#rank safest countries in africa

[coochiequeens]

“Qatar has shown the world that football can be enjoyed without alcohol, and women can enjoy it without fearing for their safety,” Yes Qatar has human rights issues but this raises some very interesting questions about drinking culture and Women’s safety. 

Doha, Qatar – When Andrea M set off from New York to follow Team USA’s journey at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, she reassured her friends and family that she would not do anything risky during the tournament.

What she had read about Qatar painted an alarming picture of the host country.

“The US media’s portrayal of the Middle East has been very different from what I have experienced here,” Andrea, 29, told Al Jazeera, adding that her friends decided against travelling to Qatar.

Andrea said she is glad she came. “Simple things like taking a walk around the city late at night, that’s something I can’t do back home.”

A 10pm (19:00 GMT) kickoff time for many of the group stage matches and knockout games mean that fans exit stadiums, use public transport and celebrate in fan zones well past midnight. And women, in groups or on their own, are watching football at public screenings, singing and dancing with other fans and moving around without worrying about their safety. According to the Numbeo Crime Index, Doha routinely ranks as the safest – or the second-safest – city in the world.

For Joy Nkuna, the experience has been a stark contrast to her home country South Africa, which ranks as among the most dangerous countries for women travellers. “We have very high crime rates in my country, especially against women,” she said. According to recent government figures, more than 1,000 women were murdered in South Africa in a three-month period between the start of July and the end of September.

Nkuna, 39, said she doesn’t venture out alone past sunset in her country. “From the minute it gets dark, women can’t be out alone or they will be in danger,” she said. “Here, me and my daughter walked around at 3am and nobody intimidated us, catcalled us or looked at us in a way that would make us feel unsafe.”

It’s an experience that Tatiana Lopez can relate to. Thirty-three-year-old Brazil fan Lopez, who has travelled from Colombia with two female friends, said men in public places have been very courteous. “While it is strange to see more men in public places (compared to women) than I’m used to seeing in Colombia, they have all been very respectful.”

Lopez said she has been enjoying the tournament without worrying about her belongings, which is something she’s not used to back home. “I can actually carry my backpack on my back, and keep my phone in my pocket because I know nobody will snatch it from me.”

Women who have been living in Qatar said safety is not a new phenomenon linked to the World Cup.

Khadija Suleiman, a 32-year-old Ethiopian who has been living in Qatar for 10 years, was at the Lusail Stadium for a 10pm kickoff recently with her three children and two nieces. “I don’t feel the need to be with a man in order to feel safe,” she said as she walked towards the stadium.

To be sure, security presence has increased in Qatar because of the World Cup. But Suleiman said that women’s and children’s safety in public places has never been a concern for her while in the country. “If I need to, I can send my children to school in a taxi and not worry about their safety.”

That confidence is shared by women from other parts of the Gulf region, many of whom have been able to participate in the Middle East’s biggest-ever sporting extravaganza without fear.

Dalia Abushullaih has travelled to Qatar from Saudi Arabia and said she is overjoyed to see women celebrating in public spaces. “Qatar has made sure that women feel safe and comfortable in being an active part of the tournament and enjoy freely,” the 29-year-old said. “The world is finally witnessing our beautiful Arab culture, and it is beautiful to see people taking it all in and going back home with a part of it.”

Apart from the stadiums, women and children have thronged tourist areas such as Doha’s Souq Waqif and fan zones spread all over the city. Some arrive during the day as festivities are getting started, while others push through the crowds with strollers to join the post-match celebrations.

The decision by organisers to ban alcohol sales in or near the match venues has also added to the confidence of many women that attending games won’t compromise their safety.

Camilla Ferrierra, a tournament volunteer from Brazil, said knowing that she won’t be surrounded by drunk fans at the stadiums made her feel safer.

“I could never imagine going to a football match alone [in Brazil],” she told Al Jazeera. “I can’t imagine being outside late at night, using my phone in public without fear and just being able to enjoy a walk or a football match. Here, I feel 100 percent safe and that’s a great thing for us women: to be able to enjoy the festivities and football in a safe and secure manner.”

Hanoof Abdullah, a Kuwaiti football fan, sat by herself in the middle of thousands of Brazilian fans at the Lusail Stadium. She said Arab families would have found it difficult to stay out at night if they knew alcohol was being served.

“Qatar has shown the world that football can be enjoyed without alcohol, and women can enjoy it without fearing for their safety,” she said. “The bar has been set very high, and now the world will have to work very hard to match it.”

[icl-immigration]

Achieving Permanent Residency in New Zealand: A Comprehensive Guide

 1. Introduction

New Zealand is globally recognized for its high quality of life, robust economy, and stunning natural scenery, making it a highly desirable destination for immigrants. The United Nations Human Development Index 2020 ranked New Zealand 14th globally, indicating superior living standards.Permanent residency in New Zealand offers numerous benefits, including access to world-class healthcare and educational systems, economic stability, and a safe, multicultural society. As per the 2020 Global Peace Index ranking report, New Zealand is the second safest country in the world.Additionally, New Zealand's progressive and inclusive society, clean environment, and balanced lifestyle contribute to its appeal among potential immigrants seeking a better quality of life.

2. Overview of New Zealand's Immigration System

 Brief History and Current Trends:New Zealand's immigration policy has historically been influenced by its colonial past and the need for skilled labour. Recently, the focus has shifted towards attracting highly skilled immigrants to support economic growth and fill skill shortages in certain sectors.The current trend is towards a more selective immigration process, with policies favouring immigrants who can contribute significantly to the economy and society. Financial Year (Jul-Jun) Accepted VisaFY2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202020/212021/222022/23Accepted Applicant57,95252,46343,94848,78857,78840,1272,13,80774,470 Source: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/Table 1 - Accepted Resident Visa applicant from FY 2015/16 - 2022/23Key Facts and Figures:As of the latest available data, New Zealand’s immigration program processes around 50,000 - 80,000 resident visas per year; 2021-22 was relatively high at 200,000.  The Skilled Migrant Category remains the primary pathway, accounting for a significant portion of the total residency visas granted. The top source countries for resident visas include India, China, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, and South Africa. Eligibility for Permanent Resident Visa:The applicant must have held their resident visa for at least 24 months. They must have met any conditions of their Resident Visa. They must have shown a commitment to New Zealand in one of five specified ways that meet the requirements. Start of the 24 months:If the Visa was issued while the applicant was in New Zealand, the 24 months start from the issuance date. If the Visa was issued while the applicant was outside New Zealand, the 24 months start from their arrival in New Zealand. Non-Principal Applicants:Individuals who were not the principal applicant in the original residence application usually cannot apply for a Permanent Resident Visa unless they apply at the same time as or after the principal applicant. Extension of Travel Conditions for Non-Eligible Applicants:Suppose an individual is not eligible for a Permanent Resident Visa. In that case, they may still be able to extend the travel conditions on their Resident Visa. This extension allows more time to return to New Zealand as a resident. The extension can be for 24 months, 12 months, or 14 days, depending on the circumstances. Expired Resident Visa:Suppose a person is outside New Zealand without valid travel conditions to re-enter as a resident. In that case, their Resident Visa is considered expired. However, they haven't been outside New Zealand for long. In that case, they may still be able to obtain a Permanent Resident Visa or a new Resident Visa. Business / Skilled: This stream is predominantly chosen by applicants from various countries, reflecting New Zealand's focus on attracting skilled labour. International / Humanitarian: This category, though smaller compared, shows New Zealand's commitment to global humanitarian efforts. Parent Sibling Adult Child Stream: A notable percentage of applicants from countries like Great Britain and China utilize this stream, highlighting the importance of family reunification. Uncapped Family Sponsored Stream: This stream sees significant application volumes, especially from countries like India and the Philippines. General Requirements:Age: While most residency visas have no age limit, points are awarded for age in the Skilled Migrant Category, favouring applicants between 20 and 39. Health: Applicants must have an acceptable standard of health, often demonstrated through medical examinations and chest X-rays. Character: Good character is essential, typically proven with police certificates from a country where the applicant has lived for more than 12 months in the last ten years. English Language Proficiency: Demonstrated through recognized English language tests like IELTS, with specific score requirements varying by visa category. Specific Criteria for Each Visa Category:Skilled Migrant Category: Requires a minimum of 160 points in the points-based assessment, a job offer in New Zealand, relevant qualifications and work experience. Family Category Visas: Partners must prove a genuine and stable relationship, while parents must meet sponsorship and income requirements. Business and Investor Visas: Investors must meet investment amount thresholds and spend a certain amount of time in New Zealand, whereas entrepreneurs need a detailed business plan and sufficient capital. Step-by-Step Guide:Determine Eligibility: Ensure you meet the criteria for your desired visa category. Gather Documents: This includes passports, proof of relationship (for family visas), business plans (for entrepreneur visas), and police certificates. Submit Application: Applications can often be submitted online, along with the required fees. Application Fees vary by visa type, with the Skilled Migrant Category fee around NZ$2,710 and Investor Visa fees significantly higher. Processing Times and Success Rates:Processing times vary; the Skilled Migrant Category takes approximately six months, while Family and Investor visas can take longer. Success rates fluctuate based on the visa category and the quality of the applications. Generally, well-prepared applications with thorough documentation have higher success rates. Rights include access to state-funded public services like healthcare and education, the right to vote, and the freedom to live, work, and study in New Zealand. Responsibilities include obeying the law, paying taxes, and, for some visas, maintaining investment or employment in New Zealand. Learning about New Zealand’s culture, history, and customs can facilitate smoother integration. Participating in community events, joining local clubs, and building a social network are effective ways to adapt to the New Zealand way of life. Common issues include misunderstandings about the visa requirements, documentation errors, and underestimating the complexity of the application process. Delays often occur due to incomplete applications or failure to provide the necessary evidence. Thoroughly research visa requirements and prepare all documents meticulously. Seeking advice from immigration professionals can help avoid common mistakes. Keep updated on the progress of your application and swiftly address any requests for further details. New Zealand Immigration: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/ New Zealand Now (resources for new migrants): https://www.newzealandnow.govt.nz/ Ministry of Business and Innovation: https://www.mbie.govt.nz/ Email: info@immigrationconsultancies.com Phone: 09 369 1681 Address: 500 Karangahape Road, Auckland Central, 1010, New Zealand Website:https://immigrationconsultancies.com/ Read the full article

[jenforyeshua]

11 Safest Countries in Africa Today (Ranked) - AZ Animals

[dickbetts]

Hurricanes in The Villages, Florida

It has been a very quiet hurricane season so far but we know that could change quickly!  The strongest hurricanes that hit Florida have mostly been in September so we can’t have a sigh of relief for another few months.  With folks moving to The Villages, Florida from around the country, actually around the world one of the questions I get as a REALTOR® is “what about hurricanes”?  I like to share some quick facts about Florida and the safest cities when it comes to hurricanes.  Leesburg, Florida is listed as the safest city for hurricanes and Ocala, Florida ranked number 8.  Look at the map, most of The Villages is located very close to Leesburg and not that far from Ocala.  

The great thing about hurricanes if there is such a thing is we have plenty of notice one is coming.  This time of year, I check my hurricane tracker daily and see things moving off the coast of Africa a week before it becomes a factor in our local weather.  Yes, a hurricane can pop up in the Gulf but still at least a day’s notice before it could make land fall.  Tornadoes spawned by hurricanes is a bigger concern than hurricanes themselves.  The outer bands many times bring major thunderstorms and tornadoes so we must be alert.

Don’t let hurricanes be a deterrent from calling The Villages home!

Dick Betts, REALTOR® The Betts Team Touchstone Real Estate The Villages, Florida 717-860-3107 cell Dick@DickBetts.com www.DickBetts.com

#realestate #realtor #thevillagesflorida #homesincentralfl #thebettsteam #dickbettsrealtor #dickbetts

[zylostar]

6 Different Ways To Invest Money In The Uae

High Return on InvestmentGrowing Business OpportunitiesMinimal Taxes on Gains

Over the years, Dubai has emerged together of the fastest-growing cities. Once a foreign and remote city within the Middle East, Dubai has evolved into the foremost sought-after luxury tourist destination and a promising venue for international trade and business, making it the simplest place to take position money immediately. Still, what’re the simplest thanks to investing money in Dubai? Today, people worldwide are shifting their base to Dubai because it provides an incredible lifestyle and a cosmopolitan environment for individuals. Moreover, Dubai is one of the safest cities globally, consistent with the Numbeo safest city index 2020. because of the empowering government and its exemplary law and order.

The city may be home to people from 200 nationalities from different sectors and industries, which may testify to Dubai’s diversity. People worldwide are watching Dubai as a land of opportunity due to the financial stability and lucrative lifestyle it provides compared to the other city in the world.

With better standards of living and comparatively relaxed tax norms, people here have a better spending capacity than those in other countries and subsequently search for the simplest ways to take a position of money in Dubai. The town has attracted investors worldwide to be a neighbourhood of its growth for years and continues to try so.

Well renowned for its ever-growing economy, Dubai provides an abundance of investment options for everybody, from short to future and low to high involvement, counting on what the investor is trying to find.

Why do you have to Invest Money in Dubai–

Termed as a hybrid city by the American firm JLL, Dubai has redefined luxury through its hospitality and land. It stands right between the world’s ’emerging cities’ and ‘new world cities’. Dubai has also ranked high in Economic Intelligence Unit’s Global Liveability Ranking, and EIU has termed it together of the simplest cities to measure within the MEA region.

All investors, especially land investors, yield much higher returns on rent than the other property market. Even today, it is true after a substantial slowdown of the market under the pandemic effect.

Being a hub of international trade, Dubai claims a spot on the list of the Top 20 Cities globally as per the Global Power Index 2020 (GPCI). Attracting businesses from all around the world, the town stands as a strong trade centre for Asia, Africa and Europe.

The highly progressive mindset of Dubai’s leaders offers a convenient and promising framework for businesses to nurture and grow within a market economy system. Business leaders view Dubai as a land of opportunities where tremendous growth is predicted within the coming years. Events like Expo 2020 are affirmative evidence of Dubai’s commitment to the economic process. Investing aggressively in this growing market will surely yield rewards.

One of the highest reasons to take a position your money in Dubai is the relaxed tax environment. Dubai’s government doesn’t impose taxes on interest earned from investments. Unlike the other country, there’s no tax on people’s capital gains, nor is your dividend income taxed within the UAE.

There is little or no tax imposed on capital gains earned from investment in UAE. Only land investors might find themselves paying municipal land tax. However, the tax rates don’t exceed 5% in most cases which is negligible compared to other parts of the planet.

Dubai also ensures an uncompromised lifestyle and freedom for everybody and treats all classes equally. The emirate of Dubai has strong international connections and world-class infrastructure. People worldwide are looking forward to investing their money in Dubai, considering its profitable future.

6 Best Ways to take a position Your Money in Dubai–

1. Land

Considered by many as the epitome of a prolific lifestyle, Dubai offers the best in school homes, hotels, offices, and tons more. Following the new law going by the govt, Dubai is now an ultimate haven for land investment. People around the world are allowed to have property within the UAE. It has opened a chance for several ex-pats meaning to invest within the most promising, trusted, rewarding and arguably safest investing avenue, i.e., land.

Foreign ownership is permitted in designated freehold areas in Dubai. Foreigners staying outside UAE and expatriate residents can acquire complete freehold ownership rights over the property with none of the restrictions. However, investors can enjoy usufruct rights or leasehold rights for a property for 99 years. It provides you with the temporary right to legally use or enjoy someone else’s property. It will indeed convince be one of your best passive income investments.

Apart from this, Expo 2020 is predicted to possess an enormous impact on most of the sectors in Dubai, which puts land at the forefront. By keeping track of the overtime developments and growing population of the town, the land is potentially the simplest thanks to investing your money in Dubai and to form an honest return on investment.

Things to think about While investing inland

Property Valuation- Before investing in land, property valuation is one of the foremost critical aspects to consider because it helps mitigate existing or potential risks surrounding buying a property. It ensures that the investor pays the proper price, promotes transparency between the customer and seller and plays a crucial role in securing a mortgage.

Property Location- Location is taken into account because of the king of land investment. It plays a critical role in determining the profitability of your investment. Proximity to amenities like markets, schools, clinics or metro stations and considerable connectivity make it easier for you to sell or rent your property for monetary benefit. Some prominent locations in Dubai include Business Bay, Dubai Marina, Barsha Heights, JVC, etc.

Purpose of Investment- Because land offers low liquidity on high investment deals, you cannot afford not to have a transparent investment purpose. Investors got to have complete clarity on their intent — whether or not they want the property for private use, periodic gains through rent or lease, or to sell permanently within the short or future.

Investing in the land– With the proper mindset and thought process, investing in land is easy. You’ve got to choose an experienced and reputed developer like DAMAC Properties, which has redefined the posh land market by delivering premium and ultramodern residential, commercial, and leisure properties for 2 decades. To date, DAMAC has already delivered 36,400 homes, while 29,000 new homes are underway. Equipped with experience, quality craftsmanship, and uncompromised customer service, the efficient team will assist you with the most suitable and viable land investment options that meet your aspirations.

Pros and Cons of land Investment

Pros

Value appreciation over time

Steady income

Power of leverage

Helps build equity

Financial stability and control

Hedge against inflation

Cons

High capital involvement to be facilitated through mortgage

Incurs maintenance cost

2. Stocks

Investing in stocks is a clear option when considering a capital investment. By investing in stocks, individuals trade equity of varied companies, which allows them to have some of the company’s capital.

The stock exchange has clothed to be the neatest way of investing money for investors who understand companies’ performance. Thorough research, a passionate mindset and a calculated risk appetite can earn you a pile while investing in stocks. However, a scarcity of research and understanding market trends can incur huge losses. It’s critical to familiarise yourself with the volatile equity market before jumping into stocks together with your hard-earned money because it won’t be the safest thanks to invest money if you’re not well-versed in the fundamentals and goals of the businesses you’re investing in.

Dubai has two primary stock exchanges:

1. Dubai Financial Market: Founded in 2000. The DFM is one of the three stock exchanges in the UAE. It’s a Sharia-compliant exchange and, therefore, the first stock market to possess its Initial Public offering back in 2006. The DFM trades shares of companies within the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman or other Gulf countries, regulated by the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA).

2. NASDAQ Dubai: NASDAQ is another stock market in Dubai. It enlists both domestic and international companies, regardless of their market size. It offers REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) and equity derivatives (futures and options trading) trading. NASDAQ is regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA).

Things to think about While Investing in Stocks

Understand Your Investment Objective- Each individual features a dedicated investment goal. One must understand their financial goals and the time one wants to remain invested. Evaluate the time you’ll be ready to dedicate to research and prefer to move or passive investor and enter the market with a focused goal.

Don’t Borrow to take a position in Stocks- One of the most important mistakes you’ll possibly make is to invest quite what you’ll afford. Experts recommend that one allocate a fanatical budget to park into a stock investment, and it should be the surplus amount set aside from daily expenses.

Keep Emotions Aside- Never get attached to any particular stock. Thanks to a lack of emotional control, investors have lost hefty amounts available in markets. It’s crucial to remain far away from greed or fear. Aren’t getting lured by abnormal returns from an unknown stock without understanding the danger involved. The stock exchange is very volatile, and one must stay patient to realize benefits at the end of the day.

How to Invest in Stocks

Investing within the stock exchange in Dubai is a simple process. Investors must open a trading account with a broker registered with one of the exchanges in Dubai, i.e., Dubai Financial Market (DFM) or NASDAQ Dubai. The investor has to obtain an Investor Number to trade on the stock exchange.

After obtaining the Investor Number, you’ll open a trading account with a licensed broker and begin trading within the stock exchange.

Pros and Cons of Stocks

Pros

Rapid growth in the economy

Quick access to your funds

Keeps you before inflation

Easy to shop for and sell

Can invest with very limited funds

Cons

Volatile market with no guaranteed returns

Risk of losing all the capital

High brokerage rates

3. National Bonds

National Bonds is led by the Dubai bonds company and initiated by the Dubai government with 50% ownership. It offers a Sharia Compliant scheme for investing money to provide low-risk savings to people within the UAE. Investing in National Bonds is among the preferred investment options for people trying to find fixed income gains considering their safety, liquidity, and better interest rates than banks.

The holding period for bonds is three months, and you’ll redeem them across the counter via certain money exchanges. The minimum investment required for bonds is AED 100. you’ll get ten bonds valued at AED 10 each or one worth AED 100. there’s no cap for investment fettered.

You can buy National Bonds online, through Money exchanges and banks. The minimum investment is AED 3000 and extra top-up within the denominations of AED 100.

How to Invest fettered

The most commonplace to seek out a bond is the post office. However, there are quite 700 places across the UAE where you’ll purchase these bonds. Bonds also can be purchased online.

Pros and Cons of Investing in fettered

Pros

Fixed returns of investment

Safe investment tool

Easy to settle on as per ratings

Less volatile

Cons

Low liquidity

Prices fall when interest rates rise

4. Mutual Funds

Another money investment option is Mutual Funds. It’s a go-to option for people who lack the talent and time to evaluate stock exchange trends regularly.

An open-end fund pools money from multiple investors and invests them in stocks, bonds, and other fixed-income securities under the direct supervision of a well-versed fund manager.

Mutual funds offer diversification as they invest in numerous companies from the cash pulled in. Diversification of your investment portfolio offers a healthy balance between your risks and returns as your money is wisely invested in several sectors and industries.

There are mainly two sorts of mutual funds that support trade.

Open-Ended Funds – Investors can purchase and sell funds throughout the year

Close Ended Funds – Investors can only sell the purchased amount of funds on or after their maturity.

Within these mutual funds, there’s further classification supports their performance behaviour:

Actively Managed Funds – These funds aim to outperform the market, and they frequently keep buying and selling constituents of the fund. Actively managed funds are high risk but offer high returns and incur higher management fees.

Passively Managed Funds – With the target to match market performance, Passively Managed Funds specialize in sustainable and slowly gaining capital returns. They don’t buy or sell the investments often to incur lower management fees than actively managed funds.

If you’re trying to find options to take a position money in Dubai, Mutual Funds are a beautiful option.

Things to think about While Investing in Mutual Funds

Check what’s Right for You

Before choosing the proper open-end fund, you would like to assess your goals and risk tolerance. You’ll take a conservative approach if you would like regular income while safeguarding your capital. However, if you’re an aggressive investor and willing to require risks, you’ll choose high risk and high return nature equity funds.

Examine the diary of the open-end fund

It would help if you examined the diary of the open-end fund scheme you’re looking to take a position in. Financial experts advise choosing funds with large assets under management (AUM).

You must also check the investment sort of the fund manager before putting money into an open-end fund. The manager should be unbiased and consistent regardless of the market flow.

Don’t Expect equivalent Returns per annum.

Investors largely consider mutual funds for annualized returns, and you would possibly think that you will get an equivalent percentage of returns per annum.

Some open-end fund schemes may offer you +20% returns within the first year but can also begin with -5% within the subsequent year. Investors got to be able to see such fluctuations within the returns from mutual funds.

How to Invest in Mutual Funds

Mutual funds are often bought under various options like lump sum payments or monthly SIPs. All UAE leading banks and financial institutions deal in open-end fund investments. You’ll inspect the plans offered by different organizations and choose one that suits you the foremost.

Pros and Cons of Mutual Funds

Pros

Easy and convenient investment option

Liquidity

Inbuilt diversification among sectors

Expert management

Profit reinvestment

Can invest with limited funds

Cons

Longer lock-in periods

Incurs management cost

Risk of poor trade execution

5. Gold

Dubai is understood because of the land of gold. Many of us here consider gold one of the simplest investments because of its outstanding resale value. The valuable metals are often sold anytime to reap good financial profit. The gold market keeps fluctuating day today, so it’s important to analyze the market before fixing your money.

Dubai has always been right within the centre of gold trading. Well renowned because the trade capital of the UAE, gold is sold on the gold price, plus a making charge. It makes it stand out from the remainder of the planet, where gold is sold per unit and charges are added as a secondary charge. Making charges in Dubai aren’t calculated as a percentage of gold prices but as a flat rate.

Gold has long been considered the safest investment option, given its proven diary of providing a hedge against inflation.

Things to think about While Investing in Gold

Keep track of market value– Gold prices fluctuate a bit like stocks. It’s always an honest idea to see the market value. If you would like to take a position in gold, enter the market when the costs are competitive.

Know the sort– As a gold investor, you must understand the gold type. You ought to understand the karat and the weight of gold. Gold is generally available in 18, 22 and 24 karats. The upper the karat, the more the purity.

Choose Wisely– Gold is out there in many options like Collectible Gold, Gold Bars, Bullion Coins, etc. These are all physical sorts of gold that can require a secure place to store. However, you’ll also buy gold ETFs or bonds, which substantially reduce the danger of the gold being stolen but isn’t as quickly accessible as physical gold.

How to Invest in Gold– Gold can often be purchased directly from the gold market or shops in Dubai. Gold stocks and ETFs are often purchased through a trusted broker.

Pros & Cons of Gold

Pros

Easy to liquify

Hold an extended-term value

Universal demand

Provides hedge during inflation

Cons

Involves premiums and taxes

Requires physical storage

Lower return value compared to other investment tools

6. Cryptocurrency

The most discussed topic among your friends, family and colleagues lately would be the exponential rise of Bitcoin, Ethereum and the Cryptocurrency industry. Cryptocurrency is nothing but a medium of exchange, like normal currency but built digitally on binary data.

Unlike our normal tenders, cryptocurrencies are decentralized yet finite, making them exclusive and valuable as everyone worldwide demands to possess a neighbourhood in them. Many multinationals have made it to the headlines by accepting bitcoin as a payment medium, while many countries, including the UAE, are allowing the regulated use of cryptocurrency. It has opened doors for several investors trying to find an answer to a standard question of where to take a position money in Dubai?

While cryptocurrencies can’t still be used as legal tenders to get goods or services within the UAE, people have recognized their incredible potential. With the general market capitalization going over trillion dollars, Dubai may be a global hub of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. Certain rumours also state that UAE regulators are adopting a replacement legal framework and regulations to ease the region’s difference between crypto and blockchain.

However, people considering investing in cryptocurrency got to understand the associated risks. While the whole concept and hype look promising, it’s highly volatile, like stocks. One should diversify their investment portfolio and not rely only on one crypto for exponential gains.

Things to think about Before Investing in Cryptocurrency

Get Educated About Crypto– Being the talk about the town for a short time now, cryptocurrency has intrigued many investors. However, you ought to not invest your money in avenues that you don’t understand. Dedicate an honest amount of your time to learning everything about cryptocurrency. Never invest in something simply because people are. Understanding the practicality is important, but more important is finding out the fundamentals, like how was crypto found and what’s decentralized currency and blockchain, etc.

Start Small– Once you gain some knowledge, you’ll allocate some of your savings towards cryptocurrency, but you should keep your investment small and manageable. While starting, only invest capital you can afford to lose completely because it would be a speculative investment.

Stand the Test of your time– The digital currency world is perhaps the foremost volatile sector to take a position in. While you would possibly have heard success stories of creating quick bucks through crypto, the market may go south real quick. In such a situation, investors should make research-backed decisions on whether to carry on or leave. All investments take time to grow, and you would like to remain patient amid the twists and turns of the market.

How to Invest in Cryptocurrency– Cryptocurrency is accessible to investors in UAE through several exchanges that allow you to open an account and trade through them.

Pros and Cons of Cryptocurrency

Pros

Anonymity and transparency

Decentralized, self-governed and managed

Highly secure and personal

Protection from inflation

Cons

Vulnerability against digital scams

Risk of knowledge loss

Highly regulated in most geographies

No cancellation of placed orders

[sokos]

These are some of the most dangerous countries for women.

And according to this different survey, the 10 most dangerous countries for women are:

10. United States: due to the prevalence of sexual violence—including rape and sexual harassment.

9. Nigeria: due the internal problems in this country, women are the ones who pay the consequences the most. Kidnapping and high rates of human trafficking.

8. Yemen: women have little access to health care and protection from violence.

7. Democratic Republic of Congo: Sexual violence and rape being used as a weapon of war.

6. Pakistan: economic discrimination, physical violence, honor killings, no access to education.

5. Saudi Arabia: economic discrimination and women still have to depend on their husbands.

4. Somalia: lack of basic health care and civil protections. Maternal mortality and HIV rates remain high, and women continue to face harmful cultural practices such as female genital mutilation and child marriages.

3. Syria: massive health care shortages and high rates of non-sexual violence related to the war.

2. Afghanistan: The ranking is due to the country’s high rates of female discrimination, non-sexual violence, and poor health care.

1. India: India is rated the most dangerous country on Earth for women, according to experts. The world’s largest democracy was ranked highest in terms of sexual violence and human trafficking, which includes forced labor and domestic servitude.

I was surprised to find so many people complaining about the accuracy of this study above like this

Even in the comments of the tiktok at the top, everyone was offended and saying sexism in their country can't be that bad and that other countries had it worse. When the shock should be directed towards how prevalent violence against women is worldwide! How even in the most privileged countries, women are still discriminated! Everyone should be working to stop the violence against women everywhere and taking real preventive measures instead of fighting about which country has it worse or if there's even misogyny in their beloved country. When people have so much trouble recognizing the problem exists, it makes it so much harder to actually fight against that problem.

This other page also includes on the list of most dangerous countries:

1. South Africa: notorious for sexual violence. It is estimated that over 40% of South African women will be raped in their lifetime. Of the women who were asked if they felt safe walking alone at night, only 25% of South African women said yes, the lowest of any country. Additionally, South Africa ranked the worst for the intentional homicide of women.

2. Brazil: Only 28% of women reported feeling safe walking alone at night and the country has the third-highest rate of intentional homicide against women. Brazil also ranked sixth for the percentage of women who have experienced physical or sexual violence by their intimate partners at 36.9%.

3. Russia: It has the second-highest rate of intentional homicide against women, largely contributing to its third-place spot on the list. Russia also ranks as one of the top ten countries to have laws and regulations that limit women’s ability to participate in society and economy in an equal manner to men.

4. México: Mexico ranks fourth overall for the most dangerous countries for women, as well as ranks fourth for the percentage of women who feel safe walking at night and for intentional homicide against women. Only about 33% of women reported feeling safe walking alone at night. Additionally, Mexico ranks third for non-partner sexual violence, which about 16% of women experience.

And other countries like Iran, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Morocco, and Thailand.

Notice how most of these are third world countries. The last page I used says the safest countries for women include Canada, Switzerland, Norway, Austria, Poland. But I found out that:

- According to the Canadian Women's Foundation: Women in Canada live at greater risk than men of domestic violence, sexual assault and harassment, and sex trafficking. Approximately every six days, a woman in Canada is killed by her intimate partner. 67% of Canadians know a woman who has experienced physical or sexual abuse. 6X Indigenous women are killed at six times the rate of non-Indigenous women. 6,000+ women and children sleep in shelters on any given night because it isn’t safe at home.

- In Switzerland, Every four weeks a woman is killed within a partnership. 28% cases were perpetrated by ex-partners who committed psychological and/or physical violence. In 72% of cases women were harmed, while in 28% men were the victims. And this says: According to the research involving interviews with 4,495 women and girls aged 16 and over, one in five women surveyed has been subjected to sexual violence, and more than 10 percent of women surveyed had been raped. Only 8 percent of women surveyed reported the assault to the police.

- In Norway, During 2018, a total of 3509 cases of ill-treatment in family relations were reported. 64 percent of the victims of domestic violence, including the servere domestic violence, were women. And 80 percent of the victims of sexual crime were women. A total of 8374 sexual offences were reported to the police in 2018.

- According to this, Austria’s homicide rate is low, at fewer than 1 per 100,000 people, but its proportion of women killed versus men is high. Last year, 31 of the country’s 43 total murder victims — 72% — were women, according to Roesslhumer’s Autonomous Austrian Women’s Shelters, a non-governmental organization that tracks the issue. There are a handful of countries where the rate of femicides is slightly higher, including tiny Luxembourg, but Europe-wide about 75% of slayings are of men, according to the European Union’s Eurostat statistical office. In Austria, femicides almost doubled from 2014 to 2018, going from 23 cases to 44, according to Eurostat.

- In Poland, the government has found that over half of Poles (57%) say they have experienced some form of domestic violence in their lives. Among women, the figure is 63%. The researchers also report a “concerning” acceptance of violence among a significant minority of the public. This includes over 10% of men who believe there is no such thing as rape within marriage and that, when it comes to sex, wives should always agree to what their husband wants.

So called "safe countries for women" are actually not safe at all. Misogyny is not only a thirld world issue and I wish more people understood that.

[cienie-isengardu]

The Lin Kuei? As far as social dynamics and structure. You probably have a lot of these questions answered already, so you might just have to consolidate them... but what do think the Lin Kuei social structure is like?

I know there's the Grandmaster whose above everyone, and the Master Assassins (game characters we know about) and Sifu above everyone else, and rank is probably determined by skill less than birth. Sektor doesn't seem to get any special protection or treatment despite his family tree.

But what exactly is the hierarchy among the members? Who out ranks who? Both in teams, and as a group? What are the inter Lin Kuei relationships like, who feels what about who? What exactly is the qualifications? (Cyrax who I admittedly don't pay much attention to, for example confuses me, since he doesn't seem very impressive as a fighter?) How is rank maintained? I know they probably fight for it, but fighting constantly or to the point of death / serious injury seems counterproductive, even in mk? How is peace maintained? How is punishment dolled out, what constitutes punishment in a aggressively combative society like that, and in such a brutal environment, what is punishment?

If there's other things you think of to answer that I didn't ask, answer those too please. I love how much thought you put into these. Your the best. 🥰

"RELEASE THE RAMBLES!!!"

First off, sorry it took me so long to answer. Secondly, thank you very much for such a wonderful ask! Hope you will not regret once the rambles are set free, because there is a lot to talk about :D

The safest way to analyze Lin Kuei social structures would be to start with some basic question: what is a Lin Kuei? And the answer will be of course a clan, more precisely, a clan using assassins and thieves as its main source of income. But there is also another thing about Lin Kuei that will play an important role in creating and sustaining social structures - the strong independence streak and the pragmatism born from it.

Because the vital part of Lin Kuei is their loyalty to themselves. They work for those who can afford their service, but they aren’t bound to any earthrealm government or outworld ruler. I mean, Shang Tsung/Shao Kahn probably had a long-lived deal with Lin Kuei that benefited clan and in MK9 Lin Kuei offered the emperor their loyalty and service, but we also known that cyber Sektor refused to serve Quan Chi/Shinnok [MKX] once he decided the sorcerer had failed to fulfill his part of contract. Which means at the end of the day, the Lin Kuei benefit was the major goal to achieve. Even Kuai Liang’s reformed Lin Kuei shows this tendency - Sub-Zero will work with other Earthrealm Defenders but he isn’t blindly following anyone and is willing to go against fellow combatants (seen especially in banters with Raiden [MK11] where Sub-Zero questions god’s competence to protect the realm).

Interestingly, Shirai Ryu in the past did offer their service to various Japanese leaders / shoguns and who knows, even in modern days the clan still could have served the government as some special forces in time of need (and in return, have some protection and/or supplies from government?). In contrast, there is little to none information of Lin Kuei being loyal to one country - I mean, the sources usually call Lin Kuei warriors the “chinese ninjas” but we have never seen them showing any sign of national pride, haven’t we? Their only pride comes from belonging to Lin Kuei and their own skills. Another point against connection to any government is the fact that Lin Kuei are operating world-wide and collect people with special powers from over all world (Cyrax comes from Botswana [Southern Africa], Smoke/Tomas Vrbada from Prague [Czech Republic] and even Ice Bros were born in USA in old timeline). So, the fact that Lin Kuei warriors are diverse in terms of their powers and appearance/ethnicity will also affect the social structures.

So, the social structures on one hand must create a society that blindly follows Grandmaster’s will, on another be enough A) elastic to adapt a vast number of different people and B) solid to maintain the clan independence from others, Earthrealm and Outworld alike.

The problem with independence is that Lin Kuei works for the best price which also means constant danger. For warriors sent on missions to the safety of the whole clan. Without a clearly defined loyalty to anyone but themselves, Lin Kuei would be left on its own in case of enemy attack or any other potentially dangerous crisis. So the members of the clan must stick to each other because no one else would do that.

Regardless of type or date of source, the clan headquarters - one or many existing at the same time? - is usually presented as located in a naturally hard-to-reach, isolated place and with a clear defensive character, as can be seen below :

Lin Kuei for ages used naturally hard to invade / attack places like mountain peaks separated from the rest of the world by abyss with a bridge that can be easily destroyed and solid, thick walls to protect the clan. But here is a thing to think about - as much as there were a lot of strong, cunning and skilled warriors, Lin Kuei operated world-wide, taking jobs in various parts of Earthrealm and Outworld and some missions could take months if not years to finish and there was no guarantee that everyone would return. Which means the warriors couldn’t always be available in case of an enemy's attack or other serious crisis.

So, to maintain the defensive advantages, especially in a naturally harsh environment, there should be someone to control and if necessary take care of the state of walls, the bridge(s), residential buildings and so on. Which means Lin Kuei would need access to natural resources (wood, stone, metal) for expansion or repair but also for experienced craftsmen. There is also a matter of access to drinkable water and food supply, the most basic requirement for a clan to survive and thrive.

On one hand, warriors could fulfill such roles too, especially if we take into account a paragraph from Mortal Kombat novel by Jeff Rovin (1995):

They [Lin Kuei] would kidnap children when they were five or six and raise them in secret caves or woods to become superb athletes, great scholars, and unparalleled fighters, able to use all weapons and to improvise arms from common objects such as paper rolled to a knife-point or sand packed into a sock. They would train the children, boys and girls both, to be masters of many trades: carpenters, fishermen, priests, and even beggars, so they could blend in and make themselves useful in different towns as they traveled on missions for their lords.

Many young people died during training: some could not hold their breath for five minutes and drowned, others weren’t fast enough to avoid the weapons of the masters, some starved or froze or dehydrated when they were stranded, naked, in deserts or on mountaintops and told to make their way home. But those who survived were the Lin Kuei.

On the other hand, to become masters of the traders mentioned above, those children needed proper teachers. And yes, the already trained warriors could pass the knowledge to the younger generation but warriors first and foremost were responsible for earning money for the clan which is why personally teaching kids anything other than martial arts seems like wasting a time they could utilize in a better (more profitable) way.

This is why I suspect the social structures of Lin Kuei included various groups responsible for different needs of the clan.

The leader

So, we have a Grandmaster, the ruler. In modern times, pretenders for this title needed only to defeat and kill the current leader to take over the clan. Like Cyber Sektor and Kuai Liang did. But such practice may be just an exception to the long tradition, because Cyber Initiative was an extreme project that divided and ultimately destroyed the old version of clan. Killing the previous owner of the title may have some value (as in, eliminating any potential conflict of interest) but at the same time choosing and teaching a successor sounds much more practical. Because leading such a big clan is no easy feat thus any preparation would be useful and beneficial for the clan’s future. Not to mention the possibility of some secret knowledge that should be passed alongside.

Sadly, we don’t have much information about the inner politics of Lin Kuei. From the crumbs here and there, we know about Sub-Zero and past-Grandmasters that:

→ they could have offspring (example: Sektor).

However the sources don’t define if that was required from them in the form of a marriage or just as a way to secure the continuing inheritance of power (a tradition that Kuai Liang could simply ignore) or from their own choice or if the procreation of a child was unplanned and just happened. Whatever the truth was, in the case of Sektor, “it was never in question that he would join the Lin Kuei.”

The line from MK9 Sektor bio suggests that being a child of a warrior does not give immediate status as a member of the Lin Kuei. This in turn could suggest that not every child begotten by Lin Kuei warriors would be forced to join the clan. Sektor, as the son of the Grandmaster simply didn’t have a choice in the matter and who knows, maybe there is some premature qualification should the child be taken or not.

Another interesting part of Sektor’s BIO is this line: “Though this mission will put his clan in good standing with Shao Kahn, Sektor's ultimate goal is to supplant his father as Grand Master of the Lin Kuei." which may suggests that Sektor wasn’t the designated heir after all so plotted to overthrow his father?. I mean, he was sent to the Mortal Kombat Tournament as a participant and then cyborgized while the Grandmaster himself stayed human with a handful of other members of the clan. Then again, Sektor’s ending suggests that Grandmaster wasn’t surprised much by Sektor’s attempt to take over Lin Kuei, so maybe the killing of the previous leader was in fact a necessary part of rite of passage between old and new ruler?

→ it was against tradition for them to personally train new recruits

Stated in Deadly Alliance, in Frost’s Bio:

The winner was a mysterious female named Frost who seemed to have freezing abilities similar to those of Sub-Zero. Breaking with Lin Kuei tradition, the new Grand Master, Sub-Zero, took it upon himself to train this new recruit.

Interestingly, the Grandmaster was supposed to be the absolute ruler yet there were some traditions that actually regulated his or her participation in daily life of the clan. Kuai Liang simply ignored those and chose Frost as his apprentice, who at least in theory, became his appointed heir. By that logic, Sektor shouldn’t be trained by father, at least not before he gained the official status of Lin Kuei and proved himself worthy of Grandfather’s attention.

→ but it was their duty (choice?) to teach advanced arts to a few selected warriors.

This is mainly seen in Mortal Kombat Conquest TV series. The third episode (“Cold Reality”) gave us Shang Tsung’s explanation about clan and its warriors:

“The Lin Kuei, an ancient sect. Their training is the deepest secret as is their code. They are silent, swift and always lethal [...]. For some, a select few… the Lin Kuei Grand Masters will continue their education into darker areas. Then death comes in more interesting ways.”

Then, through this and another episode, the TV series shows that Grandmaster in fact personally oversees the training of Sub-Zero. So, the training of the new recruits may be against the tradition, but passing the advanced knowledge and the final trials seem to be not. Or at least the trials of the warrior with special (ancient) abilities.

This suggests the social status of a warrior - or any clan member - is affected by Grandmaster’s favor or lack thereof. Those chosen will advance, become more powerful and thus sent on more dangerous yet profitable missions. With a successful streak of missions, their notoriety will grow between prestige clients and the Lin Kuei community for good strengthening their social position. And who knows, one day they could take the place of (grand)masters in the inner circle serving closely the leader? On the other hand, those whose loyalty or skills get doubted by the Grandmaster are punished in several ways.

Inner Circle / Ancient (?) Masters

The same as with Grandmasters, there is little confirmed information about Lin Kuei masters. Bi-Han/elder Sub-Zero seemed to be favored by Grandmaster who called him the “our most cunning assassin and thief” (Mythologies: Sub-Zero) but it doesn’t sound like he was one of the inner circle.

In Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm (episode 5, “Old Friends Never Die”), Kuai Liang mentioned “Ancient Masters” who decided to change warriors into cyborgs, while in the Mortal Kombat Conquest TV show we could see that Grandmaster keeps talking to some men about Sub-Zero’s training and powers. Interestingly, those men had uniforms looking more like his own than of any warrior.

(If Lin Kuei co-operated with Shang Tsung for ages, their life-span could be extended by sorcerer’s magic. Or, their own special abilities allow for such a long life. Thus the name of ancient masters?)

I think it is right to assume those masters formed an inner circle that advised the leader and helped in training the chosen warriors and most likely oversaw specific operations / aspects of the clan's life. Most likely with Grandmaster, they made the higher command and were the law.

Warriors

In the simplest way, this is the working class that earns money and builds the reputation of the clan. The warriors were the main source of incoming profit for the clan, but it wasn’t just material goods from assassinations and stealing but most likely also important intelligence data that Lin Kuei could use for its benefit or sell on. Thanks to them, Lin Kuei was also feared and respected in Earthrealm and Outworld alike.

So, on one hand, being a warrior in itself was a prestige rank that gave a chance to gain fame. The skilled and smart could advance into higher positions (the master assassins and thieves) and maybe even get Grandmaster’s attention. On another the life of a warrior was the most dangerous and hazardous occupation in the clan with little prospects for a long life. The victory was paid in warrior’s blood and pain while punishment for failure was severe and harsh.

The easiest way to classified them would be those two categories:

→ the common ones,

in games and comics looking alike, without distinctive features. It is hard to tell, if they possess any special abilities, if they were blood related to each other, what kind of missions they took.

→ the master assassins and thieves,

whose uniforms and weapons are modified to their personal taste and style of fighting and who have greater independence than warriors from the first category. I think it is right to assume that named warriors should be classified as such. So we have Sub-Zero/Bi-Han, Tundra/Kuai Liang, Smoke, Cyrax, Sektor, Frost, comics!Hydro.

Yet, this division may be in fact disastrous due to lack of enough sources. I mean, the lack of individuality does not necessarily imply a lack of appropriate abilities and for all we know, the “nameless” members just wear proper uniforms for their duties. Something that maybe even the named characters would wear if any source actually showed their downtime between missions. Frankly, the classic “ninja look” also makes everyone look alike, with only proper colors to distinguish between characters. Like the old comics version of Sub-Zero and Hydro - the main detail to tell them apart was the color of their eyes because both wore the typical Lin Kuei blue and dark uniform.

There is a lot to say about Lin Kuei warriors, so I will focus only on the aspects most vital to the subject and the role and effect it has on the Lin Kuei social structures.

→ armors, uniforms and their colors

Lin Kuei seems to have various uniforms, from those with plain (“classic”) look to very ornamented ones. Like I mentioned earlier, there may be an established type of clothes the warrior should wear on duty between missions while during the job the uniform was personalized due to the owner's skills and preferences. Some more advanced designs could be also a sign of personal achievements and were given / passed down (as family heirloom?) to said warriors.

The most noticeable thing however is the color. Since most clan members shared some kind of blood-ties (thus specific set of genes), the color may represent their connections to a specific branch of the clan. For example, blue was used by cryomancers and those warriors who had water-related powers. At the same time, blue seems like the most common color used by Lin Kuei. It makes sense for Kuai Liang’s warriors to use such tone, as to honor their leader and maybe even cut off from the dark past of the clan but frankly, Sub-Zero’s freezing power was called “ancient one” in Mortal Kombat Conquest TV series that alone was set ages before the last tenth Tournament happened, so maybe the ice/water always played a big role through the history and Lin Kuei simply adapted it for its common use? As to combine the reputation of the clan with the terrifying powers of cryomancers?

There is also grey color used by Smoke that fit well to his special power and yellow worn by Cyrax. Albeit if that has any connection to his unique genes or is just a color for a specific branch of clan or just esthetic, hard to tell.

Then we have a red color that most commonly is related to fire, something that Sektor frequently used at least in the new timeline. At the same time, various Grandmasters used red / reddish or burgundy colors (examples: [1] Mortal Kombat Conquest TV series, [2] Mythologies: Sub-Zero, [3] Sektor’s Ending in Mortal Kombat 9). So the red accents on Sektor’s uniform may in fact be a sign of his blood-ties to the leader (or leading family?).

Whatever true reasons lie behind the meaning of colors, Lin Kuei warriors seem to be segregated in certain smaller groups. Interestingly, even if Sektor’s red color in fact symbolised his connection to Grandmaster, this played little to none role in the MK9 game. Of course, the source did not show much inner dynamic between Bi-Han, Sektor and Cyrax but even with so limited space, Sub-Zero was the central figure in the group screen time which makes an impression he was in fact the leader. Then, the argument about the Cyber Initiative project happened only between Sektor and Cyrax, which could also imply Sub-Zero outranked them so they did not want to bring attention of their superior to their personal conflict. Especially since disobedience to Grandmaster was a serious crime.

→ codenames

Mortal Kombat X and 11 provided information that Shirai-Ruy does have some system of official ranks including the term Chujin that in general was a middle rank between ninjas (Takeda Takahashi is a known example). Lin Kuei has complex social structures but as far as we know, they do not use analogous to Japanese ninja system of ranks and yes, I know I categorized the named characters as the master assassins and thieves but frankly, I don’t remember other warriors to refer to them as such. The warriors just called each other by codename and various sources say the codename wasn’t something that permanently belonged to one individual. The name of “Sub-Zero” is the best example since it was used by many warriors through the course of a long period of time.

In both timelines, Bi-Han and Kuai Liang come from lineage of cryomancers serving Lin Kuei

and currently have ongoing conflict to whom the codename truly belongs. Because apparently, the name is passed to new generations once the younger cryomancer will prove their worth, most likely, by defeating the present champion. This does not mean that one must die because frankly, “retired” cryomancer still could teach adepts or serve the clan in a meaningful way. Also, which is very prominent with cryomancers, their mastery over ice grew stronger with passing years, so Bi-Han and Kuai Liang’s Grandfather in fact could be a pretty powerful warrior even as an old man.

The important thing however is that, the codenames may determine the position in clan hierarchy. We don’t have a way to analyze the subjection between codenames and social status of Sektor, Cyrax or Smoke but names used by cryomancers may define their level of mastery over ice. The title of Sub-Zero has existed for ages and I think it is right to assume this is a codename intended only for the best of the best. Sadly, we don’t know how high in the hierarchy was “Tundra” but we can’t cross the possibility that Bi-Han at some point in his career used that name too, before he managed to earn the mantle of Grandfather’s name.

So, Lin Kuei may not use typical ranks and instead stick to codenames passed from one generation to another. Thus no one is addressing Bi-Han as the master assassin and thief but everyone knows that the person using the codename “Sub-Zero” is one of top warriors in the service of the clan.

→ combat experiences, teachers and retirement

Combat experience is something that affects a warrior’s position in a clan because no amount of training (even as hellish as training of Lin Kuei adepts) will be the same as real life and death struggle. The more experienced a warrior is, the more valuable become to the clan. At the same time, old age will slow down even the best of the best fighters at some point. Surprisingly, the first game mentioned (hinted) the idea of retirement in Lin Kuei in Sub-Zero’s (Non-Canonical) Ending:

"After receiving the title of Grand Champion, Sub-Zero disappears back into the shadows from which he came. His only goal in the tournament was...the assassination of Shang Tsung. He was paid a large sum of money by one of Tsung's wealthy enemies. With his mission accomplished, Sub-Zero will collect his fortune and retire from his dangerous profession."

The original Sub-Zero was usually described as 32 years old. Which doesn’t sound old, but if we take into account the previously mentioned passage from the book, the teachings started at the age of 5 or 6 which could mean Bi-Han already survived two decades of harsh servitude to the clan (that abducted him and his younger brother). No one leaves Lin Kuei but there is a possibility that at some age the warrior may step down from the dangerous profession. Then, such a “retired” fighter could train adepts and young, less experienced members of the clan and maybe even start a family that will produce offspring - preferable with special powers - to supply the clan with new recruiters.

Because of that I assume that warriors in their prime were used mainly to do the dirty job and get as much money and valuable items as possible. Once they survived to a certain age, they shared the gained wisdom with less experienced fighters. We don’t know how students and teachers (“sifu”?) were assigned to each other; it may be related to their family ties or similars powers (cryomancers teaching cryomancers, like Kuai Liang and Frost) or the veterans picked youngsters for certain skills or traits that made them worth the time and effort. Anyway, veterans, as those who survived years of service, should be placed high in the hierarchy. Because their experiences and wisdom help to shape a new generation of warriors earning money and fame for the clan.

→ they work alone, in pairs or in bigger groups.

We rarely see the “nameless warriors” working alone - in case of danger or mission, they form a small army and do as they are commanded by Grandmaster (MKX) or one of master assassins, like Bi-Han (Mortal Kombat 2021). In contrast various sources show that named characters usually worked in pairs (Smoke & Tundra, Cyrax & Sektor, Sub-Zero/Bi-Han & Hydro) or alone (Bi-Han, Frost) and in some special cases, commanded larger groups of warriors.

This is an interesting detail, because all the named warriors seem to be to some degree familiar with each other even though it looks like they were permanently paired. Of course, training together will have this effect, but Lin Kuei operated world-wide and in different realms so it is not guaranteed that warriors had time to hang out between missions or to be at the same time in headquarters. If they possessed diverse, opposing elements, after passing the trials and earning the title of warrior, they could be trained separately. Thus again, a smaller chance to form (forbidden) friendship. Which is why I think there must be some exercises that force fighters to cooperate or test their skills in some sort of tournaments. Partially to see how well they fare in fight (thus judge their usefulness to clan), partially to establish hierarchy between them.

Who and how decides about pairing certain fighters is completely a mystery. On one hand, Hydro (water) and Sub-Zero (ice) were compatible and probably naturally increased their own powers. But we also have Kuai Liang (ice) and Tomas (smoke) whose elements seem like not the best combination since Smoke’s power should work better with fire (at least his battle cry, “Where there is Smoke, there is fire!” suggests that) and there is Cyrax and Sektor who powerwise may work well, but their mindsets are extremely different.

Are warriors forced into such partnerships by their superiors or were they allowed to find the right partner, sadly we do not know. On one hand, the dynamic between named characters makes an impression they are in fact an equal partners - Smoke joined Kuai Liang in his quest for revenge on his own (MK9), Sektor didn’t manage to force Cyrax into submission before the man left the clan. Comics!Sub-Zero and Hydro were so close that “Bi-Han” wasn’t afraid to admit his fears of undead Scorpion relentlessly haunting him and Hydro was supportive all the time (“Blood and Thunder”). On the other hand, partnership could provide additional safety and increase the chances of survival during missions and maybe even uphold an already earned social position, so the warriors may seek each other for solely pragmatic reasons, even more since friendship was seen as a weakness and forbidden. I also suspect that though partnership between two warriors was based on mutual benefits, there could be fierce competition between pairs.

Surprisingly, all known to us partnerships are between male characters. There is no gender-mixed duo as far as sources are concerned (unless comics!Hydro was female, trans- or agender person and frankly, for 4 comics issues only one narrator box used the pronunciation of “he” for Hydro, while Scorpion was constantly called by Lin Kuei, other characters or narratives as “he”, which always makes me wonder about Hydro’s gender. Or did comics!Lin Kuei warriors talk about themselves in third person to not betray their and their comrades true identity / gender?). Regardless of the nature of said partnership, those working together share a strong bond. Kuai Liang and Tomas outright considered themselves very close friends (family) despite clan rules that forbidden friendship. Bi-Han was willing to show his weakness / fear to Hydro who in return was very protective of him and even Sektor shows a pathological need to keep Cyrax at his side despite all the oblivious signs how unwise this decision is. Frost, sadly, didn’t have any named partner (what may be related to her role of chief between female Lin Kuei warriors) and if she was included in an important mission, she partnered Grandmaster (MK: Deadly Alliance). And their collaboration was based on a master-apprentice relationship, so it had none of the equality that characterizes the previously mentioned duos.

Of course, ultimately, the warrior who works alone does not need to share the fame (and earning?) with anyone. Bi-Han is the best example of that (Mythologies: Sub-Zero, Mortal Kombat novel (1995) or his bio from the original game). And yes, every warrior should be capable of completing the job, but though weak Lin Kuei fighters may look superhuman in Earthrealm they will not last long in Outworld.

And that brings us to another important matter:

→ the place of activity.

Because those who work frequently in Outworld by default should be considered better in the combat area. But at the same time, Lin Kuei must have a wide and well organized spy network, to keep track of all potential recruits (Smoke and Cyrax), access to science research and laboratories and so on. So, especially in modern times, combat skills may not be the most appreciated feature anymore and some Lin Kuei warriors, no matter how weak they are compared to others, will still have their special value to Grandmaster’s plans. Due to the nature of spying, they could also work alone or in small groups far from their homeland. Thus, operate outside the social hierarchy established between other warriors.

→ Punishments

A warrior could die on mission at any moment, but also could be killed for various offenses, such as:

Leaving the clan - punished by death and this seems to be a consistent punishment in all sources. Of course a determined warrior could manage to successfully run away (like Takeda, the founder of Shirai Ryu or Kuai Liang did) but Lin Kuei does not forget such crime and will hunt down the fugitive for years. The best example comes from the Mortal Kombat book, in which Sub-Zero spent two decades hunting down his own ex-partner in crime to kill him in a brutal way in front of the man's family.

So even if someone managed to run away and start a new life, there was no escape from the clan's wrath. In the modern time, Cyrax was captured and cyborgized - for him, it was fate worse than death. This actually brings the question, if there were warriors responsible for hunting down fugitives or was it the duty of those whose partners broke the sacred rule of “no one leaves Lin Kuei”?

Failure of mission - another known major crime punishable by death yet most likely not applies to Kuai LIang’s reformed clan.

In the Conquest TV series, by Grandmaster’s order two warriors that failed the mission were killed by then current Sub-Zero. This was as much public execution to show others what happens once you fail as presenting the ice powers of freshly promoted cryomancer:

“Before you stand two who have failed. For this there can be but one consequence and it must come from within, within us. Earth, wind, fire, water. To control one element of the four that make up life is power. A twist of nature, an aberration, one who brings forth true killing force. Before you stand one whose ancestors have passed on such power to us. Remember this well. Behold... Sub Zero. [Grandmaster’s speech, episode 3, “Cold Reality”]”

This is just one example from the distant past but it may also be a suggestion that warriors with special powers played the role of executors.

Another example, from Mythologies: Sub-Zero, thus relative modern times:

Scorpion: Yessss... I am Scorpion. You killed me in cold blood.

Sub-Zero: I had no choice. If I had not stolen that map I would be the dead one.

Frankly this attitude is both inhuman treatment of subordinates (failure in itself is just another source of experiences and sometimes failed mission wasn't the result of someone’s mistake or incompetence but of independent circumstances) and unpragmatic (losing manpower). We may only wonder if warriors were punished for failing all kinds of missions or just selected ones. At the same time, a fighter that survived to old age should be really respected - with such harsh laws, not many members live to old age and those who did through the decades failed little to no missions.

Lin Kuei punished also impostors:

which brings us back to the point about codenames and their relationship with social position (and hey, Noob’s complaints aren’t baseless). We don’t know though what kind of punishment was used for such an offense.

Disobeying Grandmaster was also a big deal. I suspect this could be punished by death too although rather not in Kuai Liang’s clan:

“When Sub-Zero made historic peace with his clan’s enemy, Scorpion, defiant Frost challenged her Grandmaster as unfit to lead. Sub-Zero defeated and banished Frost. [MK11]”

In general, Lin Kuei laws were harsh and cruel and it was really easy to lose such hard-earned privileges and positions.

Recruits

In ancient times, children were abducted at the age of 5 or 6 and forced into harh training. Some didn’t survive but those who did became fully pledged to Lin Kuei warriors. In modern times, it seems like most adepts have some blood-ties to other members of the clan and usually are “given” for training freely. There are exceptions to the rule, like Bi-Han and Kuai Liang, who were stolen from home at a young age. Finally, there are people who seem to join Lin Kuei on their own (or at least they think it was their choice), like Smoke, Cyrax and Frost.

(Tomas and Frost are confirmed users of special powers. Cyrax most likely possesses some unique genes too or at least is capable of well controlling his own energy (chi) during fight. Frankly, it looks like Sektor is the only one named Lin Kuei who does not utilize any special power. Ironically, considering how Grandmaster (Oniro) from Defenders of the Earthrealm was shapeshifter. Who knows, maybe Sektor didn’t inherited father’s unique skills?)

So even recruits are a diverse group to begin with and include people ethnically totally different from the majority(?) who needed to learn a new language(s) and culture from scratch. This alone gives a ground for potential conflicts though there is little to none examples of racism between Lin Kuei adult members? I mean, Lin Kuei used to look down on everyone who wasn’t one of them all the same, with special hatred for Shirai-Ryu - not for being Japanese (different ethinc group) but just for being Shirai-Ryu.

The adepts were trained by older warriors and looking at Sub-Zero’s origin (MK9), some adepts trained with family members (Kuai Liang and Bi-Han and maybe even under their Grandfather’s eye?) and teacher (Sifu?) could train more than one student at the same time.

In a way, those coming from the lineage of warriors could be from the start at better social standing than those who were “no ones” or came from far away lands and needed to earn respect of others. Those blood-related to clan members either developed specific powers during training or at least possesed special DNA that could be passed down to the next generation. So, even if those children weren’t the best of best fighters, they still have something valuable to the clan.

At the same time, again, Sektor doesn’t seem to have any special privileges, not once in game(s) called his father as anything other than Grandmaster and in general, he did not have much presence (respect?) between other warriors. I mean, he freely spoke only with Cyrax who in the end did not listen to him at all and almost always fell silent if there were more people around. So yeah, how big an impact on social dynamic between fighters had their blood-ties is not sure.

I’m not gonna talk much about the life of adepts (and there is a lot to say about potential pathologies and harm done to the kids), but they for sure were the lowest rank in (warrior) hierarchy, at least until they proved their worth.

So, the Lin Kuei warriors could be separated in three categories, from lower social rank to the highest:

adepts (in-training, maybe assisting in missions under the watchful eye of their superiors),

warriors (the one earning income),

veterans (teachers)

and the circle was completed.

(For some reason, the circle of Lin Kuei warrior life resembles the “Three-field system” but I have weird associations, I guess).

Household?

When we talk about the Lin Kuei clan, the first association that comes to mind is its warrior nature. But with such a large organisation, warriors are just one social class rather than the majority. Because someone needs to feed them, cloth, arm, heal, which seems logical to assume that there were other specializations that keep the clan running.

I mean, Lin Kuei is an independent faction that as far as we know, has no ties to any earthrealm government. This alone suggests to keep that independence the clan have to possess their own source of food, water, medical supplies and access to other necessary resources, so no enemy could besiege their strongholds and starve them and so on.

⇒ The medics will be for sure an appreciated branch of the clan. And yes, warriors to some degree must have medical knowledge (if not to save people then at least to know how to successfully kill them) but at the same, with so many specific genes and used in fight elements, some Lin Kuei members may have different medical needs than normal people.

⇒ Armorers (and smiths?) provide clan additional defensive equipment and weapons. And we know that even in modern times Lin Kuei barely used firearms and relied more on shurikens, knives and swords.

⇒ Scientists, computer experts and researchers, especially in modern times when C.I. Project became a thing, most likely playing a big role in the clan, fulfilling Grandmaster’s wish to change warriors into cyborgs. May not be liked by the traditionalist members of Lin Kuei, but favored by the leader (so be untouchable).

⇒ Farmers and craftsmen, providing the clan with the basic needs. I doubt they had much impact on social dynamics and may not even live on the grounds of the Lin Kuei Temple / Fortress. I imagine them living in the surrounding villages (or at the foot of the mountains?), giving the Lin Kuei food and handicrafts (and maybe even their own children?) as a tribute, and in return get protection.

My conclusion is that, Lin Kuei have pretty complex social structures in which Grandmaster and his closes circle administrate the whole system, warriors, depending on their age and expertises, are responsible for earning money and prepare the new generation to replace them, while household is there to keep previously mentioned groups alive and in the best condition. Everyone plays a role that helps to maintain Lin Kuei independence and reputation.

So, finally I get to the main part of the question about the dynamic between characters.

Who outrank who is a good question. The Grandmaster of course is above everyone else and so are the “ancient masters” / inner circle. Bi-Han seems to be one of the favored warriors by Grandmaster, the only(?) one confirmed to be the most cunning assassin and thief and the use of a codename associated with “ancient power” only adds to that impression. So, in regard to the named five characters (him, Kuai Liang, Smoke, Cyrax and Sektor) I would say Bi-Han outranked everyone. At the same time, he does not act arrogant against his fellow clansmen. Okay, to be honest, he seems to not interact much with anyone but that is rather the abrasive, asocial nature of cryomancer than anything else, really. And we have examples from various sources that Bi-Han wasn’t always rude to people around him. (Noob is another deal, but even then he has a more passive-aggressive attitude toward his brother than outright hate / arrogance).

Anyway, Bi-Han outranked the others. And yet, he does not seem to perform any special social functions - except maybe at Grandmaster’s command executing those who failed. In contrast, in MKX intro vs. Sonya, Frost was described by Kuai Liang as “chief among [female Lin Kuei]” which implies her high rank and responsible position in social structures.

One may wonder why Bi-Han most likely wasn’t given similar honor but to be an effective chief, the person must be available and close at hand. Going with Mythologies, the elder Sub-Zero barely came back from one mission (stealing map of elements) to be sent right away for another difficult task (stealing Shinnok amulet and side trip to Netherrealm) and then next one (Mortal Kombat Tournament). Of course, the game due to its limited time and space, won’t focus on realism such as making a proper preparation for the job but even if Bi-Han was allowed little rest between one and another mission, it really looks like he didn’t spend much time at Lin Kuei Temple. Thus there was no point in giving him any big group to oversee, if he wasn’t available to control what was going on between his subordinates. Also, he seems pretty familiar with Smoke and Kuai Liang’s close relationship but there are not many hints that he tried to do something about their breaking clan rules forbidding friendship.

Then again, there is a possibility that Kuai Liang, Smoke, Cyrax and Sektor did in fact belong to Bi-Han’s own “cohort” what could explain

A) why all the five characters are always so closely tied up to each other while the rest of clan members are just a background and

B) why with Sub-Zero’s death everything went to hell between them.

(And again, the amount of duties to female Lin Kuei could keep Frost from leaving headquarters too often, thus no need for partnership with anyone. Because of that, she grew angry at Kuai Liang for “holding her back” and at the same time not respecting enough to grant her the title of Sub-Zero).

Pragmatic resolution to solving inner conflict would be some kind of neutral judge (chief) and the fight for rank and position most likely happened under watch of superior(s). As in, official challenge, especially for top ranks like Sub-Zero. The official fight did not need to end with someone’s death but this could be one of rare situations when a warrior could kill the other fighter - or even the hated teacher / master? - without much consequence. Of course, Lin Kuei proved pragmatism is not always a priority but I strongly believe the clan structures were based on discipline and so arbitrary fights were also severely punished. What is the point of having warriors if they can’t be sent to earn money due to unnecessary injuries? Also, corporal punishment in itself shouldn’t be that big deal for society growing up in brutal ways since early childhood - which is why I suspect that the punishments were administered in public. As a form of humiliation, to force the guilty people to earn respect of fellow warriors again from scratch.

I suspect that warriors could be separated into smaller groups - basing on their special powers or family connection? - that competed with each other. Age could also regulate how one person should act around the others; for example, like youngling around veteran or fully trained fighter. Not sure how this rule could relate to those representing “household”. Were there laws protecting them or could they be bullied/killed on whim? Could warriors even be involved romantically with “servants” / lower class? The good thing from such affair could be the birth of children given to the clan once they were old enough and well, sex with “outsider” in itself can be a good way to relieve the warriors growing tension / stress resulting from living in a brutal environment without complicating things between companions. To be fair, some warriors could have romantic / intimate relationships with each other as well but most likely kept them secret to avoid punishment.

There is also a matter of who and how chose warriors to represent Lin Kuei at Mortal Kombat Tournament. I mean, Bi-Han was always the first choice, supported by the first game and Mythologies but did he choose Sektor and Cyrax as his companions or they naturally were chosen as part of his group or did Grandmaster assign them to Sub-Zero on his own? Dunno but keeping the five named Lin Kuei warriors together through the course of years really makes me think they came from the same, for a lack of better word, a cohort.

Cryomancers most likely stuck together (Bi-Han and Kuai Liang) and Smoke tagged along. Cyrax looks like an easy going type of person who isn't afraid to speak his mind so I wouldn’t be surprised if he were either on good terms with most clan members or pissing the rest while human Sektor, in contrast, is much more introverted, or even withdrawn from social interaction. This is of course only my subjective feeling, but he lacks a dominant presence to make a big impression. Not like the older Sub-Zero or Cyrax. Then we have Tundra!Kuai Liang whose loyalty belongs first and foremost to an older brother than the clan itself and to honor Bi-Han he will get into all sorts of dangerous problems and conflicts not caring for consequences at all. A behaviour that may not sit well with Sektor (even more, if he never had such a strong bond with own father/other people?). Sektor and Kuai Liang have a long history of ideological conflict and I suspect they truly could agree only about not giving up Cyrax’s remains to anyone and whatever was going on, protect the body at all cost.

Interestingly, as much as Kuai Liang and Tomas or Kuai Liang and Cyrax were close and on good terms (especially after the fiasco of C.I. project), Bi-Han and Sektor seem to be much closer to each other. If not in the stricte emotional sense, they at least share the pride in Lin Kuei and strive for perfection (manifesting itself in accepting their drastic changes for example). Even with limited sources, the storyline never(?) put Sektor and Bi-Han against each other, either as humans or cyborg and wraith and I strongly suspect there may be something much deeper about their relationship that lack of interaction on screen could suggest in the first place (x)(x).

Then we have tradition vs technology.

This most likely is a modern issue that could be the basis for serious inner conflicts between warriors. Those taking jobs in Outworld for sure must be powerful fighters, especially since technology is not something working well there. Bi-Han in most if not all sources was a traditionalist who didn’t use much or outright refused to use technology and I wouldn’t be surprised if he worked in Outworld frequently (especially Bi-Han in the newest movie was presented as a close associate of Shang Tsung). For the weaker warriors, advanced technology could be a life-saver. Then there is the whole Cyber Initiative that divided (and ultimately destroyed) Lin Kuei. For such a project, the clan either worked with independent / private researchers and cybernetic experts or actually had its own specialists (another possible social group?).

From MK9 we know Cyrax spoke in public against Grandmaster’s plan. In Defenders of the Realm, Smoke and Kuai Liang run from the clan at the first occasion to avoid such fate. Logically thinking, Sektor (supporter of the advanced technology) should not get along well with Bi-Han (stubborn traditionalist), the same as he fell out with Cyrax, Smoke and Kuai Liang. And yet there is not much evidence suggesting any big conflict between them. Of course, Sektor could simply not speak against his superior(?) the same as he argued with Cyrax but in all fairness, I doubt Bi-Han’s lack of use of technology was a secret not openly critiqued by others. I mean, even comics!Kuai Liang said about his brother that Bi-Han was “stubborn in many ways, refused to utilize modern technology on his missions. A shame, really. He was among the Lin Kuei’s finest --although fast becoming obsolete”. If Sektor and Bi-Han (and the rest of the group) worked together on joint missions, the issue of technology would come sooner than later. Though I suspect that no matter what Sektor would say, Bi-Han outstubborn him anyway. On other hand, it looks like only Sektor needed/chose to use advanced technology (flame thrower) while the rest relied on their special powers. In that case, being Sektor between gifted people for sure was a hard deal.

So, if I have to rank them I would say Bi-Han → Sektor & Cyrax who most likely were at least a bit higher than Kuai Liang (younger cryomancer) and Smoke. In case of conflict, I think as long as it was possible, they solved their problems among themselves. Bringing authority (Grandmaster, one of chiefs(?) or Bi-Han)’s attention was never a good idea because it could lead to public punishment / humiliation. Bi-Han may or may not knock some sense into others if the inner conflict gets out of hand or at least told them into face how idiotic they are (and he is pretty famous for insulting/mocking even those he shouldn’t. Like Quan Chi, a powerful client. Which is why I doubt he would tone down his natural abrasiveness. Especially not for an idiot that actually deserves it ).

And yet, whatever conflict was between those five characters, they still stayed loyal to each other. At least until someone outright broke one of the most punishable laws, like leaving the clan.

For example, Cyrax and Sektor argued about C.I. project - and most likely it was already an ongoing argument between them. Cyrax even was “among those speaking out against the Grand Master’s plan”. Not a good thing for their partnership yet Sektor still vouched for Cyrax when Shang Tsung had his doubts about the man. Or how Bi-Han changed sides during Tournament (MK9) - otherwise his fight against Scorpion would have zero sense - and maybe he did discuss the course of his action with his fellow clan members. But whatever he told or not what was going on, Cyrax was absolutely ready to kill Scorpion to avenge fallen cryomancer (“Scorpion will pay for this!”). Then we have Smoke not abandoning Kuai Liang even though he was already turned into Cyber Sub-Zero and attacked his friend and of course furious Tundra interrupting the Outworld Tournament and literally demanding from the Emperor to bring him Bi-Han’s murderer to kill. Hell, even Noob and Cyber Sektor stick to each other despite everything that happened.

Those five were a really loyal group, weren’t they?

So, in general:

the social structures of Lin Kuei were diverse and complex,

the punishment was harsh and deadly - in some cases, executed by a fellow warrior in public.

Bi-Han most likely had a high position in clan hierarchy but he wasn’t outright called a master

and there is possibility Sektor, Cyrax, Smoke and Kuai Liang worked under his command.

Most of the Lin Kuei members share blood ties to some degree but experiences and skills seem to outrank any family bond. In contrast to friendship, keeping touch with family (within the clan) is rather not forbidden. There may be a conflict between friendship (a choice) and family matters (a fate / tradition of serving Lin Kuei to uphold).

Kuai Liang and Smoke broke clan rules forbidding friendship (and Bi-Han did nothing about that?).

Cyrax most likely were familiar with Tundra and Smoke enough to like / respect each other. In the case of Tomas, the additional factor for keeping together could be the fact that both were born as outsiders (different ethnicity, lack of blood ties to clan).

Cyrax and Kuai Liang had ideological conflict with Sektor, who in turn seems to be on good terms with Bi-Han.

Bi-Han on the other hand seemed to not have any conflict with the four named warriors? Kuai Liang was his brother (and there is no example he was abused in any way by the older sibling, I think?), MK9!Smoke may not be on a first name basis with Bi-Han (didn’t call him in game as anything else than Sub-Zero or Kuai Liang’s brother) but he was accepted as Kuai Liang’s close friend. At the beggining of Tournament, Cyrax was seen on Sub-Zero’s right side and there is the scene-parallel (with Sektor cut off from the frame, the impression is that we were shown the honorable/”good” Lin Kuei) and he showed protectiveness toward Sub-Zero.Then there is Sektor who somehow get along with Bi-Han (and Noob) without any complaints or problems. Of course, Smoke, Cyrax and Sektor could be smart enough to not get in any open conflict with abrasive Bi-Han. Kuai Liang is a whole different matter, I guess.

The named characters in fact didn’t need to like each other but they were taught discipline and loyalty to the group from the start. Though it would be really hilarious if the most abrasive cryomancer with little to no social skills was in fact the one that keep them all together and was a bridge between strong-willed/hotheaded Kuai Liang & Smoke, independent Cyrax and blindly loyal, withdrawn Sektor.

I’m not sure if such a mix of strong personalities was the norm between warrior groups or was it just Bi-Han’s luck to get involved with duos of Tundra-Smoke and Sektor-Cyrax at some point. Anyway, this is my take on social structures and dynamics between Lin Kuei.

Hope it satisfies your curiosity!

[highspiritbag]

14 Of The Safest Countries in Africa

A lot of people assume that the continent of Africa is unsafe. This has mainly been caused by false and bias portrayal by the media. When the average person hears of Africa, they automatically think of the worst, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. We have been to many countries in Africa and each country has its own unique gift and vibe and we have never had our lives in danger at any moment. We have even extended our stays in some of these countries because we were simply having too much fun. We believe that every single place on Earth should be visited at least once and it would be unfair to miss out on experiencing the beautiful continent of Africa. 

In recent years, Africa’s profile has been steadily rising due to the big media push surrounding Ghana’s Year of Return. This has put Africa on people’s radar as another destination to explore. For many, visiting anywhere in Africa will be a first-time experience so we decided to write a full list of the 20 safest countries in Africa. This list will highlight the places to see, what to expect and places to stay if you are a tourist visiting for the first time.

1. Rwanda

Rwanda is by far the safest country in Africa. The vibe of the country is very relaxed. If you want to travel solo to an African country. You have to start by visiting Rwanda. The crime rate is so low. According to the Gallup Global Law and Order Report, Rwanda is ranked as the 11th safest country in the entire World since 2017. In addition to this, the people are so warm and welcoming.

The place to visit in Rwanda is the city of Kigali. The city is very beautiful and a great display of African modernity. While you are in the city, we suggest you should visit the Genocide Memorial, the Inema Arts center, the Grand Presidential Palace, and many more. You will get a strong sense of the countri’s past, present, and future.

The nightlife in Kigali is unforgettable, there are many bars and clubs playing live music. There is always an event every night. For a night to remember, visit Iriba Bar, Pili Pili, K Club. The atmosphere, the drinks, the music, and the food will make you want to visit Rwanda every year. 

In terms of where to stay in Kigali. Definitely stay Kigali Serena Hotel. There are also some beautiful boutique hotels you can stay in such as the Heaven Boutique Hotel.

If you love to shop. You should visit the Kigali Cultural Village. There are so many stalls selling everything from clothing to art to food. The atmosphere is truly an unforgettable experience. I’m sure you will find something that catches our eye that will be the perfect gift for yourself or someone else.

One tip to note is that on the final Saturday of every month is Umuganda. It is basically a day of nationwide community service. So everyone does their part for the community by cleaning the streets and helping out with other general stuff. During this time a lot of places are closed or have limited opening hours. So be aware of this day when you are booking your flight and hotel. 

2. Botswana

Botswana has amazing political stability. As a result of this stability, it has led to a very low crime rate in the country.

One of the most exciting things about this country is the Wildlife. You will be immersed in the natural world so quickly. It feels like you are in another World. Kalahari Desert and many other areas offer epic views that have you photographic every single moment of your trip. There are other parts such as Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park.

There is so much diversity in terrain. If you enjoy outdoor activities a trip to Botswana is much needed as there is a wide range of outdoor activities, you can get involved in. One of the things you have to experience is the Moremi safari so you can have an opportunity to see the Big 5 which are the rhino, elephant, lion, leopard, and buffalo.

Botswana is one of the friendliest and safest African countries and I am sure you will enjoy it thoroughly.

3. Mauritius

The beaches in Mauritius are absolutely beautiful. It is very safe and is known to have some of the most beautiful beaches in the World. There is also plenty of opportunities to see different varieties of wildlife. There are also opportunities to go hiking. The terrain of the country is made of mountains and dunes. It’s perfect if you like to be at one with nature while going on a hike.

In terms of where to, we recommend you stay in Balaclava. When it comes to which accommodation to choose, the best places to stay in Mauritius is Maradive Resort and Spa, Degrees Sud, The St Regis Mauritius Resort. Mauritius has many instagrammable boutique hotels that will make any guest feel like they are the King or Queen of The World.

When it comes to partying, the best place to party is in Grand Baie. There are so many cool beach parties with world-class DJ’s to enjoy. There are also many beach bars, sports bars, and clubs to choose from to ensure you have an epic night every night.

4. Seychelles

 Seychelles is absolutely stunning. It is located off the east coast of Kenya. It is made up of over 115 islands. Seychelles is mostly pretty safe. Most people that go and visit actually experience no problems. However, you still should remain very vigilant and don’t create opportunities to attract petty thieves. Just in case, it is advised to carry your High Spirit Anti-Theft Backpack to prevent any pickpockets from taking your most valuable items.

 Seychelles has a wide range of accommodations to suit any taste. The best places to stay in Seychelles are Mahe, Praslin, and La Digue.

These places are very tourist-friendly and have many bars and clubs so you can fully experience the Seychelles nightlife without holding back.

 In terms of getting around, you can island hop by using the island’s reliable ferries.

5. Ethiopia

 Ethiopia is extremely safe. Violent and Non-violent crimes are very rare. However, you have to still be vigilant of petty crime or pickpockets. It is important to have your anti-theft bag or High Spirit Bag with you to ensure your stuff is safe and secure while you travel.

 In terms of accommodation, hotels in Addis Ababa are really cheap. One of the places to stay in is Biruk Bed and Breakfast in Bole, which is an upscale neighborhood in the city. Also, you can consider staying in The Sheraton Addis. It’s a huge luxury hotel and will give you the experience of living like a celebrity for the entirety of your trip.

When it comes to the nightlife in Addis. It is second to none. All the best clubs and bars are in Belo or in Piazza. Due to the proximity, it makes it a little easier to bar hop and get a full taste of the Ethiopian nightlife.

6. Zambia

 Zambia is generally very safe. As with anywhere in the World, it is still important to still be vigilant especially in large cities.

 Lusaka is the capital of Zambia and there are loads of bars and clubs to get your boogie on. There are a few places we would like to recommend that will enable you to have an unforgettable night. We suggest you visit the Alpha Bar. There is always something exciting happening there. It is definitely worth checking out. Lusaka is a buzzing city, so we are sure that you will find some cool bars and clubs to have a good time.

 In Zambia, it is best to stay in a hotel that gives you easy access to different places in the city. Hotels like the Neelkanth Sarovar Premier and The Hilton Garden Inn are great suggestions for places to stay in Lusaka, Zambia. Their service and location are fantastic elements to ensure you have a wonderful time in Zambia.

7. Ghana

 Ghana is currently number 44 on the Global Peace Index. This is a huge indicator of how safe the country is and how modern and forward-looking the country is.

I remember being in Accra, which is the capital city of Ghana walking at night and it felt so safe. I didn’t feel unsafe for one second. Everyone is focused on their own thing and really welcoming and friendly.

 If it is your first-ever trip to Africa. We would suggest you visit Ghana first to get an experience of how great African cities and societies function. They say that Ghana is Africa for beginners. Once you have visited Ghana it will set the precedent of what you can expect when you visit other countries in Africa.

 For a number of years, the country has had great political stability and it is currently going through a transformation where it is opening itself more to the World. Which is a very exciting opportunity for the country and its people. As mentioned before, one of the things I loved about Ghana was how friendly and peaceful the people were.

 In terms of the nightlife. It is absolutely epic. There are so many bars, clubs, and restaurants in Accra, especially on Oxford Street in the Osu area. The vibe of the city feels positive, energetic and you feel very safe and secure.

 Places to stay are in Osu, Oxford Street, or East Legon. These are great locations as you will be in the center of the action and buzz in the city. Also, there is easy access to upscale bars, restaurants, and nightclubs to sink your teeth into.

8. Swaziland

 Swaziland is very safe. Swaziland actually has a low population. It currently only has over 1 million people in the country. The people are very friendly and welcoming.

 In terms of where to stay, you can stay at the Summerfield Botanical Garden or Mountain Inn. These are places where you will be embraced by the natural beauty of Swaziland.

 The nightlife is mainly in Ezulwini and Mbabane. There is live music, bars, restaurants. There are many places that give you the opportunity to soak up the atmosphere, culture, and the positive vibes of the country. 

9. Senegal

 Senegal is politically stable. As with anywhere in the World crime is usually a petty crime, which is mostly made up of pickpocketing. It is still important to take the necessary precautions and carry your anti-theft backpack with you, so you do not become an easy victim. But according to our experience, crimes against tourists are very rare.

 Senegalese are very positive and welcoming people. They are also very keen to share their culture with you. They treat people, especially tourists with respect, and are willing to go over and beyond to ensure you have a positive experience in their country.

 As you visit Senegal. We suggest you stay in the capital, Dakar. In the city, there is so much to do and you will get a full offering of the country’s vibrant culture and its people.

 In terms of places to stay. We would suggest staying in the Radisson Blue hotel. It is absolutely beautiful. The décor of the hotel is truly amazing and inspiring. It’s got an infinity pool, which gives you a beautiful view of the ocean. The rooms are state of the art and very modern. If you decide to stay there, you will definitely have a splendid time. If you want to stay in a boutique hotel. There are plenty of gorgeous boutique hotels that offer an elegant and vibrant experience. Boutique hotels such as The Djoloff Hotel and The La Residence Dakar are great choices for a unique and beautiful experience.

 The Senegalese love to party. The nightlife in Dakar is absolutely brilliant. There are so many bars to choose from. There is literally a bar or a club to suit every taste. If you decide to go on a night out in Dakar, check out Le Phare des Mamelles. The view in that bar is outstanding. Also, check out Le Patio. There is nothing more to say except that you will definitely have a night to remember there! 

10. The Gambia

 The Gambia is the smallest country on the African continent. It’s nickname is ‘The Smiling Coast of Africa.’ It is a very fitting nickname as The Gambia is actually one of the safest countries on the African continent. For tourists (travelling in groups or solo travellers) it is totally safe to travel around and it is trouble free. However, it is still important to take the necessary precautions because The Gambia does have a small issue with pickpockets. But if you remain aware of your surroundings or wear your anti-theft backpack in crowded areas you will be fine.

 In terms of where to stay. We would suggest you stay anywhere on the Senegambia strip as there are a lot of hotels, bars and restaurants. It is pretty busy, so we are sure you will be able to find some cool places to be entertained and get your groove on. We suggest staying at the Woodpecker resort or the Ocean Bay Hotel and Resort. A lot of the hotels in Banjul are pretty nice, so definitely find one that will give you then best deal.

 When it comes to the nightlife in The Gambia. A lot of the nightlife is mostly concentrated in Serrekunda, in the resort town of Kaloli. There are also plenty of wonderful bars and clubs in the township of Kotu to chack out as well.

 11. Malawi

 Malawi is a landlocked country. It is bordered by Zambia, Mozambique, and Tanzania. It is nicknamed as the ‘Warm Heart of Africa.’ It is very safe and is very popular amongst solo travellers. According to its history. It has never had a civil war. Which is very rare in the continent of Africa. In comparison to the region and its neighbouring countries, the crime rate is very low. According to the World Economic Forum Malawi is said to be one of the safest countries in Africa. However, as I keep mentioning. It is still important to take the necessary precautions to protect your belongings, just in case. There is nowhere on the planet that has no crime of pickpockets. So, it’s crucial to still be aware wherever you are in the World. 

If you are thinking of where to stay in Malawi. If you are staying in the capital city of Lilongwe. We suggest you stay at Latitude 13 degrees. The hotel is simply gorgeous. If you want to experience beachside luxury during your trip, definitely check out Kaya Mawa. It Is located on Likoma Island.

When it comes to nightlife, it has little bars and clubs that will satisfy the typical party animal. But it is very modest. However, there is an abundance of dancing displays and live music events that will be provided by the hotel or nearby bars in the area. 

12. Uganda

 Uganda is a very safe, secure, and politically stable country. According to the Government, there has been an increase in police on the streets. This has proved to be very effective as it has caused crime to be reduced by over 50% especially in the city of Kampala. The efforts in increasing police response and ensuring there is no civil unrest has solidified Uganda as a safe haven for group tourists and solo travellers from around the World.

 When it comes to choosing accommodation for your trip. Kampala has a wide range of luxury hotels and stylish boutiques to choose from. One luxury hotel that made a positive lasting impression on us was the Kampala Serena Hotel. The rooms are so beautiful and elegant. It has restaurants in the hotel that serve the most delicious meals. Definitely try some Ugandan cuisine and also try some authentic Ugandan coffee. It tastes like heaven. That is the best way I can describe it. There are other hotels such as the Kabira Country Club that also provide you with a luxurious African experience during your stay.

 Kampala’s nightlife is very well known amongst other African’s living in the continent. It is known that people from all over Africa travel to Uganda to experience Kampala’s wonderful nightlife. The clubs actually don’t close at 3 am, they are open till the next morning. Speaking from personal experience, the only times I have ever partied from night until in the morning (like 10 am in the morning) has been in Africa. African’s definitely know how to party. Especially Ugandans. If you are looking for some cool spots in Kampala to let your hair down. Definitely visit Hollywood in Kampala, also check out Guvnor. There are so many little bars and clubs where you can easily club hop and make your night one to remember

 13. Madagascar

 Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the World. Madagascar is a truly unique and beautiful island. The overall crime rate in the country is low so it is considered safe to travel to. If you are the type of traveller that likes an adventure Madagascar is the perfect destination. It has the World’s most unique biodiversity. During your visit, you will definitely see some rare plants and animals. In addition, the people are so friendly and kind. A trip to Madagascar will be a life-changing trip.

If you are looking for a place to stay in Madagascar. We suggest you stay in the North-Eastern part of the island, such as Nosy Boraha. Hotels such as Les Lemuriens and Samaria Lodge are great choices to have a unique and pleasant stay in Madagascar.

 When it comes to the nightlife. You should check out Taxi Be and Le point d'exclamation. They are both in the capital of Antananarivo. There are also loads of bars and clubs you can enjoy. There are also a lot of great spots for live music if you want a more immersive experience.

 14. South Africa

South Africa overall is very safe to travel to and explore. The country has so much natural beauty. There are many big cities within South Africa such as Johannesburg, Capetown, Durban, and many others that offer something different and special. There are some bits of petty crime such as pickpockets but as long as you have your anti-theft backpack with you and you keep your belongings close you will be fine. No country on Earth Is perfect and to expect perfection in a country is totally unrealistic. Another thing to be aware of is that tourist hotspots are controlled and protected by the authorities, so you will feel safe and secure during your trip.

South Africa is a very large country. It is the 9th biggest country in Africa. So when it comes to choosing a place to stay you will be spoiled for choice. If you are staying in Capetown, you may want to consider staying in the Atlantic View Capetown Boutique Hotel or Raddison Blu Waterfront. If you are staying in Johannesburg, you may want to consider staying at the Munro Boutique Hotel or Villa Simmone Hotel. If you are staying in Durban, you may want to consider staying at the Hilton Durban. Ensure you stay at a hotel with great customer service and great security. That is super important.

 South Africa has so much variety when it comes to the nightlife. There are so many clubs and bars in Capetown. In Capetown, there is an area called Long street, which has a lot of bars, clubs, and restaurants. Johannesburg has Rosebank and Durban has a lot of jazz clubs. There is something for everybody in these cities.

 Visiting Africa will be a unique experience. It will be like nothing you have experienced before. So, when you travel to any of the African countries, remember to immerse yourself in the culture, the vibe, and the activities. It will definitely make a positive impact on your life.

[klamchuk-blog]

Study abroud

Believe it or not, it is indeed possible to study abroad on a budget! Some of the best places to study abroad are also ones where tuition fees are low, or even non-existent. Read on to find out more about 10 of the cheapest countries to study abroad, in no particular order… 1. Norway Norway Although all of the Nordic countries are relatively affordable study destinations, Norway is our pick as it remains free for everyone, from both within and outside the EU, at public universities, with the exception of a few specialized programs. Europe’s Nordic countries are known for their high quality of life and stunning natural beauty, and Norway is no exception. Another reason to study in Norway is the availability of English-taught programs at all study levels, plus a high number of locals proficient in English. However, as with the other Nordic countries, Norway comes with a high price tag in terms of living costs; you’ll need around NOK 139,680 (~US$17,200) per year. 2. Taiwan Taiwan Heading to Asia, Taiwan is another of the cheapest countries to study abroad. For example, at National Taiwan University – the nation’s leading university at 72nd in the QS World University Rankings® 2019 – tuition fees for undergraduates start at TW$100,920 (~US$3,300) per year for liberal arts programs, up to TW$124,200 (~US$4,050). The country offers more than 120 courses taught in English, at over 40 universities, and Taiwan is also a popular destination in which to learn Mandarin. Taiwan also offers a good quality of life with relatively low living costs; accommodation costs as little as TW$88,000 (~US$2,900) per year. 3. Germany Germany Known as ‘the land of ideas’, Germany is continuing to grow in popularity with international students, and it’s not hard to see why – it offers reputable universities, relatively low costs, and a high quality of life. There are no tuition fees charged at undergraduate and PhD level at all public universities, excluding those in Baden-Württemberg. Master’s students who have not studied their undergraduate degree in Germany will typically pay upwards of €20,000 (~US$23,450) per year, but you may be able to find a scholarship to help. To cover living costs, you’ll need at least €10,200 (~US$11,950) per year, but possibly more, depending on your lifestyle, location and spending habits. And there are a range of English-taught courses, particularly at graduate level. 4. France France Tuition fees in France are the same for domestic and international students, and for 2019/19 are set at €170 (~US$200) per year for bachelor’s (licence) programs, €243 (~US$285) for most master’s programs, and €380 (~US$445) for doctoral programs. Fees are considerably higher at the highly selective grandes écoles and grands établissements, which set their own fees. Living expenses will be highest in the capital, Paris, but you may find it worth the extra cost – after all, Paris was named the world’s number one student city four times in a row (and currently stands at fifth). If you’re not yet a fluent French speaker, you can study in France in English, with the majority of English-taught programs found at postgraduate level. 5. Mexico Mexico Full of interesting and unique culture to explore, Mexico is one of Latin America’s most-visited nations, and has lots to offer international students. Tuition fees vary, with private universities charging more, and average around US$6,300 per year for international undergraduate students in the capital, Mexico City, which was named one of the world’s top 100 cities for students. Living expenses are also reasonably low in Mexico, with all living costs adding up to around US$9,250 on a standard budget in the capital, or US$6,450 elsewhere. Although the main language of instruction is Spanish, Mexican universities are offering more English-taught courses to attract international students. 6. India India Heading back to Asia for the next of our list of the cheapest countries to study abroad, India is a fantastic option for students who want to combine affordability with cultural diversity. While Hindi is the most prominent of the 100+ languages spoken, English is often used as the language of instruction at Indian universities, especially at postgraduate level. Living costs are incredibly affordable; a one-way trip using public transport can cost as little as the equivalent of 29 US cents. Tuition fees vary depending on your study level and university, but are typically no higher than US$7,880 a year, and you should be able to live comfortably on as little as US$4,600 a year. 7. Argentina Argentina The second-largest country in South America, Argentina boasts stunning natural beauty, with a diverse geography that makes it ideal for students keen on outdoor adventure and exploration. Argentina is also considered one of the safest countries in the region and is known for its fun-loving culture and passionate national identity. You can typically study for free at any state-funded (public) university, with tuition fees of around US$5,100 per year or more at private institutions. You’ll need around US$5,000 for living expenses, with rent costing as little as US$350 per month. 8. Poland Poland Another of the best places to study abroad on a budget is Poland, which also offers a high quality of education, along with plenty of fantastic culture and history to explore. You can study for free if you can speak Polish, and if you take the same entrance exams as Polish students and study your course in Polish. However, there are also many English-taught programs available, costing around €2,000-3000 (~US$2,340-3,500) per year. Living costs are also on the low side, as you shouldn’t need more than €6,600 (~US$7,700) per year. The capital city, Warsaw, was ranked within the top 20 cities for affordability in the latest QS Best Student Cities index, and 53rd overall. 9. Malaysia Malaysia Malaysia is undoubtedly one of the cheapest countries to study abroad, particularly in terms of living costs. Its capital, Kuala Lumpur, came first for affordability in the QS Best Student Cities 2016, and most students will only need about MYR 14,400 (~US$3,550) per year to live comfortably in Malaysia. In terms of tuition fees, you’ll pay an average of US$4,000 per academic year, but some courses are even cheaper. Malaysia is also home to a number of branch campuses of international universities, such as the UK’s University of Nottingham or Australia’s Monash University, offering the opportunity to gain a degree accredited by these institutions at a lower cost. 10. South Africa South Africa Concluding our look at some of the best places to study abroad on a budget, South Africa is renowned for its natural beauty, cultural diversity, and turbulent history. Another great choice for students with a love of the outdoors, it’s also reasonably inexpensive, with low costs of living and tuition fees. Fees vary, but come to an average of US$6,000 for international undergraduates studying at the University of Cape Town (South Africa’s highest-ranked university in the QS World University Rankings) and the University of the Western Cape. You’ll need around R 120,000 (~US$9,150) per year to cover your living costs.

[writingwithcolor]

Black Panther Fanfic Writing -Masterpost

Can White People write Black Panther Fanfiction? Yes.

@charliemalo asked:

Ok, so I went to see ‘Black Panther’ recently, and I adored it. Everything about it was sheer perfection. I especially loved the women of Wakanda. As soon as I got home I started looking up fanfictions about them. I’d love to read more about their adventures - Nakia’s time as a War Dog, Okoye’s ascension through the ranks of the Dora Milaje, literally anything about Shuri. Sadly, there’s not a whole lot that I could find (yet). Unless I wanted to read about them as watered down love interests (I don’t). So, I started thinking about that age-old writing advice - write the story you want to read. I don’t know a whole lot about the Marvel Universe, most of my knowledge comes from the recent films and even then it's pretty spotty. I’m somewhat confident that me and the Marvel Wiki probably have it under control. (If that’s a wrong assumption, I’m all ears). No, my issue is that I’m white. AND I’m British. Not only would I be writing about an entirely black cast of characters from a white perspective (eek), I’m also risking coming in and stomping all over this triumph. What’s your advice on this? If this isn’t my story to tell (right now, or ever), then I absolutely respect that. Are there other pitfalls that I’ve not even seen?

[ask clipped due to length]

Sure thing. Not only fun in itself and experiencing our favorite stories again, fanfiction is a great trial run for writing original stories and it’s best to make mistakes and receive those critiques now then in a published work. It’s also easier to go back and edit questionable content on the spot vs. in an officially published work. 

Being white doesn’t mean you shouldn’t write Black characters. Particularly when you’re writing them having good times and adventures, and not simply struggling and suffering. 

Here’s my advice:

Obtain an appropriate beta reader for the story idea and content

Read Black-fan written BP fics (and African-based works in general)

Research further into Wakanda and its characters to get the details right

Do general research in regards to writing Black characters 

Avoid tragedy exploitation plot lines (See this Ask)

Avoid prioritizing white characters over Black characters

I’ll elaborate on some of my points below.

Regarding Wakanda Research:

There’s information on how the movie pieced together the distinct cultural elements of Wakanda. I would follow the lead from the movie and comics in regards to dress, piercings, culture etc and write from the path they’ve paved. 

Here’s just one article as a resource: Marvel’s ‘Black Panther’ is a broad mix of African cultures—here are some of them

Now, that doesn’t mean everyone agrees with their manner of deciding on elements, or that some ideas may not be outdated from the comics (I haven’t read them, so i’m not sure. Followers, feel free to chime in if there’s something we should be aware of!) 

You may want to check out arguments written by Black people on all sides, and on what could’ve been changed or improved. Your safest bet is to follow the lead of what has already been established, though.

As for researching Black characters and worlds in general; just because it’s fan fiction doesn’t mean we should cut our research short, so definitely make sure you do that. 

Regarding reading stories in African settings:

I suggest you read fiction that takes place in African countries. Fantasy, cyberpunk, futuristic settings, and so on, with thriving communities. Avoid the “poverty porn” Sad Africa books.

Tragedy Exploitation Plot Lines:

Please avoid applying colonizing fantasies onto Wakanda. That just rubs me the wrong way. One example would be uprooting Black royalty with white people (I've seen people who desired certain white female superheros to become princesses of Wakanda...)

On the other hand, avoid making white people oppressed in Wakanda. That falls into that weird reverse-racism “Black people are the oppressors when you give them power!” thing that is misleading and also wouldn’t ring true to the Wakandan way.

Again, followers (Black folks in particular) if you have more insights, please add onto this. 

~Mod Colette

Alternative Universes - Black Panther

@stillusesapencil said:

Dear WWC, I would possibly like to write some black panther fanfiction. I adore aus, and so I was wondering what is appropriate/not appropriate for an au featuring these characters. NOT SLAVERY AUS. (why anyone likes that, I don't know). But would a coffee shop au feat. Nakia and T'Challa be ok? What about Okoye and W'Kabi in college? Black Panther is an amazing movie, and I want to treat it with respect. Thank you!

These themes sound cute and sweet. I don’t see a problem with them. As you’re staying clear of grotesque alternative universes, I’d say have at it. 

Keep in mind that Wakanda is a place of empowerment for Black people, though. Any themes that play with stripping Wakanda from its powerful advanced universe via slavery, colonization etc. I would discourage, especially from someone outside of the African Diaspora. That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t face outside pressures and threats, but i’d be sad to see it “on its knees” so to speak.

You seem to be on the right track, though.

~Mod Colette

Using Colonizer Casually against White People/Jokes at White People’s expensive (BP as Example)

@shayesworld said:

If a black protagonist used the word 'colonizer' in reference to a white person would it come across as empowering or humorous or just antagonize them and make them less sympathetic? Is it supposed to be use jokingly or seriously? I was wondering because of Black Panther's use of the word by a black protagonist towards a white protagonist, and my character would be using the term in a similar manner, but I don't want to include it if it's too problematic or divisive.

Depends on the context. In Black Panther, it was clearly said in a jesting, light-hearted manner when a British white man scared the princess. Made more appropriate because a) outsiders were in no way welcome or expected in her country and b) white people kindaaa colonized surrounding countries all around her.

It wasn’t there to make viewers think less of Shuri in any way; while the shade was real, it wasn’t meant to be taken far too seriously. It definitely made me and my whole theater laugh!

Some people are offended by any manner of humor at white people’s expense, so yeah they may dislike a Black character who does this. (These are probably the same people who respond to light-hearted white people jokes about unseasoned chicken or rhythmless dancing with racial slurs and taunts about slavery, though, soooo).

Light-hearted jokes like this can be a coping mechanism, and are not often used/taken seriously. You’ll see many of the intended recipients play right along into the joke, particularly with those they’re close with. I would in no way see it as “tainting” a character as a bad person, especially if their whole persona isn’t just walking-talking white people jokes.It certainly might get annoying or confusing in that case; are they trying to be funny with a joke that’s getting old, or do they actually have a racial grievance they’re expressing?

For that reason, i’d avoid overdoing it. Also, run the joke by a Black reader just to ensure it doesn’t come off as forced. There’s no need to include these jokes in order to appear edgy or make the character seem socially-aware. Only place it there if it’s appropriate to the situation and her personality.

~Mod Colette

[jenforyeshua]

11 Safest Countries in Africa Today (Ranked) - AZ Animals

[recruitarabiablog]

Middle East Countries for Foreigners to Work and Live In

1. United Arab Emirates

Composed of seven emirates, the United Arab Emirates is home to two of the Middle East’s most promising cities in terms of career progress: Abu Dhabi and Jobs in Dubai. Jobs in UAE.

Besides being the country’s federal capital, Abu Dhabi is also the biggest and wealthiest emirate in the UAE. There, you’ll find most of the energy and infrastructure-related jobs in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

Besides that, it’s the heart of the Emirati culture and the sporting capital. It is home to world-famous tourist attractions, like the Louvre museum located in Saadiyat Island and the F1 track on Yas Island. It is also well-known as the source of 10 per cent of the country’s international oil reserves.

Meanwhile, Dubai – a.k.a. the most populous city in the UAE – promises bountiful opportunities for those with a knack for business and entrepreneurship.

Although relatively less endowed with natural resources than other emirates, Dubai has established a robust, healthy business culture. Its reputation as both a tourist and commercial hub has also earned it a well-deserved applause from the international community.

Considered the most Westernised of all Middle Eastern hubs, Dubai is home to more than three million residents (as of July 2019) from different parts of the world. You’ll find at least a small percentage of people representing every social and ethnic group here.

The city has also ranked 24th in terms of the Quality of Urban Living Index, which is higher than the global average. Many respondents also deem it to be one of the safest cities globally, next to Tokyo and Singapore.

2. Qatar

As the world’s richest country with a $116,799 gross national income per capita in 2019, Qatar is another promising relocation destination for foreigners seeking better career opportunities. Jobs in Qatar.

The nation is going through massive infrastructural development with a lifestyle that is almost as liberal as its neighbour, the UAE. The increasing prices of oil and gas also make it one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.

Doha, Qatar’s capital city, placed 15th in the 2020 Expat City Ranking, which ranked 66 expat destinations. It also garnered 17th place in the Finance and Housing Index and recorded a higher satisfaction rate in terms of financial stability compared to the global average (66 per cent versus 61 per cent).

Nearly all expats (92 per cent) here also see Doha as the easiest place to settle in, even without learning to speak the local language. Most respondents also report that it’s easy to find a house in the city with 73 per cent positive ratings, though only a quarter of the respondents deem properties there affordable.

3. Bahrain

International relocation to Bahrain is also worth considering, especially if you’re from the Western hemisphere. While not as popular as the UAE, Bahrain has been attracting expat workers since the 1980s and 1990s. Here, you can expect a warm and welcoming expat community that people typically crave for when starting a life in a new country.

Salary-wise, the country came in third in Expat Insider’s 2017 Expat Survey that mostly focused on measuring salaries and earnings. It also ranked one place higher in two subcategories: work-life balance and job and career in Bahrain.

With its 33 islands, Bahrain is the largest archipelago in the Middle East. Its geography has long blessed the country with a profitable oil- and gas-based economy, although it is also well established as a finance hub, particularly Islamic finance.

The standard workweek in Bahrain ranges between 40 to 48 hours, though that may vary among various companies. And, like most Muslim nations, the country observes Friday as the rest day. Jobs in Manama

4. Saudi Arabia

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has one of the largest populations in the Middle East. It is considered a key growth market, paving the way for more than six million expatriates to seek a better life in the country.

From stellar living facilities to modern educational institutions, Saudi Arabia is a prime destination for individuals not only seeking progress in their careers but also improvement in their way of life. Jobs in Riyad

Most job opportunities here are linked to the nation’s oil and gas industry, though other industries are being developed as well for a more diverse economy and to reduce the country’s reliance on oil.

Take note, however, that you must first find a job in Saudi Arabia before going there as only those with work there will be issued a visa. The good news is, working in the country is tax-free. Jobs in Jeddah

Move with Ease

Relocating to develop your career is a significant undertaking you need to prepare for thoroughly. Besides finding out your best options, you also need to understand how you can settle in your intended new place. There are many job portals like recruitarabia.com, naukarigulf, bayt, indeed etc, can use to advance your job hunting journey.

Writer Relocations can help you move with ease.

Send us a message for more information.

[kristopoulos]

10 Cheapest Countries Recommended for Studying Abroad

After completing school, most students wish to continue their nursing assignment helper education outside their home location. Keeping their budgets in mind, students often look for the cheapest countries to study abroad. Studying abroad is a dream for many international students. In order to cope with the high expenses, students take part in part-time employment so they can meet expenses.

Some countries let students get scholarships, student grants, and other forms of aid support to support students financially. Below, we have listed out the top 10 easiest and cheapest countries to study abroad:

1. Germany

Germany tops the list of top 10 cheapest countries for its no Law Assignment Helper tuition payment for undergraduate and Ph.D. courses. It's no tuition option as it led the country forward to be on the hot list of study abroad options. Besides their no-tuition policy, its low-cost living, high-quality education, and student-friendly environment are admirable. Students get to enjoy different work options. International students are allowed to work for duration of 90 days a year.

2. Poland

Poland is considered one of the oldest institutions and provides an excellent statistics assignment helper education system. Living in Poland is also quite affordable, and students can easily meet the expense by getting part-time employment. They permit students to work for over 20 hours each week.

3. Taiwan

The cost of living and Write my assignment online tuition fees in Taiwan is averagely low, allowing a wide range of international students. In fact, Taiwan is the perfect study destination for international students looking for affordable places to study. This country allows students to work for 20 hours. However, you will need to obtain a valid work permit.

4. South Africa

South Africa offers a high standard of Physics Assignment helper education, a diverse community, and a rising economy. It is a hotspot for international students who like to learn and explore different cultures or environments. You will be able to get off-campus, on-campus jobs.

5. Malaysia

Malaysia is another great option for international students in the list of cheapest countries to study abroad. Malaysia boasts of providing high standard education as it is home to several campuses affiliated with the United Kingdom institutions.

6. Lithuania

Although Lithuania is a very small European country, it is popular for having quality educational systems. Since English is their main language, they offer various English-taught programs. Lithuania offers a very affordable cost of living as well as Information Technology Assignment helper tuition fees.

7. Belgium

Belgium is another destination for an affordable cost of living and friendly locals. One of its specialties is its quality educational background. There are schools in Belgium that also offer scholarships for students. During the school hours, the maximum time students can work is 20 hours and full time during semester breaks.

8. Vietnam

Vietnam is famous for its beautiful landscapes and tourist attractions. It is an affordable study option for international students. It has loads of things to offer, along with its welcoming locals and diverse culture. Some of the employment options in the country include working in malls and showrooms, teaching English, working in restaurants, and so on.

9. Argentina

Argentina, the second-largest country in South America, is ranked the safest country in the world. There is no specific duration for international students working while studying, provided their studies do not get affected by the jobs.

10. Thailand

Thailand is a popular tourist destination with an affordable lifestyle. As a result, Thailand is becoming a great study destination for international students who wish to experience something different. The country might not be favourite among international students, but it's quite favorable for its affordable cost of living, cultural background, and improved educational system.

Here are some of the recommended cheapest countries for students studying abroad.

[ambeinternational1]

What Are The Advantages of Working in Dubai as An Indian: A blog about the benefits of working in Dubai ?

Working abroad in Dubai is a great opportunity for expats of all kinds. Almost 90% of Dubai’s workforce are migrants. Of the total workforce in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), 3.42 million, or about 30% of the population or Indian expatriates. Thanks to the United Arab Emirates foreign worker visa-free policy, most Indians can apply for jobs and move to Dubai without having to apply for any special visa. In this article we have explained why Dubai is very popular among Indians.

Tax-free income.

Many expatriates still have no idea that they are allowed to work in Dubai without paying income tax. This is for Indian nationals only, but it is a doozy of a benefit. Although there is no tax on residential properties, and you can earn tax-free rental income while living in the country, you will not be asked to pay capital gains tax or tax on inheritances. Essentially this makes working in Dubai as an Indian worth it because you save substantial amounts of money as compared to other countries.

Good Salaries.

The UAE has evolved into a global business hub with a diverse business landscape and booming economy. A high standard of living that includes modern infrastructure is complemented by UAE's rich history, friendly people, and relaxed lifestyle. Employers here are improving their benefits packages to attract experienced talent from all over the world.

Global exposure.

Dubai's exciting cosmopolitan lifestyle along with an economic climate that is open to business is drawing expats from all over the world. The city attracts thousands of people every year to work for international business, finance and real estate companies. There are a number of sectors that expats may find employment in including oil and gas, engineering, and education.

Ample opportunities.

In Dubai, there is an upward trend in the demand for higher skilled jobs. The host of major multinational companies (MNCs) that have established offices in Dubai has resulted in increased demand for skilled workers. This is evident from the increase in the number of expatriates in the country over the years. To apply for jobs and recruitments, interested individuals can visit UAE Jobs – a leading job site catering to job seekers all across UAE. Search from 10,000+ jobs posted by many major companies across industries such as aviation, retail, education, media, etc.

Excellent quality of living.

Dubai offers some of the highest quality of living in the Middle East and Africa region.  Here is a city where you can find just about anything you need. Its residents are spoiled with a variety of restaurants, supermarkets, entertainment, and tourists from all over the world visit Dubai for each shopping festival. Dubai is one of the most popular destinations in the world for shopping and entertainment in the region. Dubai has the highest level of quality of life in the Mideast and African region.

Safety and security.

Dubai is indeed one of the most secure and safety places in the Middle East to invest your money in. With property prices ever rising, your investment will surely move you up the economic ladder. Dubai also provides an investor friendly environment that’s safe for foreign investors. The United Arab Emirates has been ranked the third safest country in the world and has outranked Japan and Switzerland.

World class infrastructure.

Dubai is one of the world’s most popular and fastest growing destinations. In less than 100 years, it has transformed from a desert oasis into one of the most advanced and fastest growing cities in the world. Today, a leading global business hub whose growth is fuelled by its geographical location that straddles Asia-Europe trade routes, Dubai has remained at the forefront of economic growth and real estate development. From the iconic Burj Khalifa skyscraper, to manmade islands shaped in the form of palm trees and camels, this is a city of superlatives.

Ease of starting a business.

Deloitte surveyed over 10,000 expats in the UAE and came up with these findings. Keeping in mind that the MEA region witnessed the highest number of expat inflows over the last three years, accounting for nearly 50% of total global inflows. This is not surprising; driven by rapid economic growth, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are home to a vibrant entrepreneurial culture which encourages business start-ups. In 2014, 68% of Emirati respondents said they were planning to start their own business, compared with 52% globally.

English is widely spoken

Dubai features sand-and-skyline luxury, financial muscle, family fun and Bollywood glam. It may be one of the most popular cities for expats to live in, but expats can’t help but fall in love with Dubai and its friendly locals. English is the main language of communication in Dubai so you can easily speak with anyone and understand directions without a problem. It also means that there is no language barrier for expats and employers can trust that employees won’t cause problems due to language misunderstanding. Many companies are located in Dubai, making it easy to employ qualified people.

Conclusion

In recent years, Dubai has become the hub for various businesses and people around the world due to its exciting atmosphere, promising opportunities, and ever-growing list of attractions. Many foreigners interested in working in Dubai turn to our company for advice regarding their employment. Ambe International is providing overseas job opportunity to Indians , we can help you understand how things work in Dubai as a foreign worker and how to get your employer sponsorship in case you decide to stay there permanently.

Contact contact@indianpersonnel.com for any overseas job-related query.

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Rabat - Morocco has ranked 24th in Global Finance's "World's Safest Countries 2021" list, outperforming other North African countries such as Algeria, which ranked 61st, and Tunisia, 93rd. The new  ranks of the world's safest countries based on three "fundamental factors," namely, war and peace, personal security, and natural disaster risk -- which includes various problems that arose with the emergence of COVID-19. All data was taken from 2020, based on reports from 2021 #morocco #surfingmorocco #moroccotravel #moroccopavilion #visitmorocco #elmorocco #travelmorocco #epcotmorocco #inmorocco #madeinmorocco #moroccovacations #simplymorocco #littlemorocco #moroccostyle #littlemoroccocafe #moroccotrip #moroccolives #artisansofmorocco #moroccoindiana #ig_morocco #loves_morocco #moroccofountains #loveofmorocco #morocco_2030 #love_morocco #lovemorocco #moroccodeluxe #starsearchmorocco #discoveringmorocco (at Morocco, North Africa) https://www.instagram.com/p/CRXBq05D3Z6/?utm_medium=tumblr

[mahindramotoringmagic]

Mahindra and Arrive Alive partner for Safer Drives

The two entities have signed an agreement to help improve South African motorists’ awareness of road safety principles and responsible road use.

Mahindra and ArriveAlive.co.za are taking to the road to help drive road safety awareness across South Africa.

They will also work together to educate motorists about the importance of vehicle safety equipment.

Called “Safer drives, Safer lives”, the information campaign will build on a similar campaign by Mahindra in India, where it recently received the Safer Choice Award from the Global New Car Assessment Programme (GNCAP). This Award was given to Mahindra for achieving the highest crash-test score ever recorded for a vehicle in this country.

The GNCAP has since ratified its crash-test score for the same model – the XUV300 – in South Africa, giving it a full five-star vehicle safety rating and making it the safest vehicle ever tested for the South African market and ranked first on its #SaferCarsForAfrica rankings.

“Vehicle safety awareness is very often neglected in favour of performance features or creature comforts. We would like to educate the public to also consider a vehicle’s safety credentials and to understand the role and operation of the various safety features in their vehicle,” says Rajesh Gupta, CEO of Mahindra South Africa.

The Safer Drives, Safer Lives campaign kicks off in cyberspace, with an educational series focused on vehicle safety equipment and how to use it effectively. This series will also aim to educate the public on the difference between active and passive safety equipment and on the role that responsible driving plays in ensuring Safer Drives, Safer Lives.

“South Africa has a very high road accident and fatality rate and all too often the cause is linked to driver error and a misunderstanding of vehicle dynamics and safety equipment. We hope to address this with the Safer Drives, Safer Lives campaign and look forward to working with the team at Mahindra South Africa,” says Advocate Johan Jonck, manager of the ArriveAlive.co.za initiative.

The campaign will kick off on www.arrivealive.co.za and its various social media channels with a series on vehicle safety equipment and crash-test ratings. This will include features on passive safety equipment like ISOFIX anchor points for child seats, airbags and side-impact bars and dynamic safety equipment like ABS brakes with the electronic brake-force distribution.

“Once our online campaign is firmly established, we will hit the road with our upgraded XUV300 for a series of fun and educational safety events across South Africa. Here, we will demonstrate the role of different safety features and the importance of safe and defensive driving to media and the public,” says Rajesh.

FYI: You can test drive Mahindra cars at your nearest Group 1 Mahindra dealership and ask the staff all about the safety features on Mahindra cars.

The road safety campaign will kick off in Mpumalanga and make its way through Gauteng, the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape.

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Article from https://mahindramadness.postach.io/post/mahindra-and-arrive-alive-partner-for-safer-drives