality, usually on a battlefield. '' This may seem especially relevant right now, as we survey Trump’ s order to kill Iran’ s second most powerful man. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo may have walked back just how “ imminent ” a threat Qassem Suleimani posed. Rather than shed new light, he opted to talk about what Suleimani had already done, before adding that the slain general’ s campaigns could “ lead potentially to the death of many more Americans. ” Even chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley, was unambiguous: “ I will stand by the intelligence I saw, ” he said. “ That was compelling. It was imminent. It was very, very clear in scale, scope. ” Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the threat was “ a matter days, certainly no more than weeks. ” The Trump administration has a credibility problem, and Pompeo is part of it. He has a history replete with bending the facts to suit his boss, Trump, who claimed the killing of Suleimani was “ to stop a war, ” while in reality he may well be starting one himself.The author also maintains the Trump administration has underestimated Iran’ s strength and misjudged the outcome of unilaterally abandoning the 2015 deal that Tehran signed with world powers. It imposed stringent sanctions that aim to cripple Iran’ s economy and trigger an implosion. Based on “ false assumptions ” Trump and his hawkish advisers, like Pompeo, thought the “ poverty-stricken Iranian public would reject hardliners like Suleimani and support the rise of a new leadership cadre that would bring peace and stability to the region. ” Overconfident, Trump and his hawks apparently have not anticipated that “ two years after the resumption of sanctions, Iran’ s economy would be showing signs of recovery. And yet, during the third quarter of 2019, employment rose by 3.3% year on year, and unemployment declined to a seven-year low. ” The author used raw data for the labour force survey of Iran ( LFS), which – following the ILO guidelines – are all available on the SCI’ s data portal. These figures do cast doubt on IMF’ s “ grim forecast ” for Iran’ s economy. The author debunks the myth “ that Iran’ s hardliners are holding onto power by sheer force. ” But the widespread support for Suleimani, and another hardliner: Ebrahim Raisi, who heads Iran’ s judiciary, arose following Iranians’ disappointment with moderates like Foreign Ministerr Mohammed Javad Zarif and President Hassan Rouhani, whose nuclear deal in 2015 failed to fulfil their dream of peace and prosperity, even though “ they were powerless to stop the US from reneging on it. ” In the absence of economic stability, many rallied behind Suleimani, who had defended Iran against Sadddam Hussein in the 1980s and ISIS in recent years. The author says Iranians have no appetite for “ US-sponsored ” regime change, having learned a lesson from the chaos in the region – Iraq, Libya and Yemen. This will motivate them to stay out of an all-out war with its adversaries – the US, Israel and Saudi Arabia. The pattern of actions is unmistakable - the Trump administration is actively looking for a fight. It is not a blind march to war, as the headline suggests, it is deliberate.There is some confluence of interests within the US government. The administration has been partially purged of Obama era staffers, who wasted their opportunity to resign on impeachment related matters. Any `` hesitation '' regarding Iran is, unfortunately in this context, associated with Obama era national security staff, and is not likely to be taken seriously.Besides this, Pompeo and some of his colleagues are devout religious believers. Although this would in an abstract sense create common ground with their sworn enemies, the state of mind is not helpful in avoiding armed conflict. They are also devout believers in the toxic and unrealistic Bush era narratives of power projection, regime change, what they see as strategic gamesmanship, and the glory of world primacy.They inherit the institutional workings of the better organized Bush and Obama administrations. Namely, blank-check AUMF's, Patriot Act, and Obama-era drone wars. With these already in place, they can write a few check-the-boxes type memos, and the structure set up for them by predecessors goes to work. This allows them to act with little oversight. This is why Abuse of Power is inherent in such governmental structures. It will be the same with the next person to take Trump's place.Although we are hearing some noises about congressional oversight, the basic fact is that Democratic `` opposition '', especially in the Senate, is hawkish on Iran, and scared to death of crossing the national security people or losing the funding of their business partners. Nearly all of Congress was happy to approve of legislation related to the so-called war on terror, like Patriot act and its companions, without even bothering to read the legislation.Most of the operators of Washington's foreign-policy-consensus share the Trump administration's fundamental belief: that anyone defying worldwide US power must be an enemy, that a combination of air power and mercenaries can accomplish noble goals, and that if they try hard enough, success will restore the reputation of the US. Lastly, it is also possible that the Trump administration will see the conflict as an opportunity to mend its strained relationship with factions of the broader policy making world who criticized Trump for other reasons, but ultimately out of political necessity. It may sound somewhat an incongruous statement here! Why in the world, Iranians were run over by and lost Iranian soul to Arab invasions, a long time ago. It appears that you have not yet updated your first and last name. If you would like to update your name, please do so here. After posting your comment, you’ ll have a ten-minute window to make any edits. Please note that we moderate comments to ensure the conversation remains topically relevant. We appreciate well-informed comments and welcome your criticism and insight. Please be civil and avoid name-calling and ad hominem remarks. Your name Your email Friend's name Friend's email Message First Name Last Name Email Phone number Organization Please provide more details about your request Forecasting inflation is a staple of macroeconomic modeling, yet virtually all economists’ predictions for the United States in 2021 were way off the mark. This dismal performance reflected a collective failure to take economic models seriously enough, as well as other analytical shortcomings. When the COVID-19 pandemic ends, the world will need a new governance model that differs from its predecessors in several fundamental respects. In particular, while finance, economics, and business remain vitally important, they must serve society and nature – not the other way around. Please log in or register to continue. Registration is free and requires only your email address. Email required Password required Remember me? Please enter your email address and click on the reset-password button. If your email exists in our system, we 'll send you an email with a link to reset your password. Please note that the link will expire twenty-four hours after the email is sent. If you can't find this email, please check your spam folder. Reset Password Cancel Email required Sunday newsletter By proceeding, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions.

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Switzerland grapples with assisted suicide for prisoners

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published A request by a convict behind bars for life is testing Switzerland's support for assisted suicide, raising complex questions over whether ill prisoners can seek help to end their own lives. The unprecedented case has exposed a legal vacuum in the country which has long been at the forefront of the global right-to-die debate and an official decision is due in the coming months. `` It is natural that one would rather commit suicide than be buried alive for years to come, '' prisoner Peter Vogt said, in a written response to questions submitted by AFP. The 69-year-old, convicted for sexual assault and rape against multiple girls and women ranging in age from 10 to 56, says he is suffering from serious kidney and heart conditions, among other ailments. He has also been diagnosed with several psychological disorders. Although Vogt's most recent sentence was a 10-year term handed down in 1996, he is imprisoned for life at Bostadel prison in northern Switzerland as he is still considered dangerous. This follows a decision in 2004 when Swiss voters approved a popular initiative allowing the indefinite detention of people with established sexual delinquencies who posed a public risk. The authorities have repeatedly determined that Vogt remains a threat despite years of treatment. `` It would be better to be dead than to be left to vegetate behind these walls, '' he said. In July 2018, Vogt contacted Exit Switzerland, an organisation that supports assisted suicide under specific conditions. He argues that he should be able to benefit from Switzerland's liberal assisted suicide laws too. `` We told him that his particular case needed to be clarified, '' Juerg Wiler, its vice president, told AFP. - 'Unbearable suffering ' - Swiss law generally allows assisted suicide if the person commits the lethal act themselves -- meaning doctors can not administer deadly injections, for example -- and the person consistently and independently articulates a wish to die. Organisations that support assisted suicide also apply their own procedures, which are more robust than the legal requirements. The authorities, aiming to take a position on the matter in the coming months, have asked the Swiss Centre of Expertise in Prison and Probation, a publicly funded foundation, to provide guidance following Vogt's request. In October, the experts at the foundation advised that assisted suicide rights should apply to prisoners under certain conditions, noting that in cases of mental illness two independent specialists should be consulted. Any detainee possessing discernment should, in principle, have assisted suicide rights if they have `` a physical or mental illness resulting in unbearable suffering, '' Barbara Rohner, lead author of the foundation's report, told AFP. The foundation also recommended that authorities responsible for the prisoner's welfare must ensure the suicide request is not the result of a short-term emotional crisis. Vogt insisted that he wanted to die because of the `` unbearable '' deterioration in his quality of life, along with the fact that he can no longer see his gravely ill mother, who lives in Austria. He told the Blick newspaper that he wants to end his life on August 13, his 70th birthday. - More requests coming? - Rohner said that while Vogt's case may be exceptional, similar situations could increasingly arise. `` There will be more and more elderly and sick prisoners in detention because of the ageing of the prison population, '' she said. According to the Swiss National Science Foundation, a research institute, the number of prisoners over 50 years old doubled to 600 between 2005 and 2016. Vogt told AFP that he knows of another inmate interested in assisted suicide, adding: `` Nobody should have to commit suicide in his cell alone. '' Some have raised concern that assisted suicide requests could be used by convicts as a negotiating tactic to demand better conditions in prison. For Christine Bussat, founder of the Swiss chapter of the Marche Blanche victims ' rights groups, decisions on a convict's right to die should rest with their victims. That, she added, `` is unfortunately not possible '' under the current law. But most legal and criminal justice experts in Switzerland believe that assisted suicide rights do extend to convicts. Celine Ehrwein, an ethics professor at Heig-VD University, told public broadcaster RTS that depriving a suffering person of the right-to-die could be considered `` a form of torture ''. A request by a convict behind bars for life is testing Switzerland’ s support for assisted suicide, raising complex questions over whether ill prisoners can seek help to end their own lives. The unprecedented case has exposed a legal vacuum in the country which has long been at the forefront of the global right-to-die debate and an official decision is due in the coming months. “ It is natural that one would rather commit suicide than be buried alive for years to come, ” prisoner Peter Vogt said, in a written response to questions submitted by AFP. The 69-year-old, convicted for sexual assault and rape against multiple girls and women ranging in age from 10 to 56, says he is suffering from serious kidney and heart conditions, among other ailments. He has also been diagnosed with several psychological disorders. Although Vogt’ s most recent sentence was a 10-year term handed down in 1996, he is imprisoned for life at Bostadel prison in northern Switzerland as he is still considered dangerous. This follows a decision in 2004 when Swiss voters approved a popular initiative allowing the indefinite detention of people with established sexual delinquencies who posed a public risk. The authorities have repeatedly determined that Vogt remains a threat despite years of treatment. “ It would be better to be dead than to be left to vegetate behind these walls, ” he said. In July 2018, Vogt contacted Exit Switzerland, an organisation that supports assisted suicide under specific conditions. He argues that he should be able to benefit from Switzerland’ s liberal assisted suicide laws too. “ We told him that his particular case needed to be clarified, ” Juerg Wiler, its vice president, told AFP. – ‘ Unbearable suffering’ – Swiss law generally allows assisted suicide if the person commits the lethal act themselves — meaning doctors can not administer deadly injections, for example — and the person consistently and independently articulates a wish to die. Organisations that support assisted suicide also apply their own procedures, which are more robust than the legal requirements. The authorities, aiming to take a position on the matter in the coming months, have asked the Swiss Centre of Expertise in Prison and Probation, a publicly funded foundation, to provide guidance following Vogt’ s request. In October, the experts at the foundation advised that assisted suicide rights should apply to prisoners under certain conditions, noting that in cases of mental illness two independent specialists should be consulted. Any detainee possessing discernment should, in principle, have assisted suicide rights if they have “ a physical or mental illness resulting in unbearable suffering, ” Barbara Rohner, lead author of the foundation’ s report, told AFP. The foundation also recommended that authorities responsible for the prisoner’ s welfare must ensure the suicide request is not the result of a short-term emotional crisis. Vogt insisted that he wanted to die because of the “ unbearable ” deterioration in his quality of life, along with the fact that he can no longer see his gravely ill mother, who lives in Austria. He told the Blick newspaper that he wants to end his life on August 13, his 70th birthday. – More requests coming? – Rohner said that while Vogt’ s case may be exceptional, similar situations could increasingly arise. “ There will be more and more elderly and sick prisoners in detention because of the ageing of the prison population, ” she said. According to the Swiss National Science Foundation, a research institute, the number of prisoners over 50 years old doubled to 600 between 2005 and 2016. Vogt told AFP that he knows of another inmate interested in assisted suicide, adding: “ Nobody should have to commit suicide in his cell alone. ” Some have raised concern that assisted suicide requests could be used by convicts as a negotiating tactic to demand better conditions in prison. For Christine Bussat, founder of the Swiss chapter of the Marche Blanche victims’ rights groups, decisions on a convict’ s right to die should rest with their victims. That, she added, “ is unfortunately not possible ” under the current law. But most legal and criminal justice experts in Switzerland believe that assisted suicide rights do extend to convicts. Celine Ehrwein, an ethics professor at Heig-VD University, told public broadcaster RTS that depriving a suffering person of the right-to-die could be considered “ a form of torture ”. With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives. Omicron's rise has heralded another pandemic-tinged Christmas for billions, with Santa's arrival overshadowed by Covid restrictions. Millions of Americans are traveling before Christmas even as national Omicron Covid-19 infections surpass Delta's peak. The USA grew `` arrogant and self-confident '' after the collapse of the Soviet Union, leading to the expansion of the NATO. Hong Kong university students paid solemn tribute to two campus statues marking Beijing's 1989 suppression of Tiananmen Square protesters. COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2021 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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Borden files for bankruptcy

Just two months after the country's largest dairy producer Dean Foods filed for bankruptcy, Borden is following suit — a reflection of the mounting challenges facing milk processors across the U.S. According to Borden's CEO, there were signs things were improving for the company financially, but ultimately its debt proved to be too much. For Borden, cutting its debt load, and the interest that it pays on that obligation, can free up cash to invest in its business, which is facing its own share of challenges. Milk companies like Borden have struggled in recent years as falling milk consumption, increased popularity of teas and sport drinks, and rapid growth in plant-based options have siphoned away business. In addition, retailers including Kroger, Publix and Walmart have invested in milk processing and bottling facilities — reducing how much milk they purchase from suppliers, including Borden. Sarsam, who has more than three decades of experience in the food industry working for companies including PepsiCo and Nestlé, wasted little time in trying to rejuvenate Borden after taking over in March 2018. Within weeks, he added a head of marketing and hired a research and development team. `` The brand, it was asleep, '' Sarsam told Food Dive last summer. `` There was not external communication or marketing, not even really a lot of work to keep labels or point of sales fresh. '' Borden once had a presence in all 50 states. As of last summer, it offered 35 products in parts of the Midwest, South and Southeastern U.S. Unlike Dean, which has been in talks to sell itself to cooperative giant Dairy Farmers of America, Borden is expected to continue operating as a standalone company. One major advantage Borden has is that it is a regional dairy operator. Regional dairies tend to benefit from their local roots and deep connections with multiple generations of consumers. But while a smaller footprint, improved balance sheet and lower debt payments could buy Borden some time, the dairy industry as a whole remains under pressure. If current trends continue to worsen, it could put further pressure on Borden and other competitors, prompting more companies to file or bankruptcy or liquidate. To be sure, there are bright spots within dairy. Whole milk and products with value-added options such as grass-fed, hormone-free, lactose-free, organic or non-GMO resonate with consumers. These value-added options with higher margins explain why ultra-filtered Fairlife milk, produced and distributed in a joint venture with Coca-Cola, and New Zealand's a2 Milk, whose product lacks a protein that can cause stomach discomfort, have been successful. Borden has responded to shopper demand by replacing high fructose corn syrup in its chocolate milk with sugar — a change that is more expensive, but one the company claims consumers prefer. It's also making new milk products, including one with 50% more protein, one that is lactose-free, and a high-nutrient and no-added-sugar drink for kids. Last summer, Sarsam said Borden had no plans to enter the plant-based space using the iconic name synonymous with dairy products, but he wouldn't rule it out in the future under a different name. As of now, Borden appears intent on following through with its current product offerings as it navigates bankruptcy — albeit with a stronger balance sheet. Borden could decide to focus more of its innovation on trendy products such as plant-based or ultra-filtered milk, but it's likely that given its status, the company will be cautious to invest in these types of products. The risk is that by the time Borden does, it's competitors, which are also hungry to survive, will have entered these spaces on their own. Follow Christopher Doering on Twitter As consumers turn to other beverages, Gavin Hattersley has moved aggressively into energy drinks, diet soda and tequila to revive his company's portfolio — all while combating challenges like COVID-19 and a security breach. With its products in public school cafeterias and a teen-focused website that connects animal agriculture to global warming, the company aims to feed and educate the next generation. Subscribe to Food Dive to get the must-read news & insights in your inbox. Topics covered: manufacturing, packaging, new products, R & D, and much more. Discover announcements from companies in your industry. As consumers turn to other beverages, Gavin Hattersley has moved aggressively into energy drinks, diet soda and tequila to revive his company's portfolio — all while combating challenges like COVID-19 and a security breach.

general

Ghosn 'fled by bullet train ', Japan vows to bolster borders

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published New reports emerged Monday on how fugitive former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn jumped bail in Japan, as the country's justice minister said border controls would be bolstered after the escape. The 65-year-old executive skipped bail nearly a week ago, fleeing Japan where he was awaiting trial on multiple counts of financial misconduct that he denies. The details of his escape remain spotty, with Japan saying it is still investigating how he slipped past strict security measures imposed as part of his bail conditions. Citing sources close to the investigation, public broadcaster NHK said Monday that Ghosn left his residence by himself on the afternoon of December 29 and met two men at a Tokyo hotel. The three then boarded a `` shinkansen '' bullet train together from Tokyo's Shinagawa station to a station in western Osaka, arriving around 7:30 pm. The trio then checked in at a hotel near Kansai Airport, but only the two men accompanying Ghosn were caught on security camera leaving the hotel later in the evening, NHK said. They were carrying `` two big boxes '' which were not checked by customs staff at the airport, the report added. Ghosn is believed to have taken a private jet from the airport that evening, bound for Istanbul, where he switched planes and continued to Beirut. But many details of his departure from Japan are still shrouded in mystery. - 'Wrongful methods ' - The justice ministry said it did not have records of Ghosn departing Japan. `` It is believed that he used some wrongful methods to illegally leave the country, '' Justice Minister Masako Mori said at a press conference on Monday. `` I have instructed the immigration agency to further tighten the departure process, '' she added. The Wall Street Journal has reported that Ghosn was loaded onto the flight from Osaka in a large case for audio equipment, which was later found at the back of the cabin. The newspaper cited unnamed sources close to the investigation in Turkey as saying that holes had been drilled into the bottom of the container to ensure the businessman could breathe. Japan's transport ministry told AFP that luggage checks are not mandatory for private jets. `` Operators of private jets decide if luggage checks are necessary or not while airline operators are obliged to conduct security checks under Japan's aviation law, '' a ministry official told AFP. `` The security checks are carried out to prevent danger such as bombs, and to prevent hijacks, '' he said, adding such risks are considered less likely for private jets. Ghosn, who has French, Brazilian and Lebanese nationalities, was able to enter Lebanon on a French passport, according to airport documents seen by AFP. A court in Tokyo had allowed Ghosn to keep a second French passport as he needed one to travel inside Japan, a source close to the matter has told AFP. Japan has launched a probe into the humiliating security lapse and prosecutors said they would `` coordinate with the relevant agencies to swiftly and appropriately investigate the matter. '' Ghosn has vowed to give his own account at a hotly awaited press conference in Beirut this week. New reports emerged Monday on how fugitive former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn jumped bail in Japan, as the country’ s justice minister said border controls would be bolstered after the escape. The 65-year-old executive skipped bail nearly a week ago, fleeing Japan where he was awaiting trial on multiple counts of financial misconduct that he denies. The details of his escape remain spotty, with Japan saying it is still investigating how he slipped past strict security measures imposed as part of his bail conditions. Citing sources close to the investigation, public broadcaster NHK said Monday that Ghosn left his residence by himself on the afternoon of December 29 and met two men at a Tokyo hotel. The three then boarded a “ shinkansen ” bullet train together from Tokyo’ s Shinagawa station to a station in western Osaka, arriving around 7:30 pm. The trio then checked in at a hotel near Kansai Airport, but only the two men accompanying Ghosn were caught on security camera leaving the hotel later in the evening, NHK said. They were carrying “ two big boxes ” which were not checked by customs staff at the airport, the report added. Ghosn is believed to have taken a private jet from the airport that evening, bound for Istanbul, where he switched planes and continued to Beirut. But many details of his departure from Japan are still shrouded in mystery. – ‘ Wrongful methods’ – The justice ministry said it did not have records of Ghosn departing Japan. “ It is believed that he used some wrongful methods to illegally leave the country, ” Justice Minister Masako Mori said at a press conference on Monday. “ I have instructed the immigration agency to further tighten the departure process, ” she added. The Wall Street Journal has reported that Ghosn was loaded onto the flight from Osaka in a large case for audio equipment, which was later found at the back of the cabin. The newspaper cited unnamed sources close to the investigation in Turkey as saying that holes had been drilled into the bottom of the container to ensure the businessman could breathe. Japan’ s transport ministry told AFP that luggage checks are not mandatory for private jets. “ Operators of private jets decide if luggage checks are necessary or not while airline operators are obliged to conduct security checks under Japan’ s aviation law, ” a ministry official told AFP. “ The security checks are carried out to prevent danger such as bombs, and to prevent hijacks, ” he said, adding such risks are considered less likely for private jets. Ghosn, who has French, Brazilian and Lebanese nationalities, was able to enter Lebanon on a French passport, according to airport documents seen by AFP. A court in Tokyo had allowed Ghosn to keep a second French passport as he needed one to travel inside Japan, a source close to the matter has told AFP. Japan has launched a probe into the humiliating security lapse and prosecutors said they would “ coordinate with the relevant agencies to swiftly and appropriately investigate the matter. ” Ghosn has vowed to give his own account at a hotly awaited press conference in Beirut this week. With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives. Images of Ukrainian troops carrying Javelin missile launchers on their shoulders have flashed around the world. North Korea conducted a missile test but the launch failed, Seoul said - Copyright AFP Jung Yeon-jeNorth Korea fired a projectile Wednesday but the... China has moved to free up hospital beds as officials reported thousands of new cases from an Omicron-led coronavirus outbreak. Ukraine's besieged leader urged the U.S. to reconsider his plea for a no-fly zone, invoking the terror of the September 11 attacks. COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2022 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

general

Essential Science: Is a vaccine for MRSA possible?

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published The new inquiry, which comes from, signals why earlier attempts to develop a vaccine against the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus have failed. The research indicates that a new approach for vaccine design is required. This approach is one where an untapped set of immune cells need to be activated. In addition, the researchers suggest that the only way a vaccine will be successful are if it is given in utero ( before the mother has given birth) or very soon after birth. MRSA Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ( MRSA) infections are the result of a Staphylococcus bacterium. The organism that has become resistant to the once common antibiotics used to treat infections. Many MRSA bacteria are resistant to the antimicrobials methicillin, penicillin, oxacillin and cefoxitin antibiotics. MRSA has led to significant health concerns in places like hospitals, prisons, and nursing homes, especially for patients with weakened immune systems. The main disease manifestations are blood infection ( sepsis), toxic shock syndrome, and necrotizing pneumonia. Antimicrobial resistance The bacterium forms part of the expanding issue of antimicrobial resistant bacteria. The consequence of this rise is the result that many infections require treatment with stronger antimicrobials and where some bacteria become multi-drug resistant, with the inevitable scenario that some infections will one-day become untreatable. New research The new research hails from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis where scientists are taking an alternative look at a ‘ staph’ vaccine, looking at activating an untapped set of immune cells. Working with rodents, the scientists discovered that T cells ( a highly specific immune cell) function to protect against staph bacteria. However, the majority of vaccines serve to stimulate the other main type of immune cells called B cells. A T cell is a type of lymphocyte which develops in the thymus gland and plays a central role in the immune response. A lymphocyte is one of the subtypes of a white blood cell in a person’ s immune system. Staphylococci produce an alpha-toxin which prevents the body from activating a T cell response, enabling the invasive bacterium to spread. Further studies with mice show how seeking to elicit a robust T cell response is effective for targeting Staphylococcus bacteria in the bloodstream. Furthermore, additional studies suggest protecting the T cell response from the time of birth carries the prospect of reprogramming the bacteria’ s overall effect on the immune system, conferring greater protection. Research paper The research is published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, where the study is titled “ Staphylococcus aureus α-toxin suppresses antigen-specific T cell responses. ” Essential Science This article is part of Digital Journal’ s regular Essential Science columns. Each week Tim Sandle explores a topical and important scientific issue. Last time we looked at a newly discovered fungus which is causing havoc to American fir trees ( which also serve as Christmas trees), together with some possible treatments. The week before we examined research going into helping satellites to self-repair and the use of robot satellites to assist with this process. This is seen as something of great economic importance, given the costs incurred when satellites are damaged. In addition, Digital Journal produced a special ‘ essential science’ charting the best science stories of 2019. Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news. Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs. The Parkland Refinery in Burnaby recently announced that it was pausing its refining process due to a shortage in crude oil. Source - https: //www.flickr.com/photos/keepitsurreal/.... The WHO urged countries to remain calm and take `` rational '' measures against the fast-spreading Omicron coronavirus variant, With hopes of eradicating AIDS we look at the fight against the deadly condition since its emergence 40 years ago. Microorganisms ' ability to use energy efficiently in various environmental conditions has consequences for the global climate and carbon cycle. COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2021 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

general

Webinar: Global Fintech Trends In Q3 2019

In this webinar, we unpack the global trends and insights on fintech companies and markets. We also show you how we create our research using the millions of data points from CB Insights’ market intelligence platform. Lindsay Davis is an intelligence analyst at CB Insights where she researches emerging technology trends in fintech, capital markets tech, wealth tech, and regtech. Her research has been cited in Bloomberg, The New York Times, The Financial Times, and Thomson Reuters and presented her analysis at Nikkei's Reg Summit and Money 20/20. Prior to joining CB Insights, she worked at the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation ( DTCC) as an internal auditor where she most recently lead coverage of the enterprise risk management group including operations, vendor, credit, market, & liquidity risk. Lindsay is a graduate of the University of Florida and holds a Bachelor's in Economics, a minor in Chinese, and a Master’ s in International Business from the Warrington School of Business. Lindsay Davis is an intelligence analyst at CB Insights where she researches emerging technology trends in fintech, capital markets tech, wealth tech, and regtech. Her research has been cited in Bloomberg, The New York Times, The Financial Times, and Thomson Reuters and presented her analysis at Nikkei's Reg Summit and Money 20/20. Prior to joining CB Insights, she worked at the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation ( DTCC) as an internal auditor where she most recently lead coverage of the enterprise risk management group including operations, vendor, credit, market, & liquidity risk. Lindsay is a graduate of the University of Florida and holds a Bachelor's in Economics, a minor in Chinese, and a Master’ s in International Business from the Warrington School of Business. This webinar is beyond insightful - @ CBinsights are breaking down FAMGA approaches to health and there is so much going on behind the scenes. Fascinating. Very interesting slides + video recording about the # future of # transportation made by @ CBinsights Available here for free: https: //t.co/tT2BrMAbS1 # innovation # SmartCities pic.twitter.com/dLrapDE5wL COVID-19 changed the way we shop... and the way we talk. retail leaders are mentioning `` e-commerce '' and `` acceleration '' on earnings calls more than ever before, per @ CBinsights pic.twitter.com/1tAhOONIpj

tech

Maurice West talks 'Euforika, ' plans for 2020, and Skrillex ( Includes interview)

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published On “ Euforika, ” he said, “ When I started releasing music on my own I needed a name for the platform or label that it was going to be shared through. At the time I had this word ‘ Euforika ” spinning around in my mind for a while. I didn’ t know what it was or how I came up with it, all I knew was that it sounded cool and could be part of something bigger. Then when my team and I agreed on using that term I decided to give it meaning: I live for making the most energetic, melodic, euphoric and emotional music I can and ‘ Euforika’ is the collective term for that style. ” “ The people that listen to my music and come to my shows are also a big part of ‘ Euforika.’ They’ re the ones that make my songs come to life when I see that it puts a smile on their face when it makes them forget about any worries they might have or when they’ re just going absolutely crazy to it, ” West added. On his music and songwriting, he said, “ There are a lot of different aspects of life that inspire me to make music. Of course, when I’ m on tour I get really inspired to make songs that will get a response out of the crowd. When I’ m in the studio I get inspired by music that I listen to ( which is mostly music that was made long before I was born). I can also get inspired by video or images, my brain has always made a very strong connection between sounds and shapes or colors. Lately, I’ ve started getting into songwriting more so I also really try to draw inspiration from stuff happening in my life. ” Regarding his plans for 2020, he said, “ First and foremost, I want to release as much quality music as I can. I want to share this vision that I have with as many people as I can and let the whole world know what I’ m up to. I’ m really really passionate about the direction that I’ m headed in right now and just want to make as many people as possible happy with my songs. ” On being an electronic artist in the digital age, he said, “ It’ s both really convenient and scary. I like how an independent artist is able to share his music to every corner of this planet just by hitting a few buttons on his computer. At the same time, everything on the Internet keeps moving faster and faster. People’ s attention spans get worse, but that also makes me want to create songs that are timeless. ” Regarding his use of technology in his daily routine as a musician, he said, “ Of course I’ m listening to and creating music all day on my laptop. I hum melodies into my phone. I write down concepts and ideas for songs on my phone. I let my computer tell me which key the songs I want to play are in. Basically, without technology, I’ d be nowhere. Nevertheless, it’ s nice to step away from all your devices sometimes and just sit down behind a piano. The balance between real instrumentation and software has always been very important to me. ” For young and aspiring DJs and producers, he said, “ The mistake I made at first was that I was so passionate and intrigued about the whole dance music scene that I just wanted to ‘ sound like’ all the big DJ’ s that I looked up to. If I could go back in time I would tell 16-year-old Maurice to let go of all the conventions and rules that he had learned from listening to dance music and just create whatever you feel like. Find your own sound and exploit it. Stand for what your creative mind came up with. ” He listed Skrillex as his dream collaboration choice. “ Skrillex is on that list for sure. I actually got into dance music because of him. He has never failed to amaze me with anything that he put out. His way of producing is just out of this world. I’ d also love to see what artists like Stevie Wonder, Sister Sledge, Chic, Earth Wind & Fire, and George Benson would sound ( or would have sounded) like combined with dance music, ” he elaborated. West defined the word success as follows: “ Success, to me, means reaching my goals, and there’ s some pretty crazy stuff on that list. My biggest goal is to let my music reach as many people as possible and bring joy to their lives. Success to me doesn’ t just mean that I get to have or feel something, I want all of my followers, friends, and family to be with me at that same spot. ” “ Euforika ” is available on digital service providers by clicking here. To learn more about Maurice West, check out his Facebook page. Markos Papadatos is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for Music News. Papadatos is a Greek-American journalist and educator that has authored over 16,000 original articles over the past 15 years. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in music, entertainment, lifestyle, magic, and sports. He is a five-time consecutive `` Best of Long Island '' winner, and in the past two years, he was honored as the `` Best Long Island Personality '' in Arts & Entertainment, an honor that has gone to Billy Joel six times. The startlingly rapid spread of Covid-19's Omicron variant has raised grave concern across the US. Gas will soon be a thing of the past in New York City, thanks to a bill passed on Wednesday by the City Council. At face value, Russia’ s demands on NATO are tension-raisers in the name of reducing tension. The Netherlands announced a Christmas lockdown and London declared a `` major incident '' as Europe tries to rein in rising Covid-19 cases. COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2021 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

general

Killer Queen to perform 2020 Queen tribute show at The Paramount

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published Digital Journal proclaimed Killer Queen’ s high-energy concert at the “ best live tribute show of 2019, ” and rightfully so. It was described as “ mesmerizing, ” where the music of the late Freddie Mercury and Queen was “ alive and well. ” For more information on their upcoming show at The Paramount in Huntington on Long Island, visit the venue’ s official homepage. Killer Queen frontman Patrick Myers, who plays Freddie Mercury in the group, chatted with Digital Journal’ s Markos Papadatos back in the summer of 2019 about touring and the band’ s legacy. To learn more about the tribute group Killer Queen and their forthcoming 2020 tour dates, check out their official website and their Facebook page. Markos Papadatos is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for Music News. Papadatos is a Greek-American journalist and educator that has authored over 16,000 original articles over the past 15 years. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in music, entertainment, lifestyle, magic, and sports. He is a five-time consecutive `` Best of Long Island '' winner, and in the past two years, he was honored as the `` Best Long Island Personality '' in Arts & Entertainment, an honor that has gone to Billy Joel six times. Omicron's rise has heralded another pandemic-tinged Christmas for billions, with Santa's arrival overshadowed by Covid restrictions. In Bethlehem's Manger Square, visitors in Santa hats and scouts beating drums marked Christmas Eve on Friday, but fewer people attended. The U.S. sees many flight cancellations on Christmas Day, with numbers swelling to triple digits. It's a moment that has been decades in the making. The James Webb Space Telescope successfully launched on Christmas morning. COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2021 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

general

When Climate Activism and Nationalism Collide by Kemal Derviş

Given the importance of the fight against global warming, the conflict between nationalist narratives and green internationalism could become the dominant political divide of the 2020s. If so, then the climate debate may import global issues into national politics like never before. WASHINGTON, DC – There is an overwhelming consensus among scientists that this decade will be the last window for humanity to change the current global trajectory of carbon dioxide emissions so that the world can get close to zero net emissions by around 2050, and thus avoid potentially catastrophic climate risks. But although the massive technological and economic changes required to achieve this goal are well understood, their political implications are rarely discussed. While climate activists have built an impressive international movement, broadening their political support and crossing borders, the nationalist narrative has been gaining ground in domestic politics around the world. Its central message – that the world consists of nation-states in relentless competition with one another – stands in sharp contrast to the climate movement’ s “ one planet ” emphasis on human solidarity. And these two trends are on a collision course. Although greenhouse-gas ( GHG) emissions do not respect political borders, and climate change affects all parts of the planet, the impact of global warming is decidedly not uniform. An average global temperature increase of 2°C will create extreme heat stress in India and Africa. Similarly, although rising sea levels will threaten lower-lying areas around the world, and more extreme weather events will affect almost everyone, already poor and vulnerable populations are especially at risk. Another inherently international aspect of the problem is carbon leakage as a result of trade. While GHGs are emitted in one country by the production of, say, steel, it is the use of that steel in importing countries that “ causes ” the emissions in the exporting country. We hope you're enjoying Project Syndicate. Subscribe Unlock additional commentaries for FREE by registering. Register Already have an account? Log in For more than 25 years, Project Syndicate has been guided by a simple credo: All people deserve access to a broad range of views by the world's foremost leaders and thinkers on the issues, events, and forces shaping their lives. At a time of unprecedented uncertainty, that mission is more important than ever – and we remain committed to fulfilling it. But there is no doubt that we, like so many other media organizations nowadays, are under growing strain. If you are in a position to support us, please subscribe now. As a subscriber, you will enjoy unlimited access to our On Point suite of long reads, book reviews, and insider interviews; Big Picture topical collections; Say More contributor interviews; Opinion Has It podcast features; The Year Ahead magazine, the full PS archive, and much more. You will also directly support our mission of delivering the highest-quality commentary on the world's most pressing issues to as wide an audience as possible. By helping us to build a truly open world of ideas, every PS subscriber makes a real difference. Thank you. Subscribe Now Writing for PS since 2003 118 Commentaries Follow Kemal Derviş, a former minister of economic affairs of Turkey and administrator for the United Nations Development Programme, is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. Before posting a comment, please confirm your account. To receive another confirmation email, please click here. It appears that you have not yet updated your first and last name. If you would like to update your name, please do so here. After posting your comment, you’ ll have a ten-minute window to make any edits. Please note that we moderate comments to ensure the conversation remains topically relevant. We appreciate well-informed comments and welcome your criticism and insight. Please be civil and avoid name-calling and ad hominem remarks. Your name Your email Friend's name Friend's email Message First Name Last Name Email Phone number Organization Please provide more details about your request The COVID-19 pandemic will not be our last. That is why, as we recover and rebuild from this crisis, we must also take steps to ensure that we can meet future disease outbreaks with effective cooperation and collaboration, instead of the kind of chaos and confusion that have exacerbated the current one. Please log in or register to continue. Registration is free and requires only your email address. Email required Password required Remember me? 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general

Как энергетическим компаниям снова получить контроль над своей технологической дорожной картой

 We have limited Russian content available. View Russian content. Bookmark content that interests you and it will be saved here for you to read or share later. Removed from Red Folder Энергетические компании должны найти инновационные пути обновления своих информационных систем, чтобы не отставать от быстро развивающегося сектора электроэнергетики. Арно Леруа, Алекс Мартынов, Кит Ромеро Полная версия на английском языке доступна на сайте Bain.com Banks need a new way to think about IT systems modernization. Four approaches provide much-needed guidance. To improve customer experience, utility executives are learning which interactions leave customers happy or frustrated. Industry 4.0 tools can cut manufacturing costs by up to 20%, improve quality and make deliveries more reliable. Technology and analytics are key to weathering the coronavirus pandemic and emerging stronger. Renewables will grow, coal and nuclear will drop, and natural gas varies from one region to another. Мы помогаем мировым лидерам бизнеса решать самые сложные проблемы и находить наилучшие возможности. Работая вместе, мы добиваемся устойчивых положительных изменений и результатов. * I have read the Privacy Policy and agree to its terms. © 1996-2020 Bain & Company, Inc.

business

Mass snow wedding and crystal towers at China's ice fest

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published China's annual ice festival in Harbin has kicked off with couples lining up for a snow-themed mass wedding, swimmers braving frigid waters and frozen palaces rising from the ground. Fireworks marked the festival's opening on Sunday night as tourists wandered between colourfully illuminated ice towers and monuments in the northeastern city. Earlier in the day, 43 brides in lace wedding gowns and down jackets waited in line with grooms to take part in a `` mass ice and snow wedding ''. A few brave swimmers plunged into a pool carved from the frozen Songhua River on a day when temperatures stayed below minus seven degrees Celsius ( 19 Fahrenheit) even in the afternoon. This year's Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival in the province of Heilongjiang required 170,000 cubic metres ( six million cubic feet) of ice harvested from the Songhua River by more than 100 workers. The workers toiled for hours on the ice each day in the weeks before the festival, cutting out thousands of pieces of ice every 12-hour shift. The Harbin festival, featuring glittering palaces and fantastical scenes sculpted out of ice, has drawn millions of people over the years to one of China's coldest cities. This year's festivities will coincide with the city's first skiing marathon this week, according to the official Xinhua news agency. China has ramped up its promotion of snow and ice tourism ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. An expressway is under construction linking Beijing and Zhangjiakou, a city in northern Hebei province that will co-host the Olympics, while a high-speed railway line connecting the two cities opened on December 30. China expects 340 million people to visit snow and ice attractions in the 2021-2022 winter season, up from 224 million in the 2018-2019 season, Xinhua reported Monday. - This story accompanies a photo essay by Noel Celis - China’ s annual ice festival in Harbin has kicked off with couples lining up for a snow-themed mass wedding, swimmers braving frigid waters and frozen palaces rising from the ground. Fireworks marked the festival’ s opening on Sunday night as tourists wandered between colourfully illuminated ice towers and monuments in the northeastern city. Earlier in the day, 43 brides in lace wedding gowns and down jackets waited in line with grooms to take part in a “ mass ice and snow wedding ”. A few brave swimmers plunged into a pool carved from the frozen Songhua River on a day when temperatures stayed below minus seven degrees Celsius ( 19 Fahrenheit) even in the afternoon. This year’ s Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival in the province of Heilongjiang required 170,000 cubic metres ( six million cubic feet) of ice harvested from the Songhua River by more than 100 workers. The workers toiled for hours on the ice each day in the weeks before the festival, cutting out thousands of pieces of ice every 12-hour shift. The Harbin festival, featuring glittering palaces and fantastical scenes sculpted out of ice, has drawn millions of people over the years to one of China’ s coldest cities. This year’ s festivities will coincide with the city’ s first skiing marathon this week, according to the official Xinhua news agency. China has ramped up its promotion of snow and ice tourism ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. An expressway is under construction linking Beijing and Zhangjiakou, a city in northern Hebei province that will co-host the Olympics, while a high-speed railway line connecting the two cities opened on December 30. China expects 340 million people to visit snow and ice attractions in the 2021-2022 winter season, up from 224 million in the 2018-2019 season, Xinhua reported Monday. – This story accompanies a photo essay by Noel Celis – With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives. The startlingly rapid spread of Covid-19's Omicron variant has raised grave concern across the US. Gas will soon be a thing of the past in New York City, thanks to a bill passed on Wednesday by the City Council. At face value, Russia’ s demands on NATO are tension-raisers in the name of reducing tension. The Netherlands announced a Christmas lockdown and London declared a `` major incident '' as Europe tries to rein in rising Covid-19 cases. COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2021 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

general

How Utilities Can Regain Control of Their Technology Roadmap

 Test Cookie policy: All websites across the EU are now required to ask your permission to place cookies on your machine, and you can refuse to give it. We have limited Spanish content available. View Spanish content. Bookmark content that interests you and it will be saved here for you to read or share later. Removed from Red Folder Utilities must find innovative ways to update their IT to keep up with a rapidly evolving electricity sector. By Arnaud Leroi, Alex Martynov and Keith Romero Power utilities around the world are confronting an unprecedented level of change in their sector, including decarbonization policies, decentralization of the power grid, electrification of large parts of the economy and an increasingly competitive retail market that offers consumers greater choice over who they buy power from. Customers and regulators are demanding more from utilities than ever before, and investors aren’ t lowering their expectations either, with most still looking for earnings growth of 6% or better ( see the Bain Brief “ New Strategies for Utility Growth ”). Faced with rising expectations and aggressive new competitors, utilities are working to become more cost efficient to create headroom for innovation, while also improving their abilities to respond quickly and nimbly to technological changes in their sector. However, like companies in many industries, utilities face these challenges with legacy IT systems that are poorly equipped to support the digital demands of the rapidly evolving electricity business. These old IT systems are the result of decades of accretive, patchwork fixes, and many utilities are severely limited in their ability to invest in modernization, due to low margins and regulatory constraints on salaries and operating expenses. Sitting still isn’ t an option. Across markets, new competitors are entering the sector with greenfield advantages—that is, they can develop new ways of doing business without the burden of legacy systems. In the UK, for example, green energy supplier Bulb offers a mobile app that makes signing up for service as simple as clicking a few buttons and submitting—much simpler and more engaging than navigating lengthy voicemail systems that some legacy providers still use to manage new customer sign-ups ( see Figure 1.) The IT challenge may be different but similarly acute in other parts of the utility value chain. For example, transmission and distribution units may find it difficult to deploy smart grid technologies ( like smart meters) or integrate electricity from intermittent, renewable sources if shackled by outdated, monolithic technology systems ( see Figure 2). To develop more flexible technology and avoid being edged out by digital attackers, utilities need to invest in technology transformations that address real business needs, avoiding overly broad and costly initiatives ( see the Bain Brief “ Digital Transformation for Utilities: More Tortoise, Less Hare ”). Successful transformations focus directly on opportunities to improve core processes and customer experiences, like making payments or signing up for new service. They shouldn’ t be led solely by IT; the utility’ s business owners must be in the driver’ s seat, to make sure these investments align with the organization’ s strategic priorities. Some industry leaders are showing how to work successfully within these constraints and gain momentum in their technology transformations, whether by adopting software-as-a-service ( SaaS) solutions for some of their processes, launching digital hubs with greater flexibility to tackle new digital challenges or setting up focused agile teams that can tackle the most promising opportunities as they arise. By understanding where and how they’ ve made progress, it’ s possible to see a path forward to regain control over a utility’ s technology roadmap. In our work with utilities, we have identified three aspects of a technology transformation that are particularly important to success: aligning with the business, identifying the funding and becoming more agile. Many industries struggle with poor communication between IT and business executives, and it remains particularly acute in utilities. IT leaders may be too focused on internal issues and may fail to engage closely with business leaders to understand and support strategic goals. As a result, business leaders may not trust IT’ s vision or its ability to transform itself. Utility executives wrestle with this challenge, with some success. One European utility found that its IT function had the lowest internal customer satisfaction rating ( measured by Net Promoter Score®) of any department in the company, a sign that business executives were unhappy with their interactions. The utility changed the way it created new technology initiatives, enlisting business and technology teams to cocreate initiatives. This not only raised the level of confidence in the IT team, but also produced technology programs that did a better job addressing business opportunities. Increasingly, IT and business teams will have to work closely together to identify the trade-offs that are necessary to balance budgets, particularly as they relate to choices between customization and simplicity in technology projects. Some of these trade-offs will extend beyond individual business units, and investments will have to be prioritized across the entire organization. Decisions should be guided by strong governance procedures, with oversight from the executive committee and other senior leaders. Internal customers who have long been accustomed to bespoke work that meets every last preference will need to become more comfortable with cloud-based and off-the-shelf solutions that deliver the critical functionality at more affordable costs. Some utilities have considered customization the best way to differentiate their services from those of competitors, but there are more effective ( and less expensive) ways to improve customer experience, such as simple welcome calls to new customers. One of the most promising features of change on the technology landscape across industries has been migration to the cloud and the rise of software-as-a-service solutions. SaaS services have proved essential for new energy competitors that lack legacy IT environments and can orient their growth strategies around these services. New competitors recognize that in an industry with margins so thin, they are unlikely to see any profit margins until their customer base reaches scale. So the strategy for early years has been to acquire as many customers as possible, and adopting SaaS solutions that make it easy for customers to sign up helps them do that. Now, larger utilities are experimenting with similar strategies. In March 2018, E.ON contracted with Gentrack to adopt its Velocity billing solution in the UK and Romania. The hope is that by adopting SaaS services that automate the most common interactions, the utility can focus more attention on developing its unique customer experience on top of that critical functionality. At least, that’ s the plan in Europe. The situation is more complicated in North America, where regulated utilities have traditionally made money based on capital investment. Invest in upgrading your transmission infrastructure, and regulators may allow you to adjust rates to recoup that investment. Investing capex in a large software app is similarly easy to identify and manage. But migrating applications to the cloud turns capex to opex: that hefty license fee goes away, while monthly subscription fees raise operating expenses. Specifics vary from one regulated region to another, but it’ s generally more difficult to explain an increase in operating expenses to stakeholders—although some capital asset structures are emerging that would allow subscription pricing to fit better in the regulated utility model. As utilities try to transform themselves, many are constrained by their own salary bands that effectively prevent them from hiring the talent they need. This has led some utilities to outsource much of their technology activity, some as much as 85% of their IT function. With all that expertise outside their walls, many utilities have let their own technological skills atrophy, limiting their ability to tackle the IT projects that could move the business forward. Some are not even able to spend the capex they have budgeted for IT because they don’ t have enough staff to perform the work. For most, rebuilding the technology function in ways that allow the company to become more strategically agile is likely to be a cornerstone of transformation. Some utilities have decided that the best way to develop those capabilities is with a digital acceleration hub, a place where new models can be tested in an incubator environment. These hubs can be an effective way to attract new talent and bring in-house talent up to speed while transitioning to a more agile way of working. One North American utility developed a digital hub that piloted programs making better use of data about field service productivity and outage duration. The unit developed methodologies for more accurate prediction and reporting, which were eventually rolled out to the larger organization. Of course, some capabilities may remain unaffordable to develop and maintain in house, given budget limitations and the scarcity of talent in some tech specialties. IT departments will find it important to maintain the capabilities to manage outsourced elements of the stack, as it may be the only way to ensure the best capabilities in areas of high demand, like cybersecurity. Digital accelerator hubs and greenfield units develop new programs, but they’ re usually tightly focused on one part of the business, rather than the whole. The real challenge comes as utilities try to expand these pilot programs from their test bed to the larger organization. Scaling up tends to expose the shortcomings of legacy IT systems, which were never designed to support new digital customer experiences. Some utilities are looking beyond their technology functions and beginning to move the entire organization into an agile mode in order to meet competitive challenges. In Europe, deregulated markets and retail competition are accelerating this transition. Most North American utilities appear to be moving more cautiously. In transmission and distribution, agile methods and “ test and learn ” processes are more difficult to adopt, given investment patterns and industry regulations. However, with the right incentives, the modernization of capex treatment and a commitment by operations teams to work differently with IT, more utilities are likely to make investments that will position their organizations as technology leaders. Net Promoter Score® and NPS® are registered trademarks of Bain & Company, Inc., Fred Reichheld and Satmetrix Systems, Inc. Arnaud Leroi is a leader in Bain & Company’ s Global Energy & Natural Resources practice. He is based in Paris. Keith Romero and Alex Martynov are affiliated with Bain’ s Global Energy & Natural Resources practice and the Global Enterprise Technology practice. Keith is based in San Francisco, and Alex in London. Now that banks are essentially tech companies with a banking license, four approaches provide much-needed guidance for modernization. To improve customer experience, utility executives are learning which interactions leave customers happy or frustrated. Technology and analytics are key to weathering the coronavirus pandemic and emerging stronger. Renewables will grow, coal and nuclear will drop, and natural gas varies from one region to another. Most organizations purchase more computing power and storage than they need. Fixing that can save millions. Bain Insights. Our perspectives on critical issues global businesses face in today's challenging environment, delivered monthly. © 1996-2020 Bain & Company, Inc.

business

Risky Business: Accepting Fear to Fuel a Disruptive Mindset

The world is in better shape than we might think – an encouraging thought at the outset of a new decade. Linda Henman asserts that worry and a victim mentality impair our ability to take necessary risks. When conducting research for his bestselling book, Factfulness, Dr. Hans Rosling asked simple questions about global trends and systematically received wrong answers — so wrong that a chimpanzee choosing answers at random would have consistently outguessed teachers, journalists, Nobel laureates and investment bankers. Why? Because our instincts and risk aversion conspire to make us perceive the world as a scary place — a place where we probably shouldn’ t even do business. The problem is that we don’ t know what we don’ t know, and unconscious, predictable biases and fear inform both our guesses and behavior — and stand in the way of us engaging in risky business. Our fears, perceptions and biases tell one story, but the facts tell a different one. As it turns out, the world, for all its imperfections, is in better shape than we might think. We have real problems, but when we spend our energies worrying about the future or feeling guilty about the past, we lose our focus and exhaust our abilities to solve problems, make high-caliber decisions and take the necessary risks to grow and change. More than a century ago, Sigmund Freud explained how we create obstacles for ourselves. That is, the id, ego and superego create a battlefield in our brains where the rational mind and emotional mind clash, just when we need them to make peace. They compete for control when we attempt to make risky decisions to effect transformative change. Successful changes, however, follow a pattern based on a mindset that tells us that change will bring improvement, and most mistakes aren’ t fatal. When our intellect and our emotions wage war, resilience and motivation suffer the consequences — the victims of a situation they didn’ t want in the first place. When this happens, we start to alter our beliefs, often developing a victim mentality, one characterized by pessimism and despair. How can a person tolerate ambiguity with such a mindset? Revolutionary ideas constantly besiege leaders. Throughout history, everyone has been eager to help those in charge make smart, informed decisions about the future. Abraham Maslow and Douglas McGregor helped us understand the psychology behind human behavior. William Edwards Deming, “ the man who discovered quality, ” served as the prophet of the learning organization. We think of Peter Drucker as the founder of modern management and the inventor of the concept known as management by objectives. The list is endless, but one stark reality surfaces: It is possible for individuals to have a major impact on history, if they are willing to take a chance on their ideas. It won’ t happen automatically, however. Five psychological forces influence high-stakes decision-making: beliefs, cognition, emotions, motivation and resilience. When we leverage all five, we develop a Disruptive Mindset™. We don’ t ignore, diminish or deny fear; we accept it. We trust our abilities to sail in uncharted seas. We understand how human emotions help us function — or not. As systemic, discerning thinkers, we commit ourselves to continuous learning and consistently remain open to new ideas without being naïve, all the while avoiding the trap of hubris. With optimism and a commitment to excellence, we steadfastly move ideas to action. A Disruptive Mindset — one that shapes resilience — recognizes that challenges aren’ t permanent; talented people can figure things out, and even failure isn’ t fatal. This mindset allows us to learn from past mistakes so we can move past them and thrive. Then, we can take the requisite steps to develop the kind of disruptive mindset that will enable us to make 2020 a banner year. Dr. Linda Henman is one of those rare experts who can say she’ s a coach, consultant, speaker, and author. For more than 30 years, she has worked with Fortune 500 Companies and small businesses that want to think strategically, grow dramatically, promote intelligently, and compete successfully today and tomorrow. Some of her clients include Emerson Electric, Boeing, Avon and Tyson Foods. She was one of eight experts who worked directly with John Tyson after his company’ s acquisition of International Beef Products, one of the most successful acquisitions of the twentieth century. Linda holds a Ph.D. in organizational systems and two Master of Arts degrees in both interpersonal communication and organization development and a Bachelor of Science degree in communication. Whether coaching executives or members of the board, Linda offers clients coaching and consulting solutions that are pragmatic in their approach and sound in their foundation—all designed to create exceptional organizations. She is the author of Landing in the Executive Chair: How to Excel in the Hot Seat, The Magnetic Boss: How to Become the Leader No One Wants to Leave, and contributing editor and author to Small Group Communication, among other works. Dr. Henman can be reached at linda @ henmanperformancegroup.com. During the past two decades, we have witnessed how financial crime compliance ( FCC) has evolved from a basic customer identification... As Kabul falls under the control of the Taliban and our leaders again fail to do the right thing, I... The traditional approaches to coordinating risk and assurance were once useful, but the environment has changed. Gartner’ s Malcolm Murray argues... The COVID-19 pandemic has created urgency for organizations to ramp up digital adoption, but as they pivot entire service lines,... Founded in 2010, CCI is the web’ s premier global independent news source for compliance, ethics, risk and information security. Got a news tip? Get in touch. Want a weekly round-up in your inbox? Sign up for free. No subscription fees, no paywalls.

general

Smart vehicles are vulnerable to cyberattacks

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published The research comes from Michigan State University. By applying criminal justice theory to smart vehicles, technologists identified a series of vulnerabilities with vehicle technology systems, showing potential cyber risks. Criminal justice theories provide useful tools that help explain human behavior and social phenomena. The theories are often divided between corrective justice, distributive justice, procedural justice, and retributive justice. The reason for criminal theorists looking at cars is because automotive cybersecurity is a relatively under-explored field, yet one that is of increasing concern as cars become ‘ smarter’ and opportunities for cyber-criminals increase. The risks are with loss of personal data from hacking, and risks to life, such as a cyber-criminal changing the alert systems that inform a driver when tire pressure is low or if their is fault with the vehicle’ s brakes. As lead researcher Professor Thomas Holt explains: “ As the technology gets greater market share, it’ s critical to get ahead of the curve before there are issues we can’ t rein in. ” One concern identified is because vehicle manufacturers are working with several different hardware and software companies, it has emerged that no one is technically responsible for the vehicles’ central computer systems of many smart cars. The researcher contends that governments and vehicle manufacturers need tart developing cybersecurity policies to protect users, vehicles and customers. Vehicle owners as well need to take some responsibility, the researcher argues, such as ensuring that they download and install the latest updates for their vehicle software. The research has been published in the Journal of Crime and Justice. The research paper is titled “ Automotive cybersecurity: assessing a new platform for cybercrime and malicious hacking. ” Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news. Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs. The hunt for answers - like whether the Omicron variant will trigger new waves of infection. Crime is raging across the country, from violent attacks to brazen shoplifting to mob “ smash and grab ” attacks. The Omicron variant that causes COVID-19 likely acquired at least one of its mutations by picking up genetic material from another virus. At its core, Zero Trust is all about authenticating and authorizing access policies that have been designed to provide the least privilege, for the... COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2021 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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China pneumonia outbreak: It's not SARS, so what is it?

Chinese health authorities have not been able to identify a mysterious strain of pneumonia that has infected dozens of people and put the rest of Asia on alert -- although they have ruled out a return of the deadly severe acute respiratory syndrome ( SARS) virus. A total of 59 cases of unknown viral pneumonia have been reported in the city of Wuhan, central China, with seven patients in critical condition, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission said in a statement on Sunday. All patients are being treated in quarantine, and no deaths have been reported. According to the World Health Organization ( WHO), symptoms of the pneumonia are mainly fever, with a number of patients having difficulty breathing, and chest radiographs showing invasive lesions of both lungs. The outbreak came to light in late December and prompted fears in China of a possible resurgence of SARS, an acute viral respiratory illness first reported in the country in 2002 that caused a pandemic that ripped through Asia. SARS spread to 37 countries worldwide , infected more than 8,000 people and killed 774 from November 2002 to July 2003. The illness is brought on by a coronavirus, and symptoms include fever, cough, severe headache, dizziness and other flu-like complaints. Read More Amid growing disquiet, Wuhan authorities said on Sunday they had excluded the possibility of SARS, Middle East respiratory syndrome ( MERS), and bird flu. Women wear facemasks as the city's commuters protect themselves against the H7N9 bird flu virus in the downtown area of Shanghai in 2013. If not SARS, then what is it? According to the Wuhan health commission, the infection broke out between December 12 and December 29, with some of the patients employed at a seafood market in the city. Local media reported that the market -- which has been closed since January 1 for disinfection -- also sold other live animals, including birds, rabbits and snakes, sparking concerns that the virus might have been transmitted to humans from animals. Professor David Hui Shu-cheong, a respiratory expert at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said it is highly likely that the outbreak was caused by a `` brand-new viral pneumonia. '' `` The concern now is whether the game ( sold at the market) is one of the reasons for the outbreak, '' he told CNN. According to Hui, many new pathogens have been transmitted to humans from animals. The coronavirus that causes SARS was traced to the civet cat, a wild animal considered a delicacy in parts of southern China, where the epidemic first broke out. And dromedary camels are considered a likely source of MERS, he said. Authorities have said that there has been no obvious evidence of human-to-human transmission so far, and no health care workers have been infected. At least 163 people who have had close contact with those infected have been placed under medical observation. But there are still fears of a nationwide epidemic. The outbreak came just before the start of the busy Lunar New Year travel season, when hundreds of millions of Chinese are expected to be crammed into trains, buses and planes for family reunions. Millions of Chinese are also expected to travel overseas around Lunar New Year, which falls on January 25. Professor Leo Poon, a virologist at Hong Kong University and a SARS expert, said the severity of the situation to come depends on whether the pneumonia in Wuhan can be transmitted among humans. `` If it only transmits from animals to humans, now that the market has been shut down and sanitized, the chances for people to be infected will be low, '' he said. Hui, from Chinese University, said the possibility of human-to-human transmission can not be ruled out. `` Most often, respiratory viruses can be transmitted among humans. It is only a matter of how contagious it is, '' he said. Passengers get their temperature checked in 2015 as part of preventive measures against the spread of MERS at Hong Kong airport. Asia steps up screening The current outbreak in Wuhan has put Asian governments on close watch, stepping up preventive measures such as airport temperature screening and notification requirements. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Tuesday the city would take `` immediate action '' to contain the spread of suspected pneumonia cases, including screening air passengers traveling from Wuhan. Doctors in the semiautonomous Chinese city must also report patients with symptoms of respiratory diseases to the authorities. A total of 21 people have been found with fever or respiratory symptoms after traveling from Wuhan, according to Hong Kong's Hospital Authority. Seven of them have been discharged, and so far none of them has been linked to the cluster of pneumonia in Wuhan. In Singapore, travelers arriving from the Chinese city are also required to go through temperature screening, according to the Ministry of Health. Doctors have been alerted to look out for suspected cases of pneumonia among people who recently returned from there. In South Korea, the country's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention set up a quarantine task force and warned visitors to Wuhan not to touch wild animals or poultry, or visit local markets. Taiwan on Sunday stepped up measures by expanding the conditions for notification of suspected cases of Wuhan pneumonia, according to government-run news agency CNA. A doctor injects a flu vaccination. The World Health Organization said in a statement Sunday that `` there is limited information to determine the overall risk of this reported cluster of pneumonia of unknown etiology. '' It said it does not recommend any specific measures for travelers, and `` advises against the application of any travel or trade restrictions on China based on the current information available on this event. '' Fall and winter months are traditionally prone to flu epidemics. In the United States, the current flu season is shaping up to be one of the worst in decades, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases. He said while it is impossible to predict how the flu will play out, the season so far is on track to be as severe as the 2017-18 flu season, which was the deadliest in more than four decades, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CNN's Eric Cheung and Yoonjung Seo contributed to this report.

general

Free handouts of cannabis oil at Bangkok medical marijuana clinic

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published A medical clinic in Bangkok opened Monday offering free cannabis oil to hundreds of Thais seeking relief from cancer, insomnia and muscle pain as the government drives home the economic and health benefits of their gamble of marijuana. Thailand in 2018 became the first country in Southeast Asia to legalise medical marijuana, although many Thais have long used the herb in traditional medicine. The government is eager to harvest the multi-billion-dollar potential of weed, investing in tech to extract, distill and market cannabis oils. `` Today marks the beginning, '' Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said at the launch of the Bangkok clinic. `` We are fighting for the better health of Thai people and fighting for a better economy, '' he told AFP, standing next to a marijuana leaf mascot wearing a doctor's coat. Hundreds of mostly elderly Thais waited to receive the 5-10 mg vials of oil for muscle aches, though some came bearing more serious ailments -- like Natjuta, born with cerebral palsy and confined to a wheel chair. Her mother Supatra Ulapatorn said cannabis oil helps her daughter to sleep better and stay calmer. `` She does not sleep well which causes me not to sleep either, '' said the 60-year-old. `` She is more calm now, so I think it works. '' Anutin, a construction tycoon-turned-minister whose Bhumjaithai party rode a pro-marijuana platform in last year's elections to become a major player in parliament, has promised an economic bonanza to his rural constituents. He added that the drug has been `` de-stigmatised '' in Thailand. `` If we talk about cannabis extraction, I have a sense people view it as medication rather than it being a narcotic, '' he said. Still, a knot of rules govern who can grow marijuana plants and extract cannabis oil, and critics say legislation will limit opportunities for small farmers and likely benefit big agro-industrial firms. Medical research has shown that cannabis oil can help ease the pain of patients suffering from conditions such as multiple sclerosis and epilepsy, but the science is out on its impact on other serious diseases including different forms of cancers. Recreational use and trade of marijuana is still illegal and could land anyone caught with a joint with severe penalties of up to 10 years in prison. A medical clinic in Bangkok opened Monday offering free cannabis oil to hundreds of Thais seeking relief from cancer, insomnia and muscle pain as the government drives home the economic and health benefits of their gamble of marijuana. Thailand in 2018 became the first country in Southeast Asia to legalise medical marijuana, although many Thais have long used the herb in traditional medicine. The government is eager to harvest the multi-billion-dollar potential of weed, investing in tech to extract, distill and market cannabis oils. “ Today marks the beginning, ” Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said at the launch of the Bangkok clinic. “ We are fighting for the better health of Thai people and fighting for a better economy, ” he told AFP, standing next to a marijuana leaf mascot wearing a doctor’ s coat. Hundreds of mostly elderly Thais waited to receive the 5-10 mg vials of oil for muscle aches, though some came bearing more serious ailments — like Natjuta, born with cerebral palsy and confined to a wheel chair. Her mother Supatra Ulapatorn said cannabis oil helps her daughter to sleep better and stay calmer. “ She does not sleep well which causes me not to sleep either, ” said the 60-year-old. “ She is more calm now, so I think it works. ” Anutin, a construction tycoon-turned-minister whose Bhumjaithai party rode a pro-marijuana platform in last year’ s elections to become a major player in parliament, has promised an economic bonanza to his rural constituents. He added that the drug has been “ de-stigmatised ” in Thailand. “ If we talk about cannabis extraction, I have a sense people view it as medication rather than it being a narcotic, ” he said. Still, a knot of rules govern who can grow marijuana plants and extract cannabis oil, and critics say legislation will limit opportunities for small farmers and likely benefit big agro-industrial firms. Medical research has shown that cannabis oil can help ease the pain of patients suffering from conditions such as multiple sclerosis and epilepsy, but the science is out on its impact on other serious diseases including different forms of cancers. Recreational use and trade of marijuana is still illegal and could land anyone caught with a joint with severe penalties of up to 10 years in prison. With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives. New York's weaknesses in the face of climate change, the city is erecting a $ 1.45-billion system of walls and floodgates. Kroger, the country’ s biggest traditional grocery chain, is ending some benefits for unvaccinated workers. Australia will push ahead with plans to ease Covid restrictions before Christmas. Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii. Source - NOAA - Earth System Research Laboratories Global Monitoring LaboratoryToday, hardly a week goes by without some sort... COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2021 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

general

Mysterious viral pneumonia infects dozens in central China, bird flu and SARS ruled out

A total of 59 cases of viral pneumonia have been reported in the city of Wuhan, with seven people in critical condition. In a statement posted on its website, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission said 163 people who had contact with those infected had been placed under medical observation. It said that a number of those infected worked at a seafood market in the city. The local government have ruled out an epidemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome ( SARS), which killed 700 people around the world after originating in China. As well as mainland China, Singapore and Hong Kong have set up checks for travellers arriving from Wuhan. Hong Kong has admitted 16 travellers with pneumonia-like symptoms to hospital with Singapore having one suspicious case. A spokesperson for the World Health Organization ( WHO) said: “ There are many potential causes of viral pneumonia, many of which are more common than severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus. WHO is closely monitoring this event and will share more details as we have them. ” SARS is caused by a member of the coronavirus family of viruses. It is believed the 2003 epidemic started when the virus spread from small mammals in China.

tech

Larry Berman: Gold may be the best asset class in 2020

The information you requested is not available at this time, please check back again soon. The escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East add yet another reason to keep gold exposure in your portfolio in 2020. Furthermore, a gaggle of former central bankers now admit monetary policy is less effective and can’ t do all the lifting, and so the spectre of more central bank buying is present too. Mario Draghi and Janet Yellen are two of such voices calling for more fiscal policy efforts. The U.S. is already running a five-per-cent fiscal deficit, yet Yellen says there is more room ( and need) to boost the economy, which is already at full employment. Hum. The chart shows demand for gold from central banks and ETFs is higher today than when gold spiked above US $ 1,900 in 2011. The call for fiscal efforts by governments to boost growth could be inflationary. But who’ s going to buy all that new debt? The Federal Reserve and all its central bank friends, most likely by way of quantitative easing. Governments are heading towards cranking up the printing press, and that could play out in many different ways. Last time the expectation was for an inflationary impact, but that never came. If the money starts to increase incomes by way of lower taxes or a universal basic income, then yes, we could have an inflation problem. But if it leads only to excess reserves, and the money does not move through the economy and expand the multiplier, then it may just boost asset markets as it has done for several years now. In either scenario of inflation or more QE, gold should win for a while longer. I see gold getting back to its previous highs above US $ 1,900 in the next few years. Whoever wins the 2020 presidential election in the U.S., Congress is going to spend trillions on tax cuts, infrastructure and very possibly a Green New Deal, if our expectation is that the vast majority of millennials will vote Donald Trump out of office for his abject failure on the environment. In general, millennials care far more about the environment they are inheriting than they do about taxes. The overnight gap up in gold hit resistance from the 61.8 per cent Fibonacci around US $ 1,588 ( spot). A weekly close above this level suggests the next resistance at US $ 1,800 could be tested quickly. The last major rally from 2010-11 in the wake of QE2 never led to an inflation push since the vast majority of the liquidity the Fed injected was left as excess reserves and never lent out. But it did find its way into financial assets. Fiscally, the U.S. has added US $ 11 trillion federally in new debt since the Lehman bankruptcy cascaded the financial world in 2008 with little sign of inflation. To even insinuate that the governments are not doing enough fiscally is laughable. Both monetary and fiscal policy tools are less effective than they once were. The type of reaction markets may have will depend on policy choices in the future, which will depend on who is U.S. president in 2021. In any case, the government will be spending bags of money, and most of it will need to be monetized because the economy simply won’ t function well with higher rates. This is very bullish for gold. Twitter: @ LarryBermanETF LinkedIn: ETF Capital Management Facebook: ETF Capital Management Website: www.etfcm.com ​The excess cash that has accumulated in Canadians’ bank accounts during the pandemic might not provide quite the economic boost that the federal government has been hoping for, according to a Bay Street economist. The extremely transmissible Omicron variant has prompted companies in the manufacturing and resource sectors to downgrade their earnings forecasts amid the ongoing uncertainty. The Nasdaq Composite notched its worst month in nearly two years after the Federal Reserve’ s aggressive hike signals roiled high-flying technology stocks. Joe Rogan pledged more balance and better research for his podcast in an apology aimed at quelling growing controversy about misleading coronavirus information that plunged Spotify Technology SA into controversy last week.

general

New beverage launches January 2020

Or wait... Search Free newsletter Subscribe News Retail & Shopper Insights Manufacturers Ingredients Processing & Packaging Markets R & D Regulation & Safety Editor's Choice Industry Voices Promotional Features Site Archive Multimedia Sectors Soft Drinks & Water Energy & Sports Beer, Wine, Spirits, Cider Juice Drinks Dairy Drinks Tea and Coffee Site Archive Multimedia Trends COVID-19 CBD and beyond Low and no alcohol drinks Craft Beverage Entrepreneurs Energy Drinks & Beyond Sustainability Smart Packaging Functional Beverages Emerging Markets Fizzing-Up Carbonates Future Flavors Health and Wellness Premium Indulgence Natural and Organic Alcohol Regulation Soda: taxes & regulation Site Archive Multimedia Big Brands AB InBev Constellation Brands Bacardi Brown-Forman Carlsberg Coca-Cola Danone Diageo Dr Pepper Heineken Molson Coors Nestlé PepsiCo SABMiller Site Archive Multimedia Resources Type of resources Events Shows & Conferences Online Events Editorial Webinars All Events Events Processing & Packaging By Rachel Arthur and Beth Newhart 06-Jan-2020 - Last updated on 07-Jan-2020 at 08:53 GMT Related tags: Innovation function sanitize gpt value2 ( gptValue) { var vOut= '' ''; var aTags = gptValue.split ( ', '); var reg = new RegExp ( '\\W+ ', `` g ''); for ( var i=0; i < aTags.length; i++) { vOut += aTags [ i ].trim ().replace ( reg, '- ').substring ( 0,40); if ( i! = ( aTags.length-1)) vOut += ', '; } vOut = vOut.toLowerCase (); return vOut; } $ ( document).ready ( function () { dataLayerNews = { }; dataLayerNews.related tags = sanitize gpt value2 ( `` Innovation ''); dataLayer.push ( dataLayerNews); }); Kirin Beverage Co will launch iMUSE Water ( Mizu) in Japan this month, a product containing Kirin's proprietary probiotic Lactococcus Lactis Strain Plasma. iMUSE Water is a sugar-free, calorie-free product that can consumed daily for health management. The drink delivers 100 billion Plasma Lactobacillus ​per 500mL. The probiotic is isolated from soured milk. While the drink is marketed with a wellness element, the product will not hold a Food with Function Claim ( FFC). The drink will be available at supermarkets, convenience stores, and drug stores from January 14 with a recommended retail price of JPY 120 ( US $ 1). In earlier clinical studies​, Plasma Lactobacillus ​was found to play a role in immunity; while Kirin is investigating its potential in fighting dengue virus infection, as well as championing its anti-ageing effects. As part of the Kirin Group Vision 2027 to connect food and medicine, the company's iMUSE brand focuses on health maintenance. Existing products in the range include yogurts, supplements, gummies and beverages. Bud Light Seltzer is hitting shelves in the US, as one of beer giant AB InBev's entries​ in the booming hard seltzer category. The first batch of Bud Light Seltzer was delivered to the town of Seltzer in Pennsylvania last month: with a nationwide rollout to follow. The 5% ABV seltzer is made with cane sugar and natural fruit flavors, and comes in at 100 calories, 2g carbs and < 1g of sugar per serving. The seltzer does not taste like beer; but comes in four flavor variants of Black Cherry, Lemon Lime, Strawberry and Mango. Bud Light Seltzer will be available in a variety 12-pack, single-flavor 12-packs and single-flavor 25 oz cans. UK company Innovative Functional Foods and Hertfordshire distillery Black Bridge Distillery have joined forces to launch Green Russian Hand-Crafted Vodka and Green Genie Hand Crafted Gin. The vodka is triple distilled from 100% molasses spirit with an infusion of green tea: ‘ which possesses a depth of flavour that can warm even the coldest and darkest of Moscow nights!’ Meanwhile, Green Genie Hand Crafted Gin is a'smooth, citrus forward gin ', with a blend of 12 botanicals including juniper, Sicilian lemon, Seville orange, White Korean ginseng, coriander seed, angelica root, orris root and Chinese green tea. Kin creates ‘ functional euphorics’ in beverage and has now launched a new restorative nightcap drink Dream Light. The brand said it is designed to ‘ ease your body and mind’ differently from other sleep supplements and aids on the market. “ Dream Light was created to enhance the ritual before bed and promotes a state of rest by relaxing muscles, supporting digestion, and regulating temperature. It is also a non-alcoholic beverage so you’ ll never fear a looming hangover, ” ​ Kin said. The drink contains adaptogens, nootropics and botanics in each 16.9oz bottle. Kin is free from nuts, gluten, dairy and added sugar. It can be sipped warm or chilled, and has an earthy, smokey taste with a spiced finish. It joins Kin’ s existing products, High Rhode and Spritz, which are all available in the US on Kin’ s website. UK-based Discarded Spirits Co. is adding a fruit-forward rum to its portfolio that blends Caribbean rum and banana peel. The brand has sourced the banana peel from a flavor house that uses the fruit but gets rid of the peel. The peels are dried out and fermented, then steeped in alcohol for two weeks. The 37.5% ABV rum has a 'fresh toffee note with a fruity balance ', still with the spice and sweetness foundation of a Caribbean rum. Tom Stannard, Global Marketing Manager, said “ It’ s exciting to see how consumers and bartenders have engaged with Discarded so far. When developing Rum, we wanted to maintain the magic of reuse whilst credibly expanding into a new category. The best way to describe the flavour is liquid banana bread, distinctive yet comforting. ” ​ Three new flavors of unsweetened juices are being added to Ocean Spray’ s Pure Fruit Juice portfolio in the US. The expansion represents the brand’ s focus on health and wellness and commitment to reshaping the food system into a health and wellness system, according to Ocean Spray. Pure Cranberry has been sold at Walmart since 2017, and now Pure Tart Cherry, White Grapefruit and Concord Grape. The juices are non-GMO and contain no added sugars, artificial flavors or preservatives. They are available at Walmart now and will roll out to other nationwide retailers soon. Chris O'Connor, VP of marketing at Ocean Spray, said `` By extending our portfolio of Pure unsweetened beverages at Walmart, we are demonstrating our commitment to deliver a wide variety of juices that have the incredible health benefits of the cranberry and other superfruits. We will continue to develop innovative options that expand awareness of cranberries and exemplify our dedication to health and wellness. `` ​ Gatorade is breaking further into the energy and performance space with the launch of its first caffeinated beverage. The BOLT24 ENERGIZE collection contains between 50-75mg of caffeine per 16.9oz bottle and will roll out to nationwide US retailers in the first months of this year. BOLT24 features electrolytes from watermelon and sea salt, as well as vitamins A, C, B3, B5 and B6. Strawberry-Lemon, Orange-Passion Fruit and Cherry-Lime are the first flavors in the line, made with no artificial sweeteners or flavors. Bananas & Cream is the latest flavor to join SlimFast’ s Advanced Nutrition line. The meal replacement shake contains 20g of protein, 5g of fiber and 1g of sugar. It’ s also low-carb and free from gluten and lactose. The Advanced Nutrition line also includes flavors Strawberries & Cream, Vanilla Cream and Creamy Chocolate. The products are available US retailers such as Walmart, Publix, Kroger, Ahold, Wakefern, HyVee and Meijer. Keto and Co is expanding its Sated brand from Keto shake mixes to complete Keto RTD shakes. The company said the new products fill a gap in the US market for convenient low-carb, keto foods. Ted Tieken, Keto and Co CEO, said `` Our shakes are ready when you are. And because they have all the nutrition of a balanced meal, they keep you fuller longer. `` ​ `` The anticipation we 've seen for Sated Ready-to-Drink has been incredible. We're thrilled to be bringing it to our backers, our customers, and to a national market that is growing ever more carb and health conscious. `` ​ The Vanilla and Chocolate flavors are packaged in 11oz cartons and contain 400 calories. They can be purchased on the Sated website. Wisconsin-based alcoholic seltzer brand PRESS has a new seasonal flavor for winter, that “ features velvety citrus notes that shine against a zing of fleeting heat and splash of mellowing sweetness. ” Blood Orange Chili follows previous seasonal editions Pear Chamomile and Apple Cinnamon. Amy Walberg, founder of PRESS, said “ I’ ve been working to bring Blood Orange Chili to market for years. This flavor is exotic, mischievous and totally unexpected. It’ s one of my favorites, and I think people are going to love it. ” ​ Each can of PRESS contains 110 calories with a 4% ABV. It has four core flavors -- Blackberry Hibiscus, Grapefruit Cardamom, Lime Lemongrass, Pomegranate Ginger -- that are sold in 41 US states. TAZO has three new varieties of ready-to-drink iced tea launching in the US. Zen is green tea with spearmint and lemongrass; Awake is a blend of black teas; and Passion is an herbal infusion of hibiscus, orange peel and cinnamon.

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Consumers can trace coffee beans through new blockchain app

The traceability app could check some major boxes for the legions of coffee drinkers out there, as well as for those who grow, roast, import and sell beans. As consumers increasingly look for more transparency about where their food and beverages come from, this app traces where the beans originated and could boost coffee sales for participating companies. Blockchain tracks products as they travel through the supply chain, so it can help enhance consumer confidence in the source and quality of what they eat and drink. More companies have been turning to this technology in the past year. This past spring, Albertsons joined the IBM Food Trust, a blockchain-based food and supply chain solution, to track romaine lettuce after several foodborne illness outbreaks. Kroger, Walmart, Dole, Driscoll's, Golden State Foods, McCormick, McLane, Tyson Foods and Unilever also use the IBM Food Trust solution. The new technology can follow an individual bag of coffee beans from delivery to the cup, according to Farmer Connect. The plan is to use farmer IDs to track growing conditions, record transactions and follow yields and sales prices. The project foresees roasters eventually being able to digitally track the full supply chain and importers being able to improve trading strategies. By the end of this year, they may be able to set farmer agreements, send payments and follow coffee supply trails using this technology, Farmer Connect said. This isn't the only method of tracking coffee. A Colombian-based technology firm is taking a similar route with its bilingual iFinca app developed by India-based Debut Infotech. iFinca uses blockchain to connect producers and others in the supply chain, verify purchases and make production more efficient. It also aims to boost slumping prices paid to coffee farmers to above the cost of production by giving farmers more visibility and voice in the supply chain, which could also be a result of the new Thank My Farmer app. In the U.S., 64% of adults drink a cup of coffee daily — up 2% from 2017 and the highest level since 2012, according to a 2018 survey from the National Coffee Association. More of Big Food is getting into coffee through acquisitions and by introducing new products as a result of this increased consumption, and apps like these could help companies stand out among the competition. Smucker has been investing in its 1850 Coffee and Folgers brands through recent marketing campaigns, and it's the first to be launching the Thank My Farmer app QR codes on its products in the U.S. For coffee companies, these new apps could enhance traceability and sustainability credentials — qualities consumers look for when choosing from the myriad brands available in today's marketplace. According to National Coffee Association statistics referenced by Financial Times, two-thirds of consumers ages 19 to 24 want to purchase sustainabily grown and responsibly sourced products. With its products in public school cafeterias and a teen-focused website that connects animal agriculture to global warming, the company aims to feed and educate the next generation. As consumers turn to other beverages, Gavin Hattersley has moved aggressively into energy drinks, diet soda and tequila to revive his company's portfolio — all while combating challenges like COVID-19 and a security breach. Subscribe to Food Dive to get the must-read news & insights in your inbox. Topics covered: manufacturing, packaging, new products, R & D, and much more. Discover announcements from companies in your industry. With its products in public school cafeterias and a teen-focused website that connects animal agriculture to global warming, the company aims to feed and educate the next generation.

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Davos 2020: What you need to know

You're one step closer to unlocking our suite of comprehensive and robust tools. Fill out the form so we can connect you to the right person. If your company has a current subscription with S & P Global Market Intelligence, you can register as a new user for access to the platform ( s) covered by your license at S & P Capital IQ Pro or S & P Capital IQ. One of our representatives will be in touch soon to help get you started with your demo. Thank you for your interest in S & P Global Market Intelligence! We noticed you 've identified yourself as a student. Through existing partnerships with academic institutions around the globe, it's likely you already have access to our resources. Please contact your professors, library, or administrative staff to receive your student login. At this time we are unable to offer free trials or product demonstrations directly to students. If you discover that our solutions are not available to you, we encourage you to advocate at your university for a best-in-class learning experience that will help you long after you 've completed your degree. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. On Nov. 30, 2020, S & P Global and IHS Markit announced they have entered into a definitive merger agreement to combine in an all-stock transaction which values IHS Markit at an enterprise value of $ 44 billion, including $ 4.8 billion of net debt. In 2020, our people showed tremendous resilience, responsibility and resolve to support one another, our customers, our communities, our suppliers, and in doing so, have served our shareholders. At S & P Global, we can’ t change the world overnight. But we can take action to affect change. After a year that saw the dissemination of coronavirus vaccines, historic net-zero policy discussions, and the disruption of supply chains and energy markets, 2022 is likely to result in a recalibration of the global economy. We enter 2022 with largely positive credit momentum, reflecting favorable financing conditions and a powerful economic recovery. This could be derailed if persistently high inflation pushes central banks to aggressively tighten monetary policy, triggering significant market volatility and repricing risks. 2021 brought hope for global economic growth following 2020’ s coronavirus-caused downturn, largely tied to the development and widespread deployment of COVID-19 vaccines and despite the rise of new variants. In the next few decades, millions of lives and trillions of dollars will be at risk because of a single issue: climate change. Our research and analyses look at the related risks — and opportunities — that countries, companies, and investors face in addressing the changing climate. While the extent and effectiveness of the global response to climate change remain uncertain, one thing is very clear: Companies and investors must prepare for a range of possible outcomes with diverging transition and physical risks. We look into these risks in our latest research, which debuted at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. “ Our latest research shows that 60% of S & P500 companies, with a market capitalisation of $ 18 trillion, hold assets that are at high risk of at least one type of climate-related physical event. It’ s critical that companies fully understand their impact and dependency on ecosystems as well as the impact of a changing climate on their business operations. Trucost recently launched its Climate Change Physical Risk Analytics with the aim of helping companies and investors understand their exposure to a range of physical risks at the asset level including floods, droughts, wildfires, heatwaves and extreme weather events. ” While the extent and effectiveness of the global response to climate change remain uncertain, one thing is very clear: Companies and investors must prepare for a range of possible outcomes with diverging transition and physical risks. This need for determined action to reduce emissions and limit the effects of climate change poses important transition risks for companies and investors through regulation, changing market dynamics, and technology, among other factors. As it stands, companies in the benchmark S & P 500 Index own physical assets across 68 countries globally—and 60% of these entities ( with a market capitalization of $ 18 trillion) hold assets that are at high risk of at least one type of climate-change physical risk. And while corporate-level resilience to both transition and physical risk varies greatly within and across sectors, S & P Global data show that heatwaves, wildfires, water stress, and hurricanes linked to increasing average global temperatures represent the biggest physical risks for companies in the S & P 500. S & P Global Ratings ' look-back reviews published in 2017 and 2018 show that climate risk materially influenced less than 10% of our rating actions in recent years. Recent climate-related rating actions have typically stemmed from either physical risks, such as the 2018 wildfires in the case of Pacific Gas & Electric in the U.S. and Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria affecting reinsurers and local governments in 2017; or disruption to the operating environment in certain sectors. Current global warming trends suggest that the materiality of climate risk for ratings is only likely to increase in the future. The longer the delays in addressing current trends in climate change, the more likely we could see economic and social disruptions, due both to higher physical risks and the need to transition to a low-carbon economy at a faster pace. What’ s the Deal with the 2-Degree Scenario? Under the 2015 Paris Agreement, nearly 200 countries agreed to limit global warming to no more than 2 degrees Celsius by 2100, and to aim for a no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius increase. The 2-degree scenario is widely seen as the global community’ s accepted limitation of temperature growth to avoid significant and potentially catastrophic changes to the planet. Of the eight major economies that account for 67% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, only Europe is gearing up to extend its Paris Agreement commitment after the European Parliament announced a climate emergency Thursday. Incoming European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is set to call for EU member states to cut carbon emissions by at least 50% below 1990 levels by 2030, up from a current 40% reduction target. But ahead of the COP25 climate talks in Madrid, climate scientists say around 75% of current national plans are inadequate to put the globe on a path that meets the Paris Agreement's aim of limiting global warming to 1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius. Policy changes introduced as economies adapt to climate change could wipe between $ 1.6 trillion to $ 2.3 trillion off the value of major global companies by 2025, and investors need to reflect that policy risk in their strategies, according to research conducted for the U.N.-backed group, Principles for Responsible Investment. According to an analysis by consultants Vivid Economics and Energy Transition Advisors, policy changes would reduce by 3.1% to 4.5% the value of companies on the benchmark global equity MSCI ACWI index, or the equivalent of the total value of the largest 12 to 33 companies on the London Stock Exchange's FTSE100. The future financial and social consequences of climate change are becoming increasingly apparent to companies, investors and policy makers. Strong action to reduce emissions and limit climate change may avoid the worst physical impacts of climate change but presents significant market, technology and regulatory transition risks for market participants. Conversely, failure to adequately reduce greenhouse gas emissions may limit transition risks but will result in increasing climate change and associated physical risks. Since S & P Global Ratings ' most recent review on the matter in December 2018, the need for climate change adaptation projects hasn't abated. Indeed, more people are noticing. We believe the recent surge in damage from extreme climate events has significantly increased the attention of public authorities on the need for investment in this area. According to the reinsurer Swiss Re, 2017-2018 insured losses from natural catastrophes, including climate related events, were $ 219 billion, the highest 24-month figure on record. In total, economic losses from natural catastrophes totaled $ 497 billion, with a further $ 40 billion during the first half of 2019. This implies uninsured losses from natural catastrophes of approximately $ 280 billion in 2017 and 2018 alone. As more and more companies and investors conclude that sustainable practices make for sustainable returns, the assessment of corporations’ environmental, social, and governance ( ESG) footprints has moved from a simple measure of corporate responsibility to an investment proposition. While this general focus on ESG policies is undeniably beneficial, companies today are presented with the additional challenge of actively planning for climate risk. With a growing consensus around climate science, companies and investors must plan for a number of different scenarios, depending on the extent and impact of global climate change. However, an absence of shared terminology, benchmarks, and policies threaten to stymie investors and companies as they attempt to account for climate risk. Global infrastructure spending has remained resilient in an environment of financial instability, underpinned mainly by interest from private sector investors. Private investors seeking long-term, stable returns are keen to fund infrastructure projects ranging from energy, to transport, to water infrastructure. These investors are providing support to governments facing a growing infrastructure funding gap. Yet, the sector is now awakening to the threats and opportunities that sustainability brings to realizing this long-term source of finance. Long-term climate risks are unlikely to leave any sector untouched as governments worldwide seek to maintain warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius under the 2015 Paris Agreement. This may force infrastructure projects to address energy use concerns, particularly as urban infrastructure consumes approximately two-thirds of global energy. Further, concerns over the recoupling of resource consumption and economic growth continue to grow. This adds pressure to address the resource-intensity of infrastructure often associated with the `` take, make, and dispose '' model under the linear economy. Insurance coverage for some risks is becoming rarer and more costly as climate change alters the risk landscape, according to Zurich Insurance Group AG's chief risk officer. Speaking to S & P Global Market Intelligence following the release of the World Economic Forum's 2020 Global Risks Report, Peter Giger said certain perils are becoming increasingly expensive, and that while those price increases are justifiable, they are hitting communities affected by climate change.

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BeverageDaily 2020 features calendar

Or wait... Search Free newsletter Subscribe News Retail & Shopper Insights Manufacturers Ingredients Processing & Packaging Markets R & D Regulation & Safety Editor's Choice Industry Voices Promotional Features Site Archive Multimedia Sectors Soft Drinks & Water Energy & Sports Beer, Wine, Spirits, Cider Juice Drinks Dairy Drinks Tea and Coffee Site Archive Multimedia Trends COVID-19 CBD and beyond Low and no alcohol drinks Craft Beverage Entrepreneurs Energy Drinks & Beyond Sustainability Smart Packaging Functional Beverages Emerging Markets Fizzing-Up Carbonates Future Flavors Health and Wellness Premium Indulgence Natural and Organic Alcohol Regulation Soda: taxes & regulation Site Archive Multimedia Big Brands AB InBev Constellation Brands Bacardi Brown-Forman Carlsberg Coca-Cola Danone Diageo Dr Pepper Heineken Molson Coors Nestlé PepsiCo SABMiller Site Archive Multimedia Resources Type of resources Events Shows & Conferences Online Events Editorial Webinars All Events Events Processing & Packaging By Rachel Arthur contact 06-Jan-2020 - Last updated on 06-Jan-2020 at 10:31 GMT Related tags: Innovation, Beverages function sanitize gpt value2 ( gptValue) { var vOut= '' ''; var aTags = gptValue.split ( ', '); var reg = new RegExp ( '\\W+ ', `` g ''); for ( var i=0; i < aTags.length; i++) { vOut += aTags [ i ].trim ().replace ( reg, '- ').substring ( 0,40); if ( i! = ( aTags.length-1)) vOut += ', '; } vOut = vOut.toLowerCase (); return vOut; } $ ( document).ready ( function () { dataLayerNews = { }; dataLayerNews.related tags = sanitize gpt value2 ( `` Innovation, Beverages ''); dataLayer.push ( dataLayerNews); }); All special edition newsletters are sent out via email to our subscribers ( you can subscribe via the box at the top right of the page. What can we expect from the new era of cannabis beverages? What does the war on plastic mean for packaging in the beverage industry? Do fermented beverages herald a shift in tastes? What functional claims carry the most weight with consumers? If you feel you have something to bring to the discussion, please contact Rachel Arthur at enpury.neguhe @ jeoz.pbz​​​​. We will consider material of editorial value. For advertising inquiries, please contact our sales department via this link.​​ January 31​ As consumers seek to moderate their alcohol intake, the market is opening up for alcohol alternatives. With improved taste, visibility and social acceptance, low and no alcohol beers have already made their mark, but what about non-alcoholic spirits, mocktails and low alcohol wines? Alcohol beverage giants are responding to consumer demand with no and low ABV alternatives of flagship products, as well as launching entirely new products in the no and low ABV category. But innovation is also being driven from the other direction, by soft drinks manufacturers who spy an opportunity for premium soft drinks. March 6​ Plastic is public enemy number one, and with its traditional dependence on plastic bottles the beverage industry is in the firing line. So what is the industry doing to address the consumer backlash against plastic, and how is it making packaging becoming more sustainable? This special edition looks at alternative packaging formats such as cans and cartons, the use of recycled PET, and development of new materials such as bio-based plastics – and how they really stack up when it comes to sustainability. April 3​ Eager to be at the forefront of the latest trend, cannabis beverages have been leaping onto the market. And yet there’ s still many unknowns when it comes to long-term market potential, effective formulations and regulations. Multinational players have already invested billions in the category, while beverage entrepreneurs hope their small and speedy approach can help them get ahead in the game. Will cannabis beverages be the next big thing – or are they destined for disappointment? Can cannabis offer an alternative to alcoholic beverages – or will the novelty wear off? Will innovation take this category into areas we’ d never dreamed of – or will manufacturers face a regulatory nightmare? May 22​ Health and wellness is at the forefront of consumers’ minds, and sugar gets plenty of bad press. The obesity endemic is as big a concern as ever, and soft drinks are in the firing line. What is the industry doing to reduce calories? How are market leaders reformulating and revamping their portfolios; and what healthier brands are appearing? From alternative sweeteners to packaging sizes, we look at what the industry is doing to cut calories – and how well these are working. Meanwhile, sugar taxes continue to hit the headlines as governments seek to tackle the obesity crisis. July 17​ RTD tea and coffee has been on-trend in the US for years. But what's the category's global reach, and how is innovation shaping up the category? As consumers continue their search for an energy boost, RTD coffee has an opportunity to grow; while RTD tea has a chance to steal market share from carbonated soft drinks, calling out their healthy, natural, functional or antioxidant properties. September 11​ Industry 4.0 is here: with increased automation and the growing importance of data and connectivity. Operational efficiency continues to be a key concern for manufacturers, as is agility in production. Packaging is evolving: with advances in technology brands are turning to QR codes, NFC tags and RFID. Meanwhile, sustainability is a growing concern: with a focus on light-weighting, new eco-friendly materials and recyclability. October 23​ Once, beverages were simply about hydration. Now, people are clued up to the concept of healthy hydration while also asking what additional benefits their drinks can provide. Rich with innovation, the functional beverage category is full of exciting developments and new ideas. But how much weight do functional claims carry – and which ones are consumers most interested in? This special edition will put the spotlight on ingredients, claims and regulations, market size and the opportunities and challenges for functional beverages. November 6​ In November Brau Beviale will once again shine the spotlight across the whole process chain of beverage production: high-quality raw materials, technologies, logistics, marketing and much more. Held in Nuremberg, Germany, the beverage trade show attracts some 40,000 visitors and 1,100 exhibitors: covering beer, water, non-alcoholic drinks, spirits, wine, sparkling wine and liquid dairy products. December 11​

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Cal-Maine Just Shed 12% - But Is Now The Time To Buy

Cal-Maine ( CALM) reported earnings this morning and it wasn’ t a good scene for the bulls. The company missed on some key metrics, reported weak pricing, provided poor outlook, and cut the dividend. Shares responded negatively because of it. Cal-Maine shed more than -12% on the news but the move may be overblown. What Happened? Cal-Maine is one of the largest producers and distributors of shell eggs in North America. The company is a major player in the specialty egg market deriving more than 35% of its revenue from that segment. Sales of specialty eggs rose 100 basis points on a YOY basis but that’ s where the good news ends. Total revenue for the year fell short of expectations falling -12.5% from the previous year. While sales of specialty eggs are on the rise, sales of all other segments stagnated at -0.5% and prices are falling. The average price per dozen of eggs decreased -11.5% across all segments, -4.5% for specialty eggs, compounding the weak sales and cutting deeply into the bottom line. The bottom line was ugly. Analysts had been expecting $ 0.10 per share but got served a loss instead. The adjusted EPS came in at - $ 0.21 cents per share, the first loss since 2018, and the outlook is not good. The USDA outlook for shell-egg prices in 2020 is the continuation of a downtrend that has been in effect for three years. “ Prices for national trading of truck lot quantities of graded, loose, White Large shell eggs decreased 23% ( from $ 0.550 to $ 0.426 per dozen), and the undertone is lower into next week. The wholesale price on the bellwether New York market for Large shell eggs delivered to retailers declined 12% ( from $ 0.97 to $ 0.85 per dozen) with an unsure undertone headed into next week ” document.write ( ' < a style= '' text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal; color: # 696969; '' target= '' blank '' rel= '' nofollow '' href= '' https: //www.ame ' + 'ricanconsumernews.net/scripts/click.aspx? NativeDisplayAdID=583 & ImpressionID=0 & UserID=0 & Placement=PlaceOnArticlePage '' > '); The biggest tech breakthrough in decades is about to hit the market. One expected to soon be found in EVERY 5G cell phone… Laptop, and electronic device on the planet. Giving early investors the chance to walk away with a share of $ 448 billion Market. Egg Price Weakness Is Not A Surprise, A Dividend Cut Was Weakness in the egg market was not a surprise. Prices for shell-eggs have been on the decline from record highs ever since the laying flock began recovery from the 2017 bird-flu epidemic. The flock is even still in recovery, up another 4% YOY in the latest USDA report, so I don’ t expect a recovery or even stabilization in egg prices soon. What was a surprise was the company’ s decision to cut the dividend. The board cut the distribution completely and will not pay another until two subsequent quarters of growth. Cal-Maine’ s policy is to pay one-third of the quarterly earnings as a cash dividend so it was really not a choice for them to make. With hen flocks on the rise and demand for eggs on the decline, Cal-Maine may not be able to pay a distribution this year. Highly Valued And No Dividend But People Are Buying Even with today’ s sharp decline in prices, the stock is highly valued. Assuming the consensus EPS estimate for next year is still good the stock is trading at 38X forward earnings. With no growth and not dividend that is an outrageous valuation and yet the stock is showing signs of buying. In all likelihood, the buying is nothing more than short-covering so traders and investors are warned to wait before initiating bullish positions. The best target for firm support is at the $ 37 level and that was confirmed by today’ s action. Even so, I would expect to see support retested, possibly as low as $ 37, before the market regroups again. Longer-term Cal-Maine stock is expected to pop again, just as soon as profitability comes bacn into view and a dividend along with it. Until then I would target the $ 37 for potential points of entry. 8 Pharmaceutical Companies Working on a Coronavirus Cure We are living through interesting times. Not an hour goes by when Americans don’ t receive some reminder of the impact the coronavirus has on our lives. The race is on for an effective, FDA-approved treatment for the virus. Despite, vaccines being available for human trial in record time, we are many months away from having a viable vaccine. However, we may be somewhat closer in finding some antiviral treatments. And if you’ ve watched the market closely this week, any news on that front tends to move the market in a positive direction. That brings up another truth of investing. There are some stocks that thrive from other stocks misery. And that’ s why we’ ve put together this special report. If you’ re an investor who is looking to jump into this bear market, the pharmaceutical sector is a logical choice. A combination of big-name drug companies as well as smaller startup companies are working around the clock to develop vaccines or treatments that will target the infection caused by the novel coronavirus. View the `` 8 Pharmaceutical Companies Working on a Coronavirus Cure ''. Complete the form below to receive the latest headlines and analysts ' recommendations for your stocks with our free daily email newsletter:

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Oilfield Water Logistics Doubles Permian Delaware Footprint With Acquisition

Sign in to get the best natural gas news and data. Follow the topics you want and receive the daily emails. Your email address * Your password * Remember me Continue Reset password Featured Content News & Data Services Client Support Shale Daily Shale Daily | Infrastructure | NGI All News Access Oilfield Water Logistics ( OWL) said Monday it has acquired a portfolio of operating produced water infrastructure assets in New Mexico from an unnamed, “ major Permian Basin oil producer. ” The assets include 23 saltwater disposal wells and 300 miles of water gathering pipelines, according to OWL, which said it has also entered into a long-term contract with the seller for water infrastructure solutions. The acquisition doubles OWL’ s footprint in the Permian’ s northern Delaware sub-basin, said CEO Chris Cooper. Exploration and production “ companies increasingly face operational and logistical challenges related to the transportation, re-use and disposal of produced water, ” Cooper said. The OWL deal is the latest in a flurry of water-related transactions in the Permian, where the produced water market could reach $ 12 billion by 2025, according to a recent analysis by Raymond James & Associates Inc. A December report by Bluefield Research estimated that annual spending by U.S. oil and gas operators on water management for hydraulic fracturing will average $ 17 billion from 2019-2028. Financial terms of the OWL transaction were not disclosed. © 2021 Natural Gas Intelligence. All rights reserved. ISSN © 2577-9877 | ISSN © 2158-8023 | Related topics: Owl permian Water NGI’ s Shale Price Tracker Shale Product Suite Listen to NGI’ s ‘ Hub & Flow’ Shale Daily Download latest PDF Edition Shale Daily: Trending News Markets Even as demand and prices soared, leading North American natural gas marketers posted uneven results and lower collective sales volumes for the third quarter. The downward slide continued a trend dating to production curtailments imposed by the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, according to NGI’ s quarterly tally. Several marketers reported robust gains in the quarter, however, … M & A Markets Markets Energy Transition Natural Gas Prices Energy Transition E & P Markets LNG

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Ryan Bushell discusses Telus

China aims to launch nationwide power trading by 2025, the state planning agency said Friday, as policy makers seek a unified solution to some of the problems that have bedeviled generators in recent years. The bar for China’ s financial markets to do better this year was so low, virtually everyone on Wall Street was saying the country’ s stocks and bonds could only go up. Back in 2016, trying to get an ambitious young financier to choose France over Britain was an often hopeless task. China needs to step up government spending to support an economy that’ s slowing due to coronavirus lockdowns and a property sector downturn, according to the International Monetary Fund. ( Bloomberg) -- Sign up for the New Economy Daily newsletter, follow us @ economics and subscribe to our podcast. { { video.ContentPackages [ 0 ].ScheduleStartDateTime | fromNow } }

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Coronavirus impact on tech supply chains minimal for now

With the coronavirus outbreak showing little signs of abating, the impact on the tech supply chain could grow. It all depends on if the virus continues to spread and how long production facilities remain closed. This is particularly important for Apple, whose main supplier, Foxconn, has major manufacturing facilities in and around the virus ' epicenter in Wuhan, China. Currently, there is little evidence that the virus and subsequent shutdown of Foxconn's production lines is having a material impact on Apple's ability to deliver products to its stores. SEE: Coronavirus having major effect on tech industry beyond supply chain delays ( free PDF) ( TechRepublic) `` The rumors by supply chain experts are if they get back to work by mid-February, things will be OK, '' said Frank Gillett, a Forrester vice president and principal research analyst covering Internet of Things and emerging technology. `` The ultimate question is, 'Will I have a harder time finding products from China and might the prices go up if I can find them? '. '' The answer to both these questions appears to be no, for now. According to a sales associate in the Columbus, Ohio Easton Town Center Apple store, there is no shortage of phones on the shelves and he had not heard of any delays of new phones being shipped. Although, apparently, custom computer orders on certain products are seeing delays. Josh Nelson, a principal analyst in the Hackett Group's strategic and business transformation practice, said there is still a good amount of buffer inventory available because the Chinese Lunar New Year, a long holiday similar to Christmas in the West, had caused manufacturers to build up excess inventory in anticipation of productions lines being shut down for the holiday. `` The problem is if coronavirus gets more widespread, '' he said. `` But, for the time being, its ' going to affect Hubei plants but they 'll be able to move products to other facilities. If you think about the supply chain, there's generally buffer inventory in China, there's ships at sea, and then they have buffer inventory in the US. '' SEE: Phishing attacks: A guide for IT pros ( free PDF) ( TechRepublic Premium) Since the 2010 Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan, when the production of critical components for Lithium-Ion batteries was halted, companies, which had no other suppliers of the parts they needed, began to take a hard look at the potential vulnerabilities in their supply chains. This led many companies to diversify their supply chains, which provided more resilience, though chokepoints still remain. `` It's going to be those plants much like Fukushima where you have one plant that makes 70% of the supply, '' he said. `` But it's hard to predict where those are going to be at this point in time. '' Morningstar analyst Don Yew said in a Reuters article the impact on Foxconn should be limited because `` its four subsidiaries in Hubei only accounted for 1.8% of the firm's overall revenue in 2018 and vendors such as Apple maintain a diversified supply chain. '' To help control the outbreak, the Chinese government has extended the Lunar New Year holiday through this past Sunday, Feb. 2, to `` reduce mass gatherings '' and keep people from going back to work although some regions will keep factories closed through Feb. 9. According to Bloomberg, `` Apple Inc.'s major suppliers in China, including iPhone-maker Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., plan to resume full-scale production in the country Feb. 10 …. '' The names Hon Hai and Foxconn are used interchangeably. Both companies are part of the Hon Hai/Foxconn Technology Group. Fortune magazine reports that TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in a research note that he expects first-quarter iPhone shipments to be reduced by about 10% to between 36 million and 40 million devices because of the outbreak. This could get worse, Kuo said, if the virus is not contained and the situation brought under control. Gartner Senior Director Analyst Koray Köse said the impact of the outbreak on supply chains may not be felt for several months. `` The consequences of a pandemic event are hard to predict, '' said Köse in a blog posted on the Smarter with Gartner website. `` The full impact of coronavirus on supply chains might not become obvious until sometime in the next few months and beyond. However, supply chain leaders should take initial steps now to monitor and prepare for the impact on their value chain. '' In the short term, Gartner is advising business leaders to focus on understanding first and second tier risks to their supply chain based, identify where inventory exists outside of the impacted areas, and check with legal to understand the legal ramifications if contract obligations are not met. Nelson said, depending on the product in question, there can be 70-to-100 days of excess supply in the pipeline at any given time. `` We won't have the issue now, but if this continues for three or four weeks, that's where these buffers get depleted, '' he said. If you can only read one tech story a day, this is it. Delivered Weekdays The International Civil Aviation Organization used ARC GIS mapping software to create a 3D model of how the coronavirus spread around the world.

tech

Nudge in a new direction? The Whole Coffee Co unveils edible coffee bars, butters

Or wait... Search Free newsletter Subscribe News Retail & Shopper Insights Manufacturers Ingredients Processing & Packaging Markets R & D Regulation & Safety Editor's Choice Industry Voices Promotional Features Site Archive Multimedia Sectors Soft Drinks & Water Energy & Sports Beer, Wine, Spirits, Cider Juice Drinks Dairy Drinks Tea and Coffee Site Archive Multimedia Trends COVID-19 CBD and beyond Low and no alcohol drinks Craft Beverage Entrepreneurs Energy Drinks & Beyond Sustainability Smart Packaging Functional Beverages Emerging Markets Fizzing-Up Carbonates Future Flavors Health and Wellness Premium Indulgence Natural and Organic Alcohol Regulation Soda: taxes & regulation Site Archive Multimedia Big Brands AB InBev Constellation Brands Bacardi Brown-Forman Carlsberg Coca-Cola Danone Diageo Dr Pepper Heineken Molson Coors Nestlé PepsiCo SABMiller Site Archive Multimedia Resources Type of resources Events Shows & Conferences Online Events Editorial Webinars All Events Events Processing & Packaging By Elaine Watson contact 06-Jan-2020 - Last updated on 06-Jan-2020 at 20:42 GMT Related tags: Coffee function sanitize gpt value2 ( gptValue) { var vOut= '' ''; var aTags = gptValue.split ( ', '); var reg = new RegExp ( '\\W+ ', `` g ''); for ( var i=0; i < aTags.length; i++) { vOut += aTags [ i ].trim ().replace ( reg, '- ').substring ( 0,40); if ( i! = ( aTags.length-1)) vOut += ', '; } vOut = vOut.toLowerCase (); return vOut; } $ ( document).ready ( function () { dataLayerNews = { }; dataLayerNews.related tags = sanitize gpt value2 ( `` Coffee ''); dataLayer.push ( dataLayerNews); }); The IP underpinning this transformation is enshrined in a suite of process and equipment patents assigned to Miami-based The Whole Coffee Co, to which Burke was brought in as CEO in May 2018 after the company ( a chocolate manufacturer formerly known as Tierra Nueva) was acquired by private equity firm ProspEquity. According to a patent filed by Tierra Nueva, the firm combines ultra-finely-ground roasted coffee beans with cocoa butter, which encapsulates the roasted coffee particles preserving their aroma and flavor, and tempers ( progressively cools and re-heats) them to create a dark, aromatic, shelf-stable ‘ whole coffee matter’ with the texture of a thick paste at room temperature that can be molded into bars or formulated into spreads or other products. Along the way there are also multiple steps involving temperature changes that ensure the complex flavors and aromas of the roast coffee beans are retained. `` We can modify the fat system depending on the intended application, '' ​explained Dr ​Giovana Celli, VP, innovation and quality: `` We selected cocoa butter for the bars for the mouthfeel it imparts in the product, such as creaminess, similar to a chocolate bar. `` ​ The shelf-life is one year post production and the paste does not require any special storage conditions, she told FoodNavigator-USA. “ The way I tell the story is that there was a Cuban coffee lover and a Brazilian born food scientist ​ [ at chocolate manufacturer Tierra Nueva ] with a passion for chocolate, and they came up with this technology for making edible coffee, ” ​said Burke. “ The private equity firm came in thinking about buying a chocolate plant, but then they were like, what’ s that you’ re working on in the back in that walled-off area? And they said, well we’ ve come up with this process of taking a coffee bean, processing it, and turning it into food, but we don’ t really know what to do with it… and then the lightbulb went off. ” ​ Burke - a CPG veteran with stints at PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Primo Water and Red Diamond Tea & Coffee under his belt – was called in to head up the company, which changed its name to The Whole Coffee Company, and focused 100% of its attention into edible coffee, something he believes could create an entirely new category in food spanning multiple aisles in the grocery store. “ We’ ve stopping manufacturing chocolate ​ [ at the company’ s plant in Miami ] and we’ ve gone full bore into the future with edible coffee. We’ re taking something people don’ t seem to be able to live without​ [ drinking ] and turning it into something you can eat. ​ “ We’ re primarily focused on developing products under our own brand​ [ Nudge​​ ] but we’ ve also partnered with Tim Hortons and Dunkin Donuts to make bars using their coffee beans, and we’ re also talking to many other companies including a very large coffee brand in Italy. We could also be a food ingredient in other well known brands. ​ “ We think this is going to be a very very big new food category in a couple of years. The first question buyers ask us is, what else can you do with it? `` ​ But why – apart from the novelty factor – is ‘ edible coffee’ so exciting? The key is the fact that the company is using 100% of the coffee bean, said Dr Celli, who acknowledged that companies making coffee concentrates have explored different ways to preserve more of the aromas or other components in roast and ground coffee over the years. `` The focus has always been on making soluble products by extraction, for example. Little has been done on whole bean technology. Coffee extracts miss a major point – that is, the unveiling of all the new and accretive flavors within the bean that are not soluble in the solvent of choice.​ `` Our process also retains all the compounds that are lost during extraction/brewing or that don’ t make it to the cup ( for example, due to the use of filters), including polyphenols, mineral salts, and B vitamins. But to be clear, the width of flavor profile available when the whole bean is unlocked is the primary consumer benefit from our technology. `` ​ Burke added: “ A coffee bean only unleashes about 20% of the flavors it contains when you drink coffee, because only about 20% of the flavors are water soluble. ​The rest stay in the coffee bean. In fact there are more than 1,200 flavors in the bean that don’ t make it into brewed coffee. ” ​ If you simply smashed up a roasted coffee bean and ate that instead, you still wouldn’ t experience many of these flavors, he argued, because the particle sizes are too big for your taste receptors to pick them up. “ When the micron size gets really small, the human tongue can start to pick up all these additional flavors. If you just crush a coffee bean, it’ s not great, but the IP and the process we use creates something that tastes very very different. ” ​ He added: “ I agree that technology for technology’ s sake is just that, but what we found is that we can make products without the fat and sugar of chocolate​ ​ [ although the latter is arguably less to do with the fact that he’ s using coffee instead of cocoa beans than the fact he’ s using monk fruit and erythritol instead of sugar ] and with caffeine​​ [ that’ s naturally in the coffee beans ] that taste incredible. `` ​​ So who’ s the target audience – and total addressable market - for coffee bars? As for the former, there are a couple of large camps, he said: people that love coffee and are looking for another – convenient - way to consume it; and people that are looking for a chocolate alternative. Within the first camp and perhaps beyond it, are people looking for natural energy from caffeine at all times of the day, he added. “ People are trying to get caffeine at every time of day, from coffee first thing in the morning to Diet Coke mid-morning, Mtn Dew in the afternoon, or energy drinks at night if you’ re studying or working on something. ” ​ As for the addressable market, as it’ s a new category that spans both coffee, confectionery, but potentially many others, it’ s hard to pin down at this stage, said Burke, who has just secured approvals at some of the leading names in grocery, drug and convenience channels. “ But we view ourselves more in the coffee space ( $ 74bn in the US) than in confection ( $ 26bn) and coffee is the only food category that’ s larger than $ 50bn and growing faster than the population rate – it’ s growing at about 6.5%. ” ​ For the packaging, which highlights the origin ( Colombian, Ethiopian, Brazilian) and flavor notes ( mild to bold) of the coffee, coupled with the caffeine equivalent ( in cups of coffee), he relied on input from consumers. “ We did a ton of consumer research with graduate students and they helped us design the packaging and branding. Show off the bean, explain that it’ s not chocolate, but keep it playful. They also liked brand names that were verbs. ” ​ Asked about the audience for the Nudge brand in particular, he said: “ Ask me again in three months ​ [ once the product is more widely available ] but I see the key audience as under 40, slightly more female than male, and physically active. ” ​

general

Coal and the Energy Transition

You're one step closer to unlocking our suite of comprehensive and robust tools. Fill out the form so we can connect you to the right person. If your company has a current subscription with S & P Global Market Intelligence, you can register as a new user for access to the platform ( s) covered by your license at S & P Capital IQ Pro or S & P Capital IQ. One of our representatives will be in touch soon to help get you started with your demo. Thank you for your interest in S & P Global Market Intelligence! We noticed you 've identified yourself as a student. Through existing partnerships with academic institutions around the globe, it's likely you already have access to our resources. Please contact your professors, library, or administrative staff to receive your student login. At this time we are unable to offer free trials or product demonstrations directly to students. If you discover that our solutions are not available to you, we encourage you to advocate at your university for a best-in-class learning experience that will help you long after you 've completed your degree. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. On Nov. 30, 2020, S & P Global and IHS Markit announced they have entered into a definitive merger agreement to combine in an all-stock transaction which values IHS Markit at an enterprise value of $ 44 billion, including $ 4.8 billion of net debt. In 2020, our people showed tremendous resilience, responsibility and resolve to support one another, our customers, our communities, our suppliers, and in doing so, have served our shareholders. At S & P Global, we can’ t change the world overnight. But we can take action to affect change. After a year that saw the dissemination of coronavirus vaccines, historic net-zero policy discussions, and the disruption of supply chains and energy markets, 2022 is likely to result in a recalibration of the global economy. We enter 2022 with largely positive credit momentum, reflecting favorable financing conditions and a powerful economic recovery. This could be derailed if persistently high inflation pushes central banks to aggressively tighten monetary policy, triggering significant market volatility and repricing risks. 2021 brought hope for global economic growth following 2020’ s coronavirus-caused downturn, largely tied to the development and widespread deployment of COVID-19 vaccines and despite the rise of new variants. What is the future for coal-fired generation in the face of the energy transition? Even as regions move to evolve their energy mix towards primarily renewable sources, the demand for coal won’ t disappear. Read our latest round up of ESG essential intelligence on coal and the energy transition. If Charles Dickens were to write a classic on U.S. power generation fuels ( why wouldn't he?), we think he would likely call it ' A tale of Two fuels ' and it would start something like this: It is the best of times—for natural gas-fired generation; it is the worst of times—for coal-fired generation. This version could even have its own Bast ( ille): the Best Available Sustainable Technology. Renewable proliferation and the inevitable advance of regulations would have stormed coal, with shale powering the revolution that overthrows king coal's reign. And at the end, a modern day Madame Lafarge—perhaps a hard-core environmentalist? —would sit knitting beside the guillotine while a polluting, inefficient, uncontrolled coal generation unit wonders if it is going to a far, far better rest than it has ever known. What is energy transition? Energy transition refers to the global energy sector’ s shift from fossil-based systems of energy production and consumption — including oil, natural gas and coal — to renewable energy sources like wind and solar, as well as lithium-ion batteries. The increasing penetration of renewable energy into the energy supply mix, the onset of electrification and improvements in energy storage are all key drivers of the energy transition. Regulation and commitment to decarbonization has been mixed, but the energy transition will continue to increase in importance as investors prioritize environmental, social and governance ( ESG) factors. China's voracious appetite for coal may be nearing its peak consumption level, but the country's love affair with one of the cheapest fuels is unlikely to end anytime soon, despite Beijing's efforts to turn the skies of Asia's biggest energy consumer blue. Although China's energy mix will continue to evolve, with coal's share expected to fall gradually over the coming years, the relatively slow rate of decline in coal consumption will likely mean that China's influence on world coal prices will remain for many years to come. Global coal power generation is expected to decline in 2019, but that is unlikely the start of a lasting trend as demand for the fuel will remain stable due to rising demand in India and other Asian countries offsetting declines in the United States and Europe, wrote the International Energy Agency in its latest analysis of coal markets. Coal miners in the United States and Colombia will likely struggle due to the collapse of European Union coal imports and competition from Russian producers as investments in coal mining assets in general face strong headwinds. Chinese coal demand, which accounts for roughly half of the world's coal consumption, is expected to increase slightly and then plateau around 2022, but the forecasted demand from the country is sensitive to potential future policy measures. The market capitalization of five of the top 10 U.S. coal companies was sliced by more than half from early January to mid-November. Those top 10 producers ' market value totaled about $ 4.42 billion as of Nov. 22, a 59.4% drop from $ 10.88 billion as of Jan. 8, according to data compiled by S & P Global Market Intelligence. The group of companies saw double-digit percentage declines in market capitalization from Jan. 8 to Nov. 22 as domestic demand waned and the seaborne market weakened. Rhino Resource Partners LP, which rounded out the top 10 as of Nov. 22, saw the smallest percentage decline between the periods, with its value falling 18.6% to $ 11.4 million. The number of insurance companies withdrawing coverage for the coal sector doubled in 2019, activists behind a campaign to drive a wedge between coal producers and insurers reported. U.S. insurers continue to lag peers in Europe, but a movement embracing policies that would exclude coal producers continued to gain steam in 2019. About 46% of the reinsurance market and 37% of the insurance industry's global assets fall under plans to exit involvement in the coal sector, the Unfriend Coal campaign wrote in a new scorecard of the insurance industry. Weakened U.S. coal demand, reduced seaborne pricing and a wave of insurers and financial institutions announcing plans to exit the coal arena have been dominant themes in 2019. Coal producers may have more difficulty accessing capital as institutions increasingly move away from coal financing. The Unfriend Coal campaign, which seeks to distance coal producers and insurers, wrote in a recent report that the number of insurance companies turning away from coal coverage doubled in 2019. Energy transition refers to the global energy sector’ s shift from fossil-based systems of energy production and consumption — including oil, natural gas and coal — to renewable energy sources like wind and solar, as well as lithium-ion batteries.

business

Accelerating Progress on Climate Risk

You're one step closer to unlocking our suite of comprehensive and robust tools. Fill out the form so we can connect you to the right person. If your company has a current subscription with S & P Global Market Intelligence, you can register as a new user for access to the platform ( s) covered by your license at S & P Capital IQ Pro or S & P Capital IQ. One of our representatives will be in touch soon to help get you started with your demo. Thank you for your interest in S & P Global Market Intelligence! We noticed you 've identified yourself as a student. Through existing partnerships with academic institutions around the globe, it's likely you already have access to our resources. Please contact your professors, library, or administrative staff to receive your student login. At this time we are unable to offer free trials or product demonstrations directly to students. If you discover that our solutions are not available to you, we encourage you to advocate at your university for a best-in-class learning experience that will help you long after you 've completed your degree. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. On Nov. 30, 2020, S & P Global and IHS Markit announced they have entered into a definitive merger agreement to combine in an all-stock transaction which values IHS Markit at an enterprise value of $ 44 billion, including $ 4.8 billion of net debt. In 2020, our people showed tremendous resilience, responsibility and resolve to support one another, our customers, our communities, our suppliers, and in doing so, have served our shareholders. At S & P Global, we can’ t change the world overnight. But we can take action to affect change. After a year that saw the dissemination of coronavirus vaccines, historic net-zero policy discussions, and the disruption of supply chains and energy markets, 2022 is likely to result in a recalibration of the global economy. We enter 2022 with largely positive credit momentum, reflecting favorable financing conditions and a powerful economic recovery. This could be derailed if persistently high inflation pushes central banks to aggressively tighten monetary policy, triggering significant market volatility and repricing risks. 2021 brought hope for global economic growth following 2020’ s coronavirus-caused downturn, largely tied to the development and widespread deployment of COVID-19 vaccines and despite the rise of new variants. Investment management professionals used to focus on portfolio risk and returns. We now must consider returns along three dimensions: risk, return and impact. While the extent and effectiveness of the global response to climate change remain uncertain, one thing is very clear: Companies and investors must prepare for a range of possible outcomes with diverging transition and physical risks. We look into these risks in our latest research, which debuted at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. “ With our SDG analytics for financial portfolios we hope we can accelerate global progress towards achieving SDGs by helping investors to understand the positive impact of investment decisions alongside traditional considerations of risk and return. The United Nations SDGs provide critical context to help investors measure their progress on a globally relevant set of ESG considerations adopted by 178 countries. This research is a part of our continued commitment to accelerating progress towards a more sustainable future. We found that the majority of companies do not report on their progress against the SDGs and if they do there is an emphasis on only positive impacts. The launch of SDG Analytics means that market participants can now have balanced view on the progress that companies are making on SDGs in this decade of action. ” It has been four years since the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGs) was adopted at the UN Sustainable Development Summit. During this time, the SDGs have garnered widespread backing among companies and investors who have made modest progress towards aligning business strategies and capital allocation with the SDGs. While challenges prevail in transitioning to transformative action on the SDGs, several trends have emerged that suggest this action is accelerating.Investors have a growing appetite to benchmark companies against each other in terms of their SDG performance. Where disclosure is absent, other providers have built assessments, indexes and benchmarks to compare corporate action. Information providers increasingly offer investor-focused products for measuring a company’ s portfolio towards the SDGs, while indexes have emerged to help investors gain exposure to companies identified as making a contribution to the Goals. The World Benchmarking Alliance has accelerated work in this arena by planning to build science-informed league tables, starting first with a Food and Agriculture Benchmark comprising 300 companies across the food and agricultural value chain. Trucost’ s SDG Analytics quantitatively measure the SDG alignment of a company’ s products and services, allowing investors to benchmark companies against each other in terms of their SDG performance, and offers portfolio-level metrics to measure risk exposure and SDG‑alignment. In 2018, S & P Global assessed climate-related risks and opportunities in accordance with the recommendations from the Task Force on Climate Related Financial Disclosures ( TCFD). Established in 2016 by the Financial Stability Board ( FSB), the TCFD developed recommendations for more effective and standardized disclosure of financially material climate-related risks and opportunities. The goal of the Task Force is to promote more informed investment and sustainable markets. Using four core elements – governance, strategy, risk management and metrics & targets – the TCFD assessment shows how an organization accounts for climate-related risks and opportunities, as well as strategies for mitigating risks and realizing opportunities. The transition to a low carbon economy is vital for a sustainable future. In order to make progress, it is necessary that we understand the material financial implications of climate change on businesses and investments. Therefore, measurement and integration of comparable, consistent, and reliable environmental, social, and governance ( ESG) factors is fundamental to making more informed decisions to facilitate long term sustainable growth. While the extent and effectiveness of the global response to climate change remain uncertain, one thing is very clear: Companies and investors must prepare for a range of possible outcomes with diverging transition and physical risks. This need for determined action to reduce emissions and limit the effects of climate change poses important transition risks for companies and investors through regulation, changing market dynamics, and technology, among other factors. As it stands, companies in the benchmark S & P 500 Index own physical assets across 68 countries globally—and 60% of these entities ( with a market capitalization of $ 18 trillion) hold assets that are at high risk of at least one type of climate-change physical risk. And while corporate-level resilience to both transition and physical risk varies greatly within and across sectors, S & P Global data show that heatwaves, wildfires, water stress, and hurricanes linked to increasing average global temperatures represent the biggest physical risks for companies in the S & P 500. On the brink of irreversible climate change, a combination of ground-breaking datasets and index innovation is emerging, through which investors will have the choice to align their investments to a future climate scenario compatible with mitigating catastrophic global warming to the planet. This new breed of sustainable climate indices will not only offer solutions that intend to be impactful, but equally aim to provide investors with reduced risks from transitioning to a low-carbon economy and the consequences of physical, environmental events while capturing financial opportunities that arise.This paper describes an S & P Dow Jones Indices ( S & P DJI) concept for the eurozone region, which is aligned with the more stringent of the two new climate benchmarks: the Paris-Aligned Benchmark. What’ s the Deal with the 2-Degree Scenario? Under the 2015 Paris Agreement, nearly 200 countries agreed to limit global warming to no more than 2 degrees Celsius by 2100, and to aim for a no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius increase. The 2-degree scenario is widely seen as the global community’ s accepted limitation of temperature growth to avoid significant and potentially catastrophic changes to the planet. Policy changes introduced as economies adapt to climate change could wipe between $ 1.6 trillion to $ 2.3 trillion off the value of major global companies by 2025, and investors need to reflect that policy risk in their strategies, according to research conducted for the U.N.-backed group, Principles for Responsible Investment. According to an analysis by consultants Vivid Economics and Energy Transition Advisors, policy changes would reduce by 3.1% to 4.5% the value of companies on the benchmark global equity MSCI ACWI index, or the equivalent of the total value of the largest 12 to 33 companies on the London Stock Exchange's FTSE100. The future financial and social consequences of climate change are becoming increasingly apparent to companies, investors and policy makers. Strong action to reduce emissions and limit climate change may avoid the worst physical impacts of climate change but presents significant market, technology and regulatory transition risks for market participants. Conversely, failure to adequately reduce greenhouse gas emissions may limit transition risks but will result in increasing climate change and associated physical risks. As more and more companies and investors conclude that sustainable practices make for sustainable returns, the assessment of corporations’ environmental, social, and governance ( ESG) footprints has moved from a simple measure of corporate responsibility to an investment proposition. While this general focus on ESG policies is undeniably beneficial, companies today are presented with the additional challenge of actively planning for climate risk. With a growing consensus around climate science, companies and investors must plan for a number of different scenarios, depending on the extent and impact of global climate change. However, an absence of shared terminology, benchmarks, and policies threaten to stymie investors and companies as they attempt to account for climate risk. Global infrastructure spending has remained resilient in an environment of financial instability, underpinned mainly by interest from private sector investors. Private investors seeking long-term, stable returns are keen to fund infrastructure projects ranging from energy, to transport, to water infrastructure. These investors are providing support to governments facing a growing infrastructure funding gap. Yet, the sector is now awakening to the threats and opportunities that sustainability brings to realizing this long-term source of finance. Long-term climate risks are unlikely to leave any sector untouched as governments worldwide seek to maintain warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius under the 2015 Paris Agreement. This may force infrastructure projects to address energy use concerns, particularly as urban infrastructure consumes approximately two-thirds of global energy. Further, concerns over the recoupling of resource consumption and economic growth continue to grow. This adds pressure to address the resource-intensity of infrastructure often associated with the `` take, make, and dispose '' model under the linear economy. Insurance coverage for some risks is becoming rarer and more costly as climate change alters the risk landscape, according to Zurich Insurance Group AG's chief risk officer. Speaking to S & P Global Market Intelligence following the release of the World Economic Forum's 2020 Global Risks Report, Peter Giger said certain perils are becoming increasingly expensive, and that while those price increases are justifiable, they are hitting communities affected by climate change.

business

China pneumonia outbreak: It's not SARS, so what is it?

A total of 59 cases of unknown viral pneumonia have been reported in the city of Wuhan, central China, with seven patients in critical condition, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission said in a statement on Sunday. All patients are being treated in quarantine, and no deaths have been reported. According to the World Health Organization ( WHO), symptoms of the pneumonia are mainly fever, with a number of patients having difficulty breathing, and chest radiographs showing invasive lesions of both lungs. The outbreak came to light in late December and prompted fears in China of a possible resurgence of SARS, an acute viral respiratory illness first reported in the country in 2002 that caused a pandemic that ripped through Asia. SARS spread to 37 countries worldwide, infected more than 8,000 people and killed 774 from November 2002 to July 2003. The illness is brought on by a coronavirus, and symptoms include fever, cough, severe headache, dizziness and other flu-like complaints. Amid growing disquiet, Wuhan authorities said on Sunday they had excluded the possibility of SARS, Middle East respiratory syndrome ( MERS), and bird flu. If not SARS, then what is it? According to the Wuhan health commission, the infection broke out between December 12 and December 29, with some of the patients employed at a seafood market in the city. Local media reported that the market -- which has been closed since January 1 for disinfection -- also sold other live animals, including birds, rabbits and snakes, sparking concerns that the virus might have been transmitted to humans from animals. Professor David Hui Shu-cheong, a respiratory expert at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said it is highly likely that the outbreak was caused by a `` brand-new viral pneumonia. '' `` The concern now is whether the game ( sold at the market) is one of the reasons for the outbreak, '' he told CNN. According to Hui, many new pathogens have been transmitted to humans from animals. The coronavirus that causes SARS was traced to the civet cat, a wild animal considered a delicacy in parts of southern China, where the epidemic first broke out. And dromedary camels are considered a likely source of MERS, he said. Authorities have said that there has been no obvious evidence of human-to-human transmission so far, and no health care workers have been infected. At least 163 people who have had close contact with those infected have been placed under medical observation. But there are still fears of a nationwide epidemic. The outbreak came just before the start of the busy Lunar New Year travel season, when hundreds of millions of Chinese are expected to be crammed into trains, buses and planes for family reunions. Millions of Chinese are also expected to travel overseas around Lunar New Year, which falls on January 25. Professor Leo Poon, a virologist at Hong Kong University and a SARS expert, said the severity of the situation to come depends on whether the pneumonia in Wuhan can be transmitted among humans. `` If it only transmits from animals to humans, now that the market has been shut down and sanitized, the chances for people to be infected will be low, '' he said. Hui, from Chinese University, said the possibility of human-to-human transmission can not be ruled out. `` Most often, respiratory viruses can be transmitted among humans. It is only a matter of how contagious it is, '' he said. Asia steps up screening The current outbreak in Wuhan has put Asian governments on close watch, stepping up preventive measures such as airport temperature screening and notification requirements. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Tuesday the city would take `` immediate action '' to contain the spread of suspected pneumonia cases, including screening air passengers traveling from Wuhan. Doctors in the semiautonomous Chinese city must also report patients with symptoms of respiratory diseases to the authorities. A total of 21 people have been found with fever or respiratory symptoms after traveling from Wuhan, according to Hong Kong's Hospital Authority. Seven of them have been discharged, and so far none of them has been linked to the cluster of pneumonia in Wuhan. In Singapore, travelers arriving from the Chinese city are also required to go through temperature screening, according to the Ministry of Health. Doctors have been alerted to look out for suspected cases of pneumonia among people who recently returned from there. In South Korea, the country's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention set up a quarantine task force and warned visitors to Wuhan not to touch wild animals or poultry, or visit local markets. Taiwan on Sunday stepped up measures by expanding the conditions for notification of suspected cases of Wuhan pneumonia, according to government-run news agency CNA. The World Health Organization said in a statement Sunday that `` there is limited information to determine the overall risk of this reported cluster of pneumonia of unknown etiology. '' It said it does not recommend any specific measures for travelers, and `` advises against the application of any travel or trade restrictions on China based on the current information available on this event. '' Fall and winter months are traditionally prone to flu epidemics. In the United States, the current flu season is shaping up to be one of the worst in decades, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases. He said while it is impossible to predict how the flu will play out, the season so far is on track to be as severe as the 2017-18 flu season, which was the deadliest in more than four decades, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

business

New Label Insight CEO aims to transform grocery e-commerce

After 17 years transforming the way brands, researchers and marketers understand shopper data, Todd Morris is ready to make similar changes to the information consumers get about products online. Starting today, Morris, the former global president of shopper data and insights firm Catalina, is the new CEO of Label Insight. In this position, he told Food Dive he wants to fix the broken system consumers use to get information on grocery products. Today's consumers who want information about food and beverage products often turn to the internet. Online grocery sales now account for 6.3% of grocery-related spending in the U.S., and have been used by 25% of households, according to an analysis last year from Brick Meets Click. Shoppers want to know which products meet their needs — such as if a particular item is gluten-free, high in protein, sustainably farmed or if a nearby retailer has organic vegetables. But Morris said the way brands and retailers present information online makes this information much harder for consumers to find. Some of the problem is the antiquated way brands and retailers think about product information, he said. `` Over 80% of all searches [ in ] online grocery are attribute based, not brand based. But there's no central place of truth of what attributes are accurate and standard and searchable, '' Morris said. `` And so I 'm really excited about bringing about an incredible new capability for consumers to find the products that meet their dietary and health and sustainability needs, but at the same time, helping... brands and retailers figure out how to win in a very different consumer-driven world. '' During 17 years at Catalina, Morris changed the perception of shopper data from a transactional look focused on product quantities and dollars and cents to one that created a picture of who consumers are and their needs and desires. Morris said understanding these consumer needs and desires is vital to improving the way product information is cataloged online. Today, he said, a consumer may do a search for `` peanut free '' and the first product that comes up is peanut butter. Or a consumer searches a retailer's site for gluten-free products and 16 items come up — but there are actually 260 gluten-free products in stock. `` I 'm really excited about bringing about an incredible new capability for consumers to find the products that meet their dietary and health and sustainability needs, but at the same time, helping... brands and retailers figure out how to win in a very different consumer-driven world. '' Todd Morris CEO, Label Insight `` An unanswered search for a consumer is like an empty shelf in a physical world, '' Morris said. `` Retailers are wired to never have an out-of-stock. And when there is one, they all jump on it and they fix it. We need to start treating a search the same way. '' Label Insight has been working to solve this issue for years. It currently has a database containing hundreds of thousands of product attributes that can be used to describe items, ingredients and nutritional value. Morris wants to use these attributes to both paint full pictures of products, but also to learn more about what consumers are looking for in terms of search and attributes. For example, he said almost half of consumers are following specific eating regimens. By paying attention to the keywords and searches shoppers use to arrive at the products they want, Label Insight can help retailers and brands find the items consumers would want in the future. `` E-commerce is the easiest place to switch a retailer, '' he said. `` They [ consumers ] don't have to get in a car and drive to a new store. And so that ease of switching for the consumer will make the retailers who embrace this type of transparency and searchability or discovery real winners. '' Follow Megan Poinski on Twitter As consumers turn to other beverages, Gavin Hattersley has moved aggressively into energy drinks, diet soda and tequila to revive his company's portfolio — all while combating challenges like COVID-19 and a security breach. With its products in public school cafeterias and a teen-focused website that connects animal agriculture to global warming, the company aims to feed and educate the next generation. Subscribe to Food Dive to get the must-read news & insights in your inbox. Topics covered: manufacturing, packaging, new products, R & D, and much more. Discover announcements from companies in your industry. As consumers turn to other beverages, Gavin Hattersley has moved aggressively into energy drinks, diet soda and tequila to revive his company's portfolio — all while combating challenges like COVID-19 and a security breach.

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The Big Picture On Climate Risk

You're one step closer to unlocking our suite of comprehensive and robust tools. Fill out the form so we can connect you to the right person. If your company has a current subscription with S & P Global Market Intelligence, you can register as a new user for access to the platform ( s) covered by your license at S & P Capital IQ Pro or S & P Capital IQ. One of our representatives will be in touch soon to help get you started with your demo. Thank you for your interest in S & P Global Market Intelligence! We noticed you 've identified yourself as a student. Through existing partnerships with academic institutions around the globe, it's likely you already have access to our resources. Please contact your professors, library, or administrative staff to receive your student login. At this time we are unable to offer free trials or product demonstrations directly to students. If you discover that our solutions are not available to you, we encourage you to advocate at your university for a best-in-class learning experience that will help you long after you 've completed your degree. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. On Nov. 30, 2020, S & P Global and IHS Markit announced they have entered into a definitive merger agreement to combine in an all-stock transaction which values IHS Markit at an enterprise value of $ 44 billion, including $ 4.8 billion of net debt. In 2020, our people showed tremendous resilience, responsibility and resolve to support one another, our customers, our communities, our suppliers, and in doing so, have served our shareholders. At S & P Global, we can’ t change the world overnight. But we can take action to affect change. After a year that saw the dissemination of coronavirus vaccines, historic net-zero policy discussions, and the disruption of supply chains and energy markets, 2022 is likely to result in a recalibration of the global economy. We enter 2022 with largely positive credit momentum, reflecting favorable financing conditions and a powerful economic recovery. This could be derailed if persistently high inflation pushes central banks to aggressively tighten monetary policy, triggering significant market volatility and repricing risks. 2021 brought hope for global economic growth following 2020’ s coronavirus-caused downturn, largely tied to the development and widespread deployment of COVID-19 vaccines and despite the rise of new variants. While the extent and effectiveness of the global response to climate change remain uncertain, one thing is very clear: Companies and investors must prepare for a range of possible outcomes with diverging transition and physical risks. We look into these risks in our latest research, which debuted at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.Editor’ s note: This research is based on a presentation delivered at the 2020 World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland by Richard Mattison, CEO of Trucost, part of S & P Global. Companies in the S & P 500 Index own physical assets across 68 countries globally—and 60% of these entities ( with a market capitalisation of $ 18 trillion) hold assets that are at high risk of at least one type of climate-change physical risk. 134 mining properties owned by companies in the benchmark index are exposed to increasing risk of heatwaves under a moderate climate-change scenario by 2050, and utilities companies with a market capitalisation of $ 515 billion own at least one asset at high risk of wildfire. Heatwaves, wildfires, water stress, and hurricanes linked to increasing average global temperatures represent the biggest physical risks for these companies, with the location of assets the key factor in determining the extent of these risks—more than the industry or sector in which a company operates. S & P Global Platts estimates energy-combustion CO2 emissions could skyrocket to approximately 50 gigatonnes by 2050, from 35 gigatonnes today, if current trends prevail. Even Platts’ s most likely scenario—taking into account expected policy action and technological innovation—envisions emissions stabilizing after peaking around 2025. This is still far above needed targets; to keep global warming to 2 degrees Celsius, emissions would need to fall to about 15 gigatonnes by 2050. While the extent and effectiveness of the global response to climate change remain uncertain, one thing is very clear: Companies and investors must prepare for a range of possible outcomes with diverging transition and physical risks. This need for determined action to reduce emissions and limit the effects of climate change poses important transition risks for companies and investors through regulation, changing market dynamics, and technology, among other factors. As it stands, companies in the benchmark S & P 500 Index own physical assets across 68 countries globally—and 60% of these entities ( with a market capitalization of $ 18 trillion) hold assets that are at high risk of at least one type of climate-change physical risk. And while corporate-level resilience to both transition and physical risk varies greatly within and across sectors, S & P Global data show that heatwaves, wildfires, water stress, and hurricanes linked to increasing average global temperatures represent the biggest physical risks for companies in the S & P 500. It’ s important to note that the location of these assets is the key factor in determining the extent of these risks—more than the industry or sector in which a company operates. Still, some sectors face heightened risks. For example, real estate investment trusts ( REITs) included in the S & P 500 own properties across the globe with significant concentrations in the U.S., U.K., and Canada. Some of these properties are exposed to risk of inundation due to sea level rise, highlighting the need for effective planning and flood-mitigation measures to preserve asset values. Similarly, S & P 500 materials sector companies operate mines and processing plants across 15 countries with more than 46% of all sector assets outside the U.S. Altogether, 134 materials sector properties owned by S & P 500 companies are exposed to increasing risk of heatwaves under a moderate climate-change scenario by 2050, with significant potential effects on operational efficiency and operating costs. Finally, S & P 500 utilities companies with revenues of $ 184 billion and market cap of $ 515 billion own at least one asset at high risk of wildfire, exposing those companies to physical damage to assets, and legal liabilities where electricity-transmission infrastructure is implicated in wildfire outbreaks. Granted, it’ s not possible to definitively say that climate change has “ caused ” a particular event, but the scientific community has a higher level of confidence about the effects in certain areas, such as extreme temperatures and precipitation rates, given that there’ s more data to analyze. Because tropical cyclones, for example, derive energy from warm waters, the broad consensus is that rising sea temperatures will cause hurricanes and typhoons to become more frequent, and likely stronger. Either way, it’ s clear that weak action to reduce emissions will accelerate climate change and associated events. Humans are unquestionably producing increasingly large quantities of the greenhouse gases—through industry, transportation, agriculture, and other activities—that contribute to climate change. Even a stabilization of our carbon dioxide ( CO2) output would fuel further climate change, because we currently pump CO2 into the atmosphere at a faster pace than natural processes such as photosynthesis and oceanic absorption can filter it out. Absent a significant turnaround in this trend, climate change is almost certain to cause continued substantial losses to infrastructure and property, and, worse, increased illness and death. According to estimates from the World Health Organization ( WHO), anthropogenic climate change was already leading to at least 5 million cases of disease and more than 150,000 deaths annually as long ago as 2000—that’ s 20 years ago. Considering that the WHO now projects annual deaths will reach 250,000 in the period 2030-2050, it’ s clear that anything less than decisive, widespread action is an imminent danger, not just to future generations, but to the almost 8 billion people alive today. The 5th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that the average global surface temperature has increased 0.85 degree Celsius ( 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit) since the first industrial revolution, around the turn of the 19th Century—and that warming by the end of this century could range from 0.9-5.4 degrees C ( 1.6-9.7 F). Meanwhile, a 2018 report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change suggested the world had only 11 years left to prevent irreversible damage from climate change—and while the mission of September’ s U.N. Climate Action Summit was aimed at keeping the world’ s temperature increase below 2 degrees C, many scientific leaders doubt this can be accomplished. In fact, The United Nations Environment Programme ( UNEP) projects that even if countries meet the commitments of the Paris Agreement, it’ s likely that warming will rise to 3.2 degrees C by the end of the century. Trucost, part of S & P Global, recently launched its Climate Change Physical Risk Analytics, helping companies and investors understand their exposure to a range of physical risks at the asset level, including floods, droughts, wildfires, heatwaves and extreme weather events. Trucost predicted in March that 2019 would be the year that companies transform the way they manage climate-related issues; that environmental, social, and governance ( ESG) concerns are critically important to capturing mainstream investor attention; and that ESG issues are reshaping business models across a broad swath of Corporate America. Given all of the focus on ESG in financial markets—with lenders and investors, among others, all seeking greater clarity around the prospects for sustainable finance—this is ringing true. While nearly all countries have committed to curbing global warming by substantially reducing greenhouse gas emissions, very few have met this promise. In fact, the Climate Action Tracker ( CAT), an independent scientific analysis produced by the research organizations Climate Analytics and the New Climate Institute, lists all developed economies as insufficient. In the CAT—which looks at the comprehensive climate pledges and policies of 32 countries, covering around 80% of global emissions, to assess efforts to limit the global average temperature increase as per the Paris Agreement and additional policies and actions taken to curb output—the U.S. notably ranks in the “ critically insufficient ” category, along with Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Vietnam, and Ukraine. While all other countries scored by the CAT range between “ highly sufficient ” and simply “ insufficient, ” just five sovereigns—Ethiopia, Kenya, India, Bhutan, and the Philippines—are 2 degree C compatible and only Morocco is in the green as compatible with the Paris Agreement’ s 1.5 degree C warming target, perhaps due to these countries’ relative lack of dependence on carbon-intensive industries rather than their climate-mitigation efforts. S & P Global Platts analysts estimate that an adherence to historic trends would send energy-combustion CO2 emissions skyrocketing to approximately 50 gigatonnes by 2050, from 35 gigatonnes today. ( For context, one gigatonne is roughly equivalent to just one year of transport emissions—including aviation—in the E.U.) Platts’ s most likely scenario—taking into account expected policy action and technological innovation—envisions emissions stabilizing after peaking around 2025. This is, as we said, still far above needed targets; in our 2 degree scenario, global emissions would need to fall to about 15 gigatonnes by 2050. At the same time, oil demand would peak closer to 2040 in our most likely scenario ( and not at all under business as usual). Undertaking a more intense climate change goal of limiting global warming to 2 degrees would require oil demand to peak within the next decade. For countries and companies, understanding future climate risk depends on transparency around the geographic exposures of assets and operations. But asset-level exposure to climate risk involves a complex interplay of transition and physical risks. Companies’ exposures and resilience don’ t conform to clear patterns, highlighting the need for in-depth investor analysis to evaluate climate risk at the asset and company level. Recently, much of the effort to address the risks of climate change have come in the area of adaptation—that is, adjusting to the effects, rather than trying to prevent them ( because, in many cases, they’ re already happening). This adaptation can take the form of moderating or avoiding the expected harms or exploiting opportunities that come along. Either way, countries’ and companies’ financing needs in this regard are far higher than the capital available, with some estimates placing funding needs by 2030 at as much as nine times what is now being spent. This takes on greater importance when we consider that, according to Swiss Re, insured losses from natural catastrophes, including climate-related events, reached $ 219 billion in 2017-2018—the highest 24-month figure on record. Total economic losses from natural catastrophes totaled $ 497 billion. MunichRe puts those figures slightly higher, at $ 222 billion and $ 505 billion, respectively. Meanwhile, of the $ 546 billion funneled to climate change investments last year, only about 6% ( $ 34 billion) focused on adaptation projects, according to the Climate Policy Initiative. Overall, UNEP forecasts adaptation costs in developing countries alone at $ 140 billion- $ 300 billion by 2030, and $ 280 billion- $ 500 billion by 2050. And the adaptation-funding gap isn’ t just a problem for emerging economies. While developed countries are more resilient to extreme weather events, many need substantial investments to prepare for the effects of climate change. On the bright side, investment in adaptation offers a “ resilience benefit ” —that is, cost-effective protection against extreme weather damage—attractive risk-return prospects that may help attract private investors. On a granular level, stronger climate regulation and rising carbon prices present significant and increasing transition risks for S & P 500 utilities companies, particularly those with substantial fossil fuel-generation assets. For example, one large power producer located in the eastern U.S. is exposed to high regulatory-transition risks with 52,000 megawatts of fossil fuel-generating capacity in the country, where carbon prices would need to rise significantly to limit climate change to 2 degrees C. Similarly, an energy infrastructure company based on the U.S. West Coast is exposed to high regulatory-transition risk due to its holdings in jurisdictions facing high carbon-price risk, and is also exposed to high wildfire risk with assets in the fire-prone regions of California, Nevada, and Arizona. On the other hand, another large American power producer, headquartered in the Southeast, would likely be more resilient to regulatory transition risk due to its focus on renewable power generation and holdings of a limited number of fossil-fuel plants in jurisdictions where carbon prices are expected to rise. These cases highlight the diversity of transition and physical risk exposures within a single sector, linked to the geographic distribution of each company’ s asset holdings. Meanwhile, carbon-pricing regulation is developing globally as countries implement a patchwork of policies leading to stark differences in current carbon prices and future price trajectories between countries, and affecting multinational companies in complex ways. Exposure to transition risks linked to carbon pricing is greatest for the S & P 500 in the U.S. and Australia, because of the high degree of action needed to shift comparatively weak carbon-pricing policies to deliver on climate-change goals. Power-generation companies are typically exposed to high carbon-pricing risks, but physical risks vary significantly based on the geographic operations of each company. Conversely, S & P 500 financial firms with low emissions generally have lower carbon-pricing risk exposure, but in some cases own assets at high risk of physical climate change. All told, physical and transition risks are rising and will impact companies differently based on the geographic distribution of their assets. As already stated, it’ s the location of these assets, rather than the industry or sector in which a company operates, that is the main determinant of risk. Similarly, while emissions intensity is correlated with sector, the location of emissions is important in assessing the transition risk associated with rising climate regulation and carbon prices. High emitters in jurisdictions with weaker carbon-pricing policies are potentially at greater transition risk if and when climate policy tightens, compared to their peers in highly regulated jurisdictions that have already adapted to the higher cost of carbon.

business

Organic, sustainable, biodynamic: How to communicate wine credentials to consumers

Or wait... Search Free newsletter Subscribe News Retail & Shopper Insights Manufacturers Ingredients Processing & Packaging Markets R & D Regulation & Safety Editor's Choice Industry Voices Promotional Features Site Archive Multimedia Sectors Soft Drinks & Water Energy & Sports Beer, Wine, Spirits, Cider Juice Drinks Dairy Drinks Tea and Coffee Site Archive Multimedia Trends COVID-19 CBD and beyond Low and no alcohol drinks Craft Beverage Entrepreneurs Energy Drinks & Beyond Sustainability Smart Packaging Functional Beverages Emerging Markets Fizzing-Up Carbonates Future Flavors Health and Wellness Premium Indulgence Natural and Organic Alcohol Regulation Soda: taxes & regulation Site Archive Multimedia Big Brands AB InBev Constellation Brands Bacardi Brown-Forman Carlsberg Coca-Cola Danone Diageo Dr Pepper Heineken Molson Coors Nestlé PepsiCo SABMiller Site Archive Multimedia Resources Type of resources Events Shows & Conferences Online Events Editorial Webinars All Events Events Processing & Packaging By Emilie Steckenborn, founder of the Bottled in China podcast & head of education at Treasury Wine Estates ( Asia & MEIA) 06-Jan-2020 - Last updated on 06-Jan-2020 at 10:47 GMT Related tags: Wine, Sustainability, Organic function sanitize gpt value2 ( gptValue) { var vOut= '' ''; var aTags = gptValue.split ( ', '); var reg = new RegExp ( '\\W+ ', `` g ''); for ( var i=0; i < aTags.length; i++) { vOut += aTags [ i ].trim ().replace ( reg, '- ').substring ( 0,40); if ( i! = ( aTags.length-1)) vOut += ', '; } vOut = vOut.toLowerCase (); return vOut; } $ ( document).ready ( function () { dataLayerNews = { }; dataLayerNews.related tags = sanitize gpt value2 ( `` Wine, Sustainability, Organic ''); dataLayer.push ( dataLayerNews); }); This also creates confusion about how to communicate these credentials on the part of the producers, as distinctions must be made in order to avoid consumer misunderstanding. And it’ s no secret that winemakers need to nail their brand communication and labeling when it comes to such credentials. According to research by the Pew Research Center, 71% ​ of Americans make purchasing decisions based on nutrition and ingredients labels. In addition, 68% of Americans have purchased organic food products within the past month - a number which is growing due to the number of perceived benefits​ of organic products. Let’ s take a look into how brands can best convey the credentials of each of these categories in order to maintain consumer confidence and make their brand messaging clear. 'Organic wine often comes from smaller winemakers as it's difficult to produce in volume. Champion this - it should be clear to consumers that they are supporting a smaller business ' Producing organic wines sets a lot of brands apart from the competition, and the demand is growing. By 2022, more than one billion​ bottles of organic wine are expected to be consumed globally. Organic wine often comes from smaller winemakers, since it’ s notoriously difficult​ to produce in volume. It’ s also very dependent on the region and producer, so while competition is growing, there are still certain points of differentiation between organic wine brands. Small organic winemakers should make their voices heard by championing this aspect of their brand: It should be clear to consumers that they are supporting a smaller business that’ s dedicated to the practice. Organic winemakers must be inherently passionate about their product, as it doesn’ t necessarily result in better profit margins than traditional winemaking due to the risky nature of a harvest with no pesticides. They can convey this passion clearly in their brand messaging and on the label by telling the story behind the winery and creating a narrative around the product. Organic wine brands can also leverage a number of official certifications to gain consumer confidence. In the US, they can apply to be USDA Organic​ certified. In the EU​ they can be certified as “ organic wine ” if they are made with organically grown grapes, all organic additives, and no GMOs, with sulfur additions limited to 100 parts per million ( ppm) in red wines and 150 ppm in white or rosé wines. Sustainability in wine not only refers to ecologically sound vineyards and production methods but also socially responsible and economically viable practices. Sustainable wine production involves practices like carbon sequestration, water conservation, and renewable energy usage, and is largely about reducing waste in winemaking. Making sure they convey these efforts to practice sustainable winemaking is crucial for brands, especially as consumers grow to be increasingly eco-conscious. In fact, this Nielsen report​ states that `` Brands that are able to strategically connect ( sustainability) to actual behavior are in a good place to capitalize on increased consumer expectation and demand. '' It continues to explain that `` Sustainability claims on packaging must also reflect how a company operates inside and out. '' In order to add legitimacy to their sustainability credentials, winemakers should get certified with whatever local certification is available. In the US, options include the Sustainability in Practice ( SIP) certification​, CERTIFIED SUSTAINABLE​, which is administered by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance ( CSWA), and LIVE Certified​, which supports environmentally and socially responsible winegrowing. Internationally, winemakers can get certified by the EMS Environmental Management System ( ISO 14001/ISO 14004). Narrative is also important. In addition to getting certified, sustainable winemakers should focus less on the how​ and more on the why​. Just as with organic wines, consumers are much more likely to connect to a story than a simple list of sustainable practices. Maybe something triggered the switch to environmentally-friendly methods, or efforts to alter other aspects of the producers’ lifestyle spilled over into winemaking practices. It’ s important that brands give their sustainability narrative a unique, personal edge to engage consumers. And of course, brands should never underestimate the power of the label and the information it displays. While social media marketing and advertising campaigns will help reach people, displaying sustainability credentials loud and clear on the label is the only way to ensure every consumer understands the efforts being made. A non-traditional looking label that tells the brand story and shows how the company has broken from traditional winemaking practices to reduce its impact on the planet is the way forward. Biodynamic wine is made with a focus on holistic agricultural health. It generally has a more niche set of consumers, as the vast majority are not well-aware of the intricacies of the techniques, which can often resemble witchcraft-like practices. ​ To avoid putting general customers off by trying to explain the complexity and reasoning behind these methods, biodynamic wine producers should focus on having a clear message that conveys the organic qualities of their product, their rejection of pesticides and GMOs, and the environmental benefits of the methods. To connect with smaller groups of enthusiasts, brands can delve deeper into the specific techniques of biodynamic winemaking by publishing detailed blog posts on their website. Current official certifications for biodynamic wines include Demeter​ in the US and Biodyvin ​in Europe. It goes without saying that marketing organic, sustainability, or biodynamic credentials is only going to be effective if the message falls on the right ears. Receptiveness to these credentials will vary wildly across geographical regions, so it’ s crucial that winemakers get to know their audience. For example, in China, wine is already seen as inherently healthy. The vast majority of consumers are not yet focused on sustainable or organic practices, so promoting this message here to drive sales may be a little tougher. On the contrary, in New Zealand, organic winemaking has become the norm. Here, producers should be sure to shout their message loud and clear. Europe and North America are somewhere in the middle: Organic and sustainable wines are growing in popularity, especially with socially and environmentally conscious millennials. Ultimately, effectively communicating a given method of winemaking will come naturally to producers that are true to their practice and carry it out with passion and a love for the product. But that’ s not to say there aren’ t ways to maximize consumer connection. In order to achieve this, winemakers should make sure to craft a narrative, add legitimacy with an official certification, and focus on conveying the why​ of the chosen methods. About the author: ​ Emilie has cultivated her career as a Certified Educator from WSET, Certified Sommelier from CMS, HEG Certificate from Cordon Bleu, and is currently a Master of Wine Candidate.

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Johnny Cash tribute performer talks upcoming 'Man In Black ' show ( Includes interview)

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published “ We are excited to be playing the Paramount this week, ” he said. “ I never really broke into the New York market. We have had a few gigs in upstate this last year and have played areas like Boston but really looking forward to being there in Huntington. ” “ People can expect to see a full Johnny Cash tribute, ” he said. “ We cover all of Cash’ s hits from the early days at Sun Records with songs like ‘ Walk The Line’ and follow his career up through the end of his life with songs like ‘ Hurt.’ We will sing all the hits such as ‘ Ring Of Fire’ and even cover the duets such as ‘ Jackson’ with June Carter. ” On his admiration for Johnny Cash’ s music, Barker responded, “ For me, my love of Johnny Cash music came from childhood. My fathers family was actually from the are of Arkansas that Johnny was from. My dad and his dad knew what it was like to work a cotton veils and on farms so they related to his music. My grandfather was a big fan and probably where I first heard Johnny Cash’ s music. ” He listed “ Sunday Morning Coming Down ” as his favorite Johnny Cash song to play live. “ I just love the vibe and picture it paints of a musician’ s life. Kris Kristofferson just knew how to write a song, ” he said. On being a tribute artist in the digital age, he said, “ It is always a challenge at any time. I started doing this almost 20 years ago and have been doing ‘ The Man In Black’ tribute for over 15 years and it’ s always a challenge to imitate a celebrity and do a respectable job at it. It’ s always a work in progress no matter how good you get. ” Regarding his future plans, he said, “ We hope to just continue touring and expanding our fan-base and demographic in 2020. We would love to get back over to Europe and Australia and we would like to tour Asia. ” For more information on the upcoming “ Man In Black ” tribute show at The Paramount in Huntington, check out the venue’ s official homepage. “ I would like to invite everyone out to The Paramount to see this show. Even if you’ re not a Johnny Cash fan there is something for everyone and just great live music and a lot of fun. You won’ t be disappointed. We promise, ” he concluded. Markos Papadatos is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for Music News. Papadatos is a Greek-American journalist and educator that has authored over 16,000 original articles over the past 15 years. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in music, entertainment, lifestyle, magic, and sports. He is a five-time consecutive `` Best of Long Island '' winner, and in the past two years, he was honored as the `` Best Long Island Personality '' in Arts & Entertainment, an honor that has gone to Billy Joel six times. Omicron's rise has heralded another pandemic-tinged Christmas for billions, with Santa's arrival overshadowed by Covid restrictions. In Bethlehem's Manger Square, visitors in Santa hats and scouts beating drums marked Christmas Eve on Friday, but fewer people attended. The U.S. sees many flight cancellations on Christmas Day, with numbers swelling to triple digits. Pope Francis called for more solidarity with those living in poverty as he celebrated mass in Rome. COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2021 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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Carlos Ghosn's wife says she wasn't in the loop about his escape

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published Former Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn's wife Carole said Tuesday she was not in the loop about his audacious escape from Japan, adding that it was the `` only choice possible. '' Speaking after Japanese prosecutors issued an arrest warrant for her, Carole Ghosn told France's Le Parisien newspaper that she knew nothing about the December 29-30 escape when Carlos Ghosn jumped bail and fled from Tokyo. The interview came hours before an eagerly awaited press conference by the disgraced executive in Beirut on Wednesday. `` I wasn't aware of anything... I was in Beirut with my children to celebrate Christmas, someone called me to say ' I have a surprise for you. It was the best in all my life! '' she said. `` Fleeing was the only possible choice as he saw his trial being postponed indefinitely and he was being detained in conditions that deprived him of his rights with the aim of dehumanising him. `` Carlos can not plead guilty for things he did not do, '' Carole Ghosn said, adding that her husband was the `` victim of an industrial plot and the war between Renault and Nissan. '' She said he was slightly tense before his press conference, adding that this was `` normal '' as he was making `` the most important statement of his life. '' Ghosn had been facing trial in Japan on charges of financial misconduct, which he denies, before fleeing the country in late December for Lebanon, where he was reunited with his second wife Carole. The globe-trotting former auto mogul accuses executives at Japanese automaker Nissan of manufacturing the allegations against him in a `` plot '' to prevent closer integration with alliance partner Renault. Ghosn appears to have left his residence in Tokyo, which was monitored by surveillance cameras under his bail conditions, alone. He reportedly later met up with two US citizens and boarded a bullet train to Osaka on December 29. In Osaka, he is reported to have been put into a large box with holes drilled into it to ensure he could breathe and then loaded onto a private jet that flew to Istanbul. Airport security rules meant large items loaded onto private planes were exempt from screening -- a loophole that appears to have allowed Ghosn to escape unnoticed. In Istanbul, he boarded a second private jet that took him to Lebanon, where he entered on a French passport. Under his bail conditions, his French, Lebanese and Brazilian passports were confiscated and held by his lawyers. But he was allowed to retain a second French passport -- in a locked case with the key held by his lawyers -- so he could prove his short-term visa status if needed when travelling in Japan -- which was allowed in the terms of his bail. Former Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn’ s wife Carole said Tuesday she was not in the loop about his audacious escape from Japan, adding that it was the “ only choice possible. ” Speaking after Japanese prosecutors issued an arrest warrant for her, Carole Ghosn told France’ s Le Parisien newspaper that she knew nothing about the December 29-30 escape when Carlos Ghosn jumped bail and fled from Tokyo. The interview came hours before an eagerly awaited press conference by the disgraced executive in Beirut on Wednesday. “ I wasn’ t aware of anything… I was in Beirut with my children to celebrate Christmas, someone called me to say ‘ I have a surprise for you. It was the best in all my life! ” she said. “ Fleeing was the only possible choice as he saw his trial being postponed indefinitely and he was being detained in conditions that deprived him of his rights with the aim of dehumanising him. “ Carlos can not plead guilty for things he did not do, ” Carole Ghosn said, adding that her husband was the “ victim of an industrial plot and the war between Renault and Nissan. ” She said he was slightly tense before his press conference, adding that this was “ normal ” as he was making “ the most important statement of his life. ” Ghosn had been facing trial in Japan on charges of financial misconduct, which he denies, before fleeing the country in late December for Lebanon, where he was reunited with his second wife Carole. The globe-trotting former auto mogul accuses executives at Japanese automaker Nissan of manufacturing the allegations against him in a “ plot ” to prevent closer integration with alliance partner Renault. Ghosn appears to have left his residence in Tokyo, which was monitored by surveillance cameras under his bail conditions, alone. He reportedly later met up with two US citizens and boarded a bullet train to Osaka on December 29. In Osaka, he is reported to have been put into a large box with holes drilled into it to ensure he could breathe and then loaded onto a private jet that flew to Istanbul. Airport security rules meant large items loaded onto private planes were exempt from screening — a loophole that appears to have allowed Ghosn to escape unnoticed. In Istanbul, he boarded a second private jet that took him to Lebanon, where he entered on a French passport. Under his bail conditions, his French, Lebanese and Brazilian passports were confiscated and held by his lawyers. But he was allowed to retain a second French passport — in a locked case with the key held by his lawyers — so he could prove his short-term visa status if needed when travelling in Japan — which was allowed in the terms of his bail. With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives. A growing number of Western nations and cybersecurity groups have issued digital surveillance warnings for next month's Winter Olympics in Beijing. Cloud ERP leader Acumatica to host annual summit on digital transformation success. A man gets a Covid-19 jab at a vaccination station in Vienna on August 25, 2021; from February 2022, vaccinations against the virus will... US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks at the US embassy in Kyiv amid a standoff with Russia - Copyright AFP/File Mladen ANTONOVShaun TANDONThe... COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2022 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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Nissan slams Ghosn's 'extremely regrettable ' escape

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published Japanese automaker Nissan on Tuesday slammed former chief Carlos Ghosn for jumping bail, calling his escape `` extremely regrettable '' and vowing continued legal action against him for `` various acts of misconduct ''. Ghosn, who faced trial on financial misconduct charges that he denies, fled Japan on December 29 for Lebanon, in an elaborate and apparently carefully planned escape. His bail-jumping has prompted outrage from Japanese officials, but he insists that he would have been unable to receive a fair trial in Japan. In a statement, Nissan said Ghosn's escape `` in violation of his bail conditions is an act that defies Japan's judicial system. Nissan finds it extremely regrettable ''. The firm said its `` robust, thorough internal investigation '' had `` incontrovertible evidence of various acts of misconduct by Ghosn ''. `` The company will continue to take appropriate legal action to hold Ghosn accountable for the harm that his misconduct has caused to Nissan, '' it added. Ghosn alleges the charges against him stem from a `` coup '' inside Nissan by disgruntled executives and local Japanese officials who feared his plans to more closely integrate the car giant with its alliance partner, French firm Renault. Meanwhile, the Tokyo District Court confirmed on Tuesday it was keeping 1.5 billion yen ( $ 14 million) in bail owing to his escape. Ghosn was released on bail in April under conditions that included a ban on overseas travel and limited contact with his wife. The 65-year-old tycoon is due to give a news conference in Beirut on Wednesday, where he has said he will provide details about the alleged `` coup '' against him. Details are gradually emerging about his audacious flight from Japan to Beirut via Istanbul -- a dramatic final twist in a story that has gripped the business world since his initial out-of-the-blue arrest in November 2018. According to Japanese media, he slipped out of his house in Tokyo, boarded a bullet train to Osaka and then a private jet to Istanbul, concealed in a large box. A transport ministry official has told AFP that security checks on luggage are not necessary for private jet operators and the box was apparently two big for the X-ray machines at the airport. Justice Minister Masako Mori told reporters on Tuesday that this loophole had now been closed. `` After Carlos Ghosn fled using illegal means, I have ordered controls to be reinforced. The transport minister has informed me that it is now compulsory to inspect significant luggage, including on corporate jets, '' added Mori. This has been in place since Monday in Tokyo's main two airports Haneda and Narita, Kansai Airport ( from where Ghosn's jet left) and Nagoya, she said. Japanese automaker Nissan on Tuesday slammed former chief Carlos Ghosn for jumping bail, calling his escape “ extremely regrettable ” and vowing continued legal action against him for “ various acts of misconduct ”. Ghosn, who faced trial on financial misconduct charges that he denies, fled Japan on December 29 for Lebanon, in an elaborate and apparently carefully planned escape. His bail-jumping has prompted outrage from Japanese officials, but he insists that he would have been unable to receive a fair trial in Japan. In a statement, Nissan said Ghosn’ s escape “ in violation of his bail conditions is an act that defies Japan’ s judicial system. Nissan finds it extremely regrettable ”. The firm said its “ robust, thorough internal investigation ” had “ incontrovertible evidence of various acts of misconduct by Ghosn ”. “ The company will continue to take appropriate legal action to hold Ghosn accountable for the harm that his misconduct has caused to Nissan, ” it added. Ghosn alleges the charges against him stem from a “ coup ” inside Nissan by disgruntled executives and local Japanese officials who feared his plans to more closely integrate the car giant with its alliance partner, French firm Renault. Meanwhile, the Tokyo District Court confirmed on Tuesday it was keeping 1.5 billion yen ( $ 14 million) in bail owing to his escape. Ghosn was released on bail in April under conditions that included a ban on overseas travel and limited contact with his wife. The 65-year-old tycoon is due to give a news conference in Beirut on Wednesday, where he has said he will provide details about the alleged “ coup ” against him. Details are gradually emerging about his audacious flight from Japan to Beirut via Istanbul — a dramatic final twist in a story that has gripped the business world since his initial out-of-the-blue arrest in November 2018. According to Japanese media, he slipped out of his house in Tokyo, boarded a bullet train to Osaka and then a private jet to Istanbul, concealed in a large box. A transport ministry official has told AFP that security checks on luggage are not necessary for private jet operators and the box was apparently two big for the X-ray machines at the airport. Justice Minister Masako Mori told reporters on Tuesday that this loophole had now been closed. “ After Carlos Ghosn fled using illegal means, I have ordered controls to be reinforced. The transport minister has informed me that it is now compulsory to inspect significant luggage, including on corporate jets, ” added Mori. This has been in place since Monday in Tokyo’ s main two airports Haneda and Narita, Kansai Airport ( from where Ghosn’ s jet left) and Nagoya, she said. With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives. A growing number of Western nations and cybersecurity groups have issued digital surveillance warnings for next month's Winter Olympics in Beijing. Cloud ERP leader Acumatica to host annual summit on digital transformation success. A man gets a Covid-19 jab at a vaccination station in Vienna on August 25, 2021; from February 2022, vaccinations against the virus will... US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks at the US embassy in Kyiv amid a standoff with Russia - Copyright AFP/File Mladen ANTONOVShaun TANDONThe... COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2022 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. 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Ghosn escape breaks up legal 'dream team '

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published Carlos Ghosn's dramatic escape from Japan has brought down the curtain on his `` dream team '' legal defence, including the high-profile lawyer known as the `` razor '', hired for his enviable acquittal record. Junichiro Hironaka was as stunned as the rest of the world when he learned of Ghosn's flight. The 74-year-old lawyer had met his famous client on Christmas Day, the latest in a regular series of meetings to prepare the former Nissan boss's defence. `` I 'm dumbfounded, '' he told reporters camped outside his office, saying he had heard the news via the media and had no way of contacting Ghosn. Ghosn hired Hironaka in February after dumping Motonari Otsuru, a former elite prosecutor who rarely appeared before the media and who even seemed to take his former employers ' side as his client languished in prolonged detention. Hironaka was an obvious choice for Ghosn, with a strong record defending several tough, high-profile cases. His successes include defending a powerful MP fighting a financial scandal, a Japanese businessman accused of killing his wife, and a senior bureaucrat wrongfully accused of a crime. Hironaka's reputation as an `` acquittal guarantor '' made him a stand-out option for Ghosn in a country where almost every trial results in a guilty verdict. The shake-up instantly changed the public perception of Ghosn's defence, with Hironaka appearing several times before the foreign press to argue his client's case and frequently chatting to reporters outside his office. He had some tangible success as well, winning bail for his client that some saw as a controversial decision by persuading the court that Ghosn was not a flight risk -- despite prosecutors ' protests. - 'Perplexed ' - However, Hironaka at times appeared hesitant in front of the media and sometimes seemed not to have a complete grasp of all the facts. The second main member of the legal team was Hiroshi Kawatsu. Much less in the public eye, Kawatsu was lead defence lawyer and it was he who signed documents calling for the case against Ghosn to be thrown out. A source close to Ghosn -- who is expected to give a press conference on his escape Wednesday -- said it was partly frustration over the pace and method of his defence that led him to risk the audacious escape. `` He was perplexed by the way he was being defended. He was worried that the trial and the follow-up would take years. You have to remember that he's already 65, '' the source told AFP on condition of anonymity. The third man in the legal dream trio, Takashi Takano, said Ghosn had become increasingly frustrated by what he saw as prosecutors ' attempts to slow progress towards a trial -- that was expected to take place in spring at the earliest. Takano said in a personal blog post that he had told Ghosn the evidence against him was thin and sought to reassure him that his legal team between them had won many acquittals in white-collar crime cases. Hironaka and Takano both indicated that being banned from talking to his wife Carole was especially tough for Ghosn and the fact there was no prospect of a change in his conditions may have motivated his flight. In any case, the sudden escape of a client the defence team had insisted could not possibly leave Japan is a major embarrassment for some of the country's top lawyers, said Nobuo Gohara, a former elite prosecutor who now runs his own private practice. `` The defence team have completely lost face. They promised he would stay in Japan as a condition of his bail. The defence lawyers kept his passports as a bail condition. But he still fled overseas, '' Gohara told AFP. Five days after Ghosn vanished, Hironaka announced the legal team had agreed to disband but were still hoping to contact their client. `` I think we would have to resign eventually but regarding the timing and other stuff, we 'll probably decide after confirming his ( Ghosn's) intention, '' Hironaka told reporters. Meetings to prepare a trial -- that also involve Nissan and Ghosn's right-hand man Greg Kelly -- are expected to continue, a source close to the case told AFP. `` Carlos Ghosn's defence team has done nothing wrong, has not broken the law and has not been summoned by the prosecutor, '' this source said. Carlos Ghosn’ s dramatic escape from Japan has brought down the curtain on his “ dream team ” legal defence, including the high-profile lawyer known as the “ razor ”, hired for his enviable acquittal record. Junichiro Hironaka was as stunned as the rest of the world when he learned of Ghosn’ s flight. The 74-year-old lawyer had met his famous client on Christmas Day, the latest in a regular series of meetings to prepare the former Nissan boss’ s defence. “ I’ m dumbfounded, ” he told reporters camped outside his office, saying he had heard the news via the media and had no way of contacting Ghosn. Ghosn hired Hironaka in February after dumping Motonari Otsuru, a former elite prosecutor who rarely appeared before the media and who even seemed to take his former employers’ side as his client languished in prolonged detention. Hironaka was an obvious choice for Ghosn, with a strong record defending several tough, high-profile cases. His successes include defending a powerful MP fighting a financial scandal, a Japanese businessman accused of killing his wife, and a senior bureaucrat wrongfully accused of a crime. Hironaka’ s reputation as an “ acquittal guarantor ” made him a stand-out option for Ghosn in a country where almost every trial results in a guilty verdict. The shake-up instantly changed the public perception of Ghosn’ s defence, with Hironaka appearing several times before the foreign press to argue his client’ s case and frequently chatting to reporters outside his office. He had some tangible success as well, winning bail for his client that some saw as a controversial decision by persuading the court that Ghosn was not a flight risk — despite prosecutors’ protests. – ‘ Perplexed’ – However, Hironaka at times appeared hesitant in front of the media and sometimes seemed not to have a complete grasp of all the facts. The second main member of the legal team was Hiroshi Kawatsu. Much less in the public eye, Kawatsu was lead defence lawyer and it was he who signed documents calling for the case against Ghosn to be thrown out. A source close to Ghosn — who is expected to give a press conference on his escape Wednesday — said it was partly frustration over the pace and method of his defence that led him to risk the audacious escape. “ He was perplexed by the way he was being defended. He was worried that the trial and the follow-up would take years. You have to remember that he’ s already 65, ” the source told AFP on condition of anonymity. The third man in the legal dream trio, Takashi Takano, said Ghosn had become increasingly frustrated by what he saw as prosecutors’ attempts to slow progress towards a trial — that was expected to take place in spring at the earliest. Takano said in a personal blog post that he had told Ghosn the evidence against him was thin and sought to reassure him that his legal team between them had won many acquittals in white-collar crime cases. Hironaka and Takano both indicated that being banned from talking to his wife Carole was especially tough for Ghosn and the fact there was no prospect of a change in his conditions may have motivated his flight. In any case, the sudden escape of a client the defence team had insisted could not possibly leave Japan is a major embarrassment for some of the country’ s top lawyers, said Nobuo Gohara, a former elite prosecutor who now runs his own private practice. “ The defence team have completely lost face. They promised he would stay in Japan as a condition of his bail. The defence lawyers kept his passports as a bail condition. But he still fled overseas, ” Gohara told AFP. Five days after Ghosn vanished, Hironaka announced the legal team had agreed to disband but were still hoping to contact their client. “ I think we would have to resign eventually but regarding the timing and other stuff, we’ ll probably decide after confirming his ( Ghosn’ s) intention, ” Hironaka told reporters. Meetings to prepare a trial — that also involve Nissan and Ghosn’ s right-hand man Greg Kelly — are expected to continue, a source close to the case told AFP. “ Carlos Ghosn’ s defence team has done nothing wrong, has not broken the law and has not been summoned by the prosecutor, ” this source said. With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives. A growing number of Western nations and cybersecurity groups have issued digital surveillance warnings for next month's Winter Olympics in Beijing. Cloud ERP leader Acumatica to host annual summit on digital transformation success. A man gets a Covid-19 jab at a vaccination station in Vienna on August 25, 2021; from February 2022, vaccinations against the virus will... US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks at the US embassy in Kyiv amid a standoff with Russia - Copyright AFP/File Mladen ANTONOVShaun TANDONThe... COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2022 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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Sony introduces new concept electric car the Vision-S

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published The Consumer Electronics Show ( CES) is described by Wikipedia: “ CES ( formerly an acronym for Consumer Electronics Show [ 1 ]) is an annual trade show organized by the Consumer Technology Association ( CTA). Held in January at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, the event typically hosts presentations of new products and technologies in the consumer electronics industry. ” This year the Las Vegas show will be held January 7th to the 10th. There is an Asian version later on in the year June 10 to 12 in Shanghai China. Endgadget reports on the new vehicle announcement: “ Sony has unveiled an electric car — yes, an actual car — at CES today. It’ s the first prototype vehicle under Sony’ s mobility efforts called the Vision-S initiative, and based on what the tech giant said during its press event, it was built to showcase the automotive technologies it developed and can offer. Sony teamed up with a number of companies such as Bosch, Continental, NVIDIA and Qualcomm, to create the prototype sedan. ” The Vision-S is packed with new technology A recent Verge article notes: “ In fact, the Vision-S features 33 different sensors inside and outside of the car, multiple widescreen displays, 360 audio, and always-on connectivity, with some pieces coming from industry players like BlackBerry and Bosch. It’ s also powered by a “ newly-designed EV platform ” — which appears to have been engineered by automotive supplier Magna — that Sony says will be able to power other vehicle types, like SUVs. ” The outside of the car looks similar to some aspects of Porsche vehicles especially around the headlights. A side profile shows some resemblance to the Air of Lucid Motors. Inside the dashboard spanning screen is much like that of the Chinese EV startup Byton has in its cars with screens for rear seat passengers built into the front headrests. Many photos of the vehicle are available here. Brief Sony announcement leaves many questions unanswered Sony announced the new car at the tail end of its CES press conference. Sony spent at most a couple of minutes discussing the new vehicles before ending their conference. Does Sony or perhaps Magna intend to put this concept car into production or is it just a reference car. Will Magna let other companies companies build their own prototypes on the platform? The appended video is of Sony’ s press conference. Most of it is about the Sony PlayStation but discussion of the new car starts at minute 4. It’ s like expecting the Titanic to rise up from the seafloor and go back to business as usual. There is no reason to believe... The omicron variant of the coronavirus is moving faster than surveillance systems can track it. This is not the first time AWS has experienced these issues. In 2020 they faced a similar outage. President Biden pledged increased federal assistance to Kentucky as he surveyed the damage in tornado-ravaged towns. COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2021 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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Arrest warrant issued in Japan for Carlos Ghosn's wife

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published Prosecutors in Japan on Tuesday obtained an arrest warrant for Carole Ghosn, wife of former Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn, who last month jumped bail and fled the country. The warrant was issued as the fallout from the escape of one of Japan's most high-profile criminal suspects continues, with authorities pledging tighter border controls and seizing the bail money that Ghosn forfeited by fleeing the country. He had been facing trial in Japan on charges of financial misconduct, which he denies, before fleeing the country in late December for Lebanon, where he was reunited with his wife. In a statement, prosecutors said they had obtained the warrant on suspicion that Carole Ghosn `` made false statements '' during April testimony to the Tokyo district court about meetings with an unnamed individual. Carlos Ghosn had been freed on bail after agreeing to strict conditions, with prosecutors arguing he posed a flight risk. The conditions included restrictions on contact with Carole, which was reportedly among the reasons he decided to jump bail and flee the country in an elaborately planned escape that has outraged Japanese officials. A spokesperson for the Ghosn family called the warrant `` pathetic '' and implied it was a response to a press conference the tycoon is due to give in Beirut on Wednesday. - Elaborate escape plan - Ghosn's second wife, Carole vocally led the campaign for her husband's freedom, insisting on his innocence and slamming Japanese prosecutors for what she deemed ill-treatment after his shock November 19, 2018 arrest. She was initially prevented from seeing her husband, who was held in detention for more than 100 days after his arrest, and petitioned everyone from French President Emmanuel Macron to the White House in seeking his release. Ghosn, a globe-trotting auto mogul who was once a giant of the industry, accuses executives at Japanese automaker Nissan of manufacturing the allegations against him in a `` plot '' to prevent closer integration with alliance partner Renault. The warrant for Carole's arrest comes as Japanese authorities piece together how Ghosn was able to evade surveillance and airport security. Snippets have emerged suggesting he was aided by a security expert, and took advantage of loopholes in security at Japan's Kansai airport. He appears to have left his residence in Tokyo, which was monitored by surveillance cameras under his bail conditions, alone. He reportedly later met up with two US citizens and boarded a bullet train to Osaka on December 29. In Osaka, he is reported to have been put into a large box with holes drilled into it to ensure he could breathe and then loaded onto a private jet that flew to Istanbul. Airport security rules meant large items loaded onto private planes were exempt from screening -- a loophole that appears to have allowed Ghosn to escape unnoticed. - Press conference - In Istanbul, he boarded a second private jet that took him to Lebanon, where he entered on a French passport. Under his bail conditions, his French, Lebanese and Brazilian passports were confiscated and held by his lawyers. But he was allowed to retain a second French passport -- in a locked case with the key held by his lawyers -- so he could prove his short-term visa status if needed when travelling in Japan -- which was allowed in the terms of his bail. His lawyers in Japan said they had no idea about Ghosn's plans to escape, with his lead attorney saying he learnt of the news from the media. Interpol, the international police cooperation body, has issued a `` red notice '' for Carlos Ghosn's arrest, but Beirut and Tokyo do not have an extradition treaty. It was not immediately clear whether a similar notice would be issued for Carole Ghosn. The shock arrest of the leading executive rocked the auto industry, where he was once a leading figure credited with turning around Nissan. Ghosn alleges the case against him was manufactured by disgruntled Nissan executives and Japanese officials opposed to his plans to more closely integrate the firm with Renault. He is due to give a press conference in Beirut on Wednesday, and has told Fox Business that he has `` actual evidence '' that will prove the charges were a plot against him. Prosecutors in Japan on Tuesday obtained an arrest warrant for Carole Ghosn, wife of former Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn, who last month jumped bail and fled the country. The warrant was issued as the fallout from the escape of one of Japan’ s most high-profile criminal suspects continues, with authorities pledging tighter border controls and seizing the bail money that Ghosn forfeited by fleeing the country. He had been facing trial in Japan on charges of financial misconduct, which he denies, before fleeing the country in late December for Lebanon, where he was reunited with his wife. In a statement, prosecutors said they had obtained the warrant on suspicion that Carole Ghosn “ made false statements ” during April testimony to the Tokyo district court about meetings with an unnamed individual. Carlos Ghosn had been freed on bail after agreeing to strict conditions, with prosecutors arguing he posed a flight risk. The conditions included restrictions on contact with Carole, which was reportedly among the reasons he decided to jump bail and flee the country in an elaborately planned escape that has outraged Japanese officials. A spokesperson for the Ghosn family called the warrant “ pathetic ” and implied it was a response to a press conference the tycoon is due to give in Beirut on Wednesday. – Elaborate escape plan – Ghosn’ s second wife, Carole vocally led the campaign for her husband’ s freedom, insisting on his innocence and slamming Japanese prosecutors for what she deemed ill-treatment after his shock November 19, 2018 arrest. She was initially prevented from seeing her husband, who was held in detention for more than 100 days after his arrest, and petitioned everyone from French President Emmanuel Macron to the White House in seeking his release. Ghosn, a globe-trotting auto mogul who was once a giant of the industry, accuses executives at Japanese automaker Nissan of manufacturing the allegations against him in a “ plot ” to prevent closer integration with alliance partner Renault. The warrant for Carole’ s arrest comes as Japanese authorities piece together how Ghosn was able to evade surveillance and airport security. Snippets have emerged suggesting he was aided by a security expert, and took advantage of loopholes in security at Japan’ s Kansai airport. He appears to have left his residence in Tokyo, which was monitored by surveillance cameras under his bail conditions, alone. He reportedly later met up with two US citizens and boarded a bullet train to Osaka on December 29. In Osaka, he is reported to have been put into a large box with holes drilled into it to ensure he could breathe and then loaded onto a private jet that flew to Istanbul. Airport security rules meant large items loaded onto private planes were exempt from screening — a loophole that appears to have allowed Ghosn to escape unnoticed. – Press conference – In Istanbul, he boarded a second private jet that took him to Lebanon, where he entered on a French passport. Under his bail conditions, his French, Lebanese and Brazilian passports were confiscated and held by his lawyers. But he was allowed to retain a second French passport — in a locked case with the key held by his lawyers — so he could prove his short-term visa status if needed when travelling in Japan — which was allowed in the terms of his bail. His lawyers in Japan said they had no idea about Ghosn’ s plans to escape, with his lead attorney saying he learnt of the news from the media. Interpol, the international police cooperation body, has issued a “ red notice ” for Carlos Ghosn’ s arrest, but Beirut and Tokyo do not have an extradition treaty. It was not immediately clear whether a similar notice would be issued for Carole Ghosn. The shock arrest of the leading executive rocked the auto industry, where he was once a leading figure credited with turning around Nissan. Ghosn alleges the case against him was manufactured by disgruntled Nissan executives and Japanese officials opposed to his plans to more closely integrate the firm with Renault. He is due to give a press conference in Beirut on Wednesday, and has told Fox Business that he has “ actual evidence ” that will prove the charges were a plot against him. With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives. Images of Ukrainian troops carrying Javelin missile launchers on their shoulders have flashed around the world. North Korea conducted a missile test but the launch failed, Seoul said - Copyright AFP Jung Yeon-jeNorth Korea fired a projectile Wednesday but the... China has moved to free up hospital beds as officials reported thousands of new cases from an Omicron-led coronavirus outbreak. Ukraine's besieged leader urged the U.S. to reconsider his plea for a no-fly zone, invoking the terror of the September 11 attacks. COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2022 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

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Brooke Thackray discusses Telus and Walt Disney

China aims to launch nationwide power trading by 2025, the state planning agency said Friday, as policy makers seek a unified solution to some of the problems that have bedeviled generators in recent years. The bar for China’ s financial markets to do better this year was so low, virtually everyone on Wall Street was saying the country’ s stocks and bonds could only go up. Back in 2016, trying to get an ambitious young financier to choose France over Britain was an often hopeless task. China needs to step up government spending to support an economy that’ s slowing due to coronavirus lockdowns and a property sector downturn, according to the International Monetary Fund. ( Bloomberg) -- Sign up for the New Economy Daily newsletter, follow us @ economics and subscribe to our podcast. { { video.ContentPackages [ 0 ].ScheduleStartDateTime | fromNow } }

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Home Builders Are In Focus As Earnings Season Kicks Off

The peak of earnings season will kick off next week with reports from the big banks. That doesn’ t mean there aren’ t earnings report due this week, or that those reports won’ t have a moving impact on the broad market. The homebuilders are going to come into sharp focus this week with reports from Lennar and KB Homes. I think both will produce solid reports and provide a positive outlook if not blow right past the consensus targets. The reason is simple. The FOMC’ s midcycle interest rate adjustment has unlocked the housing market. We’ re still waiting on December’ s data but the trends are clear. Building permits, housing starts, and pending home sales are all the rise and yet inventory is not keeping up. With supply so low and demand on the rise the outlook for homebuilder profits is bright indeed. JP Morgan analyst Michael Rehaut only sees modest upside potential for the homebuilders but maintained his overweight rating. In his view, demand could moderate in the second half putting pressure on comps but I don't see that happening. Lawrence Yun, the chief economist at the National Association of Realtors, says favorable conditions are expected to remain throughout 2020. He noted inventory has been in decline for the last six months and said: “ supply is not yet meeting demand. ” Lennar: New Orders Outpace Deliveries Shares of Lennar ( LEN) are moving higher as traders get ready for the company to report earnings. Up nearly 5% in the last three trading sessions, the stock looks ready to resume its uptrend. document.write ( ' < a style= '' text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal; color: # 696969; '' target= '' blank '' rel= '' nofollow '' href= '' https: //www.ame ' + 'ricanconsumernews.net/scripts/click.aspx? NativeDisplayAdID=513 & ImpressionID=0 & UserID=0 & Placement=PlaceOnArticlePage '' > '); Trump's 5G plan is opening the flood gates to 3 million new jobs, $ 12.3 trillion in economic growth, and a brand new 5G device. One of the world's top angel investors – a tech genius named Jeff Brown believes the company behind this device is the Number One Tech Stock of 202, and it will go from $ 0 to nearly $ 100 billion in sales – this year. The company is expected to report $ 1.90 per share before the bell tomorrow. This is down slightly from the previous year but the company will very likely beat the consensus. It has beaten consensus 9 out of the last 12 quarters and business is supported by expansionary trends. The analysts are expecting Lennar to deliver a consensus 10% EPS growth next year but this estimate is also too low. In the last earnings report, the company revealed new orders were outpacing deliveries by 200 basis points, a figure that points to accelerating activity in the 4th quarter and 2020. In light of the trends within the industry and acceleration in the housing starts data I expect the analysts with raiase their forecasts over the next two to three quarters. Lennar Executive Chairman Stuart Miller “ As the market continued to solidify through the third quarter, stimulating both the affordability and demand for homes, our new orders and deliveries increased 9% and 7%, respectively, from the prior year... We continue to believe that the basic underlying housing market fundamentals of low unemployment, higher wages and low inventory levels remain favorable. '' The real story for this stock is Lennar’ s work to improve margins and free-cash-flow. SG & A expenses hit an all-time low in the 3rd quarter of 2019 while cash-flow is on-trend to hit $ 1.5 billion. What are they doing with all that cash? Lennar has been using the money to pay down debt and buyback stock, two trends that are not expected to end in 2020. KB Homes: Earnings Growth Will Be Robust Where Lennar is expected to see a slight drop in YOY earnings KB Homes ( KBH) is not. The consensus estimate for KB Homes is 78% EPS growth on a sequential basis, +35% EPS growth year-over-year. Looking to 2020, the consensus is 20% EPS growth and this estimate is too low. I already expect to see the analysts up their targets over the next year, if Lennar shows the same strength in the 4Q report as it did in the 3Q report those estimates could begin to rise this week. Some key highlights from the 3Q report include rising deliveries, rising orders, and rising backlogs. Deliveries only increased by 1.1% which was shy of expectations. The weakness was offset, however, by strong increases in orders and backlog. The number of new orders increased 100% from the previous year and drove a 13% increase in backlogged orders. The stock has been trending sideways since the last earnings report due to a shortfall in revenue. In that time it has formed a bottom at the $ 32.50 level and begun to move higher within the range. The indicators have turned bullish and suggest a move up to the recent high is on the way. The recent high, near $ 37.50, is a significant point of resistance that, if broken, could lead to double-digit gains in 2020. 10 Best Tech Stocks to Buy After the Market’ s Historic Sell-Off Technology stocks are among the most volatile in the market. The allure of big gains comes with the risk of sharp downturns. When the market is trending upwards, these stocks have a tendency to lead the way. Conversely, when the market is selling off, tech stocks post some of the largest losses. And in the coronavirus crash tech stocks took their usual beating. But an interesting dynamic is happening. As stocks are trying to stage a comeback, many tech stocks are being left behind. Many of the leading tech stocks trade on the NASDAQ exchange. However, as the Dow Jones Industrial Average ( DJIA) and S & P 500 posted gains on March 25, the NASDAQ stayed down. And that’ s an opportunity for investors who know where to look. We’ ve put together this presentation to give you ten technology stocks that look to be solid bets no matter which way the market moves. Some of the stocks you’ ll see are companies that have a business model that is perfectly suited for today’ s social distancing environment. View the `` 10 Best Tech Stocks to Buy After the Market’ s Historic Sell-Off ''. Complete the form below to receive the latest headlines and analysts ' recommendations for your stocks with our free daily email newsletter:

business

Juan Pablo Di Pace talks New York shows, Fuller House, turning 40 ( Includes interview)

Hi, what are you looking for? By Published Di Pace will be performing at The Green Room 42 on January 9 and 11, 2020. “ It feels amazing to be in New York. I love this city. There is something about its energy, ” he admitted. “ These shows are part of an ‘ Evening with Juan Pablo Di Pace.’ I want to take my listeners through an emotional journey of what it’ s like to be a Latino immigrant and have a dream and come to the United States, and laugh a little bit, ” he said. “ I want the audience to walk away with hope, fun and some great music, ” he added. He hinted that he will be covering George Michael, whom he dubbed as one of his favorite artists, as well as ABBA songs and musical theatre. In his live show, he will open up about moments in his career that helped shape his life, including the fact that “ dance became an important part of his life. ” For more information on his upcoming show at The Green Room 42, check out the venue’ s official homepage. In 2020, his New Year’ s resolution is to take better care of his body. “ I feel that the last two years were so intense, ” he said. “ This year is about pursuing what is absolutely necessary and important. ” He described his Dancing with the Stars experience, where he was partnered with professional dancer Cheryl Burke, as incredible. “ It was a whirlwind of emotions and pressure, ” he said. “ You don’ t realize what you get into. ” Equally great was his experience on Fuller House, where he has played Fernando, Andrea Barber’ s estranged husband. “ That has been an adventure for the past five years, ” he said. “ We are very lucky and we have become very close. I love working with Andrea Barber, who plays Kimmy, who has been amazing. The whole cast has been fantastic. ” For young and aspiring artists, he said, “ Worker harder than you think you are working. ” “ Don’ t take things for granted. Nothing beats the work and the discipline to do something in the best way possible. Keep studying and researching. Educate yourself. Not only is it important to create, but to study since that gives you more tools. That’ s really important, ” he said. Regarding the title of the current chapter of his life, he responded simply as “ Truth. ” In his personal life, Di Pace turned 40 years old this past July, and that same month he came out publicly. “ Age is just a number, ” he said. “ I am going to have fun in my 40’ s. ” When asked which track and field event he would compete in, if he had the opportunity, he said, “ pole vault. ” “ The pole vault looks so exciting and so difficult. I would love it, ” he said. Di Pace defined the word success as follows: “ Doing what you love and continuing to do what you love. ” “ I don’ t take anything for granted and I am happy that I moved to this country, and started from scratch and I get to have the life that I have, ” he said. To learn more about multifaceted entertainer Juan Pablo Di Pace, follow him on Instagram and on Twitter. Markos Papadatos is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for Music News. Papadatos is a Greek-American journalist and educator that has authored over 16,000 original articles over the past 15 years. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in music, entertainment, lifestyle, magic, and sports. He is a five-time consecutive `` Best of Long Island '' winner, and in the past two years, he was honored as the `` Best Long Island Personality '' in Arts & Entertainment, an honor that has gone to Billy Joel six times. There are two confirmed cases of the omicron variant of the coronavirus in Ottawa, the Ontario government announced Sunday. Sweden's first female prime minister Magdalena Andersson, leader of the minority Social Democrats, was reappointed on Monday. Drug and alcohol addiction treatment experts blame treatment services closing their doors to addicts during the pandemic. Donald Trump, pictured in his final days in office, is the first president since Herbert Hoover nearly a century ago to lose the House,... COPYRIGHT © 1998 - 2021 DIGITAL JOURNAL INC. Digital Journal is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more about our external linking.

general

NGI 2020: Visibility Poor for North American E & Ps as Wall Street Sours and Capital Markets Contract

Sign in to get the best natural gas news and data. Follow the topics you want and receive the daily emails. Your email address * Your password * Remember me Continue Reset password Featured Content News & Data Services Client Support Daily GPI NGI The Weekly Gas Market Report | E & P | Markets | NGI All News Access Editor’ s Note: This is one of a 14-piece series NGI undertook as the energy industry readied for the new year, with Lower 48 natural gas and oil supply continuing to surge in an uncertain environment as liquefied natural gas exports ramp up, Mexico markets remain shrouded and stakeholders demand more value. Get your complimentary copy of NGI’ s 2020 Special Report today. The natural gas and oil sector is coming to grips with a bevy of uncertainties this year, as capital markets are drying up, investors are fleeing and the global community voices increasing concerns about fossil fuels. Energy industry prognosticators see a foggy 2020, potentially a repeat of sorts from 2019, with a mild increase in capital expenditures ( capex) for the exploration and production ( E & P) sector and continued pain for oilfield services ( OFS). The Evercore ISI analyst team led by James West recently compiled the 2020 Global E & P Spending Outlook, an annual sampling in which data was collected from more than 250 oil and gas operators of all stripes — publics, privates, domestic and internationally focused, from the smallest of the moms-and-pops to the supermajors. The “ tale of two markets ” is arriving this year, West said. The pain in North America ( NAM) “ is being felt all around, ” with more than 32 bankruptcy filings by North American E & Ps last year amounting to around $ 13 billion in debt. Investors also are exiting the sector. A dollar invested in the OSX Index 20 years ago would have fetched “ an extra penny in your pocket, compared to nearly $ 5 for the S & P 500, ” West said. “ This clear disconnect has brought energy weightings in the S & P 500 to between 4-5% versus a stunning 15% this past decade. ” NAM operators are in search of a new normal, as the pullback in drilling and completion activity started earlier last year than in 2018, and the decline in the rig count was steeper than most operators had expected, the survey indicated. After increasing by 46% in 2017 and 20% in 2018, NAM capex is set to decline for two consecutive years, with 2019 and 2020 both expected to be down 6%, respondents said. “ The NAM market is best described as a muddle in 2020, driven by the continued backdrop of lower for longer spending and activity levels by operators, ” West said. Consolidation also has had an impact. A pickup in activity levels in NAM is expected as new budgets are reset, “ but visibility is poor and management teams are uncertain. ” E & Ps also have sobered up about price assumptions. When the survey was conducted late last year, respondents were expecting 2020 crude to average $ 53.75/bbl West Texas Intermediate and $ 58/bbl Brent. Recently, with increased instability in Iran and Iraq, oil prices have been moving higher. The latest survey still “ denotes a marked shift in thinking versus prior years, and we believe that a relative lack of funding is also another driving factor as the upstream learns to sustain itself on internal cash flows, ” West said. Nearly one-quarter ( 27%) of those surveyed said they would not increase capex, “ no matter how much pricing increases, which we found to be noteworthy. ” One-half said they would “ neither increase nor decrease their capex plans under any price scenario. ” The E & P executives also are harboring a more bearish view on natural gas compared with 2019. For 2020, the average price deck forecast for natural gas is $ 2.37/Mcf, which is 6.9% below Evercore’ s 2020 estimate. By comparison, Goldman Sachs is expecting Henry Hub to average $ 2.20/Mcf this year, with an average price of $ 2.50 in 2021, and $ 2.75 in 2022 and 2023. The U.S. Energy Information Administration expects Henry Hub to average $ 2.45/MMBtu in 2020, down 14 cents from the 2019 average. RBN Energy LLC President Rusty Braziel, in the eighth year of posting prognostications, said the shale/tight resource era has not ended, “ but it is going to be much more difficult to get projects done. ” Last year saw a few “ profound market shifts that will be with us into 2020 and beyond, ” he said. For one thing, “ Wall Street has soured on anything to do with oil and gas, and that’ s tightened capital markets for both drilling and infrastructure. But it is deeper than that. ” The energy industry is “ shell-shocked from what seems like a continuous cycle of capacity constraints, the need for long-term capacity commitments, overbuilds, low prices and collapsing price differentials. ” The entire infrastructure development process also has slowed, and E & Ps “ are more inclined to deal with capacity issues in a few years rather than sign up for a new project today. That’ s the reality of the shale era as we enter the new decade, ” Braziel said. Morningstar Commodities Research’ s Sandy Fielden, who directs oil and products research, said “ a sense of shale fatigue lingers in the air at the start of 2020, with drilling slowing and a challenging investment environment for producers. ” As Lower 48 oil output continues to grow, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries ( OPEC) and allies have protected prices by reducing their production. However, “ the threat of excess supply has pushed forward markets into a contango structure with December 2021 futures settling $ 8/bbl below the prompt contract, ” Fielden said. “ That leaves U.S. producers and the crude market vulnerable to slower economic growth. ” Raymond James & Associates Inc.’ s analyst team led by Praveen Narra said strip prices suggest the U.S. rig count likely has bottomed. The final quarter of 2019 marks the trough for rig activity, with the U.S. count “ up 6.1% from here and fracture demand up 8.1%, ” Narra said. “ Our strip rig count…is based on a bottoms-up, basin-by-basin approach, which forecasts which companies will be running rigs and where. This forecast considers announced capital plans, public E & P budgets, oil and gas breakevens in major plays, as well as the current futures strip prices. “ Overall, we currently estimate the total U.S. rig count will average 910 in 2020, a decrease from the 2019 average of 945. ” The 2020 average horizontal rig count forecast calls for a 45-rig increase in the next 12 months, with 30 rigs destined for the Permian Basin, or 66% share of incremental rigs. Capital discipline is “ easy for producers to talk about ” when West Texas Intermediate ( WTI) is trading at $ 50-55/bbl, “ but a lot harder for investors to believe at $ 60-plus, ” Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. ( TPH) analysts said. “ One of the dominant themes of our client conversations following the Iran news late last week was the potential for added activity and hedges given a higher 2020 curve, which now stands at $ 61 WTI. Early feedback from coverage companies appears to be in line with our thoughts that cash flow uplifts will flow to balance sheet repair/increased shareholder returns rather than incremental production growth. ” From a hedging standpoint, producers are expected to lock in solid prices for 2020 and 2021. With earnings season set to begin later this month, “ it’ s imperative that companies stand firm to this message on 4Q2019 conference calls when the majority of 2020 plans are revealed as capital discipline remains a prerequisite for long-term money to return to the space. ” The TPH team also reflected on the past decade. At the end of 2009, the U.S. rig count was on its way to 2,000-plus, while the Haynesville Shale was the second most active U.S. play after the Permian. “ Part of the beauty of embarking upon a new decade is knowing that there will be geopolitical and industry events and technological innovations which are ( today) predictably unpredictable, but which will notably influence global supply/demand balances across the energy value chain, ” the TPH team said. “ With North American E & P operators still relatively new, and thus enthusiastic, converts to the religion of capital discipline and value over ( production) volume, and with the ( short-term) threat of a sub- $ 50/bbl WTI oil price increasingly in the rearview mirror, we like the backdrop for generalist investors to find their way back to our energy industry as the new year unfolds. ” The building blocks were set last year as E & Ps improved costs and reduced spending. “ Our positioning in 2019 was to avoid gas and stay overweight large cap oil versus smaller peers, and going into 2020 we’ re not quite ready to shift that message — at least through the first half of the coming year, ” the TPH team said. “ To sum it up, while we wait for an improved gas macro outlook, we’ re betting that capital inflows hit the larger-cap oily names first… ” Low commodity prices may limit opportunities for E & Ps to build cash flow this year too, according to Moody’ s Investors Service. The OFS sector in turn then could see revenue and cash flow shrink as customers retreat, said senior credit officer Amol Joshi. “ Tepid ” activity in turn also may upend midstream opportunities. Because energy operators have to attract equity investors, “ many are returning excess cash flow to shareholders rather than reinvesting in their businesses to grow at any cost. But equity investor returns have yet to improve ” since oil prices crashed in late 2014, Joshi said. Investor sentiment has soured even more since mid-2019 on continued U.S. supply growth, the risk of renewed economic uncertainty and tariff wars. Meanwhile, environmental, social and governance ( ESG) goals are becoming de rigueur, as operators acquiesce to investors by pledging to reduce carbon emissions and improve the places where they work. Instituting ESG goals is a must, Joshi said, as “ capital providers with environmental or social directives are also actively reducing their exposures to energy companies, limiting the capital available for such companies. ” © 2021 Natural Gas Intelligence. All rights reserved. ISSN © 1532-1231 | ISSN © 2577-9877 | ISSN © 1532-1266 | Related topics: Energy Investors Prices NGI’ s Daily NatGas Price Tracker Daily Product Suite Listen to NGI’ s ‘ Hub and Flow’ Daily Gas Price Index Download latest PDF Edition Daily GPI: Trending News Mexico Mexico’ s government is doing all it can to boost the fortunes of troubled state oil and gas giant Petróleos Mexicanos ( Pemex), with the Finance Ministry again reducing the firm’ s profit-sharing duty and injecting $ 3.5 billion to reduce debt. “ Pemex is strategically important for the country, not only in its function as a provider of goods… LNG Markets Natural Gas Prices M & A Coronavirus Natural Gas Prices Regulatory Infrastructure Infrastructure

general

Brooke Thackray's Top Picks: Jan. 7, 2020

The information you requested is not available at this time, please check back again soon. Many investors believe that because the U.S. was one of the strongest markets in the world last year it will not repeat its feat for a second time in a row. This has not proven itself to be true, with emerging markets only outperforming the S & P four times in the last 10 years and the TSX only outperforming it twice. To look for a turning point for U.S. markets, it is important to follow the performance of the U.S. dollar. If the U.S. dollar starts to falter, the probability that emerging markets and other stock markets around the world will outperform increases. Brooke Thackray, research analyst at Horizons ETF Management Canada, discusses his top picks: The Horizons S & P/TSX Capped Energy Index ETF, the iShares Silver Trust Index ETF and TJX. HORIZONS S & P/TSX CAPPED ENERGY INDEX ETF ( HXE: CT) HAC purchased on Dec. 23 at $ 16.14. Energy was one of the worst-performing sectors last year. Over the last few months, it has been improving relative to the broad stock market. The seasonal period of strength for the sector is from Feb. 25 to May 9. Often, energy can bottom in January. Even aside from the geopolitical tensions, the energy sector is poised to move higher. Silver has a seasonal period that lasts from Dec. 27 to Feb. 22. Recently, it’ s shown an improving relative performance to the broad market. Its recent rally has been mainly predicated on its precious metal qualities. Silver has benefitted from lower interest rates and increasing geopolitical tensions. TJX has a similar seasonal period to the retail sector and tends to perform well from Jan. 23 to March 31. From 1990 to 2019, TJX has produced an average gain of 7 per cent yearly during this period, being positive 87 per cent of the time. TJX sells products at the lower end of the price range with its different brands. Some of its brands have benefitted from the online sales hurting the traditional bricks-and-mortar companies. With many of these companies have gone out of business, TJX has bought their product at dramatically reduced prices for their inventory. Brooke Thackray, research analyst at Horizons ETF Management Canada, discusses his past picks: Horizons Gold ETF, SPDR Portfolio Small Cap ETF, the iShares Rusell 1000 Value ETF. HORIZONS GOLD ETF ( HUG: CT) HAC purchased on Dec. 23 at $ 16.14. Gold performed well in the summer months as a result of interest rates moving lower. In the second half of December and into January, gold has moved higher amid increased geopolitical tensions. Small caps typically perform well at the beginning of the year, bouncing in January from tax-loss selling. So far, they have underperformed the S & P. The U.S. dollar being under pressure has not helped this performance. On a seasonal basis, the U.S. dollar can garner some strength in January and into February. If the greenback manages to do so, small caps could perform well over the next two to three months. ISHARES RUSSELL 1000 VALUE ETF ( IWD: UN) HAC purchased Nov. 13 at $ 132.70. Growth has strongly outperformed value since the start of the bull market in 2009, though value has occasionally taken its turn outperforming, mainly in its strong seasonal periods. The value sector has its next strong seasonal period from late February to mid-April. When the stock market moves into a corrective phase, value tends to outperform. HORIZONS SEASONAL ROTATION ETF ( HAC: CT) Performance as of Dec. 31, 2019. Annualized performance for periods of one year or greater. Fund’ s performance includes reinvested dividends and is net of fees. TOP 5 HOLDINGS AND WEIGHTINGS As of Aug. 31. TWITTER: @ BrookeThackray WEBSITE: www.horizonsetfs.com/HAC ​The excess cash that has accumulated in Canadians’ bank accounts during the pandemic might not provide quite the economic boost that the federal government has been hoping for, according to a Bay Street economist. The extremely transmissible Omicron variant has prompted companies in the manufacturing and resource sectors to downgrade their earnings forecasts amid the ongoing uncertainty. The Nasdaq Composite notched its worst month in nearly two years after the Federal Reserve’ s aggressive hike signals roiled high-flying technology stocks. Joe Rogan pledged more balance and better research for his podcast in an apology aimed at quelling growing controversy about misleading coronavirus information that plunged Spotify Technology SA into controversy last week. Calgary's downtown office vacancy rate has declined for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Canadian banks increased their pay per worker 6.3 per cent in fiscal 2021, more than twice the average boost in the previous three years, as inflation and competition make it costlier to attract and retain employees. Canadians have been scrambling to sock away their retirement savings and lower their tax bills in the popular tax shelter since 1957. Aside from a few tweaks over the decades, the basics of the RRSP remain the same.

general

Hackers imitating CDC, WHO with coronavirus phishing emails

Last week, IBM and Kaspersky caught hackers in Japan trying to spread malware through emails with links about the coronavirus outbreak that started in Wuhan, China, in January. Now, Kaspersky and Sophos have found phishing emails from cybercriminals purporting to be from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization that are attempts to steal email credentials and other information. SEE: Coronavirus having major effect on tech industry beyond supply chain delays ( free PDF) ( TechRepublic) In a blog post, Kaspersky researcher Maria Vergelis explained that they found phishing emails coming from `` cdc-gov.org, '' instead of the CDC's real domain at cdc.gov, that claim to have vital information about the coronavirus. `` The letters claim that the CDC has 'established a management system to coordinate a domestic and international public health response ' and urge recipients to open a page that allegedly contains information about new cases of infection around their city. The link appears to point to the legitimate CDC website: cdc.gov, '' Vergelis wrote. The link in the email takes you to a page that looks almost exactly like Microsoft Outlook and asks for users to enter their login information. But instead of taking you to another page, your information is passed on to hackers who will then use it to access your email account. SEE: Phishing attacks: A guide for IT pros ( free PDF) ( TechRepublic Premium) Vergelis said they found another version of the email that asks for people to donate to the CDC with Bitcoin. These emails, coming from the fake `` cdcgov.org, '' include appeals for donations to help find a cure for the coronavirus, even though the CDC does not take donations and definitely would not take Bitcoin payment. In an email full of spelling mistakes, hackers also purported to be from the WHO, according to a blog post from Paul Ducklin, senior technologist at Sophos. The email, which has the official WHO logo, claims to have information on safety measures and asks victims to click a link that will take them to a page with more detailed suggestions for how to protect themselves against the coronavirus. `` The scam page itself is incredibly simple—it can't have taken the crooks more than a few minutes to put together—and visually effective. The fake page consists of the official, current home page of the World Health Organisation ( WHO), with an unassuming popup form on top of it. It doesn't just look like the WHO's page in the background, it is the WHO's page, rendered in a frame that's embedded in the fake site, '' Ducklin wrote. `` You can see why someone who's nervous about the coronavirus issue, or who has friends and family in the main areas of infection, or who wants to do the right thing by learning more about preventing the spread of the disease might fill in the form, perhaps because they are feeling pressured by ( or not thinking clearly because of) the subject matter. '' `` Indeed, many companies have already sent emails to their staff to offer advice, so reading additional information that is allegedly from the WHO sounds like a sensible and responsible thing to do, '' he added. Etay Maor, chief security officer at IntSights, said attacks like this will continue to happen as more people search for information about the virus. `` This is to be expected and I have little doubt it will stop. Social engineering and utilizing real world events for phishing and other cyber crime purposes has always been around. We saw this with other sad recent news like Kobe's death, '' he said, referring to Kobe Bryant. `` Whether it's tragedies, large sporting events like the Super Bowl or healthcare related events, scammers are not shy about using these for their advantage. '' The Kaspersky blog post includes a number of recommendations for how people can protect themselves from these kinds of attacks. People should always check the email address of the sender, the URL of any links sent and the design of pages purporting to be email login portals. Kowsik Guruswamy, CTO of Menlo Security, said this new campaign shows that companies have to be proactive about training employees how to spot these kinds of emails and attacks, which will become more prevalent especially with major news events like the coronavirus. `` This new campaign shows why existing security technologies will never be able to eliminate phishing attacks with malicious attachments. Attackers are leveraging a life or death situation to trick people into downloading malware. No AI or threat intelligence-based blacklist can ever stop this kind of attack, '' Guruswamy said. Vergelis wrote that companies and regular people should expect to see many more emails like this as hackers realize how effective it is to exploit situations like coronavirus spread. `` The coronavirus as a topic is heating up among malefactors of various kinds, so expect to see other malicious campaigns using the deadly virus as bait. Recently we 've seen spam campaigns selling masks, which some perceive as the first line of defense against the virus, '' Vergelis added. Strengthen your organization's IT security defenses by keeping abreast of the latest cybersecurity news, solutions, and best practices. Delivered Tuesdays and Thursdays

tech

Is Slack Bottoming Out? ( WORK)

It wasn’ t the only fresh-faced and bushy-tailed tech name to fall victim to a pumped-up IPO price that was quickly deflated. Investors in Uber ( NYSE: UBER) and Lyft ( NASDAQ: LYFT) know that feeling only too well by now. 2019 will be remembered as the year many high flying names were brought quickly back to earth. But can 2020 be the year that at least one of them turns the story around? Based on Slack’ s Q3 earnings report in early December, they’ re going to give it their best shot. As we covered last month, the EPS numbers were the headline grabbers with a solid beat on analyst expectations. While they’ re still not quite in the black, they’ re not nearly as much in the red as analysts thought they might be. Revenue also came in on top and showed an impressive 60% growth year on year which also topped the consensus. In a sign of a company fighting for that hockey stick growth curve, they now have more than 50 customers paying over $ 1 million in annual recurring revenue. However, a 50% decline in the share price is still a 50% decline in the share price and investors will need to be mindful of the uphill battle ahead. November’ s report that Microsoft ( NASDAQ: MSFT) had passed the 20 million daily users mark for their Microsoft Teams solution put paid to any end of year rally for Slack. It’ s worth noting that this figure had jumped over 50% from the 13 million daily users they counted back in June. The 20 million figure for the rival solution is now almost twice as high as Slack’ s and is sure to become a regularly measured metric in the quarters ahead. document.write ( ' < a style= '' text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal; color: # 696969; '' target= '' blank '' rel= '' nofollow '' href= '' https: //www.ame ' + 'ricanconsumernews.net/scripts/click.aspx? NativeDisplayAdID=500 & ImpressionID=0 & UserID=0 & Placement=PlaceOnArticlePage '' > '); Learn the benefits of trading the world’ s most popular futures index at a fraction of the size and cost. The E-mini S & P 500 futures contract provides a low margin, cash efficient trading option to traders of all experience. Considering that Microsoft Team has been on the market for over two years and is bundled in with the juggernaut Office 365 solution, Slack is still very much the new kid on the block. To this end, Wedbush was out around the same time with a $ 14 price target, noting, in particular, the competitive challenge from one of the world’ s biggest tech companies. However, it’ s not all bad news. Piper has a $ 30 price target for Slack’ s stock and technically speaking it’ s starting to look as if it wants to head there. Having come down to the $ 20 mark in October, shares have bounced along that line steadily enough which suggests that there are consistent buyers to be had. To the upside, it’ s been bouncing back from the $ 23 mark and has had trouble breaking through here. But shares seem determined to start of 2020 on the front foot and have rallied 15% in the past two weeks to be right at the top of the range after setting consistently higher lows. RSI has been rising steadily with them and is bullishly healthy at 60 while the MACD had a bullish crossover as recently as December 24th. Having taken a beating in its first 6 months, it’ s starting to look like the bears are running out of steam and the bulls are about to take control. Despite the stock falling 50% from its IPO price into the new year, there’ s a lot of good internal momentum for investors to keep in mind as we swing into 2020. If it can break above and hold $ 24, it should be clear sailing towards $ 28. Another impressive earnings report would then do a lot of quelling any concerns about being competitive and might finally give Slack the chance to justify its IPO price. 5 Oil Stocks That May Not Survive the Current Crisis What would you think of the long-term prospects of a business that paid you to buy their products? That’ s an oversimplification of what occurred to the May futures contract for oil on April 20. The price for that contract sold for a negative price for the first time in history. The crisis befalling the oil companies at this time can best be described as “ only the strongest survive. ” There’ s just no way the oil companies can possibly handle month after month of rock-bottom oil prices. The problem is almost comically simple to understand. There is a massively reduced demand for oil as millions of Americans are following mitigation orders ranging from social distancing guidelines to more restrictive shelter in place orders. At the same time, the market is trying to absorb the oversupply of oil that came from Russia and Saudi Arabia. However, when the year started, things looked like it might be business as usual for oil producers. The U.S. economy was humming along and there was talk that the second half of the year might finally bring the boost to oil prices that many companies badly needed. However, since the middle of February, the bottom has dropped out of the market in general, and oil prices have been one of the main sectors to feel the impact. Initially, investors tried to remain optimistic. A month ago, investors thought that the economy might be reopening sooner rather than later. However, the exact timing of the reopening is about as fluid as a barrel of oil. And with it looking more likely that there will be more demand destruction at least through May, there’ s very little to prop up the stock of any oil companies. And that means that, in all likelihood, there will not be room left for some oil companies. We’ ve highlighted five oil stocks that have a strong probability of not surviving the chaos surrounding the coronavirus and our nation’ s response. View the `` 5 Oil Stocks That May Not Survive the Current Crisis ''. Complete the form below to receive the latest headlines and analysts ' recommendations for your stocks with our free daily email newsletter:

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Manufacturing, supply chain see greatest cost savings from AI: McKinsey

Manufacturing and supply chain management are complicated operations, which often leads to waste, according to Freightflows CEO Matt Morgan. `` Any time that there's complexity, machine learning and AI can add significant benefit​, '' Morgan said in an interview with Supply Chain Dive. The MAPI Foundation, a group that advocates for the manufacturing sector, says AI can optimize various stages of the supply chain from warehouse management to supplier relationships, according to a recent report. One example is Procter & Gamble's use of AI and Internet of Things ( IoT) technology to automate warehouses and distribution centers. P & G was able to automate delivery of about 7,000 SKUs and cut supply chain costs by about $ 1 billion annually, the MAPI Foundation noted in its report. Noha Tohamy, a distinguished vice president analyst at Gartner focused on supply chain analytics, said the findings of the McKinsey survey were in line with her experience. The two main benefits of AI adoption are increased efficiency ( doing more with less or the same capacity) and decreased cost. The cost reduction is not typically the result of decreased headcount but rather improved forecasting. AI can provide better answers more quickly and `` can improve my market share or my ability to make products available, '' Tohamy explained. The use of AI and IoT in the manufacturing setting is often referred to as `` Industry 4.0. '' Predictive maintenance is one area that could lead to efficiency gains, according to proponents of Industry 4.0. The ability for sensors to monitor machines and pass this data along to algorithms that determine if there's a problem can decrease downtime of equipment and thus increase output for any given factory. Improved uptime for machinery was the most common goal of predictive maintenance, according to to a survey from PwC. But Morgan cautions that AI and machine learning are simply tools to reach a goal, not a goal themselves. `` You need to start with a hypothesis, you start with a goal, '' Morgan said. `` And then you need to use the data to go find out how to improve that metric in the business. '' Modern technology has made it economical to apply machine learning techniques at a larger scale, but that doesn't mean they're the solution to every problem, he said. Once the hypothesis is in place, data will be required to test it. `` It doesn't have to be perfect data and it doesn't have to be massive and massive amounts of data, '' Tohamy said. `` But there's enough data for us to start training the AI model or the machine learning model. '' Deploying a modern, industrial AI ecosystem is more than collecting some numbers and building a model. This environment requires analytics technology, big data technology, cloud infrastructure, domain knowledge and evidence, according to a 2018 paper in Manufacturing Letters by four researchers at the University of Cincinnati. This combined environment includes technology, but also the industry-specific knowledge needed to make AI a realistic tool. As companies get this mix right, more will want to follow in their footsteps and the market for industrial AI is expected to expand 52% between 2017 and 2024, according to Research and Markets. Just a few years ago, the examples of companies using AI and machine learning were few and far between, Tohamy said, adding that the outlook for AI in the supply chain space is `` extremely positive '' but said there was still work to be done to scale the technology across larger networks. One of the challenges companies face is `` scaling up these use cases and those examples, '' Tohamy said. `` So, it's one thing to use AI for one specific product or one specific region, but how can I deploy that across an entire global, complex supply chain. These are the areas where I need more proof points. '' This story was first published in our weekly newsletter, Supply Chain Dive: Operations. Sign up here. Topics covered: logistics, freight, operations, procurement, regulation, technology, risk/resilience and more. The port is encouraging shipping lines and marine terminal operators to receive as many empties as possible to make space for loaded cargo. Brands with high exposure to Vietnam are seeing port delays, canceled orders and slow capacity recovery after months of COVID-19 related restrictions. Topics covered: logistics, freight, operations, procurement, regulation, technology, risk/resilience and more. Topics covered: logistics, freight, operations, procurement, regulation, technology, risk/resilience and more. The port is encouraging shipping lines and marine terminal operators to receive as many empties as possible to make space for loaded cargo. Brands with high exposure to Vietnam are seeing port delays, canceled orders and slow capacity recovery after months of COVID-19 related restrictions. Topics covered: logistics, freight, operations, procurement, regulation, technology, risk/resilience and more.

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Shipping Firms Report First LNG Freight Futures Trades

Sign in to get the best natural gas news and data. Follow the topics you want and receive the daily emails. Your email address * Your password * Remember me Continue Reset password Featured Content News & Data Services Client Support Daily GPI NGI The Weekly Gas Market Report | LNG | LNG Insight | Markets | NGI All News Access It took only hours after contracts were launched late last month on the New York Mercantile Exchange ( Nymex) for the first liquefied natural gas ( LNG) freight futures trades to be executed, a sign of the demand for more risk management in the gas export market. Two London-based companies said they executed their first trades of the new contracts on Dec. 23 after they were launched by CME Group to cover three shipping routes. Shipping services firm Clarksons said it helped complete the first trades between leading global commodity traders Trafigura Group Pte. Ltd. and Vitol. The trades covered 1Q2020 spreads between Australia’ s Gladstone LNG facility and Tokyo, as well as the Sabine Pass export terminal on the Gulf Coast and the UK. A contract covering Sabine Pass to Tokyo is also now listed on Nymex. Shipbroker Affinity LLP also said it facilitated the first trades of the futures involving an affiliate of France’ s Total SA, a major global LNG portfolio player, and Trafigura. Affinity said the trades for clearing were submitted using CME’ s ClearPort system. The contracts allow traders to hedge LNG freight costs, or the rates charged to carry the super-chilled fuel by ship. A spike in global supply from countries that include Australia, Russia and the United States, combined with revised rules for marine sector emissions and an ongoing trade war between the United States and China, have sowed uncertainty for the global shipping business. While more tonnage, or available cargo-carrying capacity, is available in the LNG space amid the glut, demand has been robust and is expected to remain strong. The traditional point-to-point model that has served the LNG trade for decades under long-term contracts has evolved as a more diverse set of suppliers has entered the market and driven more spot cargos, creating a tighter shipping market and additional volatility. “ We have seen an increase in demand from market participants wishing to manage freight exposure within LNG, ” said Clarksons’ Christian Greenop, a freight derivatives broker. For example, some LNG ships traded in the single-voyage market early last year at a low of $ 10,000/day and broke the $ 170,000/day mark by October, Greenop said. “ So, a risk management tool is particularly useful given this level of volatility. ” Traders that include Trafigura, which charter ships to move LNG, have reported sharp spikes in delivered volumes in recent years. Global seaborne trade last year was 356 million metric tons ( 47 Bcf/d), of which 30% was traded in the spot market. The seaborne trade is set to grow by 11% in 2020, according to Clarksons. CME launched the LNG freight futures contracts as it works to bring more price transparency to the global market. The freight offering came after the exchange operator rolled out a U.S. LNG export futures contract last October. While that has been slow to take off, it was another effort to enhance short-term price discovery and risk management for the nascent Gulf Coast market. Shipping costs factor heavily into the overall price for LNG depending on the destination. NGI’ s LNG Insight recently began publishing daily freight costs along a variety of trade routes, as well as spot vessel rates, or the costs to charter a ship. © 2021 Natural Gas Intelligence. All rights reserved. ISSN © 1532-1231 | ISSN © 2577-9877 | ISSN © 1532-1266 | Related topics: Clarksons Freight futures Trafigura LNG Export Tracker LNG Product Suite Listen to NGI’ s ‘ Hub and Flow’ Podcast LNG Insight Download latest PDF Edition LNG Insight: Trending Posts Markets Even as demand and prices soared, leading North American natural gas marketers posted uneven results and lower collective sales volumes for the third quarter. The downward slide continued a trend dating to production curtailments imposed by the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, according to NGI’ s quarterly tally. Several marketers reported robust gains in the quarter, however, … M & A Markets Markets Energy Transition Natural Gas Prices Energy Transition E & P Markets LNG

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