#hong long federation

[mariacallous]

Facing an increasingly suspicious research climate, a growing number of Chinese scientists are leaving the United States for positions abroad, the latest indicator of how worsening U.S.-China relations are complicating academic collaboration and could hamstring Washington’s tech ambitions. 

Chinese scientists living in the United States have for decades contributed to research efforts driving developments in advanced technology and science. But a growing number of them may now be looking elsewhere for work, as deteriorating geopolitical relations fuel extra scrutiny of Chinese researchers and Beijing ramps up efforts to recruit and retain talent. Between 2010 and 2021, the number of Chinese scientists leaving the United States has steadily increased, according to new research published last month. If the trend continues, experts warn that the brain drain could deal a major blow to U.S. research efforts in the long run. 

“It’s absolutely devastating,” said David Bier, the associate director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute. “So many of the researchers that the United States depends on in [the] advanced technology field are from China, or are foreign students, and this phenomenon is certainly going to negatively impact U.S. firms and U.S. research going forward.”

From semiconductor chips to artificial intelligence, technology has been at the forefront of U.S.-China competition, with both Washington and Beijing maneuvering to strangle each other’s sectors. Cooperation, even in key sectors like combating climate change, has been rare.

From 2010 to 2021, the number of scientists of Chinese descent who left the United States for another country has surged from 900 to 2,621, with scientists leaving at an expedited rate between 2018 and 2021, according to research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Nearly half of this group moved to China and Hong Kong in 2010, the study said, and a growing percentage of Chinese scientists have relocated to China over the years. 

While this number represents a small fraction of the Chinese scientists in the United States, the uptick reflects researchers’ growing concerns and broader apprehension amid a tense geopolitical climate. After surveying 1,304 Chinese American researchers, the report found that 89 percent of respondents wanted to contribute to U.S. science and technology leadership. Yet 72 percent also reported feeling unsafe as researchers in the United States, while 61 percent had previously considered seeking opportunities outside of the country. 

“Scientists of Chinese descent in the United States now face higher incentives to leave the United States and lower incentives to apply for federal grants,” the report said. There are “general feelings of fear and anxiety that lead them to consider leaving the United States and/or stop applying for federal grants.” 

The incentives to leave are twofold. Beijing has funneled resources into research and development programs and has long attempted to recruit scientists, even its own, from around the world. For one of its initiatives, the Thousand Talents Plan, Beijing harnessed at least 600 recruitment stations worldwide to acquire new talent. “China has been really trying to lure back scientists for a long time,” said Eric Fish, the author of China’s Millennials. 

But this latest outflow of Chinese scientists accelerated in 2018, the same year that then-U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled the China Initiative, a controversial program that was aimed at countering IP theft—and cast a chill over researchers of Chinese descent and collaborations with Chinese institutions. In 2020, he also issued a proclamation denying visas for graduate students and researchers affiliated with Chinese universities associated with the military. 

Although the Biden administration shut down the China Initiative, experts warn that its shadow still looms over Chinese scientists. More than one-third of respondents in the PNAS survey reported feeling unwelcome in the United States, while nearly two-thirds expressed concerns about research collaboration with China. 

“There is this chilling effect that we’re still witnessing now, where there is a stigma attached to collaboration with China,” said Jenny Lee, a professor at the Center for the Study of Higher Education at the University of Arizona. 

The challenges are emblematic of how the breakdown in U.S.-China relations has thrown universities into a geopolitical firestorm, particularly as some states’ lawmakers pressure them to sever ties with Chinese counterparts. On the U.S. side, interest in Mandarin language studies and study abroad has plummeted over the years, largely the result of worsening ties, Beijing’s growing repression, and the coronavirus pandemic. Today, while there are roughly 300,000 Chinese students in America, only 350 Americans studied in China in the most recent academic year. If interest continues to recede, experts warn of spillover effects that could hamper Washington’s understanding of Beijing. 

“We’re losing a generation of people who are knowledgeable about China,” said Daniel Murphy, the former director of the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard University. “I’m concerned that the United States is going about this issue in a way that excessively focuses on risks of the academic relationship, without due consideration for the benefits. And I think we see this in a whole host of arenas, and that it’s bipartisan.”

At the same time as a growing number of Chinese scientists exit the United States, new students appear to be facing higher barriers to entry as student visa denials and backlogs reach record high levels. According to a blog post by the Cato Institute, student visa denials peaked at about 35 percent in 2022—the highest rate recorded in two decades. 

Student visa denial data is not available by nationality, but Bier, the Cato Institute expert who wrote the piece, said that there is a high degree of correlation between denial rates for B-visas, or tourist visas, and student visas. “Having reviewed the B-visa denials in China, it’s pretty clear that the Chinese overall visa denial rate has increased significantly over the last few years and is at a level now where it’s the highest it’s been in decades,” he said. 

Just as some Chinese scientists are looking abroad, these challenges are pushing a growing number of international students to turn elsewhere for academic opportunities. Students are increasingly heading to countries like Canada, Australia, Japan, and the United Kingdom, all of which are opening their doors to high-skilled workers and researchers. To attract more talent, the United Kingdom has issued “Global Talent” and “High Potential Individual” visas, which allow scholars from top universities to work there for 2-3 years and 1-5 years, respectively.

Universities are being impacted “by geopolitical tensions, by political agendas, and so it’s certainly inhibiting U.S. universities’ ability to attract the best and brightest,” Lee said.

[thiswaycomessomethingwicked]

In good political news today, Toronto elected Olivia Chow as mayor and I'm super stoked to have her back in City Hall.

From this CBC Article:

Olivia Chow was elected Toronto's next mayor in an unexpectedly close race Monday, promising to bring a more progressive approach after more than a decade of conservative leadership at city hall. The former downtown Toronto NDP MP and city councillor bested a record field of 102 candidates that included about a half dozen established contenders. Among those rivals was second-place finisher Ana Bailão — a past deputy to former mayor John Tory, whose shock resignation in February triggered the byelection. Chow, who was born in Hong Kong and came to Toronto at age 13, will become the third woman and first racialized person to serve as mayor in the city's history. She steps into the top spot as it grapples with a massive budget shortfall, an affordability crisis and public safety concerns. "If you ever doubted what's possible together, if you ever questioned your faith in a better future and what we can do with each other, for each other, tonight is your answer," Chow said in her speech to a crowd of cheering supporters. "Thank you to the people of Toronto for the trust you've placed in me and the mandate for change as your new mayor." [...] Among her headline commitments is a pledge to get the city back into social housing development and an annual $100 million investment in a program to purchase affordable homes and transfer them to non-profits and land trusts. [...]

Chow campaigned from the left, promising to boost rent supplements by introducing a "luxury home tax," an expanded land transfer tax on homes sold for $3 million and over. She also said she'll triple the city's existing vacant homes tax to three per cent. Chow will inherit largely untested strong mayor powers, however she has repeatedly said she wouldn't use them to override "majority rule" in council. In theory they would allow Chow to pass budgets with just one-third council support, veto bylaws and unilaterally shape the city's top-level administration. She did not release a fully-costed platform, and repeatedly declined to say by how much she would need to raise property taxes to pay for her suite of commitments — a focal point of criticism from her main rivals throughout the campaign.

The last week of the campaign saw Ontario Premier Doug Ford all but formally endorsed Saunders, warning at an unrelated news conference that a Chow mayoralty would be an "unmitigated disaster" and that she would raise taxes at an "unprecedented rate." Saunders finished third with 8.4 per cent of the total vote share.   Ford's pointed attack raises questions about Chow's relationship with Queen's Park as the city faces a $1.5-billion budget hole that will almost certainly require provincial help to fill. In a statement Monday night, Ford struck a conciliatory tone, saying he will "work with anyone ready to work with our government to better our city and province.  "Throughout Olivia's life, she has proven her desire and dedication to serving the city that many of us call home. While we're not always going to agree on everything, what we can agree on is our shared commitment to making Toronto a place where businesses, families, and workers can thrive."

Chow has long been a fixture of Toronto politics. She became a school board trustee in 1985, served 12 years on city council representing Trinity-Spadina and eventually became a New Democrat parliamentarian alongside her late husband and former federal NDP leader Jack Layton. Some of her notable policy stances include supporting an anti-homophobia curriculum in the 1980s, helping bring nutrition programs to Toronto schools in the 1990s and fighting against exploitative immigration consultants in the 2000s. For much of the last decade, she has run the Institute for Change Leaders at Toronto Metropolitan University where she trained community organizers.

The city being in basic bankruptcy position that will require provincial bail-out support is going to be contentious because Doug Ford is a nasty piece of work and vindictive as fuck - especially against Toronto Mayors - so we will see what she'll be able to get out of him (if anything). The Federal level will be able to help some, but it's really a municipal-provincial issue.

#canadian politics #politics #olivia chow #toronto #toronto politics #toronto mayor

[beyourselfchulanmaria]

© Don Hong-Oai

單雄威 Don Hong-Oai (1929 – 2004) was born in Canton, China in 1929, but spent most of his life in Saigon, Vietnam. At the age of 13 he began an apprenticeship at a Chinese photo and portrait shop. During this time he learned the traditional ways of photography from the masters. Everything was done the old-fashioned way from exposing the glass negatives in sunlight to using instinct rather than timers. Don would photograph landscapes in his free time and his style was heavily influenced by the legendary photographer Long Chin-San and his technique of layering negatives to create one composite image.

In 1979 he was able to get to the U.S. and settled in San Francisco’s Chinese community. Don started making a living selling his landscape photographs in front of Macy’s and began to receive more and more recognition for his master craftsmanship. He would create these images by taking three negatives, foreground, middle ground and far ground, and selecting a subject matter from each negative to form one composite image. All parts of the image do exist in life, but the photograph as a whole is an image that only existed in Don’s imagination. Each photograph is a unique handcrafted piece of work.

The photographs of Don Hong-Oai are made in a unique style of photography, which can be considered Asian pictorialism. This method of adapting a Western art for Eastern purposes probably originated in the 1940s in Hong Kong. One of its best-known practitioners was the great master Long Chin-San who died in the 1990s at the age of 104) with whom Don Hong-Oai studied. With the delicate beauty and traditional motifs of Chinese painting (birds, boats, mountains, etc.) in mind, photographers of this school used more than one negative to create a beautiful picture, often using visual allegories. Realism was not a goal.

He never had an assistant or had his images put together in a lab. Each piece had to be put together by Don as he saw it in his mind. His work has won scores of international awards and is included in hundreds of personal and corporate collections worldwide.. Only in the last few years of his life – he died in June 2004 – was his work discovered by a wider public, and he was kept very busy making prints for collectors across the US and worldwide.

Don Hong-Oai was one of the last photographers to work in this manner. He is also arguably the best. He was honoured by Kodak, Ilford and at Fotokina in West Germany and was a member of the International Federation of Photographic Art in Switzerland and the Chinatown Photographic Society.

#單雄威 #don hong-oai

[24newslive]

US sanctions Russian oligarchs, Hungary-based bank

The new designations were coordinated between the US Treasury and State departments and the United Kingdom. Among those sanctioned are Russian oligarchs Alisher Usmanov and Roman Abramovich.

The United States and Britain on Wednesday announced new sanctions on 120 people and entities over Russia's war in Ukraine.

Among those sanctioned are Russian oligarchs Alisher Usmanov and Roman Abramovich, who are close allies of President Vladimir Putin.

The US also imposed sanctions on three top officials at the Russian-controlled International Investment Bank in the Hungarian capital, Budapest.

The new designations were coordinated between the US Treasury and State departments and the United Kingdom.

What do we know about the sanctions? Usmanov has been subject to US and European sanctions since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

The US Treasury has described Usmanov as having "at his disposal a wide network of businesses in financial safe havens and family members through which to conduct financial transactions, enabling him to potentially circumvent sanctions."

The State Department said it targeted the businessman's company, USM Holdings, and multiple firms under it.

Last year, German authorities raided several of the Uzbekistan-born oligarchs properties and his yacht.

Also targeted was the Patriot private military company, which the State Department said was associated with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.

China HEAD Aerospace Technology Co, a China-based satellite image reseller, was hit by sanctions for allegedly providing satellite imagery of locations in Ukraine to the Russian Wagner mercenary group.

Washington also hit firms based in Hong Kong, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates with sanctions, claiming that the companies had sold drones and electronics to Russia's defense sector.

US sanctions Russian-controlled bank in Hungary Among those sanctioned by the US were three officials of the Russian-controlled International Investment Bank (IIB) in Hungary.

This included the Russian nationals Nikolay Kosov and Georgy Potapov and the Hungarian national Imre Laszloczki. Kosov is the bank's former chairman and Potapov and Laszlocki are high-ranking officials on the institution's management board.

"The presence of this opaque Kremlin platform (IIB) in the heart of Hungary threatens the security and sovereignty of the Hungarian people, their European neighbours, and their NATO allies," U.S. Ambassador to Budapest David Pressman told a news conference in Budapest.

Pressman said that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban had dismissed Washington's concerns over the bank.

"We have concerns about the continued eagerness of Hungarian leaders to expand and deepen ties with the Russian Federation despite Russia's ongoing brutal aggression against Ukraine and threat to transatlantic security," Pressman said.

"With this announcement, the United States is demonstrating that we will take action in response to Hungary's choices and to curb the access of Russia and sanctioned Russian persons to the international financial system."

NATO-member Hungary was one of the eastern European countries to secure exemptions on EU sanctions on Russian oil delivered by land or pipeline.

On Tuesday, Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto also said that Russian state energy company Gazprom had signed a new agreement with the government in Budapest allowing scope for more gas deliveries than already agreed to in long-term contracts, should they be necessary.

Much of the EU meanwhile imports little or no natural gas from Russia.

What did officials say about the sanctions? "The United States will continue to take action against Russia and those supporting its war in Ukraine," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

He said this was in line with the G7's "commitment to impose severe consequences on third country actors who support Russia's war in Ukraine."

Brian Nelson, the Treasury's under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said the US and its allies would continue to work to "disrupt evasions schemes that support Putin on the battlefield.

"We are closing the net on the Russian elite and those who try to help them hide their money for war," British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said in a statement, adding that there would be "no place to hide."

[kj-bishop]

Processional dragons at the Golden Dragon Museum in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia: 1. Loong; 2. Sun Loong, Loong's successor, now also retired; 3. Sun Loong (L) and the new dragon Dai Gum Loong (R); 4. Yar Loong, night dragon; 5. "Bendigo Easter Festival - 1979", painting of Sun Loong by Charles William Bush.

From the museum website (http://www.goldendragonmuseum.org/our-collection/#loong-conservation-project):

"Loong 龍

Loong is the oldest intact processional dragon in the world. He made his first processional appearance in 1901 and was the star attraction of Bendigo’s annual Easter parade until his retirement in 1970. He was created by the Sing Cheung 勝昌 workshop in the city of Foshan (Fatshan) on the Pearl River near Guangzhou (Canton) in southern China. Loong was constructed from silks, mirrors, bamboo, kingfisher feathers, and papier-mache. His name simply means ‘dragon’ but historically he was also referred to by the Chinese community as Gum Loong 金龙 (Golden Dragon) and Moo Loong 舞龍 (Dancing Dragon)

During his parading career Loong made several important appearances outside of Bendigo, most notably at the May 1901 procession in Melbourne to welcome m the Duke and Duchess of York who had come to open the first Australian parliament – a century later he also appeared in the Melbourne parade which marked the centenary of the achievement of Australian Federation.  In 2007 Loong was placed on Victoria Heritage register due to his historic and cultural significance.  Loong last paraded in the Easter parade of 2019 when he joined Sun Loong 新龍 (new Dragon) and Yar Loong 夜龍 (night Dragon) to welcome Dai Gum Loong 大金龍 (The Great Golden Dragon) to Bendigo.

Loong requires 22 carriers and is 29 meters long.  His head weighs 21kg"

Yar Loong: "Translucent, as though made from gossamer, this 80-year-old lantern dragon comes from Hong Kong’s famed Kum Yuk Lau workshop. Abandoned by a Sydney group, Yar Loong first appeared at the Bendigo Easter Parade in 1939. Severely damaged in a fire, he was furloughed and only rediscovered in the 1970s then restored in 1996; he is beloved." (Source: https://zolimacitymag.com/the-immigrant-dragons-part-iv-generations-united-in-bendigo/)

Ballarat has a slightly older but not fully intact Loong: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-01-21/ballarat-processional-dragon-loong-celebrated-lunar-new-year/101858398

and the See Yup temple in Melbourne has the head of the other dragon that paraded in the 1901 Federation celebrations: https://museumsvictoria.com.au/article/melbourne-mystery-dragon/

#dragons #mythical creatures #chinese art #processional dragon #parade dragon #my photo #bendigo #australia #heritage #tradition #history

[saywhat-politics]

The Biden administration is planning new coronavirus precautions on travelers arriving from China due to a surge in COVID-19 cases and concerns about the lack of transparent reporting data from the country, federal health officials said Wednesday.

Beginning Jan. 5, all air passengers at least 2 years old originating from China will be required to show a negative COVID-19 test no more than two days before their departure from China, Hong Kong or Macau.

The requirement will apply to all air passengers, regardless of nationality and vaccination status, officials said. They did not say how long the policy will be in place.

Airlines must confirm the COVID-19 test result or documentation of recovery from all passengers before they board. Passengers who tested positive more than 10 days before the flight can provide documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in lieu of a negative test result.

Passengers flying through Incheon International Airport in Seoul, Toronto Pearson International Airport and Vancouver International Airport on their way to the United States will be required to provide a negative COVID-19 test no more than two days before their departure to the United States if they’ve been in China in the last two days, officials said.

[genesic-archives]

Nunnally's Halloween Ch 2-2: The Halloween Strategy Meeting 

This is a translation of the second chapter of the second section of 'Nunnally's Halloween'. This section shows the group having a spooky session of plotting for their party for the Jack-O'-Lantern.

The story opens back up on Lelouch and Nunnally walking through the halls as they head to their party planning session.

Lelouch: …

Nunnally: Big brother. 

Lelouch: What is it? 

Nunnally: This air feels cold, but... it's definitely the same school we went to.

Lelouch: ...Yeah, you’re right, Nunnally. Do you want to go back?

Nunnally: What do you think? I want to move the world forward as soon as possible, but as long as I can be by your side, that's all I need...how selfish is that?

Lelouch: No, I'm the same way, Nunnally.

Lelouch and Nunnally now enter the scary version of their old student council room as they're greeted by Al in the middle of the room.

Al: Lelouch, is it alright if I use the whiteboard? 

Lelouch: I don't mind. This space itself was probably prepared by Jack O'Lantern in the first place…

Lelouch (internal thoughts): (The Jack-O’-Lantern prepared Ashford Academy for us. If so…) 

Al: Okay. Alright then everyone, feel free to sit wherever you like.

Gigi: Wow...I feel like I'm a member of the student council. Such a shame, I wish I could have brought my enchanting sailor uniform.

Al: Okay, okay, let's get started anyway. How are Lelouch and the others feeling? 

Lelouch: Right. Nunnally, is this okay?

Nunnally: Yeah, It’s alright.

Al: In order to escape from this space, we need to have a fun party so The Jack-o'-Lantern won't feel lonely. We'll be planning and managing it ourselves...do any of you have some ideas?

Hong Yu: Ooh, since it’s a party, dancing is inevitable. 

Liu Ki: If you have sheet music, I can play a song for you. 

Lelouch: If there was a koto, there should also have been a guqin made by the Chinese Federation for reference in the music room. We can check over there later.

(AN: For those unaware, a koto is a string instrument typically with 13 strings. It is also considered the national instrument of Japan. A guqin is another string instrument typically with 7 strings that comes from China. Both are played the same way with the instrument lying flat on the ground and have the same instrument classification which is probably how Lelouch correlated the 2 instruments together.)

Al: Dancing to the accompaniment of the piano? When it comes to dancing, it's essential to liven up the party. I think it will be exciting if we bring it to the second half.

Gigi: Yes, yesss! After all that, I think we need warm food that isn't cold, like some ricee!

Al: That’s true. It's fine if it's just hors d'oeuvres, but if the soup and main dish are cold, it's disappointing.

Gigi: That's right. Warm food warms your heart.

Nunnally: That's a wonderful phrase. I feel the same way.

Lelouch: I can’t believe Gigi would say something sensible.

Al: In the case of Gigi, there are times when the food is just warm.

Gigi: Did you say something?

Al: No, nothing. Even if it's not delicious, a warm meal will warm your heart.

Gigi screeches at him in retaliation.

Liu Ki: I-I want the food to be something that people can enjoy as well.

Nunnally: Um... How many pumpkin decorations were there at the venue?

Al: Pumpkins? Not much if you ask me…

Liu Ki: The venue was generally cold, and it even seemed a little scary.

Nunnally: In that case, since Jack-o-Lantern is the main character, why not add more pumpkins?

Hong Yu: More pumpkins? You mean like cooking and serving them?

Lelouch: Oh, no, that's not quite it. It's a Halloween tradition to cut out the inside of a pumpkin and make eyes and a mouth. That way the scary faces you put on pumpkins scare away evil spirits.

Hong Yu: I see. So it's like a talisman?

Liu Ki: Then, how about Mr. Jack-O’-Lantern too? 

Al: How do we explain that…? 

Gigi: It’s not quite like a talisman, it's also a whole monster by itself. 

Hong Yu: Haha, that's great! If it's that powerful, I'm sure it can drive away most demons!

Lelouch: If you want to grow more pumpkins, if we do that first, that would likely increase the number of participants.

Al: Also, it's true that the venue was a little empty and lonely. Okay, we have pretty much everything we need to do.

Hong Yu: So with that, I'll ask Lelouch to continue taking command. 

Nunnally: I agree. As the vice president of the student council, my brother has held many events, so I think he's a good fit.

Lelouch: Heh. It's been a while since I've been in charge of an event like this.

Lelouch (internal thoughts): (It feels strange to be at Ashford with new friends and an event without the student council members.)

Liu Ki: Lelouch? 

Lelouch: Yeah, I’m alright. Okay, everyone! Let’s go have a totally fun, full-throttle party!

Liu Ki: Fu-full throttle? I-I’ll do my best! 

Nunnally: Yes! 

Lelouch: In order to make the Halloween party a success... Operation: Pumpkin Festival now begins!

#code geass #genesic re;code #stories #side story #nunnally's halloween #translations

[ejzah]

Maybe a Strip Club Would be Safer, Part 2

***

Deeks quickly noted that one man looked in his mid-40s with shoulder-length graying hair while the other seemed maybe early 30s with a short cap of black hair. He took a quick step back, intending to conceal himself in the bathroom long enough to figure out a plan. Unfortunately, the older gunman looked up before he’d full ducked inside, his mouth set in a uncompromising line, and raised his weapon from the region of Eric’s head to aim at Deeks.

Eric closed his eyes, and swallowed visibly, clenching his hand on top of the table.

Callen eyes flicked up at Deeks, his expression vaguely dismayed. Apparently he’d been counting on Deeks leading their rescue too.

“Get over here and sit down,” the man ordered in moderately accented English. His steady hand and glare indicated he wasn’t unfamiliar with guns.

Deeks looked to Callen again, who gave the slightest nod of confirmation, and then followed the directions, heading towards the table.

“Look man, I don’t know what’s going on, but we don’t want any trouble,” Deeks attempted, playing on the confused and slightly stupid American persona.

“No me engañarás. Sabemos que son agentes federales.”

Well, that wasn’t great news.

“Siéntate.”

“You’re right, we are federal agents, but we’re not here in an official capacity,” Sam spoke up in an even and sure tone that usually made people listen to what he said.

“Por supuesto que lo eres. ¿Por qué deberíamos creerte? Mientes para ganarte la vida,” the second man said. He laughed sharply, his eyes dark with malice. “Los vi arrestar a un amigo hace años. Nunca olvidaré sus rostros.”

“Because it’s the truth,” Deeks responded. “We’re here on a trip. Sin armas, sin insignias. Puedes comprobarlo por ti mismo.” Moving slowly, he held his arms wide, offering them the opportunity to check him. Hopefully, they wouldn’t think to look in his left boot.

The younger man walked around to Deeks’ back, and roughly patted him down, giving him a shove forward when he was done. Apparently they’d already searched the others or took Deeks at his word that none of them were carrying.

“Even if you you are not armed, I don’t trust you,” the older man said, gesturing for Deeks to sit once more. This time, Deeks listened. The man paused, then brushed his bottom lip, waving the gun a little carelessly. “Ok, so tell me why you would be in Mexico if it’s not for business.”

“For my bachelor party,” Callen answered with full irony.

“Oh, he things we’re stupid, Gael.” The older man flashed a sarcastic grin in Gael’s direction. “There are no resorts in this area.

“Actually, we were supposed to be going cave diving,” Deeks explained. “Which, might I add, I said was a terrible, terrible idea from the beginning.” He glanced between the two men. “Somehow I’m guessing we that you’re not keeping us here just for the the fun of it.”

“Deeks,” Sam cautioned.

“And more importantly, what are you planning to do with us?” Callen asked. “Even though we’re here as civilians, if we’re gone past our planned stay or don’t make it back to our hotel, people will start looking for us.”

“Yes, I have a friend who will be extremely angry if I don’t make it back to Hong Kong. And you really don’t want to see what happens when she gets angry,” Eric added, speaking for the first time.

“You’d be surprised how good we are at hiding things,” Gael said with a dark chuckle. “Matteo, we should leave now.”

“No, no los lastimes!”

They all turned as the young waitress hurried in from the kitchen. Deeks heard someone faintly hiss a caution, but she ignored it.

“Margarita, vuelve a la cocina. Este no es tu negocio.”

“¿O qué, me matarás a mí también?”

“Margarita—”

“No, Matteo! I am sick of watching you solve everything this way. They were not causing any problems and now you bring this into my restaurant.”

“They’re federal agents!”

“¡Y eres estúpido!”

Gael stalked to the middle of the room, raising his voice above Matteo and Margarita’s. Margarita for her part didn’t seem even remotely intimidated by the guns or threats.

Catching Deeks’ eye, Sam discreetly slid a knife off the table and onto his lap.

“Now is our chance,” he muttered, barely moving his lips.

“We gotta make sure she’s clear first,” Deeks whispered.

“That’ll be your job,” Callen decided. “Sam and I will take on those two.”

“What’s my job?” Eric murmured, without a hint of his usual outrageous behavior that normally came out in these types of situations.

“As another civilian, your job is to get out of the way and not get shot,” Sam informed him. “I meant it, Beale.”

“That hurts.”

“Fine, then you can be the distraction,” Callen said with a roll of his eyes.

“Enough!” Matteo shouted suddenly, firing a shot into the ceiling, causing a shower of plaster to rain down on them, and silenced further argument.

Sam gave Eric a sharp nod, and Eric stood suddenly so his chair slid back noisily.

“Oh, I don’t feel so great,” he forced between his teeth, face a picture of agony as he clutched at his stomach.

***

A/N: I’m trying to find the right balance of humor and light danger. I’m not sure if I managed that.

As always, my translations are from Google translate, so I know they’re not the best. If anyone would like to make them more authentic, I’d happily change it once I crosspost.

Translations

Get over here and sit down.

You can’t fool me. We know you’re federal agents. I saw you arrest a friend years ago and I will never forget your faces.

No gun, no badges. You can check for yourself.

Of course you are. Why should we believe you? You lie for a living. You two arrested a friend of mine years ago and I’ll never forget your faces.

No, don’t hurt them.

Margarita, get back in the kitchen. This is not your business.

Or what, you’ll kill me too?

And you’re stupid.

#ncis la fanfiction #marty deeks #g callen #sam hanna #eric beale #bro trip #Callen’s bachelor party gone wrong #maybe a strip club would be safer #part 2

[chocolateandsilver]

The Restrict Act 2023

About the Restrict Act

There’s a lot of information/misinformation I’ve been seeing about the Restrict Act. I’ve stared at the damn bill for around thirty hours at this point, so I thought I’d give people a summary of what it’s actually doing as well as what it isn’t doing, to help you avoid misinformation.

Buckle in, folks, because this is going to be a long post. I know Tumblr is allergic to nuance, but hopefully you’ll be able to see both the good and the bad in this bill by the time I’m done, and be able to understand what’s actually going on. If you just want to see problems with the act, the last section is devoted to that.

tl;dr good in spirit because of the rising rate of infrastructure cyberattacks, but the letter of the law could use a little work to make sure that the government can't overstep

Why the Restrict Act?

Let’s start with the why. Why does the US government feel like this Act is necessary? The stated purpose is: “To authorize the Secretary of Commerce to review and prohibit certain transactions between persons in the United States and foreign adversaries, and for other purposes.” Which is a bunch of legalese, so I’ll give you some examples of things that are happening in the real world which the government wants more authority to look into.

The author of the bill, Sen. Warner, specifically cited Huawei and Kapersky as companies that were doing Suspicious Things, so we’ll look at those first.

Huawei: Huawei is a telecommunications company. The US, Australia, Canada, Sweden, UK, Lithuania, and Estonia have all taken various actions against Huawei over the last decade or so. In 2012, a malicious software update was installed on Huawei devices in Australia, attacking Australia’s telecommunications network. In 2021, a Washington Post review suggested that Huawei was involved in mass surveillance programs. In 2014, a Huawei engineer was caught hacking a cell phone tower in India

Kapersky: The UK, Lithuania, the Netherlands, the EU, Germany, and Italy have all taken action against Kapersky. This company produces antivirus software, and was accused of working on secret projects with Russia’s Federal Security Service, especially in the wake of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Allegedly, the company used the popular antivirus software to secretly scan for classified documents and other information, and allegedly stole NSA information.

In addition to these two companies, there have been tons of cyberattacks worldwide.

Half of the United States’ fuel supply was compromised due to a hack on Colonial Pipeline, shutting down fuel for some areas in the American southeast for days

A hacking group disrupted Iranian steel factories and even started a fire

Costa Rica had to declare a national emergency after government systems were hit, including systems for exports, pensions, taxes, welfare, and even Covid-19 testing.

A ransomware attack caused a major outage to emergency health services in the UK

The stated purpose of this act is to give the USA some kind of formal process to make decisions when something like this is suspected of happening, and when it’s caused by a “foreign adversary.”

What’s a foreign adversary?

A foreign adversary is a country that has engaged in a “long-term pattern or serious instances of conduct significantly adverse to the national security of the United States or security and safety of United States persons.”

The bill kindly provides us with a list of six countries that fit this description: China(including Hong Kong), Cuba, Iran, Korea, Russia, and Venezuela

The Secretary of Commerce can add/remove countries to this list at any time, as long as Congress is informed within 15 days of the reasoning behind that decision.

Once Congress is informed, Congress can disagree via joint resolution (So both Houses have to vote to disagree with the Secretary of Commerce’s decision). If Congress disagrees, there’s a whole complicated process for getting the label added/removed.

We’ll get into the ethics later, in the Genuine Problems section.

For the rest of this post, I’ll be saying Scary Countries instead of foreign adversaries, so that it’s easier for people to understand.

What is the United States allowed to investigate using this Act?

So first we’re going to define some things, because the Act is very specific about what the United States can investigate.

The bill defines something called a “covered transaction,” which is basically a financial or technological action taken by a Scary Country or on behalf of a Scary Country. For the rest of this post, I’ll be saying Scary Action instead of covered transaction.

The bill also defines something called a “covered holding,” which is essentially any group that is partially or fully owned by a Scary Country, on behalf of a Scary Country, or that falls under a Scary Country’s jurisdiction, even with degrees of separation. The group has to affect either 1+ million Americans or has to have sold 1+ million units of a tech product to Americans. This group is usually a company, but it can be other things, too. For the rest of this post, I’ll be saying Scary & Important Group instead of covered holding.

The Secretary of Commerce is allowed to find/investigate/stop any Scary Action or Scary & Important Group that wants to do one of the following:

sabotage information and communications tech in the US

damage critical infrastructure or the digital economy of the US

interfere with a Federal election

undermine democratic processes

Pose any other unacceptable risk to the USA.

This is a list of Really Bad Things, so from now on I’m going to call it the List of Really Bad Things.

If it’s a Scary & Important Group instead of a Scary Action, the Secretary will refer the information to the President, who will then decide what to do to stop the threat. Otherwise, if it’s just a Scary Action, the Secretary has the authority to stop it.

If the Secretary finds out that something Scary is going on and that it falls under the List of Really Bad Things, the Secretary is REQUIRED to publish information in a DECLASSIFIED form about why they thought there was a threat and what was done to stop it, as long as none of the information is already classified. (This is a good thing!)

Process

First, the Secretary is given authority to find and investigate Scary Actions and Scary & Important Groups. The Secretary is also allowed to delegate this to Federal officials. Something key here is that the bill says that Federal officials can only have investigative powers that are “conferred upon them by any other Federal law.” They don’t get any extra powers. Anyone who tells you otherwise is panicking too hard to properly read the bill.

So what happens if, in the course of investigation, the Secretary finds out that a Scary Action or Scary & Important Group is trying to do a Really Bad Thing? Simple. The Attorney General will bring the case to an “appropriate district court.” The max fine for a civil penalty for an individual here is $250,000. For a criminal penalty for an individual, the max fine is $1 million and/or 20 years in prison, as well as giving up any of the things they used to do Really Bad Stuff with.

If someone is found guilty, they can appeal that decision, but only to the District of Columbia Circuit. Note that this is only for appeals! Otherwise, everything will be through the normal federal district courts.

If the appeal fails, too, the US will file all of the information that they used to make any big decisions with the court, and will give the defendant all of the information that is not classified, so that the defendant can ask for a full review.

Once the United States has stopped a Scary Action or a Scary & Important Group from doing Really Bad Things, it’s illegal to go around/against any of the actions that US has taken to do that.

Specifically, the bill says that “no person may cause or aid, abet, counsel, command, induce, procure, permit, or approve the doing of any act prohibited by, or the omission of any act required by any regulation, order, direction, mitigation measure, prohibition, or other authorization or directive issued under, this Act.”

Yes, this is legitimately scary. We’ll get into the ethics later, in the Genuine Problems section.

Myths

The bill gives the USA power to ban VPNs!

No. Unless the VPN company is trying to do one of the Really Bad Things under the instruction of a Scary Country or is suspected of doing one of the Really Bad Things, the VPN company will be fine.

The bill gives the USA power to investigate way more than they could before!

No. “In conducting investigations described in paragraph (1), designated officers or employees of Federal agencies described that paragraph may, to the extent necessary or appropriate to enforce this Act, exercise such authority as is conferred upon them by any other Federal law, subject to policies and procedures approved by the Attorney General” (emphasis mine).

Important here is “exercise such authority as is conferred upon them by any other Federal law” — this act is not giving them additional leeway. Really, the USA is making use of the lack of privacy that’s already baked into law in order to investigate.

If TikTok is banned and I use a VPN to access it, I could go to jail for 20 years!

Possible but severely unlikely, at least according to this law. Let’s go through some scenarios:

Scenario 1: The USA takes TikTok to court. In the decision, the USA says the TikTok app is no longer allowed to be on any app store. In this case, using a VPN to access TikTok would still be allowed, since the ban is for TikTok’s actions, not US citizens’ actions.

Scenario 2: The USA takes TikTok to court. In the decision, the USA says that TikTok is required to have some kind of filter banning US IP addresses. In this case, using a VPN to access TikTok would still be allowed, since the ban is for TikTok’s actions, not US citizens’ actions.

Scenario 3: The USA enacts a law forbidding citizens from accessing TikTok. This is unlikely, since the USA would have to have an entirely separate non-court procedure to do this, which is only kind of in the scope of the law. I guess it’s possible, but it’s skating on thin ice. In this case, using a VPN to access TikTok would be a crime. 4. If you’re charged, you have to go to the DC Circuit Court and not any of the other courts!

Actually, you’d first be charged under an ordinary district court in your state. If you decide to appeal, however, then you have to appeal to DC.

Genuine Problems

Adding a Scary Country to the list seems really easy. There’s nothing to stop the government from adding every single country to the list and then investigating every single action. Granted, it’s highly unlikely that this would happen, simply because then the amount of information would be difficult to go through, but it’s possible.

In the list of Really Bad Things, there’s an additional list item saying “otherwise poses an undue or unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States or the safety of United States persons.” Who determines that?

The definition of a Scary Action is ridiculously broad. It covers any financial or technology-related action. That could refer to a lot of different things.

While the bill is clearly intended only to prosecute people doing Really Bad Things, the wording is kind of vague in some places, and could be used to prosecute others, too.

Specifically, I’m thinking about this clause:

“no person may cause or aid, abet, counsel, command, induce, procure, permit, or approve the doing of any act prohibited by, or the omission of any act required by any regulation, order, direction, mitigation measure, prohibition, or other authorization or directive issued under, this Act”

Yeah this could definitely be used for overreach. It’s far too broad. If there was an infrastructure attack on the USA that affected the police dept, and an ACAB armchair activist tweeted “haha karma” would that count as grounds for prosecution? I have a genuine problem with this clause. The loopholes here are ridiculously large.

Overall, it seems as though this bill is aimed at large companies rather than citizens, but there are definitely loopholes for the government to exploit.

#restrict act #tiktok ban #long post

[insurrection-if]

What options are there for regions of origin?

Oh, this will be a rather long post, haha! This is honestly an area I have been a bit nervous about due to the, well, tensions that can surround geographic definitions - and the mechanic in the game is based on the United Nations geoscheme. I'll list the breakdown under the cut though I shall warn you it's an eyeful. (；´∀｀) If there are any concerns to be had, then please let me know!

Americas

North America (Bermuda, Canada, Mexico, Greenland, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, United States of America - MC will choose whether they are a native US citizen.)

South America ( Argentina, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Bouvet Island, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Suriname, Uruguay, (Bolivarian Republic of) Venezuela

Central America (Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama)

Caribbean (Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Curaçao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin (French Part), Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sint Maarten (Dutch part), Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, United States Virgin Islands)

Europe

Northern Europe (Åland Islands, Channel Islands (Guernsey, Jersey, Sark), Denmark, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands, Sweden, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)

Western Europe (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Lichtenstein, Luxemburg, Monaco, Netherlands, Switzerland)

Southern Europe (Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Gibraltar, Greece, Holy See, Italy, Malta, Montenegro, Portugal, San Marino, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Republic of North Macedonia)

Eastern Europe (Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Ukraine)

Africa

Northern Africa (Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Western Sahara / Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic)

Central / Middle Africa (Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Sao Tome and Principe)

Eastern Africa (British Indian Ocean Territory, Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, French Southern Territories, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mozambique, Réunion, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe)

Western Africa (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Saint Helena, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo)

Southern Africa (Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa)

Asia

Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan)

Southern Asia (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, (Islamic Republic of), Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka)

Southeastern Asia (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam)

Eastern Asia (China, Hong Kong, Macao, Japan, Mongolia, Republic of Korea)

Western Asia (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cyprus, Georgia, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, State of Palestine, Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen)

Oceania

Australia & New Zealand (Australia, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, New Zealand, Norfolk Island)

Melanesia (Fiji, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu)

Micronesia (Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, United States Minor Outlying Islands - MC can choose if they are native US citizen)

#mc #mechanics #region of origin

[arthurdrakoni]

Flag of the Federation of China

This is the flag of the Federation of China. It comes from a world where the Long March failed, and Chinese Communist forces got completely massacred by the Kuomintang. This was a crippling blow to Chinese Communist. Things only got worse once Japan invaded China. The Japanese managed almost completely eradicate the remaining Communist forces. World War II still ended in an Allied victory. However, the Nationalists now stood as the uncontested rulers of the now liberated China. 

China, fervently anti-communist, sided with America during the Cold War. China intervened during the Korean War rand the Vietnam War, resulting in Vietnam and Korea being united under the governments of South Korea and South Vietnam respectively. China remained a one-party authoritarian dictatorship for the first few decades of the Cold War. Starting in the 1970s and early 1980s, following the death of Chiang Kai-shek, China began to reform and liberalize. Genuine opposition parties were allowed to run in elections, and the Kuomintang no long held sole power. It was during this time that China’s economy took-off in earnest. China became a Tiger Economy along side other East Asian nations such as Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, and Singapore.  By the late 1980s and early 1990s China had transitioned into a full democracy. China is a federation that allows considerable autonomy for ethnic minorities. The Federation of China comprises the territory of China, Mongolia, and Taiwan in our world. Tibet, Mongolia, Xinjiang, Guangdong, and Taiwan are semi-autonomous republics within the Chinese Federation. They are allowed to use their own constitutions, rather than the Chinese constitution. They’re also allowed to use languages other than Mandarin as their official language. However, the federal government of China handles matters of national defense, international relations, and diplomacy. Hong Kong and Macau were returned to China slightly earlier than in our timeline. They’re currently designated as semi-autonomous territories to ensure things go smoothly as they integrate into the Chinese Federation.  America remains one of China’s closest allies. This is not merely an alliance of convenience, but an alliance of genuine friendship. There is less racism against Asian-Americans as a result of the Sino-American Alliance. Traditional Chinese Culture has both survived and thrived in the absence in the Cultural Revolution. China also maintains good relations with the other nations of East Asia. There’s currently talk of a join Chinese-American mission to Mars, with possibly a few astronauts from other East Asian nations as well. China is projected to overtake America economically, but most Americans aren’t concerned. The future looks bright for China, and East Asia in general. The flag came about during the early 1990s. Most Chinese people decided that you can’t beat the classics. So, they combined first flag and seal of the Republic of China. The five bands represent the five major races of China: Han (Red), Manchus (Yellow), Mongols (Blue), Uyghurs (White), and Tibetans (Black). The dragon and phoenix are traditional symbols of China. They also symbolize Yin (Phoenix) and Yang (Dragon). They are equal and opposite, a subtle reference to the opportunities women have in the new China. The seal also includes other references to good fortune and prosperity.

Link to the original flag on my blog: https://drakoniandgriffalco.blogspot.com/2022/06/flag-of-federation-of-china.html

#alternate history #flag #flags #alternate history flag #alternate history flags #vexillology #alt history #China #Taiwan #Tibet #Mongolia #Uyghurstan #Manchuria #Xinjiang #Guangdong #Canton #Federation of China #Chinese Federation #Flag of the Federation of China #Republic of China #ROC #Chinese Civil War

[kneedeepincynade]

I will explain my political ideology now so I don't have to do so in the future

I uphold Marxism Leninism,the fundamental additions of Stalin and Mao, the thought of Deng and Erich Honecker.

I share the same views as east Germany on the LGBTQ+ issue, wich,for those who don't know are even more progressive than the modern Cuban one.

I'm an atheist

I vehemently support Palestine and Iran in their strugle against imperialism, color revolution and Israel.

I will be in the cold dead ground before I will stand with Ukraine, this does not mean I'm acritical of the russian federation or the states mentioned above,it means that between Putin and hitleresky I stand with Putin and the people of donbass and Crimea and the newly added regions of Russia

I stand with Armenia.

Taiwan is Chinise and so are Hong Kong and Macao.

There is only one Korea and is the DPRK,long live kim jong un.

Long live Assad.

Long live Lukashenka

Viva cuba! Viva fidel! Viva che! Viva Venezuela! Viva maduro! Muera Yankee de mierda!

#socialism #maoism #deng #us imperialism

[inkovsky]

After the Hang Seng Index opened 86 points higher at 16,819 points, the increase once expanded to 274 points, reaching a high of 17,006 points. Later, the upward trend rebounded, rising 95 points or 0.56% to 16,828 points for the whole day; the technology index rose 33 points or 0.97%. It was quoted at 3,478 points. Main board transaction volume was HK$82.9 billion.

The rise in Hong Kong stocks is mainly due to the market's longing for the mainland's economic recovery. The mainland's inflation data has been improving recently. The mainland will release the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for March this Thursday. In addition, the mainland has approved another online game, which has made the atmosphere for new economy platform stocks somewhat uncertain. Get better. The short-term resistance level is the year's high of 17,200, and the support level is 16,200.

Investors awaited the U.S. inflation data to be released later this week, and U.S. stocks showed mixed results overnight. Market expectations for the Federal Reserve to delay an interest rate cut this year have recently increased, and global stock markets have weakened, but the impact on Hong Kong stocks is expected to be limited. It is believed that it is likely to break through the 17,300 resistance level from the end of April to the beginning of May and is expected to continue to move upward. It is not appropriate to be overly bearish yet.

European stock markets came under pressure, with British, French and German stocks falling 0.11%, 0.86% and 1.32% respectively.

On the eve of the release of U.S. inflation data, U.S. stocks performed individually on Tuesday. After the Dow opened 90 points higher, the increase slightly expanded to 100 points, reaching a high of 38,992 points, and then turned downward, once falling 320 points to a low of 38,572 points. It closed almost Recovering all lost ground; the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite Index have repeatedly stabilized, with the S&P 500 Index falling at most 0.8%; the Nasdaq Index, which is dominated by technology stocks, once fell 0.69%.

At the close of the U.S. stock market, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell slightly by 9 points, or 0.02%, to 38,883 points; the S&P 500 index rose 7 points, or 0.14%, to 5,209 points; the Nasdaq rebounded 52 points, or 0.32%, to 16,306 points.

Ha, head of stock market strategy at Wells Fargo Chris Harvey raised the S&P 500 index's target for the end of this year from 4,625 points to 5,535 points, which means there is about 6% room for growth.

The U.S. dollar index fell as much as 0.25% to 103.88, the Euro rose by 0.24% to $1.0885, and the Japanese yen rose by as much as 0.16% to 151.57 per dollar.

[newstfionline]

Sunday, December 10, 2023

Canada's surging cost of living fuels reverse immigration (Reuters) The dream of making it big in Canada is turning into a battle for survival for many immigrants due to the high cost of living and rental shortages, as rising emigration numbers hints to newcomers being forced to turn their back on a country that they chose to make their adopted home. Trudeau has made immigration his main weapon to blunt Canada's big challenge of an aging and slowing population, and it has also helped fuel economic growth. That drove Canada's population up at its fastest clip in more than six decades this year, Statistics Canada said. But a steady rise in emigration is making some observers wary. Reuters spoke with a half a dozen people who have either left the country or are preparing to do so, because of the high cost of living. Cara, 25, who came to Canada in 2022 as a refugee from Hong Kong, now pays C$650 ($474) in monthly rent for a single-room basement apartment in Scarborough, north of Toronto, which is about 30% of her monthly take-home salary. "I never realized that living in a Western country, you can only afford renting a room in the basement," she said. Cara works three part-time jobs, making Ontario's minimum wage of C$16.55 per hour. "I almost use every single penny," she said, while in Hong Kong she was able to save about a third of her monthly salary.

Chronic fatigue syndrome (AP) Health officials on Friday released the first nationally representative estimate of how many U.S. adults have chronic fatigue syndrome: 3.3 million. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s number is larger than previous studies have suggested, and is likely boosted by some of the patients with long COVID. The condition clearly “is not a rare illness,” said the CDC’s Dr. Elizabeth Unger, one of the report’s co-authors. Chronic fatigue is characterized by at least six months of severe exhaustion not helped by bed rest. Patients also report pain, brain fog and other symptoms that can get worse after exercise, work or other activity. Doctors have not been able to pin down a cause, although research suggests it is a body’s prolonged overreaction to an infection or other jolt to the immune system.

Sikh Americans Take Precautions After Assassination Plot (NYT) In California and New Jersey, some Sikh temples are rushing to add security cameras and hire night patrols. Bobbie Singh-Allen, the outspoken mayor of Elk Grove, Calif., said she had begun tempering her posts on social media that might be seen as critical of India. And Dr. Pritpal Singh, a Sikh American activist in California, said he was prepared to turn to a particularly American form of self-defense: using a gun. Sikh Americans have been on edge for months since the Indian government was accused of assassinating a prominent Sikh separatist and community figure in Canada, another country where Sikhs believed their activism was protected against interference by the Indian government. Their anxieties spiked last week after federal prosecutors in New York unsealed an indictment accusing an official in the Indian government of a different assassination plot, this time one that was foiled, in the U.S. To many Sikh Americans, the indictment—which alleged a brazen murder-for-hire plot against a Sikh separatist in New York—seemed to confirm suspicions that they had harbored for years about the Indian government keeping tabs on their actions.

Putin will seek another term as Russian president (AP) Vladimir Putin on Friday moved to prolong his repressive and unyielding grip on Russia for at least another six years, announcing his candidacy in the presidential election next March that he is all but certain to win. Putin still commands wide support after nearly a quarter-century in power, despite starting an immensely costly war in Ukraine that has taken thousands of his countrymen’s lives, provoked repeated attacks inside Russia—including one on the Kremlin itself—and corroded its aura of invincibility. A short-lived rebellion in June by mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin raised widespread speculation that Putin could be losing his grip, but he emerged with no permanent scars. Prigozhin’s death in a mysterious plane crash two months later reinforced the view that Putin was in absolute control.

Ukraine cracks down on draft-dodging as it struggles to find troops (Washington Post) Soon after Russia’s invasion in February 2022, Ukraine beefed up its border defenses near this Carpathian mountain village. But the extra patrols and reels of barbed wire fencing rolled out along the top of a mountain pass along the Romanian border were meant to keep people in—particularly draft-eligible men seeking to flee the country. As Ukraine approaches its third year of war, Ukraine needs fighters, leading to a search for new ways to mobilize the population and stronger measures against draft dodgers. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion, men ages 18 to 60 were forbidden from leaving the country. Some of those seeking to escape hire guides to lead them through the mountains. Others make the risky trip alone. One of them, a 46-year-old man who lost his way last month, suffered severe frostbite and died soon after he was found. At least 25 men have drowned while crossing the Tysa River, which separates Ukraine from Romania. But the most common escape route has been major border crossings. Many rely on fake documents to slip out of the country. Men have squeezed themselves into secret compartments in vehicles, posed as clergy members and dressed as women to sneak past border checkpoints, said Andriy Demchenko, a spokesman at the headquarters of the State Border Guard Service.

How China strong-armed its way into dominating the South China Sea. (NYT) Beijing says many of these boats are just fishing. But they bristle with machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and high-velocity water cannons. They’re here for intimidation. This fleet, built largely with government money, helps China dominate one of the most crucial and disputed waterways in the world: the South China Sea. Working in tandem with an aggressive coast guard, these militarized fishing boats assert Beijing’s presence more than 1,000 miles from the Chinese mainland. The boats patrol the tiny, disputed Spratly islets. Their reinforced steel hulls make it easy to ram smaller boats. They swarm other countries’ outposts and squat on shoals within sight of foreign coastlines. In confrontations with China’s militarized fleet, the Philippines’ smaller boats don’t stand a chance. China’s muscle is crucial to its de facto control over the South China Sea. These fishing boats, most of which don’t actually fish, make up a maritime militia that is upending the rules of the sea. By providing backup to the China Coast Guard and maintaining a constant presence in remote waters—often parking on contested reefs for weeks at a time—they amplify China’s ambitions in the South China Sea.

News investigations say Israeli tank shell killed journalist in Lebanon (Washington Post) News organizations and rights groups that investigated shelling that killed a journalist and injured others in Lebanon in October said their findings indicate that Israel was responsible. Two rights groups described the attack as a “war crime.” The shelling on Oct. 13 in southern Lebanon killed Reuters videographer Issam Abdallah, 37, and severely wounded Agence France-Presse photographer Christina Assi, 28. Other journalists from Reuters, AFP and Al Jazeera were also injured. Dylan Collins, an AFP videographer who was with Abdallah when he was killed, said, “The Israelis knew we were there from the moment we arrived.” An Israeli tank crew fired two shells in quick succession from Israel while the journalists were filming cross-border shelling.

As a Gaza teen, I used to dream of college. Now I feel sentenced to death by Israel’s bombings (Salma Hamad, Los Angeles Times) Until two months ago, my life as a 17-year-old in Gaza was marked by the predictable anxieties and aspirations of a student applying to university. Now as I huddle in a cramped, dimly lit room with 12 other women in Rafah, those dreams seem like fragments of another life. Our stomachs echo with hunger, and our throats burn with thirst. We exist in constant darkness, the world illuminated only by the flashes of missiles and the red glow of destruction. I am not a terrorist. I am a student, a sister, a daughter. Up to 1.8 million Palestinians have been displaced, myself included. We are not faceless statistics, but innocent human beings. History will look to us to measure the cost of moral weakness—the consequences of dismissing the sanctity of all human life. In Gaza, age is a fallacy. It is the most dangerous place on Earth to be a child. Since October, I have lost more friends than has my 78-year-old grandmother. The anguish has become a companion of my existence. If I were your daughter, would you stand for it? I feel that I have been sentenced to death, but death no longer scares me. I only fear that when I die, my story will be forgotten. We plead with Israel, the U.S. and the world: Please end the bombardment. Let the children of Gaza dream again.

U.S. Vetoes Israel-Hamas Cease-Fire Resolution at U.N. Security Council (NYT) The United States on Friday vetoed a United Nations resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has launched hundreds of strikes, relief efforts were faltering and people were growing so desperate for basic necessities that some were stoning and raiding aid convoys. The U.N. secretary general, António Guterres, and most members of the Security Council had backed the measure, saying that the humanitarian catastrophe in the coastal enclave where 2.2 million Palestinians live could threaten world stability. But the United States, which is one of the five permanent members of the Security Council, blocked the resolution, arguing that Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas attacks. The vote was 13 to 1, with Britain abstaining and some U.S. allies like France voting for a cease-fire. The failed resolution came as the United Nations reported that it was struggling to deliver essential goods like food, medicine and cooking gas to desperate civilians who have packed into shelters and tent cities after two months of war. “Civil order is breaking down,” Thomas White, the Gaza director of the United Nations relief agency for Palestinians, wrote Friday on social media. He added: “Some aid convoys are being looted and UN vehicles stoned. Society is on the brink of full-blown collapse.”

UN says Africa faces unprecedented food crisis, with 3 in 4 people unable to afford a healthy diet (AP) At least three-fourths of Africans can’t afford a healthy diet, and a fifth are undernourished due to an “unprecedented food crisis,” United Nations agencies said in a report released Thursday with the African Union Commission. The continent’s 1.4 billion people are confronting high levels of hunger and malnutrition as the hit on world grain supplies from Russia’s war in Ukraine compounds the ills of African conflicts, climate change and the aftereffects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the report said. It warned that “millions are expected to be at risk of worsening hunger in the near future.” With a young population set to double by 2050, Africa is the only rapidly growing region where people are getting poorer, and some are beginning to celebrate coups by soldiers who promise a better life.

#headlines #news

[enterprisewired]

US Stock Futures Rise on Strong Earnings, While Oil Surges Amid Syria Strikes

In a week marked by turbulence in financial markets, US Stock futures experienced a rebound as Amazon.com Inc. and Intel Corp. reported robust earnings, dispelling some of the gloom that had settled after mixed reports from other big-tech companies. Meanwhile, crude oil prices surged following US strikes on Iran-linked facilities in Syria.

Scenario after the selloff

Nasdaq futures saw a notable 0.8% increase after a recent selloff had pushed the index to its lowest point since May. This decline also pushed the S&P 500 to the brink of a “correction,” with the index nearly 10% down from its peak in July. In premarket trading on Friday, Intel’s stock jumped by 7.8%, and Amazon’s shares were up by 4.8%.

The ongoing earnings season has proven to be a mixed bag, with investors penalizing companies that miss expectations more severely than they reward those that beat them. In the US, 78% of companies reporting earnings have beaten estimates, in contrast to 57% in Europe, according to strategists at JPMorgan Chase & Co. However, an increasing number of companies are signaling lower consumer demand and a deteriorating economic environment, even as data released on Thursday indicated that inflationary pressures in the US are receding, despite solid economic growth.

Solidifying Expectations

Investors are now closely watching a slew of reports, including the Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of underlying inflationary pressures, in order to solidify expectations that the central bank will pause its rate hikes in the upcoming week. Additionally, market participants will keep an eye on earnings announcements from major oil companies, such as Exxon Mobil Corp. and Chevron Corp.

Hebe Chen, an analyst at IG Markets in Melbourne, remarked on the resilience of US growth and earnings beats by some tech giants, stating that this has brought “long-awaited relief for stressed investors.” She also noted that as the end of the month approaches, investors are holding their breath for next week’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, which is expected to set the tone for the remainder of the year.

Crude Oil Gains On Large US Stock Drawdown & Supply Concerns Due To Israel-Hamas Conflict

Stoxx Europe 600 index

In contrast to the positive sentiment in the US Stock Futures, the Stoxx Europe 600 index declined further as corporate earnings continued to disappoint. Notably, French pharmaceutical company Sanofi saw its stock drop by as much as 16% following an earnings miss and a downbeat outlook. UK lender NatWest Group Plc also faced a decline after reducing its margin guidance. Universal Music Group NV, the record label for artists like Taylor Swift, saw its shares decrease after falling short of some estimates. On a brighter note, energy majors saw gains as Brent crude oil prices surged by more than 1% to surpass $89 a barrel.

Bloomberg Data

Across Asia, shares in Hong Kong and Japan led the way in advancing, while Australian and South Korean stocks also traded in positive territory. Mainland Chinese shares saw a slight uptick after data on industrial companies’ profits showed growth, albeit at a slightly slower rate than in the previous period.

In the realm of currencies and bonds, Treasury yields rose slightly, and the US dollar remained steady. Swap contracts suggested a roughly one-in-three chance of another Federal Reserve rate hike in the current tightening cycle, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

The Japanese yen showed stability after Tokyo inflation unexpectedly accelerated, indicating some consumer cost pressures. Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki reiterated that officials are closely monitoring currency movements with a high sense of urgency.

Curious to learn more? Explore our articles on Enterprise Wired

#StockMarket #EarningsReports #OilPrices #USFutures #FinancialMarkets #EconomicNews #Investing #SyriaStrikes #Youtube

[howwelldoyouknowyourmoon]

A sign of the Unification Church, or the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, is seen in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward in this Oct. 20, 2022, photo. (Mainichi/Hiroshi Maruyama)

October 6, 2023

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Japanese government is making arrangements to seek a court order to disband the Unification Church as early as Oct. 13, government sources said Friday. •

The move would follow a months-long probe into the religious group found its practices, including pressuring followers to make massive donations, constituted violations of the law.

The Cultural Affairs Agency is considering convening a meeting of an advisory body on religious institutions next Thursday before proceeding with its dissolution request to the Tokyo District Court, which will make a judgment based on the evidence submitted by the government, the sources said.

Scrutiny of the group intensified after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was fatally shot during an election campaign speech last year over his perceived links to the entity, an incident which also brought to light its connections with many ruling party lawmakers.

The government apparently aims to restore public trust by taking a firm stance against the religious group.

"As there are concerns about protests and other issues, we hope to file the request for dissolution after the (agency) meeting without delay," a government official said.

So far, only two religious organizations have received a dissolution order from a Japanese court because of legal violations. One was the AUM Shinrikyo cult, which carried out the deadly 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system.

It took around four months for the dissolution order to AUM to be issued following the filing of the request, and it is expected that the Unification Church's case will also be prolonged.

The agency has invoked its authority to question and obtain documents from the group seven times since last November, while also collecting statements from victims pressured into making massive donations.

Examination of this information led the agency to conclude that the group's practices meet the requirements for a dissolution order under the Religious Corporations Act.

The law allows Japanese courts to order the dissolution of a religious group that has committed an act "clearly found to harm public welfare substantially."

If dissolved, the Unification Church, founded in South Korea in 1954 and formally known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, would lose its status as a religious corporation in Japan and be deprived of tax benefits, although it could still operate as an entity.

Many in Japan have reported financial problems involving the Unification Church. It has also been notorious for "spiritual sales," in which followers are forced to buy vases and other items for exorbitant prices through coercion, such as invoking negative "ancestral karma."

The group has also been found responsible in some civil lawsuits filed over huge donations.

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Lawyers Report Huge Fraud Claims Against Unification Church, ‘Over ¥1.9 Billion Since March 2009’

Shocking video of UC of Japan demanding money – English transcript

Why did a Japanese UC member kill her Korean husband?

Suicide of Japanese ‘Moon money mule’ in Uruguay. Mother of three children

How “God’s Day” was established by Sun Myung Moon in 1968

Nansook Hong, transcripts of three interviews, including ‘60 Minutes’

6,500 Japanese women missing from Sun Myung Moon mass weddings

Moon extracted $500 million from Japanese female members

#unification church #hak ja han #ffwpu #cult #moonies #sun myung moon