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[arofili]

podcast posters ★ MOYA

Each of us all, Agent Nevin. Each of us all.

[ingek73]

After that disastrous royal tour, is the sun finally setting on the Commonwealth?

Moya Lothian-McLean

A reckoning with those countries that have held on to Queen Elizabeth as their head of state is long overdue – as William and Kate’s trip to the Caribbean made clear

Published: 16:34 Sunday, 27 March 2022

Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William arrive in Nassau

Just how long has the British monarchy been in crisis? This time – after “Megxit”, after Prince Andrew – it was the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s disastrous trip to the Caribbean. What was supposed to be a “charm offensive”, drumming up enthusiasm in the year of the Queen’s platinum jubilee, ended up looking more like a long goodbye, with the headlines spotlighting anti-royal protests, failures to address legacies of slavery, and the news that Jamaica is planning to ditch the Queen as head of state.

It may well be time for the royal family to face up to the fact that the sun is setting on those final remnants of the empire that they once embodied – and not a moment too soon.

For Britons, it can be easy to forget that the Queen’s realm and territories stretch far beyond these isles. Out of the 54 “independent and equal nations” that make up the Commonwealth of Nations, 15 (including the UK) still count the Queen as their head of state. Becoming a republic doesn’t necessitate surrendering membership of the Commonwealth itself – it simply means a symbolic rejection of British rule. And with Barbados finally taking the leap last year, longstanding debates about republicanism have been reignited in the remaining realms.

The issue is just as hotly debated in the likes of Australia (54% of people there would support becoming a republic) as it is in Jamaica, but packing William and Kate off to the Caribbean has inevitably focused minds in that region. Though republican camps in the Caribbean have long cited the impact of colonialism and slavery on the contemporary fortunes of their countries, a new reckoning is afoot, against the backdrop of the global Black Lives Matter movement and renewed conversations about the legacy of empire. Thanks to the attention the royals command, the disintegration of British overseas rule is being documented in real time.

The signs weren’t looking good for William and Kate from the outset. The couple’s first official engagement, in Belize, was unceremoniously cancelled after protests from the Q’eqehi Maya people over a land dispute with a charity that William patronises. Heading to Jamaica, they were met with more demonstrations, this time calling on the royals to address the issue of reparations for the several hundred years they directly profited from the slave trade. Government officials backed up the sentiment, with Jamaica’s prime minister, Andrew Holness, informing a solemn William and Kate that the country was “moving on’’ and wanted to be “independent”, seemingly following the example of Barbados. It’s no wonder the royals were gracing Sunday’s front pages in damage-limitation mode, with William offering a half-apology for the tour.

As ever, sometimes opening their mouths only makes things worse: in a speech given in Kingston last week, Prince William expressed “profound sorrow” for the transatlantic slave trade, but people were quick to point out that he stopped short of an apology or acknowledging the monarchy’s direct interests in slavery. At one point in history, enslaved Black Africans arriving in the Caribbean via the Royal African Company were branded with the initials “DY”, marking them as the property of the then Duke of York . Royal profiting from slavery continued apace – the future William IV even personally argued for the continuation of the trade in the House of Commons in 1799, a move that, according to historian Brooke Newman, helped “delay” abolition for a few more years but “misjudged the mood of the nation” – and damaged the reputation of the royal family as a result.

For the royals, the trip has been a sharp lesson in how people in the Commonwealth now perceive Britain and its institutions. As the Jamaican dancehall artist Beenie Man put it during an interview with ITV News: “We are just here, controlled by the British, ruled by the British law when you go in the court. It’s all about the Queen … but what are they doing for Jamaica? They’re not doing anything for us.” The Jamaican writer Ashley Rouen Brown summed up the grounds for resentment succinctly: Jamaicans, he wrote, are “currently the only citizens within the Commonwealth realm that require a visa to visit the land of their head of state”. Meanwhile, requests for financial reparations, in recognition of the impact centuries of plunder had on economic prospects, have been met with egregious responses, like David Cameron’s 2015 offer for Britain to finance a £25m prison to hold Jamaican “criminals” in lieu of compensation for slavery.

In Jamaica, republicanism has been part of the political conversation since the 1970s, and there is cross-party support for the move. But now, debate has been replaced by decision. Emancipation is in full swing. It’s no coincidence that it comes as the Queen – who “made the Commonwealth central to her life when she became monarch” – reaches the twilight of her reign. But nor can it be a coincidence that this is all happening after several years of governmental and monarchical misrule in London. The aftermath of the Windrush scandal still leaves a bitter taste. And, albeit on a different scale, it’s worth taking account of some more of Beenie Man’s words: “If Harry was coming, people would react different,” he said. “People are going to meet Harry.” In that sense, the royals really are the authors of their own misfortune.

But with or without the Sussexes, there is an air of historical inevitability to all this. So, what happens next? Ahead of Kate and William’s visit, the Windrush campaigner Patrick Vernon said: “If Jamaica decided it did [want to become a republic], there would be a domino effect on the rest of the English-speaking Caribbean.”

His words may well be prescient. The royal couple flew into the Bahamas, the last leg of their tour, to be greeted by protests on the ground and opposition from the likes of the Bahamas National Reparations Committee. Belize has announced a constitutional review, and late last year leaders including the St Vincent premier were urging fellow Commonwealth realms to attain republican status. The wheels seem firmly set in motion, with the royals’ open-backed Land Rover left spinning in the sand.

This kind of reckoning with reality is long overdue, and, who knows, it may even be a long-term positive for Britain if it helps disabuse our political class of its globe-trotting, Empire 2.0 fantasies. At the very least, now is the time to admit that for many parts of the world, the benefits of sovereign British rule are most heavily felt by the home nation itself. Within our own borders, we may kid ourselves that the monarchy is still a glittering jewel in our crown. But for many people overseas who wish to escape the long shadow of empire and exploitation, the shine has well and truly rubbed off.

Moya Lothian-Mclean presents Human Resources, a podcast about the legacies of Britain’s slaving history

[kotorswtor]

Reasons I can’t Clone Wars AU my SWTOR kids:

The Jedi Order was comparatively decentralized during the Old Old Republic; semi-autonomous enclaves with a lot of inter-Order philosophical and cultural diversity (which, there’s more of that in the prequel era than people tend to realize, but it’s exponentially greater earlier on, for better and worse) are a thing, and losing that impacts their characterization in a big way. Under the prequel-era system, Ellekai would probably never have been allowed to become a knight, Nauri and Moya would have washed out hard after their initial deployments, et cetera.

There’s a big enough staffing crunch that Ellekai would eventually have to be put in charge of a squad of clone troops...and she would go Full Anakin the second anyone hurt any of them.

[sabrinasu1998]

Weak buck increases gold ahead of U.S. tasks data

 Spot gold prices rose on Friday, propped up by a weaker buck, with financiers awaiting the U.S. jobs data to evaluate the Federal Reserve's plans to begin tapering property purchases.

 Spot gold increased 0.21% to $1813.05 per ounce and area silver climbed 0.46% to $23.99 per ounce by 17:30( GMT +8).

 The US dollar index floated near a one-month low, bolstering gold's attract those holding various other money. The paper money was headed for second straight regular decline.

 " We're seeing minor pre-positioning for individuals that may be intending to take a punting into the non-farm payroll," stated Stephen Innes, handling companion at SPI Asset Management.

 A weak number "would certainly be rather positive for gold, trigger it enhances (Fed Chair Jerome) Powell's a lot more careful overview for the U.S. economy ... We can see a break listed below $1,800 threshold if we get a solid print," Innes included.

 Ahead of the Labor Department's non-farm pay-rolls report, information showed the number of Americans submitting brand-new claims for out of work advantages fell last week, while layoffs went down to their lowest level in more than 24 years in August.

 Powell had actually said recently if task development continues, the central bank might begin to cut its asset acquisitions this year, yet would continue to be cautious in choice to elevate rate of interest.

 While gold is considered a hedge versus rising cost of living and also currency debasement, brought on by unprecedented stimulation measures, lower rates of interest likewise decrease the possibility price of holding non-yielding bullion.

 The price of gold is prejudiced to go down right into a variety of $1,788-$ 1,797 per ounce, as the combination above a falling trendline lasts also long, according to Reuters technical expert Wang Tao.

 Dollar hits one-month lows before payrolls test

 The dollar sank to its least expensive in almost a month against significant opponents on Friday, ahead of an important U.S. work report that might spur the Federal Reserve to an earlier tapering of stimulation.

 The buck index, which measures the greenback versus six peers, was bit transformed at 92.227 after earlier touching 92.151 for the very first time given that Aug. 5.

 The euro was likewise mainly flat at $1.1876, after striking the highest since Aug. 4 at $1.1884, supported by regional rising cost of living at a decade high as well as hawkish rhetoric from European Central Bank authorities ahead of a policy meeting on Sept. 9.

 Meanwhile, the U.S. reserve bank has made a labour market recovery a condition for paring pandemic-era possession purchases.

 " With 5.7 mn less people employed than in February 2020, bench looks rather high for the Powell Fed to be rushed right into introducing tapering at Sep 22nd Fed meeting," ING planners claimed in a note.

 Signals from the economy ahead of the report have been blended. Overnight, data revealed layoffs dropped to their lowest in greater than 24 years. The ADP National Employment Report on Wednesday was much weaker than economists expected.

 Republic Bank of Australia anticipates the United States included 800,000 tasks last month, which it claims would certainly suffice to stimulate the Fed to taper, although bench for a news at this month's meeting has actually been elevated by the current outbreak.

 " The danger is uncertainty related to the infection stands in the way of an imminent taper announcement," which would reverse any type of buck gains from a strong pay-rolls report, CBA strategists wrote in a report.

 The Australian dollar increased 0.3% to $0.7426 after earlier touching a one-month high $0.7430.

 The New Zealand dollar obtained 0.18% to $0.7125 after rising to the greatest given that June 16 at $0.7130.

 The paper money included 0.1% to 110.03 yen, holding near the centre of its trading variety considering that early July and revealing little response to Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's decision to step down at the end of the month.

 Oil costs mixed ahead of U.S. jobs record, even more gains eyed

 Crude oil prices were greatly constant on Friday as a rebound in worldwide demand was commonly anticipated but a sluggish recovery for the U.S. Gulf Coast export and refining center from the typhoon earlier today weighed on rates.

 Brent crude oil price rose 0.81% to $73.212 a barrel and WTI crude oil rate rose 0.55% to $69.9768.68 a barrel by 17:30( GMT +8).

 The move down in WTI was most likely because of investors squaring positions ahead of the U.S. non-farm pay-rolls report for August readied to be released on Friday, experts said, on worries the report might be weak than consensus forecasts.

 Global oil demand has been suppressed as extensive power outages are reducing the resuming of refineries that were shut in Louisiana.

 " It's risk-free to state that the oil market is still feeling the results of Hurricane Ida," stated Stephen Brennock of oil broker PVM.

 " The loss of U.S. refinery demand will likely be extra extended than the loss of unrefined supply given the extent of power interruptions and flooding in the area."

 Concerning 1.7 million barrels daily of crude oil production continues to be shut in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, with damage to heliports and fuel depots reducing the return of teams to overseas platforms, resources informed Reuters.

 Some experts see area for more rate gains in the middle of tightening unrefined materials and indicators of recuperating demand after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries as well as allies, called OPEC+, stayed with a plan to add 400,00 barrels daily (bpd) to the market over the next couple of months.

 " With an oil market still highly in deficit for the remainder of the year, oil appears poised to rally better as OPEC+ signals discipline in relieving cuts and also as U.S. stockpiles remain to decline," Edward Moya, elderly market expert at OANDA, claimed.

 Oriental stock exchange mixed after Wall St hits one more document

 Asian-Pacific stock markets were combined Friday as investors waited to see whether U.S. hiring in August was weak enough to convince the Federal Reserve to delay the winding down of economic stimulation.

 Nikkei 225 climbed 2.05% to 29,128.11.

South Korea KOSPI climbed 0.79% to 3,201.06.

S&P/ ASX 200 climbed 0.50% to close at 7,522.90.

Taiwan capitalization weighted supply increased 1.14% to 17,516.92.

Hang Seng Index fell 0.72% to 25,901.99.

 Markets were awaiting U.S. information on employment, which the Fed has indicated is a factor in making a decision when to trim stimulus.

 Financiers are making "depraved wagers" that reduced U.S. jobs numbers "will push the Fed to postpone taper for longer, thus buoying markets," Venkateswaran Lavanya of Mizuho Bank claimed in a record.

 Capitalist positive outlook had been boosted by solid U.S. business revenues and the spread of coronavirus inoculations. The more infectious delta variation and also actions to stop it are considering on service and consumer activity.

 Elon Musk has actually told Tesla workers that the automaker is intending to launch its formerly announced $25,000 electric cars and truck in 2023.

 The CEO hinted that it could not also be geared up with a steering wheel.

 At Tesla Battery Day last year, CEO Elon Musk announced that Tesla will be making a $25,000 electrical auto.

 Tesla is presently trying to launch its Full Self-Driving Beta software program to its wider fleet in the United States by the end of the month.

[gordonwilliamsweb]

Teen Volunteers Get a Foot in the Door for Nursing Home Careers

Jasmine De Moya, 17, has dreamed for years of working in the medical field, and she yearned to spend time with older people, missing her grandparents, who live in the Dominican Republic. A program sponsored by the New Jewish Home health system in New York City that combines volunteering and free training for entry-level health jobs, career coaching and assistance on her college prep is helping make her hopes come alive.

Over the past three years, Jasmine has learned a lot about caring for older people, from the importance of speaking slowly and being gentle with frail residents who may have hearing or comprehension problems to how to brush their teeth or bathe them.

“We practiced first with mannequins, so when we actually [worked on residents] I was in shock,” she said. “Cleaning a body and their private areas, I never expected I would do that. But then I got used to it.”

Last summer, Jasmine completed a certified nursing assistant training course. She has also researched and applied for colleges and student loans with help from an organization that the geriatrics career development program provides to volunteers like her. After graduating from high school last month, Jasmine will start nursing school at Lehman College in the Bronx in the fall. She’ll be the first in her family to attend college.

Since it launched in 2006, the geriatrics career development program has helped more than 700 high school students from 10 underserved schools in New York City get hands-on experience with geriatric care at the New Jewish Home in Manhattan and the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Gardens senior living facility in the Bronx. Ninety-nine percent of program participants graduate from high school, and more than 150 have gone on to college.

The advantages of the program are also evident for the New Jewish Home, which operates two nursing homes, senior housing and assisted living facilities and a home care business in the New York City area. By familiarizing young people with geriatric care careers, the system aims to address its growing need for workers as the tide of baby boomers enter their later years.

Six of the top 10 fastest-growing jobs in the decade leading up to 2029 are projected to be in health care, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, including home health and personal care aides.

“One of our biggest challenges is that there aren’t enough people who want to work in this industry,” said Dr. Jeffrey Farber, president and CEO of the New Jewish Home system. “People don’t want to work with older adults.”

The New Jewish Home began its career development program for teens 15 years ago with the idea of training and hiring them as nursing assistants, Farber said.

But it has become more than that. Working a few afternoons a week for three years with older adults, students gain insights into aging and develop relationships with residents, some of whom are assigned as mentors. It also gives students assistance with figuring out career goals and putting the pieces in place to get there.

“I think the students would be successful without us, but we provide the structure and resources to help them succeed,” said John Cruz, senior director of workforce initiatives at the New Jewish Home, who oversees the program.

Students generally must devote two afternoons after school every week and several weeks during the summer, said Cruz. The program curriculum, developed with Columbia University Teachers College, initially teaches students basics about patient privacy, Medicare/Medicaid and overcoming stereotypes about older people. By the time they’re seniors in high school, students can train as certified nursing assistants and work as paid interns supporting the residents on the days they spend at the facility.

As part of the program, students may also become certified in other jobs, including patient care technician, phlebotomist, EKG technician, and medical coding and billing staff.

The pandemic, however, changed things. The New Jewish Home in Manhattan was hit hard, with dozens of covid deaths at the 514-bed facility.

Since volunteers weren’t permitted inside the facility, the home instead hired many of them as part-time employees so they could continue to help seniors. This also gave students a chance to complete the clinical training portion of their certified nursing assistant coursework.

In addition to the program for high school students, the health system created a program in 2014 for people ages 18 to 24 who are unemployed and out of school, training them to become certified home health aides and nursing assistants. Nearly 200 have completed the program and the New Jewish Home has hired three-quarters of them, at a starting wage of $15 to $19 an hour.

Both programs are supported primarily by grants from foundations.

In February, the state announced that nursing homes could accept visitors again, following federal guidelines. But many nursing home residents still rely on virtual visits, and during the spring Jasmine spent her time helping them connect with their families and other loved ones by iPad or phone.

The isolation was hard on the residents, and students provided sorely missed company. Asked how the students helped her, resident Dominga Marquez, 78, said, “Just talk.”

“We are lonely,” said Marquez. “I have a lot of friends that used to come every week to visit but, with the pandemic, nobody came.”

Kennedy Johnson, 17, said helping seniors experience virtual visits with their families during the pandemic made him realize how much he takes for granted.

“With the pandemic and doing the virtual calls, seeing how these families don’t get to interact with their loved ones every day, that really opened my eyes,” he said.

Working at the New Jewish Home was the first time Kennedy had ever been in a nursing home or seen the kinds of work that staff members do.

In the fall, he will start at Morehouse College in Atlanta and plans to major in political science. His goal: “I want to be a health care attorney so I can represent people … like this.”

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

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[lollipoplollipopoh]

🇻🇪 🛢️Venezuela's oil meltdown | Counting the Cost by Al Jazeera English Cereal-maker Kelloggs became the latest multinational to pull out of Venezuela this week. Management blamed the economic crisis unfolding in the Latin American nation. Despite holding one of the world's largest reserves of heavy crude oil, Venezuela cannot feed its people. Hyperinflation along with a $70bn bond default means that basic food and medicine can't be imported. The military has been put in charge of food distribution and the government is running out of cash. But despite the near economic collapse, President Nicolas Maduro, is standing for re-election. The US, the EU and 15 of Latin America's biggest countries have already said they will not recognise the result. The country's sole source of income is oil, but even the industry is in meltdown. The oil price recovery has done little to help Venezuela. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) says oil production is down to a 30-year low of around 1.4mn barrels a day. And troubles are mounting for Venezuela's state run oil company PDVSA as lawsuits over unpaid bonds are bubbling. This week, the Caribbean Island of Curacao ruled that US oil major ConocoPhillips could seize assets owned by PDVSA. The market has already absorbed the idea that Venezuela increasingly will no longer be a key player within OPEC and that all production will systematically continue declining. Diego Moya-Ocampos, senior analyst for the Americas, IHS Markit Venezuela uses refineries on the Island of Curacao to store a significant portion of the oil it exports to its foreign markets. Direct sanctions on the oil sector are also a possibility. "Until now, a perception within markets has been that Venezuela pays late, but pays," explains Diego Moya-Ocampos, senior analyst for the Americas for IHS Markit. "Few creditors have dared to initiate or file legal actions against Venezuela to try to seize assets. Instead, they've preferred to look behind the scenes from some sort of payment agreement. After Conoco and the recent actions of these days, we're seeing a more aggressive stance and less patience from creditors trying to seize Venezuelan assets and certainly no one wants to be the last in line." Moya-Ocampos believes that even though global oil prices are increasing, "the market has already absorbed the idea that Venezuela increasingly will no longer be a key player within OPEC and that all production will systematically continue declining." "The issue of the economy doesn't seem to be a priority for President Maduro. He's just focused on trying to maintain power ... but as we speak, the economy is likely to contract at least 15 percent this year," says Moya-Ocampo. "Inflation's already the highest in the world and will likely continue escalating, shortages of food and basic goods will likely continue intensifying, and with oil production continuing to decline, the government has increasingly less room to manoeuvre. We're not seeing any signs of Maduro's administration sending any indication that they'll radically change the direction of the economy." Also on this episode of Counting the Cost: Internet change: On May 25, the Internet will change. From that date, if your personal data is being used by any company in the European Union then you have rights that didn't exist before. Jason Bier of The Engine Media Group discusses the new rules giving consumers the right to be forgotten online. Diego Naranjo of European Digital Rights also offers his take. France's Iran dilemma: French President Emmanuel Macron says European companies should be able choose freely whether to trade with Iran, regardless of the re-introduction of US sanctions. But some French companies are under pressure to shut down their operations in the Islamic republic, fearing consequences for their US ventures if they defy the sanctions, as David Chater reports from Paris. Cambodia land grab: The remaining families in a long-running land dispute in Cambodia are vowing to fight until the end. Land grabbing by the government and private companies is a big issue there. In one case, they've been trying to remove people from an area in the capital to make way for new buildings. Wayne Hay reports from Phnom Penh. Cannes film funds: The 71st Cannes film festival wraps up this week. This glamourous event is not just about showing film. It's a huge movie market. And behind the scenes, it's all about securing funding to get films made. But outside of Europe, a lack of money is having an impact on independent cinema. Films are in danger of becoming Eurocentric and rarely seen by audiences in their own country, as Charlie Angela reports from Cannes. More from Counting the Cost on: YouTube - https://ift.tt/2mY0tCE Website - https://ift.tt/2m6SeXD - Subscribe to our channel: https://ift.tt/291RaQr - Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish - Find us on Facebook: https://ift.tt/1iHo6G4 - Check our website: https://ift.tt/2lOp4tL

[kpgimpactor]

Listening to Moya the podcast, the narrators voice is easy on the ears and his different accents are well done but I keep having to rewind every 20 mins bc it’s so monotone it fades into background noise even as it’s plugged into my ears

[youtholympicssquash]

WSF reveals Youth Olympic Games Squash Ambassadors

May 2018

36 young squash players from 27 nations spread across the globe will experience the sport's first taste of Olympic competition at the Youth Olympic Games in Argentina in October.

Squash has been chosen as a 'showcase' sport at Buenos Aires 2018, from 7-12 October. 18 young male and 18 young female Ambassadors, have been nominated by the five regions (Asia, Europe, Pan America, Africa and Oceania) of the World Squash Federation.

"These players, all under-18, will play on the all-glass showcourt at Technopolis Park, meet the young people who will attend and encourage them to try squash at the introductory clinics," said WSF President Jacques Fontaine. "Most importantly, they will be our representatives, our ambassadors.

"This is an exciting opportunity for squash to be a part of an Olympic event for the first time - hopefully a stepping stone towards achieving our dream of a place on the Olympic Games Programme."

The chosen athletes are: 

Jeremías Azaña, Dylan Tymkiw, Valentina Portieri & Abril Pellizari (Argentina)

Ethan Eyles & Alex Haydon (Australia)

Meagan Best (Barbados)

Charlotte Toogood (Bermuda)

Gabriel Pederiva (Brazil)

James Flynn (Canada)

Luis Alejandro Mancilla (Colombia)

Viktor Byrtus (Czech Republic)

Maria Paula Moya (Ecuador); 

Mostafa Asal & Jana Shiha (Egypt)

Erika Parker (El Salvador)

Sam Todd & Alice Green (England)

Toufik Mekhalfi (France)

Alejandro Enriquez (Guatemala)

Chung Yat Long & Chan Sin Yuk (Hong Kong China)

Tushar Shahani (India)

Conor Moran (Ireland)

Jonathan Walker (Jamaica)

Erisa Sano Herring (Japan)

Siow Yee Xian & Chan Yiwen (Malaysia)

Dina Anguiano Gomez (Mexico)

Fleur ! Maas (Netherlands)

Matthew Lucente & Kaitlyn Watts (New Zealand)

Lujan Palacios (Paraguay)

Rafael Gálvez (Peru)

Georgia Adderley (Scotland)

Ambre Allinckx (Switzerland).

[investmart007]

MEXICO CITY | Exit poll: Mexico's 'AMLO' leads in presidential vote

New Post has been published on https://www.stl.news/mexico-city-exit-poll-mexicos-amlo-leads-presidential-vote/140542/

MEXICO CITY | Exit poll: Mexico's 'AMLO' leads in presidential vote

MEXICO CITY — An exit poll gave an overwhelming lead to leftist populist candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in Mexico’s presidential election Sunday night, and one of his chief rivals conceded defeat shortly after polls closed nationwide.

The survey by Consulta Mitofsky said Lopez Obrador had a 16 to 26 percent lead over his nearest rival, conservative Ricardo Anaya.

The candidate said to be in third place, Jose Antonio Meade of the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party, acknowledged a Lopez Obrador victory in a televised speech.

“For the good of Mexico, I wish him the greatest success,” Meade said.

Lopez Obrador, better known as AMLO, has said he will transform Mexico if he wins this, his third bid for the presidency, vowing to overthrow the “mafia of power”  he claims has looted the country and rule for the poor.

“There is a lot of inequality, a lot of violence in this country,” said Lopez Obrador voter Hugo Carlos, 73. “This situation has to be changed.”

Exit polls by Consulta Mitofsky also forecast clear gubernatorial wins for allies of Lopez Obrador’s Morena party in four of eight state races on the ballot plus for the head of government in Mexico City. The central highland state of Guanajuato was predicted to go to a candidate of the conservative National Action Party.

While Lopez Obrador, 64, held a commanding lead in polls heading into Sunday’s vote, he worried many who fear he could set the country back decades and lead to disaster with an interventionist economic policy.

“I am concerned that some candidates are making proposals that are impossible, because they’re very expensive to carry out,” said Juan Carlos Limas, 26, who lined up at a Mexico City precinct to vote for Ricardo Anaya, who is running second in polls for a right-left coalition.

Lopez Obrador, who cast his ballot early Sunday, has pledged to give scholarships or paid apprenticeships to youth, and increase support payments for the elderly.

All the candidates are lambasting President Donald Trump‘s policies against migrants and Mexico, but voters were wondering who could best deal with Trump.

Sunday’s elections for posts at every level of government are Mexico’s largest ever and have become a referendum on corruption, graft and other tricks used to divert taxpayer money to officials’ pockets.

Some see this election as Lopez Obrador’s best shot at the presidency after 12 years of near-permanent campaigning with his anti-establishment message falling on receptive ears.

“The corrupt regime is coming to its end,”   Lopez Obrador said at his final campaign event Wednesday. “We represent modernity forged from below.”

Much of the popular ire has been aimed at unpopular President Enrique Pena Nieto‘s Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, whose market-oriented economic reforms have yet to benefit many Mexicans, and Meade struggled during the campaign to escape popular rejection of the party.

Anaya tried to harness the youth vote with an emphasis on technology and new ideas, but he divided his own conservative party to take its candidacy and it’s unclear if his new allies in the leftist Democratic Revolution Party will actually turn out for someone from the other end of the ideological spectrum.

Sunday was the first time that an independent candidate appears on the ballot.

Jaime “El Bronco” Rodriguez fought for attention with a horse-mounted “everyman” campaign and by tossing out policy bombs like his proposal to cut off the hands of public officials caught stealing. Without the big party machinery it was an uphill battle.

It is also the first time Mexicans living abroad can vote for down ballot races like senators.  More than 181,000 received ballots and the 97,000 that the National Electoral Institute had gotten back by Friday morning were already double what they got in 2012.

Casting his own vote, Pena Nieto promised to work with whoever wins on the transition.

“The president of the republic and his government will be absolutely respectful and support the authorities that are elected,”  Pena Nieto told reporters.

In both of Lopez Obrador’s previous two presidential losses he alleged fraud. In his first loss — by a mere 0.56 percent to conservative Felipe Calderon in 2006 — his supporters held months-long protests in Mexico City and he referred to himself as “the legitimate president.”

His allies warned even before Sunday’s presidential vote that there better not be any funny business.

Still, the voting was by and large peaceful, apart from the usual complaints about some volunteer-staffed polling places opening late.

The head of the country’s electoral institute, Lorenzo Cordova, said voting was proceeding “peacefully, without major incidents,” and that only four of the 156,807 polling places failed to open.

On Saturday, the Democratic Revolution party said four of its members were killed in Mexico State, west of Mexico City, while trying to prevent hand-outs of goods by the ruling party to potential voters.

The government of the northern state of Chihuahua reported that three people were arrested in the border city of Ciudad Juarez for allegedly trying to buy votes for an unnamed political party.

And in Michoacan state, polling places in a few villages were cancelled after some inhabitants said they didn’t want elections involving political parties, which they mistrust.  Some ballots were stolen and burned in the town of Nahuatzen to prevent voting.

In the northwestern border city of Tijuana, 29-year-old engineer Jorge Serrano Martinez said he voted for Lopez Obrador because he wanted “to give the opportunity to another political party to do different things.”

“He is not linked to any act of corruption and he has a history as a social fighter,” Serrano said. “I think he is the least corrupt of all.”

___

Associated Press writers Maria Verza and Andrea Rodriguez in Mexico City and Nancy Moya in Tijuana contributed to this report.”

By CHRISTOPHER SHERMAN and MARK STEVENSON,  Associated Press

[squashsite]

Youth Olympics Ambassadors

WSF Reveals Youth Olympic Games Squash Ambassadors

36 young squash players from 27 nations spread across the globe will experience the sport's first taste of Olympic competition at the Youth Olympic Games in Argentina in October.

Squash has been chosen as a 'showcase' sport at Buenos Aires 2018, from 7-12 October. 18 young male and 18 young female Ambassadors, have been nominated by the five regions (Asia, Europe, Pan America, Africa and Oceania) of the WSF.

"These players, all under-18, will play on the all-glass showcourt at Technopolis Park, meet the young people who will attend and encourage them to try squash at the introductory clinics," said WSF President Jacques Fontaine. "Most importantly, they will be our representatives, our ambassadors.

"This is an exciting opportunity for squash to be a part of an Olympic event for the first time - hopefully a stepping stone towards achieving our dream of a place on the Olympic Games Programme."

The chosen athletes are: 

Jeremías Azaña, Dylan Tymkiw, Valentina Portieri & Abril Pellizari (Argentina); Ethan Eyles & Alex Haydon (Australia); Meagan Best (Barbados); Charlotte Toogood (Bermuda); Gabriel Pederiva (Brazil); James Flynn (Canada); Luis Alejandro Mancilla (Colombia); Viktor Byrtus(Czech Republic); Maria Paula Moya (Ecuador); Mostafa Asal & Jana Shiha (Egypt); Erika Parker (El Salvador); Sam Todd & Alice Green (England); Toufik Mekhalfi (France); Alejandro Enriquez (Guatemala); Chung Yat Long & Chan Sin Yuk (Hong Kong China); Tushar Shahani (India); Conor Moran(Ireland); Jonathan Walker (Jamaica); Erisa Sano Herring (Japan); Siow Yee Xian & Chan Yiwen (Malaysia); Dina Anguiano Gomez (Mexico); Fleur Maas (Netherlands); Matthew Lucente & Kaitlyn Watts (New Zealand); Lujan Palacios (Paraguay); Rafael Gálvez (Peru); Georgia Adderley (Scotland); and Ambre Allinckx (Switzerland).

[wionews]

Stalked by default fears, Venezuela calls creditor meeting

Venezuela on Friday called foreign creditors to a November 13 meeting in Caracas aiming to restructure its estimated $150 billion debt, as credit-rating agencies dealt the crisis-stricken country another blow with double downgrades.

Standard & Poor's cut the nation's long-term foreign currency rating to "CC" from "CCC-" over growing concerns of the risk of a debt default in the oil-producing country, while fellow agency Fitch cut the long-term debt rating to "C" from "CC."

The increasingly dire warnings followed President Nicolas Maduro's calls to "investors across the whole world and to holders of Venezuelan debt"  to attend a Caracas meeting November 13 "to start a process to refinance and renegotiate the external debt."

His vice president, Tareck El Aissami, who is leading a commission tasked with the restructuring, said the government is seeking "sovereign commitments" for a debt renegotiation.

Flanked by the ministers in charge of the economy, finance, and energy, El Aissami confirmed the country had on Friday started to pay out $1.2 billion due to service the debt of state oil company PDVSA.

Maduro announced Thursday that Venezuela would begin talks to refinance the debt immediately after that payment was made.

El Aissami, one of the Venezuelan officials sanctioned by the United States due to alleged ties to drug trafficking, said the talks with creditors will "establish the groundwork to renegotiate the terms of the foreign debt of the Republic and of PDVSA."

"We will begin a sovereign renegotiation of our debt and we will continue to comply fully, transparently, as our government has done historically," he said in a televised statement.

He noted that since 2014 Venezuela, which has the largest proven crude oil reserves in the world, has paid nearly $72 billion in principal and interest payments on the debt.

Blasting US sanctions 

Maduro has repeatedly blamed the United States for the country's woes, saying Washington is trying to strangle Venezuela with sanctions.

US sanctions imposed on Venezuela in August ban US trade in any new bonds issued by the Venezuelan government or PDVSA a needed step in any restructuring.

El Aissami denounced the "continued aggression, permanent sabotage, blockade and financial persecution" he said US President Donald Trump has imposed on the people of Venezuela. But he said the sanctions really hurt bondholders and financial institutions.

Much of Venezuela's debt is held by China and Russia, to be paid off in oil the resource that underpins the Venezuelan economy. The country has less than $10 billion in foreign currency reserves.

Analysts were pessimistic about Venezuela's chances of successfully restructuring its debt.

"Venezuela's options to keep up with its payments are shrinking rapidly, mainly because any restructuring needs to be matched with clear and credible economic reforms capable of winning the trust and support of bond-holders," said Diego Moya-Ocampos, an analyst at London-based IHS Markit.

Another analyst, Asdrubal Oliveros, director of Ecoanalitica in Caracas, said that while investors had anticipated a debt renegotiation, they wanted "a plan of restructuring and reorganization, of putting accounts in order -- this isn't that plan."

Sinking economy 

According to estimates by private consultancies, Venezuela has a debt mountain of $150 billion, of which $45 billion is public debt, $45 billion is owed by PDVSA, $23 billion is owed to China, and $8 billion is owed to Russia.

A default could see investors try to lay claim to PDVSA assets, including tankers, oil in shipment and subsidiaries such as the Citgo refinery and service station network in the US.

"The government has mortgaged the future of Venezuelans in an irresponsible way," said Stalin Gonzalez, head of a grouping of opposition lawmakers who dominate Venezuela's parliament.

Venezuela's economy is in dire shape, shrinking by 36 percent in the past four years, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and is now suffering hyperinflation estimated to top 2,300 percent next year.

Production of its primary resource, oil, is declining, in large part because of rundown PDVSA infrastructure and neglected fields.

The IMF on Friday sanctioned Venezuela for not providing economic data as required of all its 189 member states. The move carries no financial penalty but is another sign of Venezuela's strained relations with the fund. 

Venezuela was failing to give data on the operations of the social security institute, exports and imports, and other key economic indicators, the Washington-based lender said.

]]>

[usnewsaggregator-blog]

Spain Moves to Seize Control Over Catalonia

New Post has been published on http://usnewsaggregator.com/spain-moves-to-seize-control-over-catalonia/

Spain Moves to Seize Control Over Catalonia

Mr. Puigdemont came close on Thursday to calling early regional elections, but dropped the idea and instead told Catalonia’s Parliament that it would make a decision on independence the next day. He leads a fragile separatist coalition that has 72 of the body’s 135 seats

During the debate that preceded the vote, Catalan lawmakers traded accusations and in turn described the occasion as “historic” and “happy,” or else “tragic” and a serious violation of Spain’s Constitution.

Photo

Separatist lawmakers in the Catalan Parliament applauded after the resolution passed. Those opposed to independence walked out in protest before the vote. Credit David Ramos/Getty Images

Addressing the Catalan Parliament in Spanish, Carlos Carrizo, a lawmaker from Ciudadanos, a party that opposes secession, told Mr. Puigdemont and separatist lawmakers that, far from creating a new Catalan republic, “you will go down in history for having fractured Catalonia and for sinking the institutions of Catalonia.”

In front of the assembly, he tore apart a copy of the independence resolution. “Your job is not to promise unrealizable dreams but to improve the daily lives of people,” he said.

Before the independence vote, Marta Rovira, a separatist lawmaker, told the assembly that “today we start on a new path” to build “a better country.” She added: “We are creating a country free of repression.”

Catalan lawmakers who voted for independence could face prosecution for sedition, or even rebellion.

Marta Ribas, a Catalan lawmaker, said that Madrid’s use of Article 155 was unjustified, but also argued that “it’s a mistake to respond to one outrageous act with another outrageous act.” She added: “A declaration of independence won’t protect us from the 155, quite the contrary.”

In the streets outside Parliament in Barcelona, not far from a boisterous pro-independence rally, a few Catalans quietly expressed similar frustrations.

Continue reading the main story

The Oct. 1 referendum did not give the Catalan government the legitimacy to vote to secede, said Federico Escolar, 53, a cafe owner.

“Most of the people who would have voted no did not participate,” Mr. Escolar said while smoking a cigarette outside his cafe. “It was not a proper referendum. It was illegal.”

Walking into a nearby subway station, Christina Juana, a 38-year-old social worker, agreed.

“Neither Puigdemont nor the Catalan government knows exactly what the Catalan people’s opinion is,” Ms. Juana said.

Mr. Puigdemont’s government has been flouting Spain’s Constitution since early September, when separatist lawmakers voted to hold a binding referendum on independence on Oct. 1 as a key step toward statehood.

Catalans who went to the polls voted overwhelmingly to approve independence, but the referendum took place without legal guarantees and with most opponents of independence staying away.

The referendum was marred by clashes between the Spanish national police and Catalan citizens that left hundreds injured, including police officers.

Before the Catalan Parliament’s vote for independence on Friday, large crowds had gathered outside in anticipation of what they hoped would be a historic day for Catalonia.

Many were draped in flags as they watched the parliamentary debate on two large screens, cheering during speeches by pro-independence lawmakers and hissing those of their opponents. When proceedings hit a lull, the crowds cycled through a series of pro-independence chants.

“Spanish occupiers!” was one, a reference to the national police officers who tried to stop the Oct. 1 referendum by force. “Leave Catalonia!”

Photo

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy of Spain addressing the Senate in Madrid on Friday. Credit Chema Moya/European Pressphoto Agency

“I feel very, very happy,” said Emili Ara, a 79-year-old retired realtor, who said he had hoped for Catalan independence for most of his life, even in the days when the concept had little widespread appeal.

Continue reading the main story

“The people living here, both those who voted yes and those who voted no, will be able to see their sons and grandsons enjoy a much better future,” he added.

The optimism of Mr. Ara and his family was not dented by the prospect of the Spanish government’s moving to take over administration of the region.

“We have to declare independence even if we end up with less autonomy than we have now,” said Eulalia Ara, Mr. Ara’s 39-year-old daughter. “We can’t continue in this situation because we are being repressed by the Spanish state.”

And even “if they steal our Parliament and our government,” said Jordi Ara, Mr. Ara’s 18-year-old grandson, “we will still have our beliefs!”

Elsewhere in the crowd, separatist protesters saw little problem with declaring independence even though less than 43 percent of voters participated in the referendum.

“Two months ago, I would have said that 43 percent was not enough,” said Ester Romero, 25, a sales manager who had come to the rally after picking up her degree certificate.

“But after all the oppression, after all the police hitting people during the referendum, it’s enough.”

Continue reading the main story

Original Article:

Click here

[sostudentskicks-blog]

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[cubaverdad]

The Government Prohibits Berta Soler From Leaving Cuba

The Government Prohibits Berta Soler From Leaving Cuba / 14ymedio 14ymedio, Havana, 21 March 2017 – This Tuesday, the Cuban government prevented Berta Soler, leader of the Ladies in White movement, from traveling outside the country because of an unpaid fine for for an alleged infraction "against public adornment." Meanwhile, the authorities accuse her of having thrown "papers in the street," which the regime opponent clarified to 14ymedio were "leaflets." Soler took advantage of the action to denounce the disappearance, this Tuesday, of her husband, the activist Angel Moya. "We consider that he is 'disappeared' because when he left the house he was being followed," she detailed. "Today I am calling him and his phone is shut off or outside the coverage area." "This morning I was supposed to travel to the United States, first to Miami and then to California," said Soler. However, after passing through the immigration booth and security controls at Jose Marti International Airport in Havana, she was intercepted by an immigration official who asked her to accompany him to an office. The official told Soler that they would not let her board the plane because she had not paid a fine for "throwing papers into the street." According to Decree 272, whoever "throws into the public street waste such as papers, wrappings, food waste, packaging and the like," will have a fine of 50 pesos and must "pick them up immediately." "Here, the person who owes the Cuban people freedom is Raul Castro," Soler replied to the accusation. She claims that it was sheets with political slogans. "The fine is from last September, after that I went to Panama and the United States, so I don't understand this now," the dissident complains. Last year, when the Aguilera Police Station informed Soler about the fine, she signed a document informing her of the contravention with an ironic "Down you-know-who," and threw it in the agents' faces, telling them: "I do not accept any inappropriate fines." Subsequently, Soler was informed that the unpaid fine could be doubled, and it was suggested that the police could exchange each Cuba peso (approximately 4 cents US) of the fine for one day in jail or instead not let her travel on Tuesday. The activist was planning to meet in California with David Kaye, United Nations rapporteur for freedom of expression. Instead of Soler, Lady in White Leticia Ramos will attend the meeting. "In the report we list all those fines that they assign to us inappropriately," reflects Soler. "They are illegal and violate the Republic's penal code," a situation that is complemented by "the harassment, the threat and violence that is unleashed against our families, against our children and our husbands to try to get us to stop our activism." This month marks a year since the Lady in White was prevented from attending mass at Santa Rita parish, and also blocked from attending the Sunday marches on 5th Avenue, a traditional route that goes back to the origins of the movement after the repressive wave of 2003, known as the Black Spring. Source: The Government Prohibits Berta Soler From Leaving Cuba / 14ymedio – Translating Cuba - http://ift.tt/2o5pfSb via Blogger http://ift.tt/2nSEu1k

[lapluma-y-latinta]

#bookrecommendation The Dominican Republic: A National History by Frank Moya Pons You may know our ballplayers or our musicians, and many definitely know our cuisine and lush beaches, but do you also know the history of the great and troubled island country, the #DominicanRepublic? In #FrankMoyaPons' definitive volume, the curious are introduced to the humble beginnings of DR, our defining conflicts, and the people who make my true home what it is. I've only managed to get through about 20% of this book, but it's a wonderful reference tool whenever family is unavailable. Add this to your DR starter pack! 🖋🖋🖋🇩🇴 (3 pens and one flag; the pens because of the knowledge gained so far, and the flag because I gotta give props to DIOS, PATRIA, Y LIBERTAD.) - @thejadednyer

[usnewsaggregator-blog]

Spain Moves to Take Control of Catalonia After Secession Vote

New Post has been published on http://usnewsaggregator.com/spain-moves-to-take-control-of-catalonia-after-secession-vote/

Spain Moves to Take Control of Catalonia After Secession Vote

Mr. Puigdemont came close on Thursday to calling early regional elections, but dropped the idea and instead told Catalonia’s Parliament that it would make a decision on independence the next day. He leads a fragile separatist coalition that has 72 of the body’s 135 seats

During the debate that preceded the vote, Catalan lawmakers traded accusations and in turn described the occasion as “historic” and “happy,” or else “tragic” and a serious violation of Spain’s Constitution.

Photo

Separatist lawmakers in the Catalan Parliament applauded after the resolution passed. Those opposed to independence walked out in protest before the vote. Credit David Ramos/Getty Images

Addressing the Catalan Parliament in Spanish, Carlos Carrizo, a lawmaker from Ciudadanos, a party that opposes secession, told Mr. Puigdemont and separatist lawmakers that, far from creating a new Catalan republic, “you will go down in history for having fractured Catalonia and for sinking the institutions of Catalonia.”

In front of the assembly, he tore apart a copy of the independence resolution. “Your job is not to promise unrealizable dreams but to improve the daily lives of people,” he said.

Before the independence vote, Marta Rovira, a separatist lawmaker, told the assembly that “today we start on a new path” to build “a better country.” She added: “We are creating a country free of repression.”

Catalan lawmakers who voted for independence could face prosecution for sedition, or even rebellion.

Marta Ribas, a Catalan lawmaker, said that Madrid’s use of Article 155 was unjustified, but also argued that “it’s a mistake to respond to one outrageous act with another outrageous act.” She added: “A declaration of independence won’t protect us from the 155, quite the contrary.”

In the streets outside Parliament in Barcelona, not far from a boisterous pro-independence rally, a few Catalans quietly expressed similar frustrations.

Continue reading the main story

The Oct. 1 referendum did not give the Catalan government the legitimacy to vote to secede, said Federico Escolar, 53, a cafe owner.

“Most of the people who would have voted no did not participate,” Mr. Escolar said while smoking a cigarette outside his cafe. “It was not a proper referendum. It was illegal.”

Walking into a nearby subway station, Christina Juana, a 38-year-old social worker, agreed.

“Neither Puigdemont nor the Catalan government knows exactly what the Catalan people’s opinion is,” Ms. Juana said.

Mr. Puigdemont’s government has been flouting Spain’s Constitution since early September, when separatist lawmakers voted to hold a binding referendum on independence on Oct. 1 as a key step toward statehood.

Catalans who went to the polls voted overwhelmingly to approve independence, but the referendum took place without legal guarantees and with most opponents of independence staying away.

The referendum was marred by clashes between the Spanish national police and Catalan citizens that left hundreds injured, including police officers.

Before the Catalan Parliament’s vote for independence on Friday, large crowds had gathered outside in anticipation of what they hoped would be a historic day for Catalonia.

Many were draped in flags as they watched the parliamentary debate on two large screens, cheering during speeches by pro-independence lawmakers and hissing those of their opponents. When proceedings hit a lull, the crowds cycled through a series of pro-independence chants.

“Spanish occupiers!” was one, a reference to the national police officers who tried to stop the Oct. 1 referendum by force. “Leave Catalonia!”

Photo

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy of Spain addressing the Senate in Madrid on Friday. Credit Chema Moya/European Pressphoto Agency

“I feel very, very happy,” said Emili Ara, a 79-year-old retired realtor, who said he had hoped for Catalan independence for most of his life, even in the days when the concept had little widespread appeal.

Continue reading the main story

“The people living here, both those who voted yes and those who voted no, will be able to see their sons and grandsons enjoy a much better future,” he added.

The optimism of Mr. Ara and his family was not dented by the prospect of the Spanish government’s moving to take over administration of the region.

“We have to declare independence even if we end up with less autonomy than we have now,” said Eulalia Ara, Mr. Ara’s 39-year-old daughter. “We can’t continue in this situation because we are being repressed by the Spanish state.”

And even “if they steal our Parliament and our government,” said Jordi Ara, Mr. Ara’s 18-year-old grandson, “we will still have our beliefs!”

Elsewhere in the crowd, separatist protesters saw little problem with declaring independence even though less than 43 percent of voters participated in the referendum.

“Two months ago, I would have said that 43 percent was not enough,” said Ester Romero, 25, a sales manager who had come to the rally after picking up her degree certificate.

“But after all the oppression, after all the police hitting people during the referendum, it’s enough.”

Continue reading the main story

Original Article:

Click here