#bank jobs 2021 latest

[luxe-pauvre]

Hi Holly,

I apologise if this was asked before. I am curious of what books you’d pick if someone asked you “Name 10 most important books in your life”. Would you be able to pick 10? How would you categorise them?

The way you give us amazing quotes and monthly (personal favourite) summaries, is one of the things that keep me here, on tumblr.

I can’t tell you the number of books I purchased because of your posts (Solnit’s Orwell’s Roses ending up being one of my all time favourites and latest Popova’s Figuring being one of best reads of the year…)

And at the same time I’d love to ask you about your approach to skin care routine. What were the best lessons you’ve learned about looking after your skin so far? Did you find a perfect lip balm?

A lot, I know. I deeply admire your blog. Sending a bouquet of flowers and books your way (I wish I could, truly).

🌹

This has been in my inbox since October - my apologies, life has been life-ing, but I'm getting this house in order before the new year.

Would I be able to pick 10? Probably not, too little. I'd categorise them by Non-Fiction (sciences exc. social sciences), Non-Fiction (all other), and Fiction as I did here. And I might add a special category for neuro. related books. I answered that ask in November 2021, since then I would probably add: The Act of Living by Frank Tallis, Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman, Orwell's Roses by Rebecca Solnit, Metaphysical Animals by Clare Mac Cumhaill & Rachel Wiseman, and A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summers.

I'm so glad you loved Orwell's Roses, it's become one of my all time favourites too. I think it flew under the radar a little, I don't see it talked about often.

The best lessons I've learned about looking after my skin so far: more/stronger is not always better, evidence-based is always better, and without a good SPF everything else is pointless.

The hunt for the perfect lip balm post-discontinuation of Dior's Creme de Rose is ongoing. I tried the Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm first, and my controversial and unpopular opinion is I hated it. I normally love the smell of vanilla but it was far too full-on and artificial, and way too sticky even as an overnight balm. I've now got several others on the go: the La Bouche Rogue White Balm which I like as a day lip balm, but it's not wowed me so I won't be repurchasing, along with their night serum and lip scrub - I will be repurchasing the scrub, I will not be repurchasing the serum, the balm alone is better; the Tatcha Kissu Lip Mask which does the job, but I won't be repurchasing, it holds in whatever moisture is below but it's not moisturising in itself; the Serge Lutens Lip Comfort which I think will become by day to day lip balm, it's very small/easy to transport, and is exactly the right amount of balm under lipstick; and I went insane before Christmas and tried the La Mer Lip Balm, unfortunately for my bank balance it might actually be the best lip balm of all time. I had severely winter chapped lips and it was a one application and fixed situation. I usually hate anything minty but I will overlook it, it's that good.

And thank you for the lovely compliments, I'm glad someone other than me gets something out of whatever this is. Happy new year! 🥳

[berniesrevolution]

CATALYST JOURNAL

While the uptick in strike activity in 2021 is heartening, its influence should not be exaggerated. The number and extent of job actions was noticeable but still very small by historical standards, and union density continued to decline. A significant labor upsurge might be in the works, but it is not in evidence yet.

In the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, Pope Francis spoke movingly of the workers keeping the world turning in dark times:

People who do not appear in newspaper and magazine headlines or on the latest television show, yet in these very days are surely shaping the decisive events of our history. Doctors, nurses, storekeepers and supermarket workers, cleaning personnel, caregivers, transport workers, men and women working to provide essential services and public safety, volunteers, priests, men and women religious, and so very many others. They understood that no one is saved alone.1

These workers have done everything we’ve asked of them and more. They have been through hell, particularly those who have risked their health and well-being to care for the sick, educate the young, feed the hungry, and deliver the things the rest of us need to get through this period of grinding uncertainty. Employers, politicians, and talking heads have lauded them as essential workers, but the stark gap between the praise and the grim realities of working life in the United States — which was already miserable for millions before the pandemic — have pushed many to the breaking point. Indeed, record numbers of American workers have quit their jobs in what the media has dubbed the Great Resignation. According to the US Labor Department, 4.5 million workers voluntarily left their jobs in November 2021. The number of monthly quits has exceeded three million since August 2020, and the trend shows no sign of slowing down.2 Job switchers span the employment ladder, but turnover has been largely concentrated in the low-wage service sector, where workers are taking advantage of the very tight labor market to get a better deal for themselves. According to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, workers with high school diplomas are currently enjoying a faster rate of wage growth than workers with bachelor’s degrees, a remarkable situation that has not occurred in decades.3

Worker discontent is not only finding expression in the form of quitting and job switching. In 2021, we witnessed a modest increase in the frequency and visibility of collective action in the workplace. Tens of thousands of workers, union and nonunion alike, challenged employers through protests and strikes across sectors and in many different geographical regions. Workers in health care and social assistance, education, and transportation and warehousing led the way, but they were joined by workers in hotels and food services, manufacturing, and other industries. Protests and strikes tended to be concentrated in states where labor is relatively stronger, namely California, New York, and Illinois, but some states with low union density, like North Carolina, saw an uptick in labor action, too. Pay increases were easily the most common demand, but health and safety, staffing, and COVID-19 protocols were high on the agenda as well.

The year 2021 was less a strike wave than a strike ripple, and it has not yet resulted in any appreciable increase in unionization. A few trends stand out. The first is that labor protest and strike action were heavily concentrated among unionized groups of workers. Unionized groups of workers accounted for nearly 95% of all estimated participants in labor protests and more than 98% of all estimated participants in strikes. The second is that protests and strikes were concentrated by industry — namely health care and education, which together accounted for roughly 60% of all labor actions. Finally, protests and strikes were heavily concentrated geographically. Just three states with relatively high levels of union density — California, New York, and Illinois — accounted for more than half the total estimated participants in protests and strikes. In short, collective workplace action is by and large taking place where organized labor still retains residual sources of strength. In this context, spreading protest and strike action beyond its current industrial and regional confines depends on unionization in new places.

Conditions conducive to labor action — rising inflation, pandemic-related pressures, and a tight labor market — are likely to persist into 2022, and the Biden administration’s National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has been meaningfully supportive of worker organizing. US labor is probably not on the verge of a historic breakthrough, but in this context, workers may have an opportunity to make modest material and organizational gains.

Making new organizational gains is critical to the fortunes of the labor movement and the reviving US left. The vast majority of the workers involved in strikes and labor protests last year were already members of unions, not unorganized workers looking to unionize. This is why it is so concerning that last year’s uptick in labor action occurred amid a further decline in union density in 2021. The overall rate of union membership stands at 10.3% of the total labor force, while the total number of union members, just over fourteen million in 2021, continues its long decline.4 While some have argued that treating union density as the key measure of labor’s strength is a mistake, it seems clear that, at least in the US context, where union density and union coverage almost entirely overlap, it does provide an effective measurement of working-class power.5

Boosting the level of union density should therefore be among the leading priorities of progressives and socialists in the United States. As the power resources school of welfare state scholars has long argued, the relative strength of the labor movement and its affiliated political parties has been the single most important factor shaping welfare state development over time and across countries. Here in the United States, where we have never had a nationwide social democratic party aligned with a strong labor movement, the weakness of working-class organization is clearly reflected in the fragmentation and stinginess of our welfare state. The state-level wave of attacks on organized labor that began in 2010 have made it that much harder for unions to defend working-class interests and reduce inequality. But the fact that they were able to meaningfully mitigate the growth of inequality, even during the period of neoliberal retrenchment, shows that rebuilding the labor movement needs to be a chief priority of any progressive political agenda.6 The Biden administration’s pro-union stance suggests it understands this. But if it’s unable to act decisively to boost union membership, all the pro-union rhetoric it can muster will ultimately amount to little.

TRACKING LABOR ACTION

Researchers at the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) began documenting strikes and labor protests in late 2020. Their ILR Labor Action Tracker provides a database of workplace conflict across the United States, based on information collected from government sources, news reports, organizational press releases, and social media. It counts both strikes and labor protests as “events” but distinguishes between the two. The major distinction between strikes and labor protests, according to this methodology, is whether the workers involved in the event stopped work. If they did, the event is defined as a strike; if they did not, it is defined as a labor protest. The Labor Action Tracker also collects data on a number of additional variables, including employer, labor organization (if applicable), local labor organization (if applicable), industry, approximate number of participants, worker demands, and more.7

ACTION TYPES

In 2021, there were 786 events with 257,086 estimated participants.8 Over 60% of the events were labor protests, while less than 40% were strikes (there was one recorded lockout). Roughly one-third of the estimated number of workers participated in labor protests, while roughly two-thirds participated in strikes. Further, the average number of estimated workers per labor protest (188) was significantly smaller than the average number of estimated workers per strike (553, see Table 1 for details).

DURATION

Neither labor protests nor strikes tended to last very long, which tracks with the generally sharp decline in strike duration in recent decades.9 Labor protests in particular were very short affairs. Of the labor protests with a start and end date, 96% lasted for just one day or less. Strikes also tended to have a short duration, but they typically did not end as quickly as protests. Of the strikes with a start and end date, one-third lasted for one day or less. Roughly two-thirds of strikes (68%) ended within a week, and over 90% ended within thirty days. One strike stands out for its unusually long duration: a 701-day strike by United Auto Workers (UAW) members against a metallurgical company in Pennsylvania, which began in September 2019 and ended in August 2021.

INDUSTRIES

An informed observer will not be surprised by which industries saw the largest number of labor action events (Table 2). The leading two industries by far were health care and social assistance and education, which are both highly unionized and have been subjected to enormous pressures during the pandemic. Together, they accounted for nearly 40% of the total labor protests and strikes. These industries also comprised over 60% of the overall number of estimated labor action participants — health care with 41.5% of the estimated participants, education with 18.8%. The overrepresentation of health care and education workers becomes even starker when we compare this to their employment shares in the overall labor force. In 2020, these two industries accounted for 16.3% of total nonfarm employment — health care with a 13.8% share and education with 2.3%.10 Put another way, the share of health care workers in 2021 labor actions was roughly three times larger than their share in the nonfarm labor force, while the share of education workers was more than eight times as large.

These two pace-setting industries were followed by a second tier of industries including transportation and warehousing, accommodation and food services, and manufacturing. It is not surprising to see these listed among the most turbulent industries, as they contain a mix of highly unionized employers and nonunion employers that have become a major focus of labor organizing activity, namely Amazon — the most frequently targeted employer, with twelve total labor actions — which was the target of twice as many labor actions as McDonald’s, the second-most targeted employer.

The industrial distribution of labor protests generally follows the overall distribution of labor action, with the notable exception of manufacturing, which saw far more strikes than protests. While the health care industry did not experience the largest number of strikes, it accounts for more than half of estimated strike participants (53%). Workers in education (12.4%) and manufacturing (16%) also accounted for outsize shares of the estimated number of participants.

(Continue Reading)

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Kemi Badenoch

Published: Mar 20, 2024

In 2021, a manager at Lloyds bank took an internal EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) course, during which he asked how he should handle a situation where someone from an ethnic minority background uses a word that would be considered offensive if it was said by a white person.

Lloyds branded him a racist for quoting the “n-word” as part of his question, and he was dismissed for gross misconduct. He then took his former employer to a tribunal, won his claim for unfair dismissal, and was awarded £800,000 in compensation.

This is not an isolated incident. For several years now, I have read reports of employers misapplying equality law under the guise of EDI initiatives. Sometimes it is egregious gold plating as above.

Most employers mean well when they set about to improve diversity and inclusion. However, actions such as positive discrimination and quotas are unlawful, even if used to diversify an organisation. This Government believes that EDI policies should unite rather than alienate employees, and crucially uphold fairness and meritocracy.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of snake oil about. Just this week, a government minister found that the training materials for one of their departmental quangos included references to outmoded concepts like “unconscious bias”, and “white privilege”, and used a picture of someone holding up a placard saying “white silence costs lives”.

All of this bunkum was contained in mandatory training for 1,400 poor souls whose primary job is to help further the Government’s economic agenda.

Rooting out the rubbish

With the number of organisations out there – and the frequency of these incidents – it is unreasonable to expect government ministers to intervene every time this happens. And no one should assume that a future government’s ministers will be as vigilant as current ones are in rooting out rubbish.

That’s why last year the Government set up an independent Inclusion at Work Panel to address this issue in an evidence-led way. The panel was made up of private and public sector experts, and was advised by a leading professor at Harvard University.

We tasked the panel with looking at the latest research to understand how employers in Britain are applying EDI, and how we can help them improve their practice. Our goal was clear: diversity and inclusion should never put any individual or group at a disadvantage, and should never damage cohesion and morale in the workplace.

The panel has today published its final report. Much of it makes for concerning reading. The UK has seen an explosion of EDI roles in organisations. Studies found that the UK employs almost twice as many EDI workers per head than any other country. This same analysis estimates that EDI jobs in our public services are costing the taxpayer at least half a billion pounds a year.

Despite this, the new report shows that, while millions are being spent on these initiatives, many popular EDI practices – such as diversity training – have little to no tangible impact in increasing diversity or reducing prejudice.

In fact, many practices have not only been proven to be ineffective, they have also been counterproductive. Data from Employment Tribunal suggests that recent years have seen a notable uptick in cases brought using the Equality Act in comparison to the years 2013-17.

The report finds that, in some cases, employers are even inadvertently breaking the law under the guise of diversity and inclusion by censoring beliefs or discriminating against certain groups in favour of others.

What’s also concerning is how few employers are using evidence when making decisions. According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, only 1 in 4 business leaders say they consult data before coming up with new EDI initiatives. One in 4 say that their approach to EDI is reactive – for example, “in response to societal events like the Black Lives Matter protests”.

The panel found that organisations are crying out for better evidence on how they can practise diversity and inclusion in a way that widens their talent pool, while fostering belonging rather than division.

No group should be worse off

Sadly, even a prestigious and respected institution such as the RAF was recently found to have discriminated against white men in trying to improve diversity. No group should ever be worse off because of companies’ diversity policies – whether that be black women, or white men.

Performative gestures such as compulsory pronouns and rainbow lanyards are often a sign that organisations are struggling to demonstrate how they are being inclusive.

These clumsy diversity policies aren’t a substitute for rigorous, evidence-based measures that ensure everyone participates and thrives in the workplace.

As both Secretary of State for Business and Minister for Women and Equalities, I welcome the findings of this independent report. Over the next few weeks and months, the Government will consider seriously how we can best take forward its recommendations.

We will ensure that we do all we can to make sure that those entering or already in the workplace feel they will be treated fairly and according to merit.

[ Via: https://archive.md/JDB2Z ]

[jobustad]

Sindh Bank jobs in Karachi November 2024 Advertisement

Sindh Bank jobs in Karachi November 2024 has been announce through Latest advertisement Sindh Bank Limited invites applications from suitable candidates for the following position at its Head Office, Karachi. The candidates eligible under FPT criteria of Corporate Governance Regulatory Framework of State Bank of Pakistan, BPRD Circular No. 5 of 2021 dated November 22, 2021.Details are Mention…

[freejobs]

Freshers are offered training and job opportunities at DXC freejobs4u.in

Latest Job Openings In DXC | DXC Recruitment 2024

This notification has been released to recruit freshers for a leading software company. DXC Company released this notification to us. Through this notification, the jobs related to the Analyst role are being filled. Anyone with a degree (Degree / B.Tech) can apply for these jobs. click here

Those who want to apply for these jobs should apply online only. DXC Company conducts a short interview and selects those who apply for these jobs. Those selected in the interview are given 2 months of training and 30,000 in training for these jobs. The DXC Company offers free laptops to those chosen for these jobs.

Full Details and the Apply Link for DXC Recruitment 2024 are given below, and from there, you can check and Apply. Join our WhatsApp group if you want to know about such jobs daily.

Latest DXC Recruitment 2024 Overview:

Company NameDXC Recruitment 2024Job RoleAnalystEducational QualificationDegree / B.TechExperienceNot RequiredSalary3.6 LPAJob LocationBangalore

Latest DXC Recruitment 2024 Full Details:

All these jobs are being filled:

This notification has been released to us by DXC Company a leading software company.

What kind of jobs are being filled:

Through this notification, the jobs related to the Analyst role are being filled.

Qualifications:

Anyone with a degree (Degree / B.Tech) can apply for these jobs.

Age should be:

Anyone who has completed 18 years of age can apply for these jobs.

For daily job updates, join our WhatsApp group and stay informed about similar opportunities!

Other Job Opportunities:

💥Bank of Baroda Recruitment

💥IndiaMart Recruitment 2024 Apply Online

💥TIFR Notification

💥Railway Exam Calendar

💥ZOHO Recruitment

💥Sutherland Recruitment 

How much is the fee:

No one needs to pay a single rupee to apply for these jobs.

How Much Salary:

Those selected for these jobs will be given a monthly salary of up to 30,000 rupees.

Selection Process:

Applicants for these jobs will be selected only through interviews, and there will be no written test.

Job Location :

Those selected for these jobs will be posted in the Bangalore location.

Experience:

Those applying for these jobs do not need any experience.

Training:

Those who are selected for these jobs will receive two months of training and a salary of 30,000 per month during that time.

How to Apply:

These jobs should be applied for online only on the company website. Candidates who have applied are shortlisted, interviewed, and selected.

More Details & Apply Link: Click Here

About DXC Technology Company:

DXC Technology Company is an American multinational information technology (IT) services and consulting company headquartered in Ashburn, Virginia.

DXC Technology was founded on April 3, 2017, through a merger between Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s Enterprise Services business unit and Computer Sciences Corporation. The company provided business-to-business IT services. It began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DXC. At the time of its creation, DXC Technology had revenues of $25 billion, with 6,000 enterprise and public sector clients across 70 countries, managed by around 170,000 staff.

In July 2017, the company started a three-year plan to reduce the number of offices in India from 50 to 26 and reduce headcount by 5.9% (around 10,000) employees.

In 2018, DXC split off its US public sector segment to create a new company, Perspecta Inc.

In June 2019, with about 43,000 employees in India and one of its most significant delivery engines for application outsourcing and software development, the company restructured its workforce to meet its new revenue profile.

Mike Salvino, the former Accenture chief group executive, was named president and CEO of DXC Technology in September 2019.

In February 2021, French technology services and consulting firm Atos ended talks for a potential acquisition of DXC.[12][13] Atos had proposed a US$10 billion acquisition, including debt.

As of November 2021, DXC employed 134,000 people in over 70 countries, including the United States, India, the Philippines, Central Europe, and Vietnam.

In May 2022, Salvino was appointed chairman of DXC’s board, taking over from Ian Read after his retirement in July 2022.

In October 2023, DXC was delisted from the S&P 500 Index and moved to the S&P SmallCap 600 Index.

In December 2023, it was announced that Salvino would no longer be CEO of DXC Technology.

Raul Fernandez, a member of the board of directors, was appointed president and chief executive officer of DXC Technology on February 1, 2024.

[qnewsau]

Northern Exposure 2024 a success as Mr Bear Qld crowned

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/northern-exposure-2024-a-success-as-mr-bear-qld-crowned/

Northern Exposure 2024 a success as Mr Bear Qld crowned

Brisbears recently hosted their annual event Northern Exposure for a week of fun, fur and frivolity that saw the crowning of Mr Bear Queensland. Their President Graeme Kerr shares how the week went. 

Northern Exposure (NEX) is an annual event that takes place every October with an extensive program of events including the Meet and Greet Dinner, the highly coveted Underbear dance party and the Mr Bear Queensland competition.

Meet and Greet Dinner

NEX kicked off with our Meet and Greet Dinner at The Pineapple Hotel. This event, hosted by drag superstar Shanny T Bone, gives the bears a chance to meet up, enjoy a three-course meal and learn a little bit more about our Mr Bear QLD contestants.

Local performers Abril La Trene, Henny Spaghetti and MOOSE! dazzled the crowd throughout the night. 

Shape

This year saw the program expand with a special screening of the Australian documentary; Shape directed by Roger Ungers. Shape uncovers how being in a tribe can help gay males feel part of a community. This sense of inclusion and belonging can be so valuable, especially for young males whose families may have rejected them after they came out. 

However, this social grouping can lead to unhealthy stereotypes and unrealistic body image ideals. One of the film’s subjects, Aaron, proudly represented the bear community and it was great to see some familiar faces up on the silver screen.

Mr Bear Queensland 2024

Each year we call for representatives from our community to compete for the chance to win the title of Mr Bear Queensland. Mr Bear QLD is the ambassador for Brisbears and gives the titleholder the opportunity to fundraise for their chosen charities and represent Queensland at the Mr Australasia Bear competition hosted by Vicbears during Southern Hibernation. 

This year’s competition took place in The Bunker Bar at The Sportsman Hotel and was hosted by local legends Shanny T Bone and Paul Wheeler (Mr Bear Queensland 2021). 

The comp is very similar to a beauty pageant with contestants participating in interviews and three stage rounds comprising of Bear Casual, Bear Minimum and a Talent round. 

This year we saw four contestants duking it out for the sash. Each contestant did an amazing job wowing the crowd and Wesley emerged victorious.

Damien was awarded the inaugural Mr Congeniality title as voted by his fellow contestants. It takes a bit of nerve to put your hand up to represent our community and I want to thank Demetrio and Thomas for plucking up the courage.

Other events

Saturday night saw the bears take over the entire venue at Sporties for a crowd favourite event; Underbear with the venue pumping until the early hours.

Other events during the week included the Teddy Bears Picnic at Roma Street Parklands, a beach party at South Bank and the recovery session hosted by the Brunswick Hotel. We said our farewell to our out-of-towners as we closed out the jam-packed week.

Thank you to every bear who came out and supported our events. Lastly a massive thank you to the entire Brisbears committee for their tireless efforts in putting on a great event. 

You can follow @Brisbears on Facebook. Check out more photos of Northern Exposure in this month’s edition of QNews Queensland magaazine.

All photos were supplied by Brisbears.

More bears:

Meet your Mr Harbour City Bears 2024!

Pin-up bears from the QLD Camping Bears launch 2025 calendar

How QLD Camping Bears are connecting outdoors

My year of being Mr Bear Queensland

Southern Hibearnation brings bears from all over to Melbourne

For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

[sublimeobservationarcade]

A Much Deeper Problem Facing Our Economy

Productivity in Australia has been on a downward trend for decades. The latest moribund GDP figures for this quarter are not anything particularly new. Yes, interest rates are hurting the economy, as they are supposed to be according to monetary policy in the Reserve Bank’s inflation beating crusade. The greater diminishing productivity trend is, however, an indication of a much deeper problem facing our economy. Successive governments have overseen the concentration of ownership in nearly all of our business sectors. Duopolies have replaced any real competition in our markets and this damages productivity. Capitalism works optimally when there is competition between businesses operating within sectors of the market. These corporate giants have circumvented this by gobbling up their competition via take overs and mergers. The ACCC and ASIC have been asleep at the wheel in preventing the overconcentration of corporate power in Australia. Figure 4         Impact of lower productivity growth on real GDP growth (annual percentage change)

Source: Treasury, (Canberra: Treasury, June 2021), 53. https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/BriefingBook47p/AustraliasProductivitySlowdown#:~:text=UsingproductivitycyclesFigure3,throughtotheearly2000s.

Australia’s Non Competitive Domestic Markets

Australia has become a rentier economy, where these duopolies charge their clients fees, subscriptions, and rents rather than being dependent upon productivity growth for their profits. Consumers and B2B clients are billed ‘user pays’ via charges, leases and fees under this economic model. The absence of any real competition within these sectors means innovation and productivity are not being driven by market forces. Similarly, these big companies control the employment market within their sphere’s of influence because they are the only employer in town. Wage growth has been largely stagnant due to this factor for decades in Australia. Yes, there has been some growth in wages over the last couple of years in response to the hikes in cost of living following high inflation. However, it has not kept pace in this regard and real wages have fallen in terms of their buying power within the economy.

Australian Banks Make Record Profits & The Scamming Of Customers Goes On

Governments Have Failed Our Economy

Our governments have not tackled the over concentration of corporate power within the economy. The agencies tasked with protecting competition are toothless tigers. Underfunded and staffed by people in thrall to the business world via future job opportunities, they have been ineffective in doing what their agency was set up to do. There seem to be no consequences for these failures and white collar collusion thrives downunder. Whilst our political parties take campaign donations from corporate sources and allow the free movement of civil servants/politicians from the public to the private sector things will not improve in this regard. The disinterest within the Australian community to endemic corruption like this will see it continue to the detriment of the economy and our lives. The NACC does a better job than the invisible man at keeping a low profile and so far has done bugger all to address long standing scams within our political and governance systems. Economists and central banks harp on about the importance of productivity to the economy but little has been said or done about the lack of competition within Australia. These folk have been wilfully blind to the effects of this overconcentration of corporate power within our business sectors for too long. Nobody has stood up to the banks and the big end of town during the decades of mergers and acquisitions. Rather, they have been cheerleaders toasting their success and increased size in the corporate quest for ever more market share. The neoliberal dance has been a conga line of CEO and shareholder aggrandisement sashaying its way across our economy. We now live in a world where consumers are struggling in a cost of living crisis, which shows no sign of abating any time soon. Duopolies can price set because there is no real competition for consumers to choose from. Consumers have lost all their market power in the manipulated version of capitalism currently operating in Australia. This is all economics 101 but our timid governments in thrall to zombie neoliberalism  show little sign of doing something about it. You can have all the reviews in the world but if you don’t actually do something nothing changes. Unfortunately, our 21C politicians live in a talk fest alternative universe where empty words are their only currency, it seems. “The ACCC welcomes today’s announcement by the Australian Government that it will direct the ACCC to conduct an inquiry into Australia’s supermarket sector, including the pricing practices of the supermarkets and the relationship between wholesale, including farmgate, and retail prices. The year-long inquiry will also examine competition in the supermarket sector and how it has changed since the ACCC’s last inquiry in 2008.” (https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/accc-to-examine-prices-and-competition-in-supermarket-sector) We have already had several reviews into the fact that Coles and Woolies control 65% of the market share within the grocery sector. Australian governments love to be seen to be considering doing something without actually doing anything – it happens throughout their remit. Not wanting to offend a vested interest is no way to govern if you are fair dinkum about enacting real change for the better.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com Money Laundering Via International Investments In Property In Australia, we have been waiting for 17 years for the loopholes to be closed to international money launderers in the property market. Despots and organised crime have been investing in Australian property for decades and Aussie middlemen have been growing fat on the fees they charge to facilitate such investments. Real estate agents, accountants and lawyers do not want any tightening up in this regard for obvious reasons. Successive governments have been faffing about in this space and dragging the chain. White collar collusion is thick on the ground downunder and nobody ever gets busted. This illicit investment pushes up property prices in the capital city markets around the nation. Poor Productivity A Symptom Of Tainted Markets We have a much deeper problem facing our economy long term and that is a downward trend in productivity over decades. Businesses have gamed the system and are scamming ordinary Australians. The lack of competition in our markets is hurting productivity and price gouging to the detriment of consumers more generally. Our central bank is too embedded with big business to call this out. Our governments are too afraid of hurting vested interests. Our corporate watchdogs are, in practice, owned and fed by the very corporations they are supposed to be policing. It is a bad puppet show really with the ACCC and ASIC going through the motions like a kabuki performance with no real substance. It is time for some action on this score but we wont get it until the political party donations and job offering carrots are banned. Corporate power needs to be tackled by a government committed to cleaning up the rigged game. Robert Sudha Hamilton is the author of America Matters: Pre-apocalyptic Posts & Essays in the Shadow of Trump. ©WordsForWeb

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[trinaphleb]

Just How Much Do Phlebotomists Make? Checking Out the Average Starting Salary in 2021

Title: How Much Do Phlebotomists Make? Exploring the Average Starting Salary in 2021

Meta Title: ⁤Discover the average⁣ starting⁤ salary‍ for phlebotomists ⁤in 2021

Meta Description: Curious about how⁤ much phlebotomists earn? Explore the average starting salary for phlebotomists in⁢ 2021 ​and learn about the factors that can impact their earnings.

Introduction: Phlebotomists are essential healthcare professionals ⁣who ‌specialize in​ drawing blood for ‌medical testing, donations,​ research, or transfusions. As the​ demand for phlebotomists continues to grow, many ‌individuals⁤ are considering pursuing a career⁢ in this field. One common question that arises is, ⁢”How much do phlebotomists ⁢make?” In this article, we⁣ will delve into the⁢ average starting salary for phlebotomists in 2021 and explore the factors that can influence​ their earnings.

Average Starting Salary for Phlebotomists in 2021: The average starting salary⁤ for ⁤phlebotomists can⁤ vary depending on factors such as location, experience, employer, and certification. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics​ (BLS), the median annual wage ‍for ​phlebotomists was $35,510 in May​ 2020, with the lowest 10 percent earning less than $26,000 and the highest 10 percent earning more than $50,000.

In 2021, the average starting salary for entry-level phlebotomists ranges from‍ $25,000 to $35,000 per year. However, it is important to note that salaries can differ based on the following factors:

1.⁤ Location: The salary of a phlebotomist can vary significantly depending on the geographical location. For example, phlebotomists‍ working in urban areas or high-cost-of-living cities may earn higher salaries‌ than‌ those working in rural or low-cost-of-living areas.

2. Experience: Phlebotomists with more experience⁢ typically command higher salaries. As they gain expertise in the field and demonstrate proficiency in drawing blood, their earning potential increases.

3.​ Employer: The type of employer can ⁢also⁣ impact a phlebotomist’s ​salary. Phlebotomists working in hospitals, medical laboratories,​ or private⁢ clinics may earn‍ different salaries compared to those employed by blood ⁤banks, research institutions, or nursing homes.

4. Certification: Obtaining certification from accredited organizations such as the National Phlebotomy Association (NPA) or the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP)​ can boost a phlebotomist’s earning potential. Certified phlebotomists often earn higher⁤ salaries and have more job ‌opportunities.

Benefits and Practical Tips: Apart from salary,⁢ phlebotomists may also ‍receive ��benefits such as ​health insurance, retirement ‍plans, paid time off, and flexible work schedules. To maximize their earning potential, phlebotomists can consider the following practical tips:

– Pursue additional certifications or specializations to increase expertise and marketability. – Stay updated ⁣on the latest industry trends and technologies to enhance skills. – Network with other healthcare professionals ‍to explore career ⁣advancement opportunities. – Consider working in high-demand healthcare settings to boost earning potential.

Conclusion: the average starting salary for phlebotomists in 2021 ranges from $25,000 to $35,000 per year. However, factors such as⁤ location, experience, ‍employer, and certification can impact their earnings. By⁢ staying informed about salary trends, pursuing additional certifications, and exploring career​ advancement opportunities, phlebotomists can enhance their earning potential in this rewarding healthcare profession. If you are considering a career as a phlebotomist, keep in ⁣mind the factors discussed in this ‌article and‌ take proactive⁤ steps to achieve financial success in the field.

https://phlebotomyschoolsonline.org/just-how-much-do-phlebotomists-make-checking-out-the-average-starting-salary-in-2021/

[globalempowermentleadership]

"The city of the future is a sustainable city." - Piero Grossi, urban planning expert

Our cities face unprecedented challenges: climate change, economic instability, and social inequality. The good news? We can build resilience! Sustainable Investing Digest presents its newest video: 5 Key Areas for Resilient Cities. Join us as we explore the pillars that underpin thriving urban centers.

1. Sustainable Infrastructure: A 2023 report by the American Society of Civil Engineers (https://www.asce.org/topics/report-card-for-americas-infrastructure) assigns a D+ grade to US infrastructure. Green infrastructure solutions, like permeable pavements and bioswales, not only reduce flooding risks but also create jobs and improve air quality (World Bank, Green Infrastructure Case Studies: [World Bank green infrastructure case studies ON worldbank.org]).

2. Economic Diversity: A study by the Brookings Institution (https://www.brookings.edu/) found that cities with a diverse mix of industries are more resilient to economic downturns. Investing in education and training programs empowers residents to participate in the evolving job market.

3. Social Equity: When all residents have access to opportunity, cities thrive. A 2022 report by the Urban Institute ([https://urban.org/]) highlights the economic benefits of social equity, including increased productivity and a stronger tax base. Investing in affordable housing, quality education, and healthcare creates a foundation for a prosperous future.

4. Environmental Sustainability: Climate change is a real threat to cities. The IPCC Sixth Assessment Report ([[invalid URL removed]]) highlights the urgency of reducing emissions and adapting to a changing climate. Green spaces, renewable energy sources, and energy-efficient buildings all contribute to a more sustainable future.

5. Effective Governance: Strong leadership is crucial for navigating complex challenges. A 2021 report by OECD ([https://www.oecd.org/]) emphasizes the importance of citizen participation and transparent decision-making in building resilient cities.

Ready to Build a More Resilient Future?

Subscribe to Sustainable Investing Digest on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaDQoKBNfoGrPuK2lGDb-7w?sub_confirmation=1 and LinkedIn here: Subscribe on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7053058780464345088 to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in sustainable infrastructure.  Together, we can create cities that are not only sustainable, but also vibrant, equitable, and ready to face whatever challenges lie ahead.

#ResilientCities #SustainableInvesting #TheFutureIsSustainable #YouTube #LinkedIn #Subscribe

[sriaccessories15]

SRI ACCESSORIES : THE PERFECT TREND TRANSFORMATION!

 Smarter, Smoother, Faster  YOU!

Introduction

Sri Accessories was founded in 2002. Sri Accessories is one of Kerala's leading multi-brand retail shops, dealing in international and Indian brands of mobile handsets, accessories, and electronic items. We began our journey as a small repair shop, and we gradually developed a small mobile showroom because mobile usage seemed to be an essential part of our daily lives. Now, step by step, we have developed many showrooms with trending brands and accessories with the hard work of many people. And we have over 5+ years of experience in repairing and fixing mobiles and damaged accessories, and 5+ years of experience in selling mobile phones and accessories. All over 10+ years of Sri accessories are running now. Within a short period of time, we and our people experienced incredible growth in our showroom, and we built a lot of trust among lakhs of people. Thus, Sri Accessories stood as one of the top 10 smartphone showrooms in the city. We have various mobile industry partners like Samsung, Apple, Huawei, Vivo, Oppo, Nokia, Realme,LG Blackberry, Lenovo, HTC, etc., and mobile accessory partners like Boat, Apple, Samsung, Anker, Dizo,and Oppo.

Awards and excellence.

 

We got recognized for our commitment, smart work, expertise, and the finest range of products. Our main mission and vision are to ensure the satisfaction of our customers. Our main goal is to ensure customer happiness by giving them a budget-friendly attitude and a comfortable environment. Sri Accessories was the first accessory shop in South Kerala to get the “Infinite Technologies” award in 2021. Following this award, we got recognized by Global Accessories and ITC, and our customers called us the most budget-friendly showroom to date. We specifically specialized in the sale and servicing of Samsung mobiles.

 

Why is it important to know about smartphones, accessories, and our technology?

In this modern world, we require smartphones and accessories to make our jobs easier. Every modern person has a smartphone with various features associated with the camera, screen, GB, MP, etc. Mobile phones are sometimes very expensive, and if we use them for different purposes for a long time, it can affect the lifespan of your device. Thus, here you can connect your phone with various accessories and support it for an extended life span. Our world is now going to grow with technology. There are many pros that our mobiles, accessories, and technology provide. They are:

Speed up our daily activities.

Better communication around the world.

Mobile phones and technology truly help people in emergency situations.

We can grow our talent and our wisdom through various sources.

Best for entertainment.

You can connect with yourself through social media.

Teachers and students can easily gather anywhere through online classes.

Business people and many freelancers grow their businesses via social media or advertisements that publish that particular ad.

Various mobile accessories, like screen guards, power banks, and tripods, protect your phone and also help you  do any work easily.

 

Thus, with various specifications in today’s world, it is very important to know about mobiles, accessories, and technology.

 

About Sri Accessories 

In the case of technology Sri accessories stood at the top. We provide different mobile accessories like earphones, headsets,wireless chargers,power banks,screen guards, Bluetooth speakers, and many more. And in our showroom, there are many specialties that are offered. Like coupons,weekend specials, etc. Every weekend, you can experience various offers for mobiles and accessories. We guarantee you with our genuine products and premium repairing services because we use the original repairing parts, and with our latest servicing technologies, we can make your own product "perfect." When you buy a smartphone in our showroom and you need to service it, you can get coupons that reduce the repair price. We work with strict confidence that your data and your device are safe and secured with us so that you don’t have to worry about safety problems while servicing. Let’s look back at the story of Sri Accessories. We are ensuring these things because we have seen a lot of changes in our business, which go through both profit and loss. At first, we didn't even have a proper space for our mobile repair shop. While developing our mobile showroom, we faced a lot of problems, like a lack of resources, a lack of support from people, a lack of money, etc. But with God’s grace, our failures came to an end. We got support from the mobile and accessory industries, and we got many appreciations from the people in the city. Thus, with the coordination of workers, customers, and other people, we can now stand out. With the trust, experience, and loyalty of our staff and workers, we still stand as the top 10 mobile showrooms in Trivandrum. 

 

About our accessories

Mobile accessories are the ones that enhance the lifespan of your smartphone. Earphones and headsets give you a better hearing experience and protect the speakers of your phone. If you look at the headsets, you can see that most people are comfortable wearing them. People and the world around us are moving fast, and in between, most people find time to relax with music. Accordingly, electronic and Bluetooth devices are used in a variety of ways. All together, headphones have been considered comfortable for many years. However, Sri Accessories offers you the best brands of Bluetooth headphones. In the case of wired earphones, it is safe, and if you use a Bluetooth earphone, then you can use advanced features like voice assistant, beast mode, working mode, etc. Overall, Bluetooth earphones seem the most relevant for doing any work.

A charger is the next best thing you can buy in our shop. We have a wide range of wireless chargers, and you can charge your phone by just placing your device on the charger. Wireless charging is a power-saving technology, and it is easy to carry it anywhere. This technology uses a charging pad to transfer power wirelessly through electromagnetic induction. These electromagnetic waves transform into electricity. Moreover, Sri Accessories gives you the perfect charger for your mobile with branded cables and wires.

Next, we offer you a phone stand. Sri Accessories has the best brands for you! Tripods are also included in this.

Various benefits of a phone holder:

Generally, to get hands-free communication.

At the same time, for students and teachers, it can be very useful for online classes.

Long-term video calls will be easy.

A mobile phone stand or holder keeps you organized and gives you a break from your hands. By all means, a tripod gives you ultimate comfort.

In photography, a tripod is a device that is used to support, stabilize, and fix a camera, a flash unit, and camera measuring equipment. Thus, it is a portable accessory, and it is used for photography and videography aspirants. In our showroom, in addition to that, we have the latest voice assistants from our tripod brands.

A screen guard and cases are the best way or alternative to protect your phone’s screen. If your mobile’s screen has broken or been damaged, then replacing it is a very hard process. If you have a screen guard for your mobile screen, it will be safe.

Power banks are one of the essential things in our busy routine. Power banks are the most useful thing for your mobile battery, and an advantage of this is that you can charge faster. Moreover, you have the ability to charge your gadget without power!

We have Bluetooth speakers, cameras, and other accessories similar to these. Speakers give you the most vibing experience in hearing music!

Sound quality

East installation

Power saver

Dolby atmos

No extra charges for portability.

CONCLUSION

By giving them a budget-friendly attitude and a comfortable environment ,Sri Accessories was the first mobile store in Trivandrum and South Kerala to get the“Infinite Technologies” award in 2021. Following this award, we got recognized by Global Accessories and ITC. Our customers called us the most budget-friendly showroom to date. We are specialized in the sale and servicing of Samsung mobiles. And we have links across India and have websites that are connected with Google. Our shop’s images, audio, video, pdf, ppt, and documents are linked and posted on different sites. We are ensuring these things because we have seen a lot of changes in our business, which go through both profit and loss. Our failures came to an end. We got support from the mobile and accessory industries, and we got many appreciations from the people in the city. With the coordination of workers, customers, and other people, we can now stand out. With the trust, experience, and loyalty of our staff and workers, we still stand as the top 10 mobile showrooms in Trivandrum. So this article provides information about one of the top 10 mobile showrooms in the city. Soon, it will become No. 1. Then why are you waiting? Click on this link below to learn more about Sri accessories.

               Experience the Trend Transformation here!

[accapitalmarket]

Rebounding US CPI ignite debates on rate cuts, stock market spins in no direction

US indices were choppy on Thursday following the release of stronger-than-expected December inflation figures. The higher US consumer price index (CPI) seemingly poured further cold water on the more optimistic hopes of an early move by the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates after last week’s above-forecast jobs report.

At the close in New York, the DJIA was up just 0.04%, at 37,711, while the tech-laden Nasdaq Composite and the broader S&P 500 both ended almost flat at 14,970 and 4,780 respectively. All three main indices started higher before dropping lower after the CPI data and then rallying into the close.

The US annual inflation rate increased to 3.4% in December, above forecasts for a rise to 3.2%, up from 3.1% in November. The core inflation reading came in at 3.9%, against expectations of 3.8%, but eased from 4.0% in November. On a monthly basis, the CPI was 0.3% higher in December from November, having risen 0.1% in November from October.

Some commentators thought that the data meant there is still not enough evidence for the US central bank to start cutting rates, although others still felt a March rate cut was possible. The US dollar initially jumped after the CPI numbers but ended weaker against the euro, GBP, and the yen, but off the session lows.

NAS100Roll H4

Among stocks, software giant Microsoft briefly took over as the largest US company by market value, replacing Apple for the first time since November 2021 before that position was again reversed by the close. Microsoft ended 0.5% higher, while Apple was 0.3% lower, having shed 1.0% earlier. Banks were weaker ahead of the start of the latest earnings season.

US30Roll H1

Citigroup dropped 1.8% after a filing showed the lender booked about 3.8 billion USD in combined charges and reserves that will impact its fourth-quarter earnings, to be reported on Friday. Fellow lenders JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Wells Fargo are also set to post earnings on Friday.

Crypto stocks got an initial boost after the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved the first US-listed exchange-traded funds (ETF) to track spot bitcoin. In reaction, Bitcoin reached $49,051, its highest level since December 2021, before dropping back to around $46,400. Coinbase shares had gained 5% but reversed to be down 6.7%.

UKOILRoll H1

USOILRoll H1

Among commodities, oil prices rebounded after falls in the previous session as attacks on shipping through the Red Sea persisted, with Iran boarding an oil tanker. UK Brent crude was up 1.1% to 76.86 USD a barrel, while US WTI added 1.2% to 72.61 USD.

Disclaimer:

The information contained in this market commentary is of general nature only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. You are strongly recommended to seek independent financial advice before making any investment decisions.

Trading margin forex and CFDs carries a high level of risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Investors could experience losses in excess of total deposits. You do not have ownership of the underlying assets. AC Capital Market (V) Ltd is the product issuer and distributor. Please read and consider our Product Disclosure Statement and Terms and Conditions, and fully understand the risks involved before deciding to acquire any of the financial products provided by us.

The content of this market commentary is owned by AC Capital Market (V) Ltd. Any illegal reproduction of this content will result in immediate legal action.

[olko71]

New Post has been published on All about business online

New Post has been published on https://yaroreviews.info/2023/12/bank-branch-closures-hits-prime-minister-rishi-sunaks-constituency

Bank branch closures hits Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's constituency

Getty Images

By Kevin Peachey

Cost of living correspondent

The latest in a string of branch closures will see the final bank close in Richmond, which is Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s constituency.

A shared banking hub will replace the Barclays in the North Yorkshire town, the 100th location earmarked for a hub.

The move comes a day after Lloyds Banking Group said it would shut 45 branches next year, and Metro Bank announced a review of opening hours.

Labour has called for shared banking hubs to be opened quicker.

It is not yet clear if the closure of the Richmond branch, which will shut in December next year, is part of a wider programme by Barclays.

In August, the government said banks would face fines if they failed to provide free access to cash withdrawals for consumers and businesses.

A planned policy will state that free cash withdrawals and deposits must be available within one mile for people living in urban areas. In rural areas, where there are concerns over “cash deserts”, the maximum distance is three miles.

A voluntary arrangement is currently in place which means every High Street should have free access to cash within 1km.

Closures

Nearly 6,000 branches have closed since the start of 2015, according to the consumer group Which?, with scores more already scheduled to close next year.

Campaigners fear some retailers could stop accepting cash if it becomes too tricky to process.

Cash remains a necessity for millions of people, research has found, with the elderly and those with disabilities among those likely to struggle. Branches have been more likely to close in disadvantaged areas.

So-called banking hubs are spaces shared by several different High Street banks and are meant to help communities that have seen all their bank branches close.

While welcomed in communities where they have opened, there has been criticism that relatively few are operating.

Saving cash: A customer said we’d changed her life

Labour plans to ensure that 350 will open.

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “Labour’s plan will bring banking services back to communities who have seen them disappear over recent years, meaning more people across the country will be able to access the services they need closer to home.”

Natalie Ceeney, who wrote a major report into access to cash and oversees the opening of hubs, said: “Over the past month we’ve been opening more than a hub a week.

“Last week we were opening Hubs in Cumbria, Derbyshire and Devon. This week and next we’re in Lincolnshire, London, County Durham, County Down and Denbighshire. We will have 30 banking hubs open by the end of the year and 50 by Easter.”

Ron Delnevo, who chairs the Payment Choice Alliance, “A total of 350 Bank Hubs is nowhere near enough to replace the thousands of bank branches lost in the last five years.”

He said the major High Street banks should be compelled to provide support staff in all 11,500 post offices around the country to ensure community financial services, including access to cash, is maintained.

On Thursday, Lloyds Banking Group said it would close 22 Halifax branches, 19 Lloyds branches and four Bank of Scotland branches next year.

Metro Bank has said it will review whether to stay open seven days a week, and plans to cut 20% of its workforce.

Related Topics

UK banking

Cash

Money

Personal finance

More on this story

Metro Bank to review seven-day opening and cut jobs

23 hours ago

Fine threat if banks fail to provide access to cash

18 August

Saving cash: A customer said we’d changed her life

28 April 2021

[newstfionline]

Wednesday, September 27, 2023

Video of Sikh leader’s killing shows coordinated attack (Washington Post) At least six men and two vehicles were involved in the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside his place of worship, according to video reviewed by The Washington Post and witness accounts, suggesting a larger and more organized operation than has previously been reported. In a bombshell announcement, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told Canada’s House of Commons last week that authorities were pursuing “credible allegations” that agents of the Indian government were involved in the killing. Canadian authorities have drawn on human and signals intelligence to support their claims of Indian government involvement, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. has reported. That intelligence includes intercepted communications of Indian diplomats, some of them on Canadian soil.

Only Richest 20% of Americans Still Have Excess Pandemic Savings (Bloomberg) Americans outside the wealthiest 20% of the country have run out of extra savings and now have less cash on hand than they did when the pandemic began, according to the latest Federal Reserve study of household finances. For the bottom 80% of households by income, bank deposits and other liquid assets were lower in June this year than they were in March 2020, after adjustment for inflation. All income groups have seen their balances decline in real terms from a peak in 2021, according to the Fed survey. But among the wealthiest one-fifth of households, cash savings are still about 8% above their level when Covid hit. By contrast, the poorest two-fifths of Americans have seen an 8% drop in that period. And the next 40%—a group that roughly corresponds with the US middle class—saw their cash savings drop below pre-pandemic levels in the last quarter. The figures point to dwindling firepower available for US consumers. Some analysts warn a downturn is in the cards as households run low on spare cash.

America’s poor math skills raise alarms over global competitiveness (AP) Many Americans joke about how bad they are at math, and already abysmal scores on standardized math tests are falling even further. The nation needs people who are good at math, employers say. They say America’s poor math performance is a threat to the nation’s global economic competitiveness and national security. “The advances in technology that are going to drive where the world goes in the next 50 years are going to come from other countries, because they have the intellectual capital and we don’t,” said Jim Stigler, a psychology professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, who studies the process of teaching and learning subjects including math. Meanwhile, the number of jobs in math occupations—positions that “use arithmetic and apply advanced techniques to make calculations, analyze data and solve problems”—will increase by more than 30,000 per year through the end of this decade, Bureau of Labor Statistics figures show. That’s much faster than most other kinds of jobs. “Mathematics is becoming more and more a part of almost every career,” said Michael Allen, who chairs the math department at Tennessee Technological University.

Nothing Greases The Hinges Of Friendship Like $40 Billion (Guardian) At a White House summit with leaders from various Pacific Islands on Monday, President Biden pledged $40 billion in economic aid to nations in the region. The massive pledge would tie the 18 nations present at the meeting closer to the U.S. as China attempts to expand its influence across the Pacific. The aid package is set to feature secure undersea cable connectivity infrastructure for Pacific nations among other benefits, though the funding plans have yet to be submitted to Congress, which is currently looking to make budget cuts as it stares down the barrel of a possible government shutdown later this week.

Police militias used to fight Brazil’s gangs. Now they extort, traffic and kill, too. (Washington Post) For years, police in Rio de Janeiro state have waged a bloody and expensive campaign against the gangs that dominate many of its impoverished favelas. But all the violence and effort, prosecutors and analysts say, has missed the most pressing security challenge confronting this notoriously turbulent region: A shadow force made up of active and retired police officers themselves, which extorts, traffics drugs and kills at will and with impunity. These police militias, rooted in Brazil’s authoritarian past but with ties to government today, claim that they’re private security enterprises needed to contain gang violence. But they now control far more of Rio than gangs ever have, researchers say. They have more weapons, more money, more political power. Remnants of the military dictatorship that ruled Brazil from 1964 to 1985, police militias were once broadly accepted by authorities as an adjunct to official security forces in the fight against violent criminal gangs. But many are now vying against those gangs to dominate the same criminal activities.

Finland and NATO (NYT) Barely a year after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Finland cast aside decades of military nonalignment and self-reliance and joined the NATO alliance. That happened with breathtaking speed, as these matters go, but gaining membership may have been the easy part. Now comes the complicated process of integrating itself into the alliance and its requirement of collective defense—with all of its financial, legal and strategic hurdles. Membership in NATO has long been considered a cheap benefit, given the American nuclear umbrella and the principle of collective defense. But NATO also has extensive requirements of its members—not just spending goals for the military, but specific demands from each country for certain capabilities, armaments, troop strengths and infrastructure as defined by the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe. Achieving that will demand some difficult and costly decisions from the government and military officials. They will have to decide how to move troops and equipment to Norway, Sweden or the Baltic States in the event they need reinforcements, for instance, or whether to participate in other NATO tasks like patrols in Kosovo or the Mediterranean.

Missing migrants (NYT) April is a beautiful month on the shores of the Mediterranean. But for Meron Estefanos, and others who monitor the migrant passage, spring also brings a sense of foreboding. “How many people are we going to lose this time,” Estefanos, an Eritrean activist based in Uganda, often asks herself. Over the past decade, the vast blue sea between North Africa, Turkey and Europe has become a stage for mass death. Of the more than 2 million people who have attempted the crossing, most from sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, at least 28,000 are missing, presumed to have perished, conservative estimates suggest. Of the known dead, only around 13 percent of bodies are ever recovered by European authorities, the ICRC estimates. The vast majority are never identified. The chances of a relative receiving confirmation of a missing loved one’s death are “like the odds of winning the lottery,” in the words of one humanitarian official.

The grain spat threatening to wipe out goodwill between Poland and Ukraine (Washington Post) There is so much grain at Wieslaw Gryn’s farm in eastern Poland—the farm his family has run for two centuries—that wheat kernels are spilling out of the storage barn and into the yard. “There’s no space in the silos,” Gryn, 65, said, as he tapped one of the metal towers holding grain harvested from the fields that stretch toward the Ukrainian border. “Full,” he said. “All full.” Across this agricultural region, some farmers like Gryn say they are struggling to sell their grain at prices that would cover costs, leading to overflowing silos and warehouses. They blame their woes in part on an influx of Ukrainian grain last year, imports that were greenlit by the European Union to help Kyiv circumvent a Russian blockade. The move, which brought cheap Ukrainian wheat to the E.U. market, caused a glut in Poland and sent local prices plummeting, angering farmers. Keeping them placated is a priority for Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party ahead of elections on Oct. 15, even as it threatens lasting damage to the alliance with Ukraine. Experts say the quarrel over grain could be a signal of more friction ahead as European farmers feel threatened by Ukraine’s vast farms. “We are closing the borders in order to defend the Polish farmer, because defending the interests of the Polish farmer is our most important imperative,” Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said.

Armenians flee Nagorno-Karabakh (Reuters) Hungry and exhausted Armenian families jammed roads to flee homes in the defeated breakaway enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, while the United States called on Azerbaijan to protect civilians and let in aid. The Armenians of Karabakh—part of Azerbaijan beyond Baku’s control since the dissolution of the Soviet Union—began fleeing this week after their forces were routed in a lightning military operation by Azerbaijan’s military. At least 13,550 of the 120,000 ethnic Armenians who call Nagorno-Karabakh home arrived in Armenia on the first day of the exodus, with hundreds of cars and buses crammed with belongings snaking down the mountain road out of Azerbaijan. As Armenians rushed to leave the Karabakh capital, fuel stations were overwhelmed by panic buying. The authorities there said at least 68 people were killed and 200 injured in a massive blaze when a fuel storage facility blew up on Monday.

Rupees (Bloomberg) On May 19, the Reserve Bank of India ordered the withdrawal of all 2,000-rupee bank notes by the end of September, ordering people to exchange them for smaller bills or deposit them in banks. There were 3.56 trillion rupees’ worth of 2,000-rupee notes, and while most have been banked, still 7 percent remained in circulation as of the beginning of the month. That means that very soon, some 240 billion rupees’ ($2.9 billion) worth of currency might be rendered invalid within a week. The 2,000-rupee note, which is worth around $24, was first introduced in 2016 and is a preferred storage of value for large cash deals. After the end of the month, they’ll only be able to be exchanged with the Reserve Bank of India, and the individual will have to have an explanation for why they missed the deadline.

South China Sea: Philippines removes Chinese barrier in contested area (BBC) The Philippines says it has removed a floating barrier installed by China to block Philippine fishing boats entering a contested area in the South China Sea. The Philippines coast guard said it had been instructed to do so by President Ferdinand Marcos Junior. Manila says China violated its fishing rights with the 300m (1,000ft) barrier in the Scarborough Shoal. China claims more than 90% of the South China Sea and seized the shoal in 2012. The South China Sea is a rich fishing ground that is believed to hold vast oil and gas reserves. More than half of the world’s fishing vessels operate in this area. China’s claims—which include sovereignty over plots of land and their adjacent waters—have angered not just the Philippines but also Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei.

Few persecuted Christians find refuge in US, new report finds (Religion News Service) Fewer Christians fleeing persecution in their native countries have found a safe harbor in the United States in the past half decade, according to a new report from a pair of Christian nonprofits, which cites the effects of the pandemic and the dismantling of U.S. refugee resettlement programs during the Trump administration. The report, titled “Closed Doors,” found the number of Christians coming to the U.S. from countries named on a prominent persecution watchlist dropped from 32,248 in 2016 to 9,528 in 2022—a decline of 70%. The decline in Christian refugees comes at a time when the persecution against Christians is on the rise, said Ryan Brown, CEO of Open Doors. According to the Watch List released earlier this year, some 360 million Christians face what Open Doors calls “high levels of discrimination and persecution.” That’s up from 260 million reported in a 2020 edition of the “Closed Doors” report. Much of the increase has come in sub-Saharan Africa, he said, driven by political instability and internal conflict in countries like Nigeria.

[thxnews]

Africa's Climate Change Views: Afrobarometer Insights

  Bridging the Atlantic Divide

Against the backdrop of world leaders converging in New York for the United Nations General Assembly and the imminent Climate Ambition Summit under UN Secretary-General António Guterres, an Afrobarometer delegation has concluded a four-day engagement with influential U.S. Africa policy actors in Washington, D.C. The focus of their engagement was to spotlight and discuss African perspectives on critical global issues, including climate change, democracy, governance, gender, and youth.   High-Level Dialogues In a series of meetings held at the United States Institute of Peace, Afrobarometer leaders unveiled their research network's latest findings on climate change, democracy, and gender to representatives from the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), as well as non-governmental organizations and advocates for democracy and governance. Additionally, the Afrobarometer delegation engaged with the World Bank's Africa Chief Economist, Andrew Dabalen, and his team. They also met with the Africa Program of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), led by Senior Director Dave Peterson.  

Shaping the UN Agenda

Afrobarometer Round 9 Surveys The Afrobarometer's Round 9 surveys, conducted between 2021 and 2022, provide invaluable insights into the views, aspirations, and experiences of African citizens in the realms of governance, democracy, and climate change. These issues take center stage on the United Nations General Assembly's 2023 agenda. E. Gyimah-Boadi, Chair of Afrobarometer's Board, emphasized, "Our findings illuminate key issues of paramount interest to policymakers, offering perspectives that resonate with the dreams and real-life experiences of Africans, particularly in the realms of climate change, democracy, and governance. These insights should reverberate strongly within the corridors of power at the United Nations General Assembly, compelling collective action."  

Key Highlights from Afrobarometer's Round 9 Surveys

Climate Change: Awareness and Impact   Climate Change Awareness Across 36 African countries surveyed during 2021-2022, approximately half of Africans (52%) reported having heard of climate change, while 46% remained unaware. Awareness levels exhibited significant disparities, ranging from approximately 80% in Seychelles to a mere 22% in Tunisia.   Impact on Lives Among those cognizant of climate change, an overwhelming 73% believed it was adversely affecting their lives. This perception was most prevalent in Madagascar (91%), Lesotho (88%), Mauritius (86%), Malawi (86%), and Benin (85%).   Call for Action Dissatisfaction with the efforts of governments, developed countries, businesses, and ordinary citizens in combating climate change was widespread. The majority demanded "a lot more" from these stakeholders.   Government Action In all 36 countries, a substantial majority of citizens advocated immediate government action to curb climate change, even if it entailed costs, job losses, or economic repercussions. Remarkably, in 14 countries, 80% or more of those aware of climate change shared this viewpoint.  

Gender Equality and Gender-Based Violence

Rights and Opportunities A resounding 73% of respondents expressed the belief that women should have equal rights as men in owning and inheriting land. However, a slightly smaller majority (58%) endorsed equal rights in employment.   Political Aspirations Approximately three-quarters (75%) of citizens affirmed that women should have the same opportunities as men to participate in political office. This sentiment rejected the notion that men were inherently superior political leaders and thus should be given preferential treatment as candidates. This view prevailed across all surveyed countries, except in Sudan, where a slim majority (53%) favored men as better leaders.   Challenges Faced While a substantial majority (79%) believed that a woman running for office would gain standing in the community, significant proportions also anticipated criticism or harassment (52%) and family-related issues (40%).   Addressing Gender-Based Violence Africans identified gender-based violence as the most pressing women's rights issue that their governments and societies needed to tackle. Opinions were divided on whether domestic violence should be treated as a criminal matter (50%) or a private matter (47%).  

Democracy and Governance

Support for Democracy A clear majority of Africans voiced support for democracy and accountable governance, with 66% expressing a preference for democracy over any other system of government.   Rejection of Non-Democratic Alternatives Even larger majorities rejected non-democratic alternatives, such as "one-man rule" (80%), "one-party rule" (78%), and military rule (67%).   Endorsement of Democratic Norms Majorities also endorsed democratic norms, institutions, and practices, including electing political leaders through elections (75%), imposing constitutional limits on presidential terms (74%), promoting multiparty competition (64%), ensuring a free media (65%), and demanding government accountability (61%).   Consistent Demand for Democracy Across 30 countries consistently surveyed between 2014/2015 and 2021/2022, citizens remained largely consistent in their demand for democracy and accountable governance across numerous indicators.   Challenges to Democracy Nevertheless, the preference for democracy had become a minority viewpoint in four countries: Mali (39%), South Africa (43%), Angola (47%), and Lesotho (49%). Over the period from 2014 to 2022, support for democracy experienced significant declines in several countries, including Mali (down by 36 percentage points), Burkina Faso (-26 points), South Africa (-21 points), and Guinea (-15 points). As global leaders convene to address these critical issues, the Afrobarometer's findings provide essential insights into the perspectives and desires of the African people. These insights are poised to shape discussions on climate change, democracy, governance, and gender equality on the world stage.   Sources: THX News & Afrobarometer. Read the full article

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