Daily Archives: January 28, 2022

Royal Caribbean redeploys Spectrum of the Seas to Singapore for April 2022 – Royal Caribbean Blog

Posted: January 28, 2022 at 12:07 am

Spectrum of the Seas will shift to offer cruises from Singapore in Spring 2022.

Royal Caribbean announced Spectrum of the Seas will sail from Singapore beginning April 11, 2022.

This move means Spectrum will begin sailings six months earlier than originally scheduled.

The ship will offer 3- and 4-night "cruises to nowhere". Bookings are now open for reservations.

"We know that vacation time is precious and choosing how to spend it is more important than ever, which is why we are thrilled to welcomeSpectrum of the Seas one of the most advanced ships in the world, to Singapore in April making Singapore the cruising destination of choice," said Angie Stephen, vice president and managing director, Asia-Pacific, Royal Caribbean International.

"We have seen incredible demand for Royal Caribbean cruise holidays in Singapore. Having hosted more than 178,000 Singapore residents since we restarted cruising, bringing Spectrum six months early is truly exciting. The combination of experiences specially designed for the Asian market, together with signature Royal Caribbean favourites on board, will make Spectrum a huge hit."

Spectrum changed homeports because Hong Kong began forcing Royal Caribbean to cancel sailings. Instead, she will shift to Singapore.

The arrival of Spectrum of the Seas will also mean a Royal Caribbean ship will remain in Singapore when Quantum of the Seas moves to Alaska for the summer 2022 cruise season.

Spectrum is the first Quantum Ultra Class ship in the fleet, and has a few special offerings.

Sky Pad Asias first, this virtual reality, bungee trampoline adventure is where guests can strap in, don a headset and transport themselves to another time and planet.

Suite Enclave Royal Caribbeans first and exclusive space for the exquisite Royal Suite Class Star, Sky and Sea accommodations in a private area, featuring exclusive floor access, an elevator, private restaurants and a dedicated lounge area.

Two70 Boasting stunning 270-degree ocean views by day and transforming into a multidimensional theatre by night, this transformative space flaunts six agile Roboscreens, breathtaking live performers and mind-bending aerialists to create unimaginable visuals.

SeaPlex The largest indoor active space at sea, featuring bumper cars, laser tag, fencing, archery and more.

Star Moment A lively and energetic karaoke venue where family and friends come together to belt out and sing like stars.

Family Friendly Accommodations From exterior balcony staterooms to interconnected rooms, to the signature two-level Ultimate Family Suite, an expansive, multiroom retreat complete with its own slide and cinema that also doubles as a karaoke stage, theres an array of staterooms designed for the whole family.

Signature Experiences A bold lineup of guest favourites are on deck, including theFlowRidersurf simulator, theNorth Star, an all-glass observation capsule which ascends 300 feet above the ocean to deliver incomparable 360-degree views; andRipCord by iFly, the first sky diving experience at sea.

A World of Flavours There are 19 dining options that serve up a variety of cuisines, includingHot Pot, an authentic Chinese dining experience;Teppanyaki, a celebration of Far East flavours cooked in Japans traditional teppanyaki style; andSichuan Red, a new specialty dining experience tailored just forSpectrum, where diners can savour a bold tapestry of spices and Sichuan flavours. Signature classics include imaginative cuisine atWonderland, American steakhouseChops Grilleand authentic rustic fare and handmade pasta atJamies Italian.

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Minister Goldsmith’s address to the Forum of Ministers of the Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean – GOV.UK

Posted: at 12:07 am

Thank you its an honour to be here, at the end of an inspiring trip to Ecuador and Costa Rica, just a few weeks after a similarly inspiring visit to Peru and to Colombia and to meet many of you here today at the Leticia Pact before COP26.

I could spend hours talking about the mesmerising beauty of this whole region, and the leadership you really are at the epicentre of global ambition in relation to the biggest challenge that really any of us face.

And it has been wonderful to be able to spend time with friends Andrea Meza, Carlos Correa, and Gustavo Manrique, three phenomenal leaders and my new friends from Panama, and Im looking forward to visit shortly.

You will be pleased to know I wont spend hours talking about the mesmerising beauty of this area.

But I would like to share some thoughts, if I could on, what was achieved in Glasgow, at COP26.

The whole world heard the message from ambitious, nature-rich countries as well as climate vulnerable nations around the world and many of those vulnerable countries, and small island developing states.

Prime Minister Mottley spoke powerfully about the urgent need to keep within 1.5 degrees, and to provide greater support for communities that are being devastated by a global crisis that is not of their making.

And the extraordinary Roxana Borda Mamani, a passionate, eloquent young Quechua activist from Peru who I met when I was out there spoke so movingly at COP on the need to empower indigenous peoples and local communities.

I cant pretend and Im not going to pretend that we closed the gap between where we are and where we need to be if were truly going to address these big issues and reverse the degradation of the natural world, and the climate change that threatens us all.

But undoubtedly, we did narrow that gap considerably and far more, I think, than people had anticipated.

And we built a momentum.

We kept alive the possibility of staying within 1.5 degrees.

90% of the global economy is now signed up to net zero it was only 30% a year or so ago.

We agreed measures that undoubtedly signal the end of the era of coal and 2021 was the year that killed-off international public financing of coal power.

And were accelerating the transition towards renewable energy, including green hydrogen.

We finalised the Paris rulebook including the all-important Article 6.

And a new rachet mechanism which has been under-reported, but is hugely important in my opinion will help us to keep the pressure year on year.

And Im delighted that the UK is investing 100m to respond to the critical recommendations of the Taskforce on Access to Finance that we co-chair alongside Fiji.

And although we didnt reach the promised and hugely important $100bn figure we are continuing to urge donor countries to make good on that promise as we continue our presidency, and we have a good plan to achieve it and we are optimistic that we will.

But the thing that made this COP different to previous COPs and I think so important was that nature moved from the very margins of the debate on climate change into the heart of our response to it.

And that matters because we know you know better than anyone that there is no credible pathway to tackling climate change or to achieving net zero that does not involve massive emphasis on protecting and restoring nature.

Indeed, climate change is just one of many devastating symptoms of our reckless and abusive relationship with the natural world.

If you like, climate change is the fever.

And the beauty of backing nature is that doing so allows us to address so many other issues as well pollution, poverty even, as we now know, pandemics.

Nature based solutions are undoubtedly the most effective but theyre also the most cost effective, and we need to back them.

And between us, I think we won that argument at COP and I dont see any going back.

It was the bravery and the leadership that was shown by big-ocean, big-nature countries, many represented here today, that enabled the UK presidency to be as ambitious as we were, enabled us to make and win the arguments in favour of protecting and restoring nature.

And for that Im so grateful to you here today.

The Glasgow commitment to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by the end of this decade by 2030 was signed by 141 countries representing over 90% of the worlds forest cover.

And that declaration is more than just a paper declaration.

It is reinforced by unprecedented levels of public, and private, and philanthropic finance amounting to nearly USD$20 billion

and by public commitments from the worlds biggest buyers of agricultural commodities agricultural commodities are responsible for the vast majority of deforestation

and a similar commitment from the main Multilateral Development Banks, and financial institutions presiding over assets worth many trillions of dollars

each of them committing to align their purchasing and their portfolios not only with the Paris goals, but with our deforestation goals as well.

28 countries are now working together to break the link between agricultural commodity and deforestation while also supporting livelihoods and increasing sustainable trade

and thats been backed up, Im thrilled to say, with a 500m commitment from the UK

and is bolstered also by a growing move by consumer countries to introduce due diligence legislation, the sort that we have already introduced in the UK

designed to help strengthen forest governance around the world and reduce the impact of our own supply chains on other countries.

COP26 also crucially secured nearly $2bn to support indigenous peoples and local communities to defend their forests.

And there was one indigenous leader at COP, who I had the pleasure of meeting and said, Weve protected 80% of the worlds forest biodiversity without any support at all, often in the face of acute danger; can you imagine what were going to be able to will do with support?

So working with Indigenous communities will be central to what we do not least through the commitment that weve made to the Amazon.

The UK made it on the back of my visit to Carlos Correa in Colombia and friends in Peru we were able to make that commitment to support the extraordinary work thats happening in critical parts of the Amazon, but also through the LEAF coalition which I hope will grow considerably in the coming year.

Now the UK remains presidency of COP until we hand over all of it to Egypt towards the end of this year.

And our commitment is that we will do all we can to inject scrutiny and accountability at every level to ensure those promises are honoured in full and that we build upon them.

So theres a lot to be done and I look forward to working with the most ambitious countries in the world, many of them here today.

But weve seen also that even the more reluctant countries, and companies, and indeed institutions are feeling pressure.

Theyve seen that we are taking albeit small steps, but important the steps, towards shifting the immense power of the market away from destruction, towards resilience, and sustainability, and renewal.

That shift is now happening.But we need more pace, and we need more urgency and the only way thats going to happen is if governments in particular use the levers that are uniquely in their control.

Governments set the rules.

We have the ability and the responsibility to adjust those rules such that pollution, degradation, and waste become an unbearable liability

and that the market learns to recognise the true value of those natural systems on which we all depend.

This is a critical year for us all.

Were going to have to work together to ensure all the decisions we take at the various landmark moments this year add up to more than the sum of their parts and that we put the world genuinely on a road to recovery.

And weve got a big opportunity, if we agree a new global agreement on marine litter and microplastics at UNEA, to help accelerate the shift towards more a circular economy

and a new and ambitious Global Biodiversity Framework at the CBD COP15 with mechanisms that will enable Parties to be held to account.

And the UK is so proud to be part of this extraordinary, global coalition committed to protecting at least 30% of the worlds land and at least 30% of the worlds ocean, by 2030.

We must all work together to secure that agreement.

Many of you are playing critically important roles, and Im so grateful to you.

When Costa Rica, and Colombia, and Ecuador, and Panama made their announcement this extraordinary vision of a new highly protected, highly connected marine reserve, covering a staggering half-a-million km2 of ocean

I can tell you, as someone who was there in COP, cajoling countries, trying to get everyone to raise their ambition, that moment really sparked something good, a green arms race at COP with countries beyond this continent wanting to try and engage in, and bask in the glory that they could see these four countries were enjoying on the back of their announcement.

It really helped to raise ambition it helped us so again, Im so grateful to you.

It is exactly the ambition that we all need and the UK committed at COP to supporting their initiative, we made a small, tentative step towards doing so today.

And as I was able to tell my friends in those four countries, the UK will commit 2m to help kickstart the process but that is the beginning of a longer-term relationship.

And there is no good reason we cant make this the decade that really begins to turn things around and reconcile our lives with the natural world.

As I met the President of this country, President Alvarado, yesterday I said that is undoubtedly the defining challenge of our age.

And we will all be judged on the basis of whether manage to do that.

So I really look forward to continuing to work with these ambitious countries here in this region.

And Andrea, thank you once again for inviting me, for looking after me over the last couple of days, giving me so much of your time but much more importantly for the amazing, global leadership that we need now.

Thank you so much.

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Minister Goldsmith's address to the Forum of Ministers of the Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean - GOV.UK

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Navy ship returns from Pirates of Caribbean-style tour around the Americas – Portsmouth News

Posted: at 12:07 am

The tanker sailed into Portland, Dorset, bringing the curtain down on a whirlwind 12 months.

From coming out of refit on Merseyside to leading the UKs task force in the Caribbean through the Atlantic hurricane season, RFA Wave Knight has arrived back in England.

The ship delivered aid to the people of St Vincent upon her arrival last June after their lives were turned upside down by a volcanic eruption.

Then, following this, she supported the international relief effort in Haiti in the wake of an earthquake later in the summer.

Crew and her embarked team of disaster relief specialists trained repeatedly with islanders across the region to ensure they could deliver as much help as possible should a severe tropical storm sweep through.

Despite this though, in conjunction with the RNs permanent presence in the region, patrol ship HMS Medway was not required to intervene during the storm season.

And when not on standby to respond to disaster, the ship joined the international fight against drug trafficking.

Working with the US Coastguard and its specialist boarding teams, making use of the speed and agility of Knight Rider, the ship scored a drugs bust within 24 hours of her first patrol, seizing more than 200kg cocaine from a go-fast drugs worth over 17m had they reached the UK.

Reverting to her original role of fast fleet tanker, the ship provided black gold frequently to the Dutch frigate HMNLS Holland to sustain her efforts against regional drug traffickers.

Captain Ali Clack, the ships Commanding Officer, said the mix of Royal Fleet Auxiliary seafarers, Royal Navy aviators and engineers, British Army Crisis Response Troop and embarked US Coastguard worked as one team to ensure RFA Wave Knight remained on task in support of the UKs overseas territories and partner nations in the Caribbean.

He said: Its been a busy and highly successful year from leaving Cammell Lairds shipyard in February 2021, generating for the deployment, departing from Scotland in early June fully-trained and stored to respond to the Core Hurricane Season.

We exercised humanitarian and disaster relief operations before settling into supporting US Coastguard Counter Drugs Trafficking operations, interdicting and questioning a number of suspicious craft which ultimately led to several large drug hauls.

The head of the RFA, Commodore David Eagles, visited the tanker today to thank sailors for their efforts on an extraordinarily successful deployment.

He continued: Wave Knight and her embarked personnel have been a force for good and contributed to stability and resilience throughout the region. I am very proud of all that the ship has achieved.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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Latin America & The Caribbean Weekly Situation Update (17-23 January 2022) As of 24 January 2022 – Peru – ReliefWeb

Posted: at 12:07 am

KEY FIGURES

6K BARRELS OF OIL SPILLED IN OPEN WATERS OFF THE NORTHERN COAST OF PERU

8.9M SQUARE METERS OF OCEAN AND COASTLINE AFFECTED AS OF 23 JANUARY

Sources:

Government of Peru

UN System Peru

PERU: OIL SPILL

The Government of Peru has formally declared an environmental emergency following an oil spill on 15 January at the countrys main refinery, La Pampilla. The refinery, operated by the Spanish oil giant Repsol, is located in the district of Ventanilla north of the capital Lima. Around 6,000 barrels of oil were spilled into open waters in an area rich in marine biodiversity, affecting 7.1 million m2 of ocean and 1.8 million m2 of coastline as of 23 January. The spill is causing significant environmental damage and and poses risks to the health and livelihoods of coastal populations, especially those dependent on fishing and tourism.

As ocean currents push the oil northward, the spill has now reached the neighbouring district of Ancn, two national marine reserves and the northern port of Chacn. The Ministry of Environment says the spill could result in direct and indirect losses of US$52 million for tourism-related livelihoods.

Multiple Government agencies are working together to respond to the catastrophic spill, the worst environmental disaster in Perus recent history, while Repsol says that it has deployed around 1,800 personnel to support response efforts and specialized machinery to help contain the spread. In response to a request from the Government, the UN Joint Environment Unit (JEU), a collaborative initiative of OCHA and UNEP, has deployed a team of technical experts to provide analysis, specialized technical assistance and recommendations on disaster response and coordination.

KEY FIGURES

36% OF THE CORN CROP IN ARGENTINA IN POOR OR VERY POOR CONDITION

159 MUNICIPALITIES FACE DROUGHT EMERGENCY IN RIO GRANDE DO SUL, BRAZIL

Sources:

SOUTH AMERICA: HEAT WAVE & DROUGHT

In recent weeks, countries across South America have set record-high temperatures as the region deals with a historic heat wave. Unusually warm temperatures in parts of Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay, largely fueled by La Nia conditions, are exacerbating protracted drought, with negative implications for agricultural production, livelihoods and food security.

In Argentina, blistering temperatures in the capital Buenos Aires, which hit 41.5C on 14 January the hottest day since 1957 overwhelmed the power grid and hundreds of thousands of people without electricity. Prolonged drought continues to severely affect the countrys staple crops nearly 36 per cent of its corn crop is in poor or very poor condition while the low level of the Paran river is hindering exports from the inland port of Rosario, where around 80 per cent of the Argentinas agricultural products are shipped from.

In neighbouring Brazil, the temperature in Bag, Rio Grande do Sul recently hit 41.7C the hottest on record since 1912 as the state faces its worst drought in nearly two decades. Nearly 160 municipalities have declared a state of emergency due to ongoing drought conditions since November 2021. Meanwhile in Uruguay, the latest heatwave comes on the heels of another which took place between December 2021 and early January 2022, triggering forest fires which scorched around 37,000 hectares of forest in the western part of the country, the worst forest devastation in Uruguays history.

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Latin America & The Caribbean Weekly Situation Update (17-23 January 2022) As of 24 January 2022 - Peru - ReliefWeb

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Latin America and the Caribbean closed 2021 as the region with the best load factor – Aviacionline.com

Posted: at 12:07 am

According to the traffic report presented today by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), during 2021 Latin America and the Caribbean was the region with the best load factor, also leading, together with North America, the performance in recovery.

Globally, Latin America accounted for 6.5% of overall traffic and 2.1% of international traffic.

In 2021, demand (measured in RPK) in Latin America and the Caribbean fell by 47.7%, ranking second only to North America, where the drop was 39%.

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Capacity (ASK) in Latin American and Caribbean countries was 43.9% lower, resulting in a negative variation of only 5.2 percentage points in the occupancy factor, which stood at 77.3%, the highest among all regions worldwide, followed by North America with 73.8% and Europe with 68.6%.

See also:IATA: global passenger traffic recovered 42% in 2021 compared to 2019

Looking at the international segment, Latin American airlines recorded a 66.9% drop in passenger traffic, while capacity fell 62.2%, resulting in an occupancy factor of 72.6% (-10.2 pp), also the highest among the regions.

Does Latin American political change pose a threat to air transport?

In recent years, governments in several key Latin American markets have made a leftward shift, such as Mexico, Argentina, Peru, and, more recently, Chile.

When asked by Aviacionline whether this could provoke a wave of protectionism on air transport that would limit its development in the region, Willie Walsh, IATAs Director-General, said that political changes whether to the left or to the right can have an impact, but that it does not depend necessarily on the direction of governments but on the approach they will take in relation to aviation, transport and the economy in general.

We have dealt with this before and I dont think it represents anything that is significantly different to what we have experienced in the past; we have managed and lived through political changes before and I would expect that we will be able to handle them efficiently in the future, the executive concluded.

You can watch Willie Walshs full conference on our YouTube channel:

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Latin America and the Caribbean closed 2021 as the region with the best load factor - Aviacionline.com

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Mulvaney and Heitkamp land on K Street – Politico

Posted: at 12:06 am

With Daniel Lippman

FORMER MERCURY LOBBYISTS LAUNCH NEW FIRM: The lobbyists who left Mercury Public Affairs en masse last year have formed a new firm, Actum, with a Washington office led by a high-profile bipartisan duo: Mick Mulvaney and Heidi Heitkamp.

Mulvaney, the former acting chief of staff to former President Donald Trump and Heitkamp, the former Democratic North Dakota senator, will co-chair Actums Washington office, your host reports. In California, where Mercury was one of the most powerful lobbying firms in the state, former Sen. Barbara Boxer will co-chair the Los Angeles office along with former L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Peter Villegas and Cliff Einstein.

Kirill Goncharenko, a co-founder at Mercury who was among the mass departures in October stemming from a long-simmering dispute with the firms corporate owner Omnicom, and Fabian Nuez, a former California Assembly speaker, will be Actums managing partners based in L.A. Theyll joined by partners John Ek, Nicole Flotteron, Stefan Friedman, Glenn Gritzner, Duncan McFetridge, Michael McKeon, Rachel Noerdlinger, Morris Reid, George Tucker and Jennifer Wlach, along with seven managing directors and four senior vice presidents, with 70 staffers in total scattered across six offices in Washington, D.C., London, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento.

The former Mercury lobbyists are bringing more than 100 clients with them to the new firm, among them the e-scooter company Bird, the Boys & Girls Club, Charter Communications, Clear, Comcast, FedEx, Lyft, No Kid Hungry and SoCalGas-Sempra Energy. In an interview, Nuez told your host that the firm wont shy away from controversial clients in certain industries or foreign countries though he did note Actum would likely never represent the Taliban should they come calling.

He also touted Actums bipartisan makeup, and explained that the name comes from the Latin word for action, an attribute the firm is aiming to embody in its work. If you look at the talent of the people we talk to, it speaks to the fact that we're doing something very unique, Nuez argued, adding that whenever you tie yourself to one ideological frame of mind, you really limit yourself.

He pointed to the ideological gulf between Mulvaney, a founder of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, and Boxer, an outspoken liberal: Two people who probably would have never worked with each other when they were in Congress but here, they're going to sit down, and they're going to work together to address the solutions that are necessary to resolve a problem that clients that we represent have.

Though Mulvaney and Heitkamp both are now free from any ethics rules barring them from registering to lobby, Wlach told POLITICO that neither has any plans to do so in the near future. Still, they could be the most-high profile bipartisan pair to hit K Street together since former Reps. Joe Crowley and Bill Shuster joined Squire Patton Boggs in 2019. Actum wont be Heitkamps first foray into the world of advocacy though she never formally registered, last year Heitkamp joined a dark money group that lobbied against doing away with the so-called stepped-up basis for taxing capital gains in Democrats reconciliation package.

Good afternoon and welcome to PI. Send lobbying tips: [emailprotected]. And be sure to follow me on Twitter: @caitlinoprysko.

A message from Sallie Mae:

These days there are a lot of questions when it comes to student lending. As a responsible private lender, Sallie Mae is dedicated to helping students and parents find the answers they need to make informed decisions. We help families maximize scholarships, grants, and federal financial aid, before considering a private student loan. See how Sallie Mae makes sense of paying for college.

JUDGE: WINRED PROBES MAY PROCEED: A series of state investigations into the aggressive fundraising tactics of WinRed, the for-profit company that processes online donations for Republican candidates, will be allowed to proceed after a federal judge in Minnesota on Wednesday night dismissed a lawsuit filed by the company seeking to block the probes.

The attorneys general from four states New York, Minnesota, Maryland and Connecticut first sent letters to WinRed last April, asking for documents after a New York Times investigation revealed the companys use of prechecked boxes to automatically enroll donors in recurring contribution programs, writes the Times Shane Goldmacher, who conducted the aforementioned investigation. The boxes resulted in a surge in demands for refunds from supporters of former President Donald J. Trump.

WinRed declined to provide the documents and instead went to federal court to argue that federal law should pre-empt any state-level consumer investigations. Chief Judge John R. Tunheim of the U.S. District Court in Minnesota ruled against the company on Wednesday. Judge Tunheim dismissed WinReds attempt to stop the attorneys general investigating outside Minnesota, ruling that he did not have jurisdiction. He ruled in favor of the Minnesota attorney general, Keith Ellison, writing that federal law would not pre-empt a state inquiry.

The company, which told the Times it would appeal the ruling, has argued that the attorneys general, all Democrats, are politically motivated. However, the four also sent a similar request for documents last year to ActBlue, the leading Democratic donation-processing platform and which ActBlue told the paper it has complied with.

WHAT BIG BUSINESS WANTS IN AI REGULATIONS: The Business Roundtable, whose members include more than 230 CEOs of some of the worlds largest companies, want rational and flexible government regulations for AI, Protocols Kate Kaye reports. The group, which includes CEOs of tech, financial services and defense industry giants such as 3M, Amazon, Bank of America, Google, Mastercard, Northrop Grumman, Oracle and Verizon, published a set of guidelines Wednesday for businesses implementing AI and recommendations for policymakers.

The organization published 10 core principles for responsible AI not long after the U.S. Chamber of Commerce unveiled its own AI Commission led by former Reps. John Delaney (D-Md.) and Mike Ferguson (R-N.J.). Though some companies in the group have adopted their own AI principles in recent years there are few assurances that companies have put pledges to use AI fairly and safely into practice in standardized, measurable or accountable ways.

The roundtables recommendations state that the administration, Congress and regulators should craft targeted and flexible governance and oversight that account for the evolving nature of AI by employing an agile and collaborative approach to AI governance and an adaptive approach to enforcement that focuses on efforts on bad actors, while at the same time assessing regulatory gaps before considering new regulations.

MILLIONAIRE DEMS WEIGH IN ON PARTY PRIMARIES: With President Joe Bidens domestic agenda stalled in Congress, big money donors are throwing their money behind several more liberal Democratic primary challengers to lawmakers liberals view as dragging down the presidents priorities. The Patriotic Millionaires, a group of millionaires lobbying for higher taxes and whose members collectively gave $20 million in the 2020 elections, is taking aim at Reps. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) and Carolyn Bourdeaux (D-Ga.).

Both lawmakers were part of a group of moderate Democrats that pushed in the fall for a vote on the bipartisan infrastructure bill regardless of where Democrats stood in negotiations over the partisan climate and social spending package. Cuellar is facing another primary challenge from the left in Jessica Cisneros, who he only narrowly beat in 2020, while Bourdeaux is facing a primary from Rep. Lucy McBath (D-Ga.) after redistricting eliminated McBaths old district. The Patriotic Millionaires support for Cisneros and McBath are its first-ever primary endorsements, according to the group.

Its time for Democratic donors to stand up for working people. We must stop contributing to and endorsing candidates who are actively sabotaging the Presidents agenda Morris Pearl, the groups chair, said in a statement, though both Cuellar and Bourdeaux ultimately voted for the scaled back climate and social spending bill thats now on ice. If Democrats want to convince voters to support them, they need to show voters that being a Democrat means something.

Meanwhile a new super PAC funded in part by donors with ties to crypto announced plans today to spend $10 million in Democratic primaries this year. The PAC, Protect Our Future, will focus initially on candidates who take a long term view on policy planning, especially as it relates to pandemic preparedness and prevention, according to a press release. Its first slate of endorsements include McBath, Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) and Nikki Budzinski, a former Biden administration official running for Congress in Illinois.

Though the PAC is not required to disclose its donors, the group revealed that Sam Bankman-Fried, the 29-year-old billionaire CEO and founder of cryptocurrency exchange FTX, is one of the committees initial prominent donors. It also identified Daniel Eth, an Oxford researcher and Nishad Singh, a director of engineering at FTX, as prominent donors.

CHARITIES PRESS TO RESTORE EXPANDED COVID TAX INCENTIVE: Nonprofits are urging lawmakers to restore more generous tax breaks for charitable giving as they consider a fresh round of pandemic aid with the omicron variant caseload still at worrying levels, Roll Calls Laura Weiss reports. After temporary expansions meant to help charities stay afloat during the COVID-19 crisis expired at the end of the year, advocates are hoping for a revival.

The first round of coronavirus aid in March 2020 widened eligibility for charitable deductions beyond those who itemize on their returns, a pool of taxpayers that shrank considerably after the 2017 tax law doubled the standard deduction while limiting itemized deductions for state and local taxes, mortgage interest and more.

David L. Thompson, vice president of public policy for the National Council of Nonprofits, said the group will be pressing lawmakers to bring back the incentive as part of any new pandemic aid and to make it more generous. ... Thompson said the tax break effectively promoted giving during the pandemic but that it needs to be in place as soon as possible to have an impact in the face of surging cases and restrictions. The incentive wont work retroactively because people dont give extra holding out hope for a tax break, he said. The tax incentives do work, Thompson said. Right now more is needed.

SPOTTED at a mixer hosted by the the XR Association and Congressional Tech Staff Association at the American Trucking Associations offices, per a PI tipster: Elizabeth Hyman and Joan OHara of XRA; Christina Jackson of Meta; Chan Park of Microsoft; Sally Rose Larson of the Digital Media Association; David Cook of Rep. Darrell Issas (R-Calif.) office; Katie Sutton of the Senate Armed Services cyber subcommittee; Emily Manning of Sen. Marsha Blackburns (R-Tenn.) office; Jesse von Stein of Rep. Don Youngs (R-Alaska) office; Dan Cheever of Sen. Todd Youngs (R-Ind.) office; Harden Spencer of Rep. Emanuel Cleaver's (D-Mo.) office; and Naomi Zeigler of Sen. Tom Carpers (D-Del.) office.

A message from Sallie Mae:

Ray Zaccaro is joining the Klein/Johnson Group as a principal. He most recently was senior adviser and communications director for Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and is a Frank Pallone alum.

BGR has promoted Dan Farmer, Pete Landrum, Joe Lai and Jerry Strickland to be principals at the firm.

Elizabeth Brown has joined the Childrens Hospital Association as vice president of federal affairs. Brown most recently worked as legislative director for Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) and advised Castor on health policy.

Erin Hass is joining Lucid Motors as a state affairs manager for the East Coast. She was most recently a government affairs officer at the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Kate Conway has been promoted to partner and chief creative officer at Assemble. She most recently was creative director at Assemble and is a former DCCC creative director and American Bridge alum.

None.

DISCLOSURE PAC (PAC)

Acg Advocacy: Pulse Clinical Alliance LLCAkin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld: Puerto Rico Legal And Educational Foundation, Inc.Ice Miller LLP: Gary/Chicago International Airport AuthorityMcguirewoods Consulting (A Subsidiary Of Mcguirewoods LLP): Dallas Nephrology AssociatesPark Government Relations, LLC: Jefferson Business Consulting On Behalf Of DavitaPark Government Relations, LLC: Jefferson Business Consulting On Behalf Of LeidosPotomac International Partners, Inc.: Virginia Union UniversityPublic Strategies Washington, Inc.: Liberty Utilities (Canada) Corp.Stapleton & Associates, LLC: Regent Craft, Inc.Vendorpass, Inc.: Credit Suisse Securities (USa) LLCWinning Strategies Washington: Alice Technologies

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Mulvaney and Heitkamp land on K Street - Politico

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UK liberals have a sick view of their own native land says Brexiteer tycoon – Belfast News Letter

Posted: at 12:06 am

He made the remarks in a foreword to the new Unionist Voice document, published yesterday by Jamie Bryson as a follow-on to his analysis of the NI Protocol a few weeks back.

The Cambridge-educated, Pakistani-born property boss began by saying: There is a sickness which pervades our liberal class. It is a disdain for the United Kingdom; for its history, its culture, its people and its unity.

Somehow, these people, who themselves pervade our media, the civil service and governing institutions, have made it unfashionable generally to be proud of being British.

Patriotism has become a dirty word. Pride in our country is frowned upon... It is largely these people that wish to surrender our sovereignty to the European Union...

They lack confidence not just in the United Kingdom but in themselves.

For if they had self-confidence, they would never give up something as precious as the right of self-determination within our sovereign unit: the union of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

He also said he had seen the 1998 Agreement as being a kind of unneccessary compromise, since the IRA were beaten and we volunteered up defeat out of the jaws of victory.

He went on to add though: But be that as it may, the Belfast Agreement was put in place and it has endured for nearly a generation.

The Protocol, which falsely claims to protect that Agreement, is yet another entirely unnecessary step towards Irish Nationalism and the destruction of the United Kingdom.

Mr Habib is CEO of First Property Group plc, and in May 2019 was briefly made an MEP for the Brexit Party, representing London.

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Joseph: insight and wisdom from God – Leader & Times

Posted: at 12:06 am

MY PERSPECTIVE, Gary Damron

Last weeks study of Joseph in the Old Testament left him standing before Pharaoh, wearing new garments, and conveying Gods word about two troubling dreams. From the pit where his brothers had thrown him, to slavery and imprisonment, Joseph had remained consistent and faithful. He had learned lessons in patience and generosity, as well as practical skills of leadership and administration. May each of us seek to be so available when summoned.

In Genesis 41:16, Joseph said to Pharaoh about his ability to foretell dreams, It has nothing to do with me; God will give Pharaoh an answer for his own good. He was confident in his abilities, but also realized total dependence on the One with true wisdom. Stuart Briscoe said, Joseph was undoubtedly gifted and highly intelligent but it was his spiritual capabilities which were of importance at this moment and all who heard could not help but recognize it.

Pharaoh recounted the disturbing dreams in detail, and even went so far as to add, Then I told it to the soothsayer priests, but there was no one who could explain it to me (Genesis 41:17-24). Joseph told him that though different, the two dreams had the same meaning and were repeated for emphasis. He recounted what God was trying to say to Pharaoh through his dreams, and ended, So now let Pharaoh look for a man discerning and wise, and appoint him over the land of Egypt (Genesis 41:33).

One remarkable thing about all this: here stood a foreign-born young man, released that day from prison, speaking assuredly and plainly to Pharaoh and his court. Everyone in the palace had been aware of the kings dreams, and had seen the inability of the priests, brought from around the land, to interpret. (Read in the first book of the Bible about Pharaohs dreams, Gods interpretation, and Josephs plan of action, Genesis 41:17-37).

More astonishing events occurred that day. Then Pharaoh said to his servants, Can we find a man like this, in whom there is a divine spirit? So Pharaoh said to Joseph, Since God has informed you of all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you are. You shall be in charge of my house, and all my people shall be obedient to you; only regarding the throne will I be greater than you. Pharaoh also said to Joseph, See, I have placed you over all the land of Egypt. Then Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand and put it on Josephs hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen, and put the gold necklace around his neck (Genesis 41:38-42).

Though the dreams Joseph had as a young man (Genesis 37:5-11) caused his brothers to hate him, they were also coming true that day. Preparations for a famine would not be easy; responsibilities given to Joseph would bring him tremendous power for good, to provide for people during their coming time of need.

For the next seven years, Josephs new position took him throughout the land of Egypt, gathering food into storehouses. Most of us during times of plenty would be reluctant to give up one-fifth of our income each year. But Walter Brueggemann wrote, The narrative reflects the firm authority of Joseph. He is clearly in charge. None may resist or question As the story develops, there is a ruthlessness which makes survival possible. There is also remarkable technical know-how put at the service of imperial well-being.

Pharaoh gave Joseph a new name with suggested meanings God speaks, he lives or abundance of life. Egypts leader may not have become an instant believer, but the name he chose indicated that Pharaoh grasped the wisdom Joseph brought from God to their situation.

Pharaoh gave Joseph an Egyptian wife, and the two sons born to the couple were included as true sons of Jacob. Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh [making to forget], For, he said, God has made me forget all my trouble and all my fathers household. He named the second Ephraim [fruitfulness], For, he said, God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction (Genesis 41:51-52).

The babies names indicated their fathers awareness that it was God who set him free and made him fruitful in Egypt. Taken against his will to a place totally outside his element, he was enabled by God to be faithful in a two-world scenario, where his life impact was monumental. When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe throughout Egypt. And all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe everywhere (Genesis 41:56-57).

Next week, well see Josephs brothers travel from their homes to buy food, and the tests he would have for them.

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Laughingstock likely to land third – The Manila Times

Posted: at 12:06 am

JUST three months to election day, the field of candidates for the presidency is the weirdest ever in Philippine history. Other than a disqualification (or incapacity), not a single analyst given Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s over 50 percent ratings in the polls will dare say it "ain't over till it's over."

What makes the elections a bit Kafkaesque is that Leni Robredo, billed in the running just a few months ago, is now viewed universally as a laughingstock, which even her strategists concede to be so. Every week, it seems, she makes a gaffe that makes people wonder why in the first place did the Liberal Party or the "Pinklawans" ever think she could be president. How the hell do you reverse a perception of being dumb in just three months?

Why, as she showed in that ridiculous simultaneous interview by Jessica Soho of the four candidates which by any measure cannot be called a debate she can't even understand a simple instruction as reacting to a set of pictures with just one word. Nothing she has said has impressed Filipinos that she could be president.

Even her strategists think so. Slide from the Robredo camps Il Figlio assessment.

What adds to the absurdity of the presidential elections is that one candidate is running simply "for the funds of it," appealing for "campaign funds" from taipans he has been friendly with and even helpful to for his "muscle" since President Estrada's time, which the donors know he intends only to be his huge retirement fund. That really could run into hundreds of millions.

Candidate Isko Moreno, for instance, admitted he had left-over campaign funds of P50 million and he ran only for Manila mayor, and spent a lot to defeat then Mayor Joseph Estrada. Isko doesn't really expect to win, nor will he be spending much of his funds to win.

This campaign is simply his debut for a national political career, his big chance for exposure. And he's playing the game right.

2028

Just 47 years old, and full of gimmicks he learned from showbiz, he could be the frontrunner in 2028, especially if Sara Duterte-Carpio flops as vice president. By next year expect a movie to come out, his exaggerated biography or playing a Hero from Tondo. This guy is smart, make no mistake about it.

Manny Pacquiao on the other hand has proven that the 40,000 blows to his head (as computed by boxing reporters) has taken its toll. How could he think he has any chance to be president?

Next February, Robredo's campaign machine would likely sputter and even stop, as donors, mostly from just one section of the elite, would not waste their money.

The Yellows and US operatives had stupidly thought their huge and undoubtedly expensive operation to make Maria Ressa a Nobel laureate could be a booster for Robredo, as she would campaign for her, with the credibility of a Nobel prize winner. Well, Ressa is spending her days in the US and Europe enjoying the limelight there, and preparing for a career in some US-funded NGO devoted to undermining authoritarian governments.

(I was shocked that in an Al Jazeera interview, she repeated the lie that Duterte's anti-drug war killed 28,000 victims. Only Ressa makes that claim now, incontestably proven a lie, as even a research by the Ateneo financed through Sheila Coronel's institution in the US could point to "not more than 5,000 drug war casualties.")

Stature

Have you heard of any personality of stature and respect really campaigning for Robredo except for those "former Cabinet members" of Fidel Ramos, who mostly are hiding in that crowd? 1Sambayan called me a purveyor of fake news when I wrote in a column weeks ago that former Foreign Affairs secretary Albert del Rosario had quietly vanished. Well, where is he now? Didn't you notice that the Liberal Party is practically AWOL these past months?

There's a message there: del Rosario is an executive of Manuel V. Pangilinan, who in turn is an executive for Indonesian tycoon Anthoni Salim, the only magnate who can donate substantially to Robredo to reverse her fall.

As I said, both Isko and Lacson are smart guys and in the next few months they'd likely strike some kind of agreement to torpedo Robredo's campaign, so that Isko will elbow out Robredo as the second-placer a better track record for him for the 2028 contest. Already some social-media polls are putting Isko as the second-place with 15 percent of voters saying they will vote for him, as against Robredo's 12 percent. Note that Isko's main tycoon-benefactor is also close to Lacson, one of whose lieutenants is that magnate's security chief.

Because of Isko's 2028 ambition, I expect Robredo to land third. Respondents in her home region Bicol, which make much of her second-place ratings, will not vote for her in what is a secret ballot. She will not have vote-watchers as her campaign's chest dries out, while Isko can throw money at her home province.

50 percent

In the meantime, Marcos is just cruising by his 50 percent ratings unchanged. It was a brilliant move whether it was deliberate or not for Duterte not to endorse him. That distanced him from alleged misdeeds of President Duterte, principally the killings in his anti-drug war.

I myself had never thought Marcos could be so far ahead in the 2022 presidential contest, until the survey findings in November ironically commissioned by del Rosario, one of Robredo's biggest and most vocal backers.

Unlike us in the intelligentsia and the elite, the barrage of Yellow anti-Marcos propaganda by their powerful propaganda machines for the past 36 years obviously have been rejected by most Filipinos.

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Land title office in Kamloops moves to new home downtown – Kamloops This Week

Posted: at 12:06 am

The Land Title and Survey Authority of British Columbia is now in the Victoria Building at Victoria Street and Second Avenue. It was previously located in the Kamloops Law Courts building, downtown at Columbia Street and Fourth Avenue

The B.C. Land Title Office in Kamloops has moved from its longtime courthouse location to a new downtown office.

The Land Title and Survey Authority of British Columbia (LTSA) is now located in suite 900 of the Victoria Building at Victoria Street and Second Avenue. It was previously located in the Kamloops Law Courts building, downtown at Columbia Street and Fourth Avenue.

The LTSAs Kamloops-based customer operations manager and assistant deputy registrar Lindsay Bealle said the new location provides the corporation a centrally located and modern space, easy access to parking and proximity to other shops and services.

The move to a new location in the city underscores LTSAs commitment to maintaining an ongoing presence in Kamloops, a release from the organization stated.

Kamloops residents know they can source important information about their property from LTSA, such as a copy of a survey plan or to update property details such as a change of name, Bealle said. Its an important resource for many residents of Interior B.C., with some customers driving in from as far as the Kootenays or the Cariboo to visit our office.

The move from the Kamloops Law Courts building has been in the works since 2019, when the LTSA confirmed it was looking for a smaller space within the city, with plans for hard copy records currently kept in Kamloops to be moved to vault space in Victoria. A statement from the agency that year came in response to concerns raised by Todd Stone and Peter Milobar, B.C. Liberal MLAs for Kamloops-South Thompson and Kamloops-North Thompson, respectively, over rumours that the office was intent on leaving the city.

The LTSA is a publicly accountable, statutory corporation responsible for operating the land title and survey systems of B.C., processing more than five-million online business transactions each year. It delivers secure land titles through registration of land title interests and survey records and offers online products through its subsidiary,LandSure Systems Ltd.

The LTSAs Kamloops office is open by appointment for customers to visit in-person for land title transactions. Customers can call 1-877-577-LTSA (5872) to book an appointment.

For more than a century, the Land Title Office has been a presence in Kamloops, beginning at the Old Courthouse at Seymour Street and First Avenue in the early 1900s and moving to the Kamloops Law Courts building in the mid-1980s.

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Land title office in Kamloops moves to new home downtown - Kamloops This Week

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