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Privatization South African Economic Remedy

2020-07-21T09:19:18Z

LucileHouston:

Privatization! South African economic remedy! By Marco Roodt (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push(); Category: Comment article (Article 1 of 2) About the author: Marco Roodt completed doctoral studies in South Africa in the ninety eighties. Roodt studied communication of organizational change to complex stakeholders. His focus was on commercialization and privatization during South Africa's pre-1994 intended economic deregulation and economic liberation. Roodt says much can be learned from plans which never materialized as a result of a changing political landscape! Election of [http://www.covnews.com/archives/search/?searchthis=Cyril%20Ramaphosa Cyril Ramaphosa] to state president of South Africa could be the most opportune moment to commence the privatization of state owned enterprises ('SOEs') in South Africa. This comes in the wake of troubled economic years, and downgrade by two rating agencies; Standard and Poor and Finch. Moody equally influential, recently graded SA neutral status. A downgrade to sub-investment grade ("junk" rating) by Moody would for instance have seen South Africa removed from Citi's World Government Bond Index. Removal could have triggered up to R100-billion ($9 billion) in asset sales by foreign investors. Had it taken place, other calamities might have followed. Moody based, one could presume, its rating on predominantly the political leadership shift which took place in SA. In light of the latest grading by Moody SA's National Treasury made known that there are plans to stabilize debt, revamp State Owned Enterprises and boost growth in sectors such as agriculture and tourism. South Africa, it was said by SA's national treasury, will consider partially privatizing struggling State-owned companies as part of wide-ranging reforms to be set in motion by president Cyril Ramaphosa. Ramaphosa replacing Zacob Zuma (state president ex-officio), signaled the advent of positive political changes in SA. The shift attracted wide investor community attention locally and worldwide; despite investors being well aware of the country's economic and social situation (defined by very high poverty levels and unemployment). Would the political shift be a silver bullet to attract new investment and prevent investment flight? Investors and the financial world globally, are not unaware of reality or naive when picking an investment destination. They are insistent on risk criteria and well prepared when they decide to invest or divest. They would as in the case of SA, expect macro- economic restructuring beyond plans only before considering sizeable capital investment; and, involvement in foreign direct investment. They also are insistent on viability immediately and long term! Capital and foreign direct investment (FDI) could be stimulated by privatization in SA. SA has many state owned enterprises whom are all already in place infra structurally and operating. Many do not show profit on an ongoing basis. Privatization could change the situation particularly when you consider the capital injection which it would bring and innovative changes by co-owners of the enterprise. Global investors know in the true sense of the word, time is money. Investors are not going to sit on capital waiting for an opportunity. They want an opportunity to come their way and quickly. SA government should, while turnaround, corporatization and commercialization takes its course, to save the SOE's from liquidation (as in the case of arms giant DENEL currently), commence with the preparation and passing of privatization legislation as a matter of urgency. How could all of this work? Perhaps learning from the past, as far back as the ninety-eighties, would provide some insight into the need for South Africa to privatize its very large state owned enterprises. The current SA government can learn from the past by considering the reasons privatization was never driven to some conclusion after it was gaining momentum in the late 1980's. Much can be learned from the now late Wim de Villiers leadership on privatization and commissions led by him, dating back to the ninety-eighties. Government of the day realized that the way SOE's are run and financed were not sustainable. Obviously in addition to de Villiers, over at least the past decade, more lessons can be learned from comment and research by proponents, scholars and experts on the topic of privatization in South Africa. Starting with Eskom as the most controversial state owned company currently!, Drawing from 'The political economy of power sector reform in South Africa' by Anton Eberhard, one learns about the Electricity Act which was amended in 1971 to allow ESCOM (today ESKOM) to retain substantially more earnings to build up a Capital Development Fund subject to the approval of the state president. Consequences of the amendment were large price increases and disquiet amongst stakeholders, who thought ESCOM's management was arrogant and unaccountable, leading eventually, to a government inquiry in 1983. As early as 1983-4, following the enquiry led by de Villiers, the De Villiers Commission criticised ESCOM's governance, management, electricity forecasting methods, investment decisions, and accounting. Recommendations by the commission led to changes in the Electricity Act in 1985 and to new Eskom and Electricity Acts in 1987, which in many ways paved the way to exploring possible privatization of the electricity state owned enterprise. In 1988, the first Eskom privatization study was undertaken. It was commissioned by government. Managed and led by Eskom assisted by a committee of government and industry stakeholders, the study was initiated at a time when the state was reviewing the performance of its SOE's. Key to the findings of the study was the recommendation that Eskom be privatized in its entirety but did not comment on the possible introduction of competition to the monopoly. Competition could have been a perfect opportunity to attract foreign direct investment much desired by government then. All will recall that the political landscape, soon after, started changing with the National Party government and the African National Congress (ANC) dialogue on South Africa's political future. Political agenda topped any further consideration of privatization and this would continue more or less to today, twenty five years on! Sanctions against South Africa also start taking its toll finally leading to a country facing an acute capital shortage, which forced the government to prohibit further foreign borrowing by industrial concerns and to regulate capital investment throughout the economy. Capital spending by state enterprises came under scrutiny. In 1985 De Villiers was asked to conduct a study similar to the Eskom one, of the South African Transport Services (SATS incorporating Rail, SAA, Harbours, Road and Pipe along with many subsidiaries,). In his report De Villiers pointed out the need for restructuring SATS to enable the service to operate like a private, investor-owned company, recommending SATS become a commercial enterprise under government ownership, earning an appropriate return on capital and managing its assets towards a better return. Parliament accepted the recommendations of the De Villiers Report in 1986. Parliament also added its own recommendation. SATS (to operate as Transnet Ltd in future), was mandated in addition to de Villiers recommendation, to act like a private corporation and to reorganize as a private corporation within four years. Government would be the sole shareholder. Transnet Ltd was founded on the understanding that government is the sole shareholder, but might eventually opt to sell it to the private sector. Transnet plans - as with Eskom - were shelved due to political dialogue becoming the agenda of the day. One can speculate intelligently, had Transnet gone full out with its plans, free from political agenda, South African Airways which was the airway division of the holding company, would have sold off then. Instead to this day it remains a debt on the government's balance sheet! Imagine the de Villiers recommendations on Eskom and Transnet privatization were realized, what would the probable gains have been? Post the de Villiers era of exploring privatization, in 1999, the post-1994 government Department of Public Enterprises declared that priority would be given to the restructuring of the four biggest SOE's: Telkom (telecommunications), Eskom (electricity), Transnet (transport) and Denel (defence production). Then, collectively, these four state owned enterprises, controlled 90 percent of the assets of the top 30 South African SOE's, provided 86 percent of the turnover and 94 percent of the net income earned. This provides perspective on the other current smaller state enterprises (of which there are a few hundred), in terms of turnover and income. Technically speaking most of these top four state owned enterprises are currently in financial trouble and in need of government support through guarantees and loans to enabling them to fulfil their roles in the South African economy and across borders. Their importance should not to be underestimated. Neither risk to the country, should they continue on their current path! They dominate key strategic sectors of the economy and have the potential to undermine overall industrial policy, economic progress and national well-being; or play a strong role in government plans to grow the economy as with the case of Eskom! Why could privatization help prevent state owned enterprises slipping backward some more? Data and other evidence on how privatization has impact on the privatized business bottom line and efficiency are readily available. A leaf could be taken from British privatization. British privatization has been described by many as the most sustained and [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-bali-tour-du-lich-bali-indonesia-4-ngay-3-dem-tu-ha-noi-tu-sai-gon-hcm-may-bay.html kynghidongduong.vn] consistent singe-minded pursuits of public policy in modern times! Privatization in Britain had to accomplish exactly what is now needed in South Africa. Needed are the improvement of efficiency of state owned enterprise, management of resources and free play of market forces in the economy. Through privatization Britain turned itself from what some commentators described 'a lazy socialistic bureaucracy', into a country who later took its place as a leader in the global economy. British privatization had the desired impact not only in the economic sphere on the country. State owned enterprises making massive losses - costing the British economy billions- were turned into efficient enterprises contributing gradually but surely to the taxation base. Popular capitalism replaced socialism through public shareholding and employee shareholding. Privatization raised much need capital for government. In the case of South Africa one of the major motivations behind the 1989 privatization of Iscor was the prospect of state revenue. Proceeds from the selling of British state assets generated capital to pay debts. Gradually the British economy also benefited by government spending less on subsidies. British regulatory regime changed with privatization, enabling transparency on past cross-subsidisation practices. British public who had generally speaking a great level of antipathy towards poor performing government enterprises welcomed privatization. Politically, privatization compelled parties to rethink policies and what is in the interest of the country, while maintaining their political support among electorate which now had new perceptions of the reigning party. Privatization was widely accepted by the media who gave their support through positive coverage and comment on success stories. Labour Unions, considering its influence on the pre-privatization economy, started playing a smaller political role as they had to weight the economic benefits privatization brought to members, against losing the member. In other words, labour unions were forced to revise what they had to offer their members beyond political and workplace promises only All brings one to the topic of the South African government, prior to Ramaphosa, [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-bali-tour-du-lich-bali-indonesia-4-ngay-3-dem-tu-ha-noi-tu-sai-gon-hcm-may-bay.html tour bali giá rẻ] seemingly lack of will to take the privatization-bull by the horns; and, the culture of holding on to failing state owned enterprises at the cost of the tax payer and the running of an efficient economy? It would be insightful to get reasons for this. One can speculate about a few reasons. Ideology and the historical bond between the current government, labour unions and the SACP would always play a role when resistance against privatization is discussed. It is time a national multi stakeholder debate starts around the cost to economy as a result of ideology and the historical bond. The regulated cost of labour versus individuals' private rights to sell his/her service at the price he wants, within the context of draconic labour acts and overregulation of the employment market, should top the agenda! Failing governments resort to central planning and control of the economy. Privatization does exactly the opposite. It opens up the economy where expertise, capital and a variety of stakeholders, including government, grow the economy and production along with consumption can be regulated more efficiently by the market and price mechanisms. South Africa has a bloated civil service which now steadily are becoming unaffordable. A result of believe that the country is a social-democracy and the state should be the creator of jobs. Government later admitted they could not be the sole creator of jobs and reaffirmed the role private sector should play. This coincide with the role privatization could play. More to the point, at present more than two million of people are employed collectively by central government, provincial government, local authorities and a number of statutory bodies. As a result, ability of the civil service to resist privatization and deregulation should not be under-estimated. Government is well aware of possible resistance by civil servants, but, what will happen if the day arrives when salaries cannot be honored, Or slightly less drastic but serious, as former and now late president PW Botha did in 1988, announce salary increase freezes of all public servants. Unemployment! South Africa has an employment crisis. Many millions of able people cannot be accommodated in the economy, resulting in them being dependent on some form of government subsidy. Would privatization aid in addressing unemployment? One is confident it would, but not in isolation. Government would always play a role as the custodian of many billions of rand, as the most recent national budget of R1.2 trillion shows. Huge amounts financing development projects could be contracted to private suppliers of services with the proviso the unemployed are taken in as temporary employees at least, as a departure towards more permanent employment. Addressing the need for privatization, government seemingly is not taking it seriously enough, despite the likes of Eskom and the national electricity crisis. One should spend time on what the entire process of privatization entail (theme for a follow-up article) within the context of evidence to commence as a matter of urgency; and the obstacles in the way! Government need not look far for candidates to privatize, be it in its entirety; or with themselves a minority shareholder at what could be 49 % of the stake. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push(); End of article 1.../ Further read- 'The political economy of power sector reform in South Africa' by Anton Eberhard [ ][mailto:businesscentre@mweb.co.za businesscentre@mweb.co.za]. Or call 073 431 4990. Personal profile- [ (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();]

Unemployed Australians Could Be Receiving A Permanent 100 A Week Boost To Their Dole Payments To Encourage People To Spend More If A Think Tank Has Its Way

2020-07-21T02:03:28Z

LucileHouston:

[http://news.sky.com/search?term=Unemployed%20Australians Unemployed Australians] could be receiving a permanent $100 a week boost to their dole payments to encourage people to spend more, if a think tank has its way. Since April 27, the JobSeeker benefit has been temporarily doubled from the old Newstart rate of $565.70 a fortnight to $1,115.70, with a $550 [/news/coronavirus/index.html coronavirus] supplement. With that short-term boost ending in September, the Grattan Institute [ ] is calling for [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-bali-tour-du-lich-bali-indonesia-4-ngay-3-dem-tu-ha-noi-tu-sai-gon-hcm-may-bay.html tour bali] a permanent $100 a week increase. This would take JobSeeker payments to $765.70 a fortnight. It estimated this policy would cost $2billion in 2021-21 and $8billion in 2021-22, marking the first permanent increase in the dole beyond inflation since 1994. Scroll down for video Unemployed Australians could be receiving a permanent $100 a week boost to their dole payments to encourage people to spend more, [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-bali-tour-du-lich-bali-indonesia-4-ngay-3-dem-tu-ha-noi-tu-sai-gon-hcm-may-bay.html tour bali giá rẻ] if the Grattan Institute think tank had its way. Since April 27, the JobSeeker benefit has been temporarily doubled from the old Newstart rate of $565.70 a fortnight to $1,115.70, with a $550 coronavirus supplement. Pictured is a March Centrelink queue in March RELATED ARTICLES [# Previous] [# 1] [# Next] [/news/article-8467245/Scott-Morrison-shuts-reports-unemployed-Aussies-extra-75-week-JobSeeker.html Government DENIES rumours out-of-work Aussies will get an...] [/news/article-8462407/The-suburbs-suffered-sharpest-falls-house-prices-COVID-19-struck-Australia.html Revealed: The suburbs that have suffered the sharpest fall...] [/news/article-8468927/Young-Australians-entering-workforce-2020-set-lose-32-000-ten-years.html Young Australians entering the workforce during coronavirus...] [/news/article-8461519/The-surprising-items-buy-help-boost-tax-refund.html The surprising items to buy NOW to help you boost your tax...] Share this article Share 18 shares Social Services Minister Anne Ruston, who is in charge of Centrelink, [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-bali-tour-du-lich-bali-indonesia-4-ngay-3-dem-tu-ha-noi-tu-sai-gon-hcm-may-bay.html kynghidongduong.vn] on Sunday ruled out a less generous $75 a week increase. <div class="art-ins mol-factbox floatRHS news" data-version="2" id="mol-cc507d20-b9a9-11ea-b138-2f401523955e" website benefit could be permanently raised by $100 a week

Dolph Lundgren 62 ENGAGED To Bombshell Trainer Emma Krokdal

2020-07-20T19:46:25Z

LucileHouston:

Dolph Lundgren, 62, was glimpsed in West Hollywood this Friday enjoying lunch with his new 20-something fiancee Emma Krokdal. The Rocky IV hunk proposed to the blonde bombshell personal trainer a week ago in Stockholm, he revealed on Instagram. However the Scandinavian couple have returned to Los Angeles where they both live and were spotted out and about this Friday. Out and about: Dolph Lundgren, 62, was glimpsed in West Hollywood this Friday enjoying lunch with his new 20-something fiancee Emma Krokdal The duo could be seen settling down at an alfresco table in West Hollywood and then strolling off down the sidewalk together. Dolph zipped a bomber jacket over his T-shirt and shorts combo, while Emma teamed a pair of Daisy Dukes with a sweater. RELATED ARTICLES [# Previous] [# 1] [# Next] [/tvshowbiz/article-8254911/Noah-Centineo-Alexis-Ren-ended-relatipnship-one-year.html Noah Centineo and Alexis Ren end their relationship of one...] [/tvshowbiz/article-8148887/Noah-Centineo-Alexis-Ren-fans-think-split-unfollowing-Instagram.html Noah Centineo fans think he broke up with Alexis Ren after...] Share this article Share Emma hails from Norway while Dolph is originally from Sweden, which is where he popped the question to his girlfriend last week. He made the big announcement on his Instagram page, posting a snap of Emma flashing her pink engagement ring as the pair posed on a balcony. Bride to be: The Rocky IV hunk proposed to the blonde bombshell personal trainer a week ago in Stockholm, he revealed on Instagram Back in town: However the Scandinavian couple have returned to Los Angeles where they both live and were spotted out and about this Friday Legging it: The duo could be seen settling down at an alfresco table in West Hollywood and then strolling off down the sidewalk together Both of them were in formal wear, with Dolph modeling a perfectly fitted navy suit and Emma in a set of chic powder blue slacks. The pair enjoyed champagne and [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-bali-tour-du-lich-bali-indonesia-4-ngay-3-dem-tu-ha-noi-tu-sai-gon-hcm-may-bay.html tour bali từ hcm] finger food including macarons on a terrace, within sight of what appeared to be the 18th century Hedvig Eleonora Church. [http://data.gov.uk/data/search?q=%27Something 'Something] very special happened here in Sweden. D[heart]E,' captioned Dolph, in a post that was liked by his Rocky IV director and co-star Sylvester Stallone. Romantic: He made the big announcement on his Instagram page, posting a snap of Emma flashing her pink engagement ring as the pair posed on a balcony Swank: The pair enjoyed champagne and [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-bali-tour-du-lich-bali-indonesia-4-ngay-3-dem-tu-ha-noi-tu-sai-gon-hcm-may-bay.html tour bali từ hcm] finger food including macarons on a terrace, within sight of what appeared to be the 18th century Hedvig Eleonora Church Emma posted her own Instagram album of the occasion, including a close-up of her glittering pink ring and captioning: 'Pinch me.' The couple's relationship went public this January, when a [ ] insider revealed the romance was months old. Dolph was previously married to jewelry designer Anette Qviberg from 1994 to 2011 and they share two daughters, Ida, 24, and Greta, [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-bali-tour-du-lich-bali-indonesia-4-ngay-3-dem-tu-ha-noi-tu-sai-gon-hcm-may-bay.html kynghidongduong.vn] 18. His dating history has also included singing sensation Grace Jones, model Paula Barbieri and karate champion Jenny Sandersson. The thrill of it all: Emma posted her own Instagram album of the occasion, including a close-up of her glittering pink ring and captioning: 'Pinch me' data-track-module="am-external-links^external-links"> Read more: [ Dolph Lundgren is dating personal trainer Emma Krokdal] DM.later('bundle', function() DM.has('external-source-links', 'externalLinkTracker'); );

Jay Rutland Wishes Tamara Ecclestone A Happy 36th Birthday In Croatia

2020-07-20T15:57:28Z

LucileHouston:

They've spent June enjoying the sunshine and some quality time together on her father's £28m yacht in Croatia. And Jay Rutland made sure his wife Tamara Ecclestone's birthday got off to a good start on Sunday by sharing a sweet of snap of them with their daughter Sophia, six. The doting husband posted a stunning image of his family in front of a sunset in Hvar Town, alongside the caption: [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-bali-tour-du-lich-bali-indonesia-4-ngay-3-dem-tu-ha-noi-tu-sai-gon-hcm-may-bay.html tour bali] 'Happy birthday Tamara, we love you very much.' Happy birthday! Jay Rutland, 39, shared a sweet family snap to celebrate his wife Tamara Ecclestone turning 36 on Sunday while they are in Croatia with their daughter Sophia window.FFF = window.FFF || ; window.FFF.currency = '"gbpToAud":1.8394'; window.FFF = window.FFF || ; window.FFF.ad = window.FFF.ad || inline: adAdded: false, overlay: celebNames: ''; window.FFF.ad.overlay.celebNames = 'Tamara_Ecclestone'; //add celebnames to be used by the overlay window.FFF.ad.inline.adCallback = function (content, infix) var inline, back; if (!infix) inline = document.getElementById('fff-inline'); infix = ''; else infix = '_' + infix.replace(/^_/g, ''); inline = document.getElementById('fff' + infix) && document.getElementById('fff' + infix).firstChild; back = getBackElementById(); if (isAsyncMode() && inline) setAdInCompatibilityMode(); if (back && !infix) back.appendChild(inline); //delay the call because AdImpression.registerThirdPartyImpression has a timeout setTimeout(function () DM.onDocReady(function () AdImpression.registerImpression(document.getElementById('fff'), function () DM.Log.log('ad impression registered'); ); ); , 50); function isAsyncMode() return content && (typeof content === 'string') && !back; function setAdInCompatibilityMode() var container = document.createElement('div'), i = 0, element, [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-bali-tour-du-lich-bali-indonesia-4-ngay-3-dem-tu-ha-noi-tu-sai-gon-hcm-may-bay.html kynghidongduong.vn] children; container.innerHTML = content; children = container.childNodes; // Going in reverse order as it is prepending the elements for (i = children.length; i--;) element = children[i]; if (element && element.tagName === 'DIV') inline.parentNode.insertBefore(element, inline.nextSibling); if (isElementIdEqualsToBackElementId(element.id)) back = element; if (children.length && !infix) function isElementIdEqualsToBackElementId(elementId) elementId === 'fff' + infix + '_back_wide'; function getBackElementById() document.getElementById('fff' + infix + '_back_wide'); ; class="fff-inline" data-fff_url="https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/06/28/14/30148462-8467965-image-a-77_1593349992911.jpg" data-fff_person_name="Tamara Ecclestone" data-fff_product_id="970509" data-fff_product_types="dresses" data-fff_trends="babydoll,blue,bow,knot,polka dot,tie-front" data-fff_article_id="8467965" data-fff_main_title="Try a babydoll dress like Tamara in Cleobella" website data-fff_capped_bodys_first_paragraph="Tamara Ecclestone showed off the perfect summer dress in a family Instagram s..." data-fff_share_url="" data-fff_preview_title="Try a babydoll dress like Tamara in Cleobella" data-fff_open_main_overlay_on_hover=""> [ ] [ ] [ ] [ Try a babydoll dress like Tamara in Cleobella £119][https://go.skimresources.website%20class= Cleobella babydoll dress (now reduced to £71.40) Shop the look at Asos!] [https://go.skimresources.website%20target= Buy now] Tamara Ecclestone showed off the perfect summer dress in a family Instagram snap recently. 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While birthday girl Tamara cut a fashionable figure in a blue polkadot dress which plunged at the front and boasted puff-sleeves. RELATED ARTICLES [# Previous] [# 1] [# Next] [/tvshowbiz/article-8467955/Dermot-OLeary-picks-wife-Dee-Koppang-hospital-welcoming-baby-boy.html Dermot O'Leary picks up his wife Dee Koppang from the...] [/tvshowbiz/article-8467787/Joe-Wicks-set-immortalised-wax-gets-figure-Madame-Tussauds.html Joe Wicks 'is set to become immortalised in wax as he gets...] [/tvshowbiz/article-8467649/Holly-Willoughby-gushes-wait-snuggle-friend-Dermot-OLearys-new-baby.html Holly Willoughby gushes she 'can't wait to snuggle' her...] [/tvshowbiz/article-8467583/Stacey-Solomon-makes-adorable-return-social-media-Rex-quitting-day.html Stacey Solomon makes an adorable return to social media with...] Share this article Share Their little girl Sophia, who is also called Fifi by her family, looked sweet in a pink sundress with orange fruits all over it. For the past month Tamara and her family have been spending time on her father Bernie's yacht. Mother and daughter: Tamara and her mini-me daughter Sophia were full of smiles as they enjoyed a day on the water in matching swimming costumes Quality time: Jay and Sophia donned life jackets as they had fun playing in the water on Sunday Festivities: Tamara was treated to a chocolate cake at a family meal on her special day Fun day: The famous family posed up in Croatia's famous blue cave in a lovely snap During their time abroad they have shared several snaps of Sophia enjoying a dip in the sea and them exploring Croatia together. However it has not all been plain sailing and the family have had to deal with Bernie facing criticism for comments he made about black people which later sparked controversy with F1 Champion Lewis Hamilton. And earlier this month, the star hit out at her critics after being slammed for taking her family to Croatia amid the [/news/coronavirus/index.html coronavirus] pandemic. Throwback: Jay also shared a [http://www.automotivedigitalmarketing.com/main/search/search?q=picture picture] of Tamara from when she was a child with F1 legend Aryton Senna, who drove for McLaren and Williams Racing before his death in 1994 Happy times: The couple, who married in 2013, have been enjoying lots of family time during lockdown The heiress arrived in her mother's native country alongside her husband, daughter Sophia, her sister Petra, 31, Petra's fiancé Sam Palmer and her four children. Since the family were seen luxuriating on the sisters' father Bernie's £28m yacht, Tamara's social media has seen a surge of criticism - leading to her staunch defence in a lengthy Instagram post. Tamara, Jay and Sophia have been joined by Petra, Sam, Petra's daughter Lavinia, seven, and twin boys Andrew and James, five, who she shares with her ex-husband James Stunt, and her and Sam's newborn daughter. The duo were lucky enough to have their father's yacht at their disposal. The 176ft yacht, which boasts six cabins, is named Petara - after Bernie's daughters - with her name being an amalgamation of the Petra and Tamara's name. Having fun: Tamara (pictured with her little girl Sophia) spent the final weeks of being 35 on her father Bernie's £28m yacht Defending: Since they went to the yacht, Tamara's social media has seen a surge of criticism - leading to her staunch defense in a lengthy Instagram post It appears Tamara has been met with wrongly-placed criticism for taking Sophia out of school, endangering the public - leading to her clarification. Tamara penned a lengthy caption reading: 'Clearly this virus hasn't changed some people for the better which is a bit of a shame. For those of you that are confused or just bitter. I didn't leave the house at all during lockdown... 'I didn't even go to the park or exercise. I am half-Croatian so decided it would be best, safest to come here, which is not forbidden and I am now following the rules in Croatia. As for the home school questions, a return to school was option... 'We chose to continue to home school Fifi she is doing better than ever and has gone up two reading bands. If I am not mistaken no on is obliged to follow me so you know what to do.' Last month, Krunoslav Capak, the director of Croatia's Institute of Public Health, said there would be 'no bans, just precautions' on the country's beaches. Don't come for me! It appears Tamara has been met with wrongly-placed criticism for taking Sophia out of school, endangering the public - leading to her clarification

How AI In Ecommerce Is Going To Change Your Online Shopping Experience

2020-07-20T14:47:37Z

LucileHouston:

Online shopping has gained momentum around the world since its inception. Amazon became the first site in the year 1994 offering to sell products over internet. Since then globally the race began to become the major player in the world of online shopping. The online selling followed development of mobile sites and then mobile applications to reach a wider audience. The online sellers have reached almost every possible customer on this planet. So what's next? (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push(); Its user experience, it holds important place for every online seller. With the introduction of AI technology in ecommerce users are going to experience a whole new era. Amazon on the top of the list holds the title powerfully and carefully to maintain its position. While to dethrone and rise other companies are working to provide store-like user experience better than Amazon and the user experience can be improved by AI. Why AI in ecommerce? Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolutionizes the users' experience of shopping online where the users are recommended [http://www.ajaxtime.com/?s=products products] upon your search. Voice search, image search and [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-bali-tour-du-lich-bali-indonesia-4-ngay-3-dem-tu-ha-noi-tu-sai-gon-hcm-may-bay.html tour bali giá rẻ] chat with the AI to give you a store like experience will mark the beginning of online-in store shopping. Chatting with AI will be like specifying your search to the shopkeeper. Adopting AI technology to improve personalized user experience always proved beneficial to online sellers. Boston Consulting Group (BCG) said in a recent report that personalization strategies implemented by retailers have brought sales gains of around 6-10 %; the rate doubles or triples the companies that haven't implemented the strategy. While Accenture make a long term prediction that such technology will bring 59 % profitability to the wholesale and retail industries by the year 2035. Business Insider premium research service, BI Intelligence has made a report to illustrate the fields in ecommerce where AI can make its entry. The report further focuses on the various challenges that will faced by the online sellers while embedding such technology in their systems. Finally the consequences that will be faced by implementing AI technologies in the organization are mentioned. A broad perspective is presented. Some of the noteworthy points shared from the report include: (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push(); The upcoming companies can also make the most from the situation where by implementing AI oriented technology they could enter the ecommerce giants follow up. By developing AI modified websites, applications and customized products better product search and customer service can be offered. The best part of this development will be that the users are going to experience something really new. The experience of shopping in a store and in your mobile handset or computer will more or less be the same. Customizing your search won't be same you just need to say and just as a retailer does the AI will give you your search specified products. The AI offers a lot similarly there is a lot to be done to bring the technology to use. The technology will demand complete transformations in the older organizations systems to adapt to the new changes. The change is tremendous and preparations will have to be initiated now. The essential point is that the companies may be ready to accept these new changes but the technology is really different and new which may require them to partner with other third party companies offering the services. These limitations of the ecommerce companies have led to the rise of AI developers market where these developers are offering their services at effective costs in transforming the organization and thus customer's experience. Wrapping up: AI is a new technology that is going to hit the markets very soon. With tech giants as Facebook, Tesla, Microsoft and [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-bali-tour-du-lich-bali-indonesia-4-ngay-3-dem-tu-ha-noi-tu-sai-gon-hcm-may-bay.html kynghidongduong.vn] Apple already finalizing their research upon AI, it can be expected that the services will be rolled out soon. Coming to the ecommerce sector AI promises to overhaul user experience but its adoption and implementation with customizations to meet the standards can be tricky. We can expect a lot to come. The writer of the article is a tech enthusiast. The writer keeps on regularly posting updates on tech developments around the world. The writer also works for a [ ]. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();

Calls For Reparations Gain Steam As U.S. Reckons With Racial Injustice

2020-07-20T06:39:01Z

LucileHouston:

By Nellie Peyton and Christine Murray WASHINGTON/MEXICO CITY, June 24 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - W hen California State Assemblywoman Shirley Weber introduced a bill last year to study reparations for African Americans, she was worried people wouldn't accept that racial inequality and injustice were still alive and well. Instead, the bill came up for a vote two weeks after the death of an unarmed Black man, George Floyd, at the hands of a white police officer spurred a nationwide reckoning on that very topic. It passed the assembly on June 11 with a 56-5 vote. "Maybe we'll be a model for what can happen at the federal level," Weber told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. The bill goes next to the California State Senate, where she expects it to pass and then be signed into law by the governor. The idea of reparation is nothing new and has been used around the world to compensate victims of war, rape, terror and a host of other [http://www.trainingzone.co.uk/search/historical%20injustices historical injustices]. Yet the United States has never made much headway in its discussions of whether or how to compensate African Americans for more than 200 years of slavery inflicted on their ancestors by white people. In the subsequent decades, racial inequality in wealth, housing, healthcare and education has persisted. Some Democrats want a commission to look into reparations, but the bill that would do this - H.R. 40 - has been on the table for decades and never garnered broad support. Now that Floyd's death has shed light on racial inequality, advocates say support for reparations is up. Like Weber, many do not plan to wait on the federal government to make a move. "There are a lot of things happening locally," said Justin Hansford, a law professor [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-bali-tour-du-lich-bali-indonesia-4-ngay-3-dem-tu-ha-noi-tu-sai-gon-hcm-may-bay.html kynghidongduong.vn] and director of the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center at Howard University. "Reparations are going to happen locally first, and then later on, there's likely to be a national response as well." In partnership with Columbia University, Howard University last week launched a project to identify and support local efforts to provide redress to African Americans - both for [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-bali-tour-du-lich-bali-indonesia-4-ngay-3-dem-tu-ha-noi-tu-sai-gon-hcm-may-bay.html tour bali từ hcm] slavery and for racially motivated crimes. Called the U.S. African American Redress Network, it details more than 100 efforts to make good, ranging from public apologies to compensation in the form of scholarships or cash. LOCAL ACTION There are several cases of reparations being paid to African Americans which advocates say could serve as a blueprint. In the earliest example, the state of Florida in 1994 awarded payment and free college tuition to descendents of the victims of a massacre 71 years earlier, when a white mob burned their town to the ground. Georgetown University and Virginia Theological Seminary are among schools pledging to offer funds for descendants of the slaves that built them or were sold to finance them. And last year the city of Evanston, in Illinois, created a reparations fund to bridge the [http://pixabay.com/en/new-zealand-waterfall-nature-racial%20wealth/ racial wealth] gap among its residents, funded by taxes on marijuana. There are many different ways to pay reparations, but what matters is the intent, said Weber, the assemblywoman. "That's normally what people do who believe that others have been wronged. You try to figure out how you can level the playing field," she said. Even private industries donating to racial justice funds can be seen as a form of reparations, said Hansford. "To me that is acknowledgement that there needs to be an investment in order to get healing," he said. Big companies from Bank of America to PepsiCo have pledged millions on addressing racial inequality since Floyd's death. In Britain, insurer Lloyd's of London and the pub chain Greene King have apologized for their role in the slave trade and also said they will invest in Black communities and talent. POLITICAL ROADBLOCK The issue gained national attention last year when several Democratic primary candidates endorsed reparations. Presidential nominee Joe Biden has said he supports a study. The national bill has more backing than ever, but not among Republicans, whose vote it would need to pass the Senate. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says reparations are a bad idea because "none of us currently living are responsible" for slavery. Lawmakers in at least five states have introduced their own legislation to explore the issue. "Some of the political actors do believe that they have a better chance of passing these bills in the midst of the current wave of protests," said William Darity, a professor at Duke University who co-authored a book on reparations. Small-scale initiatives are admirable, but anything less than a national effort will be insufficient to close the racial wealth gap, said Darity. The average Black household has a net wealth $800,000 lower than the average white household, he estimates. "The states and the localities, they just don't have the capacity to meet that task," said Darity, who suggests giving each of the roughly 40 million Black Americans descended from slaves up to $250,000 in a trust. "It's the federal government that should be the culpable party because created the legal and the authority framework that permitted all of these atrocities to take place," he added. Globally, there are precedents. Germany paid millions to Holocaust survivors and South Africa compensated apartheid victims. Family members of disappeared Colombians, rape survivors, and those displaced in the country's armed conflict have been compensated since 2011. In response to protests over racial inequality, the top United Nations official for human rights called on countries to make amends for racist violence through reparations. "There's no amount of money that can be paid, really, to fully repair," said Arif Ali, a lawyer who was part of a U.N. team on compensation for victims of Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait. Ali said that under international law, the United States was obliged to pay - it is now just a matter of working out how. "The experience of other countries is a reference point," he said. "Where there's a will, there's a way." (Reporting by Nellie Peyton and Christine Murray; editing by Lyndsay Griffiths. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers the lives of people around the world who struggle to live freely or fairly. Visit website

Jennifer Aniston Bemoans Getting Typecast In Friends As Rachel Green

2020-07-19T23:01:47Z

LucileHouston:

She is known for playing one of television's most iconic sitcom characters - or at the very least - for [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-bali-tour-du-lich-bali-indonesia-4-ngay-3-dem-tu-ha-noi-tu-sai-gon-hcm-may-bay.html kynghidongduong.vn] once having one of television's most iconic hairstyles. But [/tvshowbiz/jennifer_aniston/index.html Jennifer Aniston] has [http://www.sharkbayte.com/keyword/bemoaned%20playing bemoaned playing] Rachel Green on Friends - the show that turned her into a superstar - as she confesses the role left her feeling typecast in Hollywood, particularly when wanting to play edgier characters onscreen. In a roundtable interview with [ ] published Wednesday - Jennifer, 51, admitted that she has fought 'forever' for the industry to see her as something different than 'that girl in the New York apartment with the purple walls.' Typecast: Jennifer Aniston has bemoaned playing Rachel Green on Friends as she confesses the role left her feeling typecast in Hollywood, in an [http://search.usa.gov/search?affiliate=usagov&query=interview interview] with The Hollywood Reporter She said: 'I could not get Rachel Green off of my back for [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-bali-tour-du-lich-bali-indonesia-4-ngay-3-dem-tu-ha-noi-tu-sai-gon-hcm-may-bay.html tour bali giá rẻ] the life of me. I could not escape "Rachel from Friends," and it's on all the time and you're like, "Stop playing that f***ing show!" (Laughter.)' RELATED ARTICLES [# Previous] [# 1] [# Next] [/tvshowbiz/article-8455807/Janelle-Monae-says-shes-not-settling-lip-service-Black-Lives-Matter-movement.html Janelle Monae says she's 'not settling for lip service' in...] [/tvshowbiz/article-8453729/Jim-Edmonds-vents-abusive-marriage-Meghan-King-praises-new-lady-Kortnie-OConnor.html Jim Edmonds vents about 'loveless and abusive' marriage to...] [/tvshowbiz/article-8451673/Jennifer-Aniston-flashes-11-11-wrist-tattoo-conversation-Friends-star-Lisa-Kudrow.html 'She's very spiritual': Jennifer Aniston's mysterious '11...] [/tvshowbiz/article-8449953/Lisa-Kudrow-reveals-heartwarming-reason-never-watched-Friends.html Lisa Kudrow reveals the heartwarming reason she has never...] Share this article Share 22 shares The actress said that her turn in the 2002 independent movie The Good Girl was 'the first time I got to really shed whatever the Rachel character was, and to be able to disappear into someone who wasn't' adding that the edgy role was 'such a relief' to her. She continued: 'But I remember the panic that set over me, thinking, "Oh God, I don't know if I can do this. Maybe they're right. Maybe everybody else is seeing something I'm not seeing, which is you are only that girl in the New York apartment with the purple walls.' Iconic: The actress played Rachel Green on the show for ten years from 1994 to 2004 and was once paid up to $1 million an episode for her efforts. All star: Jennifer made the comments in the latest issue of The Hollywood Reporter which features a roundtable interview alongside stars including Janelle Monae and Zendaya 'So, I was almost doing it for myself just to see if I could do something other than that. And it was terrifying because you're doing it in front of the world.' Jennifer added that she has 'fought with herself' in the industry 'forever' and that her career has been 'constantly about trying to prove that I was more than that person' saying: 'But there is such a freedom in getting older because you just stop giving a crap.' The actress played Rachel Green on the show for ten years from 1994 to 2004 and was once paid up to $1 million an episode for her efforts. A trifle typecast: Jennifer in one of many iconic episodes of the hit series Friends, where she played the character Rachel Green for ten years Elsewhere in the interview, Jennifer was joined by actress Janelle Monae who declared she's 'not settling for lip service' from others trying to join the Black Lives Matter movement. The Hidden Figures actress, 34, was also joined by Zendaya, Reese Witherspoon, Rose Byrne and Helena Bonham Cartern for The Hollywood Reporter's discussion on Saturday, which extensively covered the Black Lives Matter and #MeToo movements. THR noted that the star-studded, socially-distanced panel was originally meant to convene in early June, but due to the tragic killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis and the ensuing nationwide protests, the 'timing no longer felt right'. Watch every episode of Friends on HBO Max, or on [ Read more:][ Drama Actress Roundtable: Zendaya, Jennifer Aniston, Janelle Monae, Reese Witherspoon, Rose Byrne and Helena Bonham Carter | Hollywood Reporter] [ Watch Friends Online | Stream Seasons 1-10 Now | Stan] DM.later('bundle', function() DM.has('external-source-links', 'externalLinkTracker'); );

Malawi apos;s New Leader Makes First Cabinet Appointments

2020-07-19T20:13:27Z

LucileHouston:

Malawi's new President Lazarus [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Chakwera Chakwera] was sworn into office on Sunday Malawi's newly-elected President Lazarus Chakwera on Monday named a partial cabinet as he began his first day in office following his landmark election victory. The line-up includes lawyers who helped him win a stunning court ruling that overturned the 2019 victory of his predecessor Peter Mutharika because of fraud claims, and called for a vote re-run. Chakwera, a former evangelist preacher, won the replay with almost 59 percent of the vote and was sworn in on Sunday, vowing to maintain unity in the southern African country. The result was hailed by African leaders as a model for [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-bali-tour-du-lich-bali-indonesia-4-ngay-3-dem-tu-ha-noi-tu-sai-gon-hcm-may-bay.html tour bali giá rẻ] a peaceful handover of power in the region. Among Chakwera's top appointments, [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-bali-tour-du-lich-bali-indonesia-4-ngay-3-dem-tu-ha-noi-tu-sai-gon-hcm-may-bay.html kynghidongduong.vn] the crucial post of finance minister was given to seasoned company executive Felix Mlusu, the former managing director of a Malawian multinational financial holding company. Modecai Msiska, Chakwera's lead lawyer in the election court case, was named justice and constitutional affairs minister, while another lawyer involved, Chikosa Silungwe, was named attorney general. Saulos Chilima, who was sworn in as vice president on Sunday, will also take the post of minister of economic planning and development and public sector reforms. Some 6.8 million Malawians had returned to the polls Tuesday after the Constitutional Court found the May 2019 election had been marred by "grave" and "widespread irregularities" -- including the use of correction fluid to tamper with result sheets. Chakwera leads Malawi's oldest party, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), which previously ruled from 1964 to 1994 under Hastings Banda's one-party rule. Malawi is only the second sub-Saharan African country to have presidential poll results overturned in court, after Kenya in 2017. It is also the first time in the region that a vote re-run has led to the defeat of an incumbent leader.

Benutzer:LucileHouston

2020-07-19T20:12:51Z

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