Daily Archives: October 5, 2023

A country rich with ancient healing traditions and a growing number of luxury spa hotels, the Philippines is fast becoming one of the worlds premier wellness destinations. Whether youre looking for a holistic medical retreat, a bamboo stick massage or a private island to escape it all, the Philippines' will leave you feeling relaxed and rejuvenated for the year ahead.

The Philippines are home to several wellness retreats where travellers can relax and join programs for weight loss, infertility, insomnia, diabetes, and even cancer. Treatments such as acupuncture, ozone therapy and colonics are led by medically trained doctors, while nutritionists and fitness coaches are on hand for personalised dietary plans and private tai chi lessons. For guests who just want to relax, deep-tissue massages, body scrubs and guided meditation sessions are some of the many activities available in the country. The Province of Batangas, in particular, is the ideal location to unwind while watching sunset views over its forested mountains. For dinner, vegan food grown in the area and vegetarian dishes are the perfect way to end a relaxing day.

Relaxation rating:5/5

Best for: holistic medical treatments that combine relaxation and nature

Nearest airport: Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Manila

The Palawan archipelago is the perfect location for a private trip. Its islands are home to some of the densest and most biodiverse forests of the Philippines, where many endemic bird and mammal species live, including the endangered Palawan Hornbill, thanks to the resorts conservation efforts. To protect the wildlife, you wont find jet skis or motorised water sports here. Instead, the local resorts encourage guests to unwind by connecting with nature through human-powered, environmentally-friendly exploration: think hiking to turquoise coves framed by forested limestone cliffs, birdwatching along forest trails, or kayaking the lagoons mangroves at sunset. Overwater bungalows and beachfront cottages built with recycled timber and fitted with solar panels and energy-efficient water heaters allow guests to fall asleep to the sound of lapping waves.

Relaxation rating: 4.5/5

Best for: wildlife spotting, conservation and low-impact activities

Nearest airport: El Nido Airport, Palawan

Arriving on a 14-seat, twin-engine turboprop via private airstrip, landing on Pamalican Island feels like youre starring in your very own James Bond film. The private island is in the north of Palawan, where sands are silky smooth and the sea thrives with vibrant coral reefs. Sitting on the highest point of the island is a spa, where ancient wellness rituals from the Philippines to the Amazon are fused with modern techniques for ultimate relaxation. The spas signature treatment is the Hilot massage, a centuries-old Filipino healing ritual that uses banana leaves and cold-pressed coconut oil to relieve stress and aching muscles. The Dag-Dagay Foot Treatment a tradition that started when Filipino children would massage their parents' feet using bamboo sticks after a day in the fields uses a green tea wrap and a bamboo massage to reduce swelling in the feet.

Relaxation rating: 5/5

Best for: luxurious amenities and wellness rituals inspired by local healing traditions

Nearest airport: Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Manila

Another cozy spot to relax is the island of Bohol, where multiple resorts and spas are located. Bohol is the Philippines' first UNESCO global geopark and is famous for its cone-shaped Chocolate Hills. The island's villas are spread across hectares of lush gardens and jungle, and you can even book ones with their own infinity pools and views of the Bohol sea. To treat yourself even more, you can receive luxurious treatments at a spa using ancient wellness traditions by the local Eskaya tribe. As well as facials and body scrubs that use local herbs and oils, some of the places offer indigenous-inspired rituals such as bathing in coconut milk and Ciquate, locally-made dark chocolate. European spa rituals such as thalassotherapy (Thalassa is Greek for sea), a treatment that uses seawater to rejuvenate the skin and boost your wellbeing through a combination of seawater bathing, salt scrubs and seaweed wraps, are also available.

Relaxation rating: 4.5/5

Best for: an intimate stay and indigenous spa rituals.

Nearest airport: Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Manila

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Relax and unwind: where travellers find well-being and peace in the ... - Euronews

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Editors note: This essay is anonymous in order to protect the writer from potential reprisals.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, co-founder of the notorious private military company Wagner, died in a fiery crash in August when his private jet exploded midair and went down near Tver, halfway between St. Petersburg and Moscow. Western media outlets were quick to point out that violent ends often come to those who defy Russian President Vladimir Putin. Reuters listed Prigozhin among Putins foes, and the New York Post went so far as to call him a dissident. Andfrom CNN to Forbes to the New York Times, Prigozhin was referred as Putins prominent critic. Understandably so, since all these terms make sense to us, liberal readers, intent on finding sapling traces of oppositional politics, political dissent, and Russian elites in rebellion.

But such framing misses the point of Prigozhin, of his popularity, success, and postmortem fame. These hinge not on opposition but on unity. Within Russias political ecosystem, Putin has few public critics. In many peoples minds, the president naturally aligns with the Motherland. To oppose him is to sow discord, to threaten the Motherlands interests.

Prigozhin never criticized Putin directly. He oncemade an inopportune comment about some happy granddad who might turn out to be a moronbut then quickly explainedhe was referring toValery Gerasimov, commander of Russian forces in Ukraine. And the multitudes who came to mourn Prigozhin at makeshift memorials all over Russia? No, they had not come to oppose Putin. They came to pay their respects to a true patriot who had given his all to the Motherland. They came because they are true patriots, too.

The day after Prigozhins plane crashed, I visited one such memorial in St. Petersburg, outside an office building informally known as the Wagner Center. Around four in the afternoon, I saw a small crowd gathered around a large mound of flowers. Wagners distinctive black flag fluttered on a temporary flagpole: two daggers crossed under a golden star with the inscription, Blood. Honor. Motherland. Valor. People walked up and stood silently, moved on, while other mourners replaced them. Some people brought flowers. An old woman brought home-grown roses. A 16-year-old boy crossed himself vigorously and bowed to the Wagner flag before leaving three red carnations, flowers that are traditional gifts to Soviet war veterans. A young woman, impeccably dressed in black, laid down three expensive stems and left quickly. The mood was somber. Nestled among the blossoms was a sledgehammerthe symbol of Wagner brutalityand a pencil drawing of a capybara wearing a helmet. Some notes were signed with Telegram handles. One of them read: We will always remember. Pa, should we have hope for the future?

Carnationstraditional gifts to Soviet war veteransat Prigozhins memorial.

Courtesy of author

A spontaneous memorial to Prigozhin, St. Petersburg, Russia. August 24, 2023.

Courtesy of author

Rumors swirled in Russia as to who could have been responsible for the assassination disguised as an inexplicable plane crash. Ukraine, of course, was a primary suspect. And, albeit less likely, so was France: Prigozhin had stepped on their toes during his mercenaries activities in Africa. But in the hushed tones used to speak of that which should not be publicly spoken, many people were certain that it was an inside job. Who could be behind it? As with any conspiracy, the answer was murky. Most fingers pointed to Prigozhins ill-wishers in the Ministry of Defense, the Top Brass whom Prigozhin so openly criticized. But of all the potential suspects, the people at Prigozhins memorial did notinclude Putin. Prigozhin and Putin, theyre old school, explained a man in his 20s. They earnestly serve the Fatherland and neither of them is a traitor. But, he continued, not everybody is like them. Thats the problem.

PMC Wagner is celebrated in Russia for its bloodthirsty efficiency, known for conscripting prisoners and carrying heavy battlefield losses. And Yevgeny Prigozhin is known as a man who got things done; who spoke truth to power, said things straight, while lambasting the rigmarole, bureaucracy, incompetence, and corruption of the military establishment. Incompetent scumbags, he called the army commanders, accusing them of throwing away soldiers lives. And who would disagree with that? Prigozhin went further. The war, he saidand he called it a war, which is illegal in Russiawas begun on false premises. Neither Ukraine nor NATO planned to attack Russia in February 2022.

But Prigozhin did not blame Putin for starting this warno more than those who had come to mourn him blamed Putin for his violent end. He blamed those much-hated traitors to Russias national interests: he blamed the oligarchs. The war was begun, Prigozhin had said in an interview posted to Telegram by the press service of PMC Wagner, because the oligarchs needed it: those oligarchs who de facto rule Russia dont think about the country, or about the people, or even about the warthey dont think about anything but themselves.

And Prigozhin himselfwith his global natural resources empire, with his familys horses, art collections, and private jetswasnt he an oligarch? No, certainly not. He was a patriot. In Russia, patriot and oligarch are mutually exclusive terms.

In English, the term oligarch has a distinctly post-Soviet ring. The Oxford English Dictionary gives this definition: Originally and chiefly in post-communist Russia; a very wealthy business leader with a great deal of political influence. So you might be surprised to learn that there are no oligarchs left in Russia. But its true. According to President Putin, in a 2019 interview with the Financial Times,his long war against the oligarchswas over. Oligarchs, he explained, are those who use their proximity to state power to receive super profits. We have large companies, private ones, or with government participation. But I do not know of any large companies that get preferential treatment from being close to the authorities, these are practically non-existent. Nor do Russian businessmen influence political decisions. They no longer even try to, Putin told the Russian News Agency TASS in 2020, They understood that this is impossible, so they stay out of it.

When Putin set out to liquidate the oligarchs as a class in the early 2000s, he made a deal with the business elite: They could keep their wealth, so long as they stayed out of politics. He extended a similar deal to the people as well. And, on the whole, all parties accepted it. Faced with a comfortably consumerist carrot and a harshly authoritarian stick, society generally agreed that politics was a dangerous, risky, and dirty endeavor: morally suspect, something from which innocent children must be protected. As State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin reminded us in 2021, criminal law forbids involving minors in life-threatening actionsand that includes politics.

But even now that Putin has effectivelycleansed the country of all things political, Russian society still finds itself haunted by oligarchs, meddling in national affairs from afar. Today Russian newspapers reserve the term oligarch for their descriptions of traitors and foes. The fugitive oligarch-foreign agent Mikhail Khodorkovsky, for example, an oil tycoon imprisoned on charges of tax evasion in 2004, released on Putins personal pardon a decade later; or Boris Berezovsky, now dead for a decade, whose villa on the French Riviera has recently gone up for sale. Ukrainian billionaire businessmen like Rinat Akhmetov and Ihor Kolomoyskyi are referred to as oligarchs. Meanwhile, Russian businessmen like Alexey Miller andAlisher Usmanov are not.

Oligarchs are traitors to the Motherlands geopolitical interests; and, in this version of history, those interests extend well beyond the Russian Federations actual borders. Ukraine and Russia are part of the same historical and spiritual space, Putin insisted in 2021, so the borders between them are nominal. But Ukraines chronic weakness of state institutions have transformed it intoa willing hostage to anothers geopolitical will. Not to Russia of coursethat would be impossible since, according to Putin, Ukraine and Russia already share one homeland and historybut to those nefarious foreign powersseeking to turn Ukraine into an anti-Russia. Ukraine could not stamp out the oligarchs. Having robbed the Ukrainian people, these oligarchs now keep their stolen property in Western banks and would do anything to retain their wealth.

Putins logic repeats recursively:In much the same way that oligarchs scheme to sell out our homeland to foreign powers, so too is the Fifth Column eager to sell out to the oligarchs, whom it emulates. Shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and began burning down Ukrainian cities, Putin warned TV viewers about this Fifth Column. Those who comprise it, he said, live amongst us in Russia, but in their minds they are in Miami or on the French Rivera, enjoying their oysters, foie gras, and gender freedoms. They identify with the oligarchic upper caste and would sell their own mother to join it, even as this so-called upper caste needs them only as expendable material used to cause maximum damage to our people. But Putin assured the public that the people will never be fooled. The people know true patriots from treacherous scum. They will spit out these traitors like a fly that accidentally flew into their mouths: a process of self-purification.

These lines between The People and those who seek to betray them are not so clearly drawn on the ground. In Telegram channels less regulated digital space, accusations fly wildly. Names are named. Oligarchs like Deripaska, Vekselberg, Usmanov used to talk so much [about the Special Military Operation] that you couldnt stop them, raged Prigozhin in an interview posted to Telegram in June 2023. And now only Dmitri Medvedev is left making some ridiculous statements about how were going to defeat everybody right nowWhere have all the directors of the large state enterprises disappeared to? Theyve all just dissolved. I can tell you what I think: that they are also the Fifth Column.

The term Fifth Column originatedduring the Spanish Civil War. It referred to a traitorous military formation, waiting inside the city to join the other four enemy columns when they invaded. But when Prigozhin led the Wagner Group toward Moscow in battle formation, this was not treason. It was patriotism.

In a series of messages published on Telegram, Prigozhin explained that Wagner was not revolting against the Russian state, but marching against evil: against the Ministry of Defense, whose leaders disregard the lives of soldiers, and have forgotten the meaning of the word justice. Wagner, Prigozhin insisted, was not seeking a transfer of power. They sought only to set things straight; to reorient a country that had gone badly off course. Having completed this mission, Wagner would return to the front lines to protect our Motherland. The presidency, the government, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the National Guard, and other state structures will continue to function as they had been. We will deal with those who destroy Russian soldiers and then we will return to the front. Justice will be restored in the armed forces, and after that, there will be justice for all of Russia.

With these words, the private military company rolled into Russian territory fully armed, riding in tanks and armored vehicles. In Rostov-on-the-Don, a city close to the Ukrainian border, people met them with flowers and took selfies with the heroes of Wagner. From there, the patriots proceeded toward Moscow and shot down several of the Russian military helicopters and planes that had been sent to stop them.

Wagners march ended the day after it had begun, one hundred and twenty kilometers from Moscow. They stopped and retreated, with all criminal charges against them dropped that same evening. A day later, President Putin thanked everyone. He thanked members of the Russian Armed Forces for their loyalty, selfless service, and patriotism. He thanked pilots killed in action for their bravery. He thanked Russian citizens for their unity and restraint. He thanked Wagner fighters and commanders as well, and underscored that they are also patriots of Russia, devoted to their people and state.

In a televised meeting with the Russian Armed Forces, Putin reminded viewers that the Wagner Group was entirely state-funded, and he expressed hope that no one stole anything (or at least that they did not steal very much). He laid out the numbers. Between May 2022 and May 2023, Wagner received 86.3 billion rubles from the state budget. (Calculated against the times exchange rates, that comes out to about 1 billion US dollars). Another 110 billion rubles were spent on monetary compensation to Wagner fighters themselves. While the state took full responsibility for maintaining Wagner, Putin said, a part of this groupthe Concord companyearned another 80 billion rubles, providing catering services to the Russian Armed Services.

But Concord is not part of Wagner. Concord is a private company, officially registered by Prigozhin 1995. And the Wagner Group officially does not exist. Mercenary organizations are illegal in Russia. Over the past several years, Prigozhin sued several news outlets for associating him with the private military company, and Russian state leaders have repeatedly denied having had any relation to it. A year ago I spoke to Putin and he assured me Russia had nothing to do with the Wagner Group, explained French President Emmanuel Macron in February 2023. I accepted that. In September 2022, Prigozhin published a short post on his social media profile VKontakte, claiming to have founded Wagner in 2014. Since then, Wagner operated in the openalthough it is still illegal.

You might think that Prigozhin was an oligarch with a private army. But his many supporters do not see it this way. Why not? I asked a friend of mine who followed Prigozhin on TelegramIll call him Valera. Valera was sure that Prigozhin was not an oligarch, but he struggled to explain why. Finally, he said, because he has no political weight.

But he has a private army! I replied.

Right, Valera allowed. But not a political partyhe cant push laws through, cant go against United RussiaBesides, his army, his fighters, theyre motivated, right?

Motivated by money, suretheyre mercenaries.

No, Valera speculated, hes got all that patriotism going. They motivated, fighting for the good.

Valera is 62. He works three days a week in a state detox center in the regional capital city and spends the rest of his time in a village two hours away, building a guesthouse that he hopes will help support him in his old age.

Valera is a patriot. He believes that Wagner would give Russia its best chance at winning this warif only the incompetent bureaucrats let them. He was happy to see them march on Moscow for justice: a shake-up that everyone needed. Other patriots, however, were furious. Prigozhins ill-wishers accused him of having created the potential conditions for chaos and civil war, either in collusion with the oligarchs or stupidly impervious to their aims. Even if Prigozhin is not personally connected with the West, explained the nationalist blogger Igor Girkin, that does not mean that his accomplices from among Putins friends (the oligarchs) are not. With the amount of property that they have abroad, it would be ridiculous to assume that they have no connections.

Better known by the nom de plume Igor Strelkov, Girkin has also often been described by Western media outlets as a prominent critic of Putinalthough his criticism of Russias Supreme Commander-in-Chief avoids naming names.

Girkin is a historical reenactment enthusiast. His hobby of dressing up like a participant in both World Wars landed him some bit film roles over the years, and in 2014 he put this military posturing to practical use. Crossing over the Ukrainian border with a small militia, Girkin led an uprising in the regions of Eastern Ukraine that he called Novorossiaalluding to the Russian Empire, during a period when the term was used to refer to the region directly to the north of Crimea. In July 2014, Girkin and his militant band shot down Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 with a BUK surface-to-air missile system they had borrowed from the Russian Armed Forces. Girkin was tried in absentia by a Dutch court and found guilty but Russia refuses to extradite him. So for the past several years, Girkin has lived comfortably in Moscow, blogging on Telegram to a community he has dubbed the Angry Patriots Club. Like Prigozhin, he harshly criticizes Russian military commanders and calls for a more decisive, aggressive, and violent war.

But perhaps he took it a step too far. In July, Girkin wrote of the nothingness that has headed the country for the past 23 years, throwing dust into the eyes of the people. It was easy to guess whom he meant. Could this unnamed leader be removed from his post by force? No, Girkin dismissed the idea, as it would only play into the hands of Russias enemies. He expressed hope that the unnamed nothing leader would himself have a change of heart and transfer power to somebody more capable.

Girkin was arrested on charges of extremism a few days later. Not for this post about nothing, but for an earlier one, in which he had stipulated that mobilized Russian men have not received the payments that they have been promised. The case against him is classified, so its details are murky, but the Angry Patriots remain loyal and hope for Girkins speedy release. They do not blame Putin, however. Accusing the system of overwhelming cynicism, they blame indefinite outside forces instead writing,People in uniform had a hand in thisthose who were called to defend the Law! Have you forgotten the oath you swore to serve your country and your people? Whom are you serving, WHAT forces are you serving NOW, when you release criminals and imprison patriots? Is there really not a single decent person left among you who is able to speak out against the lawlessness that is happening???

What, indeed, are these treacherous forces, who are behind them? Working in cahoots with the oligarchs and with the Fifth Column, they are said to serve the interests of global finance, Anglo-Saxons, Ukrainians, NATOand even Satan himself.

From the beginning of the Special Military Operation, high-level politicians have framed it in anti-capitalist and anti-colonial terms: as a struggle against the forces of liberalism, capitalism, gender ideology, and satanism, along with other encroaching international evils. These nefarious forces often find expression in the image of the Golden Billion, a popular New World Order conspiracy theory that endows the powers of international capitalism with a single clandestine will. This theory holds that the earth can only support a billion peopleand that, consequently, this Golden Billion of the richest people alive is actively seeking to destroy the other 6.8 billion of us. Emerging in the wake of the Soviet collapse, it has long been popular on Russias conspiratorial fringes. But recently, it has entered the mainstream. Putin references it in his speeches, other state leaders follow his lead, and its truth claims make obvious sense to many people in Russia. The explanatory power of this theory is exquisite because its logic is bottomless. It smoothly blends the Kremlins own accusations of indefinite outside meddling with criticism of the Kremlin itself.

But there is one name hardly mentioned in such accusatory narrativesexcept with a euphemism. It is the gravitational center anchoring this spinning vortex of oligarchic allegations and patriotic claims. In the eye of the storm, things are quiet and orderly. The man at the center also owns yachts, palaces, and private islands; clandestine train stations give exclusive access to his secret residences. No one really knows the extent of his wealth. But when accounts surface of his holdings, his people are seldom outraged.

Why arent they? Because Putin isnt an oligarch.

In 2021, around the time that Alexei Navalny published his expos video about Putins secret Black Sea palace complex, I spent some time in a mid-sized town a few hours outside Moscow, visiting a man Ill call Oleg. Oleg was a sort of local opposition leaderbut a distinctly illiberal one. He stayed abreast of local politics, riled angrily against corrupt bureaucrats, and came out in street protests against policies to raise the pension age. But he also distrusted the liberal opposition, and he had nothing good to say about homosexuals or darker-skinned ethnic minorities. If we were in the US, I suppose he might have been a Trump supporter. I asked him about Navalnys video: the clandestine estate built with diverted public monies, complete with oyster farms and private vineyards, ice-skating rings and secret escape tunnels, closed airspace, and coastal waters. Oleg had seen it, of course, but so what? He didnt think too much of it. Hes the president! Oleg told me. Of course, he has a palace. What would you expectthat he build himself a communal apartment?

The president is he whose name is not taken in vain. He is the Motherlands ultimate protector and steward; the guarantor of societys safety and stability, of the peoples sacrifice and their patriotism. He leads the people in their righteous outrage at the oligarchs wealth and their treachery.

Asked about the death of Prigozhin, Putin spoke briefly. He said: Prigozhin was a competent businessman who worked in Africa, dealing with minerals, precious metals, oil, and gas. He was a contradictory figure, Putin acknowledged, and made some mistakes. But he achieved the results he needed, both for himself, and, Putin added, when I asked him to do so, for our common cause also.

In June 2022, Prigozhin was awarded Russias highest state honor, the Hero of Russia. But no official announcement was made; no ceremony was televised. He simply began wearing the medal in public. Details of the award became public only after Prigozhins apartment was searched following Wagners March of Justice: journalists discovered the award documents of Russias highest state honor among photographs of severed human heads. These photos had most likely been taken in Syria or in one of the African countries in which Wagner had carried out military missions in the service of the Motherland and her geopolitical interests.

On August 29, 2023, Prigozhin was buried in a small cemetery on the outskirts of the city, next to his fathers grave. No official announcement was made. Newspapers reported on the funeral only after it was over. Twenty to thirty people attended, they reported, only relatives and close friends. Police stalked the perimeter against unexpected guests. Prigozhin did not receive the military salute he was due as the Hero of Russia. But severe traffic jams clogged this part of the city the following day, as Russian patriots streamed in pilgrimage to Prigozhins modest grave. A warning for the oligarchs and the fifth columnand perhaps for the rest of us too.

On October 1, 202340 days after his deathspontaneous memorials to Yevgeny Prigozhin were erected again in dozens of cities in Russia. In St. Petersburg, our local newspaper reported men, women, and children, Wagner soldiers and elderly women, high-ranking politicians and former convicts, many of them in tears. People remembered Prigozhin as a talented leader, a man who spoke the truth. Yevgeny Viktorovich [Prigozhin] was a man who gave us hope, said a teenage boy who had come with his dad. And those who killed him took away this hope. There is no one else to trust in this country. His father remained silent.

Images from left: Arkady Budnitsky/Anadolu Agency/Getty, Vladimir Alexandrov/Anadolu Agency/Getty; Wikimedia

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What Prigozhin's Death Reveals About Russia Mother Jones - Mother Jones

The Most-Followed Real Estate Brokerage Brand in the World Solidifies Leading Position By Growing Agents' Businesses, Landing Record-Breaking Listings, TriplingAgent Headcount

NEW YORK, Oct. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- SERHANT., a modern real estate brokerage that sits at the intersection of media, entertainment, education and technology, celebrates its three-year anniversary with three major milestones: the firm has expanded to 7 states, licenses or employs over 500 people across 19 states, and is set to cross $5B in total sales this year. Their meteoric growth through extensive national expansion and record-breaking achievements solidifies its place as one of the fastest growing, and top-ranked, luxury residential brokerages. Founded in 2020 by top broker Ryan Serhant, SERHANT. has since amassed an international footprint and global media presence through its industry expertise, social media engagement, and renowned digital education program.

In just three years, SERHANT. has achieved more than $4B in real estate sales, has attracted top talent nationwide, and has cemented its presence in the most exclusive real estate markets. SERHANT. has earned prestigious rankings quickly, including securing the #6 spot on The Real Deal's list of Top Residential Brokerages for 2022, beating out multiple legacy brokerages in New York.

SERHANT. holds some of the world's most renowned, luxury listings and record-breaking sales including The Penthouse at Central Park Tower currently offered at $195 million, the sale of the second most expensive home in the country, a palatial estate in Palm Beach for $122.7 million, as well as the record-breaking sale of 36 East 68th Street for $57 million, setting a price per foot record for any townhouse in New York history, among others.

"We have created a brokerage that is tech-forward, media-led and agent-first," said Ryan Serhant, Founder, CEO and Broker, SERHANT. "It is core to our company's DNA to empower our agents by amplifying their brands and with a culture that educates, supports, and inspires them to question the status quo, be creative and innovate. Our integrated flywheel model has proven successful we've reached new milestones this year by expanding into six new markets, and it's only the beginning of what's to come. Independent brokerages and agents who have resisted joining other major firms are finding alignment with our proven approach to accelerate their brand and their business."

National ExpansionHeadquartered in SoHo at its "SERHANT. House," innovatively designed for supporting workflow, collaboration, creating content and entertaining, the brokerage accelerated its national expansion in 2023 with top-producing agents and independent brokerages flocking to SERHANT. The firm first expanded into the Hamptons market with the opening of SERHANT. House Hamptons in July 2022, followed by subsequent markets across Long Island. SERHANT. now operates in seven states: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida, with additional markets slated for 2024. The expansion strategy was largely focused on operating across NYC feeder markets, popular second home markets and infiltrating the East Coast luxury markets.

Founding agent of SERHANT. Palm Beaches Christian Prakas has seen exponential growth due to SERHANT.'s unprecedented global social media reach and high-tech platforms. Prakas personally grew from averaging $2 million listings, to currently signing $40 to $50 million properties, along with securing large new development projects. Since joining the brokerage, the average sales volume per agent on his team went from $4 to $5 million annually, to now over $15 million a year.

Tech-Forward InnovationsSERHANT.'s developer teams have been at the forefront of technology and AI innovations within the real estate industry and have accomplished several recent homegrown achievements. This year, the firm introduced its own proprietary data feed, the SERHANT. Listings API also known as SLAPI which has increased its agility for new product launches and features directly enriched by a single unified data stream - a significant feat.

Though, the firm didn't stop there. By February 2023, the team introduced a game-changing and proprietary multi-modal AI platform for its agents to harness the power of listing data connected to AI tools, designed to simplify the daily workload for agents, SERHANT. GPT.

With SERHANT. GPT, agents have immediate access to tactical and practical AI tools, such as instantly creating bespoke listing content, editing and creating images for social posts, the ability to create tailored marketing plans catered to specific prospective buyer demographics, develop listing presentations, receive guidance from a proprietary chatbot named Patterson, and even utilize the platform to initiate likely scenarios to workshop their negotiation skills. SERHANT. GPT has become a widely adopted tech tool and an immediate agent favorite.

Behind the scenes, SERHANT.'s developer teams have also created an industry-leading agent CRM and marketing toolkit, which consolidates email marketing, social marketing, and optimized lead and deal tracking, all designed to simplify processes for agents and allow them to spend more time focusing on lead generation. In addition, the firm has also optimized its business intelligence through the creation of a new platform appropriately dubbed "BILLIONS," and have improved and created new functionality behind the firm's website, to be imminently launched with new account login and MLS-wide search features, listing data, and much more.

Award Winning Content-to-Commerce SERHANT. Studios, the firm's in-house film studio, manages social media and all digital content including photography, video, and podcasting, all of which work together to set the strategies to grow individual agent brands online.

The award-winning team also produces LISTED, an original cross-platform programming network, featuring lifestyle real estate shows highlighting up-and-coming agents, and More Ryan Serhant, which documents his journey as a CEO both have received the 100K subscriber milestone plaques from YouTube.

The Studios team has increased its headcount by 300% in three years and has won two Shorty Awards. Further achievements include amassing more than 6.2M followers across all its platforms a 150% increase from 2022, garnering 1.2 billion organic impressions on YouTube alone from the brokerage's launch to present.

"Our presence in the real estate industry has been marked by a commitment to challenging conventions and reshaping the way properties are marketed. At the heart of this transformation is our dedication to helping our agents craft and elevate their unique brands," stated Cody D'Ambrosio, Head of SERHANT. Studios. "Our vision goes beyond selling properties; it's about fostering a community of empowered agents."

Embracing the firm's content-to-commerce model, The Dearing Team who leads the North Carolina market, saw their average deal price more than double to $1.5 million in a matter of months since joining the firm. They also gained their first SERHANT. Signature listing at a record price for the area at $16 million, which was secured as a result of SERHANT.'s vast social reach. The team's sales volume and inventory have seen exponential growth.

SERHANT. is the most-followed real estate brand in the world, with over 6 million followers across all social channels. Its original video content and programming has received a combined total of more than 800 million views and generated countless referral opportunities, validating that SERHANT. is not only well received by the industry and clients, but relevant to consumers as well.

Since joining SERHANT., The Bogard Team in NYC went from carrying an average inventory of $15 million, to $115 million in inventory 19 months later. They have increased their average price point by approximately $4 million and now have four SERHANT. Signature listings. Doubling its social media following and increasing its YouTube following ten-fold, the team attributes its success to their focus on branding, and the amplification of their brand in social media and digital marketing.

Record-Breaking Listings and Sales SERHANT. Signature, the firm's specialty division designed to serve high net worth clients and catering to marketing properties over $10 million USD represents some of the most prestigious listings across the East Coast. Some of the brokerage's most notable sales include multiple nine-figure deals, the record breaking sale of 535 North County Road in Palm Beach for $122.7M, the sale of 36 East 68th for $57M for over $6,000 per square foot (a Manhattan townhouse record), the $50M sale of the Penthouse at 151 Wooster, a $49M condominium at Central Park Tower, along with a waterfront mansion located at 2120 Bay Avenue on Miami Beach's Sunset Islands that sold for $34 million.

With the brokerage's expansion, its Signature listings extend with an offering of a modern Bridgehampton sanctuary for $125 million, as well as SERHANT.'s first Signature property in South Carolina, aluxe private island currently offered at $15M.

New Development Innovation and Growth SERHANT. New Development is the company's dedicated division for the sales and marketing of new development projects. The firm's roster of luxury developments, collectively valued at an impressive $3 billion, includes a portfolio of renowned New York properties, including Brooklyn Point,Quay Tower, 75 First, and many more. The division has exceeded more than $100 million in pre-sales at The Huron, a distinguished residence offering river and Manhattan skyline views and a waterfront lifestyle in one of Brooklyn's trendiest neighborhoods, Greenpoint, as well as The Laney, an elegant collection of 57 well-appointed rental apartments, leasing more than one-third of its available inventory in weeks. This year, the division has also expanded outside of New York, and has recently added two distinguished Miami developments to its portfolioWYND Miami andCove Miami.

Educating Agents GloballySERHANT. Ventures, the sales training and revenue intelligence arm of the SERHANT. integrated model, managing the Sell It Like Serhant educational platform has also celebrated its fourth year in business. The programs now span more than 110 countries with over 17,000 members, which represents 20% year-over-year growth.

The Sell It Like Serhant training programs are designed to advance all sales careers through courses, coaching and community, upleveling entrepreneurial salespeople's success by enhancing their sales skills, growing their community, and mastering their personal branding. Their Sell It 2023 conference, held over the last weekend in September, was SOLD OUT with over 500 agents attending from over 30 countries.

Proven Brokerage Model On average, agents at SERHANT. earn up to four times the national average1. The firm has continued its mission of making agents' lives easier through the simplification of processes, allowing agents to save their time, and in turn, generate more leads and sales. SERHANT.'s integrated flywheel model includes unique lines of businesses such as SERHANT. Studios and SERHANT. Ventures that are engineered to support agents' brands and business growth and modernize the real estate industry.

SERHANT. was built for the marketplace of tomorrow and designed to revolutionize real estate and amplify the success of others: agents, employees, developers, and clients.

About SERHANT.:SERHANT.is a multidimensional real estate and media company designed for the marketplace of tomorrow. Founded in New York City in 2020 by Ryan Serhant, SERHANT. has quickly become one of the fastest-growing full-service brokerages operating in seven states. The SERHANT. real estate brokerage includes residential real estate and specialty divisions SERHANT. Signature, focused on high net-worth clientele and properties priced over $10 million USD, and SERHANT. New Development, focused on the sales and marketing of new construction projects. The award-winning SERHANT. Studios, its full-service film studio and production division, concepts and distributes all content to its social channels and to its streaming channel, LISTED, on YouTube. SERHANT. Ventures, the education and innovation arm of the company, manages the global Sell It Like Serhant digital educational system which innovates and invests in EdTech and teaches the next generation of real estate agents globally. SERHANT. was founded by leading real estate broker, best-selling author and producer, Ryan Serhant, with a commitment to amplify the success of others and a vision to change the way real estate is sold. Learn more at https://www.serhant.com.

1National Association of Realtors Member Profile

SOURCE SERHANT.

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SERHANT. Achieves $4 Billion in Volume at Three Year Milestone - PR Newswire

The Commonwealth Secretariat has partnered with the British Virgin Islands to conduct a full assessment of its debt management practices, as part of a reform process aimed at achieving economic stability.

Upon the request of the territorys Ministry of Finance, the Commonwealth Secretariat organised a workshop from 18 to 29 September 2023 to evaluate all public debt management operations and processes, with a focus on identifying strengths and areas of improvement.

The findings from the assessment report will guide the Commonwealth-supported reform, designed to enhance the ability of the British Virgin Islands to manage its public debt over the next five years.

Addressing the workshop, Dr Drexel Glasgow, acting Deputy Financial Secretary at the Ministry of Finance of the British Virgin Islands, said:

This assessment will not only be instrumental in evaluating the territorys debt management practices but also in identifying areas for improvement. The analysis from the report will be a core document, guiding any reforms in debt management.

Following [the] submission of the assessment, the Commonwealth Secretariat will develop a five-year programme to facilitate the implementation of the measures identified.

Mac Banda, acting Head of the Commonwealth Secretariats Debt Management Unit, expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to collaborate with the British Virgin Islands on this pivotal undertaking. He added:

Effective debt management is fundamental to our economic well-being. So, we are delighted to assist the Ministry of Finance with this reform process a testament to the enduring partnership between the Commonwealth Secretariat and the British Virgin Islands.

We are confident that the outcomes of this reform will go beyond improved economic performance. They will help the government to make prudent financial discussions and ensure a fair distribution of resources to uplift everyone in the British Virgin Islands.

Mr Banda further highlighted that the British Virgin Islands has been using the Commonwealth Meridian software for managing its public debt portfolio since 2022.

The assessment was jointly led by Michele Richmond-Phillips, Policy Analyst II at the territorys Macro-Fiscal Unit, and Delia Cox, Adviser at the Commonwealth Secretariats Debt Management Unit.

In preparation of the assessment report, both experts spoke with officials from various government departments, statutory bodies and the private sector to ensure that the findings were tailored to the local context and reflected the views of stakeholders.

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supports British Virgin Islands with debt management reform ... - Commonwealth

Remote and challenging, Easter Island and Pitcairn do not feature on many cruisers itineraries. Yet for Ivar Smits and Floris van Hees, they were obvious stopovers crossing the South Pacific

Easter Island (or Rapa Nui) is the most remote inhabited island in the world. Sailing there confirmed it for us. True, we took a detour, sailing north for a few days from Robinson Crusoe Island because a high-pressure system was blocking the direct course. By circumventing this windless area, we hoped to reach the zone where easterly trade winds would blow us westward. Yet for the first few days, light southerly winds barely filled our gennaker. With a daily average of 80 miles our progress was slow, but the calm seas provided comfort on board.

Just when we reached the latitude of the trade winds, the wind abandoned us. Frustrated, we lowered the light-wind sail to avoid damaging it. Drifting, we waited for wind. Our patience was tested for several days, before the reward finally arrived in the form of steady winds propelling us westward. Surrounded by nothing else but different shades of blue, each sign of life attracted our attention. A curious albatross flew around our boat, Lucipara 2. Small, agile birds skimmed the surface to feed. At night, the sky was dark yet so clear we could see the Milky Way all the way to the horizon.

After 18 days and more than 2,100 miles, our anchor finally dropped in front of Easter Islands main town, Hanga Roa. We were relieved. It marked the end of our circumnavigations longest passage so far.

Finding the island was easy thanks to GPS and nautical charts. Its hard to fathom how the original inhabitants discovered this tiny dot in the vast Pacific Ocean. Research suggests that Polynesians landed here around 1100AD after sailing thousands of miles on a catamaran, a replica of which we admired on land. Contact with the outside world only occurred six centuries later, which underscores how remarkable the first settlement was. Our challenge was avoiding breaking waves as we went ashore from the anchorage.

Finding traces of the original inhabitants was easy. Large stone statues, moai, are everywhere, some 10m high and weighing many tonnes. The islanders built the moai to cherish the mana the power and wisdom of influential ancestors. Over time, the moai were made ever larger. It took an increasing amount of manpower to construct them and a lot of wood for their transport. The islanders also used wood for shipbuilding and fire, which made the material even scarcer. Stowaway rats did the rest. With tree seeds and birds eggs as their favourite diet, they contributed to the complete deforestation of the island and the extinction of almost all land birds.

Floris looks happy to sight Easter Island after several weeks at sea. Photo: Ivar Smits and Floris van Hees

The ensuing ecological crisis made it increasingly difficult to build seaworthy vessels for fishing and to transport the moai. Social unrest arose and the production of moai abruptly stopped.

Yet the misery caused by ecosystem destruction is only part of the story. The islanders were able to adjust their diet and farming methods. Archaeological research shows that they ate fewer birds and fish but more shellfish and rat meat. As deforestation increased, the fertile soil eroded and the wind got a grip on crops. In response, the islanders built stone-encircled gardens. That explains why the islanders were well-fed and cheerful, according to the report of the first meeting with outsiders on Easter Sunday 1722.

During this acquaintance, at least 10 islanders were reportedly shot dead. Later contacts with outsiders turned out to be even more disastrous. Slavery and introduced diseases reduced the original population from several thousand to just 110 in 1877.

Moai memorials to important ancestors are everywhere across Easter Island. Photo: Ivar Smits and Floris van Hees

Today, Easter Island is a holiday destination, meaning that its inhabitants depend on cheap fossil fuels to transport tourists and goods by air and ship to their island. Yet we also met locals striving for a more sustainable island society. All of them were inspired by their ancestors mana and values and launched initiatives for more self-reliance and better protection of the environment.

These ranged from growing their own food, setting up a packaging-free supermarket, lobbying for the designation of marine protected areas, organising beach cleans, stimulating bicycling on the island, and teaching children traditional music, culture, and organic gardening in an eco-school. The government did its part by growing trees to reforest parts of the island.

Throughout our three weeks there, we checked the weather forecast daily, as we knew that a shift in wind or swell meant that we would have to move. As it remained calm, we also witnessed the annual Tapati festival. This most important event of the year celebrates folklore, music, dance, and sports and was a delight to attend. Only when our Chilean visa ran out were we forced to abandon this unique island and set sail to its closest neighbour, Pitcairn.

Lucipara 2 (Luci) arriving at Pitcairn Island. Photo: Ivar Smits and Floris van Hees

Once again, light winds plagued us on our passage. They were just strong enough to keep the gennaker full, although sometimes we needed to hand-steer to make any progress. Our efforts paid off: just before the 14th sunset and on the last breath of wind we reached the illustrious Pitcairn. In very calm conditions we dropped our anchor in Bounty Bay. With no wind and just a little swell, the circumstances were ideal for landing on this island, notorious for lacking sheltered anchorages.

The island was made famous by the mutiny on the HMS Bounty, a transport ship of the Royal Navy. In 1789, mutineers under the command of Fletcher Christian took control of the ship and ejected Captain Bligh and crew loyal to him onto a sloop.

Luci anchored in Bounty Bay, Pitcairn. Photo: Ivar Smits and Floris van Hees

The mutineers, afraid of the long arm of the British authorities, looked for a remote and uninhabited island to which they could flee, along with women they picked up in Tahiti. Pitcairn was the ideal hideaway. It was not along shipping routes and had a rugged coastline. To make sure no one would find them, they burned the Bounty in the very bay where we anchored. Even these days Pitcairn is very remote. There is no airport, so it is only accessible by private yacht or transport ship. Somewhat ironically, the island is now a British Overseas Territory. Nevertheless, after we safely landed our kayak on shore, the welcome sign proudly pointed out that it is the home of the descendants of the Bounty mutineers.

On the quay, officials enthusiastically welcomed us with necklaces made of shells and information brochures. After filling out a form, our passports were stamped, twice. Once for our arrival and once for our departure. You can fill in the date yourself, immigration officer Brenda Lupton-Christian (a descendant of Fletcher) explained. If the weather deteriorates you might need to leave and wont be able to come ashore. Now thats a sailor-friendly approach, we thought! Come by my house if you feel like it, she mentioned as we set out to explore the island on foot.

The impressive Polynesian catamaran replica on Easter Island. Photo: Ivar Smits and Floris van Hees

As we hiked uphill, the steep and rugged coastline of volcanic rocks gave way to trees, flowers and birds. Nature really seemed to rule outside the islands only settlement, Adamstown, because its 50 residents take up little space. Never mind that we didnt bring food with us: we picked fruits that grow in the wild, such as bananas, guavas, passion fruit, and avocados. Coconuts were also up for grabs under palm trees. What a feast after two weeks at sea!

On the south-eastern edge of the island we found a natural saltwater pool between basalt rocks: St Pauls Pool. Waves regularly broke over the pools edges to bring in fresh water and sometimes made it impossible to swim. Yet on one of our visits it was serenely calm. We snorkelled in crystal-clear water, surrounded by colourful fish that ignored our presence. I feel like Im in an aquarium! Floris mumbled through his snorkel.

On our way to Brenda and her husband Mike, we passed vegetable gardens filled with pumpkins, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, and melons. The supply ship only comes four times a year, so we grow a lot of fruit and vegetables ourselves, Mike explained.

For the residents of Pitcairn, it comes naturally to help each other. We are a close-knit community, Brenda explained. Everyone has multiple roles and we all have to make do with what we have. After all, we cant just buy something new. As a result, the islanders share things and fix whatever breaks. Consumerism and competition about who has the latest gadget are hard to find here.

A Polynesian outrigger paddle competition during the Tapati festival on Easter Island. Photo: Ivar Smits and Floris van Hees

The highlight of our stay was when we were invited to Brendas birthday party. We met most of the Pitcairners there and learned that many choose to live here because of the sense of community. Their biggest challenge is convincing others to make the island their home, as the islanders are getting older and young people are seeking their fortunes elsewhere.

Another challenge was waste. Although the islanders try to keep waste to a minimum, some still arises from packaging of imported food and goods. Mike explained that the garbage was separated in different-coloured bins. Organic waste is used as compost for vegetable gardens, while souvenirs are made from glass bottles. Plastic is ground into small pieces and mixed with concrete to pave roads. Cans are put on the supply ship to be taken back to New Zealand for recycling. Thats why the island is spotless.

Luci rocking at the anchorage in Bounty Bay. Photo: Ivar Smits and Floris van Hees

After a week of calm weather, the easterly wind picked up again. While a cruise ship arrived and the Pitcairners got ready for the influx of tourists, we hoisted the gennaker and set sail for the Gambier Islands. Behind us the waving residents got smaller.

We realised that the Pitcairners self-reliant way of life offers important sustainability benefits in terms of nutrition and the re-use of materials, and drew parallels with Easter Island. There, the islanders ancestors experienced that their survival depended on cooperation and healthy ecosystems. At the same time, they were resourceful and able to adapt.

The anchor from HMS Bounty. Photo: Ivar Smits and Floris van Hees

Easter Island nowadays shows that the road to a more sustainable society is not easy, with the growing tourism sector and consumer society putting a heavy burden on the islanders self-reliance and natural resources. Nevertheless, meeting sustainability frontrunners that are inspired by the spirit of their ancestors strengthened our conviction that the community is making encouraging progress towards a more sustainable future. It reaffirmed that our future is not written in stone but depends upon our own behaviour.

It is up to all of us to apply positive, workable solutions and to make choices in which both nature and humans thrive. These are perhaps the most important lessons that we came away with from our time at Easter Island and Pitcairn.

Just as these islands form oases in the vast Pacific Ocean, our living planet our home is isolated in the endless universe. We need to safeguard it for our own survival.

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Discovering Easter Island and Pitcairn by boat - Yachting Monthly

Cleanup of areas destroyed in the Maui wildfires could end up being one of the most complex to date, federal officials said, given the islands significant cultural sites, its rich history including a royal residence and possibly remains of people who died in the disaster.

The first stage of cleanup started in late August, with around 200 Environmental Protection Agency workers in white protective gear removing toxic household debris from Upper Kula and the town of Lahaina including gas cylinders, pesticides, fertilizers and battery packs used in solar power. They have monitored the air quality and sampled for heavy metals and asbestos.

The EPA expects to hand over responsibility later this month or in November to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which will oversee removing the remaining debris over the next six to 12 months. About $400 million has been budgeted, but the cost could go higher to remove an estimated 400,000 to 700,000 tons of building debris from about 1,600 parcels that once had homes and businesses.

This will be the most complex fire response to date, said Corps debris subject matter expert Cory Koger, who since 2017 has responded to cleanups of seven wildfires sites including the Paradise, California fire that killed 85 people and destroyed 19,000 structures as well as several others in Oregon, Colorado and New Mexico.

We need to expedite the cleanup for a number of reasons. One, theyre still residents living within the area. There are businesses still functional Thats a public health issue, Koger continued, adding that there are also significant cultural concerns associated with the debris removal.

There is this push-pull of doing it quickly but doing it right, he said.

The Aug. 8 wildfire killed at least 97 people and destroyed more than 2,000 buildings, most of them homes. Seven weeks on, the first group of residents returned to survey the remains of their property and collect any belongings they could find.

Compared to fire cleanups in Oregon or California, this one poses what EPA Incident Commander Steve Calanog calls unique challenges for his team. The debris removal not only is occurring on an island in the Pacific Ocean, but Maui has no landfills certified to take hazardous waste. So the EPA is forced to ship hazardous waste to licensed disposal sites on the West Coast.

Cultural monitors, who are Native Hawaiians from Maui, are also accompanying the EPA and eventually the Corps during the cleanup. Lahaina was once the royal residence of King Kamehameha, who unified Hawaii under a single kingdom by defeating the other islands chiefs. His successors made it the capital from 1820 to 1845, according to the National Park Service.

Before any work begins on a parcel, a cultural assessment will be done to determine if anything might have cultural significance such as burial plots or markers and certain types of plants or trees. The monitors are there to ensure there isnt further harm to anything flagged in the assessment.

Lahaina has a huge cultural and historic significance. We have to work with great precision, care and respect, Calanog said. And then, of course, the death toll. Theres considerable loss of life. Those are unique facets that make this work particularly challenging for us.

Hawaiian kings and queens are buried in the graveyard of the 200-year-old historic Waiola Church, which along with the nearby Lahaina Hongwanji Mission, was engulfed in flames. The fire also decimated historic Front Street home to restaurants, bars and tourist shops and heavily damaged what is believed to be the United States largest banyan tree.

There is going to be more attention to detail. They have to go at a slower pace, said Native Hawaiian Micah Kamohoalii, an archeologist and cultural specialist. They cant dig too far into the ground because there are so many generations of history buried in the ground.

As of Sept. 29, the EPA had completed cleanup on over 1,000 of the 1,598 parcels that need to be cleared across Maui. All parcels cleared so far are residential properties, and the agency expects to finish the remaining residential sites in the coming weeks. It started work on the first of about 150 commercial parcels, which officials acknowledge will take longer.

After that, the Corps will bring in excavators, bulldozers and dump trucks to remove debris such as standing structures, vehicles and dead trees. Owners must approve the Corps coming onto their property, and a bill being debated at the Maui County Council will give residents an option of having the Corps do the cleanup for free or allowing them to hire their own contractors. Work would be stopped if human remains are found.

Much of the debate around waste removal is over environmental concerns versus the desire to rebuild. Authorities last month said the Hawaii Department of Health reported that sampling and monitoring of the burn sites did not show evidence of poor air quality or any hazardous levels of contaminants in the air. County officials, however, warned that ash may contain toxic, cancer-causing chemicals with debris including broken glass, exposed electric wire and other objects.

There are also discussions around where to put the waste removed by the Corps.

There are two landfills on Maui, a spokesperson for the county Joint Information Center said, and the island doesnt currently have landfill space to handle all the waste from the fire. One of the landfills, Central Maui, was nearing capacity and had a more than $17 million expansion project planned to start next year. Emergency planners are looking at accelerating plans for that expansion.

The Corps said plans are being worked out to move debris to a temporary site then eventually to permanent disposal sites in Maui County. Some of the concrete and metal would be recycled.

Of course, there is the huge need to respect and accommodate the desire of those who wish to return to their former homes and businesses, said Wayne Tanaka, the executive director of Sierra Club of Hawaii. But we do not want their trauma and suffering to be compounded by future harm to themselves, their families, or even future generations from avoidable toxic exposure.

Based on the timeline of past disasters like the Paradise, California fire in 2018, rebuilding will happen but it could take years. Much of Lahaina is still littered with torched vehicles, blackened rubble, crumbled metal roofs, shattered glass, propane tanks and the foundations of what were homes and businesses.

Even so, Maui County Council Vice-Chair Yuki Lei Sugimura often hears from many anxious residents looking to return and build a new home.

People are anxious for us to move forward because they want to be build, and that is that is probably just the predominant thing that we hear, she said. You know how fast this is going to be and, you know how do we get in line?

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Cleanup from Maui fires complicated by island's logistical ... - Greenfield Daily Reporter

NEW YORK, 4 October (Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea)The Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf will hold its fifty-ninth session from 4October to 21November. There will be no plenary part during the session and its seven weeks will be devoted entirely to the technical examination of submissions at the geographic information systems laboratories and other technical facilities of the Division. The Commission will also hold meetings of all its members to exchange views on general scientific, technical and procedural topics, as needed.

During the session, nine subcommissions will continue to consider submissions made by Mauritius in respect of the region of Rodrigues Island (partial submission); Palau in respect of the North Area (partial amended submission); Portugal; Spain in respect of the area of Galicia (partial submission); Trinidad and Tobago; and Namibia; as well as revised submissions made by Brazil in respect of the Brazilian Equatorial Margin (partial revised submission); Cook Islands concerning the Manihiki Plateau (revised submission); and Iceland in respect of the western, southern and south-eastern parts of the Reykjanes Ridge (partial revised submission).

Background

Established pursuant to article 2 of annex II to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Commission makes recommendations to coastal States on matters related to the establishment of the outer limits of their continental shelf beyond 200nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured, based on information submitted to it by coastal States. These recommendations are based on the scientific and technical data and other material provided by States in relation to the implementation of article 76 of the Convention. The recommendations do not prejudice matters relating to the delimitation of boundaries between States with opposite or adjacent coasts or prejudice the position of States that are parties to a land or maritime dispute, or application of other parts of the Convention or any other treaties. The limits of the continental shelf established by a coastal State on the basis of these recommendations shall be final and binding. In the case of disagreement by the coastal State with the recommendations of the Commission, the coastal State shall, within a reasonable time, make a revised or new submission to the Commission.

Under rule 23 of its rules of procedure (Public and private meetings), the meetings of the Commission, its subcommissions and subsidiary bodies are held in private, unless the Commission decides otherwise.

As required under the rules of procedure of the Commission, the executive summaries of all the submissions, including all charts and coordinates, have been made public by the SecretaryGeneral through continental shelf notifications circulated to Member States of the United Nations, as well as States Parties to the Convention. The executive summaries are available on the Divisions website at: http://www.un.org/depts/los/clcs_new/clcs_home.htm. The summaries of recommendations adopted by the Commission are also available on the above-referenced website.

The Commission is a body of 21experts in the field of geology, geophysics or hydrography. They serve in their personal capacities. Members of the Commission are elected for a term of five years by the Meeting of States Parties to the Convention from among their nationals having due regard to the need to ensure equitable geographical representation. Not fewer than three members shall be elected from each geographical region.

Currently, two seats on the Commission allocated to members from Eastern European States are vacant. The thirty-third Meeting of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea will be resumed on 28November for the purpose of filling these seats.

The Convention provides that the State Party which submitted the nomination of a member of the Commission shall defray the expenses of that member while in performance of Commission duties. A voluntary trust fund for the purpose of defraying the cost of participation of the members of the Commission from developing countries has been established. It has facilitated the participation of several members of the Commission from developing countries in the sessions of the Commission.

The convening by the Secretary-General of the United Nations of the sessions of the Commission, with full conference services, including documentation, for the plenary parts of these sessions, is subject to approval by the General Assembly of the United Nations. The Assembly does so in its annual resolutions on oceans and the law of the sea, which also address other matters relevant to the work of the Commission and the conditions of service of its members.

For additional information on the work of the Commission see the website of the Division at: http://www.un.org/depts/los/index.htm. In particular, the most recent Statements by the Chair on the progress in the work of the Commission are available at: http://www.un.org/depts/los/clcs_new/commission_documents.

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Commission on Limits of Continental Shelf to Hold Fifty-Ninth ... - United Nations

HSBC in the Channel Islands and Isle of Man has appointed Alvaro Teixeira as Head of Wealth and Personal Banking.

In his new role, which he assumes as from this month and is subject to regulatory approval, Alvaro (pictured) will take on overall responsibility for driving the Banks ongoing strategy to improve access to its full suite of wealth products across the islands and serve the evolving needs of personal banking customers from day-to-day banking, through to more bespoke Global Private Banking solutions as well as Trust and Fiduciary Services. Alvaro will also lead the global HSBC Expat business, which is managed from Jersey.

Having joined HSBC in 2010, Alvaro was most recently Head of Wealth and Personal Banking (WPB) in Malta where he played a pivotal role in transforming the Banks risk management framework in the jurisdiction and in enhancing its customer centric approach. Prior to that, he worked in Brazil, Hong Kong, Mexico, the USA and UK in different areas of HSBCs WPB division, while he has also served on the boards of several HSBC subsidiaries. Before joining HSBC, Alvaro spent nearly two decades working on trading desks in Brazil, USA and Canada.

Commenting on his new role, Alvaro said: Im delighted to be taking on the responsibility to drive forward HSBCs Wealth and Personal Banking division in the islands. Over recent years, the Bank has focused considerably on enhancing, expanding and tailoring its range of wealth solutions, from banking and savings to investments and lending, to meet the needs of islanders at all life stages. Im excited to be continuing to build on that good work, alongside the incredibly talented and professional team across Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.

Warwick Long, CEO, HSBC Channel Islands and Isle of Man, added: The Channel Islands and Isle of Man remains a top performing and strategically important market for HSBC both within the context of its European business and at a global level too. Im pleased to welcome Alvaro to the team and his experience will be crucial as we continue to enhance our proposition for wealth and personal banking across the islands, and internationally through our HSBC Expat network.

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HSBC appoints Head of Wealth and Personal Banking for Channel ... - Channel Eye

From Nick Nikkila on Facebook:

"Far and Wide" has now compiled a list of "America's Coolest Small Towns by State."

'For the state of Washington, it must have been a difficult decision with Deep River in the running, but Friday Harbor, established in 1909 with a population of 2,747 was selected. The town's description was given as: Washington State's best-kept secret is its San Juan Island archipelago. Waters filled with orcas, seals and sea lions surround charming islands brimming with cuteness in boutiques, art galleries and restaurants. Friday Harbor, located on San Juan Island, is the commercial center of the islands. From here, visitors can depart upon sea and land adventures, including visits to the Whale Museum and the San Juan Islands Museum to learn more about this blissful spot on earth."

I imagine Deep River was high on the raters' list and can envision the description they might have pondered. The town of Deep River established circa 1870, population eight to fifteen (depending on how many people actually live in Gloria's house) is located at the north end of the main channel of Deep River. It's a feast for the eyes as visitors slowly cruise the one and only street exclaiming, "Oh, look at that small pile of lumber in the brush. That used to be where the doctor came every few weeks so people could get checkups. Oh, look back that way. That pile of lumber used to be a house where the famous Appelo family resided. See that flat area on the bank? That was the site of the Appelo Store. It had a quaint little toilet on a platform where people could poop in the river. You just don't see things like that anymore. With a pool hall, a hotel and a movie theater this was quite a town in its day and a perfect example of how nature in the Northwest is able to quickly restore itself. Lucky visitors with perfect timing will be amazed at the sight of water running over the street carrying someone's firewood out to sea. Deep River should be on everyone's bucket list. Just make sure the bucket is empty so it can serve to help bail."

I read that and burst out laughing. Good job, Nick! The Deep River Church was dedicated last Sunday with a lovely service of prayer and gratitude. Folks wore their native costumes and those who helped restore the little building were honored. On December 3, the Deep River Church will offer its annual Christmas Service at 1 p.m. For two years, covid kept the doors closed at Christmas, but I'm sure all of us will be happy to be together again for the annual gathering in our own "Little Church in the Wildwood." A tour of homes will follow with a soup supper to end the afternoon. Thanks, Eva Malerich, for putting the event together.

On Facebook, Ron Forberg posted an old Grays River town photo showing the Appelo Store. At the time it burned, it was full of historical inventory such as old shoes. I often wonder what those shoes looked like and how old they were. Ron said, "Grays River, Just a Wide Spot on Wash State HWY 4 showing: Appelo's Shopping Center; Tony's Barber Shop; Valley Tavern; Methodist Church and Parsonage; Western Wahkiakum Telephone Office; Axmaker's 76 union; PUD Office; Darigold Creamery; Grain Building; GRV Grange Hall; a half dozen private homes; Post Office attached to Ken Jean Calhoun's home; Ervie Holden's two little shacks and Gaten's Market was all there was to the little town of the mid-1950's many remember as home. A comment from Darrell Sorenson to add to Ron's list: "Add the county electric company, it was next to the creamery and a nice little church next to Appelo's."

Dale Rose is one man who brings many memories to our minds. He is currently in the hospital and I hope we will all remember him in our prayers. He is doing ok. I am sure he would appreciate us holding him and his family in our thoughts and prayers.

On October 9, on KMUN public radio, Cathlamet's own Dayle Olson will interview local historian, Irene Martin, on the River Writer's program at 9 a.m. Irene has a new reprint of one of her earlier books, "Storm Damage, Sad Years and Glad Years," available at Redmen Hall in Skamokawa and soon I hope, at the Tsuga Gallery in Cathlamet.

Photo of the Week: When driving through our area on SR 4, we have all seen the two old RV's dumped along the highway, one near the Rosburg Store and one at the top of Salmi Hill.

Last Friday or Saturday night, someone torched them both and they burned down to nothing but metal. I contacted the Sheriff's Office to see what they could tell me. I learned it's a State highway, thus the State patrol's issue. The name of person or persons who set them alight is unknown, but the fires are being investigated. The mess left behind will, I assume, be easier to dispose of than before they were burned.

Calendar of Events:

Mondays/Wednesdays: Balance Class at Naselle Community Center 2-3.

Tuesdays: Naselle Lutheran Church sponsors morning quilters and knitters in afternoons.

Second Tuesday: Johnson Park Board meeting at 10.

Second Tuesday: American Legion meets at 6 at Rosburg Hall.

Third Tuesday: Naselle Grays River School Board meets at 6:30 in school library.

Wednesdays: AA meeting at the Grays River Grange at noon.

First and third Wednesdays in October: Senior Lunch at Rosburg Hall at noon. 4 th and 18 th .

Thursdays: CAP Senior Lunches are located at Rosburg Hall at noon on 1 st and 3 rd Wednesdays.

October 8: Carl Wirkkala with Whistle Punks at Naselle Community Center at 4.

October 14: Bingo at Rosburg Hall.

October 17: Naselle GRV School Board meets at 6:30 in school library.

October 28: Annual Christmas Bazaar at Rosburg Hall supporting Rosburg Community Club.

October 28: Halloween Celebration at Naselle Community Center. More info coming.

November 4: Appelo Archives' Harvest Auction and Dinner at Rosburg Hall at 5.

November 5: Krist Novoselic and Jennifer Goodenburger at Naselle Community Center at 4.

Words for the Week: October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

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Downriver Dispatches - The Wahkiakum County Eagle