#find government jobs in Sri Lanka

[hussyknee]

hi, i hope i am not crossing a line, please ignore if this is bad question. i am just curious

in one of your posts u said your caste is karava. this is the first time i am hearing a sinhalese talk about caste (i speak tamil and never really felt confident in my sinhala to make sinhalese friends)

can you explain about the castes or tell me where find information about it

Caste is a fucked up concept across the board, obviously, but Sinhalese castes are different from Tamil Hindu in that they involve the cultural and socio-political organisation of the Sinhalese community, and has no connection to religious scripture.

There are thirteen castes that still exist today. We used to be a chiefly agrarian society, so the majority of Sinhalese are Govigama ("Govi" means farming) and they're the kind of "bourgeoisie" of the social order in that few are above them and anyone else is below them. Those that rank below them are castes like Bathgama and Kinnara (who are meant to be agricultural labourers) Vahampura (something to do with making cinnamon or treacle) Navadanna (artisans, especially makers of jewelry) and Rada (launderers). Radala is the caste of the nobility, and afaik the only one above Govigama. They're all from highlands of Kandy, the last Sinhalese holdout against the Europeans for about 200 years. There's no nobility among the lowlanders (between the Portuguese, Dutch and British, they were either killed, assimilated or fled to Kandy) so the Govigama caste is the highest one everywhere else. This means Govigama used to be the only one that was qualified to join the Theravada Buddhist priesthood* and also receive education and job opportunities as government servants—right up until the mid-20th century, when the karava gentry turned into robber barons under the British Empire's demand for cash crops.

Karava people are the majority inhabitants in the Southern coastal lands, which are predominantly Sinhalese Buddhist, as opposed to the Tamil lands of the Northern coast (Eelam really) and the proliferation of sparsely-populated Muslim communities in the rest of the coastal belt. Karava is called the fisherfolk caste by the rest of country, despite their own strong objections. Caste is reckoned patrilineally. I'm Karava through my Dad and I married into a Karava family. Nearly every Karava person I know insists that we're actually the warrior caste and were given the coastal lands as reward for our service to the king. I'm sure there's a legitimate case to be made for this, (this site keeps being referred to me) but I don't care enough to find out because the Karava insistence that being called fisherfolk is a Govigama conspiracy is incredibly funny. I mean, it could be true, what do I know, but so much of the cope and seethe stem from our lingering inferiority complex and resentment at having been treated as inferior until a few decades ago. After being ground under the Radala and Govigama feet along with the rest for ages beyond record, suddenly us lowlanders were rolling in money from our toddy, coconut and rubber plantations, matching or surpassing the wealth of the nobility. We were chasing off Tamil and Muslim minorities to establish our own lost cultural capitals in Anuradhapura and Pollonnaruwa that predated the Kandyan kingdom and making our own sect of the Buddhist priesthood (Amarapura Nikaya) that would ordain Karava people. The robber baron types also got very chummy with the British colonial administration and were awarded cushy jobs in government over the Govigama, who still disdained industrialization and commerce. (To this day my mother's family looks down on business people no matter how rich. Merchants are considered grasping and untrustworthy.) By the time of Sri Lanka's independence from the British in 1948, we had two varieties of equally rich, snooty, virulently ethnonationalist Sinhalese elites who had gotten ahead by selling us out to the British, but with the highland Radala still believing they were too pure-blooded to mix with the hoi polloi and the lowland Karava resentful at being considered the polloi no matter how hoi they'd become. Post-independence, Sri Lanka's adoption of free education and free state universities saw masses of lowlanders, Karava, Durava and Salagama all, sending their kids to university to attain upwardly mobile careers in engineering, medicine and teaching. "If the boy is Karava he's probably in engineering" is a common joke. It's a clear shift away from our rural agrarian roots into urban sprawl and high socio-economic competition in place of social stratification.

We also have a caste of Untouchables called the Rodiya. In ancient times, you and all your family being stripped of their lands and titles and banished into the Rodi Rahaya was one of the punishments reserved for the noble houses that ran afoul of the monarchy. It condemned your entire lineage forever. This was such a dire fate that some would have favoured execution.

Rodiyas were not permitted to cross a ferry, to draw water at a well, to enter a village, to till land, or learn a trade, as no recognised caste could deal or hold intercourse with a Rodiya [...] They were forced to subsist on alms or such gifts as they might receive for protecting the fields from wild beasts or burying the carcasses of dead cattle; but they were not allowed to come within a fenced field even to beg [...] They were prohibited from wearing a cloth on their heads, and neither men nor women were allowed to cover their bodies above the waist or below the knee. If benighted they dare not lie down in a shed appropriated to other travellers, but hid themselves in caves or deserted watch-huts. Though nominally Buddhists, they were not allowed to go into a temple, and could only pray "standing afar off"

(Source)

Allegations of witchcraft and cannibalism aside, the Rodiyas themselves were known to be a proud folk that considered themselves the pure-blooded descendants of the royalty that were punished this way. Here's a Reddit post that expounds on them more, along with photographs. It seems that the strictures against covering up had fallen away between the turn of the 20th century and the '70s. Not much is known about their current living conditions, but I believe that, like India's own Untouchables and the low caste of Eelam's Tamil Hindus, they must have converted to Christianity to escape the stigma.

Casteism is still somewhat of a problem in the Sinhalese community, but it's lessening every generation. My maternal grandparents weren't entirely happy about my mother marrying my Karava father but conceded because he was an engineer with a stable career. My older cousin had to fight his Karava family to marry his school sweetheart because she was both poor and Bathgama caste (I think "Padu" might be a derogatory name for it). The fact that he succeeded is noteworthy because it would have been a huge scandal in my parents' time. The Radalas are still a bunch of insular dipshits who try to keel over and die if one of them tries to marry out. But many of them are also migrating abroad so Idk if it's too much to hope that they leave the caste shit behind when they assimilate into Western society. It certainly hasn't worked for the Brahmin Indians. But the outlook is better for the rest of us.

*There is no caste system in Buddhism. The Buddha in fact was an egalitarian social reformer who advocated against the Vedic caste system and ordained Untouchables as well as women. So obviously the Theravadin priesthood of Sri Lanka, that bastion of the Buddha's Word, would make sure that only high caste men could ever be ordained. Love the fact that the Karava social revolution just made sure they had their own sect instead of, y'know, pushing for anything more equitable. I always say that if we really want to protect Buddhism we have to abolish the Sinhalese.

[mariacallous]

Last December, Mahesh Odedara signed a contract to live and work for five years in a foreign country thousands of miles away from home and mired in a state of war. Odedara, a 30-year-old farmer from Porbandar, a city in western India, was aware of the risks of working on an Israeli farm. But Odedara’s contract promised him a steady, eight-hour workday, robust workers’ rights under Israeli law, and a 5,571 shekel ($1,500) monthly salary—many times more than what Odedara earned in Porbandar. It was too good to turn down.

Israeli farms are in dire need of agricultural workers like Odedara. Following Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack, the Israeli government barred tens of thousands of Palestinian laborers, a critical component of Israel’s agricultural workforce, from entering the country. By early winter, farms were facing a “manpower crisis.” With no sign of government policy changing, farmers have since turned to importing thousands of foreign laborers from countries such as India, Malawi, and Sri Lanka to stay afloat.

At first, Odedara’s expectations were high. With his newfound salary, he would be able to send home hundreds of dollars each month to support his parents; the money could also go toward purchasing equipment for the family farm. One day, Odedara hoped, he might even be able to buy a home for himself in Porbandar.

But soon after arriving in Israel, Odedara realized that his employers had little intention of honoring his contract. In Ahituv, a farming community in northern Israel, Odedara worked grueling, 11- to 12-hour shifts picking produce; he was forced to work on weekends and was told he would be paid far below the legal hourly minimum wage. Then, at the end of the month, he was not paid at all—Odedara’s boss informed him that his wages had been sent, inexplicably, to his employment agency instead.

(When reached for comment, Odedara’s former employer denied that Odedara had ever worked for him; however, another migrant worker who independently mentioned working for the same employer corroborated Odedara’s claims about labor conditions and missing wages. The employment agency did not respond to a request for comment.)

Odedara’s housing, which farms provide for their workers, also bordered on the uninhabitable. In Khatsav, where Odedara worked for eight days, he slept in a makeshift room erected out of wooden planks and panes of sheet metal; his bathroom was a toilet in an outdoor shack with a dirt floor, and the shower had no hot water. In the first few months, Odedara lost nearly 25 pounds.

Odedara now “really regrets” coming to Israel, he said, even though he counts as one of the lucky ones: Odedara’s brother, Bharat, had already worked in Israel as a caregiver for four years and was eventually able to find him a job at a farm with far better labor conditions.

Yet Odedara’s experiences in Ahituv and Khatsav are far from unique. According to Bharat, abuse and illegal labor practices are widespread. “I used to meet all the new people coming in for agriculture. I was talking to them, and everyone has the same problem,” Bharat said. “They have to fight for their salary, for their rights, for their basic requirements. Nobody is helping them. They are helpless.”

Farming is fundamental to Israel’s national identity, yet the country’s agricultural sector has been reliant on non-Israeli labor for decades. In 1967, after Israel captured the West Bank and Gaza, the government decided to integrate the territories’ residents into the Israeli economy. Since then, “Palestinians have been integral to the Israeli labor force,” said Adriana Kemp, a sociologist at Tel Aviv University who studies Israeli labor. “You could not talk about whole sectors like agriculture or construction without talking about this large number of Palestinians.”

By the 1990s—following spates of violence from Palestinian militants—Israel began “talking about the possibility of opening the gate for overseas labor migrants,” Kemp said. “That’s when they started actually bringing [in workers] from different countries.” But even so, Palestinians stayed in large numbers; in 2021, tens of thousands of Palestinian laborers made up a quarter of Israel’s total agricultural workforce.

Then came Oct. 7. Claiming that agricultural workers from Gaza had provided intelligence to Hamas fighters, the Israeli government barred some 20,000 Palestinian agricultural laborers from reentering the country. (Israel’s internal security service has since partially disputed this finding.) Around the same time, some 7,800 Thai workers, previously the largest population of overseas workers in Israel due to a 2012 Israeli-Thai bilateral agreement, fled after at least 39 of them were killed in the Hamas attack.

Almost overnight, the agricultural sector lost over a third of its entire foreign workforce. In the early weeks of the war, even though Israeli volunteers stepped in to help struggling farmers, farms hemorrhaged profits. By November, to replenish the labor force, the Israeli government announced that it would allow up to 5,000 overseas workers into the country via a new immigration scheme.

When Orit Ronen heard about the scheme, her immediate thought was that it would lead to “one big balagan”—Hebrew for a “chaotic mess.” Ronen, who works at Kav LaOved, a Tel Aviv-based labor rights nonprofit, was acutely aware of how vulnerable the new arrivals would be, given existing exploitation. Ronen also knew that many farms lacked sufficient infrastructure to house workers, since the farms’ previous Palestinian laborers had simply commuted in from the West Bank or Gaza.

Ronen was right to worry. Since early December, when thousands of new laborers began arriving in Israel, Kav LaOved has received more than 300 requests for information and assistance from workers reporting a litany of abuse. The conditions Odedara and others have experienced are blatantly illegal under Israeli labor law. But ever since the Oct. 7 attack, labor law enforcement has been “less than before,” Ronen said. “And even before, it was low.”

The Population and Immigration Authority (PIBA), the Israeli government agency tasked with labor law enforcement, did not respond to requests for interview. “We have the call center for foreign workers, where they can explain exactly the problem, and they will be checked,” PIBA spokesperson Sabine Haddad wrote in an email.

Migrant workers also often hesitate to contact PIBA’s call center for fear of retaliation; employers “are telling [workers] that we will send you back to India if you will not work as we say,” Bharat said. Employers “can’t do that. I know that, but [the workers] don’t. They are new.” (Israeli law allows workers to stay in the country for 90 days to find a new employer if they have been fired.)

The threat of deportation is especially potent because most workers are effectively stranded in Israel for the duration of their five-year contracts, thanks to the outsized fees they paid before departing for Israel. In Odedara’s case, an agent in India asked him for $6,300 in an under-the-table payment, which he paid for with his family’s savings.

These fees are not a new phenomenon, but labor advocacy organizations scored a major victory in 2012, when Israel and Thailand established a bilateral agreement that eliminated predatory fees for Thai migrant workers. The post-Oct. 7 immigration scheme, which has no such provision, threatens to undo this progress. “The [workers] that come, especially from India, paid thousands of dollars” to brokers, Ronen said. “For them, that’s a very big deal, and that makes them very vulnerable.”

And then there is the war. Melbin Paul, a 29-year-old from the southern Indian state of Kerala, was assigned to work at a poultry farm close to the Israel-Lebanon border, which the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has fired rockets across nearly every day since Oct. 7.

On the morning of March 4, Paul looked up from trimming an almond tree and saw a missile heading straight toward him and his fellow workers. “There was no time to run,” he said. The projectile, a Hezbollah anti-tank missile, made impact “in the blink of an eye.” Paul’s friend, 31-year-old Kerala native Pat Nibin Maxwell, was instantly killed. Paul, who had stood a few yards away from Maxwell, was left with dime-sized shrapnel wounds scoring the right side of his body.

“Even before the war, it was very common for agricultural workers that work near the Gaza Strip to be injured or killed,” said Michal Tadjer, a lawyer who runs a workers’ rights clinic at Tel Aviv University. Maxwell is one of at least a half-dozen agricultural workers who have been killed by rocket fire in the past decade.

Following the April 13 Iranian strikes on Israel, the Indian foreign ministry urged its citizens in Israel to register themselves at the Indian Embassy and “restrict their movements to the minimum.” The warning belies the reality that the new workers have far less understanding of the security situation than longtime Palestinian laborers or Thai migrants, who have been in Israel for decades.

Paul and his friends had never even been told that their farm was located in a closed military zone that Margaliot residents had evacuated in mid-October. “This is my first time in Israel,” Paul said. “I [didn’t] know where the firing and war” was.

Yet the scale of migrant worker exploitation could soon grow even worse. Fewer than 3,000 new agricultural workers have arrived since November; an additional 8,000 to 12,000 workers are needed to bring farms back to full labor capacity, according to Ronen. A separate deal is already in place to bring 10,000 Sri Lankan laborers to Israel over the coming months. More balagan is likely to follow.

There will also be profound security consequences to shifting away from Palestinian labor. Before Oct. 7, the income of Palestinian laborers in Israel made up about 20 percent of the Palestinian Authority’s GDP. For months now, Israel’s internal security service has called for Palestinian workers from the West Bank to be let back into Israel, warning that increasingly dire economic conditions in the West Bank will lead to further destabilization and violence. But right-wing ministers in the Israeli government have refused to lift the ban, citing the need to move away from Palestinian labor at all costs.

For the workers, their salaries are far beyond the meager sums they could earn back home. For Odedara, there’s much left to do: His current job, while a significant improvement over his previous stints, still pays below what his contract stipulates, and then there is the matter of getting his missing wages back. Odedara is “going to find a solution,” Bharat said. “He wants to stay here but in a good condition—not like this.”

Regardless, the post-Oct. 7 wave of new arrivals will remain in Israel until 2029—meaning that, for at least the next five years, many Palestinian farm workers will not have a job to return to even if the ban on Palestinian labor is lifted.

The only certainty, it seems, is that Israel will have to continue to look beyond its own population for labor. “Israel has relied on noncitizen labor in agriculture for a long time, whether Palestinian or non-Palestinian,” Kemp said. “This structural dependence will not go away.”

[tasin-newaz]

Policy Brief

April 2022

What will this nation do after being educated in this way? Reform the traditional education system of schools in Bangladesh

Overview 

Though Bangladesh has made notable progress in the education sector, the quality of the primary education in Bangladesh remains low. Besides all the short term effects this low rate of education has some long term effects also. Complex platform systems, lack of physical education, absence of real life and job related activities, absence of extracurricular activities and lack of soft skills in the primary and secondary schools in Bangladesh are the main problems in this traditional schooling system in Bangladesh. These problems emerge because of the minimum allocation of the national budget for education and the lack of skilled teachers in the schools (Islam, 2019). An article published in the Dhaka Tribune shows that the allocation of the national budget for education is lower than the required rate by UNESCO.   

These basic problems of the national traditional schooling system have long term effects along with short term effects. Some of the short term effects are the shortage of enough knowledge in the young generation, absence of norms and moral values, absence of career oriented learning that actually create the unemployment problems which is the long term effect. So to solve these kinds of long term bad effects we need to solve the basic problems with the education system. For that, to reform the traditional education system of schools in Bangladesh is necessary. 

Drawing on data from some secondary sources, this policy talked about the basic problems with the traditional primary school system in Bangladesh and its short and long term effects. It concludes with recommendations to accelerate progress to address the problems and the recommendations to solve the problems with the traditional primary school education system.

Methodology 

This brief draws on secondary method data collection. There is a collection of information from some articles published in some renowned newspapers like the business standard, some research by the world bank, some research by some famous authors and some steps taken by the governments of the neighboring countries. This policy included the initiatives taken by the neighboring countries of Bangladesh to address the problem which Bangladesh is suffering for.  This publication clearly shows the problems with our present national primary education system and the short and long term effects of this system. See  figure 01, which focuses on Govt. expenditure by the neighboring countries for education. It compares other countries with Bangladesh. Figure 02 focuses on the trained teachers in the primary education sector of the neighboring countries of Bangladesh. Finally, this policy came up with some policies to solve the problems and work for the betterment of education.

Scope and scale of the challenge:  key findings

Lack of national budget for education: Though education is the backbone of a nation, Bangladesh still does not allocate the percentage of the total budget that is needed for the improvement of the education sector. This is because since independence, Bangladesh has been facing economic and political instability. In Bangladesh about 44.7% of the total population is estimated to live below poverty (visitant, 2015).  The current allocation of the national budget for primary education is less than the required amount by any kind of standard. An article published in the Business Standards is clearly blaming the poor spending for the low quality of education in Bangladesh (Islam, 2019). It has been clear by a survey conducted by the World Bank that the allocation of total GDP for the education sector by Bangladesh is the lowest than any other neighboring country. This survey found that the allocation percentage for education by Nepal is 4.4% (2018), by Bhutan is 6.85% (2018), by India is 3.45% (2016), by Sri Lanka is 2.14% (2018). Where this rate for Bangladesh is only  1.33% (2019). (UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2021).  Again the majority of this amount is used by the higher education institution. An article published in the Dhaka Tribune is saying that the primary education sector gets only TK26, 314 crore that is well below what is required (Abdullah & Shovon, 2021). So here it is clear that Bangladesh has the lowest allocation rate of total GDP for primary education on average than most of the neighboring countries. To begin with, for this minimum amount of allocation, the primary sector has to face some major problems like this sector can not use sufficient money for the training for teachers, research and the modernization of the teaching environment. There is a huge lack in the number of classrooms, hygienic toilets. Majority of the schools don't have pure drinking water facilities. Primary students do not get opportunities to use modern equipment for details and further learning.  Because of the lower amount of investment for primary education in Bangladesh, it gained 0.48 points which is lower than Sri Lanka. To make the primary education system better all the neighboring countries of  Bangladesh are spending a standard amount of money from the national budget. Exactly this is why they are going forward day by day. Bangladesh also could apply this policy. 

Figure 1: Govt. expenditure by the neighboring countries for education

Source: The world Bank

Complex educational system:

The overall educational system of a country is very much dependent on the educational structure. A simple educational system helps a government to run the process very simply and clearly. Also it requires less cost. But from the very beginning the educational system of Bangladesh is very complex. A research by Dr. Moniruzzaman clearly shows the complexity of the present educational  system in Bangladesh. According to this research, primary school education can be categorized into 04 forms. They are Govt. primary schools, private schools, madrasas and non formal schools. These schools follow a very complex educational supply process and curriculum. The curriculums are Bangla medium, English medium, Cadet curriculum and the madrasa curriculum (Moniruzzaman, 2019). Also it includes non formal education curriculums. These complex platforms require  more management that actually creates hassles. Again for this reason we are losing intelligence. When a brilliant student is studying in the madrasa curriculum, we can not use his intelligence in engineering or any other  path. So here the one way educational curriculum is necessary. Though in Asian region the one way educational curriculum is still rare, it can be found in Finland which is in Europe. It is found that Finland is following the one way curriculum from the beginning and their literacy rate is 99.5% which is very high compared to the countries of Asia which are following a very complex educational system (hechinger report 2010). But currently Pakistan, which is an Asian country, is trying to start the one way education system in the primary level and they found huge benefits in it (Azam, 2022). So, finally it can be seen that for the complex primary educational structure, we are losing the intelligence from some sectors that are actually creating unemployment in the long run.  

Poor number of trained teachers in primary education sector hampers the education quality:

Teachers help a nation to acquire knowledge and to prosper. The teachers of the primary education sector do the elementary work of developing a nation. But a matter of great sorrow is that in Bangladesh the number of trained teachers in the primary education sector is very low than any other neighboring countries of Bangladesh. Several surveys and researches are showing this clearly.  A report by the World Bank is showing that where countries like India has 77.74%, Nepal has 97.27%, Bhutan has 100% (2018) , Sri Lanka has 83.32% of trained teachers (2020) in the primary education sector, as per 2017 the amount  for Bangladesh is only  50.43% (UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2021). which is the lowest amount among all the neighboring countries. That means half of the teachers of our primary education sector do not know how to deliver modern education or are not suitable with the technology based education system. 

Sometimes it can be seen that teachers are totally dependent on guide books to solve new math problems or sudden faced problems. Most of the teachers are not ready yet to cope up with the creative  curriculum that has been introduced in 2009 (Azad, 2016). For this reason often students do not get the opportunity to get enough basic knowledge of Math or English that basically hampers the basic knowledge of a primary student. An article published in the Business Standard is saying that from a survey by the World Bank it is found that 57% of Bangladeshi children at the late primary age are not fluent in reading. (Islam, 2022). This is one of the main causes why the quality of primary education in Bangladesh remains low. An article published in the Dhaka Tribune says that, ``In a country where a GPA 5 holder in SSC examination says the capital of Nepal is Neptune, it is only natural that Bangladesh ranks last in South Asia on the Global knowledge index”. By this way this nation is lagging behind day by day due to the poor amount of trained teachers.

Figure 2: Trained teachers in primary education section sector of the neighboring countries of Bangladesh

Source: The world Bank

Policy and programming implications

The findings of this policy highlight the urgent need for policy and programming that enhance the quality of the primary education in Bangladesh. Key priorities include the following:

1. Increase the allocation amount of national budget for the education sector:

As the allocation of the national budget is the very first stage to develop the national education system, it is vital to increase the investment of the national budget for the primary education sector of Bangladesh. Also some articles published in the newspapers written by some renowned researchers are suggesting to enhance the national budget for primary education. An article published in the Business Standard is saying that the national budget for education should be at least 3% of the GDP which is currently 1.33% only (TBS Report, 2022). So enhancing the national budget for the education sector could be the very 1st step to take for the improvement of the Bangladeshi primary education sector. 

2. Education structure should be one way:

Sometimes the success of education depends on the structure of the system of knowledge supply. To be more successful, the structure requires to be more straight and clean. This is why some European countries like Finland have been following a one way curriculum from the beginning. And they are more successful. But the educational structure of Bangladesh is complex from the very beginning. Understanding the bad effect of a complex educational structure, some of the Asian countries like Pakistan are moving forward to establish a one way educational structure. Pakistan already has proposed an one-way education supply structure (Azam, 2022). As the one way national educational curriculum is more effective and one of neighboring countries of Bangladesh is moving forward to that, it can be an effective step to follow for Bangladesh as well to be more successful. 

3. Increasing the number of trained teacher in the primary education sector:

To find out the main problems behind the lack of knowledge among the primary school students, it has been found that 50% of the primary school teachers are not well trained and cannot cope up with the new and creative curriculum. And also they are well trained for subjects like English and Math. For this reason the primary school teachers who do the primary work for the development of the nation should be well trained and should be able to solve creative problems. So to make them trained, Bangladesh should organize several training sessions for the teachers, and the recruitment of the primary school teachers should be more  transparent and straightforward.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

References

Abdullah, M., & Shovon, F. R. (2021, June 03). Experts for proper planning as education budget up. Dhaka tribune. https://archive.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/education/2021/06/03/experts-for-proper-planning-as-education-budget-up

Azad, S. I. (2016, May 12). Problems of primary and secondary education in Bangladesh. EDITORIAL. https://m.theindependentbd.com/arcprint/details/43527/2016-05-12

Azam, M. (2022, January 23). Single National Curriculum (SNC) in Pakistan. Iqbal Institute of Policy Studies. https://iips.com.pk/single-national-curriculum-snc-in-pakistan/

AZAM, M. (2022, January 23). SINGLE NATIONAL CURRICULUM (SNC) IN PAKISTAN. IQBAL INSTITUTE of POLICY STUDIES. https://iips.com.pk/single-national-curriculum-snc-in-pakistan/

Islam, J. (2019, November 22). Low quality primary education results from poor spending. The Business Standard. https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/education/poor-quality-primary-education-results-thrifty-spending

Islam, J. (2022, April 25). Low quality primary education results from poor spending. The Business Standard. https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/education/poor-quality-primary-education-results-thrifty-spending

Moniruzzaman, D. (2019). PROBLEMS OF PRIMARY EDUCATION IN BANGLADESH: A PRAGMATIC STUDY. http://ijariie.com/AdminUploadPdf/PROBLEMS_OF_PRIMARY_EDUCATION_IN_BANGLADESH__A_PRAGMATIC_STUDY_ijariie9476.pdf

TBS Report. (2022, April 26). Experts for raising education budget to minimum 3% of GDP. The Business Standard. https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/education/experts-raising-education-budget-minimum-3-gdp-82816

UNESCO Institute for Statistics. (2021, September). Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) - Bhutan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal. The World Bank. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS?locations=BT-IN-LK-BD-NP&most_recent_value_desc=false

UNESCO Institute for Statistics. (2021, September). Trained teachers in primary education (% of total teachers) - Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka. The World Bank. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.PRM.TCAQ.ZS?locations=BD-IN-NP-BT-LK

visitant. (2015, April 26). Challenges for Education in Bangladesh. CULTURA CRÍTICA. https://www.culturacritica.cc/2015/04/challenges-for-education-in-bangladesh/?lang=en

[alexawesomeblog]

How Does Buying or Selling a Home Benefit Your Community?

Real estate transactions, whether it is buying villas for sale in Sri Lanka or placing a land or house for sale in Kandy, have a huge impact on the economy of a country, as well as its local communities. Buying or selling a home can benefit your community as follows:

Economic Stimulus: Real estate transactions, like purchasing a Kiribathgoda house for sale, involve significant sums of money changing hands, which can stimulate local economic activity. This includes real estate agent commissions, fees for legal and financial services, and various home improvement projects that often follow a sale.

Increased Tax Revenue: Property transactions typically generate tax revenue for local governments through property transfer taxes and increased property assessments. These funds can be used to support community services such as schools, infrastructure maintenance, and public safety.

Neighbourhood Stability: Stable homeownership can contribute to neighbourhood stability. Homeowners tend to be more invested in their communities, leading to lower crime rates, better upkeep of properties, and stronger social ties among residents.

Job Creation: The real estate industry itself supports a range of jobs, from real estate agents and brokers to appraisers, inspectors, and mortgage brokers. Additionally, home sales can lead to increased demand for services like home improvement and landscaping, further boosting local employment.

Improved Housing Stock: Selling homes, whether it is a house for sale in Nugegoda, Kandy or Ratnapura, often involves upgrading or renovating properties, which can improve the overall quality of housing in a community. This can have a positive effect on property values throughout the neighbourhood.

Supporting Local Businesses: Homebuyers often spend money at local businesses when moving into a new area, such as restaurants, retail shops, and service providers. This spending helps to bolster the local economy and creates a more vibrant community.

Diverse Communities: As homes change hands, neighbourhoods can become more diverse in terms of demographics and socioeconomic backgrounds. This diversity can enrich community life by bringing in new perspectives, cultures, and ideas.

Buying or selling a home not only impacts the individuals directly involved but also plays a crucial role in the broader community, contributing to economic vitality, neighbourhood stability, and overall community well-being.

How to buy a new home

Buying a new home can be an exciting but complex process. Here are the steps involved in purchasing a new home:

Assess Your Finances: Determine your budget and how much you can afford to spend on a new home. Consider your income, savings for a down payment, and other financial obligations.

Get Pre-approved for a Mortgage: Visit multiple lenders to get pre-approved for a mortgage. This process involves providing financial documents to the lender who will assess your creditworthiness and give you an estimate of the mortgage amount you qualify for.

Research Locations and Properties: Decide on the location(s) where you want to buy a home. Consider factors such as proximity to work, schools, amenities, and community atmosphere. Research properties in your chosen area(s) that fit your budget and preferences.

Work with a Real Estate Agent: Find a reputable real estate agent who is knowledgeable about the local market. An agent can help you find suitable properties, negotiate on your behalf, and guide you through the home buying process.

View Properties and Make Offers: Visit properties that meet your criteria and attend open houses if possible. Once you find a home you like, work with your real estate agent to make an offer. The offer should consider factors such as the selling price, contingencies (like home inspections), and any specific terms you want to include.

Home Inspection and Appraisal: Once your offer is accepted, schedule a home inspection to identify any potential issues with the property. Additionally, your lender will require an appraisal to assess the value of the home and ensure it meets lending standards.

Secure Financing: Finalise your mortgage application with the lender of your choice. Provide any additional documentation required and work with them to secure financing for your new home purchase.

Close the Sale: Once all contingencies are met, and financing is secured, you will proceed to the closing process. This involves signing legal documents, transferring funds, and officially taking ownership of the property.

Move In: After closing, you can move into your new home! Coordinate with movers and utility companies to ensure a smooth transition.

Throughout the process, it is important to stay organised, communicate effectively with your real estate agent and lender, and carefully review all documents related to the transaction. Buying a home is a significant financial decision, so take your time to make informed choices that align with your long-term goals and preferences.

How to sell a home

Selling a home involves several key steps to ensure a successful transaction. Here is a guide on how to sell a home:

Prepare Your Home: Start by preparing your home for sale. This may involve decluttering, deep cleaning, making necessary repairs, and improving curb appeal. Consider staging your home to make it more attractive to potential buyers.

Set the Right Price: Determine an appropriate listing price for your home. Research comparable properties in your neighbourhood to understand the market value. You may also consider getting a professional appraisal to help with pricing.

Choose a Real Estate Agent: Consider hiring a reputable real estate agent who is experienced in selling homes in your area. An agent can provide valuable market insights, help with pricing strategy, market your home effectively, and negotiate offers on your behalf.

Market Your Home: Work with your real estate agent to create a marketing plan for your home. This may include professional photography, virtual tours, listing on multiple online platforms, open houses, and networking within the real estate community.

Review Offers and Negotiate: Once you start receiving offers, review each one carefully with your real estate agent. Consider not only the offer price but also contingencies, financing terms, and closing timelines. Your agent will help you negotiate the best possible terms with potential buyers.

Accept an Offer: Once you have accepted an offer, work with the buyer and their agent to finalise the sale agreement. Sign the purchase agreement and prepare for the next steps in the closing process.

Complete Inspections and Appraisal: The buyer will likely conduct inspections (such as a home inspection and possibly others like termite or radon inspections). They may also have an appraisal done to ensure the property's value meets the lender's requirements.

Coordinate Closing Details: Work with your real estate agent, title company, and other relevant parties to coordinate the closing process. This includes preparing necessary documents, transferring ownership, and handling any remaining financial details.

Close the Sale: Attend the closing meeting where you and the buyer will sign all necessary documents to transfer ownership of the property. Once all legal and financial obligations are met, the sale will be finalised.

Move Out: After closing, arrange to move out of the property and hand over keys and other necessary items to the buyer.

During the selling process, communication with your real estate agent, responsiveness to potential buyers, and attention to detail are crucial. Selling a home can be both emotional and logistical, so having a trusted professional guiding you can make a significant difference in achieving a smooth and successful sale.

[beardedmrbean]

Many foreign students paying tuition to attend Finnish universities face severe financial difficulties, according to an investigation by Swedish-language daily Hufvudstadsbladet (HBL).

The paper reported that thousands of foreign degree students from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Nepal, among other places, have come to Finland in recent years. They pay between 4,000 and 18,000 euros per year for their studies.

Many have ended up in financial difficulties as they cannot find jobs and struggle to pay rent and semester fees, leading some to be unable to afford food.

"The only thing Finland is interested in is taking our money. They don't care about how we're doing. We're treated like paying animals," a 28-year-old Bangladeshi student told HBL.

The student, who holds a master's degree in commerce and marketing, arrived in Finland last autumn to pursue a degree in healthcare and social services, drawn by a promise of well-paying jobs.

"I have applied for hundreds of jobs of all kinds. The only thing I've been offered is a few restaurant jobs where the hourly wage would have been two or three euros. I haven't taken such jobs. Not yet, anyway," he said.

The number of degree students from non-European countries has multiplied several times over in just a few years. The government's stated goal is to triple the number to 15,000 of such students by 2030.

The HBL report focused on the plight of Bangladeshi students, a rapidly growing group over the past three years.

It uncovered numerous closed Facebook groups catering to Bangladeshis aspiring to come or already living in Finland. These groups are inundated with messages, calls for financial assistance, and posts chronicling their struggles to afford rent and necessities like food.

The report observed that public discussion in Finland has always centered on how the country can benefit from international students — with hopes they will help alleviate the country's labour shortages and provide income to financially strained educational institutions.

But according to HBL's probe, few decision-makers have considered that what may appear beneficial from a Finnish perspective has actually placed these students in severe hardships.

Alko cashes in on 'supermarket wine'

Changes to alcohol laws brought fermented drinks with up to eight percent alcohol and strong beers to grocery store shelves on Monday.

Not wanting to miss out, state-owned alcohol retailer Alko has also stocked up on a selection of wines with lower alcohol content, Helsingin Sanomat reported. Alko's latest product list features lighter wines that includes brands also sold by Finland's supermarket duopoly, Kesko and S Group.

Alko wants to develop its range and services according to trends and customer wishes, acording to Anu Koskinen, Alko's assortment and purchasing director.

"We want to be a place to purchase all kinds of drinks. We have added more of these eight percent wines to our selections, and now we are monitoring how their demand develops," Koskinen said.

Koskinen noted that while the eight percent limit is unique to Finland, alcohol-free beers and lighter versions of spirits like gin are becoming increasingly popular, which she said was a reflection of health and wellness trends.

Mysterious Midsummer weather

Midsummer will be warmer than usual, but also wetter than usual, tabloid Iltalehti reports.

"The options remain either a rainy and windy low-pressure system or warm and sunny weather with local showers. We will see closer to the time which way the situation will tilt,” Foreca meteorologist Anna Latvala told IL.

According to the long-term forecast, Midsummer weather could vary across the country.

Temperatures above 25 degrees Celsius are possible, but local bouts of cloudy conditions and rain could cool down the weather in some areas. Heavy rain showers and thunderstorms are also potentially in the mix.

According to the forecast, Midsummer week will be, on average, 1-3 degrees warmer than usual.

[drew-mga2022mi6021]

World Building | The Population

Solarpunk Characters by ParisCityPop

Further diving into the understanding of my world, I also needed to understand the people, not just the events and topography of my world. These decisions directly enhance and affect the events of the story as well, so it is important that I get these details correct.

How big is the population?

Sri Lanka as an island nation is 22 million people strong, with 630 000 people residing in Colombo alone.

How did they become a part of the world?

Sri Lanka is a culturally diverse, multi-ethnic country. This is mainly due to being a massive international trade hub prior to the 21st century. Due to its advantageous position in the centre of the Indian Ocean, merchants from both the West and the East used to visit the country frequents. Of those, these were some people of note;

The British

The Dutch

The Portuguese

The Romans

The Arabs

The North Africans

The Persians

The Indians

The Chinese

African Slaves (brought to the country by Colonials who were ruling at the time)

In modern times, many people are descended from a mix of Sri Lankan blood and at least one of these parties.

Additionally, the original inhabitants of Sri Lanka (back when the island was known as "Thambapanni"; meaning copper sands) were the Naga and Yaksha tribes. According to the Mahavamsa and Dipavamsa (credible historical texts that detail the various ruling periods of Sri Lanka), he first known king of Sri Lanka was Prince Vijaya, who was banished to Sri Lanka from Sinhapura along with 700 of his men. The story goes that the young prince defeated a yaksha, and eventually went on to marry the daughter of a yaksha clan member; Kuweni. It is from here, and implied couplings between other members of Vijaya's clan and the inhabitants of Thambapanni that Sri Lankan are considered to be descended from.

Later on, many adopted different cutures, traditions, beliefs and dialects based on which of the nine provinces of Sri Lanka that they lived in.

Is there a class system?

Previously, during colonial rule, yes. In modern times, it is far more nuanced. Income is distributed proportionate to the total amount of work put in by a given organisation. Thus, an organisation of 10 people that works very hard should have their salary split equally amongst themselves. This is a very exploitable system, and is one of the systems the main character finds themselves trapped in.

The hardest workers are considered to be farmers and others who source food for the country, and thus they are the highest paid. This society places more priority on locally owned businesses as well, thus they pay equal rates to, and sometimes more than most mega-corporations. The price of the Sri Lankan rupee has also exponentially shot up, as a result of the plentiful resources of the country (1 US Dollar = 50 Rupees), which leads to an overall successful country anyway. Even those that are poorest are given sufficient aid by the government in order to live a semi-comfortable life, provided that they have a job. If not, they are given the option to either work for the government, find a job within a certain period of time or simply, not receive aid if any of the above two are not pursued.

What are the genders, races and species?

Sri Lanka adopted a more liberal mindset post colonialism, and as such it is not uncommon to see several people express themselves beyond the social standards set by the western gender binary. The population of Sri Lanka split by biological sex assigned at birth is equal to 52% female and 48% male.

The main races of Sri Lanka are as follows;

Sinhalese

Tamil

Malay

South Indian

Burgher

Mixed Race

There are others, but they mainly fall into the category of Mixed Race as a result of being borne of one of the settling countries that arrived to Sri Lanka pre-20th Century. The most dominant of the races are Sinhalese and Tamil people (the latter of which is split into Sri Lankan Tamil and South Indian Tamil), with the others representative of less than 10% of the population.

What are the languages spoken in Sri Lanka?

The most common language spoken is Sinhala, followed closely by Tamil and finally, English. The official languages of the country are listed as Sinhala and Tamil, however the language used to most universally converse in most urban areas like Colombo is English. Most people in Colombo are bilingual, and as such tend to mix and match languages as they please while talking. This mode of speaking is known as Singlish (Sinhala + English, the most commonly mixed languages).

There are other minor languages spoken in the country as well, such as the language spoken by the Veddah people (Veddah) who live in the central forests of Sri Lanka. Interestingly enough, Veddah and Sinhalese share a few common words, which may suggest a common linguistic origin at some point in the past. Modern Sinhalese itself seems to take from several places, such as Portuguese, Dutch and Sanskrit, and there are several variations and dialects of Sinhalese and Tamil that exist across the country. The most "conventional" form of Sinhala is that which is spoken in the Western province and in Kandy.

Other than this, a small portion of the population is fluent in other languages, such as Chinese Mandarin, Arabic, Aramaic, Portuguese, Dutch, Italian, and Urdu.

Were there any racial conflicts?

As mentioned earlier, the biggest racial conflict that occured was the 30 year civil war. Besides this, there were minor undertones or racism up until the turn of the 2010s, when people began to forego their grudges against those that fought in the war.

What resources do they enjoy?

The people of Sri Lanka enjoy many resources such as locally produced foods, three main ways to power local technology (solar, wind and water), free healthcare, free education, easily accessible public transport systems, a healthy climate even in urban areas, several biologically and culturally diverse locations, several culturally significant areas, a minimum of 5 days paid leave from work for holidays and a centralised water and electricity grid.

What resources do they lack?

The main thing that this society lacks is a proper system for labour laws. Due to hard work and community being prioritised, the work force is easily exploitable by corporations, specifically if the workers themselves like the job that they are doing.

[group06assesment2]

The rapid increase of unemployment in Sri Lanka.

As many of the researchers have identified, Sri Lanka is a dual economic country. It is also concerned that Sri Lanka has an independent democratic and social development. On the other hand, Sri Lanka is a war-torn country that has higher unemployment with a slow growth economy among other Asian countries. Since first Sri Lankans had issues regarding unemployment even those who have graduated with accepted degrees would have to stay in line and go knocking on every doorstep to get a job. This can be highly seen in the government sector rather than the private sector. It has been rapidly growing with the high population growth, absence of unemployment opportunities, slow development of industries, and insufficient rate of economics.

This paper aims to explore the reasons behind this social issue of unemployment in Sri Lanka by interviewing ten graduates from the Rajarata University of Sri Lanka. They hold bachelor’s degrees in arts and the issue is that they haven't qualified for any government job even in their 30s. With descriptive analytics, half of these graduates said that the amount of the applicants with same qualifications is high as well as another crucial point is that they have been rejected from job interviews due to the lack of English language proficiency. Even in the private sector, they couldn't even find a suitable job according to their academic qualifications.

On the other hand, the Employment of the most qualified segment of the workforce is highly concentrated in the central government rather than public corporations; over half of the labor force with degrees is employed in the central government. Because of the importance of the government sector as an employer of highly educated labor, the question naturally arises as to whether the education standards used in allocating government sector jobs result in government sector workers being over qualified for the position they fill.

Finally, regarding these data, we can conclude that with a high population, competition to the labor force is increasing. Also, many qualified people lose their opportunities to get a job ;as well as with the destroyed economy, there are no chances to make new job opportunities in the private sector. Moreover we can suggest changing the education system with vocational education to improve the skills of the job seeker. Further, making more opportunities for self-employment people and it is essential to increase production in the agricultural and industrial sectors as well.

References: -

Ahmad, Alia, 1999. Sri Lanka: Institutions, Economic Policies, and Economic Growth. Country Economic Report:1, Sida, Stockholm Central Bank of Sri Lanka, http://www.lanka.net/centralbank/Highlight2003/Highlight_Nov_2003_5.pdf (2004-05-07)  

[emo-and-confused]

Out of context things my Global Perspectives teacher has said:

Information: This was a 10th grade zoom class for the academy program at my public high school

“I know you’re all fans of K-pop, right?”

“You are not allowed to record. If I find out you are recording, I will find you, and I will destroy you.”

“Please ask a question, I’m so bored of talking.”

“I don't like listening to myself talk. My wife disagrees but-“

“It’s basically a “do you know how to read” quiz. so if you don’t know how to read, I don’t know how you got here.”

“Be prepared for a lot of dead jokes. Cause they’re fun. Cancer jokes are fun too. My dad died of cancer, so I guess I have the right to make them.”

“I have very little sympathy. If your grandma dies.. we’ll talk. If your grandma keeps dying, I’ll have to ask some questions.”

“I don’t text and drive, but I email and drive.”

“Do not copy me, I am not a lawyer.”

“I almost got killed so many times. I should've got killed, like legally. I still have both my hands which is surprising. so, I have so many stories of Saudi Arabia.”

“My most favorite child of mine, my dog.” (he has three human children)

[internet fluctuates] “Play the dinosaur game? What’s the dinosaur game?” (he learns to play the dinosaur game)

“Let me know if anything is going on. If your dad is currently dying of cancer, and you want more cancer jokes, please tell me.”

“I will drive to their house and cough on them and give them coronavirus.” “I will threaten you with biological abuse.”

“Have I told you my suicide Christian joke yet? No? Can I tell you guys my suicide Christian joke?”

“I don’t know my mom’s phone number. I don’t know my dad’s either.. but that’s for different reasons :)”

“Not the dirt on your shoes, the coronavirus in your lungs.”

“Speaking of addiction... nevermind I can’t tell you that yet.”

[to me] “You should not lie to yourself, I’m sorry that you do.”

“This is why you guys are so depressed, you guys don’t sleep.”

“You guys did great, give yourselves a pat on the back.... wow, only a few of us did that. The rest of you guys are losers.”

“I’m so white, I can’t roll my r’s, I’m sorry-“

“I just wanna get off the camera and go cry again.”

“Teah, Canadians, boring! Stop apologizing all the time! We get it, you like hockey!”

“Welch? Nobody cares about the Welch. They’re just smaller english people.”

“Don’t be stupid like me.”

“All of your teachers used to be stupid. Now some of them are less stupid”

“l don’t recommend making out with people with aids.” “Here’s a better suggestion, stop making out with people.” “You know who you should be making out with? Your spouse. Get married and then make out.” “You should not be making out with Jesus. That’s gross.”

“You know what else is dumb? The speed limit. Speed limits are dumb, yeah- you know what else? Tires! You don’t need them! They’re dumb! You don’t need oil changes! Yeah, that’s dumb! You know what else is dumb? Taxes! Screw the man!”

“No, the holy spirit will not get rid of aids” [pause] “Well—-“

“We can talk about pedophilia another day.”

“No wonder you all are addicts.”

“If you’ve been eating the same breakfast for the past 7 years, you might have a mental disorder.”

“If I’m ever on the show Naked and Afraid, please don’t watch, cause I'll be naked and afraid.”

“I know you’re not used to a grown man caring about you, cause you haven’t seen your dad in five years. It's okay. I wish he was around more often.”

“I got hit on at Busch Gardens and it was amazing.” “I haven’t been hit on in ten years.”

“If I ever get killed by the government, man, I want it to be a firing squad. That’s a badass way to go.”

“Do you guys wanna see me, in high school, as a Dr. Pepper can?” 

“We might not learn anything in this class but at least we have fun.”

“It is possible that I might have made some Dr. Pepper commercials. And it is possible that I might have made some Dr. Pepper music videos.” “Who says I'm not a Dr. Pepper shareholder? I have never made that claim.”

“Did I tell you about that time I waterboarded a kid? No? Ah, well that’s a story for later.”

“Yes, I do believe in Santa. I believe he is Satan.”

“I'm just trying to give you legal advice.. I am not a lawyer though, so don’t take my legal advice.”

“You didn’t go to sleep until 3am? I've been up since 3am! We swapped!”

“Murders have experience, I wouldn’t let them near my children.”

“Is anyone here a flat earther? I promise I won't make fun of you. Unless you’re {Con}.”

“I wouldn't let any of you near my children. The only one of you I would let watch my daughter is {Con}.” [Me, in chat: ‘why me??’] “Why? Because I feel like she could put you in your place. She's three and a half and has no filter. She would insult you to your face.”

“Welcome to my bedroom. I tried to say that as creepy as possible, I hope it worked.”

“[Con] have you killed anyone this morning?”

“Guys, I’m gonna announce my bias right now. I’m a round earther/”

(the class he says he’s quitting) [Me, in the chat: ‘who’s gonna call me out in the middle of class for no reason now :/’] “Who’s gonna call you out in the middle of class? uh... Molly! Your new job is to call {Con} out and tell them what a terrible person they are.”

“So yeah, I was almost possessed in Sri Lanka.”

“{Con}, stop. Just because you’re possessed now does not mean you can roll your eyes when I say I was almost possessed.”

“No, Kaine didn’t come into school. Kaine hasn’t left his room, in like, eight months.”

[ajeetsgroup]

Overseas Manpower Consultancy in India

Every candidate dreams of getting a job overseas for a better living and better life. Every reputed institute gives out a lot of talented candidates but getting a hand on a job overseas is a tough nut to crack. Everyone understands how difficult it is to find work. In order to attain a solid employment position, people must put up a lot of effort. And there is always high unemployment. This is true on both a national and international level.

But getting a job overseas sounds a bit difficult. A lot of question arises when we hear about overseas jobs it sounds a bit quirky, and sometimes a bit difficult to trust. No issues, AJEETS is here to help you out. AJEETS is one of the most trustable overseas manpower consultancy in India.  AJEETS is in the profession of recruiting candidates overseas for the last 16 years. 

We have successfully come as one of the best overseas manpower consultancy in India. Many Indians aspire to work overseas. As a result, they continue to search for a company that can assist them. Obviously, there is employment in India, and people work there, but many individuals desire to learn more about the chances available abroad. For overseas jobs, only individuals with high skill sets are considered. The need for overseas workers looks to be growing at an alarming rate. Ajeets provides recruitment in the technical and non-technical industries such as IT staffing, Oil and Gas, Steel plant, Road and Highway Construction, Agricultural, Marine and Offshore, Medical and Healthcare, Hospitality, Electrical and Electronics, and many other fields.

We recruit skilled, semi-skilled, and unskilled, professionals according to their experience in their respective industries. We help you get the deserving candidates for your industry. The job of the consultant is to serve as a link between the job seeker and the employer. AJEETS is India's most reliable overseas manpower consultancy in India. We find candidates who match your employment requirements. We trade test them technically and maintain them ready for your approval. Our final interviews are planned according to our client's preferences. We provide a medical report for the selected individuals, which includes tests performed in accordance with the medical norms of the relevant nation. We handle government paperwork such as emigration clearance, visa stamping, police clearance certificates, and educational certificate attestation, among other things. We will put the approved candidates within your specified time frame after notifying you. We assist candidates with all aspects of embarkation and airport requirements.

We make every attempt, however, to improve the prospects that are currently bleak. We want people who can think outside the box and perform well. We're also on the lookout for tweaks that will help them better. The prosperity of the organization is aided by the human resource department. Within a specific amount of time, all of the solutions are provided. We hire efficient people from India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Kenya, and Uganda as a top overseas manpower consultancy in India. Our services are offered all over the world with an emphasis on countries like Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman in the Middle East; and Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, Maldives, South Korea, Indonesia, and China in the Far East Countries and UK, Germany, Poland, Romania, Serbia in the Europe Continent. We also know everything there is to know about visas, work permits, and other country-specific regulations. So, make us your India-based long-term recruitment partner today!

[footballdiversity]

More than 6,500 migrant workers from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have died in Qatar since it won the right to host the World Cup 10 years ago, the Guardian can reveal.

The findings, compiled from government sources, mean an average of 12 migrant workers from these five south Asian nations have died each week since the night in December 2010 when the streets of Doha were filled with ecstatic crowds celebrating Qatar’s victory. [...]

Behind the statistics lie countless stories of devastated families who have been left without their main breadwinner, struggling to gain compensation and confused about the circumstances of their loved one’s death.

Ghal Singh Rai from Nepal paid nearly £1,000 in recruitment fees for his job as a cleaner in a camp for workers building the Education City World Cup stadium. Within a week of arriving, he killed himself.

Another worker, Mohammad Shahid Miah, from Bangladesh, was electrocuted in his worker accommodation after water came into contact with exposed electricity cables.

In India, the family of Madhu Bollapally have never understood how the healthy 43-year old died of “natural causes” while working in Qatar. His body was found lying on his dorm room floor. [...]

The committee organising the World Cup in Qatar, when asked about the deaths on stadium projects, said: “We deeply regret all of these tragedies and investigated each incident to ensure lessons were learned. We have always maintained transparency around this issue and dispute inaccurate claims around the number of workers who have died on our projects.”

In a statement, a spokesperson for Fifa, football’s world governing body, said it is fully committed to protecting the rights of workers on Fifa projects. “With the very stringent health and safety measures on site … the frequency of accidents on Fifa World Cup construction sites has been low when compared to other major construction projects around the world,” they said, without providing evidence.

[divorceadvocatesinbangaloresss]

Conditions for judicial independence

In order to installation whether or see this  not the judiciary see this can be considered “unbiased” of the alternative branches of government, regard is generally had, among different things, to the way of appointment of its individuals, to their term of place of job, to their conditions of issuer, to the life of ensures in opposition to out of doors pressures, and to the question whether or not the court docket provides an appearance of independence.Three minimal situations for judicial independence are:

Security of tenure: i.E. A tenure, whether or no longer for existence, until an age of retirement, or for a fixed term, that is secure towards interference thru the government or different appointing authority in a discretionary or arbitrary manner.

Financial safety: i.E. The right to a profits and a pension that's installation via law and which isn't concern to arbitrary interference via the government in a way that would have an effect on judicial independence. Within the boundaries of this requirement, however, governments may also moreover preserve the authority to design unique plans of remuneration which can be appropriate to wonderful sorts of courts. Consequently, an expansion of schemes also can further satisfy the requirement of monetary security, furnished the essence of the situation is included.

Institutional independence: i.E. Independence with appreciate to topics of management that relate immediately to the exercise of the judicial feature. An outside force must now not be in a position to interfere in topics that are without delay and without delay relevant to the adjudicative function, as an example, mission of judges,thirteen sittings of the court docket and courtroom lists. Although there must of necessity be some institutional individuals of the circle of relatives between the judiciary and the government, such family members must no longer intervene with the judiciary’s liberty in adjudicating person disputes and in upholding the law and values of the constitution.

Langborge v Sweden, European Court of Human Rights, (1989) 12 EHRR 416. Thirteen In The Queen v Liyanage (1962) sixty four NLR 313, the Supreme Court of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) held that a law which empowered the Minister of Justice to nominate judges to try a unique case turned into extraordinarily vires the Constitution in that it interfered with the workout of judicial strength which grow to be vested in the judiciary. See Valente v The Queen, Supreme Court of Canada, [1985] 2 SCR 673.

Application:

A decide shall exercising the judicial function independently on the idea of the pick's assessment of the statistics and in accordance with a conscientious expertise of the law, free of any extraneous influences, inducements, pressures, threats or interference, direct or indirect, from any location or for any reason.

Commentary Outside affects must no longer colour judgment

Confidence within the judiciary is eroded if judicial selection-making is appeared as if it'd be challenge to beside the point out of doors influences. It is vital to judicial independence and to maintaining the public’s self assurance inside the justice system that the authorities, the legislature and the judge do no longer create a perception that the determine’s choices could be colored by using the usage of such affects. The sort of affects to which a choose may be subjected are endless. The judge’s responsibility is to use the regulation as he or she is aware it, on the basis of his or her assessment of the facts, with out worry or favour and with out regard to whether or not or no longer the final choice is likely to be popular or not. For example, responding to a submission that South African society did not regard the death sentence for extreme cases of murder as a cruel, inhuman or degrading form of punishment, the President of the Constitutional Court of South Africa said:

The question in advance than us, but, is not what most of the people of South Africans take delivery of as actual with a right sentence have to be. It is whether or not or no longer the

Constitution permits the sentence. Public opinion may additionally have some relevance to the inquiry, however in itself, it's far no substitute for the obligation vested in the Courts to interpret the Constitution and to uphold its provisions without worry or favour. If public opinion had been to be decisive, there is probably no want for constitutional adjudication . . . The Court cannot allow itself to be diverted from its duty to the basis that they'll find favour with the general public.

[newstfionline]

Friday, August 6, 2021

US plans to require COVID-19 shots for foreign travelers (AP) The Biden administration is taking the first steps toward requiring nearly all foreign visitors to the U.S. to be vaccinated for the coronavirus, a White House official said. The requirement would come as part of the administration’s phased approach to easing travel restrictions for foreign citizens to the country. No timeline has yet been determined, as interagency working groups study how and when to safely move toward resuming normal travel. Eventually all foreign citizens entering the country, with some limited exceptions, are expected to need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter the U.S.

Big tech companies are at war with employees over remote work (Ars Technica) All across the United States, the leaders at large tech companies like Apple, Google, and Facebook are engaged in a delicate dance with thousands of employees who have recently become convinced that physically commuting to an office every day is an empty and unacceptable demand from their employers. The COVID-19 pandemic forced these companies to operate with mostly remote workforces for months straight. And since many of them are based in areas with relatively high vaccination rates, the calls to return to the physical office began to sound over the summer. But thousands of high-paid workers at these companies aren’t having it. Many of them don’t want to go back to the office full time, even if they’re willing to do so a few days a week. Workers are even pointing to how effective they were when fully remote and using that to question why they have to keep living in the expensive cities where these offices are located. Some tech leaders (like Twitter’s Jack Dorsey) agreed, or at least they saw the writing on the wall. They enacted permanent or semipermanent changes to their companies’ policies to make partial or even full-time remote work the norm. Others (like Apple’s Tim Cook) are working hard to find a way to get everyone back in their assigned seats as soon as is practical, despite organized resistance. In either case, the work cultures at tech companies that make everything from the iPhone to Google search are facing a major wave of transformation.

At least 10 dead as van carrying migrants crashes in Texas (AP) An overloaded van carrying 29 migrants crashed Wednesday on a remote South Texas highway, killing at least 10 people, including the driver, and injuring 20 others, authorities said. The crash happened shortly after 4 p.m. Wednesday on U.S. 281 in Encino, Texas, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of McAllen. A surge in migrants crossing the border illegally has brought about an uptick in the number of crashes involving vehicles jammed with migrants who pay large amounts to be smuggled into the country. The Dallas Morning News has reported that the recruitment of young drivers for the smuggling runs, combined with excessive speed and reckless driving by those youths, have led to horrific crashes.

Turkish wildfires are worst ever, Erdogan says, as power plant breached (Reuters) Turkey is battling the worst wildfires in its history, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday, as fires spread to a power station in the country’s southwest after reducing swathes of coastal forest to ashes. Fanned by high temperatures and a strong, dry wind, the fires have forced thousands of Turks and foreign tourists to flee homes and hotels near the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts. Eight people have died in the blazes since last week. Planes and dozens of helicopters have joined scores of emergency crews on the ground to battle the fires, but Erdogan’s government has faced criticism over the scale and speed of the response. In the last two weeks, fires in Turkey have burnt more than three times the area affected in an average year, a European fire agency said. Neighbouring countries have also battled blazes fanned by heatwaves and strong winds.

Sri Lanka’s financial problems (Foreign Policy) Sri Lanka is threatening to become South Asia’s economic weak link. It’s mired in a severe debt crisis, and its budget deficit exceeded 11 percent of GDP during the last fiscal year, which ended in March. The country’s foreign reserves can only pay for three months of imports, prompting Colombo to cut back on many foreign imports, including turmeric, a staple product. Fitch Ratings has warned default is a real possibility. Sri Lanka’s woes stem in great part from a floundering tourism sector. Tourism typically accounts for at least 5 percent of GDP, and some estimates even put the figure at 12.5 percent. The sector’s troubles began before the coronavirus pandemic, when suicide bombers killed at least 290 people in churches and hotels in April 2019, keeping visitors away. But the pandemic still dealt a giant blow. A 2021 assessment found tourist arrivals between January and April fell nearly 100 percent from the same period in 2020.

Australia to spend $813M to address Indigenous disadvantage (AP) Australia’s government on Thursday pledged 1.1 billion Australian dollars ($813 million) to address Indigenous disadvantage, including compensation to thousands of mixed-race children who were taken from their families over decades. The AU$378.6 million ($279.7 million) to be used to compensate the so-called Stolen Generations by 2026 is the most expensive component of the package aimed at boosting Indigenous living standards in Australia. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the compensation was a recognition of the harm caused by forced removal of children from families.

Israel launches airstrikes on Lebanon in response to rockets (AP) Israel on Thursday escalated its response to rocket attacks this week by launching rare airstrikes on Lebanon, the army said. The army said in a statement that jets struck the launch sites from which rockets had been fired over the previous day, as well as an additional target used to attack Israel in the past. The IDF blamed the state of Lebanon for the shelling and warned “against further attempts to harm Israeli civilians and Israel’s sovereignty.” The overnight airstrikes were a marked escalation at a politically sensitive time. Israel’s new eight-party governing coalition is trying to keep peace under a fragile cease fire that ended an 11-day war with Hamas’ militant rulers in Gaza in May.

‘Winning a medal doesn’t make him Jewish’ (Washington Post) When gymnast Artem Dolgopyat stepped off the podium as only the second Israeli to win an Olympic gold medal, he triggered one of Israel’s many cultural tripwires: It quickly emerged that the country’s newest sports hero is banned from marrying his fiancee here because he is not considered Jewish enough by the rabbis who control Israel’s marriage law. Immediately after Dolgopyat took top honors in the men’s floor exercise, his mother took the chance to complain that Israeli religious law is keeping her engaged 24-year-old son from tying the knot because only his father’s side of the family is Jewish. Marriage law is tightly controlled by Israel’s Chief Rabbinate. And for generations, couples who are of mixed religions—or who are atheists, gay or inadequately Jewish—have been forced to marry outside the country. Dolgopyat’s training schedule has made that impossible, said his mother, Angela Bilan. “I want grandchildren,” Bilan said Sunday in an interview with Israeli radio.

Talking to strangers (Atlantic) A hefty body of research has found that an overwhelmingly strong predictor of happiness and well-being is the quality of a person’s social relationships. But most of those studies have looked at only close ties: family, friends, co-workers. In the past decade and a half, professors have begun to wonder if interacting with strangers could be good for us too: not as a replacement for close relationships, but as a complement to them. The results of that research have been striking. Again and again, studies have shown that talking with strangers can make us happier, more connected to our communities, mentally sharper, healthier, less lonely, and more trustful and optimistic.

But tanks make such handy snowplows... (BBC) A German retiree was fined nearly $300,000 by local authorities on Tuesday following the discovery of a World War-II era tank in his basement along with other items of the period, including a flak cannon and multiple machine guns. The Panther tank was removed from the man’s property in 2015, a job that took 20 soldiers almost nine hours to complete. The unnamed 84-year-old might have been able to hold on to his tank and the rest of his collection—which must now be donated to a museum within two years, according to Tuesday’s ruling—had he kept it a better secret. “He was chugging around in that thing during the snow catastrophe in 1978,” Heikendorf Mayor Alexander Orth told reporters.

[contentsimplebooks]

Business ideas in Sri Lanka

Business Ideas in Sri Lanka may be a tad bit hard to come by and executing them may seem downright discouraging at times but however, nothing good ever comes without risks. Are you tired of being trapped on a systemic job? It doesn't matter what role you hold and how much money you make at your full-time work; if you look into it, in a sustained long run, becoming self-employed is even more helpful than having stable work with a mediocre salary. The majority desires are to be an entrepreneur, and the majority of people have it on their bucket list but many fall short on their own dreams.  

 To foreigners who are looking to invest in Sri Lanka, it is essentially a prosperous island nation situated in the Indian Oceanic region with a long line of rich history with a booming economy in the South Asia region. In general, the country's economy has grown at a rapid pace in recent years as it works to transform into an upper-middle-income nation, the government is currently concentrating on long-term strategic and operational development issues. Agriculture, plantation, export, food processing, and telecommunications are the most established business sectors.

 You can become lost among so many small Business Ideas in Sri Lanka for this modern day that you don't know which ones are worth pursuing. So, when it comes to new businesses, e-commerce has played a significant role in the worldwide sector, while Sri Lanka is currently experimenting with new practices and techniques. To be an entrepreneur, you don't need high-value investments or extensive firm premises with the aid of Internet enabled facilities and in certain cases, you may be able to actually run your own business from home using your laptop or mobile phone, but in others, you will need to rent small company space which could be minimized with the pandemic has made it a practical application of Working from Home which may not only be proven efficient but also slightly more effective to a certain degree.

 To lay the first foundation for your Business Ideas in Sri Lanka, you must have a well-thought-out and well-drawn up execution plan. To ensure the best possible outcomes, you should conduct a thorough market study and identify a specialized market. A thorough examination of competition analysis and marketing tactics will also pave the way for you to have a comprehensive understanding of the industry in which you will be involved.

 When it comes to initial finances (which may depend on your company structure), you may usually invest your existing cash on hand, get investments from your friends & family and if your business grows, you may seek financial assistance from institutions such as Venture Capitalists, Commercial Banks and even Governmental Banks, which provides loans with lower interest rates and longer repayment periods to entrepreneurs.

 An interesting ideology one can take when starting their own businesses is to solve an existing problem that Sri Lankans face in their day to day lives. Consumers will continually look for answers as long as they persist to have the same recurring issues. People will constantly seek better, quicker, and more intelligent ways to complete daily activities. And, thankfully for businesses, as evident by many real world examples, highlights that there is still a lot of space for development no matter the industry you choose to engage with or the issue you hope to tackle. However, for most entrepreneurs, the most difficult part is identifying these underlying issues and pairing them with the best available solutions in the most effective and efficient way possible.

 The process of testing and evaluating a product/business concept before launching is known as idea validation. The core purpose behind idea validation is to show your future product to the end consumer and observe how they react when released. Many entrepreneurs struggle to validate their own business ideas because they tend to get fixated on the wrong aspects and nonrelevant perceptions. Rather than asking, whether my business idea is good, they should be asking if their business idea would be beneficial and important to any group of consumers out there.

  A different approach to validating your business idea would be that refraining to ask yourself and your closest friends & family, But just let your market decide instead. The difficulty with our first technique is that it only works if your idea is applicable mostly to you or others within your environment. What if your idea only appeals to a certain group of people? Or demographics that are distinct from your own and those in your environment. This occurs more frequently than you may believe. So, what are you to do next? Well market research, as well as trial and error, are all part of the process.

 However, if you weren’t able to come up with your own business idea, then it's time to pay a closer look at what the best in the field is doing. Here's the twist. After you've looked at what others are doing, attempt to find out what they aren't doing or figure out how you can do it better than them (more effectively or efficiently).

 The process of finalizing your idea and launching a company is merely the start. It is usually a good idea to legalize your business before starting a new enterprise. As a result, it makes it easier to obtain financial and expert assistance without much difficulty. Before you spend your investments hastily, be sure you have all of the necessary skills to make it work well within the firm itself. Entrepreneurs who have tried unsuccessfully several times purely because they didn't have proper procedures and structures in place to improve their business idea along the road without adjusting to the changing market and its needs are the most typical cliché reason for failures commonly seen.

 In Sri Lanka, the government law offers a variety of company types for new businesses. A sole proprietorship, partnerships, or limited liability (public or private limited) businesses are the most common among new ventures. In a sole proprietorship, you will be completely accountable for all of the firm's responsibilities. This is the simplest way to start a business in Sri Lanka but probably the most riskiest as you grow along. The business structure of a partnership is quite similar to that of a sole proprietorship with an added difference of having several owners (2-20 partners), which is a huge distinction. Another most common business form among start-ups are the limited liability companies especially Private Limited companies which allows family & friends to be the main shareholders whilst Public Limited companies could be freely traded in the Colombo Stock Market. A minimum of one director and two shareholders are allowed under this structure accompanies by a tedious process of legal procedures, agreements and documentations.

  If one is serious about their business idea, their company, they should register it with the Sri Lankan Registrar of Companies and other governmental agencies associated. That would be the only way to acquire access to benefits such as business loans and establish confidence with the government and your customers.

[radical-archives]

Women in US government (2015 statistics)

Women in Congress currently hold 19.4% of 535 seats.

There are only 3 women in the US Supreme Court.

Women hold only 20% of the 100 seats in the Senate.

Women hold only 19.3% of 435 seats in the House.

Women hold only  25% of 312 statewide executive seats.

Women hold only 25% of 5411 seats in the State House/Assembly.

Only 24.3% of women hold 7383 seats in State Legislature.

Only 17% of 100 seats belong to women mayors in the 100 largest cities.

Only 18.4% of women hold 1393 seats as mayors in cities over 30,000.

Women in the media (2015 statistics)

Film:

Men were 73 percent of all Hollywood TV writers in 2012. Women were 27 percent.

Women television writers earned about 92 cents for every dollar that white male writers earned in 2012, a penny more than the 91 cents women earned in 2009.

Men writing for film accounted for 85 percent of all screenwriters. Women represented 15 percent. That compared to 17 percent in 2009 and meant that men screenwriters outnumbered women screenwriters by a more than 3 to 1 margin.

Women film writers earned 77 cents for every dollar earned by white male film writers in 2012, down from 82 cents in 2009.

The share of minority television writers rose to 11 percent in 2012 from 10 percent in 2009. But, by a 3 to 1 margin, white TV writers outnumbered minority TV writers.

Minorities represented 6 percent of film writers for the decade ending in 2009, when that rate fell to 5 percent. In 2012, the figure remained at 5 percent, which meant that minorities were outnumbered by 7 to 1.

While writers aged 41 to 50 got most of the gigs in Hollywood, that reality largely reversed itself once those writers turned 60.

Facebook’s Workforce is:

69 percent male overall, and 77 percent male in the leadership ranks.

57 percent white, 34 percent Asian, 4 percent Latino, 3 percent bi-racial or multi-racial and 2 percent Black overall.

Of workers in tech jobs, 85 percent were male and 15 percent were female.

Of all those tech workers, 53 percent were white, 41 percent were Asian, 3 percent were Latino, 2 percent were bi-racial or multi-racial and 1 percent was black.

Of workers in non-tech sectors, 53 percent were male and 47 percent were female.

Of non-tech sector jobs, 63 percent were held by whites, 24 percent by Asians, 6 percent by Latinos, 4 percent by bi-racial or multi-racial persons, 2 percent by blacks and 1 percent by people of some other race.

Google’s Workforce:

70 percent of all workers were male and 61 percent of them were white.

Additionally, men accounted for 79 percent of Google executives, 83 percent of tech workers and 52 percent of its non-tech workers as of January 2014, the month for which Google calculated data it released to the public in August 2014.

LinkdIn:

75 percent of LinkedIn’s leaders were male.

Of all company leaders, 65 percent were white, 28 percent were Asian, 4 percent were Latino, 3 percent were bi-racial or multi-racial, and 1 percent each was black or some other race.

53 percent of all LinkedIn workers in the United States were white, 38 percent were Asian, 4 percent were Latino, 2 percent were black, 2 percent were bi-racial or multi-racial and 1 percent was of some other race.

83 percent of LinkedIn workers in tech jobs were male.

Racially, 60 percent of tech workers were Asian, 34 percent were white, 3 percent were Latino and 1 percent each were black, bi-racial or multi-racial, or some other ethnicity.

Of those in non-tech jobs, 53 percent were male and 47 percent were female. Racially, 63 percent of non-tech job-holders were white, 26 percent were Asian, 5 percent were Latino, 3 percent each were black or bi-racial/multi-racial and 1 percent was some other race.

Yahoo:

Of Yahoo employees who were at least vice presidents or even higher up the corporate ladder, 77 percent were men, according to Figures Yahoo Chief Development Officer Jacqueline Reses released in June 2014.

Yahoo has a female CEO, Marissa Mayer.

Men held 85 percent of Yahoo tech jobs and 47 percent of non-tech jobs.

Yahoo provided a racial breakdown for its U.S. workforce only: 50 percent of employees were white, 39 percent were Asian, 4 percent were Latino, 2 percent each were black, of mixed race or did not disclose their race. In the C-suite of Yahoo’s U.S. offices, 78 percent of executives were white; 17 percent were Asian; 2 percent each were either Latino, of mixed race or did not disclose their race; and 1 percent was black.

Apple:

Men comprised 70 percent of computer, mobile giant Apple’s workforce Apple reported that seven out of 10 members of its global workforce are men. The Cupertino, California-based company’s announcement was based on summer 2014 personnel data.

Apple reported that females accounted for: 28 percent of its leader ranks. 35 percent of its non-tech employees.

20 percent of its tech employees.  

On-screen development:

By race, 74 percent of female characters were white, 14 percent were black, 6 percent were Asian, 5 percent were Latina and 1 percent were some other ethnicity.

Women actors had 42 percent of all speaking parts, a drop of 1 percent from 2012-13 but higher than 1997- 98’s 39 percent.

As women characters aged, they were less likely to be cast. Of all female characters, 32 percent were in their 30s and 17 percent were in their 40s. The respective Figures for male characters were 33 percent and 25 percent.

Males directed 86 percent of all TV episodes.

White males directed 7 out of 10 episodes.

All women and minority men, combined, directed 3 out of 10 episodes.

Men of color directed 17 percent of all episodes, an increase over the previous year.

White women directed 12 percent of all episodes, the same rate as the previous year.

Women of color directed 2 percent of all episodes, the same rate as the previous year.

Overall, by age, 59 percent of female characters were in their 20s and 30s, while 58 percent of male characters were in their 30s and 40s.

Of all characters, 3 percent of females and 4 percent of males were older than 60.

Females accounted for 46 percent of characters in programs with at least one female writer and 39 percent of characters in shows with no female writers.

Females accounted for 47 percent of the cast in shows with at least one female creator and 39 percent of the cast in shows with no female creators.

In that cumulative category, these researchers concluded that in 2013-14 women were: 40 percent of producers, which was up from 38 percent in 2012-13. 26 percent of writers in 2013-14, down from 30 percent in 2012-13.  21 percent of executive producers, down from 24 percent in 2012-13.

19 percent of creators, down from 23 percent in 2012-13.

16 percent of editors, which was unchanged from 2012-13.

13 percent of directors, up from 11 percent in 2012-13.

1 percent of directors of photography, down from 2 percent in 2012-13.

Women in video game development:

Overall, 48 percent of gamers were female.

Women and men each purchased 50 percent of video games.

Women aged 18 and older were 36 percent of gamers, while boys aged 18 and younger were 17 percent of gamers.

On average, all adult gamers have been playing for 16 years; women have been playing for 13 years, on average, and men for an average of 18 years

Online Harassment:

Of young women aged 18-24, 26 percent said they had been stalked online and 25 percent said they were sexually harassed online, and that some of those threats were sustained over an extended period. In addition, women said “they do not escape the heightened rates of physical threats and sustained harassment common to their male peers and young people in general.”  Women were more likely than men to find their most recent experience with online harassment extremely or very upsetting; 38 percent of those women and 17 percent of those men described their suffering in those terms.

Although they hold almost 52 percent of all professional-level jobs, American women lag substantially behind men when it comes to their representation in leadership positions (source):

They are only 14.6 percent of executive officers, 8.1 percent of top earners, and 4.6 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs.

They hold just 16.9 percent of Fortune 500 board seats.

In the financial services industry, they make up 54.2 percent of the labor force, but are only 12.4 percent of executive officers, and 18.3 percent of board directors. None are CEOs.

They account for 78.4 percent of the labor force in health care and social assistance but only 14.6 percent of executive officers and 12.4 percent of board directors. None, again, are CEOs.

In the legal field, they are 45.4 percent of associates—but only 25 percent of nonequity partners and 15 percent of equity partners.

In medicine, they comprise 34.3 percent of all physicians and surgeons but only 15.9 percent of medical school deans.

In information technology, they hold only 9 percent of management positions and account for only 14 percent of senior management positions at Silicon Valley startups.

White men–by overwhelming numbers–hold the majority of power, wealth, and authority in the US.

Now that we have covered how women are oppressed by men in America, let’s look at the demographics of US women vs. other regions worldwide in violence statistics.

Regional data (source):

The report represents data regionally according to WHO regions.

For intimate partner violence, the type of violence against women for which more data were available, the worst affected regions were:

South-East Asia - 37.7% prevalence. Based on aggregated data from Bangladesh, Timor-Leste (East Timor), India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand.

Eastern Mediterranean - 37% prevalence. Based on aggregated data from Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Palestine.

Africa – 36.6% prevalence. Based on aggregated data from Botswana, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

For combined intimate partner and non-partner sexual violence or both among all women of 15 years or older, prevalence rates were as follows:

Africa – 45.6%

Americas – 36.1%

Eastern Mediterranean – 36.4%* (No data were available for non-partner sexual violence in this region)

Europe – 27.2%

South-East Asia – 40.2%

Western Pacific – 27.9%

High income countries – 32.7%

Violence against women in high-income countries:

In Canada a study of adolescents aged 15 to 19 found that 54 per cent of girls had experienced “sexual coercion” in a dating relationship. v

In the United States, 83 percent of girls aged 12 to 16 experience some for of sexual harassment in public schools. xviii

The United States is the third country with the highest rape statistics.

Another source on how the US has awful sexual assault rates.

The United States is rated one of the highest countries in the world for violence.

The US is a terrible place for women.

22 countries where the gender wage gap is smaller than the US

U.S. women are more likely to die during childbirth than women in any other developed country, leading the U.S. to be ranked 33rd among 179 countries on the health and well-being of women and children.

US women paid less in every industry.

The U.S. ranks high on education and economic opportunities for women. But it ranks 60th on political empowerment, compared to Canada’s (ranked 20th overall) 42nd position.

[compiled by @question-the-status-quo on this post]

[echo-bleu]

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019) Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Michael Guerin/Alex Manes, Background eventual Echo, Background Isobel/Noah - Relationship Characters: Alex Manes, Michael Guerin, Liz Ortecho, Kyle Valenti, Maria DeLuca, Isobel Evans, Max Evans Additional Tags: spy AU, Covert Affairs Fusion, No knowledge of Covert Affairs needed, Alternate Universe - Spies & Secret Agents, Alternate Universe - No Powers, CIA operatives, Canon Disabled Character, With added disabilities, Hurt/Comfort, Some Whump, Government Conspiracy, Very vague Leverage crossover, Jesse Manes is a War Crime, Running From The Government, Blind Character, Canon Queer Relationship Summary:

When rookie operative Michael Guerin is pulled out of training as bait to find a leak in the CIA, veteran spy Alex Manes, who has been out of the field since he was badly injured in Iraq, is assigned as his handler. Things get complicated when Guerin turns out to be the Michael Alex had a fling with on a beach in Sri Lanka three years ago, and even more when the leak case leads them to a conspiracy larger than they imagined, that seems to involve Alex's own father...

A/N: My brain has apparently decided I'm not writing enough fics, so here's the beginning of a new AU!

Huge thank you to @insidious-intent for helping me get my ideas in order and being an amazing beta and making this presentable. The title is also her suggestion. Thank you also to the Anon who got me excited for this AU!It's a spy AU, heavily enough inspired by Covert Affairs to qualify as a fusion, though it will diverge widely in terms of plot. Knowledge of Covert Affairs is not required at all to read.

This first chapter is a prologue of sort, so I'll be posting the real start of the story tomorrow or the day after.

[interrogation and alluded torture, allusion to war injuries and to abuse]

-

August 10, 2017

“Polygraph for CIA admission. August 10, 2017, Camp Peary, Virginia. A few questions for control. Your name is Michael Guerin?”

Michael wiggles uncomfortably, the blood pressure cuff chafing at his arm, before he remembers himself. This isn't exactly a job interview, but it's important for his career. He can't fuck this up.

“Yes,” he says, as convincingly as he can.

“You're twenty seven years old?”

“Yes.”

He glances at the camera sitting in front of him, breathing through his nerves. He can do this.

“You reside in Washington D.C.?”

“Georgetown, yes.”

“You speak four languages?”

“I like to travel,” Michael says with a smile.

The operator frowns. “'Yes' or 'no' will be fine.”

Michael stops smiling, chastised. “Yes,” he says a bit sullenly.

“Okay, Michael. I'm going to ask you some personal questions now.”

On AO3

[good-times-with-theo]

Black Gold (Chapter Three)

Sydney Boutique Hotel; Sydney, Australia, 3:39 A.M.

Another day, another dollar, as they said. Australia was so uncomfortable with wearing suits and ties, as according to the UN and the Commonwealth of Nations dress code, so the second he always got home, he changed into his usual outfits. The outfits consisted of shorts, t-shirts, and savannah hats. Boots and socks, occasionally. Of course, since he was still trying to find a house for himself, he had to live in a hotel room by himself. The Australian States, or his kids, were all grown up and had their own houses. Mainly because they had the chance to go to college at a young age, unlike their father, who had to fight in both World Wars before even considering university so he could get a well-paying job to support his kids. That was well over 70 years ago now, and here he was: a broke college student trying to find a home so he can stop living at this cursed hotel. Australia sat down on his couch and grabbed his phone, immediately getting a call that was rather coincidental to when he always grabbed his phone out. He answered the phone, only to be greeted by a scream and then the line going dead. “What in the bloody..?” Australia muttered, looking at his phone to see who the caller really was. He felt his heart drop to his stomach when he saw it was from his older brother, New Zealand. What had happened? Australia quickly changed before heading outside, only to find his brother surprisingly okay. “Zealand? What even happened?” Australia asked worriedly. “I heard a scream and--” New Zealand couldn’t help but chuckle. “Australia. That was my Halloween voicemail. Sorry about that.”

“You can’t scare me like that, mate! Do you know how terrified I was?!”

“Haha, yeah, I know. Sorry. I’ll change it. Anyway, we have to go to the Commonwealth of Nations building. Again.”

Australia sighed in annoyance. He didn’t even bother changing back into his suit, mainly because he knew that doing such a task would just delay him and his brother from getting there on time. He got into the passenger seat of his brother’s car, which was a 2010 Ford colored in navy blue that their father had given New Zealand.

Commonwealth of Nations, London, United Kingdom; 7:19 P.M.

After a long drive to the airport, plus a 23-hour long flight from Sydney to London, Australia and New Zealand finally made it in time for the meeting. Of course, they had to stay with their parents until that Sunday, which meant that they would be in their childhood bedroom that they shared for about three to four whole days, plus today, making it five. “Ah, hello, Australia and New Zealand,” Brunei greeted them formally at the door. The two brothers greeted Brunei as they kept walking. Of course, due to Australia’s much taller height than his brother, he saw their father first. “What’s been going on?” Australia immediately asked. “Mom said that you left for London after America had a World War I bomb in his house, then you went missing for three days.” The UK sighed. “Yeah, I know. I went on a secret mission in Buenos Aires with Argentina to figure out certain fault lines. I just returned an hour ago, and now I have a meeting to attend despite my lack of sleep and energy,” the Brit replied, looking at his son.

“Well, what’s going on anyway? You know, with China and Southeast Asia?”

“It’s a long story. Basically, China’s power over the world has been increasing tensions within Asia, Europe, and even North and South America. Even Central America is starting to grow uneasy with China’s growing power. Though, little can be done to stop such a global superpower. The Middle East has been getting worse with the tensions, especially between Bangladesh and Pakistan. The two, once united as father and son, have been arguing due to India’s grip on Bangladesh. I’m sure you know of China’s intentions with the Philippines and North Korea. If not, then that’s a whole other story I’d rather not get into at the moment. In other words besides my own, the world is going on complete lockdown, and that’s all because of Russia and other OPEC members trying to gain Wyomingite oil for their own profits.”

Australia couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Though, China had the tightest grips on himself, his father, and Canada. The three had all been easily manipulated into thinking that China could do no wrong, even when he had been one of the reasons the Cold War even began back in the late 1940s. “Wow,” was all the Australian would say to such a situation. “Mr. UK, Mr. Australia,” Sri Lanka suddenly said to the two. “You’re both needed in Pakistan’s office immediately.” The two nodded, quickly walking to Pakistan’s office in the Middle Eastern section of the Asian Wing. They both hoped it was nothing serious, but who knows. They could both be in deep, deep trouble the second they enter that office.

After a 10-minute elevator ride from the Oceania and European Wings, the two swiftly made their way to Pakistan’s office, knocking on the door before entering. “Pakistan. You called us?” The UK asked firmly. “Yes, yes. Come in. The door isn’t locked,” Pakistan replied from the office. Australia walked in with his father. “What seems to be the issue?” Australia asked.

“Well, I called you two here specifically because of China’s tight, tight grip on us all. Firstly, with the UK. His grip on you is the tightest; always has been, always will be. If you disobey anything he says, your economy will collapse, and so will your nation.”

The UK visibly flinched at the thought. “I know. He also owns half of Australia’s land and helps with his economy as well, whilst he is merely your ally whom you have been having particularly horrid tension within recent years,” he said.

“I know, which is what I would like to acknowledge. His grip on Australia is almost as tight as yours, whilst his on me is hardly even considered a grip. Merely, I am just a puppet for his control. Australia must do everything China says, or else his economy will suffer greatly, but could possibly recover if Australia was forgiven by China for certain actions that he could possibly commit. For example, Australia could make propaganda about China’s communist government, which means that Australia is speaking out against a government that forbids such an act of treason against the Supreme Leader, or the dictator as many other democratic nations refer to them as. If that were to be the case of a situation, China could cut off all trade within Australia’s land, shut down factories, and stop network services, which could cause banks to close and many other tragic collapses in the government. The Australian stock market could collapse, and your own son would be in so much debt that he would never be able to pay it back,” Pakistan said.

Australia stepped a small bit closer to the UK. “Well, what about you?” Australia finally said with enough effort to speak once again. “What will happen if you disobey China?” “Simple,” Pakistan replied. “I will be executed in front of my daughters, Islamabad and Karachi, and my daughters will suffer greatly because of my own actions that were intended to be against China himself, or his government. I do not wish to die in front of my young daughters when even they cannot grasp the idea of death nor grief at such a young age.”

The UK sighed. “We need to deal with China before it’s too late. He could go to America next or even France. He could even reach U.S cities and states,” he said firmly. “He already has,” Australia replied quietly. “Georgia and a few other U.S States rely on China to live. He is their best trading partner. I mean, it’s better than who Louisiana trades with.”

“Who does that boy trade with?” The UK asked hesitantly.

“Saudi Arabia. One of the worst countries ever. He only asks for sand and weapons, which Louisiana, along with Uncle Scotland and a few others, are struggling to keep as their main exports to Saudi Arabia. Especially now since Riyadh, who is Saudi’s son, is now in charge whilst his father is in custody,” Australia answered. Now, it was up to those three to lead a revolution, whether they died in it, or died after it. They needed to break China’s control.

This is only because China is the reason as to why families are being ripped apart, why children are becoming orphans like Riyadh, and even why brothers and sisters are betraying one another for land, just like China had done to Taiwan during the Chinese Civil War.

It was their job to either save the world or let everyone become puppets to China.

Cape Town, South Africa; 5:24 P.M.

Even African countries had fallen prey to China’s manipulation. Well, most of them except for a few others. South Africa was one of them. He was the most famous of the African continent and knew exactly why. Though, he hardly spoke and had a rather formal nature to him, possibly because of the British influence on his country. “Greetings, South Africa!” Egypt said proudly, taking a formal bow to the man. “I’m sure you have heard of recent news involving our dear neighbors in the Middle East; Pakistan if I may specify.” South Africa looked up from his work. “Let me guess: China’s taken control again and is causing tension within Southeast Asia and the rest of the world?” He asked in a formal tone. “Good guess! A correct one indeed, Sir!” Egypt replied happily. “Well, I have come to inform you that the United Nations leaders have called you and Somalia to represent all of Africa. Of course, I envy you, but I do not wish to cause sabotage upon you nor our dear Somalian friend!” The two countries suddenly heard a car rolling up in the driveway. Somalia’s car. “Ah! Speaking of our Somalian buddy!” Egypt said with a bright smile, going to the door and letting Somalia in with a bow. “Greetings, Somalia, sir!” Egypt said proudly. Somalia just nodded and went to South Africa. “Hey. I’m sure our messenger here told you about the recent news and the calling of our presence for the representation of the entire continent, right?” Somalia said formally. South Africa nodded. “How will we represent 54 total countries on a supercontinent, though? All of them have different opinions, different claims, and even different ideologies,” he said. Somalia sighed. “I’m not sure,” he replied quietly. “We could ask all of them about the current situation and see which decision has the most. In that case, then we go with that.” South Africa got a pen, paper, and a clipboard. He quickly put the piece of paper on the clipboard and held his pen in his hand. “That’s the best option we have,” he said. “Egypt!” The South African said firmly. Egypt looked up from getting the mail. “Get one of the cars. One of the business ones. I’m sure you know which airport to take us to by now,” South Africa commanded. Egypt nodded, swiftly going out to the garage with a pair of car keys. After a few more minutes, the car that was perfect to arrive at the airport was in their driveway with South Africa and Somalia entering. Now, they had a long drive ahead of them to the nearest airport. A long, quiet drive with nothing but their thoughts.

Cape Town International Airport; 6:24 P.M.

The two countries were now waiting for their flight to Manhattan, New York, so they could attend the United Nations meeting they never thought would happen in their own lifetimes. “I can’t believe what’s going on… First, China’s manipulating everyone, now he’s causing nothing but tensions throughout the world? Soon enough, we’re gonna be hearing about Russia and North Korea’s relations strengthening into a global superpower relations rank,” Somalia said, looking at the news articles on his phone. “Yeah… It’s getting much, much worse ever since China’s population reached one billion,” South Africa replied. “And that’s mere because of the taxes in his own country. They’re high, and they’re giving him nothing but money to him and his government, yet he claims he cannot feed his own children nor his own brother. He also claims that the Hong Kong protests aren’t happening, even though protestors within his daughter’s own country have been getting beaten and arrested by Chinese police officers who work for China.” Somalia knew how serious the situation was getting, and what it could mean for the future of the world. Especially Africa. Most of the countries had some sort of trading route with China, but Somalia never knew if South Africa himself had ties with the communist. The PA System announced that their flight was boarding and the two stood up with their carry-on bags. “You got first class, right? I don’t want to be sitting next to a crying baby the entire flight,” Somalia said to his friend. “Of course I got first class. Who do you think I am, Central African Republic?” South Africa retorted, looking at Somalia. Somalia chuckled. “No, of course not. Besides, being rich is better than being poor. We can laugh in the faces of those poor imbeciles and watch their countries collapse into chaos, war, and even protests. Like Europe’s current condition,” the Somalian said, a proud grin on his face. South Africa fell silent as he boarded onto the plane. Sure, he was rich and kind of a snob, but that doesn’t mean he was rude and arrogant like many people thought he was. He always offered his help to the other countries of Africa, and even on other continents like Oceania and North America (even though North America didn’t really need his help anymore. Well, Mexico does but he prefers not to speak of it.) After they got situated on the flight, they were offered food and drinks, which the two politely declined for the first half of the flight. Oh, how they regretted it later. As they were flying over the Indian Ocean, they felt an unusual amount of turbulence. It caused people's carry-on bags to fall out of their compartments and spill all over the floor. “What’s happening?” Somalia asked nervously, looking at South Africa. “We have to jump out of this plane. It’s going down,” South Africa replied, only loud enough for Somalia to hear. Somalia was shocked as most people would be, but he nodded in agreement not a moment later, grabbing out the life jackets and raft from his carry-on bag. “I keep these on me at all times. I always come prepared,” Somalia said when South Africa looked at him weirdly. South Africa just nodded and they went to the back of the plane, opening the cargo door as some cargo fell into the Indian Ocean. “Push the life raft into the water after you get your life jacket on!” Somalia shouted over the roaring plane engines next to him and South Africa. They felt a jolt and the life raft suddenly fell out with Somalia still in it. “Somalia! Are you okay?” South Africa asked from the cargo door. “Yeah! I think,” Somalia replied. “Jump down! The boat’s drifting away too quickly for me to try and stop it with the ore!” Somalia then shouted up. South Africa took a running start and jumped into the life raft, landing on the boat safely. “Thank the Gods,” Somalia muttered. “You alright?” He then asked South Africa. “Yeah. I’m fine. What should we do now?”

“We wait until we see land. It’ll be a long, long drift to New York’s coast.”

“Okay. I understand.”

The two countries started their long journey to the United States coastal line. It would be a long, cold road ahead of them. But they had each other. For now.

Mexico City, Mexico; December 16th, 2019

Christmas was always hectic for Mexico. Of course, so was Mexico City, but that was normal for his capital. He had just gotten out of the local cafe shop when he was called by America. “Hola?” Mexico said as he answered. “USA, why are you calling me? Aren’t you busy with the current situation between you and OPEC?” America sighed. “I was, but then South Africa and Somalia washed up on New York’s shore. Now I have to take care of their injuries,” he replied.

“Let me guess; you called me so I could go over and take care of them while you deal with a possible third World War on your hands?”

“Yeah! That would be great! Could you come over right now if that’s possible?”

Mexico was a little concerned. He still had to finish wrapping gifts for his kids, and if he stopped, they could find them and it would no longer be a surprise. “USA, it’s almost Christmas! I cannot take care of them while I still have a family to care about!” Mexico said, clearly upset.

“Fine, fine, fine. When you’re done wrapping gifts, get over here. Or else I’m telling Argentina of what happened with you and Brazil,” America replied as he hung up. Mexico immediately knew he couldn’t let Argentina know how he actually broke his arm back in September. He quickly drove up to America’s border and got in, meeting America there.

“Wrapping gifts didn’t really seem that important after all, huh?”

“Oh shut it, you American idiot.”

Long Island, New York; 11:23 A.M.

“So what exactly happened? Do either of you remember anything?” Canada asked the two African countries. “I remember hearing that the plane was coming down, jumping out of the cargo door, and landing in this life raft,” Somalia replied. “Canadá, just give up already,” Mexico said, looking at the Canadian. “Somalia is the only one that can still be considered alive, whilst South Africa could die at any moment if we don’t get a blood transfusion in the next hour.” Canada just sighed, pulling a chair from the dining room table and sitting down, staring at the ground. “USA, you should call Switzerland. He’s the only doctor around for miles,” Greenland chimed in, looking at America. The American shrugged. “Does it look like I would have the number for that Swiss?” America said firmly.

“Well, isn’t he one of your closest allies, like that Italian?”

“What did you just say about Italy?!”

Canada grabbed America and made him sit down. “I know I have Switzerland’s number, so let me call him.” He then turned to America. “Don’t attack Greenland unless you wanna get on Denmark’s bad side. You know fully well how he can get if you attack his territory that is already beginning to melt because of your pollution.” He swiftly left the room, his snow boots clicking on the hallway floor as he dialed Switzerland’s number. “Hey, Switz? You got a moment or two?” The Canadian asked.

“Yes, why? Did America run out of medication?” Switzerland asked.

“No, no. America is fine. He’s been taking his BPD meds. It’s about South Africa. We found him and Somalia stranded on Long Island’s beach after New York called us, demanding we rush over there immediately.”

There was a moment of hesitation before Switzerland answered. “I’ll be right there,” he then said with a sigh. He then hung up.

Canada walked back out of the other room. “Switzerland is on his way. We can also assume that Austria might be brought over as well,” he said to the others. America visibly flinched at the mention of Austria, for Austria had been the person to approve of the oil heist. “I know you don’t want him to come, but I still want so save South Africa. He doesn’t deserve to die because of him trying to escape a crashing plane,” Canada then said. He then heard knocking and let Switzerland inside. “He’s upstairs in the guest room. Somalia is fine,” Mexico said to Switzerland, looking at him. Switzerland nodded, and Austria soon followed him upstairs. The Austrian felt America’s eyes on him the whole way. He was honestly nervous to be in the same house as someone whom he had tried to steal from. Now, they had to deal with not just the crisis, but two African countries found injured on American soil. That added more tension, and now European countries were beginning to get involved.