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Caprice Bourret has shared a heartwarming Christmas tradition that she's carried on from her great-grandmother. As a child, her great-grandmother crocheted two Christmas stockings for her and her younger sister, Tippy. These handmade stockings would be hung above the fireplace every Christmas Eve, ready to be filled with presents. Caprice has continued this tradition with her own sons, Jett and Jax, both 11. "Can you believe my two boys have those stockings now, how cute is that? They love their stockings more than their Christmas presents. It’s about those little Christmas traditions from one generation to the next and I just love it," Caprice gushed. Despite her sons discovering the truth about Father Christmas a few years ago, Caprice still goes all out for the festive season. "I go a little bit over the top," she admitted. "I have four Christmas trees in my house. They go up on 1 November and I start listening to Christmas music in October." She added: "The boys knew about Santa when they were about eight years old. They were like, ‘Mummy, we know already, you can stop the charade.’ I was like, “OK...”, but it hasn’t stopped me. I’m obsessed with Christmas and happiness. With everything going on in the world , I just want it to be Christmas every day." Touted as the 'Queen of Christmas', Caprice has always dreamed of starring in her very own festive film. January saw her jetting off to Zlatibor, Serbia, for the production of A European Christmas, a project close to her heart that she not only headlined but also produced. "I’ve always wanted to act, but nobody would give me a shot, they were like, ‘She’s a model, she can’t act!’ So I thought, ‘Well, I’ll do it myself then!’ I did my first movie last year, which was set in Ibiza, but it was always a dream of mine to do a Christmas movie," Caprice divulged. In this seasonal flick, Caprice takes on the role of Ivy Allen, a film director facing career peril. After a string of flops, her boss lays down an ultimatum – deliver a hit or it's curtains. The plot thickens as Ivy seeks out Hunter Williams—the star of her lone success—played by Philip Boyd. Now a reclusive single father after his Serbian wife's passing, Ivy hopes to coax him back onto the big screen. Recollecting her time in Serbia, Caprice shared, "I absolutely fell in love with Zlatibor. It’s such a gorgeous place. We flew out in January last year and the entire village kept their Christmas decorations up for us," adding, "With Christmas movies, you have to have snow but with my budget I couldn’t afford to make it. I don’t know what it was, but something magical happened; they only had three days of snow in Zlatibor the entire season and that’s when we were filming. We moved everything around in the schedule and shot all our outside scenes during those three days. It was crazy – our very own Christmas miracle." Caprice Bourret has revealed the behind-the-scenes action of her latest film shoot, where she performed all her own stunts. She recounted a particularly challenging moment: "I had to pretend that I couldn’t ski down this mountain and crash into a tree. And I only had one take to do it, which is quite tricky to do. I said, ‘Excuse me? You want me, in one take, to ski off-piste down this mountain and figure out how I’m going to bump into the tree and fall down?’ I thought they were joking. I’m a good skier but even I didn’t think I could make it work." She continued, "Luckily, I managed to do it. I did hit the tree, luckily not too hard, and then I fell backwards. But what I didn’t know, when I fell, was that all the snow from the branches would come piling down on to me! I had mascara everywhere, I had eyeliner everywhere and my face froze! Of course, the whole crew were laughing uncontrollably. They left it all in there. It wasn’t part of the script but turned out to be this hilarious – and authentic – moment." Discussing the movie itself, Caprice shared, "These Christmas stories are very formulaic," adding, "I don’t even have to tell you how they’re going to end, but it’s the journey that is so sweet. You have to love the characters." The London-based actress, married to businessman Ty Comfort, will be jetting off to Los Angeles to spend the festive season with her mother Valerie, followed by a trip to Florida to join her in-laws for further celebrations. She shared, "We do a big brunch. I’m a terrible cook, so I do all the cleaning. My mum makes all our favourite foods, including my absolute favourite thing to eat, lime jelly with cottage cheese. It’s just delicious! Then we’ll all just hang out and play some games. No devices are allowed, it’s about spending quality time together as a family. And, of course, we’ll be watching my Christmas movie." Caprice is incredibly proud of her film, set to air on Channel 5 during the holiday season. She added, "Out of everything that I’ve done – apart from having my kids, because obviously that is the biggest achievement in my life – I think this movie is my biggest accomplishment. I’m 53 and I can still do all this. When people think of Caprice I want them to think of happiness."( MENAFN - Jordan Times) LONDON - As the Western world emerges from a holiday season made less festive by COVID-19, millions of children in Afghanistan are starting 2022 facing the prospect of famine, illness and a lost education. Seldom has a human tragedy been so extensively foretold. But the same governments now rushing to apply humanitarian bandages to Afghanistan's open wounds are steadfastly refusing to switch on the economic life-support systems needed to avert catastrophe. Even before the Taliban returned to power last August, Afghanistan topped the global roster of humanitarian emergencies. Successive droughts and escalating conflict had left one-third of the country's population facing acute food insecurity. Aid agencies warned that they were in a race against time as winter approached. Now, the United Kingdom's Disasters Emergency Committee believes that the race is close to being lost. The numbers are harrowing. Some 23 million people in a country of 39 million are in a state of humanitarian emergency. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) estimates that over one million Afghan children are at risk of dying from malnutrition and hunger-related disease. Human development is in freefall as the gains of the last two decades unravel. The donor-financed Sehatmandi health program, which provides vital child and maternal health services across 31 of Afghanistan's 34 provinces, is under immense pressure, putting fragile gains in child survival at risk. An education system that had served nine million children, including 3.6 million girls, and provided employment opportunities to female teachers now is crumbling. Some of the blame for Afghanistan's unfolding crisis rests squarely with the new Taliban government. Policymaking is mired in abject confusion, and factional disagreements have stymied the humanitarian response. The decision to prohibit girls from attending secondary school, which the Taliban now denies is official policy, undermines the national self-interest, and mixed messages on women's employment have compounded poverty. But government incompetence is only part of the story. When the Taliban took power, the foreign aid that financed three-quarters of all government spending was stopped overnight, leaving millions of teachers, health workers, water and sanitation engineers and public officials unpaid. The entirely predictable collapse of social infrastructure has fuelled the humanitarian catastrophe. In the name of denying the Taliban recognition, Afghanistan has been subjected to an economic blockade. The US has frozen $9 billion of Afghanistan's foreign-currency reserves and invoked sanctions legislation to prevent banks from transferring funds to the country. Citing“guidance from the international community” (which means strictures from the United States and Europe) the International Monetary Fund suspended a planned emergency loan and withheld access to a new issue of special drawing rights, the Fund's reserve asset. Support through the World Bank-administered Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (IMF), which had been the largest funding source for the government budget, hasall but dried up. The consequences have been entirely predictable. According to the IMF, the Afghan economy is set to contract by around a third. The banking system has all but collapsed, leaving businesses without capital and farmers without markets. Liquidity has been sucked out of the economy, destroying livelihoods. Inflation is rampant, while currency devaluation has left the country unable to finance imports of medicine, machinery, and food. Over half the population already was living on less than $1.90 a day, the international poverty line, before the Taliban takeover. That figure now could surge to a world-beating 97 per cent. The UN has responded to the crisis by issuing a“flash appeal” for humanitarian aid. Donors have now pledged over $1 billion. But even if the money arrives, it only will be a band-aid on a bullet wound. Without economic recovery and restored public services, Afghanistan will become trapped in a downward spiral of hunger, poverty, and human-development reversals. Beyond a desire to punish the Taliban, the motives behind the economic blockade are unclear. Western governments have insisted on a representative government that guarantees a broad spectrum of human rights, many of which were not upheld by previous Afghan governments. Meanwhile, sanctions designed to counter an insurgency are now being applied to a country in crisis. There is no sign that the Taliban is responding to pressure. As the situation has worsened, Western governments have dragged their feet. The UN Security Council has adopted a resolution allowing organisations a bit more space to deliver humanitarian aid without violating sanctions. But the sheer scale of the crisis demands a surge in development financing. As China has argued, the IMF and the World Bank should be instructed to resume operations, with a focus on the provision of safety nets, health financing, and payment of teachers. The idea that fragmented humanitarian projects can bypass the state is a fiction that will cost lives. Demonstrating solidarity with Afghan people, especially the women, girls, and minorities whose basic freedoms are under threat, is a human-rights imperative. Yet, withholding aid and enforcing an economic blockade that is pushing the country into famine, creating near universal poverty and destroying hard-won development gains in education, is as morally indefensible as it is politically short-sighted. Western governments urgently need a plan for supporting recovery that goes beyond humanitarian aid. The US should unfreeze Afghanistan's foreign-currency reserves. Sanctions regimes should be amended to facilitate non-humanitarian aid, the recovery of the country's banking system, and the operations of Afghanistan's central bank. None of this implies full normalisation of diplomatic relations. But it does require recognising the simple fact that no credible alternative to the Taliban exists. Whatever their theocratic instincts, pragmatists know that aid is vital to social and economic recovery. That constitutes a basis for dialogue. Instead of issuing unenforceable edicts, Western governments should set clear conditions for long-term support, starting with the protection of women's rights, recognition of the rights of girls to education at all levels, and the reopening of secondary schools. Inevitably, some will argue that restoring aid to Afghanistan will give succor to a brutal regime that is constitutionally hostile to Western values. Perhaps it will. But how would those values be defended if, in a bid to punish the Taliban, Western governments allowed people to starve, public-health systems to collapse, and Afghan children, including millions of girls, to be robbed of the hope that comes with education? After two decades of war in Afghanistan, the international community must now unite to win a fragile peace. That means ending an economic blockade that is violating vulnerable Afghans' human rights no less than the edicts of armed religious zealots are. Kevin Watkins, a former CEO of Save the Children UK, is a visiting professor at the Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa at the London School of Economics. Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2022. MENAFN02122024000028011005ID1108949053 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.By Elizabeth Ayoola, NerdWallet The investing information provided on this page is for educational purposes only. NerdWallet, Inc. does not offer advisory or brokerage services, nor does it recommend or advise investors to buy or sell particular stocks, securities or other investments. Kids are often pretty good at being consumers. If you’re a parent with a small business, you have the opportunity to show your kids firsthand what it means to be a producer. Small Business Saturday, which takes place on Nov. 30 this year, may be a great time to do just that. Small Business Saturday was established by American Express in 2010 and encourages consumers to patronize their local stores as a way to keep dollars circulating within their community. Here are three reasons you should consider getting your kids involved in Small Business Saturday, according to two mompreneurs. Ronne Brown is the owner of HERLISTIC, a plant-derived beauty and feminine care brand in Washington, D.C. She’s been participating in Small Business Saturday since she established her business in 2020. The entrepreneur gets her kids (ages 24, 18 and 12), plus her bonus daughter, 10, to help out on Small Business Saturday and beyond. Brown’s kids help with customer service, shipping and fulfillment tasks. That could include counting inventory, quality control or packaging boxes. Other times, help looks like Brown’s 12-year-old daughter keeping her up-to-date with TikTok trends and influencers in the beauty field. “I just want them to understand the price and the value of a dollar and what it actually costs to make it,” Brown says. The mompreneur also hopes her kids learn the benefits of commitment and hard work. “What I want to show them is that you have to work hard every day. And there are gonna be moments where you’re gonna be tired, you’re gonna be exhausted, and you’re not gonna want to do things, and you’re going to have to push through,” she says. Hiring your kids to do legitimate work during Small Business Saturday provides a chance for them to learn pillars needed for a strong financial foundation: earning money , saving money and investing. That said, before hiring kids, it’s critical to understand the child labor laws for your state in addition to the IRS’ rules around hiring kids. Brown says she pays all of her children, including her 24-year-old son who is on payroll. Additionally, she teaches them about investing in the stock market. “I want them to understand the importance of making money, but also investing the money that they’re making,” she says. “Because when I pay them, I always ask them, ‘so what are you gonna do to double this money?’” If you hire your minor kids, they could get a headstart on investing by putting some of their income into a custodial Roth IRA , which requires earned income to open. You could also open them a custodial brokerage account. Another perk of your kids earning income by working for you is that they may be exempt from paying federal income taxes if they earn less than the standard deduction . In 2024, that threshold is $14,600. Having your kids add helping hands, whether it be doing administrative tasks or helping customers, can ensure you keep up with a potential increase in sales. A 2024 NerdWallet holiday spending report found that 16% of 2024 holiday shoppers plan to shop on Small Business Saturday this year. Lisset Tresvant, owner of Glow Esthetics Spa in Hollywood, Florida, has been participating in Small Business Saturday since the genesis of her business in 2019. “I do tend to sell more because people are usually more inclined to purchase because of the sales, and it gives them a reason to support us,” she says. To help with the demand, Tresvant’s daughter, 12, and son, 9, fill her skincare products, add labels and help prep items for shipping. Tresvant says she decided to let her kids get involved in her business so they have a better understanding of what she does. Looking beyond Small Business Saturday, hiring your child can also help with succession planning , which is about planning for your departure from your business. Tresvant hopes to pass hers down to her kids one day. “They understand that I’m building this legacy just for not myself, but for them as well,” says Tresvant. More From NerdWallet Elizabeth Ayoola writes for NerdWallet. Email: eayoola@nerdwallet.com. The article 3 Reasons to Involve Your Kids in Small Business Saturday originally appeared on NerdWallet .
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New Delhi, Dec 22 (PTI) In a rare show of co-operation between VK Saxena and the AAP dispensation, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on Sunday visited Rangpuri Pahari to take stock of the area's civic amenities that were flagged by the lieutenant governor. Ahead of elections to the Delhi Assembly, due in February, Saxena had on Saturday shared a clip of his visit to Rangpuri Pahari, detailing the plight of people, especially women, in the area. Also Read | Kolkata Fatafat Result Today: Kolkata FF Result for December 22, 2024 Declared, Check Winning Numbers and Result Chart of Satta Matka-Type Lottery Game. The lieutenant governor had said it was extremely disappointing and distressing to witness once again the helplessness and pathetic life conditions of lakhs of people of the national capital. He had referred to the local women, citing their problems of living in the area, with streets lined by overflowing sewers and lack of basic facilities. Also Read | Kolkata Fatafat Result Today: Kolkata FF Result for December 21, 2024 Declared, Check Winning Numbers and Result Chart of Satta Matka-Type Lottery Game. Earlier, a similar situation was seen in areas such as Burari, Kirari, Kalandar Colony, Sangam Vihar, Mundka and Gokulpuri, among others, he had said. "I urge the former chief minister, current chief minister and ministers of the Delhi government to visit such areas to themselves witness the hellish conditions. They should take immediate steps to improve this pathetic condition," he had said. Responding to the concerns, AAP supremo and former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal thanked Saxena for flagging the shortcomings, saying the Delhi government would take steps for improvements. "Earlier, the lieutenant governor had cited the bad condition of the Nangloi-Mundka Road. The road has been constructed and Chief Minister Atishi will soon inaugurate it. I urge the lieutenant governor to tell us about the shortcomings and we will correct them," Kejriwal said in a press conference. The lieutenant governor had called upon the stakeholders to come together and make Delhi great again. He had visited Rangpuri Pahari and Kapashera on the request of locals. He was accompanied by the BJP's former South Delhi MP Ramesh Bidhuri. There are no drains, leading to silt- and dirty water-filled streets, non-existent roads, uncertain electricity supply and shortage of drinking water that forces women to carry water in buckets from tankers coming to the area once in seven to eight days, Saxena had said. The locals also complained of power cuts for eight to 10 hours every day as well as huge power bills, contrary to the claims of free electricity by the Delhi government, he had said. Saxena had also given suggestions to officials of agencies, including the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), to improve the situation. He had also assured the locals that a sanitation drive would begin and he would personally monitor the progress of steps being taken to improve the civic amenities. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
December 22, 2013: After months of false starts, Apple finally secures a deal with China Mobile to bring the iPhone to the world’s largest telecom company. With 760 million potential iPhone customers in the offing, the deal shapes up as Apple’s most important yet for growing its brand in China. In fact, Apple CEO says the country soon will become the company’s biggest market. The move had been long in the making. Apple had been negotiating with China Mobile since the . Talks reportedly collapsed over Apple’s terms, which required revenue sharing. Demand from Chinese customers certainly existed, though. As early as 2008, a year after , reported that 800,000 to 1 million iPhones had . It was later claimed that 400,000 of those iPhone were being used, unlocked via hacks, on China Mobile. Provided these figures were accurate, they represented around 10% of iPhones sold at that point. The number even surpassed all iPhones used in Europe at the time. Still, negotiations between Apple and China Mobile dragged on. They finally started moving in 2013, when Cook met with China Mobile chairman Xi Guohua to discuss “ ” between the two companies. “China is an extremely important market for Apple and our partnership with China Mobile presents us the opportunity to ,” Cook said in a statement when news of the deal broke. “iPhone customers in China are an enthusiastic and rapidly growing group, and we can’t think of a better way to welcome in the Chinese New Year than getting an iPhone into the hands of every China Mobile customer who wants one.” Apple: Big in China, thanks to China Mobile deal The deal that brought the iPhone to China Mobile coincided with a renewed push into China on Apple’s behalf. Cook revealed that Apple designed new devices . This was arguably most obvious with Apple’s decision to start making larger iPhones. The company turned its back on Apple co-founder ‘ dislike of big phones (which Jobs complained “ “). Apple released the 5.5-inch — which fell into the phablet category popular among Asian smartphone buyers — in 2014. In addition, Apple committed to an astonishingly rapid expansion of its retail stores in China. The company set an ambitious (and successful) goal of in the country by 2016. (It opened its 56th store in China, , in November 2023.) Not everything has been smooth sailing for Apple in China, of course. No doubt, 760 million possible iPhone buyers after the China Mobile deal sounds like a giant number. But only a fraction of those people find themselves in the position to be able to afford an iPhone. Battle for the low-end Chinese smartphone market The iPhone 5c, and now the , were nods to the lower end of the market. However, Apple never truly embraced the idea of creating a phone to combat cheap Android devices. As a result, Apple continues to duke it out with a variety of Android makers in China, none of which currently command even 25% of the smartphone market, . Apple also continues to run into various problems with the Chinese government. , national security concerns raised in the state-controlled Chinese media resulted in Apple switching to China Telecom’s servers instead of its own to power iCloud for Chinese customers. Apple also was that it run network safety evaluations on all Apple products before they can be imported into the country. Apple gear additionally got in 2015, in favor of Chinese-made products. And in 2023. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic created severe supply chain problems that exposed the fragile nature of Apple’s reliance on Chinese manufacturers. And over working conditions in a Foxconn factory complex in Zhengzhou nicknamed “iPhone City.” For these reasons and more, Cupertino continues to accelerate plans to . China and Apple: A ‘symbiotic’ relationship Not all the news has been bad, though. The China Mobile deal got more iPhones into people’s hands as planned. And Cook reportedly struck a secret deal with the country’s leaders in 2016 to and “technological prowess.” In early 2023, Cook touted the “ ” that Apple enjoys with China. The country now makes up worldwide. More than a decade after the deal that brought the iPhone to China Mobile, it seems China will continue to provide a major opportunity (and occasional headache) for Apple.Universities in Bangladesh are on the brink of paralysis due to partisan faculty politics, irregularities in teacher recruitment, and power struggles disguised as student politics, said Education Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud yesterday. "Due to partisanship and criminalisation, there is no conducive environment for higher education in public universities. We are actively working to address these challenges," he said. "That is why we are appointing qualified individuals to key positions, including vice-chancellors. Additionally, efforts are underway to bring back talented teachers and researchers who have left the country," said the adviser at the "Bangladesh Higher Education Conference 2024", held at a hotel in the capital. The conference was organised by Daily Bonik Barta with the theme "Global Standards in Higher Education: What Bangladesh Needs to Do". Attending as chief guest, Wahiduddin Mahmud highlighted the disparity in quality between public and private universities. "One major concern is that many students opt to study abroad for higher education if they can afford it. Even after completing higher education locally, graduates remain unemployed, and this number is growing alarmingly," he said. To align higher education with global standards, collaborations with internationally renowned universities are essential, he said, adding, "We can work to enhance the quality of education by involving Bangladeshis who are part of these institutions." He also said partisan politics among teachers is one side of the coin, while the devaluation of merit is the other. Teachers must also possess administrative skills, as VCs provide both academic and administrative leadership, he added. Speaking as a special guest, UGC Chairman Prof SMA Faiz said universities must reduce dependency on the government. Both the government and UGC must support research. At the programme, DU VC Prof Niaz Ahmed Khan said higher education suffers from inadequate infrastructure and a lack of conducive research environments. The country's partisan and violent politics have harmed institutions, particularly higher education ones, he said. He also said if the goal of higher education is to truly shape students into human beings, then there is no difference between public and private institutions. Daffodil International University VC M Lutfar Rahman pointed out that many teachers fail to conduct classes properly, which must be addressed. Prof Abdur Rob, VC of International University of Business Agriculture and Technology, said insufficient funding and lack of interest among teachers hinder research. For world-class research, teachers need adequate time, training, and financial support, he added. United International University VC Abul Kashem Mia said strengthening primary and secondary education is crucial for improving higher education quality. PhD and postgraduate opportunities should depend on a university's quality rather than its public or private status, he said. North South University VC Prof Abdul Hannan Chowdhury noted that government control over both public and private institutions has stagnated educational culture. UGC research funding should be awarded based on merit, regardless of a university's status, he added. The panel included JU VC Prof Mohammad Kamrul Ahsan, UGC member Prof Mohammad Tanzimuddin Khan, Umama Fatema, spokesperson of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, and Ishtiak Abedin, secretary general of the Bangladesh Private University Association, among others. Universities in Bangladesh are on the brink of paralysis due to partisan faculty politics, irregularities in teacher recruitment, and power struggles disguised as student politics, said Education Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud yesterday. "Due to partisanship and criminalisation, there is no conducive environment for higher education in public universities. We are actively working to address these challenges," he said. "That is why we are appointing qualified individuals to key positions, including vice-chancellors. Additionally, efforts are underway to bring back talented teachers and researchers who have left the country," said the adviser at the "Bangladesh Higher Education Conference 2024", held at a hotel in the capital. The conference was organised by Daily Bonik Barta with the theme "Global Standards in Higher Education: What Bangladesh Needs to Do". Attending as chief guest, Wahiduddin Mahmud highlighted the disparity in quality between public and private universities. "One major concern is that many students opt to study abroad for higher education if they can afford it. Even after completing higher education locally, graduates remain unemployed, and this number is growing alarmingly," he said. To align higher education with global standards, collaborations with internationally renowned universities are essential, he said, adding, "We can work to enhance the quality of education by involving Bangladeshis who are part of these institutions." He also said partisan politics among teachers is one side of the coin, while the devaluation of merit is the other. Teachers must also possess administrative skills, as VCs provide both academic and administrative leadership, he added. Speaking as a special guest, UGC Chairman Prof SMA Faiz said universities must reduce dependency on the government. Both the government and UGC must support research. At the programme, DU VC Prof Niaz Ahmed Khan said higher education suffers from inadequate infrastructure and a lack of conducive research environments. The country's partisan and violent politics have harmed institutions, particularly higher education ones, he said. He also said if the goal of higher education is to truly shape students into human beings, then there is no difference between public and private institutions. Daffodil International University VC M Lutfar Rahman pointed out that many teachers fail to conduct classes properly, which must be addressed. Prof Abdur Rob, VC of International University of Business Agriculture and Technology, said insufficient funding and lack of interest among teachers hinder research. For world-class research, teachers need adequate time, training, and financial support, he added. United International University VC Abul Kashem Mia said strengthening primary and secondary education is crucial for improving higher education quality. PhD and postgraduate opportunities should depend on a university's quality rather than its public or private status, he said. North South University VC Prof Abdul Hannan Chowdhury noted that government control over both public and private institutions has stagnated educational culture. UGC research funding should be awarded based on merit, regardless of a university's status, he added. The panel included JU VC Prof Mohammad Kamrul Ahsan, UGC member Prof Mohammad Tanzimuddin Khan, Umama Fatema, spokesperson of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, and Ishtiak Abedin, secretary general of the Bangladesh Private University Association, among others.
Bangladesh has called on Myanmar to address the ongoing crisis in the Rakhine state and its borders, stressing that it cannot engage in negotiations with non-state actors, such as the Arakan Army. Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain conveyed this message to Myanmar during an informal consultation held on Thursday in Thailand. During the meeting, Hossain also emphasised that peace and stability in the region would remain elusive without a resolution to the Rohingya crisis. Senior representatives from Bangladesh, Myanmar, India, China, Laos, and other nations attended the consultation focused on Myanmar. "I informed Myanmar that the border is no longer under your control. Non-state actors like the Arakan Army are controlling it. As a state, we cannot engage with them. Myanmar must find a way to resolve the issues related to the border and Rakhine," Hossain yesterday told reporters in the capital, sharing details of his discussions at the consultation. In reply, Myanmar said they are trying to regain control of the border. Hossain said that the meeting focused on a few key issues regarding Myanmar, including the border, drug trafficking, arms smuggling, human trafficking, and its political future. On Myanmar's political future, Hossain noted that all participants expressed support for its efforts to resolve internal issues and move forward. "Everyone said they would support Myanmar, and if they choose a federal structure, we will not intervene. But we want a resolution," Hossain said. The meeting on Thursday was chaired by Thailand's Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsar. The attendees included Myanmar's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister U Than Swe, Laos's Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith, India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, and China's Deputy Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu. Meanwhile, speaking as the chief guest at an international seminar in Dhaka yesterday, the foreign adviser said peace in Myanmar is crucial to unlocking the full potential of the Bay of Bengal and its surrounding countries and that peace cannot be achieved without solving the Rohingya crisis. "Peace and order will not be possible in Myanmar, and consequently in the region, unless the safe and secure return of Rohingyas to their homes," he said at the seminar titled "Reconnecting the Bay of Bengal Region: Exploring the Convergence of Interest," at the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) in the capital. Noting that a civil war situation is currently prevailing in Myanmar, he said at least 1.2 million Rohingyas, who have fled the Rakhine state facing extreme atrocities, have fled to Bangladesh in the last seven years. "There has been no progress in their repatriation and the situation is further complicated by a non-state actor, the Arakan Army, taking control of the entire border with Bangladesh," he said. "It is incumbent on Myanmar and the regional powers to create a congenial atmosphere for their return," said the foreign adviser. Supported by the Embassy of Japan, the BIISS, in collaboration with the Institute of Developing Economies (IDE-JETRO), hosted the international seminar. He said that the Bay of Bengal has emerged as a focal point of geopolitical and economic activity with its vast natural resources, crucial shipping routes, and potential for economic integration. Touhid said the countries surrounding the Bay and other stakeholders should align their diverse interests, "ensuring that the Bay of Bengal becomes a region of collaboration rather than conflict; a hub of connectivity rather than contention". He said the Bay has been historically a commercial and cultural hub. However, its strategic importance has grown immensely as it links South and Southeast Asia, two growing economic zones, to the global economy. "By fostering strategic partnerships, embracing a unified vision, and adopting innovative approaches, we can unlock the vast potential of this region, benefiting all stakeholders and creating a legacy of prosperity for future generations," he observed. He said Bangladesh is uniquely poised to become a regional transit hub and a key player in the global value chain with its strategic location and growing industrial base. "In order to unlock these possibilities, Bangladesh must address pressing challenges and seize emerging opportunities," the adviser said. He acknowledged that initiatives like the "Bay of Bengal Industrial Value Chain," championed by Japan, provide a blueprint for achieving this transformation by leveraging investment, technology, and labour. The adviser also lauded Japan's overall contribution to Bangladesh's development. Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Iwama Kiminori, BIISS Chairman Gousal Azam Sarkar and Director General Major General Iftekhar Anis, among others, spoke at the event. Responding to a question about a potential new influx of Rohingyas, Hossain said, though the government is concerned, he does not believe such an event is on the cards. Hossain reaffirmed Bangladesh's policy of not allowing any further Rohingya refugees to enter the country. However, he acknowledged that, under certain circumstances, Bangladesh had to accept 60,000 Rohingyas through various unofficial routes. "They are coming through multiple routes, making it very difficult to stop [the infiltrations]," Hossain said, adding that widespread corruption is making the task more difficult. Bangladesh has called on Myanmar to address the ongoing crisis in the Rakhine state and its borders, stressing that it cannot engage in negotiations with non-state actors, such as the Arakan Army. Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain conveyed this message to Myanmar during an informal consultation held on Thursday in Thailand. During the meeting, Hossain also emphasised that peace and stability in the region would remain elusive without a resolution to the Rohingya crisis. Senior representatives from Bangladesh, Myanmar, India, China, Laos, and other nations attended the consultation focused on Myanmar. "I informed Myanmar that the border is no longer under your control. Non-state actors like the Arakan Army are controlling it. As a state, we cannot engage with them. Myanmar must find a way to resolve the issues related to the border and Rakhine," Hossain yesterday told reporters in the capital, sharing details of his discussions at the consultation. In reply, Myanmar said they are trying to regain control of the border. Hossain said that the meeting focused on a few key issues regarding Myanmar, including the border, drug trafficking, arms smuggling, human trafficking, and its political future. On Myanmar's political future, Hossain noted that all participants expressed support for its efforts to resolve internal issues and move forward. "Everyone said they would support Myanmar, and if they choose a federal structure, we will not intervene. But we want a resolution," Hossain said. The meeting on Thursday was chaired by Thailand's Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsar. The attendees included Myanmar's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister U Than Swe, Laos's Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith, India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, and China's Deputy Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu. Meanwhile, speaking as the chief guest at an international seminar in Dhaka yesterday, the foreign adviser said peace in Myanmar is crucial to unlocking the full potential of the Bay of Bengal and its surrounding countries and that peace cannot be achieved without solving the Rohingya crisis. "Peace and order will not be possible in Myanmar, and consequently in the region, unless the safe and secure return of Rohingyas to their homes," he said at the seminar titled "Reconnecting the Bay of Bengal Region: Exploring the Convergence of Interest," at the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) in the capital. Noting that a civil war situation is currently prevailing in Myanmar, he said at least 1.2 million Rohingyas, who have fled the Rakhine state facing extreme atrocities, have fled to Bangladesh in the last seven years. "There has been no progress in their repatriation and the situation is further complicated by a non-state actor, the Arakan Army, taking control of the entire border with Bangladesh," he said. "It is incumbent on Myanmar and the regional powers to create a congenial atmosphere for their return," said the foreign adviser. Supported by the Embassy of Japan, the BIISS, in collaboration with the Institute of Developing Economies (IDE-JETRO), hosted the international seminar. He said that the Bay of Bengal has emerged as a focal point of geopolitical and economic activity with its vast natural resources, crucial shipping routes, and potential for economic integration. Touhid said the countries surrounding the Bay and other stakeholders should align their diverse interests, "ensuring that the Bay of Bengal becomes a region of collaboration rather than conflict; a hub of connectivity rather than contention". He said the Bay has been historically a commercial and cultural hub. However, its strategic importance has grown immensely as it links South and Southeast Asia, two growing economic zones, to the global economy. "By fostering strategic partnerships, embracing a unified vision, and adopting innovative approaches, we can unlock the vast potential of this region, benefiting all stakeholders and creating a legacy of prosperity for future generations," he observed. He said Bangladesh is uniquely poised to become a regional transit hub and a key player in the global value chain with its strategic location and growing industrial base. "In order to unlock these possibilities, Bangladesh must address pressing challenges and seize emerging opportunities," the adviser said. He acknowledged that initiatives like the "Bay of Bengal Industrial Value Chain," championed by Japan, provide a blueprint for achieving this transformation by leveraging investment, technology, and labour. The adviser also lauded Japan's overall contribution to Bangladesh's development. Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Iwama Kiminori, BIISS Chairman Gousal Azam Sarkar and Director General Major General Iftekhar Anis, among others, spoke at the event. Responding to a question about a potential new influx of Rohingyas, Hossain said, though the government is concerned, he does not believe such an event is on the cards. Hossain reaffirmed Bangladesh's policy of not allowing any further Rohingya refugees to enter the country. However, he acknowledged that, under certain circumstances, Bangladesh had to accept 60,000 Rohingyas through various unofficial routes. "They are coming through multiple routes, making it very difficult to stop [the infiltrations]," Hossain said, adding that widespread corruption is making the task more difficult.Two-day long science, tech exhibition concludes in MancherialNEW YORK (AP) — Richard Parsons, one of corporate America’s most prominent Black executives who held top posts at Time Warner and Citigroup, died Thursday. He was 76. Parsons, who died at his Manhattan home, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2015 and cited “unanticipated complications” from the disease for cutting back on work a few years later. The financial services company Lazard, where Parsons was a longtime board member, confirmed his death. David Zaslav, the president and CEO of Time Warner successor Warner Bros. Discovery, remembered Parsons as a “great mentor and friend” and a “tough and brilliant negotiator, always looking to create something where both sides win.” “All who got a chance to work with him and know him saw that unusual combination of great leadership with integrity and kindness,” Zaslav said, calling him “one of the great problem solvers this industry has ever seen.” Parsons’ friend Ronald Lauder told The New York Times that the cause of death was cancer. Parsons stepped down Dec. 3 from the boards of Lazard and Lauder’s company, Estée Lauder, citing health reasons. He had been on Estée Lauder’s board for 25 years. RELATED COVERAGE Faith-based environmental groups take on fossil fuels as ‘a sacred duty’ Faith-based environmental groups take on fossil fuels as ‘a sacred duty’ Parsons, a Brooklyn native who started college at 16, was named chairman of Citigroup in 2009, one month after leaving Time Warner Inc., where he helped restore the company’s stature following its much-maligned acquisition by internet provider America Online Inc. He steered Citigroup back to profit after financial turmoil from the subprime mortgage crisis, which upended the economy in 2007 and 2008. Parsons was named to the board of CBS in September 2018 but resigned a month later because of illness. Parsons said in a statement at the time that he was already dealing with multiple myeloma when he joined the board, but “unanticipated complications have created additional new challenges.” He said his doctors advised him to cut back on his commitments to ensure recovery. “Dick’s storied career embodied the finest traditions of American business leadership,” Lazard said in a statement. The company, where Parsons was a board member from 2012 until this month, praised his “unmistakable intelligence and his irresistible warmth.” “Dick was more than an iconic leader in Lazard’s history — he was a testament to how wisdom, warmth, and unwavering judgment could shape not just companies, but people’s lives,” the company said. “His legacy lives on in the countless leaders he counseled, the institutions he renewed, and the doors he opened for others.” Parsons was known as a skilled negotiator, a diplomat and a crisis manager. Although he was with Time Warner through its difficulties with AOL, he earned respect for the company and rebuilt its relations with Wall Street. He streamlined Time Warner’s structure, pared debt and sold Warner Music Group and a book publishing division. He also fended off a challenge from activist investor Carl Icahn in 2006 to break up the company and helped Time Warner reach settlements with investors and regulators over questionable accounting practices at AOL. Parsons joined Time Warner as president in 1995 after serving as chairman and chief executive of Dime Bancorp Inc., one of the largest U.S. thrift institutions. In 2001, after AOL used its fortunes as the leading provider of Internet access in the U.S. to buy Time Warner for $106 billion in stock, Parsons became co-chief operating officer with AOL executive Robert Pittman. In that role, he was in charge of the company’s content businesses, including movie studios and recorded music. He became CEO in 2002 with the retirement of Gerald Levin, one of the key architects of that merger. Parsons was named Time Warner chairman the following year, replacing AOL founder Steve Case, who had also championed the combination. The newly formed company’s Internet division quickly became a drag on Time Warner. The promised synergies between traditional and new media never materialized. AOL began seeing a reduction in subscribers in 2002 as Americans replaced dial-up connections with broadband from cable TV and phone companies. Parsons stepped down as CEO in 2007 and as chairman in 2008. A year later AOL split from Time Warner and began trading as a separate company, following years of struggles to reinvent itself as a business focused on advertising and content. Time Warner is now owned by AT&T Inc. A board member of Citigroup and its predecessor, Citibank, since 1996, Parsons was named chairman in 2009 at a time of turmoil for the financial institution. Citigroup had suffered five straight quarters of losses and received $45 billion in government aid. Its board had been criticized for allowing the bank to invest so heavily in the risky housing market. Citigroup returned to profit under Parsons, starting in 2010, and would not have a quarterly loss again until the fourth quarter of 2017. Parsons retired from that job in 2012. In 2014 he stepped in as interim CEO of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers until Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer took over later that year. “Dick Parsons was a brilliant and transformational leader and a giant of the media industry who led with integrity and never shied away from a challenge,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. Parsons, a Republican, previously worked as a lawyer for Nelson Rockefeller, a former Republican governor of New York, and in Gerald Ford’s White House. Those early stints gave him grounding in politics and negotiations. He also was an economic adviser on President Barack Obama’s transition team. Parsons, whose love of jazz led to co-owning a Harlem jazz club, also served as Chairman of the Apollo Theater and the Jazz Foundation of America. And he held positions on the boards of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, the American Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Parsons played basketball at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and received his law degree from Albany Law School in 1971. He is survived by his wife, Laura, and their family. ___ This obituary was primarily written by the late Associated Press reporter Anick Jesdanun, who died in 2020 .
Map shows the world’s safest countries to be in if WW3 breaks outNo political return for Hasina and allies without trial: Sarjis
There's one very specific feature of British American Tobacco 's ( BTI 1.08% ) stock that keeps investors interested: the dividend yield. At a time when the S&P 500 index is offering a tiny 1.2% yield and the average consumer staples stock 2.6%, British American Tobacco's yield is a lofty 8.1%. "Wow" is a fair response to hearing about that return, but that huge yield comes with risks and long-term income investors need to think about what the future might look like here. Will this company offer such an enviable return in five years? What does British American Tobacco do? British American Tobacco's name is fairly descriptive, given that it is one of the largest cigarette makers on the planet. Combustible products accounted for around 80% of revenue in the first half of 2024. That total includes both cigarettes and other things that, effectively, burn tobacco. Cigarettes accounted for roughly 98% of volume. So, while the company does other things, British American Tobacco is at its core a cigarette company. What makes British American Tobacco unique among its peers is that it has a truly global cigarette business. Its prime competitors Altria and Philip Morris International don't. Altria operates only in North America. Philip Morris International was spun out of Altria to operate Altria's brands in foreign markets. Being global is good and bad, however, because selling cigarettes is a tough business, particularly in North America where volumes have been falling for years. Essentially, consumers are turning away from smoking. The numbers are pretty daunting. In the case of British American Tobacco, cigarette volume fell 5.1% in 2022, 5.3% in 2023, and 6.8% through the first six months of 2024. If anything it looks like the declines are starting to pick up speed. Like its peers, British American Tobacco has been able to offset volume declines with price increases. Given the nature of tobacco, consumers tend to be fairly loyal to the product. The frequent purchases are why cigarettes are classified as a consumer staple . However, the declines continue largely thanks to health concerns. That said, price increases can only be pushed so far before they, too, start to negatively impact volume. The future is not bright here given the current volume trajectory. What does volume look like in five years? To be generous, and to make the math easy, assume that British American Tobacco manages to keep volume declines at 5% a year for the next five years. In the first half of 2024, the company sold roughly 250 billion units. British American Tobacco Cigarette Volume Estimates with a 5% Decline Rate Half Year Volume (in billions) 2024 (actual) 250 2025 238 2026 226 2027 214 2028 204 2029 193 Data source: British American Tobacco and author estimates. In five years' time, British American Tobacco's most important business could see volume decline from 250 billion cigarettes sold to less than 200 billion. That's a huge problem, and those estimates are based on a volume decline rate that is lower than the one experienced over the past three years. This is what investors are potentially buying into when they add British American Tobacco to their portfolio. If this were any other consumer staples company investors would likely be running for the hills. To be fair, given the lofty dividend yield , most investors are choosing to avoid British American Tobacco. Still, that yield is clearly attracting some aggressive investors to take a risk on the stock. Helping the story along for these income seekers is the fact that British American Tobacco is investing in what it calls new categories, which include things like vaping and smokeless tobacco pouches. There are problems here, too. Only the company's modern pouches business managed to see a volume increase in the first half of 2024. The huge 50%-plus volume jump, however, probably isn't a sustainable figure over the long term. And even with that increase, modern pouches are still a small contributor relative to cigarettes, with modern pouches accounting for less than 3% of total revenue. At this rate, it will be a long time before British American Tobacco has a business large enough to offset the troubles it is seeing in cigarettes. British American Tobacco is a big risk for dividend investors If you are trying to live off of the income your portfolio generates , then British American Tobacco's high yield will probably seem very attractive. But it comes with very large and very real risks, given the ongoing declines the company's most important business is experiencing. This is not a "set it and forget it" dividend stock. Only the most aggressive investors should own British American Tobacco. That list probably shouldn't include conservative dividend investors hoping to fund their retirement over the long term.Cardinals are average through 12 games and the frustration is it feels as if they could be better
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