Embryo and yolk sac. Coloured 3-D ultrasound scan of a 30-day-old embryo (centre) and its yolk sac (left) attached to the wall of the uterus. The yolk sac provides nourishment for the embryo until the umbilical cord is fully functional. The yolk sac also produces blood cells, until the embryo's liver starts to make them at around seven weeks. Ultrasound scanning is a diagnostic technique that sends high-frequency sound waves into the body via a transducer. The returning echoes are recorded and used to build an image of an internal structure.
Volunteers at a community project. High school students volunteer to serve lunch at a community centre for adults with learning disabilities.
Conceptual image in the style of a clay model of the face and upper body with muscle exposed on one side.
For the third consecutive time SCM has taken the first place in rating "GVardiya (Guard) of Socially Responsible Companies" developed by the national rating magazine "Gvardiya".
"In the challenging economic conditions of 2009 our main focus in CSR was on our employees - we did everything to retain jobs, ensure social guarantees for our employees and stability in the regions of SCM Group's operation", said Jock Mendoza-Wilson, SCM Director of International and Investor Relations. "In addition, we continued with other CSR objectives, such as improving health and safety performance, maintaining our environmental performance and investing in social and economic development of Ukraine".
The annual rating "GVardiya of Socially Responsible Companies" (first published in 2008) comes from an analysis of the questionnaires, public social reports and assessments of independent experts that are members of the expert board. The rating focused on the level of information openness as well as concrete actions of companies in CSR - interaction with all stakeholders.
"CSR is a part of our business strategy necessary to improve business efficiency in the long term. We aremuch inspired by the high appraisal of our work in corporate responsibility by the media and professionals. Such ratings prove that we are moving in the right direction and the results of our work are essential and useful", added Mr Jock Mendoza Wilson.
SCM is a professional investor that owns and controls assets in mining and metals, energy-generation, telecommunications, banking, insurance, media as well as in retail and real estate.
Ukrainian national rating programme "Gvardiya" (Guard) is made by Ukrainian Rating Agency and Galitskiye Kontrakty Publishing House. Gvardiya's projects have been published since May 2004. Rating results are audited by external parties.
Philip Bowring says the revelations from Donald Tsang’s trial, at a time when Hong Kong is poised to elect a new leader, bring home why the city is stagnating – it has been in the grip of the same clique of rich and powerful figures for far too long
Guilty or otherwise, it is hard not to have a pang of sympathy for former Hong Kong chief executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, and wonder how far occult politics played a role in his prosecution. The sums involved were minuscule compared with the implicit corruption in a system which sustains so many government-condoned monopolies and rent-seeking arrangements.
Take the crucial issue of land. Would we need reclamation or country park space if the government, not the Heung Yee Kuk, ruled the New Territories? Or if it would apply its compulsory purchase powers to some of the huge acreage held as land banks by the big developers, enough to build 600,000 homes? Or can we sincerely believe that the Independent Commission Against Corruption operates in a politically neutral manner when the chair of its crucial Operations Review Committee, which has veto power over every stage of an investigation, is Maria Tam Wai-chu, a fervent Beijing loyalist, and with deep roots in the taxi licence business. Most members are drawn from a small circle of businessmen and former officials.
“We Connect” is chief executive contender Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s campaign slogan. So, let us see to whom she is best connected. She made that task easier by parading her top backers at her campaign launch. Now we can judge whether this list of the rich and powerful contains the sort of backers who will help her bring about the “new style of government” she promises, solve housing problems and offer a “new vision”.
One such name in the news for other reasons is the Li family, of the Bank of East Asia. Others have commented on the admission in court by the ICAC’s director of investigation that graft-fighters did not press to interview the bank’s chairman, David Li Kwok-po, said to be an intermediary in a large cash payment to Tsang, on the grounds that he would be uncooperative. Was the ICAC afraid to use its powers of investigation? Or did it have ulterior motives? Equally astonishing was the ICAC’s evidence in court that the weight of the bank’s administrative and legal infrastructure was brought to bear to obstruct the investigation. The issue went on for months, and must have involved top management. Statements by bank employees were reviewed by lawyers before they were allowed to sign them. Lawyers even amended staff statements.
The bank has three executive directors, David Li and his two sons, Adrian Li Man-kiu and Brian Li Man-bun. The latter is one of the deputy directors of Lam’s campaign office. The deputy chairman of the bank is Arthur Li Kwok-cheung, an Executive Council member and chairman of the council of the University of Hong Kong. He, along with his brother and other luminaries such as Lam’s Council of Chairpersons member Ronald Arculli, were shareholders in Wave Media (which later changed its name to Digital Broadcasting Corporation), the company at the centre of the Tsang case. Former ICAC commissioner and secretary for security Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong was a director.
None of this suggests illegality but points to the very small circle of names which dominate Hong Kong government and local (not international) business. Lam’s list of chairpersons and advisers is a roll call of people who have been too powerful for too long. This assemblage of tycoons, former civil servants, Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference members and many names which appear regularly on rubber-stamp advisory and government-controlled bodies, such as the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing, is remarkable.
Worse still, the electoral system gives absurd weight to interest groups such as agriculture and fisheries (60 uncontested votes in the Election Committee) and the Heung Yee Kuk. No wonder that Lam’s 10 years as secretary for development and chief secretary saw so little progress on land and law enforcement in the New Territories.
This month, we learn that taxi fares are set to rise. But who believes that the increase will mostly go to the drivers, not the licence owners? The licence monopoly, and the crushing of Uber, means owners will, naturally, charge whatever drivers are prepared to pay. That drives down wages and increases owner profits. The latest price for an urban licence is about HK$6.7 million, an increase of some 6 per cent over the past 12 months, even before the fare increase.
The taxi trade is likely to win its fare-hike battle, as Hong Kong loses out again to vested interests
A lack of dynamism in Hong Kong, a city now lagging far behind its peers in so many ways – not least in environmental, transport and competition issues – is directly attributable to the protection of existing interests and the government’s own role in sectors which should be competitive.
This column has repeatedly criticised John Tsang Chun-wah’s budgets. His successor, Paul Chan Mo-po, has produced a similar one, with salaries tax cuts mainly helping the top 25 per cent. Chan worried about the narrow tax base but narrowed it even further with direct tax cuts and rebates of HK$31 billion. He reissued platitudes about innovation and “ re-industrialisation” but there was not a hint of radical thinking.
Hong Kong is stuck in a deep rut, bordered on one side by the list represented by Lam’s backers, on the other by an overpowerful, underchallenged officialdom which resents criticism. Neither the Tsang trial proceedings nor police attitudes to the judiciary provides comfort for the future.
An update on the performance of select Caribbean countries against the broadband Internet targets set by the Broadband Commission for Digital Development.
The 2014 update of Facebook membership in the Caribbean countries and a comparison with our 2013 findings.
An update of actual Internet download speeds in 27 Caribbean countries and a comparison with results recorded in May 2014.
A 2014 update of fixed Internet broadband speeds and pricing across the Caribbean, and a brief comparison with our 2013 results.
1st Clarinet, 1st Horn (F), 2nd Clarinet, 2nd Horn (F), 3rd & 4th Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Bass Drum, Bass Trombone, Basses, Bassoon 1 & 2, Clarinet in Eflat, Cornet 2, Cornet 3, Cornet 1, Euphonium, Flute, Oboe 1& 2, Piccolo, Snare Drum, Tenor Saxophone, Tenor Trombone 1, Tenor Trombone 2 and Timpani
Monterey White and Stainless Steel 5 Drawer Tall Chest. A uniquely styled luxury range of Monterey designer furniture. Using branch shaped sculptural polishe... read more
Dress It Up Embellishments Bling Butterfly. These tiny embellishments are perfect for adding dimension to all of your scrapbook pages, cards, invitations and craft projects. Size, shape, color and number of embellishments per package varies by theme. This 2.75x4 inch package contains an assortment of embellishments. Comes in a variety of designs. Each sold separately. WARNING: Choking Hazard. Small Parts. Not for children under 3 years. Imported. Jesse James 4878