#UK Committee for UNICEF

[pinkflowerperson]

A much anticipated UN Security Council vote calling for a ‘cessation of hostilities’ in Gaza is set to take place on Wednesday morning New York Time, having been postponed two times due to American resistance to the precise wording.

As fierce negotiations continue at the UN, the Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh is scheduled to visit Egypt on Wednesday for discussions regarding a truce in Gaza and a potential prisoner exchange with Israel, according to a source familiar with the group.

Here are some other notable updates

• In Gaza, Israeli bombardment continues to take a toll on the Strip. Over the past ten weeks, Al-Awda Hospital has been "besieged" and damaged in strikes, said Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)

• The death toll in Gaza is also expected to surpass 20,000 later today or tomorrow.

• Israeli soldier killed in fighting in Gaza, brining the death total to 133 since Israel started ground operations

• “Without safe water, many more children will die [in] coming days” in Gaza, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell says

• Apparent “targeted” killings of journalists in Gaza need to be investigated, Jody Ginsberg, the president of the Committee to Protect Journalists

• A Malaysian ban on Israeli shipping vessels is “effective immediately”, the office of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says

• UK foreign minister to travel to Jordan, Egypt this week

🔗 Click the link in our bio for live coverage from #Palestine and #Israel

[coochiequeens]

New mothers need information about all the ways to provide nutrition to their babies and they should be able to get that information in an unbiased manner away from companies seeing them and their babies as customers.

Women trying for a baby are being targeted by formula milk companies on social media even before they have become pregnant, a World Health Organization scientist has said.

Formula milk brands use online shopping and search data to detect when someone is planning a baby, said Dr Nigel Rollins, of the department of maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health at the WHO.

“Digital platforms have made [the] industry massively more powerful,” he told the Unicef Baby Friendly annual conference last week. “Companies use sophisticated algorithms to target ads to women whose online behaviour suggests they might be pregnant.”

Researchers have previously reported how formula milk marketing executives described first-time pregnant women as “the holy grail”.

Rollins explained how women who ordered folic acid – an essential nutrient in early pregnancy – or browsed fertility or pregnancy information websites were likely to be profiled as thinking about starting a family.

Formula milk brands could then target these women by promoting branded social media posts, including those for their own apps, online “baby clubs” or helplines offering advice on getting pregnant, staying healthy during pregnancy or parenting.

Direct advertising of formula milk to parents of babies under six months old is prohibited in the UK but loopholes mean companies can provide advice to pregnant women and new parents under their own logos.

Rollins claimed the ultimate intention was to establish a “relationship” between the parent and a brand before a baby was born. “It is a way of providing ‘support’ but essentially it is marketing in disguise,” he said.

Rollins emphasised there should be no criticism of mothers who chose or needed to use formula milk. “Women and families should make, and have the right to make, decisions that best serve their circumstances.”

A WHO report published earlier this year warned it was “difficult” to avoid digital marketing of formula milk, especially when people were looking online for information about, or support for, breastfeeding.

It also suggested companies were deliberately targeting pregnant women and new mothers in their “most vulnerable moments”.

“Content that appears to offer information personally tailored to meet mothers’ concerns can be delivered at the very moment a woman seeks information on infant feeding,” it added. 

“The content of these promotions typically presents a [breastmilk substitute] as the solution for challenging but normal infant behaviours like hunger, crying or digestive discomfort,” the report said.

Shereen Fisher, programme director of the UK committee for Unicef Baby Friendly Initiative, said: “Powerful multinational infant formula companies push the boundaries of existing legislation to promote their products. We need to make sure all babies and parents are protected from misleading marketing practices.”

A spokesperson for the British Specialist Nutrition Association, which represents the UK formula milk industry, said: “When parents are unable to, or choose not to, breastfeed, a scientifically developed infant formula is the only food recognised by the WHO as a suitable and safe alternative to breastmilk.

“It is important that parents can make informed choices about the options that are right for their baby and situation. We need to support parents with factual nutritional information, including on packaging and online, so that they can make the right decision for them. It’s a responsibility we take seriously.

“BSNA members comply with the WHO code as implemented in UK law and wish to contribute to a balanced, sensible debate about responsible marketing of formula, and protecting and promoting breastfeeding.”

[f1]

F1 joins forces with UNICEF to help educate millions of vulnerable children and bolster emergency response

Formula 1 has announced a new partnership with UNICEF to help the world’s most vulnerable children access quality education, and bolster the agency’s humanitarian response across the globe so it can help protect children in emergencies, such as those caught up in the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. UNICEF estimates that, in 2022, 70% of the world’s 10-year-olds lacked basic literacy skills, with limited access to the internet and digital devices – exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic – widening inequalities. READ MORE: Formula 1 extends Engineering Scholarship programme to 2025 A priority of the partnership with F1 will be to improve digital access through the expansion of UNICEF’s Learning Passport, a portable digital platform that enables children to continue learning online and offline. The passport scheme is currently operational in 26 countries, but F1’s support will help expand the programme to an additional 19 countries, while enabling the launch of an offline version for children in Mexico and Brazil. F1 will also support the child rights agency’s emergency response efforts through a donation to their Emergency Fund. A priority of the partnership with F1 will be to improve digital access through the expansion of UNICEF’s Learning Passport It is estimated that F1’s support over the next three years could help an estimated 6.5 million children from vulnerable and marginalised communities access quality education, including in key areas such as Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM), and enable UNICEF to provide temporary learning places for children in emergencies. “In a sport where research, technology and innovation play a vital role in a driver and team’s success, education is at the core of Formula 1," said F1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali. READ MORE: Formula 1 committed to ‘delivering positive lasting change’ on sustainability and diversity and inclusion, says Domenicali "The partnership with UNICEF will enable us to effectively use our sport’s global platform to help bridge the educational divide experienced by the world’s most vulnerable children. "Every child has a right to a quality education and to be protected during emergencies. We are proud that we can play a role in ensuring the most vulnerable children are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to achieve their goals.” F1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali Jon Sparkes, Chief Executive of The UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK), added: “The world is facing a growing learning crisis, with millions of children continuing to miss out on school and access to the technology they need to learn and flourish. "Investment in education is fundamental to the development of children and young people, and to building the societies and economies they need for the future, so we must act now to prevent this learning crisis. READ MORE: Formula 1 on course to deliver 100% sustainable fuels for 2026 "With Formula 1, we are starting a new partnership that will help ensure that more children have access to quality learning and the skills training they need to succeed in school, work and life. At UNICEF, we believe that sports play a unique role in bringing people together, helping us to address the biggest issues affecting children, including those caught up in humanitarian emergencies." F1’s partnership with UNICEF builds on its strong history of educational support, including a recently extended Engineering Scholarship programme for underrepresented groups, along with various STEM and employment outreach programmes. via Formula 1 News https://www.formula1.com

[swldx]

6195Khz 0458 10 FEB 2023 - BBC (UNITED KINGDOM) in ENGLISH from WOOFFERTON. SINPO = 55333. English, s/on @0458z w/Bow Bells int. then ID@0459z pips and newsday preview. @0501z World News anchored by David Harper. More than 21,000 people are now known to have been killed in Monday's earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, though the UN warns the disaster's full extent is still unclear. Rescuers are still searching rubble for survivors, but hopes are fading almost 100 hours since the tremors struck. Freezing conditions threaten the lives of thousands of survivors who are now without shelter, water and food. Humanitarian groups warn the aftermath could worsen a crisis both countries were already facing prior to the earthquakes. Former US Vice-President Mike Pence has been issued with a legal summons to testify in a criminal investigation of former President Donald Trump. The subpoena is reportedly linked to Mr Trump's bid to overturn his defeat in the 2020 presidential election. Talks between the International Monetary Fund and cash-strapped Pakistan for the release of much-needed funds from a bailout package have ended without any official announcement. The UK's withdrawal from Afghanistan was "a dark chapter" for the UK, senior Conservative Tobias Ellwood has said. The Defence Committee, led by Mr Ellwood, is urging the government to hold an "honest" inquiry into the UK's departure from Afghanistan, which led to the return of the Taliban to power. The MPs' report warns the country is again becoming a haven for terrorists. Schools in Haiti have become increasingly targeted by violent groups, UNICEF warned Thursday. The U.N. agency reported that since the beginning of the school year last October, 72 schools had recorded acts of violence, including kidnappings, ransacking and looting, a ninefold increase over a year ago. Brazil's leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva traveled to Washington on Thursday, invited to the White House by President Joe Biden in a visit that will focus on support for Brazilian democracy and shared environmental commitments. Asked about U.S. government pressure for Brasilia to support Ukraine in its war with Russia, a supporting diplomat said Brazil remains neutral and calls for dialogue to reach peace. Hogwarts Legacy, a major video game adaptation of the wizarding world created by JK Rowling, has arrived, following a fierce online debate as many are calling for a boycott because of Rowling's public comments on issues about transgender people. Scientists have a mystery on their hands after the discovery of 330 stone tools about 2.9 million years old at a site in Kenya, along Lake Victoria's shores, that were used to butcher animals, including hippos, and pound plant material for food. @0506z "Newsday" begins. MLA 30 amplified loop (powered w/8 AA rechargeable batteries ~10.8vdc), Etón e1XM. 200kW, beamAz 160°, bearing 47°. Received at Plymouth, United States, 6312KM from transmitter at Woofferton. Local time: 2258.

[sogiescwatcher]

Continuing onwards…

We reach the compilation of information by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights…

So. The UN Human Rights Chief isn’t keen on Britain’s plans to replace the human rights act with a “Bill of Rights”. And UNICEF reckons that the new Bill should include extra child rights.

The Committee on Torture would rather like the UK to incorporate the treaty against torture into UK law. Ditto the Committees on Disabilities and the Rights of the Child with respect to their treaties.

Moving forwards, to specific human rights issues…

The UN Committee on Torture is concerned by reports it’s received about increasing anti-transgender crimes in recent years.

The Human Rights Committee was concerned about suicide and self harm in prison among LGBT communities.

And the Committee on the Rights of the Child was concerned about discrimination, with regard to health, education, alternative care and child justice, against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex children.

[catt-nuevenor]

Ukraine

Around the world, many of us are watching the events unfold in Ukraine.

If you are in any way like me, you are both horrified by what you are seeing and desperate in some way to help.

Please be aware that misinformation is one of the biggest enemies at this time for international observers. Strong emotions lead to knee-jerk reactions, and can result in displacement of well-meaning support to organisations and institutions that will not send help to where it is needed.

Always check, double check, and then check again for good measure where your donations are going.

Below I have linked organisations that I believe are reliable, recognised, and verified, however, do check for yourselves and make your own judgement call:

Ukrainian Red Cross : Donations are taken in Ukrainian hryvnia ₴, for those of you in the UK the minimum donation of 100 ₴ is around £2.50, the maximum of 500 ₴ is £12.50, for those of you in the USA those amounts are $3.35 and $16.77, for those of you using the euro those amounts are €3.00 and €14.99. For everyone else, please check your exchange rates.

Unicef - Ukraine Crisis Appeal : This is the United Kingdom Unicef appeal, you should be able to find your own country's pathway (if possible) through googling Unicef Ukraine. Please be aware that your donation may not go directly to the crisis in Ukraine, always check the fine print.

British Red Cross - Ukraine Crisis Appeal : I could not find a simillar site for the American Red Cross. If anyone can, please send me a link or comment on this post and I will update it.

Medecins Sans Frontieres - Doctors without Borders : I cannot guarantee that donations through this portal will go directly to the Ukrainian crisis.

International Committee of the Red Cross - Ukraine Crisis : You can donate to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Australian dollars, Brazilian real, Canadian dollars, Euros, Russian ruble, Swiss franc, Ukrainian hryvnia, British pounds, and US dollars.

______________________

I have donated through the British Red Cross.

Please try not to get dragged into spats on the internet and do not spread misinformation, even if what you read seems verified and supportive of your views.

For those of you who read this and live in Ukraine, I cannot express how horrified I am by what has happened, I lack the eloquence to make my words bridge the span of miles and time that separates us, and I fear anything I try to say will seem flippant and empty in the light of what you face.

Please hear me when I say that you are not forgotten, you are not unseen. The international community is not the sum of its leaders, it is made of a million individual eyes, minds, and hearts that are turned in one direction, and this is towards you. I hope that this provides a moment of comfort in the darkness that you find yourselves in. And I am deeply sorry that we cannot provide you more in the lumbering system of international politics upon which the world runs.

[helloyoucreatives]

Give the World a Shot – VaccinAid campaign launches to vaccinate the world against Covid-19

The UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) and Crowdfunder launch nationwide appeal to support the biggest vaccine drive in history to fund and deliver Covid-19 vaccines around the world

NHS, faith groups including Church of England, Office of the Chief Rabbi and the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board, businesses and celebrity supporters including David Harewood back the movement to provide vaccines for everyone, no matter where they live

Public encouraged to Give the World a Shot by donating via Crowdfunder at vaccinaid.org

Monday 22 March 2021 – The UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) and Crowdfunder today launch the VaccinAid campaign, calling on the nation to ‘Give the World a Shot’ and help provide Covid-19 vaccines to people around the world.

VaccinAid will help fund the biggest vaccine drive in history, providing nearly 2 billion Covid-19 vaccines to health workers and the most high risk and vulnerable people on our planet, no matter where they live.

The campaign aims to harness the public sense of spontaneous gratitude for the UK’s vaccine programme and mobilise the collective power of the nation, turning optimism into action to give the world a shot.

It’s not just people who have been vaccinated who can support – anyone can donate or fundraise at vaccinaid.org to help protect the world from Covid-19.

Crowdfunder initiated the idea behind vaccinaid.org after seeing a huge number of people who needed support due to the pandemic fundraising on their platform. Through VaccinAid, people can now get involved with the drive to tackle the biggest global crisis since World War Two.

The money raised will help UNICEF purchase and deliver nearly 2 billion Covid-19 vaccines this year, as well as tests and treatments, to 190 countries around the world through the global COVAX initiative. It is the biggest health operation in history, to ensure no one is left behind in the efforts to eradicate Covid-19 and its devastating impact.

Supported by the NHS, leading faith groups including Church of England, Office of the Chief Rabbi and the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board, businesses and celebrity supporters, the campaign aims to reach as many people across the UK as possible.  VaccinAid and the ‘Give the World a Shot’ campaign was created by Mother, one of the world’s leading creative agencies.

Vaccines are essential to overcoming the Covid-19 crisis. With half of UK adults having had their first dose, now is the time to support communities in low and middle income countries around the world with equal and free access to protection against the virus.

David Harewood, UNICEF UK Ambassador said: “Everyone deserves the opportunity to feel safe, no matter where they live, and the aim of the VaccinAid campaign is to protect everyone from Covid-19. I’ve seen the amazing lengths UNICEF goes to getting vaccines to those who need it the most – in Sierra Leone I saw them arriving in cold boxes on boats, in the remotest part of the country, to make sure they reach the arms of even the hardest to reach communities. The sheer logistical operation of it all is staggering yet well established – but we can’t do it without the support of the public to fund this historic vaccine drive. I really do believe that no-one is safe until we are all safe, and one thing I’ve learnt from the past year living through this pandemic is that kindness and fairness has the power to do incredible things. So let’s celebrate what unites us and come together to Give the World a Shot.”

Gemma Chan, UNICEF UK Ambassador said: “I am incredibly proud to support the VaccinAid campaign as I truly believe we have a shared responsibility to give everyone a fair and equal chance at a route out of this pandemic, and an opportunity for children and families all around the world to not only survive but thrive for years to come. This can only happen if we stand up and Give the World a Shot, and help give everyone a chance at a better life. As someone who has seen some of the incredible life-saving work that UNICEF does every single day in over 180 countries around the world, I can honestly say the money you give will make an incredible difference.”

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, who initially brought together the organisations working on this project, said: “The Covid-19 crisis has had a profound impact on people here and around the world, but vaccines offer the hope of a brighter future. I’m delighted that churches and other faith groups in the UK are supporting the VaccinAid campaign. There is no better way to show our deep gratitude for the gifts of science and medicine than making sure vulnerable people around the world are also given a shot. At the heart of the Christian faith is Christ’s call to love our neighbour: keeping one another safe from this terrible disease is part of living that out. I encourage people to donate whatever they can, so we can build a better world together.”

Steven Waugh, Interim Executive Director, UNICEF UK said: “The launch of today’s VaccinAid campaign comes at a historic moment for UNICEF in the delivery of Covid-19 vaccines around the world. Having so many organisations and high-profile individuals come together to show their support for the appeal gives us a real chance of unlocking vital funds that will enable UNICEF to fulfil its critical mission of protecting the world against Covid-19. I am incredibly excited to be asking the nation to ‘Give the World a Shot’ over the next few months, as here at UNICEF we know it will ultimately help save lives around the world.”

Rob Love, Crowdfunder CEO said: "Crowdfunder is proud to be joining forces with UNICEF to launch VaccinAid and support the biggest vaccine roll-out in history. Over the past year, we have seen a sharp rise in people fundraising for causes linked to the Covid-19 pandemic on our platform. Crowdfunder was created to help solve the challenges that governments and charities cannot tackle on their own, by bringing organisations and people together and enabling connections that help our global community. By launching VaccinAid with UNICEF to Give the World a Shot, we are harnessing the power of the crowd to help bring an end to the pandemic and its devastating impact."

Andy Medd, Partner at Mother said: “As longstanding partners of Crowdfunder it has never made more sense to get involved – there is no bigger need for creativity to have a positive impact than here and no better partner than UNICEF.”

The money raised for VaccinAid will help UNICEF get vaccines to the most remote places in the world by ensuring they are safely stored and transported, protect and train health workers to vaccinate their communities as well as test and treat those in need.

UNICEF is the only global organisation equipped to deliver an operation of this size. With more than 70 years’ experience, it is the world’s largest vaccine buyer and already helps vaccinate almost half the world’s children, travelling to some of the most remote places on earth to deliver nearly 2.5 billion doses of life-saving vaccines every year.

Help UNICEF Give the World a Shot by donating at vaccinaid.org

[camillasgirl]

Duchess of Cornwall will visit the Republic of Cyprus and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

The Republic of Cyprus – Wednesday 18th March to Saturday 21st March

Their Royal Highnesses’ visit to The Republic of Cyprus will be the first Royal visit since Her Majesty The Queen visited in 1993. The programme will celebrate the historic ties between the United Kingdom and Cyprus, our shared membership of the Commonwealth, and our dynamic forward-looking relationship in areas such as education and science.  This visit will also recognise the UK’s role as the largest troop contributor to the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus.

Their Royal Highnesses’ visit will focus on the capital, Nicosia, and will also include rural visits to the nearby Troodos mountains, and to Larnaca district, where Their Royal Highnesses will celebrate traditional Cypriot culture, food, and crafts, and Cyprus’ unique heritage. The Prince and The Duchess are also expected to engage with UK military personnel based in country, including British UN peacekeepers and members of the Mercian Regiment of which His Royal Highness is Colonel-in-Chief.

Their Royal Highnesses’ programme will include a visit to the UN Buffer Zone to acknowledge the peacekeeping work being undertaken by the UN and highlight initiatives which are building links between the communities of Cyprus, meeting both Greek- and Turkish-Cypriot community members.

The Prince of Wales will attend a meeting of the Commonwealth Blue Charter Champions from across the Commonwealth. His Royal Highness will also meet religious leaders from Cyprus’s diverse religious communities. The Duchess of Cornwall, as Patron of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, will visit a partner organisation which has recently participated in the charity’s Battersea Academy to see how the organisation is implementing its learning in Cyprus. Her Royal Highness will also continue her work to highlight the issue of domestic violence and rape around the world and engage with organisations working to support survivors.

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan – Saturday 21st March to Wednesday 25th March

Their Royal Highness’s return to Jordan underlines the importance Her Majesty’s Government places on its close ties with Jordan, which is underpinned by the long-standing, warm relationship between the two Royal Families.

The visit will centre on the historic capital city, Amman, and also take in a number of other sites of cultural, religious and environmental significance across the country. The programme will see Their Royal Highnesses tour a unique hillside town, once part of the Greek and Roman Decapolis.  The Prince of Wales will also visit an ecologically rich National Park.  In the City of Salt – Jordan’s first historical capital – Their Royal Highnesses will meet the Jordanian winner of the Global Prince’s Trust International Award 2019, who has worked to develop sustainable tourism and opportunities for the local community. Their Royal Highnesses will learn about The Prince’s Trust International’s work in the country and meet some of those who have benefitted from it.

The Prince and The Duchess’s visit will highlight how Jordan continues to host over a million refugees fleeing from conflict, and how they have integrated into the community. Their Royal Highnesses will visit organisations, including the International Rescue Committee, of which The Prince has recently become Patron. The International Rescue Committee supports refugees in transitioning from camps to local communities and assists them in finding employment.

Their Royal Highnesses will be accompanied at various points of the tour by members of the Jordanian Royal Family and will see Jordan’s renewed focus on increasing job opportunities for young people, particularly in the engineering and tourism sectors. His Royal Highness will visit a youth training and apprenticeship scheme, which is supported by Jaguar Land Rover and Crown Prince Hussein’s Technical University. Their Royal Highnesses will visit organisations helping to preserve traditional crafts and tailor them to today’s market, including the Turquoise Mountain Foundation which was founded by The Prince of Wales. They will see how young Jordanians are being trained in modern vocational skills to enable them to compete in the global market.

Their Royal Highnesses will also visit sites of religious importance and The Prince will participate in an interfaith discussion to emphasise the diverse, tolerant and integrated nature of Jordanian society, highlighting the importance placed on religious freedom, led by His Majesty King Abdallah II, the Custodian of the Islamic and Christian Holy Sites in Jerusalem. The Duchess will see the work undertaken by Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan to protect vulnerable children and mothers, as well as educate parents about child protection and safeguarding.  Her Royal Highness will also visit a UNICEF-supported school offering educational programmes for teenagers and young women no longer in formal schooling, and a Women of the World (WOW) event that promotes the empowerment of women from all walks of life.

[jessiewre]

When we spoke to Fleur on the volcano trek about her work for Unicef, I asked her which charities she believed were at the forefront of humanitarian work and aid for the most vulnerable and I vowed to sign up to them all.

Here are the ones we spoke about. Feel free to donate a one off payment if you can afford it, or even set up a monthly direct debit if you’re feeling crazy.

Doctors without Borders

https://www.msf.org.uk

Unicef

https://www.unicef.org

Red Cross

https://www.icrc.org/en

[heavyarethecrowns]

A Kent Fact

The Duchess of Kent has travelled the world for UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Fund) and VSO (Voluntary Services Overseas), highlighting specific areas of deprivation. 

She has been President of NCH Action For Children and President and Board Member of Macmillan Cancer Relief. She chaired the London Committee of the Manchester Christie (Cancer) Hospital Appeal for £25m.

The Duchess is Patron of the RUC Benevolent Fund in Northern Ireland.

The Duchess of Kent has been Visitor to the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts, Patron of Queensland Conservatorium, Brisbane, Australia, the Yehudi Menuin School (UK), the Ulster Conservatoire of Music and the Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool.

In August 2016, the Duchess became an ambassador for Samaritans after a volunteer at the Teesside branch contacted her. She had previously been its Royal Patron from 1971 until 1999

She has been a volunteer for the Passage Night Shelter for the homeless, which was founded by Cardinal Basil Hume.

[dailybusinessfacts]

The 10 Richest Women Entrepreneurs In Europe

Entrepreneurship is on the rise, despite the high percentage of failure and stories of hardship. Many people, regardless of their restrictions, are inspired by the stories of richest women entrepreneurs in Europe to consider embarking on their own entrepreneurial adventure. Women are not excluded from the realm of entrepreneurship. The top 10 richest women entrepreneurs in Europe are listed below.

1. Natalya Kasperskaya

She is aggressively trying to expand the group and pursuing new investment opportunities for enterprise clients in areas such as IT security and artificial intelligence. Several organizations in Russia and abroad have honored Ms. Kasperskaya’s achievements in business and IT. In 2014, she was honored by the Women in Technology MEA award committee in Dubai as the Best Technology Business Entrepreneur, and BRIC Magazine UK named her the Most Influential Business Person from Russia for the first quarter of 2015. Her estimated net worth is USD 230 million and she is one of the richest women entrepreneurs in Europe.

2. Tatiana Bakalchuk

From its humble origins as a small apartment warehouse delivering German catalog selections to 2.5 million clients and over 1,000 brands, the company has grown to serve 2.5 million customers and provide over 1,000 brands. Wildberries serves its customers from 150 shipment points across Russia and employs more than 6,000 workers. Part of the secret of Ms Bakalchuk’s success lies in understanding and catering to customer behavior – Wildberries is one of the few online retailers to offer customers a free fitting of its products. The risky yet profitable business model has seen the company grow from strength to strength.

3. Monica Lindstedt

She is also the chair of Företagarna AB, the Swedish Federation of Business owners and sits on the boards of Uniflex AB and UNICEF Sweden. Prior to establishing Hemfrid, she co-founded Europe’s free daily paper Metro in 1995. She later sold her stake in the paper. In 2013 she was named the winner of Sweden Toastmasters’ Golden Gavel award for outstanding performance as a chairman. Monica is one of the richest women entrepreneurs in Europe.

4. Filippa Knutsson

Over 600 different merchants across the world carry the men’s and women’s collections. In 2014, revenue surpassed EUR 70 million. Ms. Knutsson has played a key role in the Filippa K fashion lines’ success, overseeing all creative parts of the business, including ideation, design, retail concepts, and brand messaging. Filippa K is one of the popular and richest women entrepreneurs in Europe.

5. Olga Pleshakova

Ms Pleshakova owns an 18.4 percent share in the airline, and Forbes Russia estimated her net worth at around USD 170 million in 2014.  She was ranked the 20th most powerful woman in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) by Fortune Magazine in the same year, marking her third appearance in the global ranking of prominent women. In 2014, she was the only Russian woman to make the EMEA list and richest women entrepreneurs in Europe.

6. Mette Lykke

Ms Lykke worked as a writer and researcher for a prominent Danish daily newspaper while obtaining a master’s degree in political science at Aarhus University prior to her meteoric rise to corporate success. She was later hired as a management consultant by McKinsey & Co. As they say, the rest is history. Mette Lykke, the richest women entrepreneurs in Europe, was awarded the Female Business Owners’ Inspirational award in 2013 and the Founder of the Year award by the Nordic Startup Awards series in 2012, which honors Nordic startup ecosystems and one of the successful women entrepreneurs in Europe.

7. Alice Bentinck

Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn and a Greylock Partner, revealed in 2017 that he was leading a $12.4 million investment in Entrepreneur First and richest women entrepreneurs in Europe.

8. Alice Zagury

Her accomplishments are well-known even outside of France. Her most recent project, The Family, is a bold infrastructure offering for entrepreneurs that provides education, tools, and cash to help them become billion-dollar businesses.

9. Avid Larizadeh Duggan

She has received Mayfield and Kauffman fellowships. She was named a “Young Global Leader” by the World Economic Forum in 2016 and was awarded an OBE in 2019 and richest women entrepreneurs in Europe.

10. Ida Tin

Later, she published Direkts, a book about her experiences that became a Danish bestseller. Tin co-founded the Clue app in Berlin, Germany, with Hans Raffauf, Moritz von Buttlar, and Mike LaVigne in 2013. Tin came up with the idea for the app while tracking her own menstruation and reproductive cycle in 2009. The app had over 1 million active users by mid-2015. The startup raised $7 million in a fundraising round headed by Union Square Ventures and Mosaic Ventures in October 2015, bringing its total funding to $10 million and Ida is one of the richest women entrepreneurs in Europe.

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 12.11

220 – Emperor Xian of Han is forced to abdicate the throne by Cao Cao's son Cao Pi, ending the Han dynasty. 361 – Julian enters Constantinople as sole Emperor of the Roman Empire. 861 – Assassination of the Abbasid caliph al-Mutawakkil by the Turkish guard, who raise al-Muntasir to the throne. Start of the "Anarchy at Samarra". 969 – Byzantine Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas is assassinated by his wife Theophano and her lover, the later Emperor John I Tzimiskes. 1041 – Michael V, adoptive son of Empress Zoë of Byzantium, is proclaimed emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire. 1282 – Battle of Orewin Bridge: Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the last native Prince of Wales, is killed at Cilmeri, near Builth Wells, in mid-Wales. 1601–1900 1602 – A surprise attack by forces under the command of Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy, and his brother-in-law, Philip III of Spain, is repelled by the citizens of Geneva. (Commemorated annually by the Fête de l'Escalade.) 1640 – The Root and Branch petition, signed by 15,000 Londoners calling for the abolition of the episcopacy, is presented to the Long Parliament. 1675 – Antonio de Vea expedition enters San Rafael Lake in western Patagonia. 1688 – Glorious Revolution: James II of England, while trying to flee to France, throws the Great Seal of the Realm into the River Thames. 1792 – French Revolution: King Louis XVI of France is put on trial for treason by the National Convention. 1815 – The U.S. Senate creates a select committee on finance and a uniform national currency, predecessor of the United States Senate Committee on Finance. 1816 – Indiana becomes the 19th U.S. state. 1868 – Paraguayan War: Brazilian troops defeat Paraguayan at the Battle of Avay. 1899 – Second Boer War: In the Battle of Magersfontein the Boers commanded by general Piet Cronjé inflict a defeat on the forces of the British Empire commanded by Lord Methuen trying to relieve the Siege of Kimberley. 1901 – Guglielmo Marconi transmits the first transatlantic radio signal from Poldhu, Cornwall, England to Saint John's, Newfoundland. 1905 – A workers' uprising occurs in Kyiv, Ukraine (then part of the Russian Empire), and establishes the Shuliavka Republic. 1907 – The New Zealand Parliament Buildings are almost completely destroyed by fire. 1917 – World War I: British General Edmund Allenby enters Jerusalem on foot and declares martial law. 1920 – Irish War of Independence: In retaliation for a recent IRA ambush, British forces burn and loot numerous buildings in Cork city. Many civilians report being beaten, shot at, robbed and verbally abused by British forces. 1925 – Roman Catholic papal encyclical Quas primas introduces the Feast of Christ the King. 1927 – Guangzhou Uprising: Communist Red Guards launch an uprising in Guangzhou, China, taking over most of the city and announcing the formation of a Guangzhou Soviet. 1931 – Statute of Westminster 1931: The British Parliament establishes legislative equality between the UK and the Dominions of the Commonwealth—Australia, Canada, Newfoundland, New Zealand, South Africa, and Ireland. 1934 – Bill Wilson, co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, takes his last drink and enters treatment for the final time. 1936 – Abdication Crisis: Edward VIII's abdication as King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions beyond the Seas, and Emperor of India, becomes effective. 1937 – Second Italo-Ethiopian War: Italy leaves the League of Nations. 1941 – World War II: Germany and Italy declare war on the United States, following the Americans' declaration of war on the Empire of Japan in the wake of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The United States, in turn, declares war on them. 1941 – World War II: Poland declares war on the Empire of Japan. 1941 – World War II: The Imperial Japanese Navy suffers its first loss of surface vessels during the Battle of Wake Island. 1946 – The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is established. 1948 – Arab–Israeli War: The United Nations passes General Assembly Resolution 194, creating a Conciliation Commission to mediate the conflict. 1958 – French Upper Volta and French Dahomey gain self-government from France, becoming the Republic of Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso) and the Republic of Dahomey (now Benin), respectively, and joining the French Community. 1960 – French forces crack down in a violent clash with protesters in French Algeria during a visit by French President Charles de Gaulle. 1962 – Arthur Lucas, convicted of murder, is the last person to be executed in Canada. 1964 – Che Guevara speaks at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City. 1972 – Apollo 17 becomes the sixth and final Apollo mission to land on the Moon. 1978 – The Lufthansa heist is committed by a group led by Lucchese family associate Jimmy Burke. It was the largest cash robbery ever committed on American soil, at that time. 1980 – The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (Superfund) is enacted by the U.S. Congress. 1981 – El Mozote massacre: Armed forces in El Salvador kill an estimated 900 civilians in an anti-guerrilla campaign during the Salvadoran Civil War. 1990 – Demonstrations by students and workers across Albania begin, which eventually trigger the fall of communism in Albania. 1993 – A block of the Highland Towers condominium complex collapses following a landslide caused by heavy rain and water flowing from a construction site at Ampang district in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 48 of its residents die, including one who died in hospital after being rescued alive, leaving only two survivors. 1994 – First Chechen War: Russian President Boris Yeltsin orders Russian troops into Chechnya. 1994 – A bomb explodes on Philippine Airlines Flight 434, en route from Manila, Philippines, to Tokyo, Japan, killing one. The captain is able to land the plane safely. 1997 – The Kyoto Protocol opens for signature. 1998 – Thai Airways Flight 261 crashes near Surat Thani Airport, killing 101. The pilot flying the Airbus A310-200 is thought to have suffered spatial disorientation. 1999 – SATA Air Açores Flight 530M crashes into Pico da Esperança on São Jorge Island in the Azores, killing 35. 2001 – China joins the World Trade Organization (WTO). 2005 – The Buncefield Oil Depot catches fire in Hemel Hempstead, England. 2005 – Cronulla riots: Thousands of White Australians demonstrate against ethnic violence resulting in a riot against anyone thought to be Lebanese in Cronulla, New South Wales; these are followed up by retaliatory ethnic attacks on Cronulla. 2006 – The International Conference to Review the Global Vision of the Holocaust is opened in Tehran, Iran, by then-president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad; nations such as Israel and the United States express concern. 2006 – Felipe Calderón, the President of Mexico, launches a military-led offensive to put down the drug cartel violence in the state of Michoacán. This effort is often regarded as the first event in the Mexican Drug War. 2007 – Insurgency in the Maghreb: Two car bombs explode in Algiers, Algeria, one near the Supreme Constitutional Court and the other near the offices of the United Nations. 2008 – Bernard Madoff is arrested and charged with securities fraud in a $50 billion Ponzi scheme. 2012 – At least 125 people are killed and up to 200 injured in bombings in the Alawite village of Aqrab, Syria. 2017 – New York City attempted bombing: A pipe bomb partially detonates in the New York City Subway, in the Times Square–42nd Street/Port Authority Bus Terminal. Four people are injured, including the perpetrator. 2019 – The results of the 2019 Bougainvillean independence referendum are announced. The results are overwhelmingly one-sided. Over 98% of voters vote for Bougainville's independence.

[bomweekly]

News Update, Sunday, 28/11/2021 ** COVID-19: Nigerian government directs all workers to resume, get vaccinated ** Beware, Be Prepared, COVID-19 fighting back – Buhari ** Declaration of bandits as terrorists won’t end their aggression – Islamic Cleric, Ahmad Gumi ** APC reconciliation committee assures members of fair hearing ** Declaration of bandits as terrorist meaningless like that of IPOB – Gumi ** Former Governor of Zamfara, Abubakar Yari, dumps APC, defects to PDP ** FAAN suspends airport officials for extorting passenger ** You drink all day and blame me for not adding value to your lives – Ortom to Benue people ** Tinubu told me he is running for president - Elder Statesman ** Woman who supplies arms and ammunition to bandits arrested ** Church member organises Pastor’s kidnap ** NCDC reports 41 new cases ** Emirates resumes operations as Nigeria, UAE resolve differences ** CSO holds conference on Ajaokuta Steel revival, highlights challenges and solutions to Nigeria's industrial growth ** BBC: Aisha, 18, emerges winner of 2021 Hausa story competition ** Group commends FCT minister on appointment of youth assistant ** Nigeria lifts suspension on Emirates Airline, ends nine month’s bickering with carrier ** Eminent personalities grace Oyo Speaker’s wedding in Ibadan ** Final year BUK female student dies after complaining of chest pain ** Emefiele says eNaira downloads almost 600,000 in less than four weeks ** WHO labels new COVID strain Omicron, designates it a ‘variant of concern’ ** UK toughens Covid rules as new strain arrives ** UNICEF calls for end to child immigration ** Ghana parliament rejects 2022 budget after lawmakers staged a walkout ** UK scientist backs vaccines against new COVID-19 variant, Omicron ** Ethiopia PM Abiy says military will ‘destroy’ Tigray rebels ** Widow of South Korean dictator Doo-hwan apologises for husband’s brutal rule ** Anthony Joshua drops to fifth in WBA rankings ******* ***Moderna vaccine is available at all Primary Health Centres in Lagos State ***Get vaccinated! ***It's free! ***Observe all COVID 19 protocols Happy Sunday! https://www.instagram.com/p/CW0Z80_rbw0/?utm_medium=tumblr

[transparentranchmoneynickel-blog]

News Update, Sunday, 28/11/2021 ** COVID-19: Nigerian government directs all workers to resume, get vaccinated ** Beware, Be Prepared, COVID-19 fighting back – Buhari ** Declaration of bandits as terrorists won’t end their aggression – Islamic Cleric, Ahmad Gumi ** APC reconciliation committee assures members of fair hearing ** Declaration of bandits as terrorist meaningless like that of IPOB – Gumi ** Former Governor of Zamfara, Abubakar Yari, dumps APC, defects to PDP ** FAAN suspends airport officials for extorting passenger ** You drink all day and blame me for not adding value to your lives – Ortom to Benue people ** Tinubu told me he is running for president - Elder Statesman ** Woman who supplies arms and ammunition to bandits arrested ** Church member organises Pastor’s kidnap ** NCDC reports 41 new cases ** Emirates resumes operations as Nigeria, UAE resolve differences ** CSO holds conference on Ajaokuta Steel revival, highlights challenges and solutions to Nigeria's industrial growth ** BBC: Aisha, 18, emerges winner of 2021 Hausa story competition ** Group commends FCT minister on appointment of youth assistant ** Nigeria lifts suspension on Emirates Airline, ends nine month’s bickering with carrier ** Eminent personalities grace Oyo Speaker’s wedding in Ibadan ** Final year BUK female student dies after complaining of chest pain ** Emefiele says eNaira downloads almost 600,000 in less than four weeks ** WHO labels new COVID strain Omicron, designates it a ‘variant of concern’ ** UK toughens Covid rules as new strain arrives ** UNICEF calls for end to child immigration ** Ghana parliament rejects 2022 budget after lawmakers staged a walkout ** UK scientist backs vaccines against new COVID-19 variant, Omicron ** Ethiopia PM Abiy says military will ‘destroy’ Tigray rebels ** Widow of South Korean dictator Doo-hwan apologises for husband’s brutal rule ** Anthony Joshua drops to fifth in WBA rankings ******* ***Moderna vaccine is available at all Primary Health Centres in Lagos State ***Get vaccinated! ***It's free! ***Observe all COVID 19 protocols https://www.instagram.com/p/CW0NuoYKFF0/?utm_medium=tumblr

[dipulb3]

At the 11th hour, Trump hands Biden a whole new set of foreign policy headaches

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/at-the-11th-hour-trump-hands-biden-a-whole-new-set-of-foreign-policy-headaches/

At the 11th hour, Trump hands Biden a whole new set of foreign policy headaches

While President-elect Joe Biden’s immediate focus will likely be on the troubled domestic situation, with the Covid-19 pandemic and the political divide in the US, the Trump administration has also opted, as part of its final act, to hand him a series of new international diplomatic dilemmas. In some instances, these are life-or-death situations.

These moves, announced by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, mean Biden will start his presidential term with several key foreign relationships mired in controversy, thanks to the policies set by his predecessor.

“The Trump administration is locking in place a series of conflicts that change the starting point for Biden walking into office on the world stage,” said Raffaello Pantucci, a senior fellow at Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

Potentially the most difficult of the three, on a diplomatic level, comes from the change in relations with Taiwan.

The US has walked a tightrope on this issue, maintaining a close relationship with Taiwan ever since it split from China in 1949 after the end of a bloody civil war, even going so far as providing weapons to the island.

However, since Washington established formal diplomatic ties with Beijing in 1979, it has resisted having official diplomatic relations with Taipei in order to avoid a confrontation with the Communist leadership on the mainland, which still sees the island — home to around 24 million people — as part of China.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has said that he wants to “reunite” Taiwan with the mainland, by force if necessary.

Critics fear this week’s move by the Trump administration will hand Beijing leverage over the incoming Biden administration, even though strengthened US support for Taiwan against an increasingly assertive China has largely been a bipartisan consensus in Washington.

“If the US decides it wants to work with China on climate change, for example, China can demand that the US reverses its position on Taiwan,” said Pantucci.

And whether China hawks in the US like it or not, Biden might well have to work with China to tackle climate change, global terrorism and all sorts of other issues.

Analysts had long expected Biden to retain a hawkish position on China, but they believed he would work with international allies to build a coherent coalition, rather than maintaining Trump’s maximum pressure approach.

“What Biden should do is work with European allies to have an aligned strategy towards China, but in order to do that you need some time to build that,” said Leslie Vinjamuri, director of the US and the Americas program at Chatham House. “You don’t need more immediate issues getting in the way.”

Getting partners — especially those in Europe — to share a unified position on China was already a difficult task.

“European nations have very different attitudes to China, with some — like the UK — very concerned and others — like Italy and Germany — more focused on China as an export market,” says Tom Tugendhat, chairman of the UK’s Foreign Affairs Select Committee.

While it’s tempting to suggest Biden could simply reverse the policy once he takes office, that ignores the lose-lose situation in which Trump has left the President-elect.

As Pantucci points out, capitulation would “cost Biden political capital at home,” where anti-China sentiment is pretty strong across the political aisle. If Biden reimposes restrictions on contacts with Taiwan, it would also allow Beijing to claim that the US had accepted its status as a province of China.

This “could have major implications in Taiwan’s democracy itself, as Xi and his allies have not been hesitant to assert their authority when given the space to do so,” Pantucci added. While China is “very unlikely to attack Taipei,” Pantucci warned there could be “more meddling [by Beijing] in politics, meddling economically” if Trump’s policy remains in place.

Bullying the Houthis is ‘a fantasy’

The situation in Yemen is equally fraught and, as a result of the Trump administration’s actions, potentially more deadly.

The war in Yemen has dragged on since 2014. Diplomatic paths to ending the conflict between the Saudi-backed government and Iran-backed Houthi rebels have thus far failed.

It has been described by UNICEF as the “largest humanitarian crisis in the world, with more than 24 million people — some 80 percent of the population — in need of humanitarian assistance, including more than 12 million children.”

“The designation of the Houthis as a terrorist organization will not help this conflict be resolved in any sense, and actually risks prolonging it,” said Chris Doyle, director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding.

“There are risks that the Houthi hardliners will feel empowered to turn towards Iran more. They will be unwilling to engage in diplomatic processes or backchannels to Saudi Arabia.”

The longer the crisis goes on, the worse things will get for those in need of humanitarian assistance, analysts said.

The terrorism designation will only make it harder for aid groups to deliver food and medical supplies to the country. It will also “make it hard for aid organizations to have staff on the ground, as the Houthis can control the two main entry points to Yemen,” Doyle said.

“By picking one side in a conflict, you can really harm the civilian populations and it’s very irresponsible,” Doyle added. “The idea that you can bully the Houthis into softening their stance is a fantasy.”

Nail in the coffin for Obama’s Cuba policy

Pompeo’s redesignation of Cuba as a sponsor of state terror will probably have the least material impact, but it represents a personal loss to Biden and a significant political win for Trumpism.

In doing so, Trump is hammering the final nail in the coffin of Barack Obama’s efforts to normalize relations with Cuba.

Stories have and will continue to be written about how Trump’s hard line on Cuba’s Communist leaders played well with the Latino vote in Florida. This final act could well leave a legacy for whoever carries the Trump torch in 2024.

“If the US now goes to Cuba and says they want to reset back to where things were at the end of the Obama administration, Cuba can legitimately ask why it should bother when it’s possible that someone like Trump could be elected again in 2024,” said Pantucci.

And a reset, while not top of his list of priorities, might have been something Biden would consider, given he was Obama’s vice president.

The legacy issue is something Vinjamuri to which is paying particularly close attention to.

“These really are the dying days of the Trump administration and they really seem to be laying the groundwork for something they can build on,” she said, suggesting that Pompeo’s final moves could be an attempt to burnish his hardline credentials for a run at the 2024 presidential election.

Biden will be sworn into office on January 20. Trump will be gone — at least for now — but his impact on the world will be felt for years to come.

And it could take an entire term for the new administration to untangle the eleventh-hour decisions made by its predecessor.