#move out cleaning agency singapore

[afmcleaningcompany]

Get Your Home Clean with Part Time Maid in Singapore       

Having a busy schedule makes it challenging to maintain a clean and organized home. You need a part time maid or helper to clear the mess and maintain the house tidy. For all of your part-time maid needs, you can now get in touch with AFM The Cleaning Company. Call 65 86609297 or go to the website to learn more or to make reservations for a part-time helper or part time maid Singapore.

[reality-detective]

Was the Baltimore Bridge attacked? 👇

The Baltimore bridge collapse was an “absolutely brilliant strategic attack” on US critical infrastructure - most likely cyber - & our intel agencies know it. In information warfare terms, they just divided the US along the Mason Dixon line exactly like the Civil War.

Second busiest strategic roadway in the nation for hazardous material now down for 4-5 years - which is how long they say it will take to recover. The bridge was built specifically to move hazardous material - fuel, diesel, propane gas, nitrogen, highly flammable materials, chemicals and oversized cargo that cannot fit in the tunnels - that supply chain now crippled.

Make no mistake: this was an extraordinary attack in terms of planning, timing & execution.

The two critical components on that bridge are the two load-bearing pylons on each end, closest to the shore. They are bigger, thicker and deeper than anything else. These are the anchor points and they knew that hitting either one one of them would be a fatal wound to the integrity of the bridge.

Half a mile of bridge went in the river - likely you will have to build a new one. Also caused so much damage to the structural integrity of the bottom concrete part that you cannot see & won’t know until they take the wreckage apart. Structural destruction is likely absolutely.

Attack perfectly targeted.

“They have figured out how to bring us down. As long as you stay away from the teeth of the US military, you can pick the US apart. We are an arrogant and ignorantly - lethal combination. Obama said they would fundamentally change America and they did. We are in a free-fall ride on a roller coaster right now - no brakes - just picking up speed.”

The footage shows the cargo ship never got in the approach lane in the channel. You have to be in the channel before you get into that turn. Location was precise/deliberate: They chose a bend in the river where you have to slow down and commit yourself - once you are committed in that area there is not enough room to maneuver.

Should have had a harbor pilot to pilot the boat. You are not supposed to traverse any obstacles without the harbor pilot.

They chose a full moon so they would have maximum tidal shift - rise and fall. Brisk flow in that river on a normal day & have had a lot of rain recently so water was already moving along at a good pace.

Hit it with enough kinetic energy to knock the load-bearing pylon out from under the highway - which fatally weakens the span and then 50 percent of the bridge fell into the water.

All these factors when you look at it  - this is how you teach people how to do this type of attack and there are so few people left in the system who know this. We have a Junior varsity team on the field.

Tremendous navigational obstruction. Huge logistical nightmare to clean this up. The number of dead is tragic but not the whole measure of the attack.

That kind of bridge is constantly under repair - always at night because there is so much traffic and they cannot obstruct that during the day. So concern is for repair guys who were on foot (out of their vehicles) working who may now be in the water - 48 degrees at most at this time of year.

When you choke off Baltimore you have cut the main north-south hazardous corridor (I-95) in half. Now everyone has to go around the city - or go somewhere else.

To move some of that cargo through the tunnel you may be able to get a permit but those are slow to get and require an escort system that is expensive and has to be done at night.

For every $100 dollars that goes into the city, $12 comes from shipping. Believe this will cripple the city of Baltimore at a time when they do not have the resources to recover.

- Lara Logan

The traffic issue was mentioned in this 👇 post

Maybe we have to dig deeper into this Bridge collapse further. Could it be a deeper issue? What's in those shipping containers? Who owns the ship?

Is it for this 👆

It has been 3 years and 3 days since the Evergreen blocked the Suez Canal. Does the number 33 mean anything?

Was this a "Black Swan Event?"

I'm just asking questions? 🤔

[kinocollectives]

Trusted Video Production Company In Singapore: How to Pick the Right One

As video experts, one of our main goals as a company is to spread the value of Branded Content Video Production with brands worldwide. We won't rest until all types of organizations - be they small businesses, multinational companies or non-profits - understand how video content can benefit them.

Collaboration with a Corporate Video Production Company In Singaporemay be your best bet, yet as you may have noted there are so many options on the market. There are different types of production companies and agencies you could work with before finding options within each type that seem suitable - but not at first glance!

Today we'll walk through some key points you should keep in mind when selecting a production partner. We will show what options exist, what questions to pose, and which factors could set one company apart from another.

Let's jump right in! Let's do this thing together!

Begin Your Search.

To start off your search process properly, it's crucial that you clearly define what you need from a partner. Depending on your circumstances, this could range from full service provider that handles everything from initial brainstorming through distribution, or simply needing some assistance in one step - such as editing out some footage or cleaning up script. Now is the time to discuss with your team what your requirements are so that when approaching prospective partners for talks you know how best to approach them.

Locate Your Options.

Once again, Google, LinkedIn or your preferred search method should help you locate potential Marketing Video Production Company to partner with for your project. If this company will need to be on set during any of your shoot days, make sure you only consider those operating where your shoot days will occur.

Keep in mind that larger production companies may offer expert crews in multiple cities, so be sure to include those options along with any local companies.

Review Each Company's Portfolio.

Once you have narrowed down the field to include potential partners, take time to carefully inspect their portfolios. This should be easy to do on any company website--look for sections like "Portfolio" or "Our Work," then view some videos they feature there.

At this stage, your goals should be twofold: assess the overall quality and look and feel of videos as well as whether any of them match up to what you envision for your project. Sorting by industry, video type, budget or business size may also help narrow your search further; finding one with an aesthetic similar to your desired result would indicate whether a company can handle your task successfully. When you find one that does so - that could be a great sign!

Be wary of ignoring this step when selecting your video project. Simply because a company offers professional-looking and engaging videos does not mean they can accommodate your particular task; their specialty may lie elsewhere if yours falls outside that particular niche or style of Video Production For Digital Marketing.

By now, you should have identified several companies that might work for you. Once this step has been taken, move onto the next.

Contact Each Company

At this stage of the selection process, things become more intensive. In order to gain a clearer sense of whether a particular company fits your needs or not, you'll need to contact each of them individually; depending on each one this could involve requesting a quote on their website, calling their sales number, or scheduling an appointment with their production team.

Select Your Partner

Once you have collected all of the necessary information on potential partners, the next step should be trusting your instinct. Perhaps one team cared more for the success of your project than others or asked more questions to ensure they understood your goals than any others.

When choosing a partner for a Video Production Services Company. it's essential that you feel comfortable with whomever is helping bring your vision into reality. Whichever choice gives you confidence is likely the best fit. If you're still uncertain which path is the right one for you, let us be the ones to help make a decision for you! 

[sallyyty]

Moving Out or In? One-Time House Cleaning Services for a Fresh Start in Singapore

Weekends are precious, and after a long week of work, the last thing anyone wants is to spend their leisure time cleaning the house. A house cleaner or a spring cleaning service in Singapore can be a game-changer, helping you reclaim your weekends and ensuring that your home is always in top-notch condition. 

In Singapore, hiring a part-time maid through a reputable part-time maid agency is a practical solution that provides numerous benefits. This article explores how a part-time house cleaner can transform your weekends and maintain your home efficiently.

The Convenience of a Part-Time House Cleaner

A part-time house cleaner offers unparalleled convenience. With their assistance, you can enjoy a spotless home without sacrificing your weekends. These professionals are well-trained to handle various cleaning tasks, from dusting and vacuuming to mopping floors and sanitising bathrooms. Engaging a part-time maid in Singapore allows you to customise the cleaning schedule to suit your lifestyle, ensuring your home is always clean and inviting.

Moreover, a part-time house cleaner can perform tasks that are often overlooked during regular cleaning sessions. They can help with deep cleaning activities such as scrubbing grout, cleaning windows, and reaching those hard-to-clean spots. This thorough approach ensures that your home is not just clean but also hygienic, contributing to a healthier living environment.

Flexible Scheduling to Suit Your Needs

One of the significant advantages of hiring a part-time house cleaner is the flexibility they offer. Unlike full-time maids, part-time cleaners can be hired for specific days and hours, depending on your needs. This flexibility is particularly beneficial for busy professionals, families with young children, or anyone with an unpredictable schedule. A part-time maid agency can match you with a cleaner whose availability aligns with your preferred cleaning times.

Whether you need someone to clean your home once a week, bi-weekly, or even monthly, a part-time house cleaner can accommodate your requirements. This arrangement not only helps in maintaining the cleanliness of your home but also ensures that you have more time to relax and enjoy your weekends without worrying about household chores.

Cost-Effective Solution

Engaging a part-time house cleaner is a cost-effective solution for maintaining a clean home. Hiring a full-time maid can be expensive and often unnecessary for households that do not require daily cleaning. In contrast, a part-time maid in Singapore provides the same professional cleaning services at a fraction of the cost. You pay only for the hours worked, making it an economical choice for many families.

Additionally, a part-time house cleaner brings their cleaning supplies and equipment, saving you the expense of purchasing and maintaining these items. This aspect further enhances the cost-effectiveness of hiring part-time cleaning services, allowing you to allocate your budget to other important areas.

Professional and Reliable Service

When you hire a part-time house cleaner through a reputable part-time maid agency, you can expect professional and reliable service. These agencies conduct thorough background checks and provide training to ensure that their cleaners meet high standards of professionalism and efficiency. This vetting process gives you peace of mind, knowing that your home is in safe hands.

Professional part-time house cleaners are experienced and skilled in handling various cleaning tasks. They follow a systematic approach to ensure every corner of your home is cleaned meticulously. Their expertise allows them to complete tasks more quickly and effectively than the average homeowner, leaving you with a pristine home and more time to enjoy your weekends.

Customised Cleaning Plans

Every home is unique, and so are its cleaning needs. A part-time house cleaner can tailor their services to meet your specific requirements. Whether you need a one-time deep cleaning session or regular maintenance, these professionals can develop a customised cleaning plan that addresses your priorities.

By working with a part-time maid agency, you can communicate your preferences and expectations to ensure the cleaning services are aligned with your needs. This personalised approach ensures that you receive the best possible service, making your home a comfortable and clean haven.

Improved Quality of Life

A clean and organised home significantly contributes to your overall well-being. By hiring a part-time house cleaner, you can reduce stress and enjoy a higher quality of life. A clean home environment promotes relaxation and peace of mind, allowing you to unwind and recharge over the weekend.

Furthermore, maintaining a clean home can prevent the build-up of allergens and dust, which can affect your health. Regular cleaning by a professional part-time maid in Singapore ensures that your living space remains hygienic and free from harmful pollutants, enhancing your physical health and comfort.

Conclusion

Incorporating the services of a part-time house cleaner into your weekly routine can transform your weekends and improve your overall quality of life. With the convenience, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness they offer, part-time house cleaners are an ideal solution for busy individuals and families. By engaging a reputable part-time maid agency, you can ensure that your home receives professional and reliable cleaning services tailored to your needs.

Ready to enjoy a clean home without sacrificing your weekends? Visit SparkCleanz today to find the perfect part-time maid agency for your needs.

[budgetmaid0]

What Is The Need For A Maid Agency In Singapore To Hire Housemaids?

When you are busy with office work and other domestic chores, maintaining your home clean cannot be easy. As a result, you're totally dependent on your home cleaner to do the same. Finding a good and trustworthy housekeeper is not simple, especially in Singapore. You can contact a reliable maid agency to offer you the best housemaid. Some of the key benefits of employing a maid service include the following:

Safety of your home and family

Professional maid service companies in Singapore carefully and thoroughly check the backgrounds of their employees and, as needed, also provide them with training on various tasks. This ensures that all of your expensive belongings remain secure and protected. Since reliable maid service provider in Singapore complete each person's verification, you don't have to worry about your security when leaving for certain work.

Excellent outcomes

The maids hired from reputable companies can change how your home looks. The domestic maid service provider in Singapore can enhance your home's beauty and provide a luxurious, spotless atmosphere. These maids are skilled in using the latest techniques and supplies to ensure that each corner of your home shines and impresses your guests.

If you need any assistance finding trustworthy and efficient maids for your house, you can reach out to Budgetmaid to assist you with all your needs. They also offer services of transfer maid Singapore if you need to move your foreign domestic help to a different employer. They are proficient enough to find you the best helper to meet all your needs.

For More details on Domestic Maid Service Provider in Singapore Please visit our website: budgetmaid.com.sg

[esglatestmarketnews]

Sustainable Investing in the Smart Cities Industry: An ESG Perspective

Burgeoning urbanization, technology advancements and emphasis on sustainability have opened avenues of growth in the smart cities industry. ESG policies have received an uptake as cities continue to grow in both number and population. According to the World Bank, the global urban population will surge to 6 billion by 2045. Technology advances have furthered digitization and companies expect smart cities to be catalysts for sustainable development. With cities grappling with climate change, ESG has become pivotal in complementing the applications of technologies and data to enhance city planning, accountability and engagement with citizens. 

The need for action against climate change has become imperative for a low-carbon society and to implement sustainable practices across the value chain. For instance, Singapore has implemented Green Plan to minimize the waste sent to landfills by 30% by 2030, plant one million more trees and quadruple solar energy deployment by 2025. 

A bullish ESG policy can provide a robust approach for stakeholders to analyze and address socio-environmental and governance challenges. In essence, strategic planning in line with national objectives, solid ESG regulation and regulatory compliance will remain critical to bolstering the brand position. For instance, real-time IoT data have become sought-after to help city governments in managing and monitoring environmental policies. 

Key Companies in this theme

    • ABB Limited

    • AGT International

    • AVEVA Group plc.

    • Cisco Systems, Inc.

    • Ericsson

    • General Electric

Discover more regarding the practices and strategies being implemented by industry participants form the Smart Cities Industry ESG Thematic Report, 2023, published by Astra ESG Solutions

Environmental Perspective

The prevalence of greenhouse gas emissions in cities has reinforced the need to strengthen the environmental profile. According to the data cited in the UN specialized agency for ICTs, cities contribute over 70% of carbon emissions globally every year. Digital solutions, such as smart grids, have shown promising signs of reducing emissions and fostering a move towards a clean energy society. Smart grids with predictive analytics and real-time monitoring have gained traction to reduce pressure on aging infrastructure, integrate renewables and lower costs and minimize peak loads.

To illustrate, in December 2022, Siemens won a new contract for grid control and smart metering infrastructure in Egypt. The project, under the aegis of the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), is valued at EUR 40 million (roughly USD 43 million) and will implement state-of-the-art software to boost the stability, efficiency and reliability of the power grid while minimizing electricity distribution losses. Investments in smart grids could be a significant leap to implementing a sustainable practice across the value chain. 

Social Perspective

While the low-carbon future is paving the way to an environmentally friendly society, social facets, including diversity & inclusion, workplace safety and employee engagement, have become invaluable to leverage social progress. For instance, in ABB, 40.5% of early talent hires were women in 2021, with revised Group-wide guidelines for flexible work practices. Strategies to underpin social performance encompassing gender, age, ethnicity and sexual orientation have become pronounced. It is gearing up to increase the proportion of women in senior management roles by two-fold (as part of its Global Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2030). 

The Switzerland-headquartered company also rolled out a gender-neutral parental leave program offering four weeks of paid leave for secondary caregivers and 12 weeks for primary caregivers. Besides, it received an employee engagement score of 74 out of 100 in its 2021 employee Engagement Survey. Moreover, over 7,600 ABB managers and other employees completed the “Interrupt Unconscious Bias” program.

Is your business one of participants to the Global Smart Cities Industry? Contact us for focused consultation around ESG Investing, and help you build sustainable business practices.

Governance Perspective

An exponential rise in smart cities has put the spotlight on the governance pillar, including transparency, ecosystem governance, ethical practices, funding and supply chain management policies. Stakeholders are expected to focus on undergirding governance to help employees make ethical and fair decisions and provide a foundation for effective strategic leadership. For instance, AVEVA has an Audit Committee to monitor and oversee risk management & control; a Nomination and Governance Committee to review ESG, board composition and succession planning; a Disclosure Committee to decide if information should be disclosed to the market; and a Remuneration Committee to review board and senior management remuneration. In addition, the CEO regularly updates the board about the culture of wellbeing, inclusivity, developments concerning diversity, equity and inclusion and opportunity for employees and communities. 

Forward-looking companies strive to achieve carbon neutrality in their operations and foster responsible business practices and social cohesion. In October 2021, The City of London chose Nextech AR Solutions to provide a mini-metaverse experience at Harmony at London Wall Place. The AR-powered interactive artwork and music exhibitions will underscore inclusion as the metaverse will provide easy access to these experiences. It is worth noting that the global smart cities market size touched USD 1,090.64 billion in 2021 and will register a 24.2% CAGR from 2022 to 2030. 

About Astra – ESG Solutions By Grand View Research

Astra is the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) arm of Grand View Research Inc. – a global market research publishing & management consulting firm.

Astra offers comprehensive ESG thematic assessment & scores across diverse impact & socially responsible investment topics, including both public and private companies along with intuitive dashboards. Our ESG solutions are powered by robust fundamental & alternative information. Astra specializes in consulting services that equip corporates and the investment community with the in-depth ESG research and actionable insight they need to support their bottom lines and their values. We have supported our clients across diverse ESG consulting projects & advisory services, including climate strategies & assessment, ESG benchmarking, stakeholder engagement programs, active ownership, developing ESG investment strategies, ESG data services, build corporate sustainability reports. Astra team includes a pool of industry experts and ESG enthusiasts who possess extensive end-end ESG research and consulting experience at a global level.

For more ESG Thematic reports, please visit Astra ESG Solutions, powered by Grand View Research

[livingwordcommunictionasia]

What Is a Marketing Communications Agency?

Perhaps you have heard the old saying "build a better mousetrap and they will come?" What this essentially means, is that if you have a product or service that is in fact an improvement on what is available, that clients, or customers will simply find you.

Boutique social media agency Singapore

Well that was then and this is now and while it is true that the Internet now holds literally millions, if not billions of potential customers, or clients, it also holds new equally incredible numbers of competitors.

So now no matter how commercially viable whatever it is that you are selling, the trick is getting your voice heard in such a vast crowd of others who are doing the same thing that you are; trying to attract attention to them on the Internet.

Now in the early days of the Internet there was always spamming. That was that you could pay a service to simply create a clever advertising promotional page and then mass email it. Now you can't do that anymore though, and in fact they put people in prison for it.

So now you instead go to a marketing communications agency where experts in Internet promotions who have spent years studying what is in fact both art and a science help you to get your name, and, or product in front of people noses. So how do they do it?

A lot of what they do centres around search engine optimization, or what you may have heard being referred to as SEO. It's the means by which your site or promotional information products contained in your site are moved as close to page one in the search engines.

As an example, if your company was named "Acme Vacuum Cleaner Co." when folks typed "vacuum cleaners" into their computers search engine bar, you would want your company's site to be on the first page of the thousands that will pop up on their screen.

Sounds pretty basic doesn't it? Well it isn't because it turns out that there may be hundreds of different search engine keywords that people type in that if mined properly can lead to sales. Words like dust removal, dust allergies, carpet cleaning, house cleaning, floor cleaning, etc, etc, etc.

So one of the first tasks is to identify all the various keywords that can be connected to your product or service then do some market research to determine each ones viability. As an example one might assume that something like "floor cleaning" might be red hot for a company like Acme Vacuum Cleaner Co.?

It's a common mistake that all too many novices make because the level of competition has to be weighed against your budget resources. What this means is that for the money that you have to spend, there may be more obscure keywords that in the end will turn out to be far more lucrative. Visit https://livingwordcommunications.asia/

Resource

[springcleaningservices]

Since people have become more aware of the value of keeping a clean and hygienic living space, cleaning services have grown in popularity. There are many different kinds of cleaning services available to suit a wide range of needs and tastes, ranging from routine housekeeping to specialized services like spring cleaning, move in cleaning, and move out cleaning. Many cleaning services also provide more specialty services in addition to these fundamental cleaning chores, including thorough cleaning of carpets and upholstery, cleaning and polishing of woodwork and cabinetry, and even pressure washing of exterior surfaces like decks and patios. Air duct cleaning is one of the extra services that spring cleaning services provide. This service can assist your home's indoor air quality.

Utilizing spring cleaning services can be a great way to ensure that your house is clean and welcoming for you and your family as well as to get it ready for the warmer months ahead. You can appreciate a cleaner, more organized home without worrying about the details by hiring a professional cleaning agency to handle the deep cleaning tasks that you might not have time for.

Read More: Best Move in Cleaning Services in Singapore

[1apiwe]

Vietnam president resigns amid major anti-graft purge

At least 100 officials and businesspeople have been arrested in connection with a scandal involving the distribution of Covid-19 testing kits.

ietnam President Nguyen Xuan Phuc has resigned, state media said Tuesday, after days of rumours he was about to be sacked as part of a major anti-corruption drive that has seen several ministers fired.

Phuc has “submitted his resignation from his assigned positions, quit his job, and retired”, state news agency VNA said.

Phuc’s sudden departure is a highly unusual move in communist Vietnam, where political changes are normally carefully orchestrated, with an emphasis on cautious stability.

State media said the communist party had ruled he was responsible for wrongdoing by senior ministers under him during his 2016-2021 stint as prime minister, before he became president.

Vietnam cleans up

Two deputy prime ministers were sacked this month in an anti-corruption purge that has led to the arrest of dozens of officials, with many of the graft allegations relating to deals done as part of Vietnam’s Covid pandemic response.

Phuc “took political responsibility as leader when several officials, including two deputy prime ministers and three ministers committed violations and shortcomings, causing very serious consequences”, VNA said, quoting the party central committee’s official statement.

READ MORE 15 Thai officials charged after raid suspects walk free

ALSO READ: Slovakia may ‘freeze’ ties with Vietnam until kidnapping claims are confirmed

Earlier this month, the country’s rubber stamp National Assembly removed Pham Binh Minh and Vu Duc Dam from their positions as deputy prime ministers. 

Minh was a minister of foreign affairs while Dam was in charge of the country’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

At least 100 officials and businesspeople, including Dam’s assistant, have been arrested in connection with a scandal involving the distribution of Covid-19 testing kits.

Thirty-seven people — many of them senior diplomats and police — have also been arrested in an investigation over the repatriation of Vietnamese during the pandemic.

– Corruption, infighting –

After closing its borders to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Vietnam organised nearly 800 charter flights to bring citizens home from 60 countries and territories.

But travellers faced complicated procedures while paying exorbitant airfares and quarantine fees to get back to Vietnam.

Phuc, 68, was elevated to the largely ceremonial role of president in April 2021 after winning plaudits for the country’s broadly successful handling of the pandemic.

ALSO READ: Vietnam jails two activists for ‘spreading propaganda’ on Facebook

Authoritarian Vietnam is run by the Communist Party and officially led by the party general secretary, president, and prime minister, with key decisions made by the politburo, which now numbers 16.

Le Hong Hiep, a fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, said Phuc’s resignation may also be linked to political infighting. 

“It’s mainly related to corruption investigations but we cannot rule out the possibility that his political rivals also wanted to remove him from his position for political reasons,” he told AFP.  

Communist Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong, the architect of what is Vietnam’s largest-ever anti-corruption drive, is due to step down in 2026. 

“Some politicians will try to get the (top) prize and because of the competition from their rivals — in this case Mr Phuc is one of them — they may want to remove him to clear the way for the other candidate to get the top job.”

[afmcleaningcompany]

AFMs Part Time Helper SingaporeEvery homeowner and business manager knows that keeping a property clean requires constant effort. Sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming are physically and mentally exhausting. AFM the Cleaning Company helps here.

[southeastasianists]

The dormitories in which Singapore’s migrant workers live have, until recently, been almost hidden from view. The vast, steel buildings are mostly on the outskirts of town, tucked inside industrial estates, far away from the city-state’s glittering skyscrapers and luxury hotels.

Inside, the men who carry out backbreaking work to build Singapore’s infrastructure, sleep on bunk beds, crammed into rooms with as many as 20 people. The biggest dormitory complex houses up to 24,000 workers.

In recent weeks, as the coronavirus has ripped through the facilities, their unsanitary and overcrowded conditions have quickly become the subject of international attention. Singapore, recently lauded for its gold-standard approach to testing and tracing, now demonstrates both the dangers of neglecting marginalised communities, and the vulnerability of nations to a second wave of infections.

On Wednesday, the number of cases surpassed 10,000. This compares with just 200 infections recorded on 15 March, when its outbreak appeared to be nearly under control. Almost all new reports involve migrant workers.

Last week, the country extended a partial shutdown that was introduced at the start of April, with people told to stay indoors as much as possible. All migrant workers have been told not to leave their dorms, and are instead having food delivered by authorities.

“It feels like we’re in a prison. [It is] too difficult. [There is] too much heat in the room,” says A, who asked to remain anonymous, fearing that he might face repercussions for speaking to the media. Outside, the sound of ambulance sirens could be heard, he adds. None of the hundreds of people living on his floor has tested positive.

Activists say they raised concerns about the risks posed by the virus to migrant workers as early as February. In March, the campaign group Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) said the risk of an outbreak among this community was “undeniable”.

When clusters began to emerge, the government moved 7,000 workers, mostly people who do essential jobs such as working on power plants, out of the buildings. About 293,000 remain housed in such facilities. Authorities say they will prioritise relocating older people. Cleaning services have been increased to improve hygiene, officials say, and meals are also being delivered to prevent workers needing to use communal kitchens.

The outbreak has brought to the surface the glaring inequality in Singapore, which relies heavily on a workforce of about a million migrant workers to build its famous skyscrapers, and clean its gleaming shopping malls. Most have travelled to the country from Bangladesh, India and other south Asian countries, in the hope of sending money back home. Their lifestyles are a stark contrast to the country’s wealthy elite and financial workers.

Kokila Annamalai, a local activist who supports migrant workers, fears that the spread of Covid-19 within the dormitories has fanned the flames of xenophobia and racism. She points to comments made online and in the media. “On top of [the view that] ‘it’s their fault for not being clean and for their eating habits’ and things like that, there is also this almost worse mindset of ‘they’re driving our numbers up and it makes us look bad on the world stage, and they should go home’,” she said.

While such remarks have been condemned by Singapore’s home affairs and law minister, Kasiviswanathan Shanmugam, campaigners say official messages have also been unhelpful. Workers have been urged to “be responsible”, wear face masks at all times, report symptoms to their dormitory operators and stay at least one metre from one another.

A recent study by Mohan Dutta, a professor at Massey University in New Zealand, suggests such guidance is often just impractical. The overwhelming majority of about 100 workers surveyed said they were unable to maintain such a distance at all times. More than half described their rooms as unhygienic.

Just last week, workers reported that they did not have enough soap to wash their hands.

Workers are generally reluctant to voice complaints. Most take out huge debts in order to work in Singapore, often to find on arrival that they will be paid less than promised. A typical salary is around S$500-750 (£285-£425) a month. They are required to hold temporary work permits, but these are tied to their employer, making them extremely vulnerable to exploitation.

B sold his family land and took loans so he could afford to pay an agency about S$7,000 to work in Singapore, where he hoped he would earn a high salary. As the eldest son, he is responsible for supporting his extended family, as well as his own wife and children. He knew that he would be required to work hard in Singapore, but his body was unprepared for the long hours of heavy lifting on construction sites. He did not expect that he would live, initially, in a container with eight others. “[I] had no idea that I would have to live like this and be in this much pain,” he said.

Now, about a decade later, he says he is at least lucky to share a dorm room with just 12 people – fewer than many of his peers, and a contrast to his previous room, which had virtually no natural light. A also shares a room with 12 others. The heat is so suffocating, that everyone sleeps on the floor, he says. He is afraid to use the communal toilets, which are unclean.

Many in Singapore are sympathetic towards the workers. “They deserve more. They deserve what every Singaporean deserves,” says William Lai, a photographer. “I don’t know what is going through the minds of these people [who blame workers] ... It is not their fault. They don’t want to be affected by this.”

In a speech this week, Singapore’s prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong, said migrant workers would be cared for in the same way as Singaporeans: “We will look after your health, your welfare and your livelihood.” Almost all the migrant workers infected have only mild symptoms, he added.

Dutta believes the crisis could present an opportunity to reform how migrant workers are treated, but he added that small tweaks would not be enough. “Substantive changes are needed in how Singapore looks at migrant workers, what rights migrant workers have, and how they are able to advocate for their own health and wellbeing,” says Dutta.

B says that, for a start, migrant worker dormitories should be more strictly controlled, with caps on the number of workers allowed per room and per bathroom facilities. “It is not like Singapore cannot regulate it.”

“This entire city is built on our labour and on our hard work,” he adds. “That tells you what you need to be told about the culture that we bring, and how our culture makes up the clean and sparkling facade of the city.”

Workers, he adds, do not expect special kindness, just their basic labour rights.

[newstfionline]

Thursday, November 26, 2020

Foreign observers shocked by chaos over U.S. election (Washington Post) These are challenging times for foreigners whose job it is to interpret American politics for people in other countries. As President Trump has used a string of maneuvers to attack the election he lost as fraudulent and illegitimate, many observers are perplexed as they watch the country they have known and admired floundering in a constitutional crisis and growing mistrust of democratic institutions. For many, it is a struggle to maintain confidence that America’s principles and ideals will prevail. “People who know the U.S. are shocked it’s going on so long,” said Michal Baranowski, the German Marshall Fund director of the office in Warsaw, of the post-election uncertainty and Trump’s refusal to concede. “We still say it will work out, because of the strength of U.S. institutions. But, man, it’s taking a long time, and I’m beginning to worry.” Some foreign observers are also struggling to explain the U.S. political drama to their baffled friends and colleagues.

California unemployment aid to inmates (AP) California’s system for paying unemployment benefits is so dysfunctional that the state approved more than $140 million for at least 20,000 prisoners, local and federal prosecutors said Tuesday, detailing a scheme that resulted in claims filed in the names of well-known convicted murderers. At least 158 claims were filed for 133 death-row inmates, resulting in more than $420,000 in benefits paid. Prosecutors said they learned of the scheme from listening in on recorded prison phone calls, where inmates would talk about how easy it was for everyone to get paid. They said the scheme always involved someone on the outside—usually friends or family members of the inmates, who would then receive the benefits. In some cases, inmates used their real names. In others, they used fake names and even fake Social Security numbers. In one instance, an inmate used the name: “poopy britches,” a district attorney said.

Failing grades spike in Virginia’s largest school system as online learning gap emerges nationwide (Washington Post) A report on student grades from one of the nation’s largest school districts offers some of the first concrete evidence that online learning is forcing a striking drop in students’ academic performance, and that the most vulnerable students—children with disabilities and English-language learners—are suffering the most. Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia, which has been mostly online since March, published an internal analysis this week showing that, between the last academic year and this one, the percentage of middle school and high school students earning F’s in at least two classes jumped by 83 percent: from 6 percent to 11 percent. By the end of the first quarter of 2020-2021, nearly 10,000 Fairfax students had scored F’s in two or more classes—an increase of more than 4,300 students as compared with the group who received F’s by the same time last year. Experts have warned since the beginning of the pandemic, and the unexpected national experiment in online learning, that remote schooling would take a serious academic toll on children. Now, evidence of poor achievement in virtual classrooms is beginning to emerge nationwide: In the Independent School District in Houston, more than 40 percent of students are earning failing grades in at least two of their classes, according to data reported by the Houston Chronicle. Likewise in St. Paul, Minn., where the superintendent recently reported that nearly 40 percent of St. Paul Public Schools high-schoolers have failing marks, local TV station KARE reported.

White House considers lifting European travel restrictions (Reuters) The White House is considering rescinding entry bans for most non-U.S. citizens who recently were in Brazil, Britain, Ireland and 26 other European countries, five U.S. and airline officials told Reuters. The plan has won the backing of White House coronavirus task-force members, public health and other federal agencies, the people briefed on the matter said, but President Donald Trump has not made a final decision and the timing remains uncertain.

Punishing hurricanes to spur more Central American migration SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras (AP)—At a shelter in this northern Honduran city, Lilian Gabriela Santos Sarmiento says back-to-back hurricanes that hit with devastating fury this month have overturned her life. Her home in what was once a pretty neighborhood in nearby La Lima was destroyed by flooding. The 29-year-old woman who never finished middle school had managed to build a life for herself, most recently cleaning COVID-19 wards at a local hospital. Now, having lost everything, she says she sees no future in Honduras at her age and with her level of education. So her plan is to leave for the United States. Inside shelters and improvised camps across Central America, families who lost everything in the severe flooding set off by the two major hurricanes are arriving at the same conclusion. The hurricanes’ destruction comes on top of the economic paralysis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the persistent violence and lack of jobs that have driven families north from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador in great numbers during recent years. Add an element of hope from the incoming government of President-elect Joe Biden, and experts predict the region is on the verge of another mass migration. “This is going to be much bigger than what we have been seeing,” said Jenny Arguello, a sociologist in San Pedro Sula who studies migration flows. “I believe entire communities are going to leave.”

Swiss poll (Foreign Policy) Swiss citizens will vote on Sunday in a landmark referendum on whether to ban the country’s central bank and pension funds from holding shares in companies that make more than 5 percent of sales from weapons components. The initiative would also ban Swiss banks from lending to weapons companies. The Swiss central bank is against the measure, as are the major Swiss banks. Despite industry pushback, a recent poll showed 50 percent of respondents supported the ban, while 45 percent were opposed.

U.S.-Russia naval confrontation (Foreign Policy) The United States and Russia are offering competing explanations after a Russian warship confronted a U.S. destroyer on Russia’s eastern coast. Russia accuses the United States of overstepping its maritime border in Peter the Great Gulf by 1.2 miles, and allegedly threatened to ram the U.S. ship in order to get it to leave its waters. The United States asserts its ship was in international waters and was conducting a freedom of navigation operation in assertion of its right to travel through the area.

Coronavirus is roaring back in parts of Asia (Washington Post) Compared with the United States and Europe, countries in East Asia have been held up as success stories in the battle against the coronavirus pandemic. But in Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong, governments are reimposing restrictions this week, as public complacency, policy blunders and colder weather fuel a new surge in virus cases. Japan is scaling back a contentious subsidy program designed to encourage domestic tourism and dining out, after it became clear the enticements were helping to fuel a third wave that has resulted in record new infections. In Seoul, officials ordered bars and nightclubs to close and limited dine-in service at cafes and restaurants this week, after an earlier easing of restrictions allowed the virus to roar back. Hong Kong also closed bars and nightclubs, days after officials postponed the launch of a travel bubble with Singapore—a highly anticipated experiment that was set to herald a reopening of quarantine-free travel in Asia—after the virus found gaps in the territory’s defenses to stage a comeback. The numbers of new infections here are a fraction of those in West, with Japan recently reporting more than 2,000 new cases a day, South Korea more than 300 a day, and Hong Kong recording 73 new confirmed cases on Monday—compared with more than 150,000 a day in the United States. Yet the infection rates are still high enough to ring alarm bells, especially given the high proportion of elderly people in places like Japan, as winter approaches and doors and windows close against the chill.

China mulls new rules on foreigners to ‘prohibit religious extremism’ (CNN) Foreign religious groups and worshipers could be the latest targets of a growing crackdown on organized religion in China under President Xi Jinping. Draft rules published this week by the Ministry of Justice call for new restrictions on how foreign worshipers operate in order to prevent the spreading of “religious extremism,” or use of religion “to undermine China’s national or ethnic unity.” The rules, currently open to public feedback but unlikely to change significantly from their current form, are just the latest move to control religious practice under Xi, who has repeatedly called for the “sinicization” of religion. Though the draft rules affirm China’s commitment to respecting “the freedom of religious belief of foreigners,” the list of potential new restrictions and requirements could make practicing that belief far more difficult. In particular, the draft rules include a list of activities that foreigners should not conduct within China, such as “interfering with or dominating the affairs of Chinese religious groups,” advocating “extremist religious thoughts,” using religion to conduct terrorist activities, or “interfering with the appointment or management of Chinese clergy members.”

Ethiopian leader rejects international ‘interference’ in war (AP) Ethiopia’s prime minister is rejecting growing international consensus for dialogue and a halt to deadly fighting in the Tigray region as “unwelcome,” saying his country will handle the conflict on its own as a 72-hour surrender ultimatum runs out on Wednesday. “We respectfully urge the international community to refrain from any unwelcome and unlawful acts of interference,” the statement from Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s office said as government forces encircled the Tigray capital, Mekele, with tanks. “The international community should stand by until the government of Ethiopia submits its requests for assistance to the community of nations.” The government led by Abiy has warned Mekele’s half-million residents to move away from the Tigray People’s Liberation Front leaders or there will be “no mercy”—language that the United Nations human rights chief and others have warned could lead to “further violations of international humanitarian law.” But communications remain almost completely severed to the Tigray region of some 6 million people, and is not clear how many people in Mekele are aware of the warnings and the threat of artillery fire.

Terrorism in Africa (Times of London) Islamic State terrorism is surging in Africa while in the western world the threat from far-right extremists has overtaken that from jihadists. The 2020 Global Terrorism Index found that despite a fall in the global terrorism death toll for the fifth year running, Africa was suffering a dramatic increase in jihadist violence linked to Islamic State. “The center of gravity for Isis has now shifted to sub-Saharan Africa,” said Steve Killelea, founder of the Institute of Economic and Peace which produces the annual index. “Seven of the ten countries with the largest increases in terrorism all reside in sub-Saharan Africa.”

[budgetmaid0]

Different Types of Maid Services and Their Benefits

There are various types of maid services available to cater to different needs and preferences. 

You can hire housekeepers from one of the many service providers who operate Maid Agency in Singapore. Here are some common types of maid services and their benefits:

1- Regular Cleaning Services:

Regular maid services typically involve recurring visits to maintain the cleanliness and tidiness of a home or office. You can use Maid Agency in Singapore if you need maid service; they offer a service that allows you to arrange your service on a weekly, biweekly, or monthly basis, depending on your needs. 

Regular visits by maids ensure your space is consistently clean, eliminating the buildup of dirt, dust, and clutter. There are many service providers, such as the Indonesian maid Agency that provide you with maids for regular cleaning. You can delegate the responsibility of maintaining a clean space to the professionals, allowing you to focus on other tasks and priorities.

2- Deep Cleaning Services: 

Deep cleaning services are thorough, focusing on areas that are often neglected in regular cleaning routines. Deep cleaning targets hard-to-reach areas, such as behind furniture and high-touch surfaces, ensuring a more thorough cleaning experience.

You can hire a maid from Singapore Maid Agency to meet your sporadic cleaning needs, such as those that develop before or after a specific event or while moving into a new region. 

3- Move-In/Move-Out Cleaning Services:

Move-in or move-out cleaning services are specifically designed for individuals or businesses transitioning into or out of space. You can contact the Indonesian maid Agency to hire maids to make sure the space is cleaned and readied as needed, whether you are moving out of a rented home or into a new residence. 

Overall,

Now that you understand the different types of maid services available, you can choose the one that best suits your specific needs by hiring a maid through Maid Agency which provides you services so that you can enjoy the benefits of a clean, organized, and well-maintained space.

For More details on Indian Maid Agencies in Singapore Please visit our website: budgetmaid.com.sg

[esglatestmarketnews]

ESG-based approach Becomes Pivotal in Smart Cities Industry

Burgeoning urbanization, technology advancements and emphasis on sustainability have opened avenues of growth in the smart cities industry. ESG policies have received an uptake as cities continue to grow in both number and population. According to the World Bank, the global urban population will surge to 6 billion by 2045. Technology advances have furthered digitization and companies expect smart cities to be catalysts for sustainable development. With cities grappling with climate change, ESG has become pivotal in complementing the applications of technologies and data to enhance city planning, accountability and engagement with citizens. 

The need for action against climate change has become imperative for a low-carbon society and to implement sustainable practices across the value chain. For instance, Singapore has implemented Green Plan to minimize the waste sent to landfills by 30% by 2030, plant one million more trees and quadruple solar energy deployment by 2025. 

A bullish ESG policy can provide a robust approach for stakeholders to analyze and address socio-environmental and governance challenges. In essence, strategic planning in line with national objectives, solid ESG regulation and regulatory compliance will remain critical to bolstering the brand position. For instance, real-time IoT data have become sought-after to help city governments in managing and monitoring environmental policies. 

Discover more regarding the practices and strategies being implemented by industry participants form the Smart Cities Industry ESG Thematic Report, 2023, published by Astra ESG Solutions

Environmental Perspective

The prevalence of greenhouse gas emissions in cities has reinforced the need to strengthen the environmental profile. According to the data cited in the UN specialized agency for ICTs, cities contribute over 70% of carbon emissions globally every year. Digital solutions, such as smart grids, have shown promising signs of reducing emissions and fostering a move towards a clean energy society. Smart grids with predictive analytics and real-time monitoring have gained traction to reduce pressure on aging infrastructure, integrate renewables and lower costs and minimize peak loads.

To illustrate, in December 2022, Siemens won a new contract for grid control and smart metering infrastructure in Egypt. The project, under the aegis of the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), is valued at EUR 40 million (roughly USD 43 million) and will implement state-of-the-art software to boost the stability, efficiency and reliability of the power grid while minimizing electricity distribution losses. Investments in smart grids could be a significant leap to implementing a sustainable practice across the value chain. 

Social Perspective

While the low-carbon future is paving the way to an environmentally friendly society, social facets, including diversity & inclusion, workplace safety and employee engagement, have become invaluable to leverage social progress. For instance, in ABB, 40.5% of early talent hires were women in 2021, with revised Group-wide guidelines for flexible work practices. Strategies to underpin social performance encompassing gender, age, ethnicity and sexual orientation have become pronounced. It is gearing up to increase the proportion of women in senior management roles by two-fold (as part of its Global Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2030). 

The Switzerland-headquartered company also rolled out a gender-neutral parental leave program offering four weeks of paid leave for secondary caregivers and 12 weeks for primary caregivers. Besides, it received an employee engagement score of 74 out of 100 in its 2021 employee Engagement Survey. Moreover, over 7,600 ABB managers and other employees completed the “Interrupt Unconscious Bias” program.

Is your business one of participants to the Global Smart Cities Industry? Contact us for focused consultation around ESG Investing, and help you build sustainable business practices.

Governance Perspective

An exponential rise in smart cities has put the spotlight on the governance pillar, including transparency, ecosystem governance, ethical practices, funding and supply chain management policies. Stakeholders are expected to focus on undergirding governance to help employees make ethical and fair decisions and provide a foundation for effective strategic leadership. For instance, AVEVA has an Audit Committee to monitor and oversee risk management & control; a Nomination and Governance Committee to review ESG, board composition and succession planning; a Disclosure Committee to decide if information should be disclosed to the market; and a Remuneration Committee to review board and senior management remuneration. In addition, the CEO regularly updates the board about the culture of wellbeing, inclusivity, developments concerning diversity, equity and inclusion and opportunity for employees and communities. 

Forward-looking companies strive to achieve carbon neutrality in their operations and foster responsible business practices and social cohesion. In October 2021, The City of London chose Nextech AR Solutions to provide a mini-metaverse experience at Harmony at London Wall Place. The AR-powered interactive artwork and music exhibitions will underscore inclusion as the metaverse will provide easy access to these experiences. It is worth noting that the global smart cities market size touched USD 1,090.64 billion in 2021 and will register a 24.2% CAGR from 2022 to 2030. 

About Astra – ESG Solutions By Grand View Research

Astra is the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) arm of Grand View Research Inc. – a global market research publishing & management consulting firm.

Astra offers comprehensive ESG thematic assessment & scores across diverse impact & socially responsible investment topics, including both public and private companies along with intuitive dashboards. Our ESG solutions are powered by robust fundamental & alternative information. Astra specializes in consulting services that equip corporates and the investment community with the in-depth ESG research and actionable insight they need to support their bottom lines and their values. We have supported our clients across diverse ESG consulting projects & advisory services, including climate strategies & assessment, ESG benchmarking, stakeholder engagement programs, active ownership, developing ESG investment strategies, ESG data services, build corporate sustainability reports. Astra team includes a pool of industry experts and ESG enthusiasts who possess extensive end-end ESG research and consulting experience at a global level.

For more ESG Thematic reports, please visit Astra ESG Solutions, powered by Grand View Research

[potteresque-ire]

On the Hong Kong Protests

2019-08-17

I rarely talk about myself here, but I’m a Hong Konger, born and raised. I moved to the US a long time ago, but the city will always be my home. 

I’ve been following the news there closely these two months. I haven’t slept well. I’m perpetually stressed. I’m both sad and happy, both frightful and hopeful.

Sad and frightful because of what the protests have come to. The violence, the sheer rage and animosity burning on the streets. Watching where tear gas and rubber bullets land every week is a strange way to revisit childhood memories, but here I am. 

Happy and hopeful because Hong Kongers are finally standing up to what believe in. Hong Kongers, in my mind, have always been somewhat apathetic when it comes to politics, perhaps because they’ve never had much say in their fate. They've been mostly quiet--until now.

They roar. 

I’m with the protestors. They are fighting for self-determination, for the freedoms they were promised in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration (which led to the return of the former British crown colony to China in 1997), for the transparency and true social order--one that was borne out of respect for the rule of law and not of oppression, state-sponsored violence or white terror--that had made the city such a beautiful, phenomenal place to live. 

I’m posting this because the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has turned on its propaganda machine in full force, and I feel obliged to say something about what I know.

What a turbo-charged CCP propaganda machine means is this: many of you will be faced with what Hong Kong and Taiwan see every day--a massive influx of social media posters who are on CCP’s payroll, whose task is to push a script written by the CCP. A script that is mostly fictional, filled with half-truths and lies. The script on Hong Kong has evolved into this: the Hong Kong protestors are violent rioters who lack popular support and above all, are terrorists and separatists. These terms are chosen to make the Western world withdraw their sympathy. They’re also designed to further fan the hatred between mainland Chinese and Hong Kongers, to ensure that the former would see what’s going on in Hong Kong as something nefarious, rather than an outcry against the ills of their common rule. To fuel the nationalist sentiment that has been propping up the mainland regime as its economy deteriorates.

Tactics of these paid social media posters include: dumping multiple posts in a thread, often repeated messages that make little sense beyond swear words and nationalistic battle cries, which quell any reasonable discussions; making death- and doxxing- threats, especially if the target is a Chinese speaker; claiming freedom of speech as they spread lies and attack their opponents, knowing that Westerners treasure their freedom of speech and are wary of trampling upon it especially when it comes to the voice of foreigners, so they get to be the loudest and drown out rival opinions. (Australians may know that this tactic has moved beyond social media: pro-Beijing supporters have physically attacked peaceful rallies in support of the Hong Kong protests, to the praise of the Chinese embassy). The meeker ones would insist that Westerners lack understanding of the situation; who are you to know what’s going on in Asia? The internal affairs of the vast People’s Republic of China? They claim that they, who’re Chinese like the Hong Kongers and Taiwanese possessed by their government, have first dibs on the truth.

Please remember this: the truth is the one thing these posters don’t have. News in the People’s Republic of China is completely censored, to a degree perhaps unimaginable for most in the West. Media outlets in China have not reported at all about the anti-extradition bill movement that had started the Hong Kong protests, about the massive but peaceful demonstrations that had only gone unheard, about the many lies the government has told before and since (the extradition bill hasn’t been withdrawn; “being dead” is not a legal term), and above all, the unprecedented police brutality that have caused the young protestors, angry and terrified, to retaliate as a means to defend themselves, knowing that the local police is now part of the CCP political machine (the Hong Kong government is officially no more than a puppet) and is working with the mafia, both local and from China, to hunt and beat protestors down (Note: Hong Kongers do not carry firearms). 

Western reporters at the scene have called the situation chaotic, a mayhem, but I’d like to emphasize this: the protestors have, so far, not looted one shop; their targets have remained singly focused on the locations and people that they saw as symbolic of those responsible for the betrayal of Hong Kong, as snitches working on CCP’s orders. The chambers of the Legislative Council (equivalent to the Congress / Parliament; they didn’t even touch the library). The HK police and its headquarters. The “ghosts”, as locals call them: police / soldiers sent from the mainland dressed in Hong Kong police’s uniform (such that CCP can deflect accusations of interference); fake reporters who’ve mingled among the protestors to take photos for later identification and arrests. This laser-focus may not hold for long: police officers have increasingly been spotted donning the attire of protestors to stir up emotions and excess violence, even plant evidence in the protestors’ belongings (caught on live feeds). The “reporter” from the mainland who was beaten up at the airport last week, who has since been hailed as a hero in Chinese state media and Chinese social media cycles, is very likely such an example of CCP's attempt to destroy the protests from within. Mr Fu drew the ire of the protestors because he possessed the same blue “I love HK” t-shirt worn by a group of thugs who’d beaten up protestors several nights before, thugs who appeared to be of the same crop as those who’d attacked subway passengers indiscriminately on July 21st with the implicit blessing by the police and several prominent pro-Beijing figures. Global Times, the state propaganda tabloid, later claimed the man works for them--hence his “reporter” status--but the man didn’t own a press pass. Many have since suspected, from his unusual behavior leading to his “detainment” and beating by the protestors (he wore the fluorescent vest worn by reporters, then claimed to be a tourist, then tried to run away), that his presence was planned with the intention of making the protestors fall into CCP’s script of acting like violent rioters in front of the international press--and it worked. The incident was widely reported. 

The beating was wrong, and the protestors had willingly chosen to fall into the trap. But were their suspicion, their rage and fears completely unfounded? The clip has gone viral with the push from Chinese-sponsored social media posters as evidence of the protestors’ brutality. What about the context?

Related to this, please consider: a powerful weapon that CCP has, that Hong Kong and most countries do not, is the sheer number of people at its disposal. People it can coerce, bribe, brainwash, and unleash onto Facebook and Twitter etc, derail conversations and force opinions their way. Social media is, by definition, run by the masses. CCP has the masses.

So, please, please don’t be led by the mass when reading news surrounding the CCP, and now, Hong Kong. Please doubt the things you hear on social media, even if the voice seems the loudest, even if it seems to be the majority. Even if its English is perfect. Even if it claims to originate from Hong Kong--Westerners are not trained to detect the subtle difference in language use between the two places, but speaking as an observing Hong Konger, pro-CCP posters playing Hong Kongers in social media threads are very common occurrences. Go through the facts. Watch videos longer than a few seconds that capture the context. Think. Do not trust anyone. Do not trust me.

Please choose a reliable news source. New York Times (US) and The Guardian (UK) have been following Hong Kong’s protests closely from the start. TIME magazine has also done some in-depth coverage: its latest Asia edition presents a decent summary of the root causes of the protests. Also of note: the majority of Hong Kong’s local press, such as the English-speaking South China Morning Post (SCMP), have been bought out by capitalists affiliated with the CCP (SCMP is owned by Alibaba). Outlets from Taiwan and South East Asia (Singapore, Malaysia etc.) are often CCP-friendly as well for similar reasons. These outlets aren’t as outwardly pro-CCP as the Chinese state-run People’s Daily or Global Times, but they can be very skewed, if not lying, when the actions of CCP itself come to focus. 

For those who’d like to watch the happenings live, relatively free from the filters by news agencies and their political agenda, here’s a link. Videos will appear whenever events and live feeds take place:

https://ncehk2019.github.io/nce-live/

Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you’ll consider following the news of Hong Kong, listen to what the people are fighting for and judge for yourself where you stand. Yes, it’ll look ugly at times. Yes, you’ll see the protestors act rashly, out of anger and fear and despair. You’ll see them make mistakes, do things that make you frown, think they’ve gone too far. And if you’re planning to travel there, their actions may cause major inconveniences. I hope you’ll still choose to stand with them--do you know they've actually gone out and apologized for their behavior in the airport? Visited the subway station where the police had fired tear gas and cleaned up the toxic residue? Would rioters or terrorists do that? 

The protestors are up against one of the most brutal and inhumane regimes in modern history, and they have no leaders, no precedence, no army, no funds, no backing of any kind other than popular support, other than a pure and simple faith that their actions will defend their homes and future. This isn’t a regime they can vote out in the next election. This isn’t even a regime with which they can have a conversation or make humble demands (the Five Demands of the protestors are almost laughably simple). The path the protestors have taken these two months has been made one step at a time; they’re learning, feeling their way out of the dark as they go. Because the movement is largely driven by social media, people like myself with a command of the local language can sometimes catch a glimpse of how the decisions unfold; it’s messy and loud and fascinating. It’s an experiment on direct democracy.

Do I agree with the protestors’ every action? No. But they’re the ones fighting the fight; they're the ones showing the strength, the courage that my generation, and the generations before me, didn’t have. They’re fighting because older generations like my own saw every warning sign of CCP’s encroachment but didn’t do enough, say enough. For me, one of the most heartbreaking photos of the protests was shot on July 1st, of a graffiti on a pillar in the trashed Legislative Council: it’s you (the government) who taught me that peaceful demonstrations are useless. This was a lesson they learned; this is a lesson many Hong Kongers have learned this summer. And most of these protestors have to face this knowledge so young; 700+ have been arrested so far, most in their late teens and 20s (youngest: 13). Rioting carries a sentence of 10 years; now that their “crimes” have been escalated to terrorism and treason, one can only imagine how horrific their sentences will be, the treatment those arrested are facing, even now, in detention before the trial. This is the price they’re willing to pay, for the right to self-determine, for the freedoms that should’ve been theirs all along. And the only way they can “win”, if their victory is only that the last cry of Hong Kong can be heard before CCP clenches its throat (which it will undoubtedly do), is if the West pays attention to what’s happening. 

Please do. Please help.

香港加油。天佑香港。

God bless Hong Kong.

[agentdagonet]

Someday Surprise

read it here on AO3

‘Oi, Merlin!’

‘Yes, Eggsy?’ Merlin held his head in his hands, rubbed at his temples as he waited for whatever banal question Eggsy had decided was worth bothering him about now. Ten years had done nothing to break the boy’s (for he would always be a boy to him) ridiculousness.

‘When were you gonna tell me you ‘n Harry are immortal?’  Merlin’s head snapped up and his hands came down so quickly the keyboard was damaged from the impact. Eggsy was propped casually against a sofa, the door was closed and locked, and he raised an eyebrow in response to Merlin’s shock. ‘Well?’

‘I should probably ask what gave you that idea.’

‘Probably, but then I’d pull out,’ Eggsy drew from behind his back a photo album, a garishly coloured thing that hadn’t been touched in at least a decade, ‘this, and point out all the dates.’ Eggsy flipped it open to a random page, ‘America somewhere, 1808 (you couldn’t be arsed to remember where?); Australia, 1900; Belize, 1750- and, somehow, you don’ look any different. Except maybe your hair, but I figure that’s easy enough to fuck with...’

Each comment had Merlin sinking further into his chair. This is what happened when someone was allowed limitless access to their home- they found things that should have remained hidden. That had managed to be hidden for several hundred years, like collections of portraits and photographs that documented their travels.

‘And I assume you’ve come to a conclusion of your own?’

‘See, thing is, I thought I’d done, yeah? Thought I’d figured this shit out years ago,’ How long had Eggsy known about the book?  ‘But it didn’t match up. So I’m here, askin’ you to make sense of it.’ Merlin pinched the bridge of his nose between two fingers and huffed a breath before he tapped the edge of his glasses several times and turned away.

‘Hamish, are you entirely aware of what time it is in Singapore-’ Harry complained through a yawn that was heard but unseen through the glasses.

‘He knows, Harry.’ It was typed out, utilising a feature that Merlin had only put into place for people outside of himself. He hated trying to focus at two layers of sight- to both see what he was doing in the real world and what he was typing into the glass barely a handful of centimetres from his face.

‘I beg your pardon.’

‘Eggsy knows. Found the book.’

‘Well, shit.’

‘I’m still here, bruv.’ Eggsy interrupted dryly, like Harry commenting on their target’s poor choice of interior design. Like Merlin had added on ‘with no parachute’ while he had been in training nearly ten years ago, now.

‘Give us a moment, lad- we’ve never had to tell this story before.’ That seemed to assuage him, and Eggsy allowed himself to slide from the arm of the sofa down to sit on it proper. The book was still open on his lap, and from the corner of his eye Merlin could see him turning pages idly.

‘Put your glasses on, Eggsy.’ Merlin sighed, and Harry couldn’t help but laugh at him. ‘Stop your laughing.’

‘I told you that book would bite us in the arse someday, but no you needed to have a record-’

‘There’s only so much space in the human brain, Harry, how else are we supposed to keep track-’

‘Boys, boys, ain’t no need to argue about shit- I just wanna know. I been with you ages, I fuckin’ live in your house, and you lot’ve got more makeup stashed about than one of them internet models. Wouldn’ it be easier not to have to lie all the fuckin’ time?’ Eggsy jumped in, having somehow managed to tap into their line- which would normally be something to worry about but at the moment was at the bottom of Merlin’s list of cares.

‘I don’t remember how long ago it was- a millenia, I think?- I stopped for a drink of water on the way back home. Brought as much as I could carry home- I’d often forget to get water from the well, while working. I’ve always been a man of science, though what I was interested in was called magic at the time, and I had a task ahead of me that many people of the time thought impossible.’ Merlin began, and Eggsy closed the book. ‘I managed it-’

‘Of course you did,’ Eggsy interrupted, grin on his face, and as irksome as the interruption was the grin set Merlin at ease. It, more than anything, let Merlin know that this wasn’t going to end poorly, with the loss of Eggsy from their lives- it would just be… complicated… for a time.

‘I managed it but it was a lot of trial and error. I’d been throwing things together at random, tested things on some animals I’d trapped in the forest, eventually tasting one thing before inhaling fumes from another- as much a mad scientist as you could imagine- before getting the combination right. I delivered my creation and some supplies to the person I thought most likely to succeed in the idea we lot had crafted together, and went home to wait.’

‘When I got back,’ Harry jumped in, ‘months later, I confronted Merlin in his chambers. Demanded to know what devil he’d sold his soul to to see our mission completed, shoved him into a wall with a blade-’

‘I think he gets it-’

‘And until I saw the absolute confusion in his face I’d no idea that he’d had no idea-’

‘It was entirely an accident-’

‘Easy t’see you’ve never told this story before cos I got no idea what’s going on. You’re usually better at givin’ the facts, Merlin.’

‘Well it’s not every day you have to tell someone that you accidentally made King Arthur immortal.’ He snapped, ears red in a strange mix of embarrassment and fury, accompanied by Harry’s howling laughter at Eggsy’s face. Eggsy’d jumped as if electrocuted, sending the book to the floor and accidentally kicking it with a twitching foot so hard that it slammed into the leg of a nearby table, which caused a mug to fall and shatter.

It was the sort of thing film sets contrived to make the audience laugh in an otherwise tense moment- and, in this, Harry was the audience of one. Eggsy’s jaw dropped and Merlin growled to himself and cleaned the mess before turning back to the computer screen he’d been focusing on before Eggsy’s intrusion. Not truly seeing it, just pretending while he tried to pull himself together.

‘You’re tryin’ to tell me that you,’ Eggsy pointed at Merlin, ‘made some shit that accidentally made King Arthur immortal and then fuck knows how much later ended up here where the whole place is themed for King bloody Arthur?’ Eggsy was laughing, having snapped from shock to acceptance in a fraction of a moment, obviously only half speaking to Merlin as Harry’s laughter renewed itself for a moment. Merlin pulled a flask from his desk and poured the contents into a glass before setting it on the table before Eggsy.

‘Not quite, Eggsy,’ Harry breathed, seeming to understand Merlin’s continued silence as a cue to take the story over. ‘You see, I can’t even remember what the elixir was that Merlin sent me off with that day, that journey, so long before there were any real consequences and all we had was a collection of ideas. But, I do remember the traveler’s flask he’d passed to me, filled with water that tasted of sunlight.’ Harry sent a message to Merlin’s lenses, a simply understood ?????, but Merlin ignored him.

‘Not sure I get what you’re saying, Haz.’

‘The water, Eggsy,’ Harry said softly, whether from lack of breath of an attempt to make the facts easier to swallow he couldn’t tell, ‘it wasn’t anything Merlin had concocted, it was the water he’d brought back from the spring. Neither of us had any idea until I lost my temper with him when I got back. I’d pulled a dagger to try and scare Merlin into explaining the devilry he’d managed, and miscalculated-’ I’m not even THERE you arsehole another chat bubble appeared, and Merlin ignored that one as well before feigning outrage.

‘Miscalculated?! You stabbed me in the neck because you tripped-’

‘And nothing happened when the blade pierced his flesh. There was no blood; in fact Merlin didn’t quite know what had happened at first and continued to babble on as if nothing was amiss. Meanwhile I was so frozen in terror I couldn’t breathe which I then discovered I had no need to. Which is an odd thing to adjust to-’

‘You don’t have to breathe?’

‘Let me finish, Eggsy- we’ve spent the years since trying to solve the mystery of the spring- luckily Kingsman has near limitless resources- and the pair of us have made it our business to be masters of illusion in whatever technology develops. Yes,’ Harry interrupted Eggsy’s attempt to speak, ‘that means makeup. And every other kind of theatrical illusion that can be translated to the modern day- manipulating clothing so that others’ gaze is where you intend it to be and nowhere else.’

‘That is sick.’

‘There’s more than one reason to make a covert agency’s cover a tailor’s shop- both historically an excellent place to obtain information surreptitiously and a useful skill to hone when one must be covert.’

‘Which brings me to my next point- how long ago did you find the book, Eggsy? You never let on that something wasn’t sitting right with you.’

‘When I moved in; you shits didn’t so much as make space for me as drag me in like a fuckin’ sarlacc and expect me to make myself at home. Which I did-’ Eggsy panicked to add, seeing the hurt bloom on Merlin’s face at his statement, ‘don’t get me wrong I love that you didn’ even think about it, that you thought I’d fit that seamlessly into your home, but I started explorin’ and you got loads of weird shit hidden about. I thought it was a gag gift at first but it was too good, y’get me? But figured you lot’d tell me when you felt ready- didn’ realise I’d have to prise it from you myself.’

‘We’ve never had someone we wanted to tell before, Eggsy, if this spectacular shitshow doesn’t make that clear.’ Merlin spoke up for the first time in a long while, having finally pulled himself and his decision together. ‘But we were always going to tell you, once we figured out how. We didn’t even have to tell each other, this is literally uncharted territory, but,’ Merlin shook his head and met Eggsy’s gaze evenly, ‘that doesn’t make it undesired.

‘For your average person, a moment like this would have a fancy dinner, some romantic shite and a ring,’ Eggsy didn’t look away from Merlin, didn’t dare to blink, but it was easy to see the moisture welling in his eyes. Even if he was being a bit misleading, the intent here was the same. You’re here, Arthur- here we are, and here he is Merlin sent back, and he could hear Harry’s huff of laughter.

‘What Merlin’s trying to tell you, Eggsy, is that we have no intention of letting you get away from us. We’d like nothing more than to spend the rest of our lives with you.’ Harry whispered, and Eggsy couldn’t stop a tear from escaping though he wiped it away quickly.

‘Don’t you mean the rest of my life?’ His jaw was clenched, and Merlin could see the sad smile pulling at the edge of his mouth. The heartbreak he was causing himself.

‘We do a lot for the world; we risk the things we know others can’t, and we have been glad to do it and are glad to keep doing so- but we’ve allowed ourselves to suffer. We’ve distanced ourselves and made shite choices and we hadn’t even noticed how far we’d fallen from the path until you.

‘So no, Eggsy, we don’t mean the rest of your life-’ Merlin leant forward and pushed the glass across the tabletop, ‘we mean the rest of ours.’ 

Eggsy looked down, seemingly noticing the glass on the tabletop for the first time, and gasped. One hand pressed to his lips while the other twitched in his lap, as if Eggsy was holding himself back from taking it, and Merlin forgot to breathe.

‘... Are you sure?’ Eggsy whispered, having finally pulled his hand from his face as he searched Merlin’s eyes imploringly. As if there was something else mysterious and unseen happening at this moment. As if the rug was going to be pulled from beneath him if he lifted the glass from the table.

‘I can’t claim it will be easy, lad- and there’s no way to undo it. In a few hundred years if we argue, if we break, you’ll have to continue on. Perhaps we’ll find each other again, but maybe not.’

‘You two broke before?’

‘A couple dozen times, easily, but we took a few years apart and came back stronger for it, in the end. But, Eggsy, you’ll have to grow used to seeing the things you care for disappear, or change beyond recognition. It could break you, even if we don’t fall apart.’ Harry whispered, and Merlin watched as Eggsy swallowed heavily, eyes still on the glass, before he reached past it and pulled one of Merlin’s hands forward.

‘You think we can make it, Merthur?’ Eggsy looked up at him from between his lashes, tongue poking out and a cheeky grin breaking through.

‘Who?’

‘Y’know, Merthur, one of them couple names. Merlin and Arthur. Shove a bit of his and a bit of yours in there to get somethin’ new. D’you really think we can make it? Me ‘n you?’

‘Have you ever known me to make a decision without being certain of the outcome?’

‘No, but I still got to ask, yeah? This is big, this ain’t like movin’ in together, or a marriage, even; this is big. And, yeah, it’s gonna be heartbreakin’ at first- havin’ to watch everything go on without me- but,’ Eggsy squeezed Merlin’s hand and rubbed a thumb across his knuckles before he pulled away, ‘I’ve never done shite cos it was easy.’ As if he’d never hesitated in the first place, Eggsy threw back the glass of water with a smile that outshone the full moon on a cloudless sky.

‘Y’know, never thought about it before but Harry- Arthur- was right.’ Eggsy said a moment after, staring at the now-empty glass as he licked his lips.

‘About what?’

‘It does taste like sunlight.’