Month: April 2019

Chinese Boxer Trounces Stereotypes, Depression to Become ‘Queen of the Ring’

Posted on by Corts

Huang Wensi narrows her eyes and swings her fists towards her opponent, delivering a series of sharp punches before the referee finally separates the two, who have been dueling for seven rounds.

“I made it, my son!” screamed the 29-year-old as she danced in the ring before her rival, Thailand’s Jarusiri Rongmuang, from whom she snatched away the Asia Female Continental Super Flyweight Championship gold belt at the match in Taipei.

The dreadlocks-wearing Huang is one of a small but growing number of women in China to embrace professional boxing, relishing its intense nature despite traditional stereotypes that steer women away from such activities.

As a mother, she is also a rarity within a small circle of professional female boxers and clinching her top title on her son’s birthday last October made victory all the sweeter.

“A women is not just limited to being a wife or mother in the house,” said Huang, adding that her son, now aged 2-1/2, had jumped for joy during her video call to tell him of the win.

“I live for myself. This makes me truly happy. I hope there are more moms who could see this game. Besides living for family, you could also live for yourself.”

Born in a small town in China’s southern province of Guangdong, Huang started learning to box in 2002 after a coach spotted her potential at school. She joined a provincial team three years later, but retired in 2011, after an injury.

In 2015, she met the man who is now her husband and her son was born a year later. But after his birth, she suffered such severe depression that she was driven to contemplate suicide, she said.

That event spurred her comeback as a professional boxer, after spending a few years in grueling practice to regain her physique and strength, said Huang, who also works as a teacher in the coastal city of Zhejiang.

“I knew that was my only way out,” she said.

After the victory, fans and friends surrounded Huang to celebrate her medal.

“Don’t call me a king,” she said. “Please call me the queen of the ring.”
…

your ads here!

Chinese Boxer Trounces Stereotypes, Depression to Become ‘Queen of the Ring’

Posted on by Corts

Huang Wensi narrows her eyes and swings her fists towards her opponent, delivering a series of sharp punches before the referee finally separates the two, who have been dueling for seven rounds.

“I made it, my son!” screamed the 29-year-old as she danced in the ring before her rival, Thailand’s Jarusiri Rongmuang, from whom she snatched away the Asia Female Continental Super Flyweight Championship gold belt at the match in Taipei.

The dreadlocks-wearing Huang is one of a small but growing number of women in China to embrace professional boxing, relishing its intense nature despite traditional stereotypes that steer women away from such activities.

As a mother, she is also a rarity within a small circle of professional female boxers and clinching her top title on her son’s birthday last October made victory all the sweeter.

“A women is not just limited to being a wife or mother in the house,” said Huang, adding that her son, now aged 2-1/2, had jumped for joy during her video call to tell him of the win.

“I live for myself. This makes me truly happy. I hope there are more moms who could see this game. Besides living for family, you could also live for yourself.”

Born in a small town in China’s southern province of Guangdong, Huang started learning to box in 2002 after a coach spotted her potential at school. She joined a provincial team three years later, but retired in 2011, after an injury.

In 2015, she met the man who is now her husband and her son was born a year later. But after his birth, she suffered such severe depression that she was driven to contemplate suicide, she said.

That event spurred her comeback as a professional boxer, after spending a few years in grueling practice to regain her physique and strength, said Huang, who also works as a teacher in the coastal city of Zhejiang.

“I knew that was my only way out,” she said.

After the victory, fans and friends surrounded Huang to celebrate her medal.

“Don’t call me a king,” she said. “Please call me the queen of the ring.”
…

your ads here!

Australia Plans Balanced Annual Budget Ahead of Election

Posted on by Coeco

Australia’s treasurer said he will unveil the government’s first balanced annual budget plan in a decade days before general elections are called.

 

The budget to be announced late Tuesday will be the conservatives coalition’s final major act before going to voters in May with the argument that they are better economic managers than the center-left Labor Party opposition.

 

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 would achieve a surplus without increasing taxes.

 

“Tonight’s budget sets Australia up for the next decade,” Frydenberg told reporters on arrival at Parliament House.

 

“It builds a stronger economy and secures a better Australia for every Australian and we do that without increasing taxes,” he added.

 

Frydenberg also foreshadowed “congestion-busting infrastructure” to reduce commuting times in Australia’s largest and most congested cities.

 

The government also plans to provide tax breaks for low and middle-income earners.

 

Up to 4 million low-income Australians in a population of 25 million will receive one-off payments by July to help with rising energy bills.

 

A conservative government delivered balanced budgets for a decade before the global financial crisis hit in 2008. A newly elected Labor government then ran up a record deficit with economic stimulus spending.

 

Australia’s revenue has improved with rising prices for its biggest exports, coal and iron ore.

 

Opinion polls suggest that Labor will win the next election. Scott Morrison would become the sixth Australian prime minister since 2007 to fail to last an entire three-year term.

 

Parliament will sit for three days this week before it rises for the last time before elections are held on May 11 or May 18.
…

your ads here!

Australia Plans Balanced Annual Budget Ahead of Election

Posted on by Coeco

Australia’s treasurer said he will unveil the government’s first balanced annual budget plan in a decade days before general elections are called.

 

The budget to be announced late Tuesday will be the conservatives coalition’s final major act before going to voters in May with the argument that they are better economic managers than the center-left Labor Party opposition.

 

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 would achieve a surplus without increasing taxes.

 

“Tonight’s budget sets Australia up for the next decade,” Frydenberg told reporters on arrival at Parliament House.

 

“It builds a stronger economy and secures a better Australia for every Australian and we do that without increasing taxes,” he added.

 

Frydenberg also foreshadowed “congestion-busting infrastructure” to reduce commuting times in Australia’s largest and most congested cities.

 

The government also plans to provide tax breaks for low and middle-income earners.

 

Up to 4 million low-income Australians in a population of 25 million will receive one-off payments by July to help with rising energy bills.

 

A conservative government delivered balanced budgets for a decade before the global financial crisis hit in 2008. A newly elected Labor government then ran up a record deficit with economic stimulus spending.

 

Australia’s revenue has improved with rising prices for its biggest exports, coal and iron ore.

 

Opinion polls suggest that Labor will win the next election. Scott Morrison would become the sixth Australian prime minister since 2007 to fail to last an entire three-year term.

 

Parliament will sit for three days this week before it rises for the last time before elections are held on May 11 or May 18.
…

your ads here!

Trump’s Threat to Close Border Stirs Fears of Economic Harm

Posted on by Coeco

President Donald Trump’s threat to shut down the southern border raised fears Monday of dire economic consequences in the U.S. and an upheaval of daily life in a stretch of the country that relies on the international flow of not just goods and services but also students, families and workers.

Politicians, business leaders and economists warned that such a move would block incoming shipments of fruits and vegetables, TVs, medical devices and other products and cut off people who commute to their jobs or school or come across to go shopping.

Let’s hope the threat is nothing but a bad April Fools’ joke,” said economist Dan Griswold at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University in Virginia. He said Trump’s threat would be the “height of folly,” noting that an average of 15,000 trucks and $1.6 billion in goods cross the border every day.

“If trade were interrupted, U.S. producers would suffer crippling disruptions of their supply chains, American families would see prices spike for food and cars, and U.S. exporters would be cut off from their third-largest market,” he said.

Trump brought up the possibility of closing ports of entry along the southern border Friday and revisited it in tweets over the weekend because of a surge of Central Americans migrants who are seeking asylum. Trump administration officials have said the influx is straining the immigration system to the breaking point.

Elected leaders from border communities stretching from San Diego to cities across Texas warned that havoc would ensue on both sides of the international boundary if the ports were closed. They were joined by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which said such a step would inflict “severe economic harm.”

In California’s Imperial Valley, across from Mexicali, Mexico, farmers rely on workers who come across every day from Mexico to harvest fields of lettuce, carrots, onions and other winter vegetables. Shopping mall parking lots in the region are filled with cars with Mexican plates.

More than 60 percent of all Mexican winter produce consumed in the U.S. crosses into the country at Nogales, Arizona. The winter produce season is especially heavy right now, with the import of Mexican-grown watermelons, grapes and squash, said Lance Jungmeyer, president of the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas. 

He said 11,000 to 12,000 commercial trucks cross the border at Nogales daily, laden with about 50 million pounds of produce such as eggplants, tomatoes, bell peppers, lettuce, cucumbers and berries.

He said a closing of the border would lead to immediate layoffs and result in shortages and price increases at grocery stores and restaurants.

“If this happens — and I certainly hope it doesn’t — I’d hate to go into a grocery store four or five days later and see what it looks like,” Jungmeyer said.

Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz, chairman of the Texas Border Coalition, said a closure would be catastrophic.

“Closing the border would cause an immediate depression in border state communities and, depending on the duration, a recession in the rest of the country,”he said.

“Our business would end,” said Marta Salas, an employee at an El Paso shop near the border that sells plastic flowers that are used on the Mexican side by families holding quinceaneras, the traditional coming-of-age celebrations.

Salas said her whole family, including relatives who attend the University of Texas at El Paso, would be affected if the border were closed.

“There are Americans who live there. I have nephews who come to UTEP, to grade school, to high school every day,” Salas said.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration said Monday as many as 2,000 U.S. inspectors who screen cargo and vehicles at ports of entry along the Mexican border may be reassigned to help handle the surge of migrants. Currently, about 750 inspectors are being reassigned.

That, too, could slow the movement of trucks and people across the border.

The effects were evident Monday: Sergio Amaya, a 24-year-old American citizen who lives in Juarez, Mexico, and attends UTEP, said it normally takes him two minutes to cross the bridge. It took an hour this time.

“The Border Patrol agent said it’s going to get worse” Amaya said.

Instead of ensuring the flow of goods across the border, the inspectors are being put to work processing migrants, taking their applications for asylum and transporting them to holding centers.

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said the reassignments are necessary to help manage the huge influx that is overloading the system.

“The crisis at our border is worsening, and DHS will do everything in its power to end it,” Nielsen said.

In addition to reassigning inspectors, Nielsen has asked for volunteers from non-immigration agencies within her department and sent a letter to Congress requesting resources and broader authority to deport families faster. The administration is also ramping up efforts to return asylum seekers to Mexico.

Apprehensions all along the southern border have soared in recent months, with border agents on track to make 100,000 arrests and denials of entry there in March, more than half of them families with children.

 

 

 

 
…

your ads here!

Trump’s Threat to Close Border Stirs Fears of Economic Harm

Posted on by Coeco

President Donald Trump’s threat to shut down the southern border raised fears Monday of dire economic consequences in the U.S. and an upheaval of daily life in a stretch of the country that relies on the international flow of not just goods and services but also students, families and workers.

Politicians, business leaders and economists warned that such a move would block incoming shipments of fruits and vegetables, TVs, medical devices and other products and cut off people who commute to their jobs or school or come across to go shopping.

Let’s hope the threat is nothing but a bad April Fools’ joke,” said economist Dan Griswold at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University in Virginia. He said Trump’s threat would be the “height of folly,” noting that an average of 15,000 trucks and $1.6 billion in goods cross the border every day.

“If trade were interrupted, U.S. producers would suffer crippling disruptions of their supply chains, American families would see prices spike for food and cars, and U.S. exporters would be cut off from their third-largest market,” he said.

Trump brought up the possibility of closing ports of entry along the southern border Friday and revisited it in tweets over the weekend because of a surge of Central Americans migrants who are seeking asylum. Trump administration officials have said the influx is straining the immigration system to the breaking point.

Elected leaders from border communities stretching from San Diego to cities across Texas warned that havoc would ensue on both sides of the international boundary if the ports were closed. They were joined by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which said such a step would inflict “severe economic harm.”

In California’s Imperial Valley, across from Mexicali, Mexico, farmers rely on workers who come across every day from Mexico to harvest fields of lettuce, carrots, onions and other winter vegetables. Shopping mall parking lots in the region are filled with cars with Mexican plates.

More than 60 percent of all Mexican winter produce consumed in the U.S. crosses into the country at Nogales, Arizona. The winter produce season is especially heavy right now, with the import of Mexican-grown watermelons, grapes and squash, said Lance Jungmeyer, president of the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas. 

He said 11,000 to 12,000 commercial trucks cross the border at Nogales daily, laden with about 50 million pounds of produce such as eggplants, tomatoes, bell peppers, lettuce, cucumbers and berries.

He said a closing of the border would lead to immediate layoffs and result in shortages and price increases at grocery stores and restaurants.

“If this happens — and I certainly hope it doesn’t — I’d hate to go into a grocery store four or five days later and see what it looks like,” Jungmeyer said.

Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz, chairman of the Texas Border Coalition, said a closure would be catastrophic.

“Closing the border would cause an immediate depression in border state communities and, depending on the duration, a recession in the rest of the country,”he said.

“Our business would end,” said Marta Salas, an employee at an El Paso shop near the border that sells plastic flowers that are used on the Mexican side by families holding quinceaneras, the traditional coming-of-age celebrations.

Salas said her whole family, including relatives who attend the University of Texas at El Paso, would be affected if the border were closed.

“There are Americans who live there. I have nephews who come to UTEP, to grade school, to high school every day,” Salas said.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration said Monday as many as 2,000 U.S. inspectors who screen cargo and vehicles at ports of entry along the Mexican border may be reassigned to help handle the surge of migrants. Currently, about 750 inspectors are being reassigned.

That, too, could slow the movement of trucks and people across the border.

The effects were evident Monday: Sergio Amaya, a 24-year-old American citizen who lives in Juarez, Mexico, and attends UTEP, said it normally takes him two minutes to cross the bridge. It took an hour this time.

“The Border Patrol agent said it’s going to get worse” Amaya said.

Instead of ensuring the flow of goods across the border, the inspectors are being put to work processing migrants, taking their applications for asylum and transporting them to holding centers.

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said the reassignments are necessary to help manage the huge influx that is overloading the system.

“The crisis at our border is worsening, and DHS will do everything in its power to end it,” Nielsen said.

In addition to reassigning inspectors, Nielsen has asked for volunteers from non-immigration agencies within her department and sent a letter to Congress requesting resources and broader authority to deport families faster. The administration is also ramping up efforts to return asylum seekers to Mexico.

Apprehensions all along the southern border have soared in recent months, with border agents on track to make 100,000 arrests and denials of entry there in March, more than half of them families with children.

 

 

 

 
…

your ads here!

New York City’s Congestion Pricing Plan a First for US

Posted on by Cosc

New York will become the first U.S. city to impose congestion pricing, seen as a key weapon against global warming, following lawmakers’ approval on Monday of a state budget to fund the plan.

Drivers will have to pay to drive in busy midtown Manhattan, one of the city’s five boroughs, as part of an effort to reduce the number of cars and invest in public transit such as subways, officials said.

Fewer cars means lower emission of carbon dioxide, the leading gas that causes global warming, experts say.

Benefits are many

Fewer cars also means a better traffic flow, which creates lower emissions than cars idling, they say.

“You have to get fewer cars driving into Manhattan,” New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Sunday.

“The traffic is so bad. I can’t tell you how many days myself, I just get out of the car and walk, because it’s so much faster.”

The plan is part of the state’s $175 billion budget that also includes a ban on disposable, single-use plastic bags.

New York becomes the first major U.S. city to follow the lead of London, which began levying a congestion charge on vehicles driving into the city center in 2003, and a handful of other international locations including Stockholm and Singapore.

The system has succeeded in reducing air pollution and traffic in London, which currently charges drivers £11.50 ($15.24) per day during weekday business hours.

Plan would start in  2021

After introduction of the congestion charge, bus ridership in central London increased by 37 percent in the first year, and traffic congestion dropped by about a quarter, research found.

Beginning in 2021, New York drivers will likely be charged more than $10 (7.70 British pounds) to travel below 60th Street in Manhattan, essentially south of Central Park in an area that includes Broadway theaters, Wall Street banks and high-end shopping.

The precise amount of the fees will be decided later as will be the possibility of exemptions for taxis, ride-sharing drivers and other issues, officials say.

While an earlier campaign for congestion effort failed more than a decade ago under former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, this effort succeeded in part due to the promise of raising badly needed funds for the deteriorating subway system, experts said.
…

your ads here!

New York City’s Congestion Pricing Plan a First for US

Posted on by Cosc

New York will become the first U.S. city to impose congestion pricing, seen as a key weapon against global warming, following lawmakers’ approval on Monday of a state budget to fund the plan.

Drivers will have to pay to drive in busy midtown Manhattan, one of the city’s five boroughs, as part of an effort to reduce the number of cars and invest in public transit such as subways, officials said.

Fewer cars means lower emission of carbon dioxide, the leading gas that causes global warming, experts say.

Benefits are many

Fewer cars also means a better traffic flow, which creates lower emissions than cars idling, they say.

“You have to get fewer cars driving into Manhattan,” New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Sunday.

“The traffic is so bad. I can’t tell you how many days myself, I just get out of the car and walk, because it’s so much faster.”

The plan is part of the state’s $175 billion budget that also includes a ban on disposable, single-use plastic bags.

New York becomes the first major U.S. city to follow the lead of London, which began levying a congestion charge on vehicles driving into the city center in 2003, and a handful of other international locations including Stockholm and Singapore.

The system has succeeded in reducing air pollution and traffic in London, which currently charges drivers £11.50 ($15.24) per day during weekday business hours.

Plan would start in  2021

After introduction of the congestion charge, bus ridership in central London increased by 37 percent in the first year, and traffic congestion dropped by about a quarter, research found.

Beginning in 2021, New York drivers will likely be charged more than $10 (7.70 British pounds) to travel below 60th Street in Manhattan, essentially south of Central Park in an area that includes Broadway theaters, Wall Street banks and high-end shopping.

The precise amount of the fees will be decided later as will be the possibility of exemptions for taxis, ride-sharing drivers and other issues, officials say.

While an earlier campaign for congestion effort failed more than a decade ago under former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, this effort succeeded in part due to the promise of raising badly needed funds for the deteriorating subway system, experts said.
…

your ads here!

Rockefeller Foundation Moves Beyond Cities in Broader Resilience Push

Posted on by Coeco

The Rockefeller Foundation is changing the focus of its funding of projects to strengthen societies against modern pressures such as climate change, shifting away from preparing cities to a broader global view of the issue, its president said Monday.

The change means it will stop financial backing of the 100 Resilient Cities (100RC) network — about $165 million over five years — that enabled more than 80 cities to hire chief resilience officers and develop action plans, Rajiv Shah told Reuters in an interview.

The program has succeeded in pushing cities to think about how to cope with risks such as extreme weather and pollution, he said.

“That work has been transformational in helping urban areas really address the challenges that are only going to get more intense as we go forward in time,” Shah said.

Efforts supported by 100RC have helped Jakarta manage waste, protected Bangkok riverside communities from flooding and turned Parisian schoolyards into cool oases during heat waves, he said.

The U.S.-based philanthropic foundation will provide a further $12 million this year to help the network transform into an independent organization.

The foundation also plans to keep working with U.S. city mayors to find ways to boost jobs and economic opportunities while adapting to climate change, Shah said.

“These are exceptional leaders who are taking forward and institutionalizing these efforts, with our continued support,” he said.

On Monday, 86 staff in 100RC’s four offices — New York, London, Singapore and Mexico City — were told their jobs would finish on July 31.

The end of support by the Rockefeller Foundation contrasts with a 2017 speech by its president, in which he referred to “our strong and continued commitment” to the 100RC initiative “for many, many years to come.”

In December, an independent evaluation of 100RC’s work by the Urban Institute, a U.S.-based policy research group, gave a broadly positive account of progress.

It said 100RC cities were adopting holistic planning practices widely and “de-siloing” operations to tackle social, economic and physical challenges.

It also found 100RC was among the first global initiatives to use a consistent set of tools, assistance and resources across diverse cities “for which no alternative exists.”

An open letter by 100RC President Michael Berkowitz, issued Monday, said the organization would use a July summit in Rotterdam to chart a path forward for the urban resilience movement.

“Our work will continue in new ways and we look forward to being part of this important movement for years to come,” he wrote.

Disaster recovery

On Monday, The Rockefeller Foundation also announced a $30 million grant to the Washington, D.C.-based Adrienne Arsht Center for Resilience at the Atlantic Council.

The money will support its work helping individuals, cities and communities across the globe become better able to weather more severe, growing risks such as flood, drought, conflict and food insecurity in “an uncertain, rapidly changing world.”

The council said it would look at policy frameworks, advancement of finance and risk mechanisms, and use of technology and communications tools and platforms.

Shah said the Atlantic Council had high-level relationships in political and financial circles, allowing it to team up with banks, insurance firms and others on resilience-building initiatives.

In the past decade, The Rockefeller Foundation has put nearly $500 million into climate change and resilience initiatives, ranging from 100RC to village-level renewable energy projects in India and a U.S. forest conservation effort.

It sees value in investments that “both include and go beyond the urban planning support,” and is “particularly enthusiastic about our work on post-disaster recovery,” Shah said.

Rockefeller has made strides in that area, he added, convening governments, businesses and civil society leaders to report on how Puerto Rico could rebuild after Hurricane Maria in 2017.

That included innovative financing for solar panels to be installed on community centers and hospitals to keep running in future storms.

The foundation is now exploring ways to help southern Africa recover after Cyclone Idai, aiming to help local producers and businesses restore food supplies.

It will also set up a new office to build climate resilience into key areas of its work, including food security, health care and clean power.

In 2017 and 2018, the Reuters received funding from The Rockefeller Foundation to report on efforts to build resilience to shocks and stresses worldwide.
…

your ads here!

Rockefeller Foundation Moves Beyond Cities in Broader Resilience Push

Posted on by Coeco

The Rockefeller Foundation is changing the focus of its funding of projects to strengthen societies against modern pressures such as climate change, shifting away from preparing cities to a broader global view of the issue, its president said Monday.

The change means it will stop financial backing of the 100 Resilient Cities (100RC) network — about $165 million over five years — that enabled more than 80 cities to hire chief resilience officers and develop action plans, Rajiv Shah told Reuters in an interview.

The program has succeeded in pushing cities to think about how to cope with risks such as extreme weather and pollution, he said.

“That work has been transformational in helping urban areas really address the challenges that are only going to get more intense as we go forward in time,” Shah said.

Efforts supported by 100RC have helped Jakarta manage waste, protected Bangkok riverside communities from flooding and turned Parisian schoolyards into cool oases during heat waves, he said.

The U.S.-based philanthropic foundation will provide a further $12 million this year to help the network transform into an independent organization.

The foundation also plans to keep working with U.S. city mayors to find ways to boost jobs and economic opportunities while adapting to climate change, Shah said.

“These are exceptional leaders who are taking forward and institutionalizing these efforts, with our continued support,” he said.

On Monday, 86 staff in 100RC’s four offices — New York, London, Singapore and Mexico City — were told their jobs would finish on July 31.

The end of support by the Rockefeller Foundation contrasts with a 2017 speech by its president, in which he referred to “our strong and continued commitment” to the 100RC initiative “for many, many years to come.”

In December, an independent evaluation of 100RC’s work by the Urban Institute, a U.S.-based policy research group, gave a broadly positive account of progress.

It said 100RC cities were adopting holistic planning practices widely and “de-siloing” operations to tackle social, economic and physical challenges.

It also found 100RC was among the first global initiatives to use a consistent set of tools, assistance and resources across diverse cities “for which no alternative exists.”

An open letter by 100RC President Michael Berkowitz, issued Monday, said the organization would use a July summit in Rotterdam to chart a path forward for the urban resilience movement.

“Our work will continue in new ways and we look forward to being part of this important movement for years to come,” he wrote.

Disaster recovery

On Monday, The Rockefeller Foundation also announced a $30 million grant to the Washington, D.C.-based Adrienne Arsht Center for Resilience at the Atlantic Council.

The money will support its work helping individuals, cities and communities across the globe become better able to weather more severe, growing risks such as flood, drought, conflict and food insecurity in “an uncertain, rapidly changing world.”

The council said it would look at policy frameworks, advancement of finance and risk mechanisms, and use of technology and communications tools and platforms.

Shah said the Atlantic Council had high-level relationships in political and financial circles, allowing it to team up with banks, insurance firms and others on resilience-building initiatives.

In the past decade, The Rockefeller Foundation has put nearly $500 million into climate change and resilience initiatives, ranging from 100RC to village-level renewable energy projects in India and a U.S. forest conservation effort.

It sees value in investments that “both include and go beyond the urban planning support,” and is “particularly enthusiastic about our work on post-disaster recovery,” Shah said.

Rockefeller has made strides in that area, he added, convening governments, businesses and civil society leaders to report on how Puerto Rico could rebuild after Hurricane Maria in 2017.

That included innovative financing for solar panels to be installed on community centers and hospitals to keep running in future storms.

The foundation is now exploring ways to help southern Africa recover after Cyclone Idai, aiming to help local producers and businesses restore food supplies.

It will also set up a new office to build climate resilience into key areas of its work, including food security, health care and clean power.

In 2017 and 2018, the Reuters received funding from The Rockefeller Foundation to report on efforts to build resilience to shocks and stresses worldwide.
…

your ads here!

Movie Theater Owners, Studios and Stars Convene at CinemaCon

Posted on by Corts

The movie industry — everyone from the Hollywood studios that produce the films to the companies that make the screens, speakers and seats in theaters — are descending on Las Vegas this week for CinemaCon. The future of film going will be in the spotlight as the annual trade show kicks off Monday at Caesar’s Palace.

 

There will surely be much celebration and self-congratulation for the record 2018 box office year, which exceeded $11.8 billion in ticket sales in North America, and recent successes like “Us” and “Captain Marvel.” Yet this year’s CinemaCon is coming at a time of great change in Hollywood. Streaming and how long movies play in theaters have been a conversation staple at CinemaCon in recent years, but Walt Disney Co.’s just-completed acquisition of 20th Century Fox will be the elephant in the room.

“People are really wondering what this consolidation is going to look like for the entire business,” said Kevin Grayson, the president of domestic distribution for STX Films.

 

On a practical level, it means there won’t be a separate presentation from Fox, which always staged an elaborate production, usually involving its former distribution chief in some kind of costume.

 

“We will absolutely miss the Fox presence, but we also need to support and embrace Disney for what they bring to our industry and what they’re going to look to do to further bolster the distribution line of great product,” said Mitch Neuhauser, the managing director of CinemaCon. “It’s going to be a very bittersweet convention. But we will change with the times and move forward in a productive way.”

 

In other words, the show must go on. Disney, which has been the market-leader for three years running, along with three of the other major studios, Universal, Warner Bros. and Paramount (Sony is sitting this year out), will come armed with splashy new footage, trailers and some of their biggest stars to hype their slates for the summer movie season and beyond to an audience of theater owners, from the biggest chains to the smallest mom and pop shops.

 

It’s not just the biggest studios: Lionsgate, Amazon, Neon and STX Entertainment will also be present, with some showing sneak peeks of upcoming films like “Wild Rose,” “Late Night” and “Long Shot.”

 

STX will kick off the main studio presentations Tuesday morning after a few remarks on the state of the industry.

 

“It really gives us that opportunity to shine a light on STX and show that we are not here for the short term, we are here for the long term,” said STX’s Grayson.

 

STX specializes in mid-range and mid-budgeted commercial films like “The Upside” and “Second Act,” and CinemaCon is an essential space to interact with not only the big players in exhibition but the people who own “twins and triples” in the middle of the country that are just as essential to their business.

 

“We’re releasing 10 to 12 films this year and 12 to 15 next year, “Grayson said. “So when the other studios are making the tentpoles, it allows us to fill that gap.”

 

Outside of the main theater, there will also be a whole world on the trade exhibition floor showing the latest and greatest in everything from theater technologies to concession snacks.

“There has been a non-stop momentum of new technology that is driving the industry,” said Neuhauser.

 

Ray Nutt, the CEO of Fathom Events, which specializes in event cinema, from classic movies to the Metropolitan Opera and even sporting events, agrees.

 

“That box office record doesn’t just happen because there’s good content out there,” Nutt said. “It happens because the amenities in the theaters are awesome these days, whether it’s luxury seating or enhanced food and beverage. These are all things that make going to the movie theater special and one of a kind.”

Julien Marcel, the CEO of Webedia Movies Pro, a tech and data company for the theatrical industry, predicts that there will also be much discussion over the “second digital revolution” in movie going.

 

“All movie experiences start online and the key challenge for exhibitors is how to adapt with this second digital revolution,” Marcel said. “The first digital revolution was when projection moved from analog to digital. Now we’re at the heart of the second digital revolution where the marketing goes all digital and the ticket sales go all digital.”

 

Marcel’s company recently published a study that said there was 18.7 percent growth in online ticket sales in 2018. Movie tickets purchased online currently make up about a quarter of all ticket sales.

 

He also expects there to be a lot of focus on the “subscription economy.” MoviePass might be struggling, but AMC and Cinemark have found successes with their own models and more companies are gearing up to do the same.

 

And even with all the changes afoot, the mood as ever going into CinemaCon is optimism.

 

“I’ve been around this business for 30 years now and it was always something that was coming along whether it was cable television or the VCR that was going to kill the industry,” said Nutt. “But people in this industry keep innovating in different ways to keep people coming back out to the theater to have that communal experience. It’s pretty gratifying to see the resiliency of the industry.”

 

CinemaCon runs through Thursday.
…

your ads here!

Movie Theater Owners, Studios and Stars Convene at CinemaCon

Posted on by Corts

The movie industry — everyone from the Hollywood studios that produce the films to the companies that make the screens, speakers and seats in theaters — are descending on Las Vegas this week for CinemaCon. The future of film going will be in the spotlight as the annual trade show kicks off Monday at Caesar’s Palace.

 

There will surely be much celebration and self-congratulation for the record 2018 box office year, which exceeded $11.8 billion in ticket sales in North America, and recent successes like “Us” and “Captain Marvel.” Yet this year’s CinemaCon is coming at a time of great change in Hollywood. Streaming and how long movies play in theaters have been a conversation staple at CinemaCon in recent years, but Walt Disney Co.’s just-completed acquisition of 20th Century Fox will be the elephant in the room.

“People are really wondering what this consolidation is going to look like for the entire business,” said Kevin Grayson, the president of domestic distribution for STX Films.

 

On a practical level, it means there won’t be a separate presentation from Fox, which always staged an elaborate production, usually involving its former distribution chief in some kind of costume.

 

“We will absolutely miss the Fox presence, but we also need to support and embrace Disney for what they bring to our industry and what they’re going to look to do to further bolster the distribution line of great product,” said Mitch Neuhauser, the managing director of CinemaCon. “It’s going to be a very bittersweet convention. But we will change with the times and move forward in a productive way.”

 

In other words, the show must go on. Disney, which has been the market-leader for three years running, along with three of the other major studios, Universal, Warner Bros. and Paramount (Sony is sitting this year out), will come armed with splashy new footage, trailers and some of their biggest stars to hype their slates for the summer movie season and beyond to an audience of theater owners, from the biggest chains to the smallest mom and pop shops.

 

It’s not just the biggest studios: Lionsgate, Amazon, Neon and STX Entertainment will also be present, with some showing sneak peeks of upcoming films like “Wild Rose,” “Late Night” and “Long Shot.”

 

STX will kick off the main studio presentations Tuesday morning after a few remarks on the state of the industry.

 

“It really gives us that opportunity to shine a light on STX and show that we are not here for the short term, we are here for the long term,” said STX’s Grayson.

 

STX specializes in mid-range and mid-budgeted commercial films like “The Upside” and “Second Act,” and CinemaCon is an essential space to interact with not only the big players in exhibition but the people who own “twins and triples” in the middle of the country that are just as essential to their business.

 

“We’re releasing 10 to 12 films this year and 12 to 15 next year, “Grayson said. “So when the other studios are making the tentpoles, it allows us to fill that gap.”

 

Outside of the main theater, there will also be a whole world on the trade exhibition floor showing the latest and greatest in everything from theater technologies to concession snacks.

“There has been a non-stop momentum of new technology that is driving the industry,” said Neuhauser.

 

Ray Nutt, the CEO of Fathom Events, which specializes in event cinema, from classic movies to the Metropolitan Opera and even sporting events, agrees.

 

“That box office record doesn’t just happen because there’s good content out there,” Nutt said. “It happens because the amenities in the theaters are awesome these days, whether it’s luxury seating or enhanced food and beverage. These are all things that make going to the movie theater special and one of a kind.”

Julien Marcel, the CEO of Webedia Movies Pro, a tech and data company for the theatrical industry, predicts that there will also be much discussion over the “second digital revolution” in movie going.

 

“All movie experiences start online and the key challenge for exhibitors is how to adapt with this second digital revolution,” Marcel said. “The first digital revolution was when projection moved from analog to digital. Now we’re at the heart of the second digital revolution where the marketing goes all digital and the ticket sales go all digital.”

 

Marcel’s company recently published a study that said there was 18.7 percent growth in online ticket sales in 2018. Movie tickets purchased online currently make up about a quarter of all ticket sales.

 

He also expects there to be a lot of focus on the “subscription economy.” MoviePass might be struggling, but AMC and Cinemark have found successes with their own models and more companies are gearing up to do the same.

 

And even with all the changes afoot, the mood as ever going into CinemaCon is optimism.

 

“I’ve been around this business for 30 years now and it was always something that was coming along whether it was cable television or the VCR that was going to kill the industry,” said Nutt. “But people in this industry keep innovating in different ways to keep people coming back out to the theater to have that communal experience. It’s pretty gratifying to see the resiliency of the industry.”

 

CinemaCon runs through Thursday.
…

your ads here!

Facebook Removes Accounts Linked to Indian Political Parties, Pakistan’s Military

Posted on by Cobiz

Anjana Pasricha contributed to this report.

ISLAMABAD – Facebook has removed hundreds of accounts and pages linked to Indian political parties or the Pakistani military for what the company described as “coordinated inauthentic behavior or spam.” The Facebook or Instagram accounts, pages or groups were detected through internal investigations into account activity in the region before upcoming elections in India.

“These Pages and accounts were engaging in behaviors that expressly violate our policies. This included using fake accounts or multiple accounts with the same names; impersonating someone else; posting links to malware; and posting massive amounts of content across a network of Groups and Pages in order to drive traffic to websites they are affiliated with in order to make money,” Facebook’s head of cybersecurity policy, Nathaniel Gleicher, said in a statement.

The social media giant has become much more conscious of user activity after a scandal in which data mining firm Cambridge Analytica used information from tens of millions of Facebook users to manipulate political campaigns in multiple countries, including the United States.

Indian political parties are relying heavily on social media to push forward their agenda in a tough general election that begins April 11, and the issue of fake news remains a major concern.

​Facebook says 687 pages and accounts that were detected and suspended by its automated system were linked to India’s main opposition party, the Indian National Congress, or INC. The Facebook statement also said the company removed 15 pages, groups and accounts tied to officials associated with Indian IT firm Silver Touch. The information technology firm is linked to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. One Silver Touch Facebook page was followed by 2.6 million accounts, compared to 206,000 followers of the INC-linked pages.

The INC tweeted that no official pages run by the party had been taken down. “Additionally, all pages run by our verified volunteers are also unaffected,” it said.

A party official who did not want to be named told VOA that Facebook has not shared further information with the party about the pages in question or provided a list of them.

Pratik Sinha, who runs fact-checking website AltNews.in, said Facebook’s announcement gives a “lopsided” view that only the opposition INC has been engaged in pushing spam. Sinha pointed out that Silver Touch, whose accounts were taken down, had spent much more on advertising on the social media platform compared to the pages created by the INC’s IT cell.

Pakistan’s military

In neighboring Pakistan, 103 pages or accounts linked to the media cell of that country’s military have been removed.

“Although the people behind this activity attempted to conceal their identities, our investigation found that it was linked to employees of the ISPR (Inter-Services Public Relations) of the Pakistani military,” the Facebook statement said.

These individuals, according to the statement, were operating “military fan Pages; general Pakistani interest Pages; Kashmir community Pages; and hobby and news Pages” with posts on politics and the military.

The ISPR declined to comment for this story.

Journalists or rights activists in Pakistan often complain of online trolling or harassment from fake accounts.

Journalist Gharidah Farooqi said she regularly faces threats and harassment online from accounts that appear to be military fan pages. She has complained to the military’s media wing, but been told the institution has nothing to do with the issue.

Another journalist, Asma Shirazi, told VOA she has faced an “organized and institutionalized” campaign against her online for her coverage of opposition leaders, particularly ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Shirazi added that she has been accused of being “anti-Pakistan” and taking bribes from Sharif’s (Pakistan Muslim League) party.

Last week, several Facebook accounts posted pictures and personal details — such as home address and contact details — of rights activist Marvi Sirmed and incited people to kill her after falsely accusing her of acting against Islam and promoting a “free sex, incestuous society.”

Sirmed is a regular critic of the military, as well as the current administration of Prime Minister Imran Khan. Facebook has already taken down at least one account, but Sirmed said several others remain.  Sirmed says she has complained to local authorities and is awaiting a response.
…

your ads here!

Facebook Reveals How it Ranks Items in The News Feed

Posted on by Cobiz

Facebook is lifting the lid on the algorithm that decides which posts appear in its news feed, as part of a drive to be more transparent and offer greater control to users.

The feature “Why am I seeing this post?”, being rolled out from Monday, offers some insight into the tens of thousands of inputs used by the social network to rank stories, photos and video in the news feed, the foundation of the platform.

“The basic thing that this tool does is let people see why they are seeing a particular post in their news feed, and it helps them access the actions they might want to take if they want to change that,” Facebook’s Head of News Feed John Hegeman told reporters on Monday.

After a series of privacy scandals, Facebook needs to regain users’ trust as it prepares to roll out a single messaging service combining Facebook messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram that could make it even more central to users’ communications.

The new news feed feature will show users the data that connect them to a particular type of post, Hegeman said, for example that they are friends with the poster and they’ve liked their posts more than others, they’ve frequently commented on that type of post before, or that the post is popular with users with the same interests.

It will detail some of the interactions that lead the algorithm to reach its conclusion, he said, although it will not show all of the thousands of inputs that influence the decision.

“We’ve tried to really focus on the signals that are most important and play the biggest role in what causes people to see a post or not,” Hegeman said.

“We don’t think this is going to solve everything on the theme of transparency but we think this is an important step.”

Facebook developed the new tool with research groups in New York, Denver, Paris and Berlin, he said, and as a result of feedback Facebook has made it easy for users to access tools to control what is in the news feed themselves.

Facebook is also updating its “Why Am I Seeing this Ad?” feature launched a few years ago with additional details, Hegeman said, such as explaining how ads work that target customers using email lists.

The company shifted its strategy for its centerpiece news feed in early 2018 when it decided to prioritize posts from family and friends and downgrade non-advertising content from publishers and brands.

 
…

your ads here!

Drudge Report: Mick Jagger to Undergo Heart Valve Replacement Surgery

Posted on by Corts

The Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger is to undergo heart valve replacement surgery this week in New York and is expected to a make a full recovery, U.S. website Drudge Report said on Monday, citing unidentified sources.

The group have postponed a tour of the United States and Canada to give Jagger time to receive medical treatment, the veteran rock band said on Saturday.

The 75-year old is expected to back on stage by summer, Drudge Report said.
…

your ads here!

Drudge Report: Mick Jagger to Undergo Heart Valve Replacement Surgery

Posted on by Corts

The Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger is to undergo heart valve replacement surgery this week in New York and is expected to a make a full recovery, U.S. website Drudge Report said on Monday, citing unidentified sources.

The group have postponed a tour of the United States and Canada to give Jagger time to receive medical treatment, the veteran rock band said on Saturday.

The 75-year old is expected to back on stage by summer, Drudge Report said.
…

your ads here!

TSA’s Social Media Highlight Weird Stuff in Travelers’ Bags

Posted on by Cobiz

David Johnston stands over a table full of peculiar items confiscated at Dulles International Airport: a glittery clutch with brass knuckles as a clasp. A perfume bottle shaped like a grenade. A rusted circular saw blade. A pocket-sized pitchfork.

None of those is quite right. Then Johnston sees it: a guitar shaped like a semi-automatic rifle. Bingo. It will do nicely for the Transportation Security Administration’s social media accounts.

Johnston, TSA’s social media director, is following in the footsteps of Curtis “Bob” Burns, who created unlikely internet buzz for the not-always-beloved agency by showcasing the weirdest stuff travelers pack in their carry-ons. He died suddenly in October at age 48.

Burns’ work created a model for other federal agencies. The quirky photos combined with a hefty dose of dad humor helped lure in more than a million followers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, who would then see important messages about the do’s and don’ts of airline travel.

“How are we going to replace Bob? The reality is we can’t,” said Johnston. “We had a unique situation with him, but we can still be entertaining and help people as we find our way forward without him.”

On the blog, Burns shared a weekly count of firearms that TSA officers found at checkpoints nationwide. He did a summary of knives and all matter of other bizarre and sometimes scary items that travelers had stuffed into their bags, pockets, purses or briefcases.

In one Instagram post, someone tried to bring on a glove with razors for fingers and Burns (naturally) made a “Nightmare on Elm Street” joke.

“It’s safe to sleep on Elm Street again. Freddy lost his glove at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL).”

The agency’s Instagram account won three Webby awards last year, including the People’s Voice Award for weird social content marketing. In his acceptance speech, Burns eyed the award, shook it and declared: “This Webby is carry-on approved!”

Johnston, who worked with Burns for about three years, and has been in government jobs for nearly a decade, has tried to keep it up all on his own, but it’s been tough.

Johnston sent out a Valentine’s Day post that showed off a throwing star, ax and double-edged dagger confiscated from a passenger’s carry-on bag. (“Safe travels, you romantic fool!”) And it was national puppy day recently, so that was an excuse for a photo of Cole, a big-eyed TSA explosives detection dog.

TSA is growing its social media staff — bringing in three more workers to expand its social media presence. The staff will continue to use fodder sent in by officers around the country, who seize all manner of unusual items people try to bring onboard. But it’s hard to find people who have both the government know-how and a sense of humor that resonates.

Burns’ humor

Johnston said the thing that made Burns’ posts so special was Burns himself.

“When you look at his posts, you’re seeing a window into his soul,” he said. “It really was from his heart. He was a fun, happy guy.”

Burns’ sister-in-law, Candy Creech, said he had a dry sense of humor and a hefty dose of patriotism: He had served in the Gulf War. Burns had worked in airports before taking over social media and believed there was public negativity around TSA. He wanted to change that.

“And I think he felt he could change that by communicating with people in a way that wasn’t scolding,” she said. “He was one of a kind.” 

During a TSA Facebook live, “Ask Me Anything” episode last year, Burns said the success of the account was partly due to the shock value.

“People don’t come to a government Instagram account and expert to see humor,” Burns said. “And they also don’t expect to see these crazy things that people are trying to bring on a plane.”

‘They Brought What?’

At Dulles, in the prohibited items section, Johnston sees a few possibilities for TSA’s YouTube series called “They Brought What?” including a large snow globe with big a white fairy imprisoned in some kind of liquid (It’s creepy and it has liquid, so they can highlight the liquid restrictions.) 

He passes over the four pairs of nunchucks (Yawn — you can’t believe how many people bring those) and a handful of pocket knives. He stops at a large bullet from Afghanistan that has been altered to be a cigarette lighter and pen.

“The things people think of,” he said. Turning more serious for a moment, Johnston notes the importance of showing off these items, especially to people who aren’t well-traveled.

“The bottom line is our social media pages makes travelers better informed, so they have a better experience and it frees up our officers to do what they need to do — look for the bad actors,” he said.
…

your ads here!

Kellogg Selling Keebler and Other Brands for $1.3 Billion

Posted on by Coeco

Kellogg is selling its iconic Keebler cookie brand and other sweet snacks businesses to Ferrero for $1.3 billion.

The Battle Creek, Michigan-based Kellogg Co. says the brands in the deal generated sales of $900 million and profits of $75 million last year. Kellogg is also selling its Mother’s and Famous Amos cookie brands, as well as its fruit-flavored snack, pie crust and ice cream cone businesses.

Kellogg acquired Keebler Foods, which was founded in 1853, in 2001 for $3.86 billion.

It expects to use sale proceeds to pay down debt.

Ferrero, an Italian confectionary company best known for its Nutella hazelnut cream, said Monday it will also acquire six U.S. manufacturing plants from Kellogg in the deal.

Kellogg is among many U.S. food companies that have sold off brands in recent years to adapt to a consumer shift toward more fresh, less processed snacks and foods.

The sale is expected to close by the end of July.
…

your ads here!

Kellogg Selling Keebler and Other Brands for $1.3 Billion

Posted on by Coeco

Kellogg is selling its iconic Keebler cookie brand and other sweet snacks businesses to Ferrero for $1.3 billion.

The Battle Creek, Michigan-based Kellogg Co. says the brands in the deal generated sales of $900 million and profits of $75 million last year. Kellogg is also selling its Mother’s and Famous Amos cookie brands, as well as its fruit-flavored snack, pie crust and ice cream cone businesses.

Kellogg acquired Keebler Foods, which was founded in 1853, in 2001 for $3.86 billion.

It expects to use sale proceeds to pay down debt.

Ferrero, an Italian confectionary company best known for its Nutella hazelnut cream, said Monday it will also acquire six U.S. manufacturing plants from Kellogg in the deal.

Kellogg is among many U.S. food companies that have sold off brands in recent years to adapt to a consumer shift toward more fresh, less processed snacks and foods.

The sale is expected to close by the end of July.
…

your ads here!

Rapper Nipsey Hussle Shot and Killed at 33

Posted on by Corts

Nipsey Hussle, the skilled and respected rapper who earned a Grammy nomination this year for his major-label debut and was heavily respected in South Los Angeles where he grew up, has died, authorities said. He was 33.

The Los Angeles Crisis Response team said Sunday that “we lost a great musician” and support has been offered to Hussle’s family.

 

“Our prayers are with them and all those who knew and loved Nipsey Hussle,” the crisis team said.

 

Police said three men were shot Sunday and one of them killed outside Marathon Clothing, the store Hussle owns. Police said the other two men were in stable condition.

 

Representatives for the rapper didn’t immediately respond to emails seeking confirmation of his death.

 

A large crowd of fans and residents gathered behind police lines as night fell. Detectives were canvassing the area for witnesses and looking to see if any surveillance video captured the incident, police Lt. Chris Ramirez said.

 

Mayor Eric Garcetti tweeted his condolences Sunday.

 

“Our hearts are with the loved ones of Nipsey Hussle and everyone touched by this awful tragedy. L.A. is hurt deeply each time a young life is lost to senseless gun violence,” Garcetti tweeted. “My Crisis Response Team is assisting the families coping with shock and grief.”

 

Hussle, whose real name is Ermias Asghedom, was born on Aug. 15, 1985, in the Crenshaw neighborhood of south Los Angeles.

 

The Eritrean-American said his first passion was music but getting resources was tough since he left his mother’s house at 14 to live with his grandmother. Hussle said he got involved in street life as he tried to support himself, and he joined the gang Rollin 60’s Neighborhood Crips as a teenager.

 

“The culture of my area is the gang culture … so by being outside, being involved with hustling, being in the hood, doing things to try to get money, being young, you know riding your bike through the hood, getting shot at, your loved ones and homies that’s your age getting killed, getting shot at … it’s like, we were just raised like if you with me and something goes now, I’m in it, whether I’m from the [expletive] or not,” he said in a 2014 interview with VladTV. “So after a while it just be like you always in the middle of some [expletive], you might as well, you know what I mean … be part of it. Or don’t be a part of it and get the [expletive] out the way.”

 

Music eventually happened for Hussle. The proud West Coast rapper released a number of successful mixtapes that he sold out of the trunk of his car, helping him create a buzz and gain respect from rap purists and his peers. In 2010 he placed on hip-hop magazine XXL’s “Freshman Class of 2010” — a coveted list for up-and-coming hip-hop acts — alongside J. Cole Big Sean, Wiz Khalifa, Jay Rock and others.

 

Hussle continued to build more hype for himself, and Jay-Z even bought 100 copies of Hussle’s 2013 mixtape “Crenshaw” for $100 each, sending the budding rapper a $10,000 check.

 

But Hussle, who was once signed to Sony’s Epic Records, hit a new peak with “Victory Lap,” his critically acclaimed major-label debut album on Atlantic Records that made several best-of lists last year, from Billboard magazine to Complex. The album debuted at No. 4 on Billboard’s 200 albums charts and featured collaborations with Kendrick Lamar, Diddy, CeeLo Green and more.

 

At this year’s Grammy Awards, “Victory Lap” was one of five nominees for best rap album in a year that hip-hop dominated the pop charts and streaming services and a number of top stars released projects, including Drake, Eminem and Kanye West. Cardi B’s “Invasion of Privacy” won the honor last month, while the other nominees were Travis Scott, Pusha T and Mac Miller.

 

“It’s my debut album so for my first one (to be nominated) out the gate, it’s like, it was overwhelming a little bit. It was … inspiring, humbling,” he said in an interview with the Recording Academy on the 2019 Grammys red carpet.

 

Hussle attended the Grammys with his daughter. The rapper was engaged to actress Lauren London.

 

The world mourned his death on social media Sunday. NBA star Steph Curry tweeted, “God please cover and restore (at)NipseyHussle right now!!!”

 

“This doesn’t make any sense! My spirit is shaken by this!,” Rihanna wrote on social media while posting photos of Hussle with his daughter and another with his fiance. “Dear God may His spirit Rest In Peace and May You grant divine comfort to all his loved ones! I’m so sorry this happened to you (at)nipseyhussle.”

 

Snoop Dogg posted a video of himself and Hussle together on Instagram, and posted a second clip sending prayers to the rapper’s family.

 

“Prayers out to the whole family man. This [stuff has] got to stop man,” he said in the second video.

 

Rapper Nas mourned Hussle’s death on Instagram and wrote, “It’s dangerous to be an MC. Dangerous to be a b-ball player. It’s dangerous to have money. Dangerous To Be A Black Man.”

 

“So much hatred. We live like our brothers and sisters in third world countries live. Right in America,” he continued. “Its so deep rooted. It’s not a easy fix. Hard to fix anything when kids are still living in poverty. I ain’t shutting up though, Nipsey is a True voice. He will never be silenced.”

 

Outside of music, Hussle said he wanted to provide hope and motivation to those who grew up in Crenshaw like him, and pay it forward.

 

Hussle was also a strong businessman. In a story published in February, Forbes wrote that the rapper and business partner Dave Gross purchased the Crenshaw plaza where his Marathon Clothing store is located, and had plans to knock it down and “rebuild it as a six-story residential building atop a commercial plaza where a revamped Marathon store will be the anchor tenant.”

 

“Watching Nipsey inspired me to invest and own in our communities,” Emmy-nominated actress Issa Rae, also from Los Angeles, wrote on Twitter.

 

In 2016, Hussle and rapper YG released the protest song “FDT,” short for “[Expletive] Donald Trump,” criticizing the U.S. President’s policies when he was the Republican presidential candidate.
…

your ads here!

Rapper Nipsey Hussle Shot and Killed at 33

Posted on by Corts

Nipsey Hussle, the skilled and respected rapper who earned a Grammy nomination this year for his major-label debut and was heavily respected in South Los Angeles where he grew up, has died, authorities said. He was 33.

The Los Angeles Crisis Response team said Sunday that “we lost a great musician” and support has been offered to Hussle’s family.

 

“Our prayers are with them and all those who knew and loved Nipsey Hussle,” the crisis team said.

 

Police said three men were shot Sunday and one of them killed outside Marathon Clothing, the store Hussle owns. Police said the other two men were in stable condition.

 

Representatives for the rapper didn’t immediately respond to emails seeking confirmation of his death.

 

A large crowd of fans and residents gathered behind police lines as night fell. Detectives were canvassing the area for witnesses and looking to see if any surveillance video captured the incident, police Lt. Chris Ramirez said.

 

Mayor Eric Garcetti tweeted his condolences Sunday.

 

“Our hearts are with the loved ones of Nipsey Hussle and everyone touched by this awful tragedy. L.A. is hurt deeply each time a young life is lost to senseless gun violence,” Garcetti tweeted. “My Crisis Response Team is assisting the families coping with shock and grief.”

 

Hussle, whose real name is Ermias Asghedom, was born on Aug. 15, 1985, in the Crenshaw neighborhood of south Los Angeles.

 

The Eritrean-American said his first passion was music but getting resources was tough since he left his mother’s house at 14 to live with his grandmother. Hussle said he got involved in street life as he tried to support himself, and he joined the gang Rollin 60’s Neighborhood Crips as a teenager.

 

“The culture of my area is the gang culture … so by being outside, being involved with hustling, being in the hood, doing things to try to get money, being young, you know riding your bike through the hood, getting shot at, your loved ones and homies that’s your age getting killed, getting shot at … it’s like, we were just raised like if you with me and something goes now, I’m in it, whether I’m from the [expletive] or not,” he said in a 2014 interview with VladTV. “So after a while it just be like you always in the middle of some [expletive], you might as well, you know what I mean … be part of it. Or don’t be a part of it and get the [expletive] out the way.”

 

Music eventually happened for Hussle. The proud West Coast rapper released a number of successful mixtapes that he sold out of the trunk of his car, helping him create a buzz and gain respect from rap purists and his peers. In 2010 he placed on hip-hop magazine XXL’s “Freshman Class of 2010” — a coveted list for up-and-coming hip-hop acts — alongside J. Cole Big Sean, Wiz Khalifa, Jay Rock and others.

 

Hussle continued to build more hype for himself, and Jay-Z even bought 100 copies of Hussle’s 2013 mixtape “Crenshaw” for $100 each, sending the budding rapper a $10,000 check.

 

But Hussle, who was once signed to Sony’s Epic Records, hit a new peak with “Victory Lap,” his critically acclaimed major-label debut album on Atlantic Records that made several best-of lists last year, from Billboard magazine to Complex. The album debuted at No. 4 on Billboard’s 200 albums charts and featured collaborations with Kendrick Lamar, Diddy, CeeLo Green and more.

 

At this year’s Grammy Awards, “Victory Lap” was one of five nominees for best rap album in a year that hip-hop dominated the pop charts and streaming services and a number of top stars released projects, including Drake, Eminem and Kanye West. Cardi B’s “Invasion of Privacy” won the honor last month, while the other nominees were Travis Scott, Pusha T and Mac Miller.

 

“It’s my debut album so for my first one (to be nominated) out the gate, it’s like, it was overwhelming a little bit. It was … inspiring, humbling,” he said in an interview with the Recording Academy on the 2019 Grammys red carpet.

 

Hussle attended the Grammys with his daughter. The rapper was engaged to actress Lauren London.

 

The world mourned his death on social media Sunday. NBA star Steph Curry tweeted, “God please cover and restore (at)NipseyHussle right now!!!”

 

“This doesn’t make any sense! My spirit is shaken by this!,” Rihanna wrote on social media while posting photos of Hussle with his daughter and another with his fiance. “Dear God may His spirit Rest In Peace and May You grant divine comfort to all his loved ones! I’m so sorry this happened to you (at)nipseyhussle.”

 

Snoop Dogg posted a video of himself and Hussle together on Instagram, and posted a second clip sending prayers to the rapper’s family.

 

“Prayers out to the whole family man. This [stuff has] got to stop man,” he said in the second video.

 

Rapper Nas mourned Hussle’s death on Instagram and wrote, “It’s dangerous to be an MC. Dangerous to be a b-ball player. It’s dangerous to have money. Dangerous To Be A Black Man.”

 

“So much hatred. We live like our brothers and sisters in third world countries live. Right in America,” he continued. “Its so deep rooted. It’s not a easy fix. Hard to fix anything when kids are still living in poverty. I ain’t shutting up though, Nipsey is a True voice. He will never be silenced.”

 

Outside of music, Hussle said he wanted to provide hope and motivation to those who grew up in Crenshaw like him, and pay it forward.

 

Hussle was also a strong businessman. In a story published in February, Forbes wrote that the rapper and business partner Dave Gross purchased the Crenshaw plaza where his Marathon Clothing store is located, and had plans to knock it down and “rebuild it as a six-story residential building atop a commercial plaza where a revamped Marathon store will be the anchor tenant.”

 

“Watching Nipsey inspired me to invest and own in our communities,” Emmy-nominated actress Issa Rae, also from Los Angeles, wrote on Twitter.

 

In 2016, Hussle and rapper YG released the protest song “FDT,” short for “[Expletive] Donald Trump,” criticizing the U.S. President’s policies when he was the Republican presidential candidate.
…

your ads here!

China: Fentanyl-Related Drugs to be Added to Controlled Substances List

Posted on by Cosc

China said Monday it is adding all fentanyl-related compounds to its list of controlled substances, beginning May 1. 

U.S. officials have long campaigned for the move. Fentanyl, and compounds that mimic its effects, are blamed for tens of thousands of opioid overdose deaths in the U.S. each year. 

“The U.S. is concerned about all variants (of fentanyl) and it’s all been resolved,” Liu Yuejin, the deputy director of China’s National Drug Commission said Monday. 

U.S. President Donald Trump said last year, if China placed controls on fentanyl, the move would be a “game changer.” 
…

your ads here!