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classyfoxdestiny · 3 years

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Afghanistan crisis live updates august 21, 2021

The UN food agency says it has been able to negotiate access with the Taliban to distribute aid in one provincial capital in Afghanistan but hasn’t been able to resume food deliveries to three other provincial capitals it supplies.

Worldview with Suhasini Haidar | Taliban advance in Afghanistan

The World Food Program, headquartered in Rome, has said that some 14 million people are facing severe hunger in the nation of some 39 million. A second drought in three years, combined with fighting, had afflicted Afghanistan even before the Taliban takeover of the country on Sunday.

Here are the latest developments:

Taliban co-founder Baradar in Kabul for talks to set up government

Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar arrived in Kabul for talks on establishing a new “inclusive” government in Afghanistan, a senior official said.

Other senior Taliban leaders seen in the capital in recent days include Khalil Haqqani — one of America’s most wanted terrorists with a $5 million bounty on his head.

Pro-Taliban social media feeds showed Haqqani meeting Gulbuddin Hekmatyar — a former bitter rival during the brutal civil war of the early 1990s, but still influential in Afghan politics.

A senior Taliban official told AFP that Baradar would meet “jihadi leaders and politicians for an inclusive government set-up”. — AFP

India evacuates around 80 people from Kabul

Around 80 Indian nationals were evacuated on Augst 21 from Kabul by a transport military aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) amid a deteriorating security scenario in the Afghan capital, people familiar with the development said.

The aircraft landed at Dushanbe in Tajikistan after evacuating the Indians, they said, adding the flight is expected to arrive at the Hindon airbase near Delhi in the evening.

As per a rough estimate, the number of Indians stranded in Afghanistan could be around 400 and India has been looking at ways to evacuate them, including by coordinating with the U.S. and other friendly countries. — PTI

Taiwan says China wants to ’emulate’ the Taliban

Taiwan’s foreign minister accused China on August 21 of wanting to “emulate” the Taliban, saying the island that Beijing claims as sovereign Chinese territory did not wish to be subject to communism or crimes against humanity.

The rapid fall of the U.S.-backed Afghan government has sparked heated debate in Taiwan about whether they could suffer the same fate to a Chinese invasion, while state media in China has said Kabul’s fate showed Taiwan it cannot trust Washington. -REUTERS

Bahrain says allows airport use for evacuations

The island kingdom of Bahrain has said it is “allowing flights to make use of Bahrain’s transit facilities” amid the evacuations of Afghanistan.

The kingdom made the announcement in a statement released early August 21.

Bahrain, in the Persian Gulf off Saudi Arabia, is home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet.

The announcement comes as the U.S. faced issues August 20 with its facilities at Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar filling up with those fleeing the Taliban takeover of the country. –AP

President Biden warns lives could be lost in massive Kabul airlift operations

U.S. President Joe Biden has said that the mass evacuation from Kabul, one of the largest and most difficult airlifts in history, is not without risk of loss of lives, but vowed to bring all Americans and partners home from Afghanistan, as his administration grappled with the fallout from the chaotic exit.

Mr. Biden’s remarks on August 20 come as the U..S rushed to airlift as many people as possible out of the Afghan capital ahead of a self-imposed deadline to depart Afghanistan by August 31.

In a speech delivered from the White House, Mr. Biden said the United States has evacuated more than 18,000 people since July and approximately 13,000 since the airlifts began on Saturday.

NATO commits to improving operations at Kabul airport

An evacuee holds up a peace sign after being manifested for a flight at Hamid Karzai International Airport, in Kabul. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

NATO foreign ministers committed on August 20 to focus on ensuring the safe evacuation from Afghanistan of their citizens and of Afghans deemed at risk after the Taliban takeover, centering on improving operations at Kabul airport first.

Faced with continuing chaos in the capital and the exit roads, many of the 30 allied nations raised “the need to work harder on how we can get more people … into the airport, then processed and then onto the planes,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said. He called that “the big, big, big challenge.”

All too often over the past hours and days, planes from NATO nations have been able to get to Kabul, only to be forced to leave empty or near-empty.

Blinken says 12 nations to host Afghan evacuees

Secretary of State Antony Blinken says 13 countries have thus far agreed to at least temporarily host at-risk Afghans evacuated from Afghanistan and a dozen more have agreed to serve as transit points for evacuees, including Americans and others.

Mr. Blinken says in a Friday statement that potential Afghan refugees not already cleared for resettlement in the United States will be housed at facilities in Albania, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Mexico, Poland, Qatar, Rwanda, Ukraine and Uganda.

Transit countries include Bahrain, Britain, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Qatar, Tajikistan, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan. -PTI

Taliban to unveil new Afghan govt framework within weeks, official says

The Taliban aim to unveil a new governing framework for Afghanistan in the next few weeks, a spokesman for the Islamist movement said on August 21, after the insurgents’ swift takeover of the South Asian nation.

“Legal, religious and foreign policy experts in the Taliban aim to present the new governing framework in the next few weeks,” the official told Reuters. –Reuters

U.S. is going to retain laser focus on its counterterrorism mission in Afghanistan: Biden

The United States is going to retain a laser focus on its counterterrorism mission in Afghanistan, President Joe Biden said August 20 and warned the Taliban of a forceful response to any attack on American forces or disruption of its operations at the Kabul airport.

“We made clear to the Taliban that any attack, any attack on our forces or disruption of our operations at the airport will be met with a swift and forceful response,” Mr. Biden told reporters at a White House news conference.

“We’re also keeping a close watch on any potential terrorist threat at or around the airport, including from the ISIS affiliates in Afghanistan,” he said. –PTI

LGBT+ Afghans desperate to escape amid Taliban takeover

It was never easy being gay or transgender in Afghanistan. Now it could be deadly, according to LGBT+ Afghans, whose fear of violence under the Taliban is driving a frantic bid to escape.

But how any evacuation might work is another matter, with scant practical support coming from overseas and even less hope that Islamist militants will let them into the airport.

“If I find a visa and a country gives me permission to leave, of course I will risk everything to get out,” said one gay Afghan student, whose name was withheld for his protection. –Reuters

Pak’s strategic interest in Afghan is to counter Indian influence, mitigate spillover: U.S. State Dept IG

Pakistan’s strategic security objectives in Afghanistan almost certainly continue to be countering Indian influence and mitigating spillover of the Afghan civil war into Pakistani territory, a U.S. government report has said, citing inputs from the Defence Intelligence Agency.

“Pakistan continues to support peace talks, while maintaining ties with the Afghan Taliban,” U.S. Department of State Office of the Inspector General noted in its latest quarterly report on Afghanistan.

“According to the DIA, Pakistan’s strategic security objectives in Afghanistan almost certainly continue to be countering Indian influence and mitigating spillover into the Pakistani territory,” the report said. –PTI

India to prioritise granting visas to civil society members, opinion makers, women activists from Afghanistan

In line with its historical ties with Afghan people, India will prioritise granting visas to civil society members, opinion makers, women activists, students and NGO workers from Afghanistan in view of the current situation in the country, people familiar with the development said on August 20.

Afghan people feeling threatened or facing the fear of persecution and those who supported India in rolling out various welfare and development projects will also be given priority for grant of visas, they said. –PTI

Taliban appeals for international recognition; says China has ‘big role’ to play

The Taliban have appealed to the international community to recognise it amid growing resentment against it at home and abroad, even as the Afghan militant group sought to placate China, saying Beijing can play a “big role” under its rule in the strife-torn country.

Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said the international community should “respect the will of the Afghan people” and officially recognise his group which has taken over power in Kabul. –PTI

Hunger spreading in Afghanistan: UN food agency

Andrew Patterson, WFP’s deputy country director, told The Associated Press on Friday that after Faizabad, a provincial capital in the north, fell to the Taliban last week, the agency’s field office succeeded in negotiating access with the local Taliban command, and “we had (a food) truck on the road the next day.” However, Patterson said the situation in Kandahar, Herat and Jalalabad so far hasn’t allowed the U.N. agency to resume distributing food in those areas.

Biden vows to evacuate all Americans

President Joe Biden pledged firmly Friday to bring all Americans home from Afghanistan — and all Afghans who aided the war effort, too — as officials confirmed that U.S. military helicopters flew beyond the Kabul airport to scoop up 169 Americans seeking to evacuate. Biden’s promises came as thousands more Americans and others seeking to escape the Taliban struggled to get past crushing crowds, Taliban airport checkpoints and sometimes-insurmountable U.S. bureaucracy.

“We will get you home,” Biden promised Americans who were still in Afghanistan days after the Taliban retook control of Kabul, ending a two-decade war. The President’s comments, delivered at the White House, were intended to project purpose and stability at the conclusion of a week during which images from Afghanistan more often suggested chaos, especially at the airport.

“We’re making the same commitment” to Afghan wartime helpers as to U.S. citizens, Biden said, offering the prospect of assistance to Afghans who largely have been fighting individual battles to get the documents and passage into the airport that they need to leave. He called the Afghan allies “equally important” in the evacuations. –AP

Online petition seeking asylum for Afghan women gets 3 lakh signatures

Adeeba Qayoumi, a 21-year-old woman who fled to India from Herat, Afghanistan, in 2019, has started an online petition in memory of her 29-year-old cousin Farishta — a civil rights activist killed by the Taliban last year.

As of Friday evening, the online petition, which urges the Central government to grant asylum to women and children who are fleeing Afghanistan, had received over three lakh signatures.

Official Taliban websites go offline

Taliban websites that delivered the insurgents’ official messages of victory to Afghans and the world at large in five languages went offline abruptly on August 20, indicating an effort to squelch them.

It is not immediately clear, though, why the sites in the Pashto, Urdu, Arabic, English and Dari languages went offline. They had been shielded by Cloudflare, a San Francisco-based content delivery network and denial-of-service protection provider.

Indonesia evacuates dozens

Indonesia has moved its Afghanistan diplomatic mission from Kabul to Pakistan, its foreign minister said on Saturday, after its air force evacuated dozens in the wake of the Taliban’s seizure of power.

“Temporarily, the diplomatic mission in Kabul will be done from Islamabad,” Retno Marsudi said in televised remarks at the Halim military airport in Jakarta.

The initial plan had been to “continue our diplomatic mission in Kabul with a small team” but changed due to a “new development”, which she did not specify. She did not take questions.

The Kabul airport has been the site of chaos https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/nato-pledges-speed-evacuations-afghanistan-criticism-mounts-2021-08-20 in recent days, with thousands of desperate Afghans trying to flee as they clutched papers, children and belongings, as people from other countries also sought to leave after U.S. and other foreign troops withdrew. At least 12 people have been killed since the Islamist. –Reuters

(With inputs from agencies and our Correspondents)

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welivingindreams · 3 years

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Compilation 0f 2013

29 November 13

1st dream: Jill since experience 2nd dream: hug Jill 3rd dream: Jill come to my store with an old skinny man to buy air pump

24 October 2013

Having an outing and eating at kopitiam Bangkit with ITE friends. They happily ate and they all wanted to go to another place. I ask if anyone saw my shoe and Shahidah told me that Dina threw away my shoe. Angry and frustrated, I canceled my plan and went home . On the way home I saw my family going on vacation. They told me to meet at the place while I went up and packed my things. A lady went in the lift with me and we talked. The lift went to B1 but it didn't open. I told the lady if reached already tell me. So she alights at level 4 and the lift continues to reach level 9. A guy came in and asked my name. The lift went down again! I was so angry because the guy should let me go to my room so that i can change and go take the bus. So I drove back to a bus station and halfway saw my sister. She told me that my family left the hotel and said she had to go back and she left me for her bus. The bus stop at a parking lot so i alight because I saw Mak Usu while walking in saw Wak's family and Syidah were kissing with her boyfriend then i saw Mak Usu and my family they ask why im not on the holiday I told them hotel fully booked and dad say Wak's room still have vacancy.

22 October 2013

Ending my class and I need to write something . The GGX left me behind so I walked with Mr Soo, he told me he lost his sister while traveling. And his sister lost him in the market. We had a good talk until we reached the staff room. I saw the dance teacher was scolding elisa(?) and Atika and she in great pain

30 September 2013

In some mafia countries (Mexico or what), newbies in that place are placed in the opposite site from the other group of gangsters. I Got close with this cute guy who was always left out. We were Having a break and I wanted to eat. The handsome and cute boy asked if I wanted to go tour around the place. At first I hesitated. But then we went together. Then I ask them " why are both of you feeling so warm?". The cute boy is having fever and they argue. After a few turns in the tunnel, I needed to use the toilet. We went to a boys toilet when I was done and I saw a tragic accident. But I acted like nothing happened so I told them I’ll meet them outside. I waited outside the toilet but the aisle was too small to wait. So i went to another side trying to get back the entrance but there was a gunshot between this lady and another group. The girl from another group saw me and she chased me and I ran back to the toilet. I got to the wrong aisle and got injured. The handsome and cute boy manage to saved me and we went back to Singapore

19 September 2013

Ariz went in the same class. He was in my room in JB. We were fooling around then I went to the toilet with Syahidah, to the boys toilet. The toilet needed to pay fine because it was being flooded. I use the toilet until the boys come queuing and I haven't even worn my underwear! Farhan was there. When i went out all of the boys tried to catch me. Ariz save me with a bicycle? We went to a condo. At first we planned to go Mak Usu house but no one there so we went to Ariz cousin in the condo. It happened that Mak Usu was there with Aisyah. My whole body was shaking and there's a cat curling upon my toes.

18 September 2013

I rode on a scooter with Izzue. We were “married” but he didn't tell his wife. His reason is because that I will always be by his side

13 September 2013

1st dream:

There's a war in Singapore and Malaysia. Nowhere is safe

2nd dream:

I just gave birth to a baby in JB house, someone is after me for my baby which happens to be like his baby? Like the baby I gave birth was his. I was also being hunted by a lady. The lady and her husband, they already had a son. So I have no choice but to run. I ran and escaped through the back gate where there was a security guard. He didn't even know me when I asked for help. So I continue to run from the backyard which happens to have an MRT station. I had no money for the train fare but I know I have to go to Bedok because the lady will definitely be going to Bukit Panjang and Yishun to find me. My Sister in law has a new house and i was afraid to ask her for help because I am afraid to risk her new house. I was afraid that she got bullied by that group of girls which wanted to rob me.

12 September 2013

Going for an exam but already failing the exam before I even start the paper. Dream of going for o level again but Business Environment (BEV) module!

1 September 2013

Was walking with my siblings and we were being followed by Ibu's friend. Amin got bribed by the monkeys like he was hypnotized to follow them. I had to run after him to save Amin

31 August 2013

Eating with Izyan then called Mr Soo to ask to change venue. Very sleepy and took a cab but didn't know where to go. Wanted to call Izyan but was using a monopod to call, not clear find phone and charger to Call Izyan. she asks a man to give directions but it's very far i cannot hear. Get out of the cab & run away from the cab. Go inside the shops and take the stairs nearby. The cab driver say say don't hide and I saw 2 vampire

29 August 2013

(Short dream before the date)

1st Dream:

Going to an open house in a classroom setting met Munah and Hirzi. They were tired but they still layan people around.

2nd Dream:

Dream about going to the Italian style town but it's actually the aisle behind our Beijing hotel with Khairina

3rd Dream:

Wanted to buy a burger and was queuing behind a thai boy. The boy was attached to me and I had to get him a student visa. After we finished we took a car and the boy started to drift. Then we stopped and met another boy. He was an Ustaz but i run away from him and conclude that Dandelion is a fish

4th Dream:

Was in GRPS but in a lecture hall. Had a bad stomach Ache and was so afraid to tell anyone Mr Soo asked if anyone wanted to go break with me. So when Erina & Amelia come to class we walk to the canteen together. Half the building is in renovation. I said Yuan Dao eat pork sandwich with Nasi Goreng

I then met an indian lady who said I can cure my "cramp". In order to cure, I have to swallow RM50 & drink it with water and stone. After drinking the RM50 I am not allowed to drink any water. After the recess ended, we went to buy prata at a bookshop. The scene relocated to a civil defence place surrounded by MRT like Fajar - Bangkit station and we toured around the store and went to the store owner's office. He live in the office

We went back to class and it looked like an Ultraman space room. Syahidah turned on the light and got scolded by the leader. After that we must wait for abg Salleh to go in the room to have some quiz. Until the end of the dream, the money that i drank was still in my throat

5th Dream:

Last night I dreamt that a lady in white with red lipstick & red nail polish finding me. I peed through the peephole and saw her face. I was so scared and I ran out of the house! Ironically the lady is outside of my house! I woke up on whatsapp! Zahra & Amelia having random nightless text. The next dream was, I was driving to some hospital. The weird thing is I drive! And at the hospital I meet my mom's supervisor who happens to work at the hospital and has a patient ? The hospital was hit by a storm or flood and water was filling up everywhere and the place look so old !

6th Dream:

Yesterday I dreamt my left foot middle toe broke! Totally detached ! And I only notice it when I bend down. I still can "put it back", there was no bleeding at all ! Like when you cut the chicken breast there's no blood ! So I am supposed to go to the hospital because in my dream I have diabetes ! Like my uncle who recently cut his legs due to diabetes. But I ended up in my primary school. The situation is like Hogwarts being struck by Sirius black ! But the school is being attacked by GHOST ?!?!?

7th Dream:

The day before yesterday I dreamt about my sister in law, brother in law. I was excited because my niece & nephew were coming here but in my dream the brother in law also came! And he brings the whole family from grandparent to great great nice !

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ericfruits · 5 years

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Hong Kong remains crucially important to mainland China

FOR THE past nine weeks and counting huge anti-government protests have rocked Hong Kong, with no obvious end in sight. On August 5th pro-democracy protesters organised the first general strike in the territory for half a century. It shut down parts of the transport system. Banks, advertising companies and many other businesses also closed, or urged their employees to work from home.

The absolute number of protesters on the streets has fallen—from an estimated 2m who marched, largely peacefully, on June 16th, to 350,000 strikers. But the fluid tactics of the black-clad vanguard, which is increasingly using violence, has challenged the resources of a police force determined to crack down on the protests. As the methods of the protesters have changed, so too has their target: what began as opposition to a bill that would have allowed suspects in Hong Kong to be extradited to mainland China has become a popular revolt against the local government—and, for at least some on the streets, against Chinese rule itself.

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How China and the international community, particularly America, react to the continuing crisis will shape the future of Asia’s pre-eminent financial centre. Already it is clear that, were somehow the protests to be quelled peacefully, Hong Kong cannot simply revert to its imagined old form. Gone, possibly for ever, is the notion, rooted in colonial days but slavishly repeated by China after the territory’s handover from the British in 1997, that Hong Kong can endeavour to be an “economic” city in which politics plays a minor role, and only then among an enlightened, disinterested elite. Politics has, now, firmly taken hold.

The battle outside raging

Chinese officials and Communist Party media divine Western “black hands” behind the protests. The rhetoric from the mainland has escalated markedly since July 21st, when protesters defaced the national insignia of the central liaison office, the central government’s representative in the territory. At the end of July Major General Chen Daoxiang, commander of the usually invisible Hong Kong garrison of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) called the unrest “absolutely impermissible”, sending the message that the PLA would not hesitate to step in to restore order if Xi Jinping, China’s ruler, demanded it. In an unsubtle message, the garrison released a video showing Chinese forces using machine-guns to suppress mock riots.

This has led to anxious speculation in Hong Kong and around the world that Chinese security forces might be preparing to intervene in a territory to which, in its formula of “one country, two systems” it had promised “a high degree of autonomy”. On August 5th, at a press conference after two weeks hidden from public view, a rattled Mrs Lam spoke of Asia’s financial hub being on the “verge of a very dangerous situation”. A day later, at an even rarer press conference, a spokesperson for the Hong Kong and Macau affairs office in Beijing emphasised the mainland’s faith in Mrs Lam, but also warned that Hong Kong’s “shocking” protests had gone beyond legitimate free assembly and were pushing the territory into a “dangerous abyss”.

China is no longer as directly dependent on Hong Kong for its economic welfare as it once was, when foreign firms operating from the territory, managerial expertise and access to international markets via its port were critical. At the time of the handover in 1997, the territory’s economy was equivalent to nearly a fifth of China’s. Today the figure is 3%, and its port is no longer important in shipping goods from the mainland (see chart).

The structure of Hong Kong’s economy has changed little in two decades. In terms of their contribution to the economy, trade and logistics along with finance are remarkably similar (22% and 19% respectively). The same old family-run conglomerates in Hong Kong have a lock on property development, port operators, utilities and supermarkets. Meanwhile Shenzhen, across the border, has been transformed into a hub for new giant tech firms such as Huawei, Tencent and ZTE.

The old road is rapidly ageing

Yet Hong Kong remains more important to the mainland than might at first appear, and not just as a showcase for how China acts in a way befitting a country claiming greater status on the world stage. The paradox is that the more autocratic the mainland gets the more it needs Hong Kong commercially. Had China reformed its financial and legal system, the territory would be irrelevant to its global business. Instead the opposite has happened: China has grown fast and globalised, but not opened up.

As a result, Hong Kong’s economy is disproportionately useful to China. It has a status within a body of international law and rules that gives it seamless access to Western markets. The status is multifaceted. It includes: a higher credit rating; lower risk-weights for bank and counterparty exposures; the ability to clear dollars easily; independent membership of the WTO; “equivalence” status for its stock exchange with those in America, Europe and Japan; recognition as a “developed” stockmarket by index firms and co-operation agreements with other securities regulators.

Cross-border bank lending booked in Hong Kong has roughly doubled in the past decade, much of it Chinese companies borrowing dollars intermediated through the territory. Hong Kong’s stockmarket is now the world’s fourth largest, behind Tokyo’s but ahead of London’s (see chart). About 70% of the capital raised on it is for Chinese firms, but strikingly the mix has shifted from state enterprises to tech firms such as Tencent, Meituan and Xiaomi. These firms have specifically chosen not to do mainland listings because the markets there are too immature and closed off from Western investors. Alibaba, an e-commerce conglomerate, is also in the process of doing a Hong Kong listing (at present it is only listed in New York).

Most Chinese foreign direct investment flows through Hong Kong. The stock domiciled in the territory has roughly doubled in the last decade, to $2trn. Hong Kong’s share of total FDI flowing into mainland China has remained fairly constant, at 60%. Although the amount of multinational money flowing into and out of China has soared, most firms still prefer to have Hong Kong’s legal stamp.

Meanwhile, the number of multinationals with their regional headquarters in the territory has increased by two-thirds since 1997, to around 1,500. Hong Kong hosts the most valuable life insurer in the world, excluding mainland China, AIA, while a global firm with a big Asian arm, Prudential, is about to shift its regulatory domicile to Hong Kong.

This all means that how turmoil in Hong Kong is resolved matters to more than just to its own people. Already boards of multinationals are debating over whether to move their regional domicile to Singapore. Indeed, one existing weak spot for Hong Kong is that major American tech firms, such as Google, Amazon and Facebook, have set up their regional headquarters in Singapore, perhaps because of cyber-worries. An executive with a biotech startup says the company is moving money out of the territory and considering an American listing instead.

China will not take action in Hong Kong lightly: it knows how much is at stake economically and how much its biggest firms depend on the territory, quite apart from the reputational risk. Yet it also sees the situation spiralling into a threat to the Communist Party itself—one that America, it believes, is trying to exploit.

Its evidence for this is that the American government, already caught up in a gargantuan tussle with China over trade, cyber-technology and dominance in Asia, is taking an increasing interest in developments in Hong Kong. President Donald Trump called the demonstrations “riots”, echoing the language coming from Beijing. Yet his administration is staffed with China hawks. Many see the protests as a response to the way China has undermined Hong Kong’s autonomy.

Should the party intervene more forcibly, says a senior administration official, it would be “a tragedy for Hong Kong, bad for China and the latest act of decoupling from the free world and regressing to the darkness of the Mao years.” The official likens Hong Kong’s status, in some respects, to “West Berlin during the cold war”. “‘One country, two systems,’” the official adds, “risks dying a premature death.”

As the present now, will later be past

China knows that America has a formidable weapon to wield in the form of the Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992, which recognises Hong Kong as a separate legal and economic entity from China with all the rights of an open economy. An intervention by the Chinese army might lead the administration to declare Hong Kong to be in breach of the act. This, though, would be a nuclear option: one that America is likely to take only in extremis.

In the meantime, Congress, led by Senator Marco Rubio, is working on legislation that would, among other things, test Hong Kong’s system of export controls to make sure Chinese companies are not circumventing rules, as well as ensure that demonstrators are not penalised if they seek American visas, just because they were arrested during the protests.

If it ever happened, intervention by the Chinese army would not necessarily be in the form of tanks and blazing machine-guns. Its deployment would follow a process set out in Hong Kong’s post-colonial constitution, the Basic Law, and a piece of Chinese legislation called the Garrison Law. These allow Hong Kong to ask the central government for the PLA garrison’s help in maintaining public order. This could, in theory, merely entail a few discreet units backing up Hong Kong’s police. It would be very unlikely to involve the random violence seen, for example, in 1989 in Tiananmen: the PLA today is far better trained, and the garrison has been drilling its men in crowd-control techniques that resemble those of the Hong Kong police. But avoiding any such eventuality, says one of Mrs Lam’s advisers, has always been the Hong Kong government’s “number one” priority. Having the PLA come in is “the last thing” anyone wants to have happen. It would show Hong Kong incapable of “keeping our house in order”.

Perhaps Mrs Lam’s administration thinks that the protests might lose steam along with popular support. At the outset, many parents marched with their children. But now, growing numbers of Hong Kong people are deeply concerned about the escalating violence on all sides; it is the chief topic of everyday office conversation. Parents with children at school or university have been withholding pocket money in the hopes that, penniless and underfed, they will come back home. Many long for the start of the new academic year in early September, hoping that young protesters will return to their studies.

But it is not only students who are critical of the government. Even groups that in the past have been staunch supporters of the administration have been having second thoughts. This week many businesses made it clear to their staff that they would not be penalised for joining the general strike. And though it strongly condemns recent violence, describing it as a threat to Hong Kong’s position as a financial centre, the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, the largest business organisation, has backed protesters’ calls for an independent inquiry as a necessary step for restoring calm. By the standards of Hong Kong business, that is a bold move. A few other organisations and individual companies, risking becoming the target of online anger from the mainland, are more quietly backing the peaceful aspirations of protesters (among whom number their staff).

An emerging viewpoint, even among some pro-party types, acknowledges that many Hong Kong businesses had concerns about how the extradition bill might add to the arbitrary risks of doing business with the mainland. This viewpoint admits to sympathy for Hong Kong’s disaffected youth, who are alarmed at the rapid integration of the territory’s economy with China’s. Members of this camp may hold that the political job is now to tilt the economic playing field in favour of the young—more public housing, for instance—but they do not acknowledge a democratic dimension to the protests.

It will prove a hot and critical August. For now, the line in Beijing avoids any direct threat of intervention: stand behind Mrs Lam’s stricken authority, urge the police and courts to be tough, and be on a ruthless lookout for separatist tendencies. On August 7th Hong Kong members of two mainland bodies, the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference were ordered to Shenzhen to hear the message first-hand.

Mr Xi has an urgent reason to wish that a tighter grip and a firmer message will bring order to Hong Kong. On October 1st he presides over China-wide celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of the Communist Party coming to power: the birth of a “new” China which Mr Xi can now claim is also a powerful one. To ensure the anniversary is marked without a hitch, security across the mainland is being tightened and dissent stifled even more vigorously than usual.

However, firmness in the face of unrest has been tried before in Hong Kong, and though it succeeded in the immediate aim, it failed in the long run. The authorities wore down the umbrella protests demanding democracy in 2014 and restricted even further the scope for representative politics. That just bred a more radical generation of protesters. As for the increasing “mainlandisation” of Hong Kong politics, among ordinary Hong Kong folk it has fostered only cynicism and a sense of powerlessness. The central liaison office, once almost invisible, now owns Hong Kong’s largest publisher, provides loans to patriotic businesses, ensures China’s choice of chief executive and backs candidates favoured by the Communist Party in elections for the legislature and district councils. Now it is also pushing loyal placemen into the leadership of many professions.

A hopeful scenario does exist for Hong Kong. According to an adviser to Mrs Lam, if the streets grew calm it would be possible to imagine the government presenting once more a package of political reforms that it first offered five years ago. It would include allowing universal suffrage in choosing the chief executive. In 2014 democrats in the legislature rejected the package, partly because, in effect, only party-approved candidates would be allowed to run. This time, says Anson Chan, a former chief secretary who now backs the democratic cause, a deal could be done, so long as a timetable for universal suffrage were agreed. Mrs Lam should consider this option. After all, her crisis of legitimacy comes, at heart, from not being elected by Hong Kong. All her unelected predecessors ended their terms in failure too.

Indeed, some democrats are urging hothead protesters to rethink their tactics. Attacking police stations, they say, just plays into the hands of the authorities. A more valuable battleground is emerging: elections for the territory’s district councils in November. While ordinarily such elections have to do with matters such as rubbish collection and bus lanes, in the current climate they will be a referendum on political values. Unless democrats move from the streets to the campaign stump, says Kevin Yam, a lawyer and columnist, the pro-establishment camp, whose grass-roots organisations in housing estates and the villages of the New Territories is funded by the central liaison office, risks dominating. Should that camp win, Mr Yam argues, it will say: “you see, we [not you] are the silent majority.”

If the violence continues, avenues for peaceful advocacy and dissent will be blocked by one side or the other. At best this scenario would entail a long tearing of Hong Kong’s social fabric and a relentless decline in the territory’s economy. At worst it could mean the end of Hong Kong as it has long been imagined, as soon as the armoured anti-riot vehicles roll out of the garrison compound. ■

This article appeared in the Briefing section of the print edition under the headline "Seeing red"

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yurikobutachan · 7 years

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Yuri on Ice Timeline

Alright, so I spent all last night (literally) checking dates and confirming schedules because I’m in that deep. There’s no saving me now. And I thought I’d go ahead and break down the timeline I have come to the conclusion is as close to YOI canon as possible.

There are gaps where I don’t have information to substantiate what happened - and if and when Season 2 comes out or as I’m going through series 1 with a fine-toothed comb , I should find more I shall add it in.

**Edited 1/14/17 to include new information**

**NOTE: (4/23/17) These dates/years are incorrect, but the order they happened (While not infallible) should be pretty close. We have been given NEW NEW information placing the China Cup in 2015, which shifts everything forward by a year. Let me reiterate that I am not an expert, and that YOI takes place in an alternate universe so as to avoid copyright infringement and lawsuits.**

Speculation will be in Italics.

Alright, so here we go!

----------------------------

December 25,1985 1984: Victor is born!

November 29,1989 1988: Yuuri is Born!

March 1, 1998 Yuri Plisestky is born!

1998 Makkachin is born!

1997 Minami Kenjiro is born!

1991-1997: Yuuri begins skating

Can’t really tell how old he is, but he looks to be somewhere between 4 and 6 years old which is pretty consistent with when skaters start.

2001: Feb 26-March 2 Junior World Championships Sofia, Bulgaria

At 16 Victor Nikiforov wins Gold at the Junior World Championships

2001-2003: Victor continues to compete , Yuuri’s Junior Debut

whether Victor competes at the Junior or Senior level is unclear. A skater can continue to compete at the junior level until the age of 19, after which they must switch to Senior division.

competitors must be at least 13 years old and not older than 19 by July 1 of that year.

However, we can guess that since Yuuri is aiming to skate at Victor’s level, it’s likely that Victor was already competing at the Senior level by the time Yuuri made it to the Juniors.

2003-2005: Victor and Yuuri continue to compete and rise through the ranks

2006: Feb 10-26 Winter Olympics in Turin

Victor potentially competes as an Olympian @ age of 21

Based on Johnny Weir’s career which seems to have heavily influenced Kubo-san’s choices for Victor’s. (Weir didn’t place on the podium, but he participated. Additionally, another potential for Victor’s career - Evgeni Plushenko - competed and won gold in Turin)

2008: December 10-14 Grand Prix Final (Goyang, Korea)

Victor wins his first Grand Prix Final gold medal @ 23 years old

just as an aside - Prize earnings of 272K USD for Senior GPF division

2009: December 2-6 Grand Prix Final (Tokyo, Japan)

Victor wins second consecutive Grand Prix Final Gold Medal @ 24 years old

Yuuri moves to the U.S. to train at a top facility in Detroit, 1st year of College

2010: March 22-28 World Figure Skating Championships (Turin, Italy)

Victor wins first WFSC Gold Medal

2010: December 8-12 Grand Prix Final (Beijing, China)

Victor wins Third consecutive Grand Prix Gold Medal @ 25 years old

Yuuri’s continues to train in Detroit, 2nd year of College

2011: April 25-May1 World Figure Skating Championships (Moscow, Russia)

Victor wins second consecutive WFSC Gold Medal

2011: December 8-11 Grand Prix Final (Quebec, Canada)

Victor wins Fourth consecutive Grand Prix Final Gold Medal @ 26 years old

Yuuri continues to train in Detroit, 3rd year of college

*****2012-2013 Skating Season*****

2012: March 26-April 1 World Figure Skating Championships (Nice, France)

Victor wins 3rd consecutive WFSC Gold Medal

2012: October Southern Regional Championships

Yuuri qualifies for Grand Prix Circuit at Southern Regional Championships

2012: November Grand Prix Final Qualifier Series

Yuuri participates in 2 of the Grand Prix Series Qualifiers, but does not specify which two.

Yuuri places well and qualifies for the Grand Prix Final in Sochi

2012: Dec 6-9 Grand Prix Final, Sochi, Russia

Yuuri competes but falls to last place

Victor wins 5th consecutive Grand Prix Final gold @ 27 years old

Victor qualifies for the Olympic Figure Skating Team for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi

2012: Dec. 20-24 Japanese National Championships

Yuuri suffers another big loss at the Japanese Nationals according to his explanation in episode 1 of how his last year has gone.

Yuuri’s 4th year of college

2013: February 6-11 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships (Osaka)

Yuuri fails to qualify for Four Continents

2013: March 11-17 World Figure Skating Championships London, Quebec, Canada

Yuuri fails to qualify for World Championships

Victor wins 4th consecutive WFSC gold medal

2013 March - July 31 End of 2012-2013 Season

Yuuri makes the decision to take a break from competition and focuses on school.

Yuuri doesn’t imply that he breaks ties with Celestino until after he fails at the 2013 Japanese National Championships (likely due to lack of dedication to skating since his failure at the 2012 Japanese National Championships. Yuuri states that he had lost his love of skating and he was looking to regain that by copying Victor’s routine after returning home in March 2014)

*****2013-2014 Skating Season*****

2013: August beginning of 2013-2014 season

2013: September - Novemer Grand Prix Qualifiers Senior Division

it is implied that Yuuri doesn’t compete during this season

2013: Dec 5-8 Grand Prix Final at Fukuoka, Japan

Victor likely at GPF Fukuoka

2013: Dec 20-23 Japanese National Championships (Saitama, Japan)

Yuri states in episode 5 during the Chugoku, Shikoku, and Kyushu Championship in 2014 that he hadn’t competed since ‘last year’s Nationals’.

This was his last competition before the Hot Springs on Ice Exhibition Skate-off against Yurio.

2014: January 20-26 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships (Taipei)

Nothing Canon Mentioned - some of our international skating friends are probably skating in the Four Continents, though. So there we go.

It’s mostly here to help me keep track of time. It’s a good place-holder.

2014: February 7-23 Winter Olympics (Sochi, Russia)

It is heavily implied that Victor competes as part of the olympic team at the Sochi 2014 olympics. He is shown wearing the uniform at the Sochi GPF, which was a test event for the Sochi Olympic team, and he is wearing it again at the 2014 WFSC.

2014: March Yuuri goes home, Victor competes at World Figure Skating Championships (Saitama, Japan)

Yuuri graduates early March 2014

Breaks off with Coach Celestino Cialdi

Late March (probably 24-30) Returns home to Hasetsu to consider his future

March 24-30 Victor lands 5th consecutive Gold at the World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama, Japan

2014: April Yuuri performs tribute, Victor flies to Japan

Early April, Victor and Yurio return home to St. Petersburg after the WFSC

Yuuri performs his tribute skate for Yuuko at the Ice Palace

April 10th - Triplets post video of Yuuri skating his tribute piece, it goes viral

Some time April 10th or later Victor sees video of Yuuri - applies for Visas and heads off to Japan

Probably late April, Yurio follows Victor to Japan when he finds out where Victor went to make good on a promise the older skater made him.

Late April, possibly May (Depends on how long it took to get the Visas for a long-term stay in Japan for Victor and a short-term for Yurio) - Hot Springs on Ice Skate-off at Hasetsu Castle Ice Palace

Mostly likely end of April - May Yurio loses and heads back to Russia to continue training with Yakov and begins training with Lilya

2014: May - July 31 End of 2013-2014 Skate Season

*****2014-2015 Skating Season*****

2014: August - beginning of 2014-2015 Season. Everyone in hard-core training mode.

Yurio training with Lilya for his Senior Debut

Yuuri training under Victor for Grand Prix Finals and creating ‘Yuri on Ice’ routine

Phichit moves back to Thailand to train

2014: October Southern Regional Championships, Japan Yuuri’s Grand Return

**Note: In episode 1, Yuuri explains that Southern Regional Championships happen in October - maybe this is the actual competition we’re looking at, rather than All-Japan which happens in December and would have made it impossible for Yuuri to qualify for the 2014-2015 Grand Prix Final.

Looking at a map of Japan, it appears that all three prefectures are in the south, so I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that the championship titled “ The Chugoku, Shikoku, and Kyushu Championship” is referring to the qualifier in October.

Victor’s Debut as Coach

Yuuri Debuts Collaborative Routine choreographed by Victor “Yuri on Ice”

Yuuri places first and qualifies for Grand Prix Circuit

2014: November 7-9 Rostelecom Cup Grand Prix Qualifier Senior Division

Yuuri competes and takes first place

2014: November 13-16 China Cup Grand Prix Qualifier Senior Division

Makkachin chokes on buns and Victor goes back to Japan

Yuuri has meltdown and ends up placing 4th, still qualifies for Grand Prix Final, though only barely managing to squeak in.

Yurio takes 1st place

2014: December 11-14 Grand Prix Finals, Barcelona Spain

Yuuri and Victor get engaged

Yuuri wins Silver at his 2nd Grand Prix Final with Victor as coach

Yurio wins Gold by a mere .12 point difference at his Senior Debut on the professional Grand Prix circiut

Victor announces his return to the competitive circuit for next season

2014: Mid December Yuuri moves to St. Petersburg with Victor

------------ Here is where it all becomes speculation but based on Kubo-san’s adherence to the real life skating championship schedules, here is a list of stuff we may see in Season 2 --------

December 2014-March 2015 Yuuri and Victor training for upcoming WFSC in St. Petersburg with guidance from Yakov

Victor learns how to be a better coach

Victor struggles to get back into competitive condition and create a new routine for the WFSC in just a few months

Yuuri gets world-class instruction from both Victor and Yakov as an assistant coach (You bet Yakov isn’t going to just stand by and let Victor mess up a perfectly good world-class skater out of sheer inexperience as a coach)

Yurio struggles with constant gross-out (omg Dads are embarrassing) BUT finds that fighting spirit and determination to continue to grow as a skater with Victor and Yuuri there to keep his ego in check.

Our boys grow closer together as a couple

Yuuri’s confidence grows as a skater and this late bloomer begins to show tf up. Boy gets TURNT.

Friendly rivaly/ Frenemies relationship between Yuuri and Yurio develops

March 23-29 2015 World Figure Skating Championships, Shanghai China

Victor returns to the ice as competitor and coach

Yuuri competes for the first time at the same level as Victor

We see a return of several skaters which may include Giacometi and Seong-gil, as we saw them in the 2014 World Figure Skating Championships placing 2nd and 3rd behind Victor.

Yurio likely also competing (expect shenanigans) - if he isn’t competing he’ll likely be there to heckle at the very least.

April - August 2015 Hardcore Training and Prep for the Grand Prix Final 2014-2015 season

October - November GPF Qualifiers Senior Division

Oct 23-25 Skate America Oct 30-Nov 1 Skate Canada Nov 6-8 Cup of China Nov 13-15 Eric Lumbard France Nov 20-22 Rostelecom Cup Russia Nov 27-29 NHK Trophy

Our boys struggle against a super busy schedule and potentially having to be apart while they both compete in qualifiers.

We get confirmation that they are incapable of surviving without each other.

December 10-13 Grand Prix Final Barcelona Spain

I expect to see all three of our boys at the GPF.

The REAL Dance-off Battle begins

Yuuri wins Gold against some probably staggering odds.

Marriage Proposal On The Ice - world figure skating fandom explodes

Nose bleeds and bodies everywhere

((and then we hit utter fantasy ... ))

2016 World Figure Skating Championships

Victor has retired as competitive skater - takes up full-time coaching

Yuuri competing as top-ranking skater

Yurio still grossed out

2016 Grand Prix Final Marsielle

Pep talk for Minami Kenjirou for his first Grand Prix Final

#Yoi meta #yuri on ice meta #yuri on ice timeline #Victor nikiforov #yuuri katsuki #vitya #Yuri on Ice #yuri katsuki #figure skating

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donovanpses275-blog · 4 years

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About Contis Limited

Curve raised EUR49 million in July, and now the start-up is even using its consumers to become part of the ownership structure, by launching a Crowdcube project in September 2019.-- Targeted at millennials, the Spanish start-up Goin has actually developed an app that helps them save and invest money instantly, without previous investment experience.

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In April 2019 Penta was acquired by finleap, a fintech business builder, which simplified their entry into the German market and assisted them raise EUR8 million in August 2019 in an investment round led by HV Holtzbrinck Ventures. uses a home loan tracking service. It helps customers to conserve money and time when securing a mortgage online, and after that continues to monitor their home mortgage free of charge and assists them change to a better deal, if possible.

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-- With the aim of closing the space between earnings and usage requirements, Wagestream has actually introduced a 'Get-Paid-As-You-Go' service, which permits employees to draw down a portion of their made wages on any day of the month for a flat fee of ₤ 1.75. The London-based fintech start-up backed by Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg was introduced in 2018 and has actually raised a remarkable amount of funding up until now: ₤ 44.5 million.

: If you're a corporate or investor looking for amazing startups in a specific market for a potential investment or acquisition, examine out our!.

London has actually surpassed New york city for Fin Tech investment offers, according to new research. A report based on Pitchbook information launched by London & Partners and Innovate Financing explored the Fin Tech VC-led investment patterns so far in 2019, comparing nations and cities around the globe, in terms of offer value, deal count and sources of investment.

San Francisco remains in third location (80 offers), with Singapore (23) and Beijing (24) contending for fourth and 5th. The US remains the largest market worldwide, with $9.37 bn raised so far in 2019. Out of the 10 largest European investments recorded so far in 2019, London-based companies represent half these deals, amounting to $1.8 bn in between them.

An analysis into the top 10 cities for variety of Fin Tech handle 2019 showed that London has the most international financiers, with 54 per cent of total VC investment involving a financier from outside the UK. The PE growth deal for London-based Greensill Capital worth $800m finished in August 2019 was left out, as it does not fit the research study methodology used.

"The report reveals London is leading the world in terms of the number of Fin Tech offers and the investment throughout Europe. With no indications of decreasing, the Fin Tech neighborhood reflects the unstoppable nature of our city.".

A world-leading fintech centre, the UK uses an unique proposition: first-rate talent and clusters of proficiency UK-wide, a forward-thinking method to guideline, access to capital, and proximity to a positive financial service sector. This has put the UK at the cutting-edge of fintech development-- from peer-to-peer loaning, to challenger banks, cyber, insurtech, regtech and blockchain.

The entire monetary services industry has embraced its evolution, delivering new client-centric and ingenious items, services, and options. Driven by development and technology, the sector is increasing the efficiency of recognized players and enhancing connections with monetary centres throughout the world. Fintech bridges have already been set up with Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, China and South Korea.

We're home to leading monetary innovation (Fin Tech) companies, pressing financial services limits and drawing in major worldwide investment. The UK is a leading monetary service centre, with the greatest concentration of global monetary organizations in the world. Our robust however flexible policies encourage smooth operations and faster development. We actively assist organisations abide by the rules and bring brand-new concepts to market.

An analysis of the top ten cities for variety of Fin Tech handle 2019 shows that London has the most worldwide financiers, with 54% of total VC investment involving an investor from outside the UK. The UK capital attracts a wider worldwide variety of financiers than other European hubs, with 39% of investors originating from outside Europe, compared to 32% in Berlin and Paris with 24%.

"London has actually always led the curve and essential in embracing brand-new innovation and opportunities while pushing the limits of an existing community, to present an even much better option", Laura Citron, CEO, London and Partners, said, on the sidelines of the Sibos conference. "This is why we have actually seen these outstanding global patterns in Fin Tech.

"The report shows London is leading the world in terms of the number of Fin Tech deals and the investment throughout Europe. "With no signs of slowing down, the Fin Tech community reflects the unstoppable nature of our city". Charlotte Crosswell, CEO, Innovate Finance, said: "The UK is the clear global leader in the Fin Tech, spearheaded by London's success and long-standing position as a significant leading financial centre.

"With record investment under our belt, this is the time to improve the sector further and safe future growth." Sibos 2019 marks the newbie this worldwide financial services event has actually been kept in London, with over 10,000 delegates anticipated to go to. The conference checks out the idea of thriving in a hyper-connected world with the difficulties, and chances brought by mass digitisation and data-driven relationships.

We utilize cookies to guarantee that we offer you the very best experience on our site. If you continue to use this website we will presume that you enjoy with it. However, Asia-based fintechs saw a dramatic decline, with just $3.6 bn raised in the very first half of the year, after a record $25.5 bn across the whole of 2018.

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The shockwaves brought on by the UK's choice to elect Brexit in last June's referendum have fintech rising stars actually certainly reached the Fin Tech sector, with 3 questions in particular now bothering lots of: It is very important to tension that such concerns stay simply hypothetical considered that settlements over the regards to Brexit have actually not yet started and are unclear.

Jan-Michael Gorecki, CEO of Kyo Lab (a participant in the Startupbootcamp Fin Tech programme) said "Brexit has actually been more about speculation than real impact for us". One of the crucial areas of speculation is whether London will stay the "Fin Tech capital of Europe" or be exceeded by cities such as Paris or Berlin.

Indeed, there are a number of nations now following the UK's lead to reduce regulatory restraints and increase development in their nations. This is particularly originating from countries we wouldn't necessarily associate immediately with Fin Tech. Lithuania, for instance, is set to establish a new regulative routine to alleviate the method for Fin Tech start-ups and is working with the FCA to guarantee businesses that the UK regulator has authorized get fast-track approval from the Lithuanian authorities.

It's also important to tension that London's pre-eminence in the Fin Tech space is the outcome of a variety of diverse elements, much of which are untouched by Brexit. The UK has constantly urged development and Innovate Finance believe that "Critical to this has been a forward believing, open and collaborative regulatory routine driven by the FCA".

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#fintech investment #transferwise #monzo #fintech asia #fintech power #fintech power50 #the power of fintechfintech power #revolut #revolut valuation #starling bank #fintech mafia

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thomasroach · 5 years

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Top RPG News Of The Week: March 10th (Cyberpunk 2077, Warhammer Chaosbane, Fallout 76 and More!)

The post Top RPG News Of The Week: March 10th (Cyberpunk 2077, Warhammer Chaosbane, Fallout 76 and More!) appeared first on Fextralife.

Happy weekend from Fextralife! If you’ve been too busy to keep up on the latest in the games we cover or are looking for a refresher we’ve got you covered! Here’s a bite-sized version of the Top RPG news of the week. Taste all the latest news across the Fextralife Wiki Network.

Check out the video above and read on for the text!

Humble Bundle

Announcing part of their lineup for April, Humble Bundle shared that Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden, Absolver and Northgard are joining the list of games as part as their subscription.

If you subscribed to Humble Bundle for $12 a month, you will able to bag three titles that add up to $94.97 worth of games. Adding to their lineup of titles Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden, Absolver and Northgard are available for April.

Northgard by Shiro Games is a strategy based title where you gain control of a Viking clan, and explore the Nordic landscape which remains rather hostile. This game is steeped in legend, myths ranging from wyverns to giants.

Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden is strategy RPG not to dissimilar to the XCOM series. In this world you take control of animal mutants that not only walk upright but have some major skills when it comes to combat.

Absolver is an online multiplayer combat game where you can create a character that follows a unique fighting style. If you’re taking on this MMO combat fighter be sure to check out our Absolver Wiki.

It looks like these won’t be the only titles to be added this April with more unlocking on April 5th.

For more about this new find it here in Mutant Year Zero And Absolver Joins Humble Bundle For April.

Fallout 76

Adding further information to their recent 2019 roadmap of free content, Bethesda reveal the next addition to Fallout 76 in the form of a Brewing and Distilling crafting system, which will be joining the Wild Appalachia this March.

Players will be able to live out their dreams as the Appalachia’s premiere bartender, first starting their brewing journey by attending the Vault-Tec University. Taking your acquired skills to the next level, by taking advantage of the new Brewing Station.

Using this workbench which you can learn to construct from the “Wasted on Nukashine” quest, you’ll add the ability to craft beers, cocktails, wines and spirits to your C.A.M.P. Just as you would imagine while they do bring a good temporary buff, there are some side effects which include a mild hangover.

Each type of Wine or Spirit may take different times to completely ferment, their effects will become even more potent the longer you leave them in the fermentation process.

Each alcohol type comes with benefits but are also offset by negative effects, for example beers will increase scope stability and damage against animals but also reduce your VATS accuracy.

Fallout 76 is currently available to play on PS4, Xbox One and PC. The brew crafting system will join Fallout 76 on March 12th. The next update Fasnacht Parade arrives on March 19th, along with the new Survival mode which arrives on March 26th.

For more about this new find it here in Bethesda To Add New Booze Crafting System To Fallout 76.

Sekiro

With Sekiro Shadows Die Twice releasing later this month, FromSoftware have been sharing new trailers featuring deadly bosses and enemies, but none so far have been quite as ferocious as the Great Serpent.

Towering over Sekiro, this Great Serpent definitely fits the name. In this latest trailer from FromSoftware’s Youtube channel, we see Sekiro run through a mountainous region with the viper setting its sights on him. Not only slithering with speed, this snake moves with great flexibility, ready to snap at the next victim to cross its path.

While the trailer is only 30 seconds, we get to see a new rocky area with plunging cliffs that will limit the player’s area of movement when it comes to the ground. It will be interesting to see if there are any other enemies that will be just as big, as it looks truly giant in size. This is the largest enemy they have revealed so far, and we’re definitely looking forward to seeing more. The trailer ends with the snake taking a snap at Sekiro before it cuts to black, leaving us in suspense of what will happen next.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice will be releasing on March 22nd 2019 on Playstation 4, Xbox One and PC.

For more about this new find it here in Sekiro New Trailer Features Great Serpent.

Warhammer: Chaosbane Closed Beta

The developers Bigben Interactive behind the upcoming action-RPG Warhammer: Chaosbane has announced the closed beta dates.

The first phase for closed beta which is available to those who have pre-ordered Warhammer: Chaosbane, will be available from March 7th at 9am GMT until March 13th at 9am GMT for Playstation 4, Xbox One and PC via Steam. You will be able to experience the entire first act, try out two playable characters which includes The Soldier of the Empire and The High Elf Mage. You can also level abilities up to 20, experience co-op play as well as “many customization options” according to the developers.

Whether you pre-ordered your copy digitally or by retail, you will be able to access the beta.

Warhammer Chaosbane releases on June 4th, those who order the special edition will have early access on May 31st. Chaosbane releases on Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

For more about this new find it here in Warhammer: Chaosbane Begins Closed Beta On March 7th.

China Hero Project

It was last year in August when Sony Interactive Entertainment Shanghai showcased a number of games that have been supported by the Playstation China Hero Project, showing off some of indie developers works at ChinaJoy 2018. There was a slight update this week on a few of the projects at the Playstation China Hero Project Spring Showcase.

Titles Lost Soul Aside by Ultizero Games, Pervader by Beijing Light & Digital, as well as Project Boundary from Studio Surgical Scalpels are reported to be all in “stable and healthy development”. These three titles are going to be released for Playstation 4.

Launching in 2016, the China Hero Project is an initiative that supports creative Chinese studios to help develop gaming content for Playstation.

Project Boundary is already in preparation for its closed beta test which will be releasing for the Playstation Store for China. Currently no dates have been announced for the closed beta.

Lost Soul Aside is an action-RPG that gained great notoriety when the developer Yang Bing posted his first demo on Youtube, little did he know at the time that it would be met with such a great response. The game ultimately is a hack and slash game which looks like a blend between DMC as well as Nier Automata.

Produced by Pu An, Pervader is currently under development using the Unreal Engine 4, and follows the different perspectives of a growing crisis that hits a city in China. The producer strongly believes in his team’s potential and the talent of his artists in creating a gaming experience that takes inspiration from Chinese culture, with an interesting appeal to an international audience.

Project Boundary delves into the outer space experience, combining VR with first-person shooter game mechanics. Developed by studio Surgical Scalpels, this multiplayer FPS is set in the near future, where space travel is prevalent with the use of space elevators. But its a different time with a new type of government, merchants, space pirates, mercenaries and outlaws that are looking to make use of valuable goods from the universe.

Currently all games are in the development with no release window announced as of yet.

For more about this new find it here in Lost Soul Aside, Pervader And Project Boundary All In Steady Development and Action RPG AI-LIMIT Announced For Playstation 4.

Cyberpunk 2077

Taking some talent from the Witcher 3 team, CD Projekt Red’s upcoming title Cyberpunk 2077 will be gaining Konrad Tomaszkiewicz as Design Director.

Originally the Game Director for The Witcher 3, he will now be taking the promoted title of Design Director for Cyberpunk 2077. The news popped up on the Cyberpunk 2077 subreddit when a Linkedin user spotted the title on his profile.

Now Design Director, Tomaszkiewicz has steadily risen through the ranks at CD Projekt Red. Starting as Junior Tester for the first The Witcher title in 2004, now with over 15 years working for the developer.

But this is not the only news from CD Projekt Red this week, a new video has been shared by Playstation featuring the developer, as they share the thought process of the game’s progress.

The highlight video features members of the CD Projekt Red team as they reflect on the development process, even sharing how after releasing a teaser video in 2013, going almost silent for 4 or 5 years. For them this was a challenge, as their community were very excited to hear anything about the game that was a brand new IP.

The video also sheds more light on Cyberpunk 2077, stating that the development is “far from over”, which could mean there might be some time before its release. It features the importance of character customisation for players, which for a developer known for their detailed character designs such as The Witcher’s Geralt, is a new path for them to take allowing players more “freedom” with their protagonist. The importance of “first person” was also spotlighted, as it gives you a more “immersive” feel according to Level Designer Miles Tost.

We’re left with the tagline “it’s still coming, when it’s ready”, meaning there is no current timeline for the release date. Cyberpunk 2077 will release on platforms PC, PS4 and Xbox One.

For more about this new find it here in The Witcher 3 Game Director Moves To Design Director For Cyberpunk 2077 and Cyberpunk 2077 Progress Is “Far From Over” As Mentioned In Highlight Video.

Fallout

Publisher Modiphius Entertainment announces they will be releasing an officially licensed Fallout pen and paper RPG which is set to release sometime in 2020.

The pen and paper RPG for Fallout will use Modiphius Entertainment‘s 2d20 system which is the same system used for Mutant Chronicles 3rd Edition and Star Trek Adventures RPGs. So far there is no title for the Fallout tabletop RPG and it will be next year when it gets its launch.

Sam Webb head of roleplaying game development at Modiphius will be taking the lead of this project. A long-time fan and also worked on previous games such as Star Trek Adventures.

But this is not the only Fallout themed project planned, there is also an expansion for the tabletop miniatures game Fallout: Wasteland Warfare in the works.

The expansion for Fallout: Wasteland Warfare is expected to launch sometime this summer 2019, while the Fallout pen and paper RPG is set to release sometime next year.

For more about this new find it here in Official Fallout Pen And Paper RPG Announced.

Playstation 4 Remote Play App

Playstation have announced support for a range of devices with the launch of PS4 firmware 6.50, as well as launching a new app for iOS meaning you can now stream PS4 games on your iPhone or iPad.

The new app allows iOS owners to play via their phone or tablet using the virtual buttons that work both in portrait and landscape modes. The features also include haptic feedback if your device supports it.

DualShock 4 will not work with your iPhone, meaning if you want to use a controller instead, you will need to use a MFi certified controller with your iOS device. Other features include 720p broadcasting using Niconico Live which is available in certain countries/regions. You can also customise button assignment to perform “Enter” from the designated Circle button to the X button instead by changing them in the Settings, but availability will also depend on region. You can also use voice chat using your mic on your mobile device if you prefer.

While this could open up more ways to play your PS4, I think the screen size will play a big factor. Smaller screens will make it a little hard to see in-game details especially when your fingers are covering half the screen. This might be more suitable on an iPad for a more comfortable viewing size. Where you can play will be limited to your home Wi-Fi reach as it is not supported by mobile network. However, the app could come in handy when you to be in other parts of your home or when nature calls.

For more about this new find it here in Playstation Releases Remote Play App For IOS iPhone And iPad.

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The post Top RPG News Of The Week: March 10th (Cyberpunk 2077, Warhammer Chaosbane, Fallout 76 and More!) appeared first on Fextralife.

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brandsmagazinepakistan-blog · 7 years

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Brands Magazine

http://monthlybrands.com.pk/sold-out-mi-6-and-mi-max-2-sold-out-in-pakistan/

SOLD OUT! Mi 6 and Mi Max 2 sold out in Pakistan

A Milestone Achieved:

27th August 2017, Xiaomi held a beautiful event at Beach Luxury Hotel, Karachi to celebrate the achievement of a milestone. Smartlink Technologies, the official distributor of Xiaomi in Pakistan along with Daraz.pk, the official e-commerce partner announced that Mi6, Mi Max 2 and all the ECO products launched last week were already sold out on both Daraz.pk and mistore.pk. The event was attended by celebrities, media personnel and bloggers. Hosted by Anoushey and Mooroo, the beautiful evening was enjoyed equally by everyone attending followed by amazing performance by Ali Noor.

Headquartered in Beijing, Xiaomi is an electronics company that believes in making high-quality tech products available to everyone. Xiaomi’s products are available in over 30 countries and regions. Currently, Xiaomi is the world’s 5th largest smartphone manufacturer.

In 2016, after partnering with Smartlink Technologies, Xiaomi entered Pakistani market. Since then they have launched numerous remarkable gadgets for the Pakistani public. This month, Xiaomi launched a bunch of ECO products along with two phones Mi6 and Mi Max 2.

Mi6:

Mi6 has mind-blowing performance as it comes with the super-fast Snapdragon 835 and a massive 6GB RAM. The phone has a 5.15″ Full HD display and a 12MP camera that has an optical zoom which lets users take professional quality portraits.

Mi Max 2:

Mi Max 2 comes with the slogan, Big display, bigger battery. And surely it delivers. It has a massive screen of 6.44″. And on top of that, it comes with a monstrous battery of 5300mAh, just like a power bank. The Sony IMX386 camera sensor integrated into Mi Max 2’s camera ensures that your pictures come out beautiful, even in low light.

ECO products:

Along with the two amazing phones, Xiaomi also launched a bunch of environment-friendly products including, Mi Electronic Scooter, Mi Bluetooth Speaker, Mi Amazfit PACE, Mi Headphones, Desk Lamps, etc.

At the pace Xiaomi is going, one can only expect great things from the future.

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ericfruits · 5 years

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Beijing urges a stronger response to the protests in Hong Kong

FOLLOWING EIGHT weeks of protests and mounting violence, the news that the authorities in Beijing planned to hold a rare press conference had many in Hong Kong holding their breath. The result was a (welcome) anti-climax. There were no threats to send in the army, as some had feared. A speech by the spokesperson from the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office made no mention of that until, when asked by a journalist whether troops could be deployed on the streets he simply pointed to the relevant sections of Hong Kong-related laws. While condemning the violence of recent protests he took care not to criticise the local government and heaped praise on the work of the Hong Kong police.

Communist Party newspapers are a better place to look for evidence of the party’s growing frustration. The People’s Daily ordered the police to have no “psychological worries” about being much tougher. Activists are already being punished. After a weekend of violent confrontations between young pro-democracy protesters and police using tear-gas and rubber bullets, 44 people arrested during the clashes were told they would be charged with rioting. They face up to ten years in prison.

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The forceful stance of the police has not quelled the demonstrations. Indeed, many gathered outside police stations to protest against the severity of the charges. The administration of Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s chief executive, is paralysed, those at the very top of it privately admit. Extraordinarily, Mrs Lam herself has not made any public statements for over a week. Although the Communist Party has reiterated its support, her days are surely numbered, even if it cannot accept her immediate resignation without a huge loss of face.

As for the police, some complain privately about poor leadership. Many officers are livid at being put on the front line to sort out what they say is a political crisis. But as the provocations of black-shirted protesters mounted, it was clear that by the weekend plenty of officers were itching for revenge. After applications to march over the weekend in the central business district and Yuen Long—a suburb where pro-China thugs had beaten up innocent travellers a week earlier—were rejected, activists went ahead anyway. The police showed little restraint. Amnesty International, a human-rights watchdog, says it has seen “repeated instances where police officers were the aggressors”.

After a wave of arrests, protesters may be more cautious—although at least seven marches are planned for August 5th alone. Meanwhile, there is not much the police can do should tactics switch to a campaign of low-level civil disobedience—strikes, sit-ins and so on. Civil servants, firemen, bus drivers and many more have backed one of the protesters’ chief demands: an independent inquiry into the crisis.

The obvious and perhaps only way to resolve the crisis would be for China to keep its promise to let the people of Hong Kong choose their own leaders. Dream on. The radicalisation of the protests is, in part, a consequence of China’s strategy of persecuting more moderate opposition leaders trying to work within the system.

For now, China is out to define its enemies in Hong Kong and delegitimise them. In the propaganda, Hong Kong’s quest for genuine self-rule is being portrayed as on a par with “splittists” elsewhere on China’s fringes, in Tibet or Xinjiang. It is in this nationalist context that students from the mainland have recently clashed with ones from Hong Kong on campuses in America, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

Back in Hong Kong, China can always resort to the ultimate sanction: deploying the local garrison of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). That prospect was highlighted by Mrs Lam’s predecessor as chief executive, Leung Chun-ying, long close to the Communist Party. In a letter to the Financial Times last month he insisted that the PLA’s presence in Hong Kong is “not meant to be token, ceremonial or symbolic” but rather to help maintain public order. Yet deploying the PLA to crush largely peaceful protests would only deepen the government’s illegitimacy in locals’ eyes, while attracting enormous international opprobrium. That it is even being discussed is a sign of how bad things have become. ■

This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline "Protest, but no movement"

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