Marietta Child Custody and Parenting Time Attorney Tori White Discusses When a Child Can Refuse to See a Parent

‘Should pay’: Albo’s tech company ultimatum

As the product innovation progresses in the Philippines, the generation of plastic waste in packaging and manufacturing sectors also grows. This heightened the need for sustainable packaging solutions, which continues to be unmet due to lack of standard criteria for sustainable packaging materials. Recognizing this challenge, the Department of Science and Technology, through the Industrial Technology and Development Institute (DOST-ITDI), is driving innovative approaches to eco-friendly packaging that reduces environmental impact and promotes resource efficiency. These initiatives were discussed at a conference dubbed as “Initiatives of DOST-ITDI on Green and Sustainable Packaging” during the Regional Science and Technology Week organized by the DOST Region XI at a mall in Davao City on November 12. Mary Joy Paico, from DOST-ITDI’s Packaging Technology Division (PTD), underscored in her message the importance of packaging in all products. She noted that it is essential for containment, protection and preservation, communication, and convenience. “Packaging is not only intended for food, it is also used for furniture and other products,” she said. Types of plastic Paico identified the different types of plastic packaging that are commonly used in the market. They are marked with numbers indicating their types. The Resin Identification Code (RIC) from numbers 1 to 7 are used to label different types of plastic packaging to help consumers and recyclers for proper waste identification and management. She also distinguished bio-based plastics, made from renewable sources, from petroleum-based ones, emphasizing bio-based plastics’ potential for lower emissions, although their recyclability varies. Sustainable Packaging and Health Paico said partly in Filipino: “Sustainable packaging protects not only the environment but also the people’s health.” Moreover, she differentiated compostable and biodegradable plastics, noting that while all compostable materials are biodegradable, not all biodegradable materials are compostable. Widely recyclable and reusable items like textile fibers and plastic lumber are marked with No. 1 Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), including water and soda bottles, and No. 2 High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), such as milk jugs and detergent bottles. Pipes and food wraps marked with No. 3 PolyVinyl Chloride present recycling issues because of their high chlorine content and potentially harmful additions that can emit poisonous chemicals. However, because of their low-quality and low cost, products branded No. 4 Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE), like bread bags and plastic wraps, have few recycling possibilities. Furthermore, polypropylene (PP) products—like yogurt containers and straws with the No. 5 label—are durable and recyclable but lose their strength through the recycling process. Owing to their poor scrap value, No. 6 PolyStyrene (PS) goods, such as coffee cups and takeout containers, frequently wind up in landfills. Plastics used in No. 7 items differ in their capacity to be recycled. Waste management is aided by these codes, which promote sustainability and efficient recycling. On photodegradable and oxodegradable plastics and their varying degradation mechanisms, Paico said their efficient waste management is highlighted by the fact that photodegradable plastics decompose in the presence of sunshine using UV light, while oxodegradable polymers fragment using heat and oxygen. Green packaging lab To address the demand for sustainable solutions, DOST-ITDI established the Green Packaging Laboratory, focusing on developing alternative packaging materials. The initiative involves farmers as key suppliers of agricultural/aquacultural waste as raw materials. Among DOST-ITDI’s sustainable projects with prototypes are pineapple leaf fiber-based partition boards and cushion pads, chitosan-based antioxidant biodegradable packaging, and anti-insect biodegradable packaging made with PVA, chitosan, and essential oils. Pectin-based biodegradable packaging from calamansi and mango peels showcases the valorization of agricultural waste, although it faces cost challenges due to the lack of locally available producers. For example, chitosan powder is usually imported. Testing and safety The DOST-ITDI PTD’s specialized laboratories conduct tests to assess the overall migration of packaging materials to ensure safety. Through these initiatives, DOST-ITDI continues to push for innovations that make packaging more sustainable while considering economic and practical factors. Through advanced materials and sustainable design, these initiatives aim to minimize waste, improve recyclability, and support a circular economy for a greener future. The 2024 Regional Science Technology and Innovation Week is among the regional celebrations leading to the National Science, Technology, and Innovation Week held in Cagayan de Oro from November 27 to December 1.

Global Chest Freezers Market To Reach $29.72 Billion By 2028 With A Growth Rate Of 12.8%Half of Mayor Eric Adams’ latest matching campaign fund claims deemed ‘invalid’

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau returned home Saturday after his meeting with Donald Trump without assurances the president-elect will back away from threatened tariffs on all products from the major American trading partner. Trump called the talks productive but signaled no retreat from a pledge that Canada says unfairly lumps it in with Mexico over the flow of drugs and migrants into the United States. After the leaders' hastily arranged dinner Friday night at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, Trudeau spoke of "an excellent conversation." Trump said in a Truth Social post later Saturday that they discussed "many important topics that will require both Countries to work together to address." Among the issues in need of such cooperation, Trump cited fentanyl and the "Drug Crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of Illegal Immigration," fair trade deals "that do not jeopardize American Workers" and the U.S. trade deficit with its ally to the north. Trump asserted that the prime minister had made "a commitment to work with us to end this terrible devastation" of American families from fentanyl from China reaching the United States through its neighbors. The U.S., he said, "will no longer sit idly by as our Citizens become victims to the scourge of this Drug Epidemic." The Republican president-elect has threatened to impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders when he takes office in January. U.S. customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border. On immigration, the U.S. Border Patrol made 56,530 arrests at the Mexican border in October alone and 23,721 arrests at the Canadian border between October 2023 and September 2024 — and Canadian officials say they are ready to make new investments in border security. Trudeau called Trump after the Republican's social media posts about the tariffs last Monday and they agreed to meet, according to an official familiar with the matter who was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the private talks. The official said other countries are calling Canadian officials to hear how the meeting was arranged and to ask for advice. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, after speaking with Trump on the telephone, said Thursday she was confident a tariff war with Washington would be averted. At the dinner that was said to last three hours, Trump said he and Trudeau also discussed energy, trade and the Arctic. A second official cited defense, Ukraine, NATO, China, the Mideast, pipelines and the Group of Seven meeting in Canada next year as other issues that arose. Trudeau's office said in a statement that the leaders "shared a productive wide-ranging discussion" centering on "collaboration and strengthening our relationship," adding, "As Canada's closest friend and ally, the United States is our key partner, and we are committed to working together in the interests of Canadians and Americans." Trump, during his first term as president, once called Trudeau "weak" and "dishonest," but it was the prime minister who was the first G7 leader to visit Trump since the November 5 election. "Tariffs are a crucial issue for Canada and a bold move was in order. Perhaps it was a risk, but a risk worth taking," said Daniel Beland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal. Trudeau said Friday that Trump was elected because he promised to bring down the cost of groceries but now was talking about adding 25% to the cost of all kinds of products, including potatoes from Prince Edward Island in Atlantic Canada. "It is important to understand that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out. There's no question about it," Trudeau said. "Our responsibility is to point out that he would not just be harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States, but he would actually be raising prices for Americans citizens as well and hurting American industry and business," he said. The threatened tariffs could essentially blow up the North American trade pact that Trump's team negotiated during his first term. Trudeau noted they were able to successfully renegotiate the deal, which he calls a win for both countries. When Trump imposed higher tariffs as president, other countries responded with retaliatory tariffs of their own. Canada, for instance, announced billions of new duties in 2018 against the U.S. in a response to new taxes on Canadian steel and aluminum. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly $2.7 billion worth of goods and services cross the border each day. About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electricity imports are from Canada. Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the U.S. and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing in for national security. Canada is one of the most trade-dependent countries in the world, and 77% of Canada's exports go to the U.S.Biden Official Signals Support For Two Of RFK’s Signature Issues On His Way Out The Door

UN nuclear watchdog board passes resolution chiding Iran

NoneMISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — Marcus Adams Jr.'s 19 points helped CSU Northridge defeat Denver 89-60 on Monday night. Adams also added 11 rebounds for the Matadors (5-1). Keonte Jones added 17 points while shooting 4 of 6 from the field and 8 for 8 from the line and also had five rebounds and three blocks. PJ Fuller shot 2 of 8 from the field, including 0 for 4 from 3-point range, and went 6 for 6 from the line to finish with 10 points. Nicholas Shogbonyo led the way for the Pioneers (3-4) with 15 points. Pedro Lopez-Sanvicente added 10 points and two blocks for Denver. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .HOUSTON , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Gravity Oilfield Services Inc. ("Gravity" or the "company"), a growth-oriented water and power infrastructure company backed by affiliates of Clearlake Capital Group, L.P. ("Clearlake"), announced today that it has agreed to sell its Gravity Water Midstream division to Delek Logistics Partners, LP (NYSE: DKL ) ("Delek Logistics"). Gravity Water Midstream provides gathering, transportation, recycling, storage, and disposal solutions for produced water in the Midland Basin in Texas and the Williston Basin in North Dakota . "The acquisition of Gravity Water Midstream by Delek Logistics creates a path to continue to build incredible scale in our water midstream platform in the Midland Basin," said Rob Rice , CEO of Gravity. "I am thankful to the employees of Gravity for their focus on service and dedication to building one of the largest commercial water management platforms in the Midland and Williston Basins. Building this water midstream platform would not be possible without the incredible support and partnership of Clearlake. I am excited to welcome in this new era for water management in the Midland and Williston Basins under the capable leadership of Delek Logistics." While Gravity is divesting its water midstream assets, the company will retain ownership and operation of its power infrastructure assets, continuing its commitment to providing critical power generation offerings. Clearlake and Gravity partnered in 2017 to pursue produced water midstream opportunities. Over the last several years, Gravity has focused on organically growing its water infrastructure business to support producers in the Midland and Williston basins, and its water business segment has quickly grown into one of the largest commercial operators of disposal wells in the Midland Basin. Gravity Water Midstream developed a system comprised of 200+ miles of permanent pipeline, 46 SWD facilities, and 14 fresh water facilities with over six million barrels of storage capacity, all of which form an extensive and interconnected network. "We valued the opportunity to partner with the Gravity team as they executed a vision to build a leading water midstream platform in the Midland and Williston Basins," said José E. Feliciano, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, and Colin Leonard, Partner and Managing Director, of Clearlake. "We'd like to thank Rob and the entire Gravity Water Midstream team for their hard work and commitment to growing the business organically over the last several years." Piper Sandler & Co served as exclusive financial advisor and Vinson & Elkins LLP served as legal counsel to Gravity in connection with the transaction. About Gravity Gravity is a growth-oriented provider of energy infrastructure services to U.S. onshore oil and natural gas exploration and production companies, providing water midstream solutions, critical power generation offerings and other production focused services. Gravity has significant coverage density in the Permian Basin and benefits from a national footprint supported by facilities, operations and management personnel in several other key domestic resource plays including the Bakken, Eagle Ford, SCOOP/STACK, DJ Basin, Haynesville and Marcellus, among others. More information is available at www.gvty.com . About Clearlake Capital Group Founded in 2006, Clearlake Capital Group, L.P. is an investment firm founded operating integrated businesses across private equity, credit and other related strategies. With a sector-focused approach, the firm seeks to partner with management teams by providing patient, long-term capital to businesses that can benefit from Clearlake's operational improvement approach, O.P.S. ® The firm's core target sectors are industrials, technology, and consumer. Clearlake has over $85 billion of assets under management, and its senior investment principals have led or co-led over 400 investments. The firm is headquartered in Santa Monica, CA with affiliates in Dallas, TX, London, UK, Dublin, Ireland , Singapore , and Abu Dhabi , UAE. More information is available at www.clearlake.com and on X @Clearlake . Media Contacts: For Gravity Heather Heacock , (281) 640-3043 Marketing Communication Manager [email protected] For Clearlake Jennifer Hurson , (845) 507-0571 Lambert [email protected] SOURCE Gravity Oilfield Services Inc.; Clearlake Capital Group

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Robbins LLP reminds investors that a class action was filed on behalf of all purchasers of Celsius Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: CELH) common stock between February 29, 2024 and September 4, 2024. Celsius is a holding company that develops, processes, markets, distributes, and sells energy drinks and liquid supplements in the United States and internationally. For more information, submit a form , email attorney Aaron Dumas, Jr., or give us a call at (800) 350-6003. The Allegations: Robbins LLP is Investigating Allegations that Celsius Holdings, Inc. (CELH) Misled Investors Regarding its Business Prospects According to the complaint, during the class period, defendants failed to disclose that: (a) Celsius materially oversold inventory to Pepsi far in excess of demand, and faced a looming sales cliff during which Pepsi would significantly reduce its purchases of Celsius products; (b) as Pepsi drew down significant amounts of inventory overstock, Celsius’ sales would materially decline in future periods, hurting the Company’s financial performance and outlook; (c) Celsius’ sales rate to Pepsi was unsustainable and created a misleading impression of Celsius’ financial performance and outlook; and (d) as a result, Celsius’ business metrics and financial prospects were not as strong as indicated in defendants’ class period statements. When the truth came out, the price of Celsius' stock dropped, harming investors. What Now : You may be eligible to participate in the class action against Celsius Holdings, Inc. Shareholders who want to serve as lead plaintiff for the class must submit their application to the court by January 21, 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. You do not have to participate in the case to be eligible for a recovery. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member. For more information, click here . All representation is on a contingency fee basis. Shareholders pay no fees or expenses. About Robbins LLP : Some law firms issuing releases about this matter do not actually litigate securities class actions; Robbins LLP does. A recognized leader in shareholder rights litigation, the attorneys and staff of Robbins LLP have been dedicated to helping shareholders recover losses, improve corporate governance structures, and hold company executives accountable for their wrongdoing since 2002. Since our inception, we have obtained over $1 billion for shareholders. To be notified if a class action against Celsius Holdings, Inc. settles or to receive free alerts when corporate executives engage in wrongdoing, sign up for Stock Watch today. Attorney Advertising. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1fb87e61-c710-4cb7-b6ab-1c00be45ba08INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Jarvis Walker's 20 points helped IU Indianapolis defeat Trinity Christian 106-49 on Saturday. Walker shot 7 for 12, including 6 for 10 from beyond the arc for the Jaguars (4-5). Paul Zilinskas shot 5 for 9, including 4 for 7 from beyond the arc to add 15 points. DeSean Goode had 14 points and shot 4 of 5 from the field and 5 for 5 from the line. The Trolls were led in scoring by Tylan Harris, who finished with 11 points. Kaden Eirhart added nine points for Trinity Christian. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

AP Business SummaryBrief at 2:10 p.m. ESTNO. 20 TEXAS A&M 81, RUTGERS 77

Police say suspect in UnitedHealthcare CEO killing wasn't a client of the insurerNetanyahu wants to establish ‘relations’ with Syria but says Israel will attack it if becomes a threatDisagreement between the U.S. and China is increasing across trade and global influence issues. Reports from the recent Asian economic summit show a bitterness in it. Established economies like the U.S. and Australia want to develop a naval base in Papua New Guinea to contain China. The U.S. is cautioning poorer countries from borrowing money from China. Excerpts below from a BBC report show the deep levels of enmity. Apec summit ends without statement over US-China division - BBC News An Asian economic summit has ended without a formal leaders' statement for the first time because of US-China divisions over trade. The US and China revealed competing visions for the region at the summit. The two countries have been engaged in a tit-for-tat trade war this year. During the summit, the US said it would join Australia in developing a naval base in Papua New Guinea, in an apparent move to curb China's growing influence. Mr Pence later said he was prepared to "more than double" the tariffs imposed on Chinese goods. He also criticised China's massive Belt-and-Road infrastructure programme, warning smaller countries that "opaque" Chinese development loans led to "staggering debt". He urged countries to work with the US instead, saying the US did not "coerce, corrupt or compromise your independence". Old economies are never pleased to see emerging economies that are more flexible, energetic, and pro-active in creating new trade models. The Belt and Road Initiative is a development strategy adopted by the Chinese government involving infrastructure development and investments in Silk Road countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa on both overland and sea routes. Building infrastructure in these countries is a much sounder economic model than locating mobile multi-national enterprises or military bases or occupation. The downside is that it can involve incurring substantial debt which eventually requires getting a country’s finances into better shape to afford repayments in order to own the assets. Beijing’s multi-billions dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been called a Chinese Marshall Plan, a state-backed campaign for global dominance, a stimulus package for a slowing economy, and a massive marketing campaign for something that was already happening – Chinese investment around the world. Between 2014 and 2016, China's total trade volume in the countries along the Belt and Road exceeded $3 trillion, created $1.1 billion revenues, and 180,000 jobs for the countries involved. Is the U.S. losing ground to China? Should countries refrain from borrowing from China? What are the implications for Europe of a prosperous Silk Road economy? The Silk Road really is an attempt to extend Chinese soft power utilising exactly the same free market principles much espoused by the west for much of the last two centuries. Building a base in Papua New Guinea, which I believe is somewhat North of Australia, seems to be out of the strategic plan of drawing new lines further and further back and issuing dire warnings if China dare cross that new line. It was hugely funny watching the Americans in particular warning of China's attempted influence in the South China Sea. The irony was magnificent. It was the equivalent of the Chinese or Russians warning of increased American naval activity off Hawaii. To answer the question- the new Silk Road plans are a solid indicator that Beijing understands exactly what Washington was preaching through World Trade Organisation talks for many decades middleground said: Disagreement between the U.S. and China is increasing across trade and global influence issues. Reports from the recent Asian economic summit show a bitterness in it. Established economies like the U.S. and Australia want to develop a naval base in Papua New Guinea to contain China. The U.S. is cautioning poorer countries from borrowing money from China. Excerpts below from a BBC report show the deep levels of enmity. Apec summit ends without statement over US-China division - BBC News An Asian economic summit has ended without a formal leaders' statement for the first time because of US-China divisions over trade. The US and China revealed competing visions for the region at the summit. The two countries have been engaged in a tit-for-tat trade war this year. During the summit, the US said it would join Australia in developing a naval base in Papua New Guinea, in an apparent move to curb China's growing influence. Mr Pence later said he was prepared to "more than double" the tariffs imposed on Chinese goods. He also criticised China's massive Belt-and-Road infrastructure programme, warning smaller countries that "opaque" Chinese development loans led to "staggering debt". He urged countries to work with the US instead, saying the US did not "coerce, corrupt or compromise your independence". Old economies are never pleased to see emerging economies that are more flexible, energetic, and pro-active in creating new trade models. The Belt and Road Initiative is a development strategy adopted by the Chinese government involving infrastructure development and investments in Silk Road countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa on both overland and sea routes. Building infrastructure in these countries is a much sounder economic model than locating mobile multi-national enterprises or military bases or occupation. The downside is that it can involve incurring substantial debt which eventually requires getting a country’s finances into better shape to afford repayments in order to own the assets. Beijing’s multi-billions dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been called a Chinese Marshall Plan, a state-backed campaign for global dominance, a stimulus package for a slowing economy, and a massive marketing campaign for something that was already happening – Chinese investment around the world. Between 2014 and 2016, China's total trade volume in the countries along the Belt and Road exceeded $3 trillion, created $1.1 billion revenues, and 180,000 jobs for the countries involved. Is the U.S. losing ground to China? Should countries refrain from borrowing from China? What are the implications for Europe of a prosperous Silk Road economy? Click to expand... There are two types of people those who have money and those who don't. Guess who always comes out on top. Lumpy Talbot said: To answer the question- the new Silk Road plans are a solid indicator that Beijing understands exactly what Washington was preaching through World Trade Organisation talks for many decades Click to expand... Agree China has learned well and are developing quickly and quietly. There should be export opportunities for many European countries if their enterprises are willing to do the work required to develop new markets. A strong Asian-European gateway would be welcome. Is there any region that the US hasn't insulted or attacked recently (apart from Saudi Arabia)? Thinking further on the dynamics of the new Silk Road policy it certainly makes sense from the Chinese point of view. The outlay and scope of the project matches a series of Trade Agreements, with such huge amounts of Chinese infrastructure investment they get to influence the voting patterns at the UN with many countries along the route while simultaneously the US is retracting its spend outside the US and becoming more internally focused (the Chinese have the money to spend, the US doesn't). It is clever in that it is a mix of Monopoly and Risk at exactly the right time. If you think back to Reagan's supercharging the US economy in the 80s which effectively drove the Soviet Union into financial collapse the Americans are in no position to get into an economic pissing match with Beijing so it is the right thing for Beijing to do in filling the international vacuum. They have such huge reserves of foreign currency and the Yuan about to emerge as an exchange currency, along with the ability to directly intervene in domestic economics way beyond any level that could be contemplated in the west, that they really are the bankers in the Monopoly game now. And the Silk Road project gives them a strategic spending target allied to both economic and political gains. As for the winners and losers, the countries along the route closest to Chinese interests probably won't feel any different. It gets interesting as you get to Pakistan and India, where India is fuming about the Chinese infrastructure spend in Pakistan and refusing to have anything to do with the Silk Road project accordingly, which doesn't bother China or Pakistan all that much. The western European plans will be interesting- I believe significant infrastructure projects and new links are planned right through to Rotterdam. Might give some European countries a bit more hesitation in following the US line on voting at the UN ultimately. Heh- just remembered that the High Speed Rail Line between London and the Channel Tunnel is already owned by a subsidiary company owned ultimately by Li Ka-Shing, the multibillionaire who is a senior economic advisor to the politburo in Beijing. Socratus O' Pericles said: There are two types of people those who have money and those who don't. Guess who always comes out on top. Click to expand... Those who print it! Socratus O' Pericles said: There are two types of people those who have money and those who don't. Guess who always comes out on top. Click to expand... Yes two types of persons but three types of empire: past, present, and future. It will be future empires that will have the money! Around 90 countries in the Belt Road Initiative (BRI) so it is much different than more recent bilateral engagements by the U.S. Infrastructural projects deliver employment at local level even if it is only housing and feeding the workers. The Belt and Road Initiative: Country Profiles | HKTDC The future will be a bullet train across Europe and Asia. middleground said: Yes two types of persons but three types of empire: past, present, and future. It will be future empires that will have the money! Around 90 countries in the Belt Road Initiative (BRI) so it is much different than more recent bilateral engagements by the U.S. Infrastructural projects deliver employment at local level even if it is only housing and feeding the workers. The Belt and Road Initiative: Country Profiles | HKTDC Click to expand... I agree. The Chinese have money and lots of it and are posseors of a model that will make many trillions more. Exaggeration of THEIR debt problem is nonsense: Most people think of China's growth coming from its burgeoning export sector. But it has a very strong domestic economy and a large public spending program – its called ‘nation building’. ... [T]here is no discussion [in China] about the country drowning in debt and all of that nonsense. [The Chinese] know full well that they are sovereign in their own currency and can deficit spend to further their sense of public purpose." : From "The government really is instrumental in creating growth" by Bill Mitchell, 20 January 2016 Click to expand... Here is the start of the EU strategic response to the Belt Road Initiative: Europes Belt and Road | The Diplomat Reminds me of a man at the post-Christmas sales rush, quietly queueing while all the goods are being snatched up by experienced shoppers Not everyone happy about the possible economic changes that the One Belt Initiative may bring to traditional communities according to a BBC website report: Gunmen have killed at least four people in an attack on the Chinese consulate in the Pakistani port city of Karachi. Gunshots were heard at about 09:30 local time (04:30 GMT) outside the consulate in the upmarket Clifton area. Police shot dead three attackers. Separatist militants who oppose Chinese investment projects in western Pakistan say they carried out the attack. China's ambition widens to include Greenland in the One Belt initiative: How Greenland could become China's Arctic base - BBC News middleground said: Yes two types of persons but three types of empire: past, present, and future. It will be future empires that will have the money! Around 90 countries in the Belt Road Initiative (BRI) so it is much different than more recent bilateral engagements by the U.S. Infrastructural projects deliver employment at local level even if it is only housing and feeding the workers. The Belt and Road Initiative: Country Profiles | HKTDC The future will be a bullet train across Europe and Asia. Click to expand... Except China is a nasty totalitarian dictatorship that eats people up and spits them out. Any comparison between it and western democracies are fraudulent. middleground said: Not everyone happy about the possible economic changes that the One Belt Initiative may bring to traditional communities according to a BBC website report: Gunmen have killed at least four people in an attack on the Chinese consulate in the Pakistani port city of Karachi. Gunshots were heard at about 09:30 local time (04:30 GMT) outside the consulate in the upmarket Clifton area. Police shot dead three attackers. Separatist militants who oppose Chinese investment projects in western Pakistan say they carried out the attack. Click to expand... We have a tale of two ports, 100km apart: Chabahar in Iran, developed with Indian support, and China’s Gwadar port in Pakistan. There are teething troubles with both: https://www.newdelhitimes.com/suicide-bomber-attack-irans-chabahar-port/ Karachi attack: A gunfight in Karachi shakes up Pakistan and China's all-weather alliance - The Economic Times China’s relationship with Pakistan involves a lot more money but also far more resentment. The Pakistanis are well aware of Chinese attitudes to Muslims and South Asians and, given Pakistani levels of paranoia never being much being much below 11/10, we should be in for quite the show. In a way the Belt & Road initiative is really just marketing for what has been going on for a long time. For instance in Africa while the West has long walked away it is China that has stepped in to build infrastructure, power plants, ports, railways and healthcare etc. This has been going on for so long now, that it is what was really behind George W Bush suddenly professing concern over Africa and boosting AIDS spending, if any of you remember that far back. But as usual with the US it was too little, too late, with no strategic long-term commitment and follow-through. In another sense it is an interesting throwback 2000 years to the era of the Roman and Han empires, except with modern technology, telecoms and transport links, which could have interesting and unforeseeable consequences. There's also more than a touch of Mackinder's century-old Heartland/World-Island theory of geo-political dominance. Definitely one to watch - though, as with Mao and the French Revolution, we'll all be long dead before the full implications and consequences of this become obvious. It's way too big and complicated to make specific predictions about the project as a whole. Its success or otherwise will be based on the extent to which the projects service existing demand or create new demand. Chinese infrastructural investment is massively inefficient in some respects and utterly awe-inspiring in other respects. It's hard to apply a hard and fast rule to something that is half-politics and half-economics. However I hope it works out as economic growth on that scale is definitely not a zero sum game. Maybe the U.S. will make it illegal for countries to cooperate together on the Silk road? Congress beating a drum about NOPEC with threat of sanctions against countries that collaborate to work together for a stable oil market: Bill allowing U.S. to sue OPEC drawing renewed interest | Reuters What's next will the EU be sanctioned as an illegal cartel? middleground said: Maybe the U.S. will make it illegal for countries to cooperate together on the Silk road? Congress beating a drum about NOPEC with threat of sanctions against countries that collaborate to work together for a stable oil market: Bill allowing U.S. to sue OPEC drawing renewed interest | Reuters What's next will the EU be sanctioned as an illegal cartel? Click to expand... The US would be outraged by a similar infringement of its own sovereignty.

Elon Musk’s government efficiency plan raises questions about ambition and ethicsAuthors in Iceland aren’t pleased with the manner Storytel is treating them with, the website reported. They claim it to be too low to be to their liking. This has prompted the board of the Writers’ Union of Iceland (Rithöfundasamband Íslands) to advise authors not to submit their works to Storytel. This comes on the back of a survey conducted recently that revealed some startling figures. What has come to the fore is that Storytel contributes to 0 – 5 percent of the total wages of 84 percent of the authors. No wonder, a whopping 88 percent of those who participated in the survey said they aren’t satisfied with what they receive from Storytel. It is just a minuscule 3 percent of the authors who said they received more than 20 percent of their wages from the streaming service. The survey was conducted in the summer of 2024 and was aimed at finding out how much authors were earning from Storytel or how satisfied they were with the company. For this, it was two surveys that were prepared and sent out to the authors. The survey however threw up something that can be considered quite startling. A whopping 96 percent said they favor the publishing of more physical books over production of audiobooks. This is something that defies the global trend where audiobooks are seen gaining a consistently higher popularity compared to content in other formats. With a keen interest in tech, I make it a point to keep myself updated on the latest developments in technology and gadgets. That includes smartphones or tablet devices but stretches to even AI and self-driven automobiles, the latter being my latest fad. Besides writing, I like watching videos, reading, listening to music, or experimenting with different recipes. The motion picture is another aspect that interests me a lot, and I'll likely make a film sometime in the future.

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AP Trending SummaryBrief at 6:29 p.m. ESTNEWCASTLE, United Kingdom: West Ham produced a clinical away performance to beat resurgent Newcastle 2-0 on Monday, easing the pressure on beleaguered manager Julen Lopetegui. Tomas Soucek headed the visitors in front against the run of play at St. James’ Park and Aaron Wan-Bissaka grabbed a rare goal in the second half to double the Hammers’ lead. Newcastle were unable to capitalize on the chances they created, failing to build on the momentum created by recent wins against Arsenal and Nottingham Forest. The result, only West Ham’s second win on the road this season, lifts them to 15 points, just three behind 10th-placed Newcastle. The home side made the early running and in-form forward Alexander Isak had the ball in the net in the fifth minute after a delicate dink over Lukasz Fabianski, only for it to be ruled out for offside. West Ham, expected to face a tough test on Newcastle’s home turf, showed little adventure in the opening stages. But their first real foray up the pitch resulted in a corner and the unmarked Soucek powered home a header from close range in the 10th minute. Newcastle enjoyed the bulk of the possession as a lively first half unfolded but West Ham were robust in defense and threatened when they went forward. Anthony Gordon had a glorious chance to level after a poor clearance from Jean-Clair Todibo but fired straight at Fabianski. Minutes later Isak chested down a superb cross from Bruno Guimaraes but steered narrowly wide on the stretch. Eddie Howe’s Newcastle were again on the front foot at the start of the second half but it was West Ham who doubled their lead through Wan-Bissaka. The former Manchester United man scored his first goal for West Ham and just his third career goal after picking up Jarrod Bowen’s pass and firing home. Howe brought on Jacob Murphy and Callum Wilson in a bid to turn the tide but Newcastle failed to build up a head of steam against their determined opponents, who saw out the game with relative ease. The result will be a huge relief for Lopetegui, whose future has been a matter of mounting speculation just months after he replaced David Moyes.