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News and Events Reports
Hong Kong Protesters Wave Trump-Rocky Poster At Pro-Democracy Rally
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An image of President Donald Trump's face superimposed on the chiseled body of fictional boxing champ Rocky Balboa has become an overseas sensation.
The doctored photo, which appeared on Trump's Twitter account Wednesday, depicts the president as the lean, mean fighting machine played by Sylvester Stallone in the sports drama film franchise.
It has now become a symbol of resistance among pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong, who on Thursday took to the streets waving posters of the president's apparent alter-ego and praising his signing of two bills supporting the demonstrators.
Chris McGrath via Getty Images
Pro-democracy protesters hold posters of President Donald Trump (as Rocky Balboa) during a rally at Edinburgh Place on Nov. 28 in Hong Kong.
The new legislation, which had bipartisan backing in Congress, will slap sanctions on Chinese officials for human rights violations and require a yearly review of the U.S.'s special trade agreement with Hong Kong. Additionally, the measures ban the exportation of products like rubber bullets, tear gas and pepper spray to Hong Kong police, who have used the nonlethal munitions as a means of crowd control.
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng immediately lashed out against the bills, warning U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad that it was a "serious interference in China's internal affairs and a serious violation of international law," The Associated Press reported. Le also rebuked the legislation as a "nakedly hegemonic act" that jeopardize U.S.-China relations.
A pro-democracy protester holds a sign on Nov. 28 in Hong Kong.
Before Trump signed the bills into law, Chinese President Xi Jinping had already vowed retaliation, ratcheting up tensions between the two countries as they continue dealing with an unresolved trade war.
However, Trump made clear in a statement that he would not back down.
"I signed these bills out of respect for President Xi, China, and the people of Hong Kong," he said. "They are being enacted in the hope that Leaders and Representatives of China and Hong Kong will be able to amicably settle their differences leading to long term peace and prosperity for all."
Meanwhile, protests in Hong Kong against the Chinese government have persisted for six months, sometimes turning violent as police clash with demonstrators.
Activists' embrace of the Trump-Rocky poster takes a page from America's right-wing playbook, which has used the "swole Trump" image to paint the president as a powerful, no-nonsense leader ― the polar opposite of the infamous Trump baby blimp that portrays him as a wailing infant wearing a diaper.
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Does Gua Sha Facial Massage Really Work? Here's What 2 Experts Say
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Gua sha (pronounced gwah-shah) tools ― smooth, half moon-shaped stones that massage your face ― seem to have popped up everywhere over the past two years. But the practice is nothing new. It actually predates modern medicine and originated in China, where the stones have been used to treat all sorts of ailments by scraping (gua) the skin. Like acupuncture, it is based on the concept of promoting qi (pronounced chee), the balance and flow of our body's energy. Facial gua sha claims to give you clear skin, fewer wrinkles and a more sculpted appearance, and many skin care brands now produce a facial gua sha tool to accompany their products. But does it actually do anything? And is it worth our money? We spoke to experts on two sides of the issue: a gua sha practitioner and an aesthetic medical doctor.Here's what the gua sha practitioner saysFirst up is Chinese medicine expert and founder of Hayo'u Method, U.K.-based Katie Brindle, who has researched the subject since 2002 and written a book about it. Brindle is a qualified Five Elements Chinese medical practitioner, having graduated from the U.K.'s Integrated College of Chinese Medicine. Yulia Lisitsa via Getty ImagesGua sha facial tools vary in shape and are designed to align with your bone structure."We consider that beauty is the exterior manifestation of interior health," Brindle told HuffPost. "This stands to good reason as you never look your best when you are feeling unwell. The idea is, focus on your health and beauty will follow. Shiny hair, a healthy weight, glowing skin ― in Chinese medicine, these are all signs your organs are happy."Brindle defines facial gua sha as a simple and gentle technique that will increase circulation and lymphatic flow in your face. The better quality gua sha tools will have been created using jade or rose quartz stone, and shaped without using unnecessary resins. The shape resembles a half moon, which cradles the shape of your face during the massage.Brindle says that if you've ever felt tension on your face, around your jaw or between your brows, gua sha might be the tool you're missing."Using a gua sha tool allows you to work deeper into the muscles and fascia than by using fingers alone, so you can consciously release where you are tight," Brindle said. "Facial gua sha activates acupressure points along the 12 major meridian lines in your face." Brindle also said that East Asian medicine places value in the energy that certain objects carry, and materials like jade and rose quartz are known to carry healing energy.Here's what the aesthetic doctor saysNyla Raja, aesthetic doctor and founder of the U.K.-based aesthetics and medispa clinic called Dr. Nyla Raja, questioned the ability of gua sha to help lessen wrinkles or lift the face. She doesn't believe the stone can effectively get under the epidermis (surface layer) of the skin and affect the skin's elastin production."Using a jade gua sha tool at home essentially gives your face a mini workout ― you are stimulating blood circulation, which increases the amount of oxygen and nutrients to the skin, which can improve skin health," Raja said. "However, it is unlikely that the effects of gua sha are able to reach this layer, and so does probably not stimulate or strengthen elastin production."Though she has used a gua sha tool herself as part of her routine, she recommends it with some caution: "There is certainly no harm in using it, especially as part of an at-home routine and in between facials and treatments. However, do not expect for a gua sha to solve all of your skin care needs. With all skin care routines, there needs to be consistency but also different elements. Those with deeper lines will not suddenly see their wrinkles disappear because of gua sha and should seek a collagen-boosting treatment such as Ultherapy instead, where the effects can reach deeper into the skin, stimulating collagen production and strengthening elastin."Raja's takeaway is this: Use a gua sha tool as part of your routine to stimulate blood flow, but don't expect miracles. There are many studies that have shown impressive results, but these are mostly focused on the effects of traditional gua sha practices on the body, not specifically for the face. It certainly relieves tension and can be incorporated into one's routine as a form of self-care practice. But it's a personal choice to decide whether to use the tool.Want to try facial gua sha? Here's how to do it."Gua sha is such a holistic treatment, there is no wrong way to do it," Brindle said. She recommends using a stone for one minute daily, which is enough to start seeing benefits. But it's also important to follow your intuition on how much or how little feels good. AndreyPopov via Getty ImagesA gua sha tool is meant to be gently pressed all over your neck, face and décolletage.It can be used in the morning in the shower or before you go to bed, along with some oil. Based on the energies the stones supposedly carry, Brindle recommends using rose quarts in the morning and jade during the rest of the day and at night. Press the tool gently all over your neck, face and décolletage. Gently press and hold the tool under each eye, then over each eye, with the lids shut. Starting at the neck, press-stroke up to your forehead. Angling the tool at 45 degrees in the direction that you want to work, use the rounded edge to press-stroke the forehead, cheekbones, then the lips ― about eight sweeps in each direction. Use the double-curved end on your throat and jawline To clean your gua sha tool, just run it under water. For more techniques, Brindle has various videos on her personal Instagram and the Hayo'u Method account to help you gua sha properly.Redness on the face or body during treatment may seem scary or a trauma, but it's believed in Chinese medicine that redness (sha) is the healing response of your body. The amount of sha depends on your skin type and the severity of the treatment.When to avoid gua shaBrindles said that people who are undergoing chemotherapy shouldn't use gua sha 48 hours before or 24 hours after a treatment. Pregnant women should also avoid it unless a professional handles the task, due to the pressure points on the face and body that can trigger uterine contractions in rare circumstances. Some other situations where gua sha isn't recommended: during menstruation, as it can affect the heaviness of the flow, and on skin with rosacea.Brindle also said that if you have visible facial veins, the tool needs to be used a different way: "Instead of the 'press stroke,' just hold the jade stone over the affected area and allow it to warm up naturally, then turn it over and repeat. Rather than using the rounded edge of the tool, use the flat edge of the jade stone and gently sweep along the contours of the face." A gua sha tool still can be used if you have Botox or dermal fillers ― just avoid the treated areas. "[The tool] can be used on all untreated areas of your face, to even out the difference between the Botox and untreated skin," Brindle said. "We recommend avoiding the treated area for 28 days after dermal filler treatment and 14 days after Botox. You can continue to use gua sha tools on other areas of your face."How to select your toolCheck its weight (it should feel heavy) and feel whether it's cold ― authentic jade stone will be cool.Check out a selection of recommended tools below.HuffPost may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Prices and availability subject to change.Hayo'u Beauty RestorerHayo'uHayo'u Beauty Restorer Lite (for mature skin)Hayo'uHerbivore Rose Quartz Gua ShaHerbivoreMount Lai Gua Sha Facial Lifting ToolMount LaiKora Organics Rose Quartz Heart Facial Gua ShaKora Organics
What You Need To Know From The Recent Findings Of 7 Big Climate Reports
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The world is rapidly accelerating toward climate catastrophe, our financial institutions have their foot on the gas and pinning our hopes on Chinese leadership to desperately wrench the steering wheel away from the guardrail looks increasingly foolish.
But, hey! At least a growing percentage of Americans recognize that the federal government should do more about climate change.
Those are just a few findings contained in seven reports published in the past week examining the climate emergency ahead of next week's United Nations summit in Madrid.
The 25th Conference of the Parties was intended to be a forum for countries to up the ante from the 2015 Paris Agreement. They were supposed to come with new, more ambitious pledges to meet the targets and build on the momentum of the four years since the agreement was reached. Instead, the reports out since Nov. 20 illustrate the extent to which the world's most powerful institutions are still engaged in a game of lethal procrastination that threatens to speed up global ecological collapse and sow chaos throughout human civilization in the decades to come.
Here's a quick breakdown of what the reports found:
1. Global temperatures are on pace to rise as much as 3.2 degrees Celsius by the end of the century ― more than double what scientists project to be a safe range that remotely resembles our world today.
That came from the United Nations' latest grim assessment of the so-called emissions gap between the amount of planet-heating gases countries agreed to cut and where the current projections are headed. The Paris Agreement aimed to cap average temperatures at 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels; a U.N. report last year determined that the pact's more ambitious goal of 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming would likely cost hundreds of millions of lives and about $54 trillion in today's dollars. Global temperatures are already a little over 1 degree Celsius compared with the period before the advent of industrial fossil-fuel use.
Top greenhouse gas emitters by country.
To keep warming within 1.5 degrees (about 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit), the world will need to cut emission 7.6% every year from 2020 to 2030, the report published Monday found.
"The summary findings are bleak," the assessment stated.
2. The top 10 fossil-fuel-producing countries are on track to extract 120% more oil, gas and coal than would be consistent with 1.5 degrees of warming.
A chart from the report shows the so-called production gap between the emissions cuts needed to keep global warming in a safe range and the amount of fossil fuel projected to be drilled.
There isn't just an emissions gap. There's a production gap, too. That's what this first-of-its-kind analysis by scientists at six organizations, including the United Nations Environment Programme, found last week. Projections to extract new fossil fuel reserves in China, the United States, Russia, India, Australia, Indonesia, Canada, Germany, Norway and the United Kingdom exceed the limits to keep warming within 2 degrees Celsius by 50%. That figure surges to 120% when modeled for 1.5 degrees Celsius.
3. The world's biggest asset managers remain heavily invested in climate-polluting industries ― and do little if anything to convince those companies to change.
That's the finding of a sweeping survey by the British think tank InfluenceMap of the 15 largest asset managers that control a combined $37 trillion. Only three big firms ― UBS Asset Management, Allianz and Legal & General ― "strongly and consistently engage with the companies they invest in to align their business models with Paris targets." The report found $8.2 trillion invested in four top-polluting industries: oil and gas, coal mining, automobiles and electric power.
InfluenceMap
A chart from InfluenceMap shows which of 15 biggest asset managers control investments aligned with the Paris Agreement's less ambitious 2-degrees Celsius goal.
"Forceful engagement with the companies in these sectors to hasten their transition to low carbon technologies must occur if the finance sector wishes to align its portfolios with climate goals," the report stated. "The majority of companies in these sectors are very far from aligning their business models to meet the goals of Paris."
4. The insurance industry looks stunningly unprepared for the "extremely high" risks of climate change.
A third of the regulators surveyed did not know how prepared insurers were to respond to potential effects of climate change on their financial stability.
So say insurance regulators in a survey released Monday by the professional services giant Deloitte. As the costs of extreme weather have soared over the past decade, with the number of disasters causing $1 billion or more spiking dramatically since 2010, the 27 regulators surveyed from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners painted a picture of an industry stumbling largely in the dark. One-third of regulators said they did not know how well insurers are prepared to deal with the effects of climate-linked financial instability. Among those who said they were prepared, no more than four respondents in the weighted survey said insurers were "largely or fully prepared."
Similarly, one-third of regulators said they did not know whether current insurer risk models were up to the task of capturing and testing climate-related risks. Among those who knew, only two said the models were "very good" and none rated them as excellent.
5. New investments in wind, solar and other renewable energy projects dropped sharply in the developing world last year. Coal, meanwhile, hit a record high.
A Bloomberg New Energy Finance chart shows investments in new solar, wind and other non-hydroelectric power projects dropping from 2017 to 2018.
From 2017 to 2018, investments in new clean-energy infrastructure in 104 emerging markets fell from $169 billion to $133 billion, according to a report published Monday by the research firm Bloomberg New Energy Finance. China ― the world's No. 1 emitter of greenhouse gases ― led the decline, investing $86 billion in renewable energy projects in 2018 compared with $122 billion in 2017.
Coal surged. The volume of coal-fired power generated and consumed in developing countries climbed to 6,900 terawatt-hours in 2018, up from 6,400 in 2017.
6. China is building more new coal plants than exist in all of the European Union.
Global Energy Monitor
From January 2018 to June 2019, countries outside of China decreased their total coal power capacity by 8.1 gigawatts, while China increased its coal capacity by 42.9 gigawatts.
In 2017, China earned worldwide acclaim for canceling plans to build 103 new coal plants. It was a convenient political narrative that drew a stark contrast with the United States, where newly inaugurated President Donald Trump was preparing to withdraw the world's second-largest greenhouse gas emitter from the Paris climate pact.
But a Global Energy Monitor report published Nov. 20 found that China has close to 147.7 gigawatts of coal power capacity under construction or likely to be resumed after being suspended. That nearly amounts to the European Union's entire 150 gigawatts of coal capacity.
7. The vast majority of Americans want the federal government to do more to curb climate change and protect the environment.
New polling from Pew Research Center found majorities of U.S. adults think the federal government is doing too little to curb climate change.
The numbers released Monday by the Pew Research Center illustrate why the issues are taking on such a big role in this election cycle. At 67%, the vast majority of American adults said "the federal government is doing too little to reduce the effects of global climate change." Another 67% said the same of protecting air quality, and 68% said officials in Washington should do more to "protect water quality of lakes, rivers, and streams."
Yet the climate question broke down along partisan lines. Among Democrats and voters who lean Democratic, 90% said the federal government needed to do more to curb the climate crisis. Among Republicans and those who lean Republican, that figure fell to 39%.
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Black Friday 2019 Shoppers Stay Away From Stores, Spend Online, Analysts Say
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NEW YORK, Nov 29 (Reuters) – U.S. consumers splurged more than $2 billion online in the first hours of Thanksgiving shopping on Thursday, while crowds were largely thin at retailers on the eve of Black Friday, reflecting the broader trend away from shopping at brick-and-mortar stores.
Early discounts offered this month by chains seeking to extend this year's shorter holiday season saw a dip in the numbers lining up at stores across the country, according to consultants and analysts making spot checks on the ground.
"We've seen many merchants start their promotions pretty much right after the trick-or-treaters have gone to bed," said Lauren Bitar, head of retail consulting at analytics firm RetailNext.
Sales made prior to Thanksgiving and Black Friday could erode "the spike that we have seen in sales dollars historically," Bitar said.
The day after Thanksgiving has been America's biggest shopping day, and this year more than 165 million people are expected to take part over the weekend, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF).
While Black Friday still matters, its relevance is fading as the holiday shopping season now begins the week before Halloween and stretches to Christmas Eve with retailers offering deep discounts throughout the season.
The condensed shopping season this year accelerated early promotions and spending. Retailers have six fewer days to make sales between Thanksgiving and Christmas Day this year.
That has pulled spending into early November — more than half of consumers polled by the NRF in the first week of this month had already begun making purchases. On average, Americans had already completed almost a quarter of their shopping, the most in the history of NRF's surveys.
Store openings on Thanksgiving evening have also reduced store crowds lining up for doorbuster deals at the crack of dawn on Friday.
While store traffic still remains an important indicator, a lot of shopping during Thanksgiving and Black Friday now happens online. Adobe Analytics, which measures transactions from 80 of the top 100 U.S. online retailers, estimates $7.5 billion in sales for Black Friday online, a growth of over 20.5%year-over-year.
As of 5 p.m. ET on Thanksgiving Day, shoppers had spent $2.1billion online, up 20.2% on a year ago. Companies including Walmart Inc, Target Corp, Costco Wholesale Corp and Best Buy Co Inc have bulked up their online presence, deliveries and fast in-store pickups to attract customers.
At the other end of the divide, specialty apparel retailers Gap Inc, Victoria Secret-owner L Brands Inc and department stores Macy's Inc and Kohl's Corp have slumped as they struggle to lure shoppers to malls and away from online giants like Amazon.com Inc.
This year's holiday season will not only test the resilience of such companies but will be a challenge for most retailers as U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war with China begins to take its toll on margins.
A pricing analysis conducted for Reuters by retail analytics firm Profitero, which examined online prices from seven large retailers for 21,000 products, found sites including Walmart and Amazon have held prices steady for many popular holiday products despite the pressure from tariffs on Chinese imports.
The National Retail Federation had forecast U.S. holiday retail sales in November and December will increase between 3.8%and 4.2% over 2018, for a total of $727.9 billion to $730.7billion. That compares with an average annual increase of 3.7%over the past five years.
Teen Whose TikTok Account Was Suspended After Uighur Clip Says She Won't Be Silenced
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A 17-year-old TikTok user from New Jersey whose account was suspended following a viral video she posted decrying China's human rights abuses says she will continue to share politically charged content on the popular Chinese-owned social media app.
"I'm not scared of TikTok," Feroza Aziz told the BBC News this week.
After coming under scrutiny for Aziz's suspension, TikTok apologized to the teen on Wednesday for making an "error" in restricting her account and said it had fully restored her access to the app. The company, owned by Chinese tech conglomerate Bytedance, also stressed TikTok's commitment to providing a "safe, positive and welcoming environment" for users while also protecting users' "freedom of creative expression."
But Aziz says she's unconvinced by the company's apology and promises.
"TikTok is trying to cover up this whole mess. I won't let them get away with this," she told The Washington Post.
The kerfuffle over Aziz's TikTok account began on Saturday when the Afghan-American teen posted a series of clips which, at first glance, appeared to be a beauty tutorial but quickly evolved into an advocacy video urging people to learn more about the plight facing Uighur Muslims.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters on Tuesday that recently leaked Chinese government documents confirmed that "the Chinese Communist Party is committing human rights violations and abuses against" Uighur Muslims and other minority groups "in mass detention." Beijing has long denied any wrongdoing.
In her TikTok videos, Aziz, who is Muslim, describes how innocent Uighurs are being thrown into "concentration camps" in China's Xinjiang province. "This is another Holocaust, yet no one is talking about it," she says.
The videos, which Aziz also posted on her Twitter and Instagram accounts, quickly went viral. The clips have reportedly been viewed millions of times to date across different platforms.
Two days after posting the clips, Aziz revealed that TikTok had suspended her account.
"China is scared of the truth spreading," the teen wrote on Twitter. "Let's keep scaring them and spread the truth. Save the Muslims."
China is scared of the truth spreading. Let's keep scaring them and spread the truth. Save the Muslims #chineseholocaust #muslim pic.twitter.com/GbreNFWBEc— feroza.x (@x_feroza) November 25, 2019
TikTok pushed back against the suggestion that it had blocked Aziz's account for political reasons, telling BBC that it "does not moderate content due to political sensitivities" outside of China. As BBC noted, China's strict censorship rules would apply to Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok.
Eric Han, TikTok's head of safety in the U.S., later said that Aziz's account had not been suspended for the Uigher video but for a different clip she'd created using a separate TikTok account which had included a photo of al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden.
That second account had been banned, Han said, "in line with TikTok's policies against content that includes imagery related to terrorist figures."
Han explained that that since Aziz's banned account was associated with the same mobile device as the account she used to post the Uighur video, she was locked out of both accounts from her device. But, Han noted, the account which had the Uighur video had remained active and the account's videos had continued to receive views.
Han admitted that the viral Uighur videos had been deleted from the app for about 50 minutes on Wednesday morning, but he attributed that deletion to "human moderation error" and said the clips were immediately re-posted after the mistake was discovered.
The teen's access to her TikTok accounts was also fully reinstated, he said.
Aziz ― who told the Post that the bin Laden image had been used satirically in a tongue-in-cheek video about dating ― said in a tweet on Wednesday night that she was skeptical of TikTok's explanation.
"Do I believe they took it away because of a unrelated satirical video that was deleted on a previous deleted account of mine? Right after I finished posting a 3 part video about the Uyghurs? No," she wrote.
UPDATE: tik tok has issued a public apology and gave me my account back. Do I believe they took it away because of a unrelated satirical video that was deleted on a previous deleted account of mine? Right after I finished posting a 3 part video about the Uyghurs? No. pic.twitter.com/ehUpSJiyy1— feroza.x (@x_feroza) November 27, 2019
A China researcher for Human Rights Watch told BBC that TikTok's opaque user policies should be scrutinized.
"It is hard for outsiders to know the real reasons for the suspension of Aziz's account," Yaqiu Wa told the outlet. "TikTok does not make public the data on the videos it removes or the users it suspends, or the artificial intelligence tools it uses to determine the removals and suspensions."
"While TikTok has repeatedly stressed that it does not take orders from the Chinese government in terms of what content it promotes or removes outside of China, it has done little to quench the suspicion, given that all Chinese companies are not only accountable to its shareholders, but also to the Chinese Communist Party," Wa continued.
TikTok said in its statement this week that it plans to release its first transparency report, as well as a more robust version of its community guidelines, "within the next two months."
On her part, Aziz says she won't be deterred by the TikTok suspension and will continue to speak up about China's abuses against the Uighur community.
"This won't silence me," she tweeted Tuesday.
I am blocked from posting on tik tok for a month. This won't silence me.— feroza.x (@x_feroza) November 25, 2019
China Furious As Trump Signs Hong Kong Bills
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BEIJING (AP) — China reacted furiously to President Donald Trump's signing of two bills on Hong Kong human rights and said the U.S. will bear the unspecified consequences.
A foreign ministry statement Thursday repeated heated condemnations of the laws and said China will counteract. It said all the people of Hong Kong and China oppose the move.
It's still unclear, however, how China will respond exactly.
Trump signed the bills, which were approved by near unanimous consent in the House and Senate, even as he expressed some concerns about complicating the effort to work out a trade deal with China's President Xi Jinping.
"I signed these bills out of respect for President Xi, China, and the people of Hong Kong," Trump said in a statement. "They are being enacted in the hope that Leaders and Representatives of China and Hong Kong will be able to amicably settle their differences leading to long term peace and prosperity for all."
Congress approved the bills last week following months of unrest in the semi-autonomous Chinese city. Before Wednesday's signing announcement, Trump would only commit to giving the measures a "hard look."
China's foreign ministry called the laws a "naked hegemonic action" that seriously interfered in Hong Kong and China's internal affairs, violated international law and "fundamental norms of international relations."
"The U.S. side ignored facts, turned black to white, and blatantly gave encouragement to violent criminals who smashed and burned, harmed innocent city residents, trampled on the rule of law and endangered social order," the statement said.
The laws' basic intent is to undermine Hong Kong's prosperity and stability along with the "historical progress of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation."
It called the measures "extremely evil in nature and dangerous in motive."
"We advise the U.S. not to act incautiously, otherwise China will be required to counteract resolutely and all the consequences created by this will have to be borne by the U.S. side," the statement said.
The two countries are currently locked in a trade war and have deep differences over China's claims to the South China Sea and Taiwan, human rights issues and accusations of Chinese industrial espionage.
The first bill Trump signed mandates sanctions on Chinese and Hong Kong officials who carry out human rights abuses and requires an annual review of the favorable trade status that Washington grants Hong Kong.
Another bill prohibits export to Hong Kong police of certain nonlethal munitions, including tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets, water cannons, stun guns and tasers.
The munitions bill was passed unanimously, while Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky was the sole House member to oppose the human rights bill.
Trump acknowledged last week that he was weighing the ramifications of signing the bill.
"Look, we have to stand with Hong Kong," Trump said in an interview on "Fox & Friends." He continued: "But I'm also standing with President Xi. He's a friend of mine. He's an incredible guy."
Democratic and Republican lawmakers applauded the signing of the bills. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., said it "finally sends a clear and unequivocal message to the people of Hong Kong: We are with you."
Sen. Jim Risch, an Idaho Republican and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the bills are "an important step forward in holding the Chinese Communist Party accountable for its erosion of Hong Kong's autonomy and its repression of fundamental human rights."
Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., who sponsored the House human rights bill, said Xi "should understand that the U.S. is not kidding about human rights. Beating, torturing and jailing of democracy activists is wrong and this historic legislation lets China know that respecting fundamental human rights is paramount."
Activists hailed Trump's action.
"I know that many people in Hong Kong are happy that the U.S. government has passed a new bill," said Figo Chan, a 23-year-old Hong Kong protester who was honored with the John McCain Prize for Leadership at the Halifax International Security Forum in Canada last weekend.
"No one wants to die and no one wants to be hurt," Chan said. "I hope that citizens of many different countries can in their own way fight for democracy."
Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani in Washington and Rob Gillies in Toronto contributed to this report.
Trump Signs Bill Supporting Hong Kong Pro-Democracy Protesters
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President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed a bipartisan bill that lends support to pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong who have been rallying against China's government for months, ignoring complaints by Beijing officials that it interferes with a domestic matter.
The legislation would impose sanctions on Chinese officials charged with human rights violations and requires the U.S. to reassess the special trade agreement it has with Hong Kong every year to ensure the city retains a degree of autonomy.
Trump signed the measure, which passed overwhelmingly in the House and Senate, despite warnings from Chinese President Xi Jinping that the country would retaliate against the U.S. if the bill became law. It comes against the backdrop on the two countries continuing to haggle over ending a trade war.
Trump also signed a bill that prohibits exporting to Hong Kong police items that can be used for crowd control, such as teargas, pepper spray and rubber bullets.
Senate Republicans had made clear their strong support for Hong Kong protesters and the legislation in speeches on the chamber's floor last week. As the legislation headed toward his desk, Trump had avoided expressing whether he stood behind the measures. During an interview with Fox News, he said he supported protesters but also referred to President Xi as "a friend of mine."
"I stand with Hong Kong. I stand with freedom. I stand with all of the things we want to do." Trump told "Fox & Friends. "But we're also in the process of making the largest trade deal in history."
"I applaud President Trump for signing this critical legislation into law," Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) who sponsored the main bill, said in a statement.
"The U.S. now has new and meaningful tools to deter further influence and interference from Beijing into Hong Kong's internal affairs," Rubio said.
Hong Kong protesters celebrated a big win for democracy over the weekend after the city's residents voted largely in favor of pro-democracy candidates in district council elections.
Godfrey Gao, Taiwanese-Canadian Supermodel And Actor, Dead At 35
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Actor and model Godfrey Gao, who grew up in British Columbia and was an ambassador for Canadian tourism, collapsed and died while shooting a TV show on Wednesday.
His agency, JetStar Entertainment, confirmed that Gao died in the "early hours of Nov. 27" in a statement posted to Weibo and cited by South China Morning Post and Women's Wear Daily.
Gao, 35, was filming "Chase Me," a reality TV show for China's Zhejiang Television that features competitive sports, in the eastern Chinese city of Ningbo, according to Apple Daily.
"Our beloved Godfrey collapsed while filming on set. Unfortunately following three hours of medical rescue efforts, he left us," said JetStar's statement. It added that his family "rushed to the scene."
Gao was born in Taipei, but he grew up in North Vancouver, B.C., and graduated from Capilano University.
In 2011, he became the first Asian male model for luxury brand Louis Vuitton. A few years later, he appeared in Hollywood movies "The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones" and "The Jade Pendant," followed by starring roles in several Chinese and Taiwanese blockbusters.
In 2015, he became an ambassador for the Canadian Tourism Commission, hosting a travel program aimed at drumming up interest among visitors from China.
"I grew up in B.C. It is one of the most beautiful provinces in Canada. Vancouver is so multicultural and that's one of the things I enjoyed most while growing up in Vancouver, as you get everything from culture to cuisine," Gao told HuffPost B.C. in 2016.
Watch from 2015: Godfrey Gao returns to Vancouver for Canadian tourism campaign
Hong Kong Bill Shows Republicans Can Stand Up To Trump — When They Want To
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Senate Republicans took to the floor last week and proudly declared their support for the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. In a big show of solidarity, the Senate then unanimously passed a bill compelling the U.S. to hold China responsible for human rights abuses against the people of Hong Kong.
Republicans enthusiastically pushed the bill through, not knowing whether President Donald Trump, who has hardly said anything in support of the protesters, will sign it into law.
"I would encourage this president, who has seen Chinese behavior for what it is with a clarity that others have lacked, not to shy away from speaking out on Hong Kong himself," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said in a floor speech last week.
Trump wouldn't commit to endorsing the bill and avoided forcefully speaking up for the protesters of Hong Kong during a Fox News interview late last week, however.
"We have to stand with Hong Kong, but I'm also standing with President Xi," Trump said in the interview, referring to Chinese leader Xi Jinping, whom he also called a "friend of mine." The Hong Kong legislation comes as Trump is trying to negotiate a trade deal with China, one of his biggest campaign promises.
Top Republicans, meanwhile, indicated they are willing to override Trump even if he vetoes the bill, which the House also passed last month by a near-unanimous vote.
"There's overwhelming support for this ― as you know, 100 [votes] in the United States Senate. I would imagine there would be an override of this. I would encourage the president to sign it," Senate Republican Conference Chairman John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) said over the weekend.
The way Republicans have handled the Hong Kong matter is strikingly unlike their approach to the recent debate over gun safety legislation. In the wake of the deadly mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, over the summer, Republicans insisted they needed to hear what measures intended to curb gun violence Trump could support before moving forward with debate in the Senate.
"Until we get that guidance, we're in a holding pattern," McConnell said at a weekly press briefing in September.
"If the president doesn't support it, then there's no point. So it's like, why are we even going through this?" added Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), a vocal supporter of the Hong Kong protesters who spoke on behalf of the bill that passed in the Senate last week.
Trump expressed support for the idea of expanding background checks on all gun purchases following the deadly shootings in August, but subsequently backed off after private lobbying from conservatives and the National Rifle Association, the nation's biggest gun lobby. A bipartisan trio of senators who expressed optimism about discussions with the White House in September about gun legislation now says the administration has gone quiet. The next debate over guns in Washington is, at least according to recent history, likely only to occur after the next horrific mass shooting.
Republicans have repeatedly shown they're more willing to challenge Trump on foreign policy ― where they are far more united ― than on divisive domestic issues. All six bills Trump has vetoed so far in his presidency, for example, relate to various topics around the world. But what the Hong Kong episode also shows is that Republicans can stand up to Trump when they're willing to fight for something they actually believe in.
"Mitch McConnell decides what we vote on in the Senate, and he's clearly OK bucking Trump when it suits him," Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), one of the gun control advocates who participated in talks with the White House, said in a statement. "Some of my Republican colleagues seem to be willing to pass legislation to expand background checks, and who knows what Trump would do if we passed something. More than likely he would sign it. So why the willingness to stand up for people in Hong Kong but not for kids here in America?"
Top Muslim Group Calls For U.S. Boycott Of 2022 Winter Olympics In Beijing
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Emgage, a group dedicated to increasing Muslim American involvement in politics, called on the U.S. Olympic National Committee to boycott the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing over the Chinese government's mass detention and repression of Uighur Muslims.
"The Olympic Games are a showcase of what is best of humanity and a celebration of our differences," said Emgage CEO Wa'el Alzayat. "The mass incarceration of Muslim minorities in China and the intentional attempt to erase their identity are anathema to the Olympic spirit.
"We cannot as Americans participate in good conscience in these Games as long as these concentration camps are operational," Alzayat added.
Emgage called the Chinese government's internment and abuses of Uighurs a "campaign of ethnic genocide," and many Uighur activists and human rights groups have employed similar language to describe the government's conduct.
China has incarcerated an estimated 1 million Uighurs, or ethnically Turkic Muslims, in the western province of Xinjiang. The Chinese government is forcibly assimilating millions of other residents from the minority of 11 million people in a bid to strip them of their native language and religion.
The Chinese government claims it is trying to root out extremism and offering vocational training to the prisoners, but there are widespread reports of torture and horrific conditions in the prison camps.
What's more, China's increasingly deep coffers and influential role in the global economy have helped purchase the silence of majority-Muslim nations like Pakistan.
Emgage's decision to launch a public pressure campaign is unlikely to sway the U.S. Olympic National Committee, which has historically had no problem collaborating with governments that violate human rights.
It nonetheless reflects the growing confidence of the Muslim American community in the wake of Donald Trump's election in 2016, as well as the recognition of the Uighurs' plight by the broader American public.
Emgage co-hosted one of the United States' first Muslim-American presidential candidate forums in August. The event was attended by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and former Housing Secretary Julián Castro.
The organization also released a report in May documenting a 25-percentage-point increase in Muslim American voter participation in key swing states from the 2014 midterm elections to the 2018 races.
Democrats Hammer Case Against Trump In Senate Trial Opening Arguments
Ex-Ethics Chief Gives Republicans A Much-Needed Lesson In Democracy
© 2020	News and Events


Where junk materials are reincarnated as wondrous sculptures.
Join Field Agent Sandi Hemmerlein on an exploration through the artifacts of craftsman Clare Graham, a hunter and gatherer of found materials that become fantastical creations.
Behind an unassuming façade of a nondescript building in Northeast Los Angeles lies MorYork Gallery, a mind-blowing studio chock full of curios crafted from recycled materials. During a visit exclusively arranged for the Los Angeles Obscura Society, we'll enter a portal into another dimension—surrounded by furniture, sculptures, and literal cabinets of curiosities assembled by retired Disney Parks art director Clare Graham. Upon entering, you may wonder whether to focus on the individual objects or the installation of them in aggregate—but at MorYork, you derive whichever experience you desire.
Sourced from flea markets, estate sales, and sometimes even the curb, the raw materials are anything but random. Be they puzzle pieces, pop tabs, buttons, doll heads, or swizzle sticks, they serve as the primary inspiration for the final works. Graham also has an affinity for Scrabble tiles, domino pieces, and paint-by-numbers—anything that can create a mosaic with a message. Each piece carries its own genetic code, and transmits a kind of vicarious memory of a life perhaps lived in a parallel universe.
Originally built as a Safeway grocery market and subsequently used as a roller rink and slot car venue, the building stood empty and derelict before MorYork Gallery took up occupancy in 1986. There is no sign beckoning visitors, and only those in the know manage to get inside while Graham is working. This will be a rare opportunity to hear the stories behind each of the objects from their creator, with additional time for self-guided exploration of the collection. We'll even get the chance to make our own contribution to one of his works in progress.
Bring your cameras! Photography is encouraged.
Please leave all bags and bulky items at home or in your car. You'll need your hands free to open cabinets and drawers!
Kid and dog-friendly! All ages and breeds welcome.
Plenty of street parking in the area.
Advance tickets only. All sales are final. No refunds or exchanges.


As a dirt from that dust-up in Amsterdam settles there's a statistic that tells a unequivocally large story about Real Madrid after their 2-1 win opposite Ajax in a Champions League.
I usually recover to dry numbers since in such a dramatic, picturesque, history-evoking football compare there are a innumerable of people stories which, we think, will problematic something important.
In Madrid's final 10 matches, opposite a Copa del Rey, La Liga and now a Champions League, 5 hugely critical goals for Santi Solari's organisation have come from substitutes who've usually entered a play.
Against Ajax, Alaves, Betis, Espanyol and Atletico, Los Blancos' "seventh cavalry" who get a late possibility from their manager have been: Marco Asensio, Gareth Bale twice, Mariano and Dani Ceballos.
In a Netherlands on Wednesday night, it was Asensio — sharp, assured and on a finish of Dani Carvajal's cross.
What's more, Solari's patrol is not entirely functioning yet. Were it not for a fact that Isco is both harmed and (still) on a disobedient step, that Marcelo stubbornly stays a few pounds above his fighting weight and Marcos Llorente harmed again, afterwards a European champions would not usually be during full strength, they'd be full of strength too.
It's time to find a approach to repair a Champions League — or start a European super league.
Watch on ESPN networks in a U.S.
To have a dais like that, to be means to name formed on form and aptness when we collect your XI, to be means to leave players out (Isco, Marcelo) to advise both them and others and to still win, to be means to clarity that a diversion can be incited and to chuck on a result-altering surrogate … these are a things of that champions are made.
Here's something else, too: During those past 10 games Madrid have scored 9 goals after a 75th notation — a immeasurable infancy have come after a 80th minute.
You can keep your "Ajax were unlucky" narratives. It sounds nice, it stokes a imagination given how severely encouraged a underdogs were prematch but, in fact, they consumed a good performance.
It wasn't that Madrid were lucky, they did what they are unequivocally good at: Rope-a-dope.
Ask Juve. Ask Bayern. Ask Atletico. Ask PSG. Ask Liverpool. Even if this is a Real Madrid sans Cristiano Ronaldo, a fact is that they still captivate we in, take blows to a physique and chin and afterwards come behind out in a accost of haymakers, unpleasant jabs and, generally, put we on a canvas.
Each of a teams listed above have, over a past few seasons, had a same complaints as Ajax will have.
To do it time after time after time requires special talent, special attitude, finish self faith and, yes, some slivers of aptness here and there. There was happening when Dusan Tadic strike a bar instead of scoring, though nothing when VAR took divided what looked like a opening goal.
With a advantage of video-assisted refereeing there's now no doubt during all that Tadic was both offside and interfering with play when a round was headed home. The tellurian arbitrate missed it, a appurtenance didn't. This is a approach we hurl now and it's for a better.
But what mustn't be abandoned is that this pleasing diversion brought us something that computers and machines and A.I. will never be means to replicate: tellurian talent during high speed.
ESPN FC's Shaka Hislop believes Ajax's aggressive genius might have been to their wreckage after Real Madrid flog them on a counter.
While Solari's calm, intelligent series has been chastising a disobedient boys and gradually coaxing aptness out of both sleepy and harmed footballers until a crescendo is arriving, his keynote feat has been a doing of Vinicius Junior.
This child is incredible. How on earth did bad aged Julen Lopetegui not see it before formula and performances cost him a sack?
It's not a talent I'm articulate about — we know that most by now we reckon. He's a materialisation for a multiple of reasons that go over talent.
With him, Madrid have turn an unusual renew team.
Think behind to a breakthrough thought in Amsterdam. Frenkie de Jong (and we consternation what Barcelona consider of his rather resigned opening here) is perplexing to harass Luka Modric.
The Ballon D'Or Winner is literally holding him off with one arm and regulating a other for change so as to stay upright. He's streamer towards Real Madrid's goal.
But since Modric is Modric, like a scrambling though adventurous quarterback, he gets a pass away.
Because Ajax have momentarily loose into a thought that: "We are putting them under pressure, we are going to win bits when Frenkie snaps during Modric's heels sufficiently" they've usually forsaken their ensure an iota.
Sergio Reguilon, fed by Modric, unexpected has a round … and space. But each singular actor in Madrid's arsenal of talents, not usually those who play down a left, know what to do when that happens.
It's parched on their brains. Feed. Vinicius. Immediately.
Now a Brazilian is tough, pacy, daring, technical, intense, committed — all these good things. But he's also bloody-well 18. Do we remember yourself then?
All majority and good decision-making? Yes? No? Those who answered yes, go to a behind of a class, put on a shawl noted liar and design detention.
So when Vinicius decides to put Noussair Mazraoui, Matthijs de Ligt and Daley Blind on toast, it's a boundless snack. He has out-paced them, out-thought them, out-dribbled them.
I'd theory 99,999 wingers out of 100,000 would have shot. And that figure rises to 100 percent of them if they are 18, bristling with testosterone and certainty … and an titillate to impress.
Vinicius has warranted a right to fire and, what's more, given a heat-seeking, laser-control bid he struck towards Andre Onana's distant dilemma in a initial half, he'd substantially have scored.
Instead he did what a greats do. Vinicius finished certain that, amid a flurry of adrenaline, endorphins, fighter's craving and blazing enterprise to discharge a winning punch, his mind degraded his instincts. Amazing.
Even on a run, even pulling 3 Ajaxers with him, he'd already looked up, already seen Karim Benzema and opted to give his strike partner a gilt-edged possibility — one that was immediately stroked past Onana with elegance.
Brilliant, brilliant, shining from a immature Brazilian.
It was all a some-more different since a past dual games have seen Vinicius presumably dedicate teen errors, be fouled more, or demeanour usually a small bit some-more like a teen and reduction like a 28-year-old.
Albeit he was fouled by Joao Correa in a run-up to Atletico's equaliser on Saturday a giveaway flog wasn't awarded and, in effect, it was a Brazilian who was attacked of a round for what became Antoine Griezmann's goal.
Here, Vinicius spasmodic got picked off, slipped, mislaid a tackle — small things. But not usually did he respond Saturday in a Derby by operative additional tough when tracking behind he helped win a possession that led to his run and impulse when Atleti gave divided a chastisement for 2-1 to Madrid.
Here, too, he responded by resounding adult and down a line as if he were a wing-back, desperately pressing, harassing, tackling, blocking. It contingency have finished his manager croon with delight.
It's satisfactory to contend that while a beam lean heavily in Madrid's foster right now, this tie isn't utterly finished and dusted. There are a integrate of weeks until a subsequent game, Sergio Ramos duly got himself requisitioned (to "clean his slate" for a quarterfinal) and so won't be playing. But, for a consequence of argument, let's contend Madrid are going by to a final eight.
I contingency confess that before a start of a deteriorate we honestly doubted that Madrid, though Ronaldo, were utterly good adequate to win a fourth true European crown.
That they could presumably sojourn unsated, inspired adequate to pull all other concerns aside and, somehow, supplement to their dual new defeats of Atleti in finals and indeed (trumpet fanfare) win a Champions League in Atleti HQ — a Metropolitano — seemed like a prolonged shot.
I doubted it. Now I'm changing my mind. Favourites? Perhaps not. Still brief of Ronaldo-esque goals in essential times? Perhaps so. But, boy, they are jam packaged with new belief, energy, youth, athleticism, movement and, ladies and gentlemen, in Vinicius they possess a honestly unusual immature man.


How crucial is to locate cheap domain name?
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A domain name typically contains two fragments - a Top-Level Domain Name (TLD) and a Second-Level Domain Name (SLD). If you have domain.com, for example, ".com" is the TLD and "domain" is the Second-Level Domain. There are a few sets of Top-Level Domain Names that you should examine prior to choosing the domain you wish. Your decision should rest on the purpose of your website and on its target audience. Let's take a peek at the gTLDs, or generic Top-Level Domains - these are the most typical TLDs aimed to signify a specific intention - .com (business enterprises), .net (networks), .biz (businesses), .info (informative web sites), .org (non-profit organizations), .mobi (handheld devices), .asia (the Asia Pacific), .name (individuals or relatives), .pro (specific walks of life), and so on. As you can perceive, these Top-Level Domain Names cover most realms of life, so you should go for the one that would portray the purpose of your website best. There is no restriction as to who can register such Top-Level Domains, but some of them contain extra steps to ascertain that you qualify to register such a Top-Level Domain Name (.mobi and .pro, for example).
The ccTLDs, or country-code TLDs, are country-specific domains. Each country has its own ccTLD. Settling on such a domain name is good if your target group of website visitors is from a certain country. Many visitors would sooner purchase goods or services from a local site, and if your target is Canada, for instance, getting a .ca TLD could boost the visits to your web site.
You can register several Top-Level Domains, which can send your web page's visitors to a particular web page like domain.com, for instance. This would raise the traffic and decrease the likelihood of somebody stealing your site visitors by registering the same name with a different Top-Level Domain - if you are not using a trademark.
Each and every TLD has domain records. The name server records (NS records, a.k.a. DNS records) display where the domain is hosted, i.e. they point to the hosting provider whose name servers (NSs, also known as DNSs) it is using now. You can change the NSs of your domain name whenever you want. You can have your domain registered with one company and get the web page hosting service itself from another. Therefore, if you register your domain name and encounter decent website hosting plans somewhere else afterwards, you can point your domain name to the current company's name servers instantly.
In general, as long as your domain name utilizes a given set of name servers, all its name server records will point to the same web hosting distributor. Some web page hosting firms, though, permit you to edit given name server records, such as the A records and the MX records of your domain name. The A record is an Internet Protocol address, which indicates on which hosting server your web page is hosted, while the MX records indicate which hosting server tackles the mail accounts related to your domain name. For example, if you take on a new web site designer and he designs an .ASP web site that will be hosted on his personal Windows hosting server, you may wish to alter just the Internet Protocol address (the A record) but not the MX records of your domain. Thus, www.domain.com will point to the Windows web server, but your e-mailbox accounts or any sub-domain names such as forum.domain.com or shop.domain.com will still be in your current Linux site hosting account. The .ASP platform is developed by Microsoft and necessitates a Windows web hosting server, although a Linux web server would be far more secure.
Only a number of web hosting suppliers enable you to modify particular NS records and very often this an additional paid service. With Divine Creations , you get an enormous variety of TLDs to select from and you can modify all DNS records or redirect the domain names using a forwarding tool at no extra charge. That is why, 'Divine Creations' would be your finest pick when it comes to handling your domain and to building a successful presence on the Internet.


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Maddie's Pet Forum
Maddie's University
Maddie's Shelter Compass
Maddie's Fund
Champions forAnimal Welfare
About Maddie's Fund
Maddie's Story
Media & Pressroom
Grants at a Glance
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Admissions & Intake
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Community Kitten Foster Initiative
Maddie's Idea Lab Impact
Audience: Executive Leadership, Foster Caregivers, Shelter/Rescue Staff & Volunteers, Veterinary Team
Organization: Stray Cat Alliance
Investigator(s): Christi Metropole
Project Type: Phase 1
Project Status: Research Complete
Stray Cat Alliance's Safe-At-Home project prevents unweaned kittens, who are at-risk due to their inability to eat on their own, from entering the shelter. The program works by intercepting community members bringing these kittens to the shelter and encouraging them to foster the kittens until they are old enough to be adopted. The program educates community foster caregivers on how to care for orphaned kittens and provides supplies and veterinary care. In 2017, the goal was to save 400 - 450 kittens; the program cared for 563 kittens and saved 468 (83%) of them.
Objective(s)
To improve unweaned kittens' chances of survival by establishing collaboration between South Los Angeles Shelter and the community to prevent them from entering the shelter until they are old enough for adoption.
The Safe-At-Home project positioned Community Engagement Counselors at the South Los Angeles Shelter in order to intercept people surrendering cats and kittens to the shelter. The Counselors recruited these community members as fosters and educated them on how to take care of bottle-fed kittens. All necessary supplies and veterinary care were provided.
The program took in 563 kittens. Of these, 392 (70%) were adopted - including 82 (21%) by fosters; 49 (8%) are still in foster; 95 (17%) died, 10 (2%) were given away by their foster to someone else, and 17 (3%) are currently in the Café awaiting adoption.
The program administrators feel there is a greater awareness about the program in the community. Fosters felt empowered and some referred other people to the program. It has been noted that the culture of the hosting shelter has changed due to the program. When the Counselors are not able to be at the shelter, the staff speak with community members who have unweaned kittens about enrolling in the program.
The project's success was primarily measured by the number of kittens saved. For 2017, the goal was to take in 400-450 kittens with the expectation that those numbers would be exceeded as resources allowed. Safe-At-Home was successful in taking in 563 kittens and saving 468 (83%) of them in 2017.
Lifesaving is unstoppable when we put our heads together.
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having a friend is about loving and caring for each other. its about kind words and kind people. its also about trusting and always being there for each other. i love having some one i can trust, care for and hang out with. people dont say they care for there friends enough. i care for my friends, do you?


Feb 24, 2009 - At the American Alpine Club's annual meeting on February 21 and 22, the club elected new officers and directors for three-year terms. Steve Swenson, the AAC's new president, has had a 32-year career with R.W. Beck Inc., a large consulting and engineering firm based in Seattle, and is now senior director of the firm. Swenson started mountaineering as a boy in the Cascades in the 1960s, and has gone on to make first ascents in Canada, Alaska, Pakistan, and Nepal. Among many hard climbs around the world, he has climbed K2 and Everest without supplementary oxygen. Swenson served as vice president of the club under Jim Donini's leadership for the past three years.	Swenson's team of officers on the AAC Executive Committee will be Bruce Franks, vice president, formerly secretary of the AAC; Jack Tackle, treasurer; and George Lowe, secretary.	"I want to build on the work that Jim Donini accomplished by making sure we are offering membership benefits and services that provide value to the climbing community; that we position the AAC to influence and lead the community in ways that promote our sport in sustainable ways; that we implement conservation projects that preserve the places we climb; and that we continue to inspire the community by chronicling climbing achievement and preserving our history," Swenson said.	AAC members also approved three new members of the club's board of directors. Doug Colwell, a climber for more than 30 years, owns a small commercial insurance brokerage and risk-management consulting firm in Idaho. He served as the AAC's Northern Rockies Section Chair for more than 10 years and has long advised the club on risk management. Roanne Miller has had a long career in guiding and the outdoor industry, and is now vice president of sales for K2 Technical Apparel. Eric Simonson has been a professional mountain guide since 1973 and has been on more than 100 major expeditions around the world, including more than 30 Himalayan expeditions. The members also re-elected three directors: Ellen Lapham, George Lowe, and John Kascenska.	Since directors George Lowe and Jack Tackle were subsequently confirmed as officers of the club, there are two board vacancies to be filled.	"We have a lot of work to do to deliver on the club's priorities, and we will need additional volunteer help from the climbing community to make it happen," said Swenson. "Anyone interested in helping can contact the club at (303) 384-0110 or through our website at www.AmericanAlpineClub.org. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to serve the AAC and the climbing community over the next three years, so that together we can address the needs of those who love this great sport."


Head Porter and Head Porter Plus presented a diverse collection for fall 2013 fall, with its stylish and functional bags at its center. The brand stretched its design onto a range of knitwear, cut & sew, and outerwear. The fall 2013 bag range caters to all lifestyles, and sees its usual dexterous make-up in totes, messenger bags, backpacks and laptop cases. The line also includes protectors, phone cases and wallets.
A blend of luxurious fabrics like leather and suede are prevalent throughout, while faux leopard and zebra prints play along the plaid prints elsewhere. For the wardrobe pieces, Head Porter opted for a subtle use in colorways, staying away from flamboyant graphics and keeping to more simple and somber designs for the cooler season. The Head Porter 2013 fall collection will be available in the coming months at Head Porter retailers. But you can check out the full catalog here.


Dimofinf Review 2019: Is Dimofinf a Good Hosting?
Dimofinf is a hosting company in Saudi Arabia that utilizes cutting-edge technology in order to provide secure and uninterrupted service to their clients. High-class hardware combined with professional support service and unlimited resources makes Dimofinf a logical hosting solution for both small and large business clients.
Dimofinf company is one of the pioneers in the web hosting industry that comes from the Arab world. Since 1998, it has developed and provided quality hosting services delivered through the latest cutting-edge technologies available on the market. For all those years, they have gathered more than 30.000 satisfied customers. With their sophisticated web content management software, they provide many features for demanding clients to easily manage and operate their online businesses.
With Dimofinf you can obtain lots of resources for your online presence starting from simple hosting packages for personal websites to multitasking private and cloud hosting servers meant for large sites and corporate businesses with lots of domains and unlimited features. They have listed four shared hosting plans that are limited in the number of contacts and operations. In the private servers section, I found five basic plans with different levels of management. Those plans are offered with the main differential being in processors and hard disc types so you can choose between SATA and SSD based HDD. All private server plans contain 10TB of traffic, 1000Mbps uplink and from 32 to 128GB of RAM memory. With every plan, you get unlimited features such as a number of databases you can create and manage, unlimited web space for your site files, unlimited traffic so your data is accessible without restrictions, and of course the unlimited number of domains and email addresses.
This company provides a multi-language control panel suited with a custom Dimofinf interface with tools and content management software so you can easily create your site. Their servers are equipped with powerful Intel HyperThreading processors to run on latest SSD disks so they can keep services at an optimum range and provide performance at a very high level. Strategically they have data centers located around the entire world so your site has maximum accessibility from anywhere. They have SSL certificates available so you can obtain maximum security level offered at reasonable prices.
I find their prices to be in middle range compared to offers provided by competitive companies with similar features on today's web market. They accept all paying methods including money bank transfer, Western Union, PayPal, and a MoneyGram option. With all packages, this company offers a 20% discount so you can save some money if you select an annual payment method.
While checking their support service I noticed very professional and polite support officers who are available 24/7 through phone and ticket service. They have prepared a highly sophisticated knowledge base so you can easily find answers on all commonly asked questions. An average response time of their ticket service is 15 min but during busier hours it can be delayed for about 5 to 10 min.
This Saudi Arabian company has, for more than 20 years, provided their customers with first-class solutions in the domain of web hosting services. I find Dimofinf offers stable features and comprehensive support so you can feel confident when selecting their premium services.
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Minsk clings to National Missile Programme
- (The situation has not changed)
Фото: Wikipedia
Amid the political and economic turmoil, the Belarusian authorities remain committed to the National Missile Programme as the national security policy's strategic priority task.
On September 29th, the current Belarusian leader authorised the Defense Ministry and affiliated military-industrial organizations to use the "Polessky" site for combat training and testing of domestically produced aircraft and missiles between December 1st and February 28th. Existing training and testing grounds only provide for combat launches and missile testing at a relatively short-range and long-range test range outside Belarus are costly.
In May 2020 Russia refused to provide its testing sites for testing new models of Belarusian-made missiles. Belarus has been considering landfills in China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Saudi Arabia as alternatives.
Despite recent statements about the inviolability of brotherly relations and alliance between Minsk and Moscow, there were no fundamental changes in the military sphere. Russia is not interested in improving Belarus' military potential and will not assist in developing the Belarusian military-industrial complex. Meanwhile, the Belarusian leadership remains committed to producing missiles domestically, even amid very limited financial capabilities. Belarus attaches great importance to her missile development projects, and given the recent decision, there is a practical need for having the opportunity to test new weapons and missile systems.
Previously in: Security issues
Cuts in the Belarusian defence budget in 2021
The security forces' measures to address the coronavirus outbreak lack consistency
Minsk tries to dress up the domestic political crisis in the garb of a geopolitical confrontation
The Belarusian Defense Ministry faces financial constraints
Coronavirus has affected CSTO operations
Crisis of confidence within the CSTO
By Andrei Parontnikau As the recent military conflict in Karabakh has shown, there is a lack of unity within the CSTO.
Belarusian military industry is going through hard times
Lukashenka is looking for a cheap option to strengthen repression and intimidate the protest
Lukashenka is unlikely to abandon the state monopoly on armed violence, hence alleged plans to form civilian armed loyalist structures...


It's been about a year since Dem Beach Boys, the self proclaimed 'only conservative hip-hop group in America', dropped GOP Ain't Nuthing to F' With. In that time, they've been working hard on their debut mixtape, Dem Pet Sounds, but that doesn't mean they aren't ready to strike when the time is appropriate. As Early Voting came to a close, the crew dropped another banger in the form of Down With GOP, an incredibly smart and well-crafted satiric look at polarizing thought that tends to separate us rather than unite us as citizens in the America experiment. The crew use both style and interpolation-esque references to several classic hip-hop songs, and they even manage to stick a skit in the middle that is (sadly) a bit too relevant in terms of its truth. There's nothing to be sad about, though, as this track (and video) not only make you laugh, but think as well. Go vote, give this video a like and a comment, and share it around so that everyone on your timeline can get all worked up and offended, because that's the way of things today.


text:
IIFT Online Preparation
MBA Preparation Made Easy
About MBA IIFT
IIFT is a national-level entrance test and is a gateway for admission to MBA programme. The exam is conducted on a yearly basis by Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, New Delhi for admission to the MBA (IB) programme it offers. IIFT scores are accepted by Indian Institute Of Foreign Trade, Delhi and Indian Institute Of Foreign Trade, Kolkata. The Delhi Campus has 220 seats and there are 200 seats in Kolkata Campus. The seats have been reserved as per Government of India norms. IIFT has always been successful at maintaining an excellent track record of placements at both of its campuses. A lot of companies have been regularly visiting this institute for recruiting students and students have been offered a variety of domestic and international roles. The placement record defines the reputation of this institute and also validates the scope of this course.
IIFT Syllabus
IIFT Exam is of moderate difficulty with approx 114 MCQs to be answered in 2 hours. It must be noted that clearing IIFT exam does not guarantee admission to the institute. Candidates who clear IIFT exam will be called for Essay Writing, Group Discussions and Personal Interview. Final selection will be based on the marks obtained in IIFT and performance in Essay Writing, GD and PI. The syllabus as per topics are:Quantitative Ability - Simple Interest, Ratio, Percentage, Probability.
Verbal Ability - Idioms & Phrases, Fill in the Blanks, One word substitution, Jumbled sentences, Analogy.
Logical Reasoning - Arguments, Conclusion, Clocks, Blood Relations Reading Comprehension.
Current Affairs – Business & Economy, Fact based data driven topics
Data Interpretation - Charts and Graphs with Tables, Bar Diagrams and Comparative Tables.
General Awareness - Personalities, Books and Authors, Matching the logos, Business & Economy.
IIFT Eligibility
The candidate must have a recognised Bachelor's degree of at least 3 years duration in any discipline.
Candidates in their final year of graduation can also apply. However such candidates have to submit the proof of requisite qualification.
Candidates belonging to general category must have secured at least 50% marks in graduation and candidates belonging to SC/ST categories must have secured a minimum of 45% in graduation
There is no age limit for the applicants.


GSK established its Luxembourg office to better service the requirements of its clients in and outside Luxembourg. A highly motivated team of Luxembourg registered lawyers with additional registrations in further global jurisdictions (France, Germany, Russia, Scotland, Ireland, Italy, US) provide clients in both domestic and international transactions with high quality advice.
For cross-border transactions and international projects, GSK works closely with a select group of highly respected partner law firms abroad. With our combined resources and interdisciplinary approach we are able to offer clients coordinated and sophisticated assistance on cross-border business transactions in a variety of industry sectors.


This week a couple of new client projects have had some nice press. First, the David Richard Contemporary gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico debuted to glowing reports in Art & Antiques magazine and in the Santa Fe Reporter (no, we didn't do the site). Then, on Tuesday, Metro's new Downtown Trolley launched as a part of the Core of Discovery work we've been up to eyeballs working on, and got some nice news coverage. We love working for great clients who really make a difference in their communities.


"Charlotte Fast 50" designation highlights Mountain Point's work in revolutionizing manufacturing.
Mountain Point, a consulting firm that specializes in helping manufacturers undergo digital transformations, has been recognized by the Charlotte Business Journal as one of the top 50 fastest growing companies in the Charlotte area.
The Journal's annual "Fast 50" list highlights companies with the highest average annual growth over a three-year period. Mountain Point was founded in 2013 with the goal of revolutionizing the manufacturing sector for the digital world.
Mountain Point is nationally recognized for its expertise in helping manufacturing companies modernize their operations to better compete in the high-tech, global economy. Their team of expert consultants helps manufacturers integrate cutting-edge tools and processes by leveraging the Salesforce Platform, predictive analysis and company-wide data integration.
To stay connected with Mountain Point, follow the company on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.


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