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42 Crew, Nearly 6000 Cows Missing After Ship Sinks In Storm-Tossed Seas Off Japan – NPR

Posted on September 4, 2020 by Danzig

The Gulf Livestock 1 cargo vessel sails through Port Phillip heading into Bass Strait in Australia in April 2019. Japanese rescuers were searching Thursday for the livestock ship carrying more than 40 crew members and thousands of animals. Graham Flett/AP hide caption

A ship carrying more than 40 crew members and some 6,000 head of cattle has disappeared off the coast of Japan after capsizing in typhoon-lashed seas, according to a crew member who so far is the only known survivor.

The Gulf Livestock 1, en route from New Zealand to China, issued a distress call early Wednesday from a position west of Japan's Amami Oshima island.

The mayday call, to which the Japanese coast guard responded, was sent as Typhoon Maysak was tracking through the region as a powerful Category 4 storm.

Maysak has since passed the area where the ship went missing, and the weather for the ongoing search is fine, Japanese coast guard regional spokesman Yuichiro Higashi said, according to The Associated Press.

The 450-foot livestock carrier, built in 2002, had a crew of 43, of which 39 are from the Philippines, two from New Zealand and two from Australia, the Japanese coast guard said.

The Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported that a Queensland veterinarian, Lukas Orda, was among those aboard.

Photographs of the vessel taken before the accident show its deck stacked high with open livestock containers.

The lone crew member recovered so far, 45-year-old chief officer Sareno Edvarodo from the Philippines, was plucked from the water Wednesday night after being spotted by a Japanese navy P-3C surveillance aircraft. No wreckage from the ship has been found, the coast guard said.

Edvarodo told rescuers that the vessel lost an engine and then capsized when it was hit broadside by a wave. The crew was then ordered to don life jackets. Edvarodo said he abandoned ship but did not see any other crew members in the water after the ship sank.

Gulf Livestock 1 was carrying 5,867 head of cattle from Napier, New Zealand, to Jingtang in Tangshan, China, according to New Zealand's foreign ministry, Reuters reported.

Following the accident, New Zealand's Ministry for Primary Industries said it was temporarily suspending new cattle livestock export applications pending an investigation.

The ministry "wants to understand what happened on the sailing of the Gulf Livestock 1," a spokesperson was quoted as saying by the New Zealand Herald.

Splash247.com, a website that follows the shipping industry, noted numerous accidents involving livestock carriers over the years in which tens of thousands of animals were lost.

In November, the Queen Hind, a livestock carrier loaded with more than 14,000 sheep, experienced "maneuvering issues" and capsized not far from a wharf. Only a few hundred animals were rescued, according to The Maritime Executive. In 2016, 3,000 sheep died aboard a vessel that caught fire and sank in rough weather off Somalia.

In another similar disaster nearly a quarter-century ago, some 67,000 sheep died aboard a vessel after it caught fire and was abandoned by its crew east of the Seychelles. All but one of the crew survived.

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42 Crew, Nearly 6000 Cows Missing After Ship Sinks In Storm-Tossed Seas Off Japan - NPR

The human impact of organized crime in fisheries extends far beyond the ocean – GreenBiz

Posted on September 4, 2020 by Danzig

This article originally was published on World Resources Institute.

Despite the name, organized crime in fisheries is not only about fishing. While illegal fishing is a serious problem across many regions of the world, organized crime in the fisheries sector extends much farther. It occurs globally throughout the entire fisheries value chain: on-shore; at-sea; at the coastal interface; and in cyberspace. Regardless of where it occurs or how it happens, its harmful effects take a massive toll on human populations worldwide.

Organized crime in the fisheries sector can take various forms including drug and human trafficking, fraudulent catch documentation, money laundering and corruption crimes that have potentially dire humanitarian implications. These crimes are profit-driven, diverting government revenue to the shadow blue economy at the expense of coastal communities and the pursuit of key sustainable development goals such as zero hunger, zero poverty and peace, justice and strong institutions. These crimes also directly can endanger those who are exploited in their perpetration.

People in many coastal nations, particularly developing countries, depend on the fisheries sector for food and jobs. Large ocean nations are particularly vulnerable to disruptions in the sector, as recently exposed by the impacts of COVID-19. Criminal networks operating in the fisheries sector exacerbate the economic dislocation of local coastal communities, threaten already tenuous food security and divert much-needed state revenue. But there is hope: effectively tackling organized crime in fisheries will help foster a sustainable ocean economy which, in turn, will benefit communities reliant on the ocean and its resources.

While the ecological and environmental costs of illegal fishing such as the threat of species extinction and marine habitat destruction are well documented, the human costs of organized crime in fisheries are rarely in the spotlight. Here are some ways organized crime in fisheries may negatively affect ordinary citizens worldwide:

Criminal networks operating in the fisheries sector often engage in a form of modern slavery: human trafficking for forced labor on fishing vessels. This shocking practice is getting more exposure in the media, including recent coverage of the North Korean "ghost ships" that regularly wash up on the shores of Japan.

Many crew members are indentured onboard distant water fishing vessels that rarely call at port. Instead, these vessels engage in transshipment, where catch, fuel, supplies and crew are transferred from one ship to another on the high seas. If the fishing vessels do dock at port, trafficking victims are frequently unable to communicate their plight to port authorities due to language differences, or for fear of being arrested as undocumented immigrants because ship captains usually hold their passports and identification documents. As a result, human trafficking victims often do not get the chance to report their inhumane working conditions or the human rights abuses they suffer.

While the ecological and environmental costs of illegal fishing are well documented, the human costs of organized crime in fisheries are rarely in the spotlight.

Those who were rescued and shared their stories speak of violence, malnutrition, sleep deprivation and, in extreme cases,murder. Workers, driven to seek employment due to the lack of economic opportunities at home, are often tricked into working onboard vessels by unethical recruitment agencies. Many also become trapped in debt bondage, as their earnings are taken aspayment for "debts" incurred in obtaining the job. These debts could be for brokerage, recruitment company fees, documentation charges or food.

Drug and arms trafficking associated with the fisheries sector and its accompanying economy of violence also have devastating effects on vulnerable coastal communities. In the Caribbean, Venezuelan smugglers are using forcefully taken fishing vessels to trade illicit weapons and cocaine to Trinidad and Tobago for basic goods, such as diapers and cooking oil, that are in short supply. Involved transnational networks are known to cooperate with local criminal groups, contributing to a rise in national violent crime, bringing illicit drugs into coastal communities and fueling local criminal gang activities.

Recent reports also spotlight the long-standing "drugs-for-guns" trade via fishing vessels between Jamaica and Haiti. These trades involve exchanging local marijuana for illegal weapons and cocaine, fueling violence in Jamaica and contributing to a growing arsenal of illegal weapons in coastal communities and further inland.

Corruption is another common, yet rarely discussed form of organized crime that permeates the sector, ranging from bribery in return for ignoring illegal fishing to allocating fishing licenses to companies or businesses with personal interests. Although its direct human costs are less visceral, the result is likewise devastating: money that could go towards much-needed job creation, education, health and basic services in developing coastal states is diverted to the pockets of a few white-collar criminals. Local communities feel the brunt of the impact as they lose out on access to national fish stocks, which are often vital to food security and livelihoods.

The overall economic cost of organized crime in the fisheries sector should raise alarms. Recent research shows that Africa alone will see annual economic losses between $7.6 billion and $13.9 billion, and income losses between $1.8 billion and $3.3 billion, due to catches redirecting from legitimate to illicit seafood trade. A 2011-2014 estimate suggests that annual illegal and unreported marine fishing generates $15.5 billion to $36.4 billion in illicit profits each year. Additionally, tax revenue lost to tax crime in fisheries undermines the development benefits of the sector, particularly affecting the Global South.

As the world faces the COVID-19 pandemic, we need a healthy oceanand a fisheries sector free of crime to provide the key ecosystem services and economic benefits to those who need it.

Solutions to tackle this problem are within reach. A new paper commissioned by the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, "Organized Crime in the Fisheries Sector," highlights the need for political and legal cooperation at local, national and international levels. Political momentum to address transnational organized crime in fisheries is already growing, evidenced by theCopenhagen Declaration Against Organized Crime in the Global Fishing Industry. The declaration fosters cooperation between governments through sharing knowledge and best practices to tackle fisheries crime.

There is, however, often a lack of capacity and resources to follow through on the ground. Processes that support developing countries in putting practical measures in place at national level are thus crucial. An example is the Blue Justice Initiative, which builds capacity to address transnational crime in the global fishing industry through close dialogue with the countries most affected.

Many countries already are making considerable progress. Thepaper highlights Indonesia as one such country, where law enforcement and policy reform relating to fisheries crime led to an increase of fish stocks from 7.31 million tons in 2014 to 12.54 tons in 2016. According to the Indonesian Ministry of Finance, tax revenue from the fisheries sector improved in 2018 by $113 million.

Organized crime in the fisheries sector is a major barrier to achieving a sustainable ocean economy. As the world faces the COVID-19 pandemic, now, more than ever, we need a healthy ocean and a fisheries sector free of crime to provide the key ecosystem services and economic benefits to those who need it. We are at a point in time when the vulnerable may be drawn into, or become the victim of, various forms of organized crime in the fisheries sector. Building momentum to address these crimes is critical to protect those who are at risk today and create a more sustainable future.

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The human impact of organized crime in fisheries extends far beyond the ocean - GreenBiz

The Italian Navy Arrives in World of Warships: Legends – War History Online

Posted on September 4, 2020 by Danzig

World of Warships: Legends brings in the first Italian warships, a new collaboration with Transformers, and a new system for players to manage and upgrade their camouflage.Italian Navy Cruisers in Early Access, Italian Battleship Campaign, and Transformers collaboration in new Veni, Vidi, Vici Update.

The Veni, Vidi, Vici update also ushers in a new campaign to earn the tough Italian Tier VII battleship Roma, French destroyers are leaving early access, and a handful of other improvements are inbound. With so many new features coming this update, theres even more to dive into in Legends.

The new Italian nation comes with a line of Cruisers in early access and a cadre of four new commanders for players to incorporate into their fleet. The new Alberto da Giussano, Raimondo Montecuccoli, Trento, and Zara are available this update in early access, representing the core fighting cruisers of the Regia Marina during the Second World War.

These cruisers are quite maneuverable and have a Smoke Generator Consumable that allows them to create concealment whenever they need it. Combined with reliable armament and torpedoes, these cruisers are ready to join battle.

To reinforce the new nation, the new Veni, Vidi, Vici campaign stars the elegant Italian battleship Roma. Fast, Agile, and well-protected, the Roma is able to navigate through various threats on the high seas.

Plus, her high-velocity and quickly traversing 381mm guns help her deal with even the toughest enemy vessels. The Veni, Vidi, Vici campaign will run for 5 weeks and has 100 milestones to progress through. However, Italian ships arent the only new things coming this update.

Later this September, four new Transformers-themed Commanders will be here to lead your warships into battle! Optimus Prime, Megatron, Bumblebee, and Rumble become Warships in Disguise, powering up your fleet with their unique inspirations, abilities, and voiceovers. Each one also has a special skin available for a particular ship.

Optimus Prime leads the way from the Iowa, Megatron rules the seas aboard Bismarck, Bumblebee races to the front in Fletcher, and Rumble shakes things up in the Tashkent. There are also special camos, patch parts, and more available for players to use in battle.

The Veni, Vidi, Vici update brings a new feature for players to manage and upgrade camouflage for their ships. Now, players can convert consumable camouflage into paint or a permanent paint job for their ship! This will make the customization of their ships in-game even easier, while also adding a new way to progress and improve their fleet!

Coming in at high speed are the French destroyers! In this update the full line is available for players to research, including the top of the line gunboatLe Fantasque. Fast-paced and very well armed, the Le Fantasque is a large destroyer with a Main Battery Reload Booster instead of a Smoke Generator. This allows skilled captains to unleash devastating bursts of damage onto their enemies!

There are plenty of new additions to the game coming in the Veni, Vidi, Vici Update. Get ready to conquer the seas and Turn the Tide!

For more information and assets, visit our press room here.

Experience epic naval action in World of Warships: Legends, a massively multiplayer online game where you can master the seas in historys greatest warships! Recruit legendary commanders from maritime history, upgrade your vessels and stake your claim to naval supremacy with or against players around the world in thrilling and immersive battles.World of Warships: Legends brings the online naval action loved by millions to home consoles for the very first time, alongside a host of content and features exclusive to the console experience.

Official website:https://wowslegends.com/

Wargaming is an award-winning online game developer and publisher headquartered in Nicosia, Cyprus. Operating since 1998, Wargaming has grown to become one of the leaders in the gaming industry with 4500+ employees and offices spread all over the world.

Another Article From Us: Now You Can Hire USSCobia a WW2 Sub For a Night

Over 200 million players enjoy Wargamings titles across all major gaming platforms. Their flagship products include the massively popular free-to- play hit World of Tanks and the strategic naval action game World of Warships.

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The Italian Navy Arrives in World of Warships: Legends - War History Online

Can the world unite to combat illegal fishing? – Equal Times

Posted on September 4, 2020 by Danzig

A totally illegal industry that nonetheless brings in billions of dollars every year,IUU (illegal, unauthorised or unreported) fishing is the blight of the oceans. At a time when fish populations are in freefall Pacific bluefin tuna populations have dropped by 97 per cent relative to their historical level and the international community is trying to preserve the wealth of the oceans, illegal practices at sea continue to thrive. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), IUU fishing accounts for as much as 20 to 30 per cent of the fisheries sector, with an estimated annual turnover of between US$10 and 23 billion.

IUU fishing is a highly lucrative and organised business. It is most often conducted by vessels that actually have fishing licences, Pavel Klinckhamers, project leader of the pan-Asian Greenpeace campaign to end illegal fishing, tells Equal Times. There are many boats that may well have licences but they still fish illegally for species they are not allowed to catch or in places where they are not authorised to fish, he adds.

IUU fishing is not just about fishing without a licence, says Heather Stimmler, media director for Sea Shepherd Global. The most common form of IUU is poaching, of course, but it can also take on much less spectacular forms, which are much harder to detect. Overfishing and unreported fishing of protected fish species are examples of the abuses faced by ocean defenders.

As Peter Horn, director of the Ending Illegal Fishing Project at the Pew Trust, points out: There are several reports suggesting that one in five fish is caught through IUU fishing. And whilst the figure is certainly lower in European waters, in areas under stress, such as the coast of West Africa, it is estimated at two in five fish. The impact of these activities is significant, and for certain vulnerable countries, it is catastrophic.

More fragile countries are easier targets for IUU fishing because they lack the resources to monitor their coast properly. IUU fishing is symptomatic of countries where political authority is weak, Peter Horn tells Equal Times. And as Lindsay Jennings, IUU fishing project director for FishWise tells us, it is a threat to marine ecosystems and food security in vulnerable countries such as Ghana.

Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing can hold disastrous repercussions for these countries: overfishing empties territorial waters of their fish and createsfood insecurity for hundreds of small-scale fishers who depend on these resources to survive and to feed their families.

In Ghana, for example, IUU fishing is a threat to the 2.5 million people who depend on marine resources for survival. The countrys waters have been among the most overfished in the world since 2012, particularly by Chinese fleets, as detailed in a report by the Environmental Justice Foundation.

An estimated 37 per cent of the fish caught in Ghana each year is IUU, creating annual losses of around US$1 billion. The country is located in one of the areas worst affected by illegal fishing West Africa, although the waters in certain parts of Asia and the coasts of Latin America are also hugely overexploited, by Chinese long-distance fleets in the main but also by some European shipowners. These excesses are part of the wider trend of ocean grabbing, with strong political powers taking advantage of weaker ones.

The worst abuses often take place with impunity in these hotspots, with IUU fishing operations taking full advantage of the sheer immensity of our seas and oceans. For developing countries, exercising control over their Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs), areas extending 200 nautical miles from the coast where countries have special rights to explore and use resources, is a real struggle. EEZs represent vast areas for the maritime authorities of countries already faced with substantial economic difficulties and insecurity on land.

Sea pirates are all the more difficult to punish as they are free to hide in international waters, which represent more than 60 per cent of the worlds seas and oceans, and do not come under the jurisdiction of any state. Once you are in international waters, no country has the authority to make an arrest, says Stimmler. Because under the law of the sea, the legislation that applies to a ship in international waters is the law of the country whose flag it is flying. A simple rule...on the face of it.

But thanks to what are known as flags of convenience or open registries, pirates of all kinds are free to act with impunity on the worlds oceans. Shipowners often choose them because they are more lax in terms of safety standards or labour laws. Thirty-five countries are considered to have flags of convenience by the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF). The main ones are Panama, Liberia and the Marshall Islands. According to a 2015 report, 71 per cent of merchant fleet tonnage was registered under flags of convenience, compared with 51.3 per cent in 2005.

While not all flags of convenience imply illegal activities, the ease with which pirate ships can change their country of registration makes it more difficult to track them down.

These flags symbolise the lack of transparency around fishing, Horn tells Equal Times. They allow certain shipowners to make it more difficult to identify them. The level of regulation is, however, increasing. The number of flags of convenience has seen a slight fall since 2015, according to the Pew Trust project director.

The lack of regulation around the oceans is one of the main reasons so many abuses are committed. The flags of convenience are not the only problem: transhipment, which allows fishing vessels to stay at sea for months on end and to transfer their catches to other vessels that take them back to port, is another source of widespread criticism. The problem with this practice is that it is not properly regulated and it opens the door to IUU fishing and all kinds of trafficking on the high seas, Horn tells Equal Times. And as Heather Stimmler explains: Small boats can fish illegally, as once their fish is transferred, it becomes impossible to trace the products. It is a veritable fish laundering tool.

In an attempt to preserve transhipment while regulating it more effectively, the FAO is currently working on a new set of rules in a bid to clarify the ethical practices to be used during this process. At-sea transhipment could be banned in favour of transhipment near ports, which would enable better goods regulation and allow more observers in charge of monitoring fishing practices to board vessels.

The countries of the world are trying to mobilise to tackle IUU fishing. Bodies such as Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) have been set up in several parts of the world to ensure better fishing regulation and vessel monitoring. The fight against IUU fishing is a team sport, says Horn. Indeed, the detention of pirate vessels may require the intervention of several countries. And to facilitate management and monitoring operations, several associations are calling for the introduction of unique identification numbers for all vessels, so that they can be traced throughout their life.

This requires real cooperation between the various countries, says Stimmler. And the idea is beginning to take hold. The non-profit organisation Stop Illegal Fishing (SIF), based in Gaborone, Botswana, has created the FISH-i task force, a group of eight countries from the region that are all working together. The regions governments, Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd are working in partnership to improve the chances of stopping pirate vessels. And this type of operation is bearing fruit.

Over the past five years, more and more countries have become aware of the magnitude of the problem and the number of arrests has increased, says Sea Shepherds media director.

New technologies, such as cameras and surveillance systems, are also part of the solution. there is no shortage of solutions. What are often in short supply, however, are the means. Whilst the Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS), set up by states to track fishery activity around the globe, provide some hope and encouragement, their effectiveness remains limited: I am always amazed, when I am at sea, on the coast of West Africa, to see the difference between the vessel tracking system results and what I actually see on the water, says Klinckhamers. There are always 50 to 100 per cent more boats in the areas monitored, so you only see the tip of the iceberg through technology. The key perhaps lies in expanding the number of surveillance mechanisms. French researchers have, for example, developeda system to track albatrosses that follow fishing boats for food using sensors to record the undeclared presence of boats.

The international community is not standing idle in the face of this issue. The Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA), signed in 2010, is the first internationally binding agreement specifically dealing with illegal fishing. Its main objective is to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal fishing, preventing vessels engaged in these activities from using ports to land their catches. The agreement seeks to discourage vessels from engaging in such activities and to stop illegal fisheries products from reaching national and international markets.

Another initiative taken by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) seeks to put an end to the fisheries subsidies in place in many countries. This practice makes fish artificially cheap and encourages illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. The international organisation is calling on countries to refrain from granting new ones. The WTO is negotiating with many of the countries providing these detrimental subsidies, Lindsay Jennings of FishWise tells Equal Times.

Such initiatives may well bear fruit in the years to come. But we need to act more quickly.

Given the scale of the IUU fishing phenomenon, ever more oceanographers are calling on the international community to take urgent action to create more marine protected areas and to reduce the worlds fishing fleet.

A first step in the right direction was taken last June when Senegal refused new fishing authorisations for Chinas long-distance fishing fleet, which was requesting licences for 52 new vessels, despite the overcrowding already affecting Senegals waters. The decision was taken under pressure from small-scale fishers and local environmental groups. But progress is slow.

It took the international community ten years to agree on the need to establish a High Seas Treaty, on which the first negotiations began in 2018. The aim is to create a new binding international legal instrument to protect the biodiversity of the oceans and promote the sustainable use of this biodiversity on the high seas. The treaty discussed at the UN was due to be finalised in March and should establish marine protected areas to enable fish stocks to recover. Consideration of the text has, however, been postponed, as a result of the Covid-19 crisis. Greenpeace calls it a last chance treaty for the oceans. Time is running out: marine species have declined by 39 per cent in 40 years, in a world where 3.8 billion people depend on the oceans for food.

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Can the world unite to combat illegal fishing? - Equal Times

Ocean Infrastructure Has Basically Created Cities at Sea – Gizmodo

Posted on September 4, 2020 by Danzig

Offshore oil rigs off the coast of Scotland.Photo: Jeff J. Mitchell (Getty Images)

The oceans may seem vast and indomitable, and yet humanity has found a way to spread its influence over them. New findings show that the worlds oceans are cluttered with all other sorts of human infrastructure.

The coverage area of human activity is so wide, our ocean infrastructure footprint is equivalent to the footprint of cities on landand its poised to grow in the coming decade, creating a bizarro real-life Waterworld. Human seaward expansion provides some benefits to natural ecosystems, but the message in the findings published on Monday in Nature Sustainability is clear: The world has to be deliberate or risk further screwing over the seas.

These findings are the first of their kind to map humanitys watery footprint. The researchers mapped a range of human activities happening both nearshore and far offshore, including oil rigs, pipelines, cables, fish farms, ports, and offshore wind farms. The findings show that 12,355 square miles (32,000 square kilometers) of seafloor, an area about the size of Maryland, have been directly colonized by human activities and infrastructure. But that physical footprint only tells part of the story; all told, up to 1.3 million square miles (3.4 million square kilometers) of seascapes have been impacted by human activities. That includes noise from ports and other knock-on effects.

The overall footprint of human infrastructure in the ocean accounts for 1.5% of all economic exclusive zones or areas that are generally within 230 miles (370 kilometers) of countries coastlines. That footprint is on par with the amount of land on Earth turned over to cities. Its also likely an underestimate because researchers didnt look at coastal defenses like sea walls.

While China has seen the most construction, including a huge area of aquculture and fish farming, other countries also get a few superlatives. The UK has the biggest offshore wind footprint as a pioneer in the industry. The U.S., meanwhile, can lay claim to the ignominious title of offshore drilling leader: Nearly half of offshore drillings footprint can be found in the Gulf of Mexico alone.

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By 2028, ocean construction could grow out by up to 70% from its current range, driven by aquaculture and wind and tidal energy farms, the researchers predict. Though again, that could be an underestimate since were going to need a lot more coastal protections to deal with rising seas as a result of climate change.

The extended footprint of infrastructure only tells part of the story of humans impact on the seas. Overfishing, marine heat waves driven by climate change, sea-level rise, and catastrophes like oil spills are all putting pressure on marine life and the ecosystems they depend on. Developments on land can also impact the high seas, including building hard defenses against the sea that can strangle out ecosystems like mangroves or agriculture runoff that has led to toxic dead zones. Scientists warned in a landmark report last year that oceans will transition to unprecedented conditions this century as the planet warms at a rate ecosystems will struggle to adapt to.

As the fate of the oceans go, so goes our fate. We rely on them for sustenance, to suck up carbon dioxide, and a host of other benefits. The results of the new study point to the need to think about how and where we develop at sea more carefully given the stress we already put on marine life. Some developments like protecting and restoring coastal wetlands as opposed to building new defenses can be a win-win solution that keeps ecosystems intact and provides flood control. There are also signs that offshore wind farms can be ecologically beneficial by creating artificial reefs, though its still an area of active research to figure long-term consequences and if they may invite non-native species or have other unintended impacts.

Much like cities on land, though, its clear we need to make decisions that allow us to live in better harmony with nature. The alternative is having oceans that may look blue and watery on the surface, but seem more like the Sahara under the waves.

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Ocean Infrastructure Has Basically Created Cities at Sea - Gizmodo

Urgent action needed for small-scale fishers to withstand the climate crisis says new WWF repor – WWF International

Posted on September 4, 2020 by Danzig

Posted on 02 September 2020

The study examines the effects of the climate crisis to small-scale fisheries in developing countries combining scientific climate models with social science approaches that incorporate local ecological knowledge. The assessment focuses on the impacts of and potential adaptation strategies to climate change for small-scale fishers in mainland Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, South Africa and the Philippines.

The report, by WWF, Agrocampus Ouest (France), University of British Columbia (Canada), Charles Darwin Foundation (Galapagos) and Instituto Nacional de Pesca (Ecuador), warns that communities in developing countries who depend heavily on fishing are severely threatened by the climate crisis, as fish biomass is expected to decrease by between 30 to 40% in some tropical regions by 2100.

Severe effects, even at 1.5C of global warming

Philipp Kanstinger, marine expert at the WWF, says: "The study shows that climate change has significant negative consequences for the majority of fish species caught by small-scale fishers, including some of the most commercially important species like sardines, anchovies and tuna. Even if global warming were limited to 1.5C in the most favourable scenario, many fish species remain at risk of losing their habitats and food sources. In the coming decades, many fish species will be coping with temperatures that exceed comfortable limits for them to thrive, affecting their populations and distribution patterns. Fewer fish means less food and less income for people whose livelihoods are tied to our seas. The small-scale fishers, who account for half of the world's fish production, will be disproportionately affected by the consequences of a warmer ocean."

Tuna disappears from the Philippines

The study finds that fisheries in countries nearest to the equator will be the most heavily affected by warmer and more acidic seas.

"In some countries, catches will be halved by 2050. Of the countries studied, the Philippines will be hit particularly hard: in traditional hand-line tuna fishing, large decreases in the amount of fish caught are foreseen. These losses are difficult to compensate with other fish species, both in terms of the nutritional value of other species in the region and the trade value of tuna to international markets. If the tuna disappears from the coasts of the island state, people who depend on these and other fish will simultaneously lose a vital source of food and income, threatening their livelihoods. Climate adaptation strategies and plans for their implementation must urgently be developed and supported by all relevant stakeholders, he says.

Fishers confirm: the climate crisis is already here

Small-scale fishers are already strongly affected by the climate crisis, according to case studies developed for this report. Among the most frequently cited observations are unusually high sea temperatures, decreased availability of fish either due to lower abundance of fish or changes in fish distribution, and changes to species being observed. Fishers also reported a greater frequency and severity of extreme weather events such as floods and strong winds. All three countries are already affected by declining catches, either due to reduced fish stocks or altered fish distribution as species move further away from the coast or into deeper, cooler waters where they are no longer accessible by small-scale fishing gear. Fishers are also concerned about changes they have witnessed to marine ecosystems, especially to coral reefs that are dying or have already perished, as they serve as crucial fish spawning and nursery grounds. The cumulative effects of these changes are particularly devastating for coral reefs, which are home to 25% of all marine life.

The socio-economic consequences of the climate crisis are unprecedented. Fishers fear shrinking incomes due to dwindling fish stocks, and worry about their personal safety as they must travel further to find fish in seas where extreme weather conditions are increasingly frequent.

"If our greenhouse gas emissions continue increasing, we can anticipate a mass extinction of species in the oceans. Many marine ecosystems will collapse. If we remain inactive with regard to fisheries and the climate crisis, this will lead to dramatic losses. Millions of people will lose their livelihoods and go hungry, says Kanstinger.

Better fisheries management and fighting the climate crisis

The WWF study concludes that the small-scale fishing sector is not currently equipped to adequately adapt to the climate crisis. Marine ecosystems are experiencing dramatic changes at a rapid pace as fisheries continue to depend on them. If the sector fails to adapt to these changes, it will collapse. However, scientists estimate that globally sustainable fisheries' management could actually increase fish biomass in the oceans by 60%, but only if global warming is kept within the limit of 1.5C. Urgent action is required to steer both oceanic and social scenarios to more thriving and resilient outcomes.

Kanstinger warns: "With a human population of nearly 10 billion anticipated by 2050, we will need more marine resources than ever before. This cannot be met under the current circumstances. Only by shifting to sustainable management of fish stocks, reducing discarded catches, increasing consumer demand for small and fast-growing fish species, transitioning to sustainable aquaculture and accounting for the changes the climate crisis is already delivering to our seas and societies can the situation improve."

WWF recommendations for better fisheries management and control strategies, as well as for climate adaptation practices, call for the fisheries sector to become more responsible, adaptable, participatory, precautionary and social, including gender equality. Better and more effective monitoring and control of fishing activities, together with investment in better equipment and scientific data are urgently required.

"It is important that consumers choose sustainable fish and seafood products while consciously consuming less seafood, especially when sustainable choices are not available. Only sustainable fisheries and sustainable aquaculture can help ensure conservation of the ecosystems and species which support the livelihoods of 800 million people around the world and keep some of our favourite food items on our dinner plates, he says.

For further information contact Mandy Jean Woods mwoods@wwfint.org

Is China Behind a Recent Insurgent Attack in India’s Northeast? – The Diplomat

Posted on September 4, 2020 by Danzig

This is the first of a two-part series on insurgencies in Indias northeastern frontier and the varying role China has played in supporting them.

Under the shadow of an ongoing crisis in Ladakh and worsening India-China relations, the ghost of Beijings support for Indias northeastern rebels seems to have been reawakened. According to media reports, New Delhi recently complained to Beijing for supporting Paresh Baruah, chief of the militant group United Liberation Front of AsomIndependent (ULFA-I). For decades, Baruah who seeks Assams separation from India has been operating from Chinas Yunnan province with interim stays in and travels to Myanmars Sagaing Division.

Often viewed as Chinas counter to Indias support for the Tibetan government-in-exile and the Dalai Lama, Beijings support for ULFA-I and other India-centric rebels has, at best, been an irritant in the bilateral relationship in recent years. Unlike Beijings interventionism in 1960s and 1970s under the rubric of the Cultural Revolution, China has done little to empower Northeast insurgents in recent years or to truly complicate Indias counter-insurgency strategy in the region.

But a joint attack in Chandel district of Manipur on July 29 by the Manipur Naga Peoples Front (MNPF), the Revolutionary Peoples Front (RPF), and ULFA-I, which led to the death of four Assam Rifles personnel and injured more, set off the alarm bells in New Delhi, triggering the complaint to Beijing.

In a retort to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis recent statement (aimed at China) that the era of expansionism is over, the rebels issued a joint statement one day after the attack, saying as the entire world has made up its mind against expansionism, the people of WeSEA [West Southeast Asia] are also countering against the expansionism of India. Such vocabulary, the ownership of responsibility, and availability of Chinese-made arms in the Northeast, firmly positions these groups along the spectrum of an intensified Sino-Indian rivalry.

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These developments raise questions with implications both for Sino-Indian relations and the future of Indias Northeast. One, how far is China involved in the Northeast? Two, can Beijing dramatically increase the cost of rivalry for India by supporting Northeast insurgents? Three, what does the recent uptick in violence in Manipur and elsewhere in this region mean for the politics of separatism in the Northeast?

Though China surely engages with Northeast insurgents in different capacities, counter to intuition, it would not be able to overhaul the security situation in this region to Indias detriment in a strategic sense. But, on the third issue, politics of separatism in the Northeast is far from over, even if violence is likely to intensify and localize in Manipur and pockets of Assam. Lets unpack these aspects one at a time.

China shelters various Northeast insurgents. In addition to Baruah, there is Hangshi Tangkhul, the self-styled defense minister of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah), NSCN-IM, and T R Calvin, NSCN-IMs deputy chief arms procurer. One of the most potent insurgent group in the Northeast, NSCN-IM signed a ceasefire in 1997 and is currently in peace talks with the government of India. Based out of Yunnan, these insurgent leaders maintain contact with colleagues and cadres through social media platforms, email addresses with false names, and bases along the India-Myanmar border (and also along the India-Bangladesh border during the Khaleda Zia years).

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) of India filed a charge-sheet in 2011 against Tangkhul, for masterminding a criminal conspiracy to procure huge consignment of arms and ammunition illegally. For this purpose, in 2007, Tangkhul along with NSCN-IMs chief arms procurer Anthony Shimray and his deputy Calvin, met with leaders of Myanmars Mon National Liberation Army at a Mon monastery in Bangkok, and then traveled to Mae Sot to meet leaders of the Karen National Union.

These Burmese rebels helped Tangkhul strike a deal amounting to $1.2 million, for an assortment of small arms including rifles, machine guns, grenades, pistols, and grenade launchers.

The arms were to be loaded from Chinas Beihai port at the Gulf of Tonkin in the South China Sea, transferred into small fishing trawlers in the high seas near Coxs Bazaar in Bangladesh, and smuggled into India from there.

Till 2006, when Zias anti-India Bangladesh Nationalist Party was in power in Dhaka, NSCN-IM and ULFA-I were allowed to have bases near the border areas, as well as in Dhaka and Chittagong. The weapons that NSCN-IM stored in these camps (named Goshen, Bethel, and Zion; and an overseas command center called Alee), were silently transferred to camps in Nagaland and Manipur, as the group planned to restock them with new weapons arriving from the Beihai port.

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But with the pro-India Sheikh Hasina government cracking down on India-centric militants, this arrangement was postponed for a more politically opportune moment. Meanwhile, Tangkhul and his associates were unaware that Indian intelligence agencies were closely tracking their moves. With the help of a trader in West Delhi who had business links in Thailand and its consulate in Chiang Mai, Indian intelligence penetrated Tangkhul and Shimrays network. In September 2010, authorities arrested Shimray at the Patna Railway Station after he entered India clandestinely via Nepal on a Bangladeshi passport.

Tangkhul and Calvin never returned.

Instead, as in Baruahs case, they received protection from Chinese intelligence as it became clear that neither Myanmar nor Thailand was entirely safe given Indias growing diplomatic clout and intelligence networks in these countries. For Beijing, they were too important within the NSCN-IMs hierarchy and knew too much about the terrain to be let go to waste. Ever since, Indias external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) and Chinas Ministry of State Security (MSS) have played hide-and-seek when it came to Baruah, Tangkhul, and Calvin, among other issues.

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But Beijing has remained silent on such support to ensure deniability and signal restraint to India, if not maintain outright secrecy. Baruahs presence in China is hardly a secret. He has openly hinted at Chinese support in media interviews, signaling either comfort or disinterest on Beijings part on the exposure of his apparent China connection. This was further corroborated in a series of recently released YouTube videos wherein ULFA-I openly supports Chinas narrative on the Eastern Ladakh crisis, especially the deadly clash in Galwan Valley where 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives.

To be clear, it is difficult to precisely gauge Chinas intent behind supporting these groups. They surely offer Beijing an effective tool to exert pressure on New Delhi during moments of crisis such as now. But, despite affording them sanctuary for years, Beijing has not empowered them enough to undertake high-intensity kinetic action against India. In fact, given how murky the world of espionage can be, and how difficult patron-client relations in this space often are, it is entirely possible, though unknown, that Beijing quietly limited ULFA-I or NSCN-IMs operational capabilities to avoid a confrontation with India.

The recent attack in Chandel seems to challenge this assumption.

To begin with, the timing is compelling. A sharp and violent downturn in Sino-Indian relations arguably offers Beijing a reason to increase pressure on India in the Northeast and elsewhere. After having invested in ULFA-I and NSCN-IM for years, the current circumstances offer an opportune moment to augment military and financial support for these groups.

The situation in Northeast itself is precarious.

Growth in mutual mistrust has fatally deadlocked talks between New Delhi and NSCN-IM, and the security situation in Manipur, eastern Arunachal Pradesh, and parts of Assam remains fragile. The composition of the grouping that orchestrated the attack in Chandel offers clues to this effect. A Meitei, a Manipuri Naga, and an Assamese group operating together without overt involvement of NSCN-IM indicates a churn in Northeasts insurgent landscape.

To be sure, insurgent alliances and in-fighting in this region are very common. But, given the history of animosity between Meitei and Manipuri Nagas, the coming together of MNPF and RPF signals tumult. At a local level, it signals growing opposition to NSCN-IM in the Tangkhul heartland of Manipur by a combination of Meitei and disgruntled Tangkhul Naga outfits with strategic support from ULFA-I. In addition to MNPF, other small groups such as the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) and the Eastern Naga National Government (ENNG) have violently challenged NSCN-IMs dominance in Manipurs Tamenglong district and Arunachal Pradeshs Changlang district respectively.

These local dynamics receive a boost from powerful external factors China? that enable supply of arms and money in a play that promises better payoffs if these groups operate jointly instead of pursuing ethnic fratricide. The joint statement offered a clue to this effect: We know that joining the Indian Occupation Force is not right because roguish India makes enmity among our brothers. None of this, however, offers definitive evidence of Beijings hand in the Northeast, Indias not-so-incredible claim of a link to China notwithstanding.

But then, this is not the first time such an attack has occurred. In 2015, a conglomeration of Northeast insurgents led by ULFA-I and NSCN-Khaplang (a rival Burmese Naga group that has long been at violent odds with NSCN-IM) attacked an Assam Rifles convoy, also in Chandel, killing 18 soldiers. The attack triggered an equally violent Indian response, wherein Indian special forces crossed over into Myanmar to target militant camps. In December 2017, two Assam Rifles personnel was killed in an attack in Arunachals Tirap district, for which NSCN-K, ULFA-I, and the Meitei-dominated and Imphal-centric Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup group took responsibility.

There was no official indication that the 2015 and 2017 attacks had a Chinese (or Pakistani) imprint on them, despite ULFA-Is involvement in the plots. India did not lodge complaints with Beijing either, despite the two neighbors having witnessed an intense military standoff in Doklam a few months prior. This raises the questions about the myths and realities about Chinas increased involvement in Indias Northeast. If these insurgent groups undertook independent action in 2015 and 2017 without Chinas direct involvement, why might that not be the case in 2020 as well?

Avinash Paliwal is Deputy Director of SOAS South Asia Institute and author of My Enemys Enemy: India in Afghanistan from the Soviet Invasion to the US Withdrawal (New York: Oxford University Press, 2017)

Is China Behind a Recent Insurgent Attack in India's Northeast? - The Diplomat

Reducing inequalities to save the planet – ScienceBlog.com

Posted on September 4, 2020 by Danzig

The economist and CNRS senior researcher Gal Giraud offers a sobering assessment of the global trend towards privatisation and its dangers for the environment, along with a new perspective on the concept of common wealth.

Several studies in recent years have highlighted the link between economic inequalities and environmental issues. In short, the greater the inequalities, the more waste, pollution and CO2emissions a society produces. Do you agree there is a connection between the two?Gal Giraud:I mostly share this point of view, but Id like to express a few reservations. It is true that atmospheric carbon dioxide emissions are a direct reflection of the economic inequalities between nations because people who enjoy the highest annual incomes are those who produce the most CO2. For example, a US citizen generates more than 15 tonnes of the gas each year on average, compared with 5 tonnes per person in France, and less than 2 tonnes in Chad. This trend can also be observed within each country where CO2emissions rise along with income levels, even though more affluent people can afford to adopt more environmentally friendly consumption habits.

Yet no causal link should be established with regard to this correlation between inequality and pollution. Supposing the worlds income was shared among all inhabitants of the planet without changing anybodys lifestyle and everyone on Earth received a worldwide average income, making global society perfectly egalitarian, the reduction in CO2emissions would be negligible. The rise in releases from what were the lower income groups would offset the drop from the upper brackets. What matters is not so much the redistribution of wealth, as changing our lifestyles and convincing everyone of the necessity of being less wasteful.

According to the French consulting firm Carbone 4, adjusting individual behaviours could reduce our carbon footprint by as much as 25%, or 30% for the most frugal among us. To bring net CO2emissions down to near zero and retain some chance of not drastically overshooting the goal of a 2C temperature rise set by the Paris Agreement, we need to radically, collectively transform our basic infrastructure.

Isnt it more difficult to transform lifestyles and infrastructures in less egalitarian societies?G.G.:That is one of the main lessons of the Yellow Vests protests in France, which suggest there can be no energy transition without significant social compensation, if governments want to avoid facing massive unrest. Unfortunately, income inequality has widened in France in recent years, in particular due to the real estate bubble in large cities and, more generally, the urbanisation of the country where the increased economic, political, cultural and media power shifts to conurbations, to the detriment of rural areas and smaller towns. This tendency also makes access to public services even more unequal. The problem is by no means limited to France, as clearly shown in the Danish World Inequality Database (WID), the most reliable in the world, and James Galbraiths studies on inequality, for example.

In 2015, Mark Carney, the governor of the Bank of England, warned that global warming was the greatest threat to financial stability and economic prosperity. Are we in fact trapped in a vicious circle in which the climate and the economy keep deteriorating, in turn worsening social unrest?G.G.:The first risk that Mark Carney quite rightly identified is the physical deterioration of assets held by financial institutions as a result of global warming. Today though, the banking and financial world is more concerned about the second type of threat Carney pointed to, whereby financial losses are caused by an overly rapid energy and environmental transition. In terms of immediate financial interests, it is important not to move too quickly. Since the economic impact of global warming, including the destruction of coastlines, the collapse of biodiversity, hydric stress, soil erosion, or extreme weather events, is very difficult to quantify and in any case is not factored into any corporate or national accounts it is vastly underestimated. To prevent this kind of danger, we are letting the first, much more serious type of risk continue to increase.

The main victims of global warming and current inaction will quite certainly be the poorest populations, whether in countries that have long been industrialised or in those that have never known an industrial revolution, as in Sub-Saharan Africa. But the economies of the North are dependent on those of the South and, should the latter happen to collapse, would quickly know the same fate. It is therefore of paramount importance to scientifically assess the impact of the first category of risk over time. This is what I am working on with the climatologists of the Institut Pierre-Simon-Laplace.

How does this make it urgent to reform the banking system?G.G.:Most of the large traditional banks have, in their balance sheets, a historical endowment inherited from the industrial revolution that is incompatible with the energy transition. I am currently studying the dependency of financial establishments on the fossil fuel industry. I cant yet give a precise figure, but one thing is certain, it is considerable and thats normal. What is not so normal is that French banks are exacerbating this dependency by continuing to finance fossil fuels on a massive scale. According to Oxfam, for every euro allocated to the financing of renewable energies, banks still lend another seven to fossil fuel ventures. If coal and gasoline were to be made stranded assets, in other words if their sale was banned, many institutions, already severely weakened by the financial crisis of 2008, would fail.

A bank the size of BNP Paribas, the leader in the Eurozone with assets of nearly 2 trillion euros a figure comparable to Frances GDP would take the entire French economy down with it. The government would be unable to pay up to 100,000 euros to reimburse each individual investors lost savings, as provided by the law. No one can estimate the worldwide financial meltdown that the failure of such a megabank would trigger. The same holds true, mutatis mutandis, for most systemically important mixed financial institutions, which combine market operations with savings and lending services. France is the only country in the world with four institutions of this type.

Most Western economies therefore simply cannot rush headlong towards a carbon-free society without endangering the global financial system. This is, in my opinion, the real reason for the prevailing inaction hidden behind a veneer of media greenwashing, because we all depend on banks, public sector and private sector alike. We have to make a choice between them and the planet.

In this financialised economy, which relies on the excessive use of natural resources, have economic inequalities facilitated the monopolisation of those resources?G.G.:The inequalities among countries have indeed given wealthier economies an advantage in the race for raw materials and fossil fuels. Chinas new Silk Road is above all a way to provide the Chinese economy with resources that cant be found inside the country. The historian Christophe Bonneuil has thoroughly documented the extent to which, for more than a century, France has also been heavily dependent on imports of material resources, and how the French colonial empire encouraged the establishment of these channels. Bonneuil goes so far as to describe our economy as parasitic. More generally, the so-called advanced economies would not be viable without monopolising resources. A telling example, cited by the scientific board of the French development agency, AFD, is the growing presence in Africa of a country like China, which has its eyes set on the Democratic Republic of Congos cobalt deposits, the largest in the world.

Wang Teng/Xinhua REA

According to the World Bank, our economic system also has its advantages, in particular by making it possible to reduce the wealth gap between countries. Do you subscribe to this point of view?G.G.:No one disputes the increasing inequalities within individual states. But the argument put forth by my colleagues at the World Bank, namely that the gap between countries has narrowed, is questionable. For one thing, it is based on the inversion, since the late 1990s, of a curve representing the evolution of the relative Gini coefficient, which measures the difference between the perfectly equitable apportionment of a resource and its actual distribution. The slight drop in this index over the past 20 years is due solely to 700 million Chinese rising out of poverty. Excluding China, the Gini index between countries has continued to increase for a generation. In addition, taking into consideration the disparity between extreme incomes rather than their ratio, the divide between nations is still growing, whether China is included or not.

Isnt a new economic and political system needed to reverse growing inequalities and CO2emissions?G.G.:I think the concurrent destruction of nature and social bonds that we are witnessing is the result of a political philosophy hostile to ecological transition. This philosophy, famously championed by Thomas Hobbes and John Locke, has helped enshrine the modern notion of private property as an inviolable sacred right, a status that it had never had in ancient and mediaeval Europe. We are obsessed with the idea of appropriating the world around us, which prevents the collective sharing and preservation of resources, goods and services.

In France in 1789, the sacred nature of private property was set forth in Article 2 of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, and later perpetuated by the Napoleonic Code and the UN Universal Declaration of 1948. Granting private property the status that mediaeval scholasticism gave to natural law means running the risk that no authority will ever be able to set limits to private owners imaginary prerogatives. For example, according to US law today, nothing can prevent someone who finds oil in their back garden from extracting it. It is their property, and they have exclusive rights over it. Similarly, there is no legal authority that can question the sovereignty of the Brazilian State, even though it is destroying the Amazon forest.

Gabriela Biro/Agencia Estado/Handout via Xinhua REA

In contrast with this global privatisation, you are proposing to reintroduce the concept of commons. Can you tell us about it?G.G.:In my opinion, the concept of commons, in other words resources that are shared and managed collectively by a community, in keeping with what was done under Roman law and in the Middle Ages, seems indeed quite promising. To take one example, the effects of deep-water industrial fishing combined with the acidification and warming of the oceans is disrupting and weakening the marine food chain to such an extent that researchers at the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD) have sounded the alarm. If nothing is done, there will not be a single edible fish left in the sea by 2050.

If we continue to consider the oceans as a private resource, Im afraid we will not be able to stop this decline. We must create global institutions through which resources, the high seas in particular, are administered as commons. I am not saying that this would be easy under present-day international law, but it seems essential if we dont want things to get worse. What gives me hope is that many communities have always had commons, and the practice is proliferating on the Internet and among collective groups dedicated to the protection of forestland, water resource management, or the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), to name but a few.

Jacques Loic/Photononstop/AFP

Should the idea be limited to natural resources?G.G.:I agree with the Hungarian economist and anthropologist Karl Polanyi who identified three main categories of assets whose privatisation breaks down social bonds, namely land, labour and money. Land, which we have already mentioned, is one of the resources supplied by non-human ecosystems. The question of labour is more complex, as shown in the remarkable works of Alain Supiot. It harks back to John Locke, who legitimised private property through labour, whereby those who work are the private owners of the product of their labour. This approach confines each and everyone of us to a solitude that is contradicted by the fact that society expresses itself through the product of individual labour. For example, does it make any sense to claim that the mathematician Alexandre Grothendieck is the sole owner of the theory of schemes? Relational anthropology cannot subscribe to the Lockean view and should encourage us to consider labour and its products as commons. This does not mean abolishing private property, but rather giving it the place it deserves.

As for money the third type of essential asset according to Polanyi its minting is reserved, in the Eurozone, to an oligopoly of private banks, since the sovereign right to issue currency has been taken away from the states. It is not certain that the privatisation of money serves the general interest, and yet this trend could be exacerbated by tech giants Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft, which are showing an interest in minting their own currency possibly beyond the control of public bank regulation authorities. This can only further erode the sovereignty of citizens and undermine already weakened governments.

In response, somewhat in the manner of the monetary biodiversity that prevailed in the Middle Ages when royal privileges allowed certain towns to mint coins, many initiatives have been launched in Europe to regain local monetary sovereignty. These complementary, civic-minded regional currencies, like the Sardex in Sardinia, are concrete reinventions of the concept of commons. Money, labour and natural resources are three areas where the role of the State needs to be reassessed. Governments should create the necessary conditions for the emergence and preservation of commons in civil society, including global ones like the Amazon. Otherwise, the utopia of an entirely privatised world, shredding the fundamental bonds of solidarity in our societies, will cause such suffering that, as in the 1930s, people will end up clamouring for authoritarian, anti-democratic solutions to save them from the nightmare of privatisation. In my opinion, this is the root cause of the rise of right-wing populism in Europe, Brazil and India today.

See the original post here:

Reducing inequalities to save the planet - ScienceBlog.com

Survival of the friendliest: Why kindness, not aggression, helped humans thrive – BBC Focus Magazine

Posted on September 4, 2020 by Danzig

Our views of human nature shape almost everything we do as a society. It informs who heal or ignore. Who we protect or persecute. And no view of human nature has done more harm than survival of the fittest. At its inception, it inspired the eugenics movement and now it promotes all forms of racism and discrimination.

But survival of the fittest, which in the popular imagination suggests the superiority of the strongest, biggest and meanest, is a tragic misunderstanding. To Darwin, and other biologists, fitness only refers to the offspring you leave behind. It was never meant to go beyond that.

Using the intended definition of fitness, research has repeatedly shown that friendliness is the key to lifes biggest successes. Flowering plants quickly spread to every corner of the planet by inviting animals to pollinate them.

Cleaner wrasse comfortably dart between the teeth of much larger predatory fish who let them eat their dental parasites. And dogs are the ultimate example of survival of the friendliest they became friendlier through domestication and are the most successful mammal on the planet, besides us.

We Can Handle This, America – National Review

Posted on September 4, 2020 by Danzig

A poll worker casts a mail-in ballot for a voter at a drive-thru polling station during the primary election amid the coronavirus outbreak in Miami, Fla., August 18, 2020. (Marco Bello/Reuters)

On the menu today: As Facebook takes steps to prepare for a divided and angry election season, lets remember what we can do to ensure we have faith in this falls elections; a grim number that indicates that COVID-19 isnt just a menace to the elderly and immunocompromised; some revelations about Alexander Graham Bell I wish I hadnt learned; and a new spot online for voracious readers.

If Youre Worried about the Election, You Can Do Something about It

Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg, this morning: The U.S. elections are just two months away, and with Covid-19 affecting communities across the country, Im concerned about the challenges people could face when voting. Im also worried that with our nation so divided and election results potentially taking days or even weeks to be finalized, there could be an increased risk of civil unrest across the country.

Facebook is taking additional steps to help the upcoming election run smoothly removing misinformation about voting, partnering with Reuters and the National Election Pool to provide authoritative information about election results, and not allowing political advertising in the final week before the election.

But whether or not the country witnesses election-related unrest shouldnt be dependent upon the policies of a social-media company. Functioning as a constitutional democratic republic requires a little bit of responsibility on the part of each citizen, poll worker, volunteer, government employee, and elected leader. Not a ton or an unbearable burden. We can handle this, America.

First, you know there are foreign forces hostile to the United States who want you to have no faith in any aspect of your government, right? Vladimir Putin, Chinese State Security, and the Iranian mullahs, among others, want you marinating in a toxic stew of suspicion, confusion, paranoia, rage, and eagerness to lash out at other Americans. The more energy and time we spend attacking each other, the less time we have left to focus on what theyre doing whether its Novichok assassinations, running concentration camps or crushing democratic opposition in Hong Kong, or executing children. We, as ordinary citizens, have limited ability to impede their efforts to put out disinformation. But we can choose how we respond to it, and we can choose to be less credulous about everything we read on social media.

If everybody in America resolved, Im not going to rush out and smash something because I dont like the election result, or the votes are taking a long time to count, we would prove that all of these foreign disinformation efforts are a waste of time. Were not taking the bait; were not so easily manipulated.*

Second, you know that in most jurisdictions, you can volunteer as a poll worker or poll watcher, right? There are various age, local residence, and voter registration requirements. If youre wondering whether its safe to work at a polling place . . . with the proper precautions, yes. Weve held primary elections all year long.

If you have any doubts that the elections in your community wont be run fairly, you can do something about it. If you cant get involved in the election process yourself, you have no shortage of legal authorities to turn to if you suspect election fraud or some other illegal activity. Every state government has an election security office. The Department of Homeland Security has an Election Security division. The U.S. Election Assistance Commissions whole job is to help states and localities prepare and secure their elections.

Dont just sit there and predict that the election will be stolen on social media; get up out of your chair and do something about it. Those hostile foreign forces want you feeling helpless and that theres nothing you can do.

I am among the worlds most insufferable critics of government bureaucracy.But although there are a handful of places that are notorious for poorly run elections and counts,in the vast majority of places in the United States, elections are run fairly, legally, and smoothly.

Yes, the 2020 election will almost certainly have more Americans voting early and voting by mail than ever before. But last cycle wasnt exactly low about 57.2 million in 2016, or about 40 percent of all ballots. Sixteen states had more than half their ballots cast by mail or early. Running this years general election without too many snafus or confusion will be a tougher endeavor, but it wont be wildly different from the challenge last cycle.

We can do this, America. Dont get anxious, get prepared.

*Perhaps we are so easily manipulated. Last year, somebody wrote a novel about a sinister group with ties to the Iranians using social media to stir up mistrust and fear, climaxing in widespread violence in cities as Americans lashed out at each other in suspicion,trying to create an atmosphere of runaway paranoia where Americans started to see every stranger they encountered as a deadly threat. But hey, what are the odds of that happening, right?

COVID-19 Has Killed More Cops This Year Than All Other Causes Combined

This is a useful reminder for the COVID-19 is only a threat to the elderly and those who were already seriously sick crowd:

As of Sept. 2, on-the-jobcoronavirusinfections were responsible for a least 100 officer deaths, more than gun violence, car accidents and all other causes combined,according to the Officer Downgroup. National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund reported a nearly identical number of covid-related law enforcement deaths.

Both organizations only count covid deaths if it is determined that the officer died as a result of exposure to the virus while performing official duties, as the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund put it. Substantive evidence will be required to show the death was more than likely due to the direct and proximate result of a duty-related incident.

In addition to the 100 confirmed coronavirus fatalities listed on the Officer Down website, the nonprofit said it is in the process of verifying an additional 150 officer deaths due to covid-19 and presumed to have been contracted in the line of duty, said Chris Cosgriff, executive director of ODMP, in an email.

A disturbing number of people have chosen to interpret COVID-19 is a greater threat to the elderly and immunocompromised as COVID-19 is only a threat to the elderly and immunocompromised.

Technically, I Guess Alexander Graham Bell Is to Blame for Robocalls, Too

A wise voice wrote in, marveling that the District of Columbias Facilities and Commemorative Expressions (DCFACES) group singled out over 150 landmarks having the names of persons of concern and on the list was Bell Multicultural High School in Columbia Heights, named after Alexander Graham Bell.

This is the report that urged the mayor to use her position on the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission to recommend that Federal government remove, relocate, or contextualize the Jefferson Memorial, Washington Monument, and six other federal assets.

Keep in mind that the District of Columbia has no authority over the Washington Monument or Jefferson Memorial, as those are run by the National Parks Service.

I did some Googling . . . and learned some disappointing things about Alexander Graham Bell:

Bells second chief interest was the study of heredity and animal breeding, and he became an early supporter of the eugenics movement to improve human breeding. Bell did not go so far as to advocate social controls on reproduction, as many eugenicists did. He did, however, decry the immigration into the United States of what he termed undesirable ethnical elements, calling for legislation to prevent their entry in order to encourage the evolution of a higher and nobler type of man in America. His views on immigration, deaf education, and eugenics overlapped and intertwined. He described sign language as essentially a foreign language and argued that in an English speaking country like the United States, the English language,and the English language alone, should be used as the means of communication and instruction at least in schools supported at public expense. He maintained that the use of sign language in our public schools is contrary to the spirit and practice of American Institutions (as foreign immigrants have found out).

In 1884, Bell published a paper Upon the Formation of a Deaf Variety of the Human Race, in which he warned of a great calamity facing the nation: deaf people were forming clubs, socializing with one another and, consequently, marrying other deaf people. The creation of a deaf race that yearly would grow larger and more insular was underway. Bell noted that a special language adapted for the use of such a race already was in existence, a language as different from English as French or German or Russian. Some eugenicists called for legislation outlawing intermarriage by deaf people, but Bell rejected such a ban as impractical. Instead he proposed the following steps: (1) Determine the causes that promote intermarriages among the deaf and dumb; and (2) remove them. The causes he sought to remove were sign language, deaf teachers, and residential schools. His solution was the creation of special day schools taught by hearing teachers who would enforce a ban on sign language.

Ugh. Eugenics? Opposition to deaf people socializing or marrying other deaf people?

I dont know if I necessarily would rename the Bell school now that I know this; the man was still a revolutionary inventor. But reading the above, its at least easier to see why some people would prefer a school not be named after him.

ADDENDUM: A little more than 13 years ago, I set up my Goodreads account . . . and did almost nothing with it. Ive finally updated it with more information about my books and will soon add links to my book reviews, etc.If youre on Goodreads, check it out, and if youre not, but like books and reading, you may want to give it a try.

Originally posted here:

We Can Handle This, America - National Review

Joe Rogan Podcast Comes to Spotify, but Its Missing His Episodes With Far-Right Figures – Yahoo Entertainment

Posted on September 4, 2020 by Danzig

Spotify launched Joe Rogans popular podcast this week. But the batch of 1,691 episodes of The Joe Rogan Experience currently available on the streaming platform is conspicuously missing a several controversial segments.

The Rogan episodes on Spotify omit his interviews with far-right figures including notorious conspiracy monger Alex Jones of InfoWars (whose podcasts Spotify and other platforms pulled in 2018 for policy violations). Other Joe Rogan Experience episodes not available include those with Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes; ex-Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos; Charles C. Johnson, whos been described as a race-baiting troll; alt-right political commentator and comedian Owen Benjamin; Stefan Molyneux, who amplifies scientific racism, eugenics and white supremacism, per the Southern Poverty Law Center; and anti-feminist personality Carl Benjamin (aka Sargon of Akkad).

Spotify announced the arrival of Rogans podcast in a tweet Tuesday, calling him a stand-up comic, mixed martial arts fanatic and psychedelic adventurer, neglecting to call out one significant element of his brand a political provocateur who has provided a platform for the far-right fringe.

Also not available on Spotify are Rogans podcast episodes with comedians Chris DElia (recently accused of sexual misconduct involving, in some cases, teenage girls), as well as Joey Diaz and Tommy Chong.

Reps for Spotify and Rogan didnt respond to requests for comment.

According to Spotify, The Joe Rogan Experience has long been the most-searched-for podcast on its service. The episodes on the service date back to 2009, when the comedian and former TV host first launched the show. Rogans deal with Spotify is worth more than $100 million, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Under the mutiyear licensing pact, The Joe Rogan Experience will become exclusive to Spotify later in 2020. There will still be clips from the show on YouTube but full versions of the show will only be on Spotify after the end of the year.

While Spotify will become the exclusive distributor of JRE, Rogan will maintain full creative control over the show under the agreement.

Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts Market Advanced Technologies and Growth Opportunities in Industry 2020-2025|Saab AB, Zenith Aircraft, TATA, Sealand…

Posted on September 4, 2020 by Danzig

Global Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts Market Report 2020 by Key Players, Types, Applications, Countries, Market Size, Forecast to 2026 (Based on 2020 COVID-19 Worldwide Spread)

Global Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts Market Report offers an entire study of the Impact of COVID-19 on Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts Market, Industry Outlook, Opportunities in Market, and Expansion By 2025 and also taking into consideration key factors like drivers, challenges, recent trends, opportunities, advancements, and competitive landscape. This report offers a clear understanding of this also as a future scenario of the worldwide Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts industry. Research techniques like PESTLE and SWOT analysis are deployed by the researchers. They need also provided accurate data on Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts production, capacity, price, cost, margin, and revenue to help the players gain a clear understanding of the general existing and future market situation.

>>> Get Free Sample PDF (including COVID19 Impact Analysis, full TOC, Tables and Figures) of Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts Market:

Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts Market competition by top manufacturers/Key player Profiled:Saab AB, Zenith Aircraft, TATA, Sealand Aviation, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), ShinMaywa Industries, Strata Manufacturing, Asian Composites Manufacturing (ACM), Bombardier, LAM Aviation

The study objectives of Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts Market report are: 1.To identify opportunities and challenges for Global Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts.2.To provide insights about factors affecting market growth. To analyze the Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, SWOT analysis, etc.3.To identify and analyze the profile of leading players involved within the manufacturing of worldwide Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts.4.To provide country-level analysis of the market regarding the present Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts market size and future prospective.5.To examine competitive developments like expansions, new product launches, mergers & acquisitions, etc., in Global Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts.6.To provide a detailed analysis of the market structure alongside forecast of the varied segments and sub-segments of the worldwide Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts market.

By Types, the Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts Market can be Splits into:

High WingMid WingLow Wing

By Applications, the Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts Market can be Splits into:

Wide-body AircraftNarrow-body Aircraft

The research team projects that the Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts market size will grow from XXX in 2019 to XXX by 2026, at an estimated CAGR of XX. The base year considered for the study is 2019, and the market size is projected from 2020 to 2026.

The prime objective of this report is to help the user understand the market in terms of its definition, segmentation, market potential, influential trends, and the challenges that the market is facing with 10 major regions and 30 major countries. Deep researches and analysis were done during the preparation of the report. The readers will find this report very helpful in understanding the market in depth. The data and the information regarding the market are taken from reliable sources such as websites, annual reports of the companies, journals, and others and were checked and validated by the industry experts. The facts and data are represented in the report using diagrams, graphs, pie charts, and other pictorial representations. This enhances the visual representation and also helps in understanding the facts much better.

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Regions Covered in these Report:

Asia Pacific (China, Japan, India, and Rest of Asia Pacific)Europe (Germany, the UK, France, and Rest of Europe)North America (the US, Mexico, and Canada)Latin America (Brazil and Rest of Latin America)Middle East & Africa (GCC Countries and Rest of Middle East & Africa)

Global Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts Market is highly fragmented and the major players have used various strategies such as new product launches, expansions, agreements, joint ventures, partnerships, acquisitions, and others to increase their footprints in this market. The report includes market shares of Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts Market for Global, Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific, South America and Middle East & Africa.

Reasons To Buy: Make strategic business decisions using in-depth historic and forecast market data associated with the Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts market, and every category within it.Extensive price charts draw particular pricing trends within recent yearsPosition yourself to realize the most advantage of the Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts markets growth potentialTo understand the latest trends of the Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts marketTo understand the impactful developments of key players within the market, their strategic initiatives and comprehensively study their core competencies

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Table of Contents

Report Overview:It includes major players of the global Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts Market covered in the research study, research scope, and Market segments by type, market segments by application, years considered for the research study, and objectives of the report.

Global Growth Trends:This section focuses on industry trends where market drivers and top market trends are shed light upon. It also provides growth rates of key producers operating in the global Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts Market. Furthermore, it offers production and capacity analysis where marketing pricing trends, capacity, production, and production value of the global Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts Market are discussed.

Market Share by Manufacturers:Here, the report provides details about revenue by manufacturers, production and capacity by manufacturers, price by manufacturers, expansion plans, mergers and acquisitions, and products, market entry dates, distribution, and market areas of key manufacturers.

Market Size by Type:This section concentrates on product type segments where production value market share, price, and production market share by product type are discussed.

Market Size by Application:Besides an overview of the global Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts Market by application, it gives a study on the consumption in the global Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts Market by application.

Production by Region:Here, the production value growth rate, production growth rate, import and export, and key players of each regional market are provided.

Consumption by Region:This section provides information on the consumption in each regional market studied in the report. The consumption is discussed on the basis of country, application, and product type.

Company Profiles:Almost all leading players of the global Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts Market are profiled in this section. The analysts have provided information about their recent developments in the global Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts Market, products, revenue, production, business, and company.

Market Forecast by Production:The production and production value forecasts included in this section are for the global Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts Market as well as for key regional markets.

Market Forecast by Consumption:The consumption and consumption value forecasts included in this section are for the global Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts Market as well as for key regional markets.

Value Chain and Sales Analysis:It deeply analyzes customers, distributors, sales channels, and value chain of the global Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts Market.

Key Findings: This section gives a quick look at important findings of the research study.

About Us:Report Hive Research delivers strategic market research reports, statistical surveys, industry analysis and forecast data on products and services, markets and companies. Our clientele ranges mix of global business leaders, government organizations, SMEs, individuals and Start-ups, top management consulting firms, universities, etc. Our library of 700,000 + reports targets high growth emerging markets in the USA, Europe Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific covering industries like IT, Telecom, Semiconductor, Chemical, Healthcare, Pharmaceutical, Energy and Power, Manufacturing, Automotive and Transportation, Food and Beverages, etc. This large collection of insightful reports assists clients to stay ahead of time and competition. We help in business decision-making on aspects such as market entry strategies, market sizing, market share analysis, sales and revenue, technology trends, competitive analysis, product portfolio, and application analysis, etc.

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Ailerons for Commercial Aircrafts Market Advanced Technologies and Growth Opportunities in Industry 2020-2025|Saab AB, Zenith Aircraft, TATA, Sealand...

Global Agriculture Equipment Assembly market: Market Shares and Growth Strategies of Key Participants|Rockwell Automation, Fairlawn Tool, Herker…

Posted on September 4, 2020 by Danzig

Agriculture Equipment Assembly Market

The latest report published by QY Research presents a thorough analysis of the global Agriculture Equipment Assembly market. The research report evaluates the ever-changing market dynamics that are expected to impact the trajectory of the overall market. Analysts studied the historical achievements of the market and compared it to the current market trends, to chart the trajectory. For a detailed discussion about the globalAgriculture Equipment Assemblymarket, analysts have segmented the market on the basis of application, product, and end-users. The research report has been collated using primary and secondary research methodologies to provide the readers with an accurate and precise understanding of the Agriculture Equipment Assembly market ongoing developments.

Analysts have used Porters five forces analysis, SWOT analysis, and PESTLE analysis to determine the course key vendors are likely to take in the coming years. The research report also includes an assessment of the financial outlook of these vendors, Agriculture Equipment Assembly market growth strategies, and their expansion plans for the forecast period. All of the information present in the research report about the global Agriculture Equipment Assembly market has been authenticated by market experts.

Competitive Landscape

In the last chapter, the analysts have studied the competitive landscape present in the global Agriculture Equipment Assembly market. The chapter also includes comments and recommendations by market experts to help the readers make the right decisions for their businesses for the forecast period. The chapter on competitive landscape presents a list of achievements made by these companies so far, mergers and acquisitions, and product innovations.

Agriculture Equipment Assembly Market Leading Players

, Agrabase, Rockwell Automation, Fairlawn Tool, Herker Industries, Nordson Sealand Equipment, Fanuc, Araymond, Sweet Manufacturing

Market Segmentation

The extensive report on the global Agriculture Equipment Assembly market includes an executive summary that gives a brief description of the overall market, its drivers, restraints, leading segments, and competitive landscape. Each part of the executive is separately explained in the research report through dedicated chapters. The chapters are complete with precise calculations through charts and graphs.

The publication also includes individual chapters on various segments present in the market and the relevant sub-segments. Analysts have provided historical revenues and estimated revenues for all of the segments. Sales of products and the evolution of end-users have also been studied in the research report. The chapter on geographical analysis assesses the regional markets. It takes a granular view of the changing socio-political conditions, weather changes, and annual budgets of nations to determine their impact on the overall market.

Agriculture Equipment Assembly Segmentation by Product

Full Automatic, Semi Automatic Agriculture Equipment Assembly

Agriculture Equipment Assembly Segmentation by Application

, Industrialized Agriculture, Subsistence Agriculture

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Report Objectives

Analyzing the size of the global Agriculture Equipment Assembly market on the basis of value and volume.

Accurately calculating the market shares, consumption, and other vital factors of different segments of the global Agriculture Equipment Assembly market.

Exploring the key dynamics of the global Agriculture Equipment Assembly market.

Highlighting important trends of the global Agriculture Equipment Assembly market in terms of production, revenue, and sales.

Deeply profiling top players of the global Agriculture Equipment Assembly market and showing how they compete in the industry.

Studying manufacturing processes and costs, product pricing, and various trends related to them.

Showing the performance of different regions and countries in the global Agriculture Equipment Assembly market.

Forecasting the market size and share of all segments, regions, and the global market.

Table of Contents

1 Report Overview1.1 Study Scope1.2 Market Analysis by Type

1.2.1 Global Agriculture Equipment Assembly Market Size Growth Rate by Type: 2020 VS 2026

1.2.2 Full Automatic

1.2.3 Semi Automatic1.3 Market by Application

1.3.1 Global Agriculture Equipment Assembly Market Share by Application: 2020 VS 2026

1.3.2 Industrialized Agriculture

1.3.3 Subsistence Agriculture1.4 Study Objectives1.5 Years Considered 2 Global Growth Trends2.1 Global Agriculture Equipment Assembly Market Perspective (2015-2026)2.2 Global Agriculture Equipment Assembly Growth Trends by Regions

2.2.1 Agriculture Equipment Assembly Market Size by Regions: 2015 VS 2020 VS 2026

2.2.2 Agriculture Equipment Assembly Historic Market Share by Regions (2015-2020)

2.2.3 Agriculture Equipment Assembly Forecasted Market Size by Regions (2021-2026)2.3 Industry Trends and Growth Strategy

2.3.1 Market Trends

2.3.2 Market Drivers

2.3.3 Market Challenges

2.3.4 Market Restraints 3 Competition Landscape by Key Players3.1 Global Top Agriculture Equipment Assembly Players by Market Size

3.1.1 Global Top Agriculture Equipment Assembly Players by Revenue (2015-2020)

3.1.2 Global Agriculture Equipment Assembly Revenue Market Share by Players (2015-2020)3.2 Global Agriculture Equipment Assembly Market Share by Company Type (Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3)3.3 Players Covered: Ranking by Agriculture Equipment Assembly Revenue3.4 Global Agriculture Equipment Assembly Market Concentration Ratio

3.4.1 Global Agriculture Equipment Assembly Market Concentration Ratio (CR5 and HHI)

3.4.2 Global Top 10 and Top 5 Companies by Agriculture Equipment Assembly Revenue in 20193.5 Key Players Agriculture Equipment Assembly Area Served3.6 Key Players Agriculture Equipment Assembly Product Solution and Service3.7 Date of Enter into Agriculture Equipment Assembly Market3.8 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion Plans 4 Agriculture Equipment Assembly Breakdown Data by Type (2015-2026)4.1 Global Agriculture Equipment Assembly Historic Market Size by Type (2015-2020)4.2 Global Agriculture Equipment Assembly Forecasted Market Size by Type (2021-2026) 5 Agriculture Equipment Assembly Breakdown Data by Application (2015-2026)5.1 Global Agriculture Equipment Assembly Historic Market Size by Application (2015-2020)5.2 Global Agriculture Equipment Assembly Forecasted Market Size by Application (2021-2026) 6 North America6.1 North America Agriculture Equipment Assembly Market Size (2015-2026)6.2 North America Agriculture Equipment Assembly Market Size by Type (2015-2020)6.3 North America Agriculture Equipment Assembly Market Size by Application (2015-2020)6.4 North America Agriculture Equipment Assembly Market Size by Country (2015-2020)

6.4.1 United States

6.4.2 Canada 7 Europe7.1 Europe Agriculture Equipment Assembly Market Size (2015-2026)7.2 Europe Agriculture Equipment Assembly Market Size by Type (2015-2020)7.3 Europe Agriculture Equipment Assembly Market Size by Application (2015-2020)7.4 Europe Agriculture Equipment Assembly Market Size by Country (2015-2020)

7.4.1 Germany

7.4.2 France

7.4.3 U.K.

7.4.4 Italy

7.4.5 Russia

7.4.6 Nordic

7.4.7 Rest of Europe 8 China8.1 China Agriculture Equipment Assembly Market Size (2015-2026)8.2 China Agriculture Equipment Assembly Market Size by Type (2015-2020)8.3 China Agriculture Equipment Assembly Market Size by Application (2015-2020)8.4 China Agriculture Equipment Assembly Market Size by Region (2015-2020)

8.4.1 China

8.4.2 Japan

8.4.3 South Korea

8.4.4 Southeast Asia

8.4.5 India

8.4.6 Australia

8.4.7 Rest of Asia-Pacific 9 Japan9.1 Japan Agriculture Equipment Assembly Market Size (2015-2026)9.2 Japan Agriculture Equipment Assembly Market Size by Type (2015-2020)9.3 Japan Agriculture Equipment Assembly Market Size by Application (2015-2020)9.4 Japan Agriculture Equipment Assembly Market Size by Country (2015-2020)

9.4.1 Mexico

9.4.2 Brazil 10 Southeast Asia10.1 Southeast Asia Agriculture Equipment Assembly Market Size (2015-2026)10.2 Southeast Asia Agriculture Equipment Assembly Market Size by Type (2015-2020)10.3 Southeast Asia Agriculture Equipment Assembly Market Size by Application (2015-2020)10.4 Southeast Asia Agriculture Equipment Assembly Market Size by Country (2015-2020)

10.4.1 Turkey

10.4.2 Saudi Arabia

10.4.3 UAE

10.4.4 Rest of Middle East & Africa 11 Key Players Profiles11.1 Agrabase

11.1.1 Agrabase Company Details

11.1.2 Agrabase Business Overview

11.1.3 Agrabase Agriculture Equipment Assembly Introduction

11.1.4 Agrabase Revenue in Agriculture Equipment Assembly Business (2015-2020))

11.1.5 Agrabase Recent Development11.2 Rockwell Automation

11.2.1 Rockwell Automation Company Details

11.2.2 Rockwell Automation Business Overview

11.2.3 Rockwell Automation Agriculture Equipment Assembly Introduction

11.2.4 Rockwell Automation Revenue in Agriculture Equipment Assembly Business (2015-2020)

11.2.5 Rockwell Automation Recent Development11.3 Fairlawn Tool

11.3.1 Fairlawn Tool Company Details

11.3.2 Fairlawn Tool Business Overview

11.3.3 Fairlawn Tool Agriculture Equipment Assembly Introduction

11.3.4 Fairlawn Tool Revenue in Agriculture Equipment Assembly Business (2015-2020)

11.3.5 Fairlawn Tool Recent Development11.4 Herker Industries

11.4.1 Herker Industries Company Details

11.4.2 Herker Industries Business Overview

11.4.3 Herker Industries Agriculture Equipment Assembly Introduction

11.4.4 Herker Industries Revenue in Agriculture Equipment Assembly Business (2015-2020)

11.4.5 Herker Industries Recent Development11.5 Nordson Sealand Equipment

11.5.1 Nordson Sealand Equipment Company Details

11.5.2 Nordson Sealand Equipment Business Overview

11.5.3 Nordson Sealand Equipment Agriculture Equipment Assembly Introduction

11.5.4 Nordson Sealand Equipment Revenue in Agriculture Equipment Assembly Business (2015-2020)

11.5.5 Nordson Sealand Equipment Recent Development11.6 Fanuc

11.6.1 Fanuc Company Details

11.6.2 Fanuc Business Overview

11.6.3 Fanuc Agriculture Equipment Assembly Introduction

11.6.4 Fanuc Revenue in Agriculture Equipment Assembly Business (2015-2020)

11.6.5 Fanuc Recent Development11.7 Araymond

11.7.1 Araymond Company Details

11.7.2 Araymond Business Overview

11.7.3 Araymond Agriculture Equipment Assembly Introduction

11.7.4 Araymond Revenue in Agriculture Equipment Assembly Business (2015-2020)

11.7.5 Araymond Recent Development11.8 Sweet Manufacturing

See the rest here:

Global Agriculture Equipment Assembly market: Market Shares and Growth Strategies of Key Participants|Rockwell Automation, Fairlawn Tool, Herker...

NBAs Leadership Offers A Roadmap To Change The Status Quo – Forbes

Posted on September 4, 2020 by Danzig

(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

When the NBA and its players union recentlyagreedon a simple, yet effective set of actions to advance the cause of social justice and racial equality in America, they showed that, in the face of deeply painful systemic challenges, evolved leadership can make a difference. Political and business leaders should take notice. New episodes of violence and divisive rhetoric continue to tear at the frail scabs that cover the countrys racial wounds, feeding a malaise more profound than the unrest seen in Kenosha, Portland, Los Angeles and other cities.

Autocratic leadership, which shares a top-down mindset with the behaviors linked to racial violence, is fundamentally unsuited to address the current crisis. However, leadership that uses deep listening, authentic introspection and transformative empowerment, can make real progress. With the resolution offered last week, the NBA began to do exactly that.

Deep Listening Captures The Whole Meaning Of A Challenge

There is listening, and there islistening. A leader may pay attention to the recent civil unrest through the filter of their preconceived notions or focus more deeply on the meaning of what is happening on the streets of America today. For example, a CEO might conclude that a debate on social justice doesnt belong in the workplace. Or, the leader of a political party might fixate on the clamors caused by a particular episode of disorderly conduct. Yet, a leader could also look at the current climate of unrest and realize that by witnessing several cases of racial violence, people have had a chance to observe a system fundamentally unwilling to change or self-correct.

The first type of listening is perfunctory and sterile. It may keep good trouble out of the workplace, but it will likely fail the dialogue withmillennial and Gen Zemployees. It may nab civil unrest, but it wont heal the growing divide or the brokenness thats leading some to take to the streets with rifles, in the name of self-defense, while others loot in the shadow of those who seek justice.

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

The second type of listening, however, can start a transformative process of problem-solving. The agreement reached by the NBA last week came out of a multitude of tense, emotional conversations. The players listened to each other, dialogued with the teams owners, and weighed in on the perspective ofother stakeholders. Steve Ballmer, one of the NBA owners,describedhow part of this process entailed closely listening to the players while recognizing that people like him do not have the lived experience of growing up Black in America.

This was not about one side winning or getting their way over the other; it was about different parties working through the meaning of their unease and the conflicting priorities of their roles. It was this intense process that helped the NBA develop a better understanding of what could be done as well as a fuller sense of their collective responsibility as a powerful and influential organization of diverse stakeholders.

Authentic Introspection Enables Change

Though most people think they know their personal values, actual behavior is ofteninconsistentwith the values people claim to hold. A leader may think that they value diversity but pay greater attention to the opinions of in-group members. Another may declare that they want people to speak out but feel threatened by the smallest signs of dissent. Sometimes, these gaps are disingenuous, but for the most part, they indicate a lack of self-awareness.

Failure to achieve a working understanding of ones personal values has practical consequences, especially in the face conflicting goals and/or systemic challenges. In some cases, it may result in applying norms opportunistically and inconsistently, thereby increasing existing feelings ofunfairness. In others, it may lead to discounting the importance of real priorities, which in turn prevents progress. And in more extreme situations, it may take a person in power to divorce their perceived competence from any sense of moral competence.

Thus, a leader might justify the unlawful use of force by a follower as a form of self-defense, while labeling peaceful protesters as rioters. He/she might conclude that sports ought to remain confined to a bubble of blissful ignorance where fans can forget the crude reality of particular facets of life. Or, he/she might engage in so biased a form of discounting to reject any factual evidence inconsistent with his/her self-image.

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

In all these instances, leadership shows a lack of ethical imagination. Thus, if presented with a paradox such as the one eloquentlyarticulatedbythe coach of the Los Angeles Clippers, Doc Rivers,why we are the ones getting killed; we are the ones getting shot;[yet], you keep hearing [the other side talking] about fear, why we keep loving this country, and this country does not love us backnot only will the leader struggle to understand it, but he/she will find it impossible to navigate or ever possibly, attempt a solution.

Indeed, when it comes to personal values, self-awareness should not be mistaken for a rigid application of ones standards. Instead, it should be used in the form of authentic introspection - a practice of regularly reflecting on what such values mean and what type of mature action they may require. As the NBA players debated whether they should cancel the playoffs, LeBron James, who had initially voted to end the season,reportedlypushed for finishing the game. James, who was criticized by some for his change of heart,respondedby pointing out that at this very hour, justice needs action, not only talk.

Transformative Empowerment Creates A Path Forward

Theplatformthe NBA and the NBPA agreed to includes a social justice coalition focused on facilitating access to voting, raising awareness and advocating for genuine reform. To this end, initiatives such as the conversion of arenas into polling locations and advertising spots in each NBA playoff game dedicated to promoting greater civic engagement in national and local elections will be actively pursued. The players and the owners did more than pledge to a vision. They also committed actual resources within their area of influence. In so doing, theyempowered each other to re-imagine how valuable assets could be leveraged to make tangible progress toward the goal of social justice and racial equality.

Its the generative aspect of this process that is most deserving of attention here. Turning a basketball court into a polling place and using a game not solely to entertain but to increase awareness that voting is a means to justice are the types of out-of-the-box thinking that can break the deadlock of the status quo. The most empowering aspect of the NBA standoff was not the mere fact that the players set an example for other athletes, but that the players, the owners and other stakeholders delivered a template of how resources and beliefs can be repurposed to make immediate and future progress.

In thewordsof John Lewis, one of the greatest heroes of the civil rights era, the NBA showed howordinary people with extraordinary vision can get in good trouble, necessary trouble,.. seeing something that is not right, saying something, and doing somethinghelping to build a nation and world society at peace with itself.

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NBAs Leadership Offers A Roadmap To Change The Status Quo - Forbes

Olympian Allyson Felix Teams Up With Athleta To Empower Women Of All Ages – Forbes

Posted on September 4, 2020 by Danzig

Allyson Felix wearing the Allyson Felix + Athleta collection

When you unroll your yoga mat or lace up your running shoes, the actionand sweatthat follows can transform your mood, mind and body, no matter how old you are. Athleta is capturing that through their Power of She campaign and Athleta Girl (Em)Power Hour episodes. Our mission is to ignite confidence in women and girls everywhere and this comes to life as the Power of She, says Katy Miller, Senior Director of Athleta Girl. As a brand by women, for women, we are deeply committed to supporting the next generation of girlsand we know she finds her strength through movement and connection. Theres never been a more meaningful time to be a girl. Our (Em)Power Hour series is meant to encourage girls to keep them in the game, even when life may get challenging.

The (Em)Power Hour series was created to keep women and girls inspired during this difficult time when theyre disconnected from their regular routine with friends and teammates, particularly helping girls feel less alone and keeping them active. We believe that playing sports, participating on teams and doing activities she loves will help build friendships and foster strength and confidence that will carry her through her life, Miller says. And (Em)Power Hour is a physical manifestation of this mantra. We hope that by hearing athletes they revere talk about their personal journey in overcoming obstacles, and joining them in easy sprints and routines at home, girls will be reminded of the importance of perseverance, staying positive and cherishing the friendships created through sports.

Allyson Felix wearing the Allyson Felix + Athleta collection

Athleta Girl (Em)Power Hour Episode 2 is airing on September 5 at 10am PT/1pm EST on YouTube Live and will feature Gabi Butler and Lexi Brumback, the stars of Netflix docuseries Cheer, teaching warm-up routines, followed by a Q&A moderated by Tunde Oyeneyin, an elite Peloton instructor with a mission to inspire and motivate others. We wanted to feature young women who have powerful voices in sport, Miller says. For anyone who has watched Cheer, Gabi and Lexi both showed us what it means to stay in the game and how powerful the support of a team and coach can be in fueling your confidence.

Playing sports as girls gives them skills they carry for the rest of their lives. According to the Women in Sports Foundation, 60% of women executives credited sport participation with helping them cultivate an understanding of what it took to compete, plus another study found that 94% of women in the C-Suite played sports growing up. Girls drop out of sports at more than twice the rate of boysyet we know sports build friendships, confidence, resilience and determination and skills to carry women and girls through their life, Miller says.

Athleta Girl (Em)Power Hour episodes and the Power of She campaign are trying to change that, with their partner Olympic athlete Allyson Felix fighting alongside them. Felix created a capsule collection for women and girls in partnership with Athleta and is setting an example for them to follow. Allyson is not just an athlete, but a mother and an activist, Miller says. Shes a living vision of our purposeas a mom she understands the confidence you need on and off the track, and how to pass that down to young girls, like her daughter Cammy. Designed by women, for women and girls, the partnership and the newly launched capsule collection both signify what it means to define your own legacy. Together we hope to help women and girls feel their bestin and out of the game. She constantly uses her platform to push for a more equitable world for women athletes in sport and shes the ultimate example of empowerment. This message is something we want all girls to see and hear. Its about never giving up and believing in yourself and supporting your fellow women and girls to find their power.

The Allyson Felix + Athleta collection

Felix, who is one of the most decorated track and field athletes of all time with six gold Olympic medals and three silver medals, tells us all about her role with Athleta and their shared mission to empower girls everywhere.

Why were you interested in partnering with Athleta? Historically, we have seen such a disparity with sponsorships for women as compared to men and women are really lagging so far behind. For mewhat I have seen in my experience and what I have learnedis really to hold brands accountable to what they market and how they are tangibly bringing their beliefs into practice. It has to be more than words in a campaign. You have to be able to see that through the business holistically. What is really special about the partnership with Athleta is that its truly at the core of who they are. I think thats why our missions align so well. They stand to empower women and girls and that really speaks to who I am and what I want to accomplish as well. It was always a very authentic partnership. When I signed with Athleta, I was at a place where I only wanted to do things that were meaningful. I wanted to be able to have a partnership that I was proud of, not just about all the things that were done publicly but truly having a voice. I remember one of my first meetings formally with Athleta and sitting at a table surrounded by female leadership and it was something I had never experienced before. I was heard, and I was seen. I really love how they are redefining how sponsorship looks and looking at an athlete holistically. Im not just an athlete, but they see me as an activist and a mother, and they want to celebrate and shine a light on those things as well. Thats a model that needs to be pushed forward for women and people in general.

Last year you spoke out in a New York Times Op-Ed piece about sponsors not supporting women during maternity leave. Why does this need to change? Maternity leave benefits should be non-negotiable and many female athletes live in a world where this is just not a reality. As I mentioned earlier, the disparities between sponsorships for women and men are immense. We have to do better. We must do better. Having a baby shouldnt be a penalty or something you need to be viewed as lesser for. Motherhood is empowering, its transformative and essential. One thing that has been extremely clear to me during and post-childbirth is that you can be strong and transform in a lot of different ways. Thats something that I want my daughter, Camryn, to grow up with, and I want all young women to understand. I want them to know their worth and value, and I know that Athleta is truly committed to that by what they are producing. When I announced my partnership with Athleta last year, I was proud to be a living example of how things can be different and how we can break the mold. Its been an exciting year working side by side with the Athleta team and paving the way forward.

Allyson Felix wearing the Allyson Felix + Athleta collection

Your deal with Athleta is impact based, not performance based. What does that mean? How else is your sponsorship with Athleta different? Throughout my career, I have learned that confidence is keyboth on and off the field. Athleta and I have a shared mission in wanting to inspire confidence in women and girls everywhere and my sponsorship reflects this. Where other brands have stipulations around winning a certain number of races, etc., ours is notits holistic. For example, my contract and financial agreements remain consistent throughout any future pregnancies I may have. We also made sure there are provisions for my daughter, Camryn, to join me when Im traveling for team Athleta. I truly co-designed the capsule collection alongside Athletas incredible female design team, advising on what a female athlete would need both on and off the track. And they listened to me.

What does the Power of She movement mean to you? It goes back to that empowerment moment and really celebrating women and girls in everything that they are. I think that Athleta does a wonderful job across the board of highlighting a lot of different girls, the activities that they are doing and the sports that they are involved in. I love that they always use real girls and real athletes in their campaigns and in interviews. I am always inspired by the mother daughter duos. It always comes back to empowering women and celebrating them for everything they are.

How do you hope to empower girls through the Athleta Girl Empower Hour? The Athleta (Em)Power Hour series aims to keep girls active, positive and motivated and it comes at a time when they need it now more than ever. I hope that by hearing how other young athletes in sports and fitness have navigated their own journeys, that they are inspired to stay in the game themselves. I absolutely love seeing these events come together and know they will have such a positive impact on Camryn in the futurewhen shes old enough to participate!

How does playing sports empower women and girls? It unleashes our potentialnot only the amazing power and capability of our bodies, but of our heart, mind and spirit.

Allyson Felix wearing the Allyson Felix + Athleta collection

What did playing sports growing up teach you? I grew up in a competitive household, always trying to keep up with my brother and the other kids in the neighborhood. I am grateful that my parents encouraged playing sports and discovering my skills outside of the classroom. Sport strengthened my ability to solve conflict and challenges in my life. It taught me how to lead and encourage my peers. Sport was the place I really found my voice and found my confidence.

Has giving birth to a daughter changed the way you view empowering girls? Absolutely. Its given me a whole different drive and motivation. I really want to show Camryn how to overcome adversity, teach her to keep fighting and what that really looks like. I have a platform and I want to affect change because of her and because of the world that she, and so many other girls, will grow up in.

How do you collaborate with Athleta in designing and creating activewear for the Allyson Felix + Athleta collection? What makes this partnership unique is that it was deeply collaborative, from beginning to end. I sat down and I talked about what is important to me as an athletewhat my standards are and to have pieces perform at the top level. For me, its about not having any distractions and having a really close to skin feel. I even brought to life elements of how I use training pieces in this collaboration. I love to layer and to be fully covered getting to the track so we have the track suit to start that off. As I get warmed up, I love to shed those layers and get down to those minimal pieces, which there are a number of in the collection. When I finish a workout, I am not typically going home. I might be running errands, grabbing coffee or going to the grocery store. I didnt want to sacrifice style either. I wanted pieces that would perform at the highest level, but I wanted them to look great as well. I dont think that a lot of other athletes and people who have collaborations are able to be involved at that level. Thats something that is really unique and special about this partnership. And I want women and girls to feel confident, empowered and strong. We were really thoughtful and mindful when creating them as well. There are little love notes written to the individual who puts them on.

Whats your favorite piece that youve designed? I have two favorite pieces from the line: The Legend Luxe Crop Half-Zip Jacket in Flora Mauve Metallic and the Legend High Neck Bra. This jacket is one of my favorites. Its a crop top and super easy to throw on. I love it and I love the mauve metallic color. Also, the Legend High Neck Bra looks so great. It looks very sleek and is practical to take down for training.

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Olympian Allyson Felix Teams Up With Athleta To Empower Women Of All Ages - Forbes

Women inclusion and empowerment – Mail and Guardian

Posted on September 4, 2020 by Danzig

This webinar was hosted by the Mail & Guardian and Richards Bay Minerals. It featured Georgie Bezette, HR Executive, Rio Tinto; Thobile Dlamini, Health, Safety and Environment Business Partner; Pam Pereira, Finance Business Partner and former Women in Mining Chair, who last year left for Canada Rio Tinto; and Bayanda Mncwango, RBM Chief Operating Officer, Operations. It was facilitated by Cathy Mohlahlana, Senior Anchor for Newzroom Afrika.

Women are more vulnerable than ever before, said Cathy Mohlahlana in her introductory speech, and, if you look at the stats, the world still doesnt believe that women can lead.

Georgie Bezette said there is a culture of care at RBM, but there is a long way to go for gender equality to happen in the mining industry. Thobile Dlamini said she has been at RBM for 19 years and is now in the executive team; she spoke highly of the company and the mentoring she has received. Pam Pereira said she is a mother and said she had in the past many worries about balancing her career with her family duties. Bayanda Mncwango said his mother used to come home from work with stories that shocked him, and he wants to make the workplace a better place for women, and for his daughters sake. He spoke about breaking glass ceilings and walls for women in the workplace.

Bezette said the mining industry has been historically dominated by men, so it takes a lot of effort and resilience for women to enter it and claim their space there. She was a bit of a lone voice when she first joined, which Pereira concurred upon. Pereira said she derived strength from her female colleagues, and tries to be strong for others in turn. She mentioned that during lockdown the PPE was designed for men, and was very uncomfortable for women, especially pregnant women. The journey to equality has begun, but there is still a long way to go, said Pereira.

Dlamini said starting out at RBM was really challenging, not just as a woman, but as a black woman, where most black women were cleaners; she had to work extremely hard to raise herself above her circumstances; some colleagues said she wouldnt last long, but these challenges just made me stronger.

A poll conducted with those listening to the webinar reflected that 75% of attendees believed that there has been progress made in the mining industry regarding gender equality. Another poll carried out later in the webinar showed that 61% of attendees believe that women are afforded equal opportunities in the Rio Tinto group.

Mncwango said that clearly not enough had been done, after listening to the women panellists and how hard they had to work to get anywhere in the mining industry. He said the leadership at RBM has transformed, and this is reflected in the comments they make about women.

Responding to questions, Bezette said that RBM is an equal opportunity company; it does have a pregnancy leave policy; and it has a support strategy for GBV victims, but a culture of coming forward must still be created and encouraged. Mncwango said there is priority given to local, women-owned businesses in tender processes by RBM.

Pereira said the countries with the best gender equality statistics are those run by women. Its not been easy to be a woman leader; men have had to change their mind-sets regarding her, and this took a lot of courage. She encouraged other women to believe in themselves, raise their hands, speak out and make their voices heard: male leaders have to ensure that women are comfortable to do so. Mncwango pointed out that diversity is what makes companies successful. He said there are programmes at RBM to recruit and retain female employees.

Dlamini said balancing kids and career requires a strong support system, and shes been fortunate that she has that in her family; it is important to define what is expected from her and those around her clearly, so communication is vital. Bezette said you have to plan your time carefully and set your boundaries firmly. Lockdown changed her perceptions a lot, and connected her to her purpose more firmly, which Mohlahlana agreed with; she said it has made many things more clear. Pereira said that prioritising is essential: family and health must come first, and working long hours has to be fitted around that. She added that her family has been extremely supportive and her faith has helped her.

Mncwango said the Women to Women programme at RBM is aimed at middle management and its effects will filter down to all levels. Pereira said programmes like Women in Mining ensure womens voices are heard, and such programmes make an impact on the communities around the mine. Dlamini said the recruitment programmes are working; more women are working in the mining industry and more are becoming skilled and getting promoted; this exposure is vital, as you wont know if you enjoy or can handle the industry unless you get the opportunity to work in it.

Questions were asked by attendees on the issue of whether women are strong enough to be in production. Mncwango said there are traditional beliefs around this, but as more women enter this space, so these beliefs are changing, and the environment needs to be made safe for all workers, regardless of their gender. Leadership is very important in this regard.

Regarding working online during lockdown, the old school way of working is changing, and there is far more trust; employees are judged on their output, and this may benefit women, said Bezette, as it will enable people to know what their boundaries are and when they work most productively. This is despite having to do housework and look after the kids, as she is saving two hours a day on commuting. Pereira said this is not necessarily true for all: for some, lockdown has been a complete nightmare. Leaders will have to be astute about this, pointed out Dlamini, as some employees are struggling, and employers have to pick up on this and assist where they can: some people just suffer in silence.

Mncwango said that volunteering more personal information is being encouraged, so that people can share the challenges they are facing. This is countering the old macho values that everyone can always cope. Creating a safe space for people to share is essential, said Bezette. Pereira said leaders are starting to open up to gender equality and changing their mind-sets; she has really enjoyed being in the Women in Mining committee, as it is breaking new ground.

In their closing remarks, Bezette said women are their greatest enemies or their greatest advocates; forums are essential and women must speak up to make their issues known. We have the ability to make a difference, said Pereira; start with your families and take it to the workplace. Dlamini said that women need to support each other; we understand each other, and we know how to assist each other; we also need to inspire each other and encourage each other. Mncwango said it is important for men to create environments in which women can succeed; and women who are in leadership positions must retain their femininity and not try to emulate their male colleagues.

One noteworthy remark from the audience was that if one woman makes it into the boardroom, she should try to bring other women into it.

Click here to watch the webinar: https://event.webinarjam.com/t/click/2zwr8hzkh5xu0rip2qmsor7c74pc0

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Women inclusion and empowerment - Mail and Guardian

Keith Harings personal art collection is heading to auction for charity – The Spaces

Posted on September 4, 2020 by Danzig

Keith Harings living room featuring Roy Lichtensteins Forms in Space. Credit: Nancy Elizabeth Hill Backstage Library Works for Keith. Via Sothebys

Sothebys is auctioning off over a hundred pieces from Keith Harings art collection, which includes works by Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat.

The sale, entitled Dear Keith, will raise money for New Yorks LGBTQ organisation The Center. Haring painted a mural for its Greenwich Village headquarters back in 1989 (below).

It feels as if Keith himself rallied his friends to make art for this specific purpose, Gil Vazquez, acting director of the Keith Haring Foundation, which owns the collections, told the New York Times. The Center embodies so much of what Keith was about: community, empowerment and the support of our future, the youth.

The auction, which opens on 24 September, is expected to raise almost $1m, with a highlight being Andy Warhols 1983 portrait of Haring with his lover Juan Dubose predicted to sell for upwards of $200,000. Prospective buyers can view the artworks online or arrange an appointment at Sothebys Manhattan headquarters to see them in person.

Portrait of Keith Haring and Juan Dubose by Andy Warhol

Keith Haring Foundation. Polaroids, The Keith Haring Foundation Archives. Photography: Scott Schedivy

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Keith Harings personal art collection is heading to auction for charity - The Spaces

Shane Shelton talks connecting with Ultra High Net-Worth Clients, Using Personal Relationships To Drive Impact, Success – Press Release – Digital…

Posted on September 4, 2020 by Danzig

Los Angeles, CA - Shane Shelton, an up-and-coming professional in LAs private travel and sports scene, is helping a new generation of Athletes, Entertainers, C-Level executives and brands connect for lasting success by providing brand awareness, private aviation solutions, building relationships, helping people, and inspiring others.

Bringing diverse experience to the industry, Shane is currently a consultant for a Privately Owned-Private Aviation company, and a former employee of the Front Office for the LA Clippers. There, Shane developed his love and knowledge for the sports industry and quickly was inspired by what he saw each day to help others grow and succeed through professional empowerment. Recognizing his own potential to impact others, Shane set out to create a product that bridges the gap between athletes and companies so each could be driven to the next level. A former college basketball player, Shane has a unique understanding of the challenges athletes and brands face every day, and he is passionate about using his skills, knowledge, and expertise to take others to the next level while providing outstanding service.

Shane is currently the Founder of SlightEdge, a premier marketing and consultancy firm that focuses on working with the over-looked up and coming athletes of todays game. Harnessing the power of social media, digital marketing, and personal relationships, Shane and SlightEdge have been able to facilitate brand awareness for players across the industry at all levels. Valuing time, SlightEdge has been able to bring business and branding to sports. Using real AI and internet search engine algorithms, the company has increased visibility and social media presence for top clients, including Tim Patrick of the Denver Broncos and Mark Ogden a member of the Atlanta Hawks, among others that include Tyrone Watson, Banja Sy, and Sports Psychologist Trent Rowser.

To learn more, please visitOneSlightEdge.com.Alternatively, connect with Shane on Instagram @ShaneSheltonn.

Media ContactCompany Name: Oneslightedge.comContact Person: Shane SheltonEmail: Send EmailCountry: United StatesWebsite: https://www.oneslightedge.com

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Shane Shelton talks connecting with Ultra High Net-Worth Clients, Using Personal Relationships To Drive Impact, Success - Press Release - Digital...

New ASU Initiative to Accelerate Innovations in Higher Education that Expand Access and Empower Learners – PRNewswire

Posted on September 4, 2020 by Danzig

"The work advanced through this partnership will drive a culture change and the commitment to redesign and restructure higher education that we embrace at ASU and that is critical to the success of students across the country," said ASU President Michael M. Crow, who outlines his vision for higher education in his new book, The Fifth Wave: The Evolution of American Higher Education. "The public health pandemic that has swept the globe and the stress it has placed on our education system has exposed weaknesses that have existed for years. Universities are being forced to adapt right now and so we're saying, 'let's take advantage of this opportunity' and let's build things in a way that serves the learner in a new world that doesn't look anything like the one that existed when most of America's institutions of higher learning were designed."

ASU's University Design Institute (UDI) will coordinate the initiative and support other universities to implement their own culture change initiatives. The goal is to broaden access to world-class education methods and cutting-edge technological innovations that are tailored to empower students and be responsive to their specific needs and goals. ASU's design-driven commitment to both educational access and scholarly excellencetwo historically opposing objectiveshas captured the attention of leaders within and outside universities from around the world. The former teachers' college stands out among research universities in such factors as its 380% increase from 2002 to 2019 in enrollment of students from low-income families. During this same period, first-generation undergraduate student enrollment increased from 7,500 to nearly 26,000, Hispanic undergraduate student enrollment increased from about 5,000 to 20,500, and Black undergraduate student enrollment increased from less than 1,500 to more than 4,500.

The nearly $12 million in donor gifts will contribute to an overall campaign to raise $30 million to support this initiative. With these gifts, ASU will:

"The principle of individual empowerment and a student-centric approach to learning and to education is a shared commitment, one where we are called to take action and broaden the network of stakeholders engaged in bringing about a change of culture," said Crow. "The goal is not to replicate ASU, but to advance a design model that enables every university to put learners, of all ages and life circumstances, at the center, implemented in the way that works best for the students served by that institution."

UDI already plays a key role in sharing lessons learned through ASU's transformation. "UDI is intended to help universities speed innovation, enhance outcomes, lower costs, and scale impact," said Crow. "The point is to not have one model, but to have many models that fit the circumstances of anyone who aspires to learn and to contribute to their community."

"ASU has made transformational changes in its comprehensive efforts to improve access and learning outcomes for its students at an affordable cost. This new initiative will invite other universities to develop and apply new ideas in partnership with their peers, leading to increased opportunity for millions of learners," said Charles Koch Foundation Executive Director Ryan Stowers. "We are thrilled to support this work to empower university leaders with a forum and support network to help drive innovation and better serve their students. There is no better time than now to think about how we can innovate to open new opportunities for as many people as possible."

For the last five years, ASU has been named by U.S. News & World Reportas the most innovative university in the United States. It is routinely among the country's top producers of Fulbright scholars (in 2019 it ranked thirdamong public universities,andahead of Harvard and Columbia) and has been called a "best college value" by Kiplinger Personal Finance.

Watch this video to learn more about the partnership.

ASU Media ContactJay Thorne[emailprotected]602-677-7518

CKF Media ContactLucia Weathers[emailprotected]571-447-6894

SOURCE Arizona State University; Charles Koch Foundation

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New ASU Initiative to Accelerate Innovations in Higher Education that Expand Access and Empower Learners - PRNewswire

IPL 2020: Low-key brands strike association with teams – Mint

Posted on September 4, 2020 by Danzig

NEW DELHI: From menstrual hygiene, honey, to tyres, a variety of brands have been signed to sponsor Indian Premier League (IPL) team franchises with the T20 tournament set to begin from 19 September in the United Arab Emirates. Homegrown companies such as APIS Honey, esports platform Mobile Premier League and hygiene products brand Niine and BKT Tyres have partnered with franchises such as Royal Challengers Bangalore, Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad, among others taking, up displays on players' uniform and helmets.

Media buyers believe that on-ground and on-air sponsorship of IPL have high entry price points therefore only selected brands, that have cricket as a part of their long-term marketing strategy, tend to buy such sponsorships. However, team associations are relatively cost effective giving smaller as well as regional brands an opportunity to be a part of the popular cricket league.

"There are various price slots available in a team sponsorship. IPL player jersey allows multiple brands to be displayed as franchises are under pressure to monetise the teams," said Navin Khemka, chief executive, MediaCom South Asia, a GroupM owned media agency.

Barely three-year-old with a pan India presence, APIS India Pvt Ltd which retails honey and pickles has been signed as the headgear partner for Rajasthan Royals. The company plans to promote 'honey' as an immunity booster through this partnership. Recognised for its affordable sanitary napkins, two-year-old personal hygiene brand Niine is another interesting IPL partnership with Rajasthan Royals which will display the brand logo on the back of team's jersey. Niine will amplify its campaign to break taboos and drive awareness around the adoption of safe menstrual hygiene practices.

"The synergy between the two organisations to work on women empowerment is something we are excited about. Their work towards protecting the environment through safe disposal, with their products has been remarkable and is again something that were proud to be associated with," said Rajasthan Royals executive chairman, Ranjit Barthakur.

Homegrown esports and mobile gaming platform Mobile Premier League (MPL) has come on board as principal sponsor of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). While Balkrishna Industries Ltd. (BKT Tires) is backing six teams including Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals, Kings XI Punjab, Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals.

"We are a keen supporter of several national sports all around the globe, but it fills me with immense pleasure that we are now supporting such a significant sporting event of India," said Rajiv Poddar, joint managing director of BKT.

IPL team franchises have also seen long standing relationships with brands continue such as lubricant brand Valvoline, Usha International, Boat headphones and Boost. These brands have been associated with various teams for more than a year. Usha International, for instance, has been backing Mumbai Indians for the last six years.

"While IPL promises exposure and engagement, brands need to smartly formulate their sponsorships to get the maximum benefit and not end up as a mere logo on the jersey," added MediaCom's Khemka.

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IPL 2020: Low-key brands strike association with teams - Mint

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