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What do ordinary Palestinians think about Hamas? The war? How are they surviving amid cascading tragedies? We spoke to them. Listen.

By: Joseph Braude

Published: Nov 3, 2023

Watch this video of a grieving woman in Gaza cry out. She says: “All this is because of the dogs of Hamas.” She’s immediately—literally—silenced.

Why?

Since taking power in a 2007 coup, Hamas has violently repressed all opposition to its rule. There is much to repress: recent Palestinian survey data shows most Gazans distrust Hamas, want an alternative government, and prefer economic development over war. But their individual voices are rarely heard. Those who speak out face prison and torture.

Some foreign journalists try to cover these voices but face deportation for doing so, while others show little interest in Palestinian grievances unrelated to the conflict with Israel.

My organization, the Center for Peace Communications, has been helping the population breach this communications blackout by interviewing Palestinians across the Strip, from all walks of life, about their travails and aspirations. A mother who dreams of her children getting a proper education. A photojournalist punished for taking pictures. A young couple who hopes to start a family, outside of Gaza. 

Earlier this year, we released their testimony in a series called Whispered in Gaza: 25 short segments, using video animation to protect their identities, accompanied by Gazan polling, rights reports, and reportage.

Following the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, we reconnected with these and other Gazans to gather new testimony. We sought to understand their reaction to the Hamas assault and their views of the developing war, and to document their struggle to survive amid cascading tragedies. 

We are partnering with The Free Press to showcase their voices in a new series called Voices from Gaza, which you can watch below. 

* * *

In the first episode, a resident of Gaza City shares widespread Palestinian anxiety that international humanitarian aid for Gaza will not reach the people who need it. In Gazans’ experience, he says, “When Hamas distributes the aid, only Hamas members get the aid.” The same applies to Gaza’s healthcare system, where “Hamas families get preferential treatment” and even the most urgent needs of others “could be delayed for a long time so that Hamas loyalists are treated first.”

When the October 17 explosion in a Gaza hospital triggered an international debate over who was to blame, Gazans we spoke with felt the terms of the debate were wrong. “I’d rather tell you who’s responsible for making people need to go to the hospital in the first place,” a speaker says in Episode Two. “Hamas bears responsibility for all the wars, but we’re the ones who pay the price.”

The same rejection of Hamas’s war footing was shared by a woman we spoke with who took umbrage at Hamas claims that Gazan civilians, not Hamas fighters, had perpetrated the October 7 atrocities targeting Israeli civilian men, women, and children. “If I saw a hostage or knew where they were,” she explains in Episode Three, “I’d take them and hide them in my home. I’d bring them back home [to Israel].”

Contrary to Hamas propaganda, she says, “Ending Hamas is the demand of young and old alike in Gaza.” For her family, the demand is deeply personal: “My older brother was murdered by Hamas in front of our eyes,” she says. “Fifty-four gunshots all over his body, his blood spilling in front of his children.”

“Ashraf,” a 28-year-old evacuee from Gaza City now residing in Khan Younis, saw his brother murdered by Hamas as well. Both had been involved in peaceful demonstrations against Hamas. We wanted to know whether such activists would support the toppling of the regime if it came with the heavy human toll of an Israeli ground assault.

“We welcome any change that will save us from this indignation called Hamas,” Ashraf says in Episode Four, “whether by Jews or non-Jews.” But he also worries that the war will end with Hamas in place: “If Hamas remains, there might, for example, be a truce, and in a year or two Hamas would repeat the same scenario. In those two years, I’ll go backwards 50 years—and I need two good years just to get back on my feet. I have no house, no life, nothing.”

Hamas’s grip on portions of Gaza is already slipping away, however. In Episode Five, “Fadi,” a youth activist from Gaza City who has also fled south, describes growing chaos in Khan Younis as the remnants of Hamas’s security apparatus vanish into the ground. He also explains how some civilians are stepping up to fill the vacuum. “We’re forming youth councils and defense committees to organize people in the bread lines, or other stations,” he says.

* * *

When the present war ends, hopes for reconstruction and a decent government in Gaza will rest largely on the Palestinians who join a post-Hamas administration of the territory. In the past, Gazans have shown great courage in trying to bring change on their own. Veterans of Gaza’s 2019 anti-Hamas street demonstrations, for example, braved gunfire and prison to make their voices heard, but received neither support nor solidarity from the outside world. 

In drawing attention to Gazan voices opposed to Hamas, we aim to show that a different, brighter, and more peaceful future is possible—one that merits international support—because of the Palestinians in Gaza who yearn and strive for it. As one of the speakers, who you can hear below, in our original series put it, “The makings of our dream are all here.” 

==

The original "Whispered in Gaza" project, originally published from January 2023, is still accessible on YouTube and Instagram.

Gazans have been trying to be heard for years. And now not only do they have to contend with silencing by Hamas, but with being spoken over by western college idiots infected by an antisemitic neo-Nazi mind-virus and a blood-lusty urge to commit genocide, aka "decolonize."

BRUSSELS — Today, the Belgian Federal government’s Council of Ministers approved a legislative proposal for a ban on the import of hunting trophies of endangered animal species, put forth by Zakia Khattabi, Minister of Climate, the Environment, Sustainable Development and Green Deal.

The Minister’s preliminary draft bill follows the Federal Parliament of the Kingdom of Belgium’s unanimous vote in March 2022 in support of a resolution demanding that the government put the brakes on the issuance of trophy import permits for a broad array of threatened and endangered species.

This resolution protects species such as the hippopotamus, Southern white rhinoceros, African savannah elephant, lion, polar bear and argali sheep killed for sport.

The scope of the resolution also extends to all species listed in Annex A, along with certain species in Annex B of the European Regulation 338/97 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora.

Member of Parliament Kris Verduyckt (Vooruit, Flemish Socialists), initiator of the legislative proposal to ban hunting trophy imports in 2020 and proposer of the aforementioned resolution, said:

“I am glad that this hard work is paying off. Minister Khattabi is now fully translating my proposal into a bill and the entire Council of Ministers approves it.

It’s time we really started protecting endangered species. Trophy hunters prefer to kill the largest and strongest animals, the loss of which contributes to the disruption and decline of animal populations.”

The European office of animal protection charity Humane Society International, a long-time vocal advocate against the import of endangered species’ trophies, lauded the government’s decision.

Ruud Tombrock, executive director for HSI/Europe said:

“We welcome the fact that the unanimous resolution of Parliament has been translated into a legislative measure and look forward to studying the details of the legislation once published.

Belgium is leading the way for other countries in Europe already listening to calls from their citizens to consign the import of hunting trophies to history.

The next step should be an EU-wide ban on the import of hunting trophies from endangered and protected species, again reflecting the views of citizens across member states in the European Union.”

Over the past 16 months, HSI/Europe has worked with MPs to ensure that the unanimous resolution of Parliament was translated into legislation.

Today’s approval is the culmination of this campaign.

MPs from different political parties have maintained pressure on Environment Minister Khattabi.

A recent response to a parliamentary question from MP Jan Briers (CD&V, Flemish Christian democrats) revealed that the Ministry had only stopped issuing permits for importing animal trophies since mid-March 2023, a delay which outraged many MPs.

This landmark decision by the Belgian government echoes the strongly held views of its people.

A 2020 survey by Ipsos commissioned by HSI/Europe showed that 91% of Belgians oppose trophy hunting and 88% support a prohibition on importing any kind of hunting trophy at all.

This sentiment is not limited to Belgium but is resonating across the European continent.

A 2023 pan-European poll conducted by Savanta in all 27 EU Member States on behalf of HSI/Europe laid bare the widespread public rejection of trophy hunting.

A striking 83% of respondents stood firm against this practice, with just 6% in favor.

The vast majority is expecting strong measures to be taken against trophy hunting, with a compelling majority (74%) rallying behind a national import ban and similar support for an EU-wide ban (73%).

These survey results underscore a profound and growing public concern across Europe, spotlighting the urgency and importance of wildlife conservation and the protection of threatened species.

Today, Belgium has echoed the urgent European call to action against trophy hunting, joining the ranks of countries like the Netherlands, France and Finland, which have each implemented various degrees of bans and restrictions on the practice of import of hunting trophies.

Momentum against trophy hunting is accelerating across the continent, with nations including the UK, Germany, Italy, and Poland now also involved in active discussions to impose bans at varying stages of progress.

Facts on trophy hunting:

• The Netherlands introduced a trophy hunting ban for more than 200 species in May 2016 on the Annex A of European Regulation 338/97, on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade therein, and of species in danger of extinction.

The import ban also applies to the following Annex B species: white rhinoceros, hippopotamus, African elephant, mouflon (wild sheep from the Caucasus), lion and polar bear.

A total of 200 animal species are affected by the import licenses ban.

• France implemented a ban on the import of lion-hunting trophies in 2015.

In 2023, a Bill proposal for registration aimed at “stopping the issuance of import permits for hunting trophies of certain endangered species was tabled.

•The import of hunting trophies into Finland is restricted since June 2023.

The new Nature Conservation Act includes a provision that prohibits the import of individual animals or their parts from the most endangered species worldwide, which are threatened by international trade as trophies from countries outside the EU.

• In the United Kingdom in March 2023, British lawmakers approved a ban on the import of animal hunting trophies covering 6,000 endangered species, which makes it one of the toughest in the world.

The legislation is now being debated in the House of Lords.

• In Germany, the Minister of the Environment, Steffi Lemke (The Greens), announced that she intends to restrict the import of hunting trophies from protected animal species.

Germany terminated the Country’s membership in the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) in 2022.

• In Italy in 2022, a bill aimed at banning the import, export and re-export, to and from Italy, of hunting trophies obtained from animals that are protected by CITES, was presented.

After the fall of the government and the elections in 2023, the same bill was tabled again in parliament.

• In Poland, a bill sponsored by the deputy chairperson of the Sejm, the lower chamber of the parliament, reached committee stage discussion this month and is scheduled for further progress in August 2023.

• Trophy hunting of endangered species poses a severe threat to conservation efforts and the world’s natural heritage.

Trophy hunters prefer to kill the largest, strongest animals, whose loss causes declines in population.

The affected species, such as African elephants, lions, rhinoceros, and leopards, among others, are already facing the risk of extinction and play crucial roles in maintaining healthy ecosystems and biodiversity.

The loss of these iconic animals not only disrupts delicate ecological balances but also erodes cultural and historical significance.

Many species play important roles in their ecosystems. Their removal can have cascading effects on other wildlife, vegetation, and the overall health of the ecosystem.

• The EU is the second biggest importer of hunting trophies after the United States, as indicated in a report by Humane Society International/Europe from 2021, with an average of 3000 trophies imported in the period between 2014 and 2018.

• The top 10 species imported into the EU as trophies are:

Hartmann’s mountain zebra (Equus zebra hartmannae) (3.119), Chacma baboon (1.751), American black bear (Ursus americanus) (1.415), brown bear (1.056), the African elephant (952), African lion (Panthera leo) (889), African leopard (Panthera pardus) (839), hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) (794), caracal (Caracal caracal) (480), and red lechwe (Kobus leche) (415).

• The EU was the largest importer of cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) trophies with 297 cheetah trophies imported into the EU during the study period.

• Belgium is the 13th largest hunting trophy importer of internationally protected species in Europe

• Shortly before the vote of the resolution last year, Animal Rights Belgium, another organisation campaigning against the import of hunting trophies in Belgium, delivered a petition with 37,000 signatures supporting the ban to the Federal Environment Minister, Zakia Khattabi.

💛🙌💛

Sunday, September 24, 2023

As the world’s problems grow more challenging, the head of the United Nations gets bleaker (AP) At the annual meeting of world leaders last year, the U.N. chief sounded a global alarm about the survival of humanity and the planet. This year, the alarm rang louder and more ominously, and the message was even more pressing: Wake up and take action—right now. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ assessment, delivered in his no-nonsense style, aimed to shock. We are becoming “unhinged,” he said. We are inching closer to “a great fracture.” Conflicts, coups and chaos are surging. The climate crisis is growing. Divides are deepening between military and economic powers, the richer North and poorer South, East and West. “A new Rubicon” has been crossed in artificial intelligence. Guterres has spoken often on all these issues. But this year, which he called “a time of chaotic transition,” his address to leaders was tougher and even more urgent. His message to the presidents and prime ministers, monarchs and ministers gathered in the vast General Assembly hall was unambiguous and stark. “We seem incapable,” Guterres said, “of coming together to respond.”

Surveillance of Indian diplomats in Canada led to allegations around Sikh killing, official says (AP) The allegation of India’s involvement in the killing of a Sikh Canadian is based on surveillance of Indian diplomats in Canada, including intelligence provided by a major ally, a Canadian official told The Associated Press on Thursday. The official said the communications involved Indian officials and Indian diplomats in Canada and that some of the intelligence was provided by a member of the “Five Eyes” intelligence-sharing alliance, which includes the U.S., Britain, Australia and New Zealand, in addition to Canada. The official did not say which ally provided intelligence or give details of what was contained in the communications or how they were obtained. The revelation came as India stopped issuing visas to Canadian citizens and told Canada to reduce its diplomatic staff as the rift widened over allegations by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of suspected Indian involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a 45-year-old Sikh separatist.

White House preparing for government shutdown as House Republicans lack a viable endgame for funding (AP) The White House on Friday directed federal agencies to get ready for a shutdown after House Republicans left town for the weekend with no viable plan to keep the government funded and avert politically and economically costly disruption of federal services. A federal shutdown after Sept. 30 seems all but certain unless Speaker Kevin McCarthy can persuade his rebellious hard-right flank of Republicans to allow Congress to approve a temporary funding measure to prevent closures as talks continue. Instead, he’s launched a much more ambitious plan to try to start passing multiple funding bills once the House returns Tuesday, with just five days to resolve the standoff. McCarthy signaled his preference for avoiding a closure, but a hard-right flank of his House majority has effectively seized control. The standoff with House Republicans over government funding puts at risk a range of activities—including pay for the military and law enforcement personnel, food safety and food aid programs, air travel and passport processing—and could wreak havoc with the U.S. economy.

Election emotions (Yahoo News) What’s the No. 1 feeling that comes to mind for Americans when thinking about the upcoming presidential election? “Dread,” according to a new Yahoo News/YouGov poll. The survey of 1,636 U.S. adults, which was conducted from Sept. 14 to 18, offered respondents seven emotions—three positive, three negative, one neutral—and asked them to select any and all that reflect their attitude toward the 2024 campaign. Dread, the most negative option, topped the list (41%), followed by exhaustion (34%), optimism (25%), depression (21%), indifference (17%), excitement (15%) and delight (5%). In total, a majority of Americans (56%) chose at least one of the three negative feelings (dread, exhaustion or depression), while less than a third (32%) picked at least one of the three positive feelings (optimism, excitement or delight).

Mexico Feels Pressure of Relentless Migration From South America (NYT) At a Mexico City shelter, the nun in charge made another difficult announcement to the mothers and children arriving Wednesday: There was no more space. Five hundred migrants were already crammed into a facility built for 100. Near Mexico’s southern border with Guatemala, frustrated people stormed a refugee aid office on Monday after waiting weeks for appointments to receive the necessary documents that allow them to travel farther north. And in Tijuana, nearly all of the city’s 32 shelters were at full capacity this week, as people from nearly 70 countries waited for a U.S. asylum appointment or a chance to sneak across the border. Similar scenes are playing out across the country as Mexico’s immigration system strains under a tide of people desperately trying to go north. The relentless surge has led to a hodgepodge response in Mexico ranging from shutting down railways heading north to the busing of people to areas with fewer migrants. American officials are also contending with a new wave of unlawful border crossings that is straining government resources and leaving local officials scrambling as thousands of migrants are released from federal custody. On Wednesday, thousands of people crossed into Eagle Pass, Texas, leading the mayor to declare a state of emergency and a deployment of 800 active-duty military personnel to help process the arrivals.

Costa Rica’s homicide rate rises in deadliest year ever (Reuters) More than 656 people have been killed so far in Costa Rica’s deadliest year on record, official homicide data showed on Friday, though the government expects this figure to soar past 900 by the end of this year. Costa Rica, which has for decades been recognized as the safest Central American country, saw more homicides in six of its seven provinces, with the capital San Jose seeing the highest increase—double those in the same period last year. Authorities have reported crimes such as torture, gang murders and assassinations carried out by highly-trained hitmen, similar to crimes committed by Mexican cartels. They attribute two-thirds of such killings to turf war gangs for control over drug trafficking operations in the country, a strategic location between producers in Colombia and consumers in the United States and Europe.

U.S. will send Ukraine long-range missiles, after delay (Washington Post) The Biden administration plans to provide Ukraine with a version of ATACMS long-range missiles armed with cluster bomblets rather than a single warhead, according to several people familiar with the ongoing deliberations. The cluster-armed ATACMS, with a range of up to 190 miles, depending on the version, could allow Ukraine to strike command posts, ammunition stores and logistics routes far behind Russian front lines and dug-in defenses. Biden moved during the summer from a firm and long-standing “no” to saying the issue was “still in play.” Although the administration backed away from initial concerns that Kyiv, which has asked for hundreds of the long-range weapons, would use them to strike inside Russian territory, the Pentagon still worried that drawing down enough ATACMS from relatively small military stockpiles to make a difference on the Ukraine battlefield would undercut the readiness of U.S. forces for other possible conflicts.

For South Korea’s Senior Subway Riders, the Joy Is in the Journey (NYT) The subway rumbled toward its final stop north of Seoul. Along the way, hordes disembarked, with the determined, brisk gait of those with somewhere to be. By the end of the line, many who remained on board were noticeably older—nodding off, gazing out the window, stretching their shoulders. Lee Jin-ho had taken two subway lines for more than an hour from his home to the last stop, Soyosan, on a steamy August day. He ambled about a hundred yards beyond the station, rested briefly in the shade—and then got right back on the train heading south. An 85-year-old retired interior designer, Mr. Lee is one of Seoul’s throngs of subway-riding seniors, who take advantage of the country’s longstanding policy of free fares for people older than 65 and spend their days riding the trains to the end of the line, or to nowhere in particular, and sometimes back again. On long summer days—with Seoul’s temperatures averaging highs of more than 87 degrees in August—the air-conditioning is robust, the people-watching is engrossing and the 200 miles of subway tracks in the city are almost limitless in their possibilities for urban wanderings. Older adults who ride free of charge make up about 15 percent of Seoul’s annual ridership. The riders have become such an established part of the city’s fabric that they have a nickname—“Jigong Geosa,” derived from the phrase “free subway”—and the lines and stations frequented by them are well known.

Good evening,

September 17 is Constitution Day—the day in 1787 that the members of the Constitutional Convention, meeting in Philadelphia, signed the final draft of the American Constitution. 

America’s Constitution endured for more than two centuries—longer than any other constitution in human history—because it was brilliantly conceived and based on the principles of liberty in the Declaration of Independence.

Today, however, certain parts of the Constitution have been completely subverted.

For instance, many of the functions intended to be carried out by our elected representatives are instead in the hands of unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats.

And some of the remaining parts of the Constitution—including the fundamental rights of free speech and freedom of religion in the First Amendment—are seriously under attack.

Underlying these efforts to destroy our Constitution is the movement in American schools and universities to push a false and dishonest account of American history. This account portrays our nation as essentially racist and irredeemably unjust.

It’s no surprise, then, that a recent Rasmussen poll found that over half of President Biden’s strong supporters think the Constitution “should be mostly or completely rewritten.” 

Or that two law professors—one from Harvard and the other from Yale—wrote an op-ed in The New York Times titled “The Constitution is Broken and Should Not Be Reclaimed.” 

American education has become a battleground, and reviving a proper understanding of American history and a proper reverence for the Constitution—especially among younger Americans—has become one of our most urgent priorities. 

You are already a generous and reliable supporter of Hillsdale’s educational efforts on behalf of liberty.   

That’s why I’m asking you to join Hillsdale’s Liberty & Learning Society today.

Liberty & Learning Society members are vital to our expanding efforts to educate citizens (especially younger citizens) about American history, the importance of the Constitution to liberty, and free-market economics. 

Joining theLiberty & Learning Societyis easy. 

Members commit to an automatic, recurring monthly gift of $5, $10, or even $20 or more each month, which automatically advances the important work of reaching and teaching additional millions of citizens on behalf of liberty.

Most members give in the $25 a month range, but we are grateful for every single member at whatever level they can afford. 

In these trying and uncertain times, when so much is at stake, we have set an ambitious Constitution Day campaign goal: 1,200 new Liberty & Learning Society members by midnight on Constitution Day, September 17. 

When you join, you become a partner in educating additional millions of Americans about the principles of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and America’s great heritage of liberty through efforts like our free speech digest Imprimis, our free online courses, and our expanding work in the area of classical K-12 education. 

By joining the Liberty & Learning Society, you also help us reduce fundraising expenses and maximize the impact of every dollar given.

Hillsdale has a tradition of and a reputation for being wise with our resources because we are almost unique in refusing to accept even one penny of government funding—not even indirectly in the form of federal or state student loans and grants.

All of Hillsdale’s work depends entirely on the support of individual citizens who understand the importance of our educational mission on behalf of liberty.

Will you consider being one of the 1,200 citizens we need to sign up for the Liberty & Learning Society before midnight on Constitution Day?

You can learn more about and join the Liberty & Learning Society using this secure link:

And if you accept my invitation to join Hillsdale’s Liberty & Learning Society on or before September 17, I’ll send you a link to a session of our upcoming free online course, “Understanding The American Founding: A Conversation.”

We are deeply grateful for your support of our ongoing work to recover and preserve liberty and limited government for future generations of Americans. 

Warm regards, Larry P. Arnn

European citizens want the European Union to have a stronger role in international affairs but the goal is not considered a top priority. This is one of the main conclusions from an exclusive Euronews poll conducted by Ipsos among almost 26,000 respondents across 18 member states ahead of the elections to the European Parliament, which will be held between 6 and 9 June. The first-of-its-kind survey shows that 40% of Europeans see the strengthening of the bloc's global weight as a "priority" while 42% believe this should be "important but not a priority." Only 18% of respondents see the objective as "secondary." The results reflect a growing awareness of diplomacy after years of back-to-back crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war, which have seen the EU take a more prominent presence in multilateral fora and coordinate its response with its Western allies. Challenges like climate change, irregular migration, fake news and the rapid ascent of artificial intelligence, all of which exceed national borders, have further reinforced the narrative that Europe cannot manage the 21st century on its own nor afford to stand on the sidelines. Upon becoming president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen promised her executive would be "geopolitical" and have a greater say on the global stage. "We will invest in alliances and coalitions to advance our values. We will promote and protect Europe's interests through open and fair trade. We will strengthen our partners through cooperation because strong partners make Europe strong too," von der Leyen said in 2019 while making her pitch to the European Parliament. "My Commission will not be afraid to speak the language of confidence. But it will be our way, the European way. This is the geopolitical Commission that I have in mind, and that Europe urgently needs."

continue reading

I'd like the EU to take France's place on the UN Security Council.

Climate Change and Indigenous Voices: What Australians Really Think #ANUIndigenousVoicesurvey #climatechange #economicconditions #EssentialMorganpoll #Indigenousrecognition

What is a Relationship Email in 2024?

Email marketers can utilize relationship emails as part of their email marketing strategies to build brand loyalty and encourage repeat purchases. 2024 will see brands employ advanced personalization techniques to implement advanced personalization techniques into emails, using surveys and polls to cultivate subscribers and collect real data for future campaigns. Personalization Email personalization is an effective way to create an engaging experience for subscribers, whether that means using their first name in the subject line or using location data to tailor content delivery. Customized emails increase subscriber engagement and can lead to higher transaction rates; according to studies, over 75% of consumers prefer brands that send personalized emails while 78% repurchase from those same brands. Targeted segmentation is one of the best ways to personalize emails, as it enables you to group your audience based on common attributes like age, gender, or location - enabling highly relevant and potentially greater ROI content delivery. Additionally, when targeting specific attributes of your audience, it's also essential to add a personal touch to your content. A personalized email from either the CEO or their customer success representative makes your brand seem more approachable, creating strong bonds between subscribers and your brand. Personalizing an email subject line can make a big difference in a crowded inbox, drawing subscribers' attention and creating urgency. Emails that include personalized subject lines are 26% more likely to be opened than those without a personalized element; similarly, using an engaging "From" name in the email may make subscribers feel appreciated and engaged with your business. 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Mobile optimization enables businesses to create more engaging emails by including clickable video thumbnail images, GIFs, and polls that keep subscribers engaged with the email message. This feature is especially effective at encouraging specific actions from recipients - such as making purchases or downloading an app. Mobile optimization is essential to email marketing success; however, it cannot stand alone as an approach. To maximize an email marketing campaign's results and drive results quickly, companies must employ an omnichannel strategy that incorporates SMS texting as part of their campaign plan - many customers prefer receiving promotional updates via email while others may appreciate SMS texts as faster response times for urgent notifications such as shipping confirmations or password resets. Automation Email marketing automation is a powerful tool that enables brands to send personalized emails at scale. Marketers use this technology to set predetermined rules that trigger specific messages when certain criteria are met, streamlining workflow while providing tailored content directly to potential customers at exactly the right moment - for instance, automating emails when someone abandons their cart or subscribes to a newsletter can increase customer retention while decreasing manual steps required by marketing teams. Automated email campaigns can help businesses generate recurring revenue by offering subscriptions to products or services. Email campaigns may deliver regular content such as a monthly newsletter or product recommendations; for instance, companies could send new subscribers a customized selection of top-rated items based on what they browsed during their last visit. Attracting users to an email list requires creating an attractive value proposition. An effective email opt-in form should request a person's name and email address while also detailing what content they can expect such as discounts or exclusive content, as well as explaining how to unsubscribe or manage preferences, so only information that has been consented to is sent their way. Email automation makes it simple to surprise and delight customers with unique experiences or products. Brightly sends new subscribers a curated selection of items based on their shopping history; Outdoor Voices delighted their customers by surprising them on their half birthday with something fun! Data-Driven Insights Email marketing has proven itself as one of the most efficient digital tactics for cultivating and converting leads. From keeping customers engaged between purchases to informing them of product value, email is a dynamic tool that can help create meaningful relationships between you and your target audience. One way of doing this is by tailoring emails based on data that you collect on each of your subscribers - this could include demographic or purchase history information as well as behavioral indicators. By using this data to customize content and deliver relevant messages, you'll increase engagement and conversions. An integral aspect of this strategy is using appropriate metrics to monitor your campaign's success. Common indicators to track are open rate, click-through rate, and conversion rate - these give a good indication of how well your campaigns are doing and which areas need improvements. Data-driven insights allow you to craft personalized event-triggered messages tailored specifically to each customer's preferences and behavior. For example, when someone runs out of storage space on their camera for video recording purposes, an event-triggered message asking them to purchase another might automatically trigger and increase engagement and conversion rates than traditional marketing emails would. To optimize emails for mobile viewing, make sure that CTAs are visible and large. All-image emails may take longer to load and be difficult to read on mobile devices; additionally, make sure the unsubscribe button is easily accessible as this will keep lists clean while helping maintain compliance with CAN-SPAM regulations. Integration Email marketing is an indispensable asset to businesses that offer products or services that consumers value, generating leads and raising brand awareness while engaging consumers between purchases, keeping them engaged between purchases, and educating them about its benefits. Email marketing can become a game changer in business; to harness its full power it requires a mix of personalization, mobile optimization, automated nurturing, data-driven insights, and data analysis. An organization may send customers on its list a weekly list of concerts and events to increase attendance and draw more focus to its activities. Utilizing CRM integration, they track how many emails were opened and clicked through, giving them valuable data that helps them refine their weekly content for maximum effect. This insight also drives increased customer awareness for events or concerts taking place that week. Integrating an email marketing platform into your CRM system simplifies sales and marketing teams' workflow, allows for more accurate customer segmentation, and allows you to send relevant emails that resonate with contacts' interests. Furthermore, tracking the impact of email marketing on metrics like sales opportunities or customer lifetime value becomes much simpler. Furthermore, email authentication plays an essential role in meeting CAN-SPAM regulations and protecting against email phishing attacks or security breaches. Email authentication involves verifying the legitimacy of emails being sent out - thus decreasing their risk of being labeled spam by email providers. Implementation of email authentication across marketing campaigns to minimize these risks should always be prioritized as part of a marketing plan to safeguard its success and reduce spam classification risks by providers. Not only can automation and personalization benefit your business, but utilizing the appropriate CRM system is equally as essential. There are various options such as Gmail or Salesforce available that can help meet your specific needs and budget requirements. 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How Can Outsourcing to Free Trade Zone In India Help Your Business Cut Costs?

Headlines are dominated by the crisis in the expense of living. However, not just one person is struggling financially. eCommerce companies also are. If the latter line resonates with you, continue reading to see how outsourcing your fulfilment to a free trade zone in India may increase revenue and save expenses for your company.

The cost of living crisis and how it impacts your business

If you are an eCommerce company owner, you have probably seen that over the last six to twelve months, prices have gone up for a variety of necessities. It may feel like every aspect of operating your business is getting more expensive, whether it's your energy costs, the cost of supplies, or your payroll. You're not by yourself. 72% of company owners think that the present cost of living problem is a serious concern for the survival or expansion of their firm, according to a Nucleus Commercial Finance poll. The important areas where growing prices are most urgent were also indicated by the same survey:

growing energy costs.

Money movement.

employee loyalty.

expenses for transportation.

Why outsourcing your fulfilment can save your business money

If your company is an online retailer, you probably already know that there are a lot of expenses associated with the fulfilling process.

A substantial knowledge base is also necessary for fulfilment, and this can be challenging to build while you're concentrating on the more general operating facets of your company.

Hiring a third-party logistics service to handle your fulfilment will take care of all of these issues and more. We've listed the several advantages of doing this below.

Expertise

It's likely that you have extensive knowledge of the things you offer. But do you have experience managing fulfilment on a large scale?

If not, it makes sense to contract with a specialised third-party fulfilment company like 3PL to handle your fulfilling.

Businesses such as free trade zone in India are limited to fulfilling orders for other businesses. Their only responsibility is to make sure your fulfilment process operates as successfully and efficiently as feasible.

By hiring professionals to handle your fulfilment, you may cut down on the amount of expensive errors that would occur if you attempted to handle everything internally.

Better labour allocation

Running fulfilling operations internally may be labor-intensive, as you are undoubtedly aware. In addition to processing orders, you also require someone to handle inventory, oversee the pick and pack procedure, respond to customer inquiries, schedule deliveries, and bargain with couriers, among other tasks. A much has to be done!

You may increase your income and profitability by assigning your staff to more value-added jobs like marketing or sales by outsourcing your fulfilment to free trade zone in India.

Reduced material costs

Orders placed with online retailers are expected to be delivered in immaculate packaging.

However, with the rising cost of materials in today's environment, this might wind up costing you a substantial sum.

You may drastically cut these costs—even completely remove them—by contracting with a third-party logistics company to handle your fulfilment.

Order packaging is included in the services offered by a supplier such as 3PL. Furthermore, 3PL is able to take advantage of economies of scale to buy packaging materials at prices much cheaper than any one firm could ever hope to bargain because it offers packaging services to tens of thousands of other eCommerce brands.

As a consequence, packing is far less expensive than if you tried to purchase it yourself.

Reduced fixed capital

A large portion of your cash will soon become locked up in fixed assets if you try to manage your fulfilment in-house.

For instance, when you expand, you'll need to spend more money on a bigger warehouse to hold your products. The warehouse will require fixtures and fittings, which will cost money. To operate the warehouse and related fulfilling activities, you'll need to make investments in technology and fulfilment software.

These items encumber your capital in investments that might not be the greatest use of it.

By using 3PL to handle your fulfilment, you can free up your hard-earned cash for more growth-oriented endeavours like marketing and sales campaigns rather than having to spend it in physical assets.

Additionally, economies of scale will help you. You'll gain from having a sizable, contemporary warehouse for your inventory because a 3PL fulfils orders for several brands, something you probably couldn't afford if you handled fulfilment internally.

Lower transportation costs

One of the main factors now reducing eCommerce firms' revenues is the cost of shipping items to customers, as fuel prices are a significant contributor to inflation. As you have undoubtedly seen, couriers are having to pay substantially higher gasoline rates, which they are passing along to you, the client. But there is a way out of this. That is correct, of course! using free trade zone in India to handle your fulfilling needs. It has to do with bargaining power. As various eCommerce companies are fulfilled by 3PL, hundreds or even thousands of packages are shipped daily from our distribution facilities. This implies that we have the ability to bargain with our network of courier providers for extremely affordable prices. These prices are far lower than what an eCommerce company might get by negotiating on its own. Therefore, it makes sense to use a 3PL for fulfilling outsourcing in order to save a lot of money at every stage of the process!

Outsource your fulfilment to 3PL today

There has never been a better moment to outsource your fulfilment, as the busiest selling season approaches and the issue caused by rising living expenses shows no signs of abating. Large and small eCommerce firms alike rely on us to make sure their fulfilment is as economical as possible, enabling them to increase sales and improve profit margins. Talk to Onnsynex right now if it seems like something that would fit for your brand!

Young Americans Turn Against Boomers Over Social Security

— December 18, 2023 | Newsweek | By Giulia Carbonaro, US News Reporter

Younger Generations in the U.S., including millennials and Gen Zers, are much more likely to believe that the Social Security system needs reforming than those in their 60s and 70s, according to a recent survey conducted by Redfield & Wilton Strategies on behalf of Newsweek.

A majority of 63 percent of Americans "strongly agreed" (28 percent) or "agreed" (35 percent) that the Social Security system needs to be reformed, according to the Redfield & Wilton Strategies/Newsweek poll. Only 10 percent "strongly disagreed" (5 percent) or "disagreed" (another 5 percent).

The poll was conducted on December 8 among a sample population of 1,500 eligible voters in the U.S.

Some 40 percent of respondents said they believe that the Social Security program currently pays out more to retirees than it is receiving in Social Security tax payments, while 26 percent disagreed with this statement.

Shoppers walk around Twelve Oaks Mall on November 24, 2023 in Novi, Michigan. A majority of millennials think that the Social Security program is making more payments than it receives taxes, according to an exclusive Newsweek poll. Emily Elconin/Getty Images

Millennials (those aged between 27 and 42), Gen Zers (those aged between 18 and 26), and Gen Xers (those aged between 43 and 58) were more likely than boomers (those older than 59 years old) to think that Social Security should be reformed.

According to the poll, 56 percent of Gen Zers, 76 percent of millennials and 69 percent of Gen Xers believed the system should be reformed, against 50 percent of boomers.

There were also overwhelmingly more millennials (52 percent) thinking that the system isn't getting as many tax payments as it was handing out benefits to retirees than any other generations, including Gen Z (39 percent), Gen X (25 percent) and Boomers (39 percent).

"In general, millennials and plurals—our name for Gen Z—are skeptical that Social Security benefits as robust as those retirees like me currently enjoy will be available to them when they retire," Morley Winograd, author of three books on the millennial generation, told Newsweek.

"They have been told by Republicans in Congress, seconded by deficit hawks in think tanks, that the money will run out before they can claim it," he said. "None of that is true. But, luckily, the younger generation's skepticism of experts and politicians will help prevent the kind of unnecessary tinkering with future, never present, Social Security payments that some older folks advocate."

While boomers are the richest generations on the planet, millennials remain burdened by the debt "many of them incurred by paying excessive and economically unjustified tuition prices when we decided to make them the first generation in American history to have the majority of the burden of paying for higher education fall on them and their parents," Winograd said.

The older generation has on average a net worth 12 times higher than millennials, who are worth an average of $100,000.

What's the State of the Social Security Program?

Social Security is currently facing an uncertain future as it is expected to face a 23 percent across-the-board benefit cut in 2033, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, unless something changes until then. For an average newly retired couple, that means $17,400 less.

Fixing the Social Security system is becoming an increasingly urgent issue, according to Richard Johnson, director of the Program on Retirement Policy at the Urban Institute, a Washington-based think tank, told Newsweek.

"By law, Social Security payments cannot exceed the program's resources. The program now pays out more in benefits than it collects in revenue," the expert said.

While the Social Security's trust fund is currently making up the difference, this trust fund is widely expected to run out by 2034. "When that happens, Social Security will be able to pay less than 80 percent of promised benefits," Johnson said, citing the conclusion reached by several experts.

"Unless policymakers fix Social Security's finances in the next 10 years, millions of retirees and people with disabilities would plunge into poverty."

For Johnson, the solution might involve cutting benefits or increasing taxes—a change that would be unpopular among retirees, but necessary. "Fixing Social Security sooner rather than later would share the pain of any benefit cuts or tax increases among more people, reducing the pain for later generations," Johnson said.

Winograd is a little more positive on the outlook of the program, saying that a resilient U.S. economy could keep Social Security afloat.

"Whether or not Social Security is able to maintain its current levels of payments or not depends on what assumptions you make about the performance of the U.S. economy in the future—an impossible thing to predict with any degree of accuracy," Winograd said.

"But, for instance, if the economy were to grow at the 5.2 percent rate GDP grew in the third quarter of this year, there would be no problem with Social Security benefits in the foreseeable future," he said.

"Of course, this is a difficult rate to sustain, but with disruptors like AI now starting to change the productivity rates of the U.S. economy in ways as profound as the internet and personal computing did in the go-go 1990s, there is no reason to believe that the U.S. economy won't continue to outperform the expectations of most economists, who are still waiting to see if the recession they forecasted for last year and the year before arrives," he added.

"And, besides, if the system does turn out to need more money, it can be quickly and equitably raised by simply removing the income cap on paying Social Security taxes, which is one of the more egregious regressive elements of our current tax laws and very unpopular with young voters now flooding the electorate."

— Generation Names

1– The Greatest Generation: Born: 1901 — 1927. ...

2– The Silent Generation: Born: 1928 — 1945. ...

3– The Baby Boomer Generation: Born: 1946 — 1964. ...

4– Generation X: Born: 1965 — 1980. ...

5– Millennials Born: 1981 — 1996. ...

6– Generation Z: Born: 1996 — 2012. ...

7– Gen Alpha: Born 2013 — 2025.

Trump Demands Action After 20 Percent of Mail-in Voters Admit to Fraud in 2020 Election Survey

Trump Demands Action After 20 Percent of Mail-in Voters Admit to Fraud in 2020 Election Survey https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/trump-demands-action-after-20-percent-of-mail-in-voters-admit-to-fraud-in-2020-election-survey-5545834

Title: Exposing the Negative Aspects of Social Media: A Former Meta Employee Discloses Inadequacies in Safeguarding Adolescent Users

By Harshdeep singh

Arturo Bejar, a former employee of Meta, made a startling disclosure during his testimony before a U.S. Senate panel. He said that Meta was allegedly aware of harassment and other negative experiences that teenagers were having on its platforms, particularly Facebook and Instagram. Bejar, who oversaw Instagram's well-being department from 2019 to 2021, charged the company with not doing enough to address these problems.

The evidence exposed a troubling story of Meta's carelessness and inactivity and was given during a hearing on the effect of social media on adolescent mental health. Bejar voiced his worries, saying, "It's time that the public and parents understand the true level of harm posed by these 'products,' and it's time that young users have the tools to report and suppress online abuse."

During his time at Meta, Bejar made design changes to Facebook and Instagram in an effort to promote healthy user behavior and provide youth with the means to cope with negative situations. Bejar asserted that in spite of his best efforts, Meta consistently chose not to address the crucial matter of teen safety on its platforms.

Bejar's testimony included some very concerning facts, chief among them being the internal material he forwarded to CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Bejar said in a 2021 email that 51% of Instagram users said they had experienced something negative or detrimental in the previous seven days. A startling 24.4% of youngsters in this category, ages 13 to 15, reported getting unwanted sexual approaches.

In addition, a different paper revealed that 13% of all Instagram users aged 13 to 15 who were polled had received unsolicited approaches. Bejar further illustrated the inadequate reporting options by sharing a personal story of how his own 16-year-old daughter was subjected to offensive images and sexist remarks on the network.

Meta issued a statement reiterating its dedication to safeguarding youth online in reaction to these accusations. The company's support for user surveys—like the ones Bejar mentioned—and the development of tools like anonymous alerts for potentially hazardous content were mentioned in the statement.

Bejar's evidence, in spite of these promises, provided a dismal picture of Meta's knowledge and inactivity. He stated that he often visited with high-ranking officials, such as Mark Zuckerberg, who at the time seemed to be in favor of the project. Bejar came to the conclusion, meanwhile, that the CEOs often declined to address the problems young users on their platforms were facing.

The severity of the matter increased when it was revealed that Chris Cox, the Chief Product Officer of Meta, could provide exact numbers on harms to teenagers during a conference. Feeling let down, Bejar said, "I found it heartbreaking because it meant that they knew and that they were not acting on it."

Following Bejar's testimony, a bipartisan effort is underway in Congress to enact legislation mandating that social media companies give parents internet safety resources. The exposé serves as a sobering reminder of the difficulties presented by social media's unbridled effect on young people's wellbeing and the pressing necessity for legislative actions to guarantee their safety online.

In conclusion, Arturo Bejar's Senate testimony exposed Meta's purported awareness of potential risks to teenage Instagram and Facebook users, as well as the company's disregard for these concerns. The need of internet safety is underscored by alarming data, which include high percentages of negative encounters and unsolicited approaches. Bejar's allegations of executive inactivity, in spite of Meta's vow, highlight the urgent necessity for extensive laws to safeguard younger users. The testimony sparks a more extensive discussion about social media accountability and might lead to significant shifts in the direction of putting user welfare ahead of platform expansion.

Link; https://globalnews.ca/news/10077682/meta-safety-teens-senate-testimony/

Sunday, June 11, 2023

Energy Drinks Are Surging. So Are Their Caffeine Levels. (NYT) It has been more than 25 years since Red Bull hit the market and introduced caffeinated energy drinks to the United States. While the company claimed its beverage would “give you wings,” it never said it was actually good for people. Yet as the energy drink market continues to grow rapidly, companies both new and old are trying to attract health-conscious customers with a wave of no-sugar, low-calorie drinks that claim to boost energy as well as replenish fluids with electrolytes and other ingredients. This new focus has helped the energy drink market grow, with sales in the United States surging to $19 billion from $12 billion over the past five years. But there are concerns that drinks being pitched as healthy are resulting in children and teenagers consuming caffeine in unhealthy amounts. A 12-ounce can of Prime Energy contains 200 milligrams of caffeine. That’s roughly equivalent to two Red Bulls, two cups of coffee or six cans of Coca-Cola. Some schools in Britain and Australia have already banned the beverages. In the United States, federal regulations say schools cannot sell or provide caffeinated drinks to elementary or middle school students, although many schools do not restrict what students can bring from home. “Not long after drinking them, the students showed up in the health office saying they didn’t feel good and that their hearts were racing,” said [one school nurse].

A Puzzle in Arizona’s Boom Towns: How to Keep Growing With Less Water (NYT) As the mayor of an old farming town bursting with new homes, factories and warehouses, Eric Orsborn spends his days thinking about water. The lifeblood for this growth is billions of gallons of water pumped from the ground, and his city, Buckeye, Ariz., is thirsty for more as builders push deeper into the desert fringes of Phoenix. But last week, Arizona announced it would limit some future home construction in Buckeye and other places because of a shortfall in groundwater. A new state study found groundwater supplies in the Phoenix area were about 4 percent short of what is needed for planned growth over the next 100 years. That may feel like a far-off horizon, but it is enough of a change to force the state to rethink its future in the near and long terms. Now, there are urgent questions about how Arizona should be using its increasingly precious water—for water-guzzling alfalfa and lettuce farms or thirsty new computer chip and battery factories and coffee-creamer manufacturing? For new sprawl or more development inside cities? Could the Phoenix suburbs keep up their frenzied pace of growth? Should they?

Four Colombian children found alive in jungle weeks after plane crash (Reuters) Four children from an Indigenous community in Colombia were found alive in the country’s south on Friday more than five weeks after the plane they were traveling in crashed in thick jungle, Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro said. The plane—a Cessna 206—was carrying seven people on a route between Araracuara, in Amazonas province, and San Jose del Guaviare, a city in Guaviare province, when it issued a mayday alert due to engine failure in the early hours of May 1. Three adults, including the pilot and the children’s mother Magdalena Mucutuy, died as a result of the crash and their bodies were found inside the plane. The four siblings, aged 13, 9, 4, as well as a now 12-month-old baby, survived the impact. Narcizo Mucutuy, the grandfather of the three girls and one boy, told reporters he was delighted at the news of their rescue.

Argentina inflation seen hitting 149% this year, up from previous poll (Reuters) Analysts polled by Argentina’s central bank forecast annual inflation this year at 149%, above the 126% expected in the previous poll, according to the monthly survey released on Friday. For May, the analysts polled expect prices to have risen 9% in the month. Argentina’s economy, strained by a historic drought that has worsened an ongoing currency crisis, is expected to shrink 3% in 2023 from 2022. Analysts see the weakened Argentine peso, currently officially valued at 245 pesos per dollar, ending this year at 408.68 pesos per dollar and 2024 at 917.54 pesos per dollar. Rising prices and tumbling foreign reserves pose a challenge for Argentina’s left-leaning government ahead of general elections in October.

Boris Johnson quits as UK lawmaker after being told he will be sanctioned for misleading Parliament (AP) Former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson shocked Britain on Friday by quitting as a lawmaker after being told he will be sanctioned for misleading Parliament. Johnson resigned after receiving the results of an investigation by lawmakers into misleading statements he made to Parliament about “partygate,” a series of rule-breaking government parties during the COVID-19 pandemic. By quitting, he avoids a suspension that could have seen him ousted from his Commons seat by his constituents, leaving him free to run for Parliament again in the future.

Russia to deploy nuclear weapons to Belarus in July. (1440) Russian President Vladimir Putin made the announcement in a televised meeting with the Belarusian leader Friday. Belarus, a close ally of Russia, neighbors Ukraine to the north and shares an almost-700-mile border. Russian forces have used Belarus as a staging ground since the beginning of the war.

UN aid chief says Ukraine faces ‘hugely worse’ humanitarian situation after the dam rupture (AP) The humanitarian situation in Ukraine is “hugely worse” than before the Kakhovka dam collapsed, the U.N.’s top aid official warned Friday. Undersecretary-General Martin Griffiths said an “extraordinary” 700,000 people are in need of drinking water and warned that the ravages of flooding in one of the world’s most important breadbaskets will almost inevitably lead to lower grain exports, higher food prices around the world, and less to eat for millions in need. “This is a viral problem,” he said in an interview with The Associated Press. “But the truth is this is only the beginning of seeing the consequences of this act.”

As Ukraine Launches Counteroffensive, Definitions of ‘Success’ Vary (NYT) After months of anticipation, Ukraine’s forces—newly trained on complex warfare tactics and armed with billions of dollars in sophisticated Western weaponry—launched operations on multiple fronts in the past week in an effort to dislodge entrenched Russian military units, a counteroffensive that many officials in the United States and Europe say could be a turning point in the 15-month war. What remains unclear, though, is exactly what the United States, Europe and Ukraine view as a “successful” counteroffensive. Publicly, American and European officials are leaving any definition of success to President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine. Privately, U.S. and European officials concede that pushing all of Russia’s forces out of occupied Ukrainian land is highly unlikely. Throughout the war, the Ukrainian army, with deeply motivated troops, creative military operations and advanced Western weaponry, has outperformed Russia’s military. But the Ukrainians have also found it difficult to dislodge the Russians from their entrenched defensive positions in the last few months, with the front lines barely moving.

A Rising India Is Also, in One Remote Pocket, a Blood-Soaked War Zone (NYT) People burned out of their homes by the hundreds. Villages, even refugee camps, raked with gunfire. Men, women and children beaten and set ablaze by angry mobs. India, the world’s most populous country and home to the fastest-growing major economy, is now also the site of a war zone, as weeks of ethnic violence in the remote northeastern state of Manipur has claimed about 100 lives. Militarized buffer zones now crisscross the state, patrolled by local women—who are seen as less hotheaded than men—and the thousands of troops who have been sent to quell the fighting, drawing down forces in other parts of India, including the border with China. More than 35,000 people have become refugees, with many living in makeshift camps. Internet service has been cut—an increasingly common tactic by the Indian government—and travel restrictions have made it difficult for the outside world to see in. The development has been jarring for a nation whose 1.4 billion people usually manage to get along despite belonging to thousands of sometimes rivalrous ethnic groups. And it presents an unwelcome image of instability for a national government focused on portraying India as a rising global power. “It is a nightmare,” said Mairembam Ratan, a small-town career counselor who escaped his home with help from the army. “It’s a civil war.”

The Pentagon Is Freaking Out About a Potential War With China (Politico) The war began in the early morning hours with a massive bombardment—China’s version of “shock and awe.” Chinese planes and rockets swiftly destroyed most of Taiwan’s navy and air force as the People’s Liberation army and navy mounted a massive amphibious assault across the 100-mile Taiwan Strait. Having taken seriously President Joe Biden’s pledge to defend the island, Beijing also struck pre-emptively at U.S. and allied air bases and ships in the Indo-Pacific. The U.S. managed to even the odds for a time by deploying more sophisticated submarines as well as B-21 and B-2 stealth bombers to get inside China’s air defense zones, but Washington ran out of key munitions in a matter of days and saw its network access severed. The United States and its main ally, Japan, lost thousands of service members, dozens of ships, and hundreds of aircraft. Taiwan’s economy was devastated. And as a protracted siege ensued, the U.S. was much slower to rebuild, taking years to replace ships as it reckoned with how shriveled its industrial base had become compared to China’s. The Chinese “just ran rings around us,” said former Joint Chiefs Vice Chair Gen. John Hyten in one after-action report. “They knew exactly what we were going to do before we did it.”      Dozens of versions of the above war-game scenario have been enacted over the last few years, most recently in April by the House Select Committee on competition with China. And while the ultimate outcome in these exercises is not always clear—the U.S. does better in some than others—the cost is. In every exercise the U.S. uses up all its long-range air-to-surface missiles in a few days, with a substantial portion of its planes destroyed on the ground. In every exercise the U.S. is not engaged in an abstract push-button war from 30,000 feet up like the ones Americans have come to expect since the end of the Cold War, but a horrifically bloody one. And that’s assuming the U.S.-China war doesn’t go nuclear.

Saudi crown prince threatened ��major’ economic pain on U.S. amid oil feud (Washington Post) Last fall, President Biden vowed to impose “consequences” on Saudi Arabia for its decision to slash oil production amid high energy prices and fast-approaching elections in the United States. In public, the Saudi government defended its actions politely via diplomatic statements. But in private, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman threatened to fundamentally alter the decades-old U.S.-Saudi relationship and impose significant economic costs on the United States if it retaliated against the oil cuts, according to a classified document obtained by The Washington Post. The crown prince claimed “he will not deal with the U.S. administration anymore,” the document says, promising “major economic consequences for Washington.” It is unclear whether the crown prince’s threat was conveyed directly to U.S. officials or intercepted through electronic eavesdropping, but his dramatic outburst reveals the tension at the heart of a relationship long premised on oil-for-security but rapidly evolving as China takes a growing interest in the Middle East and the United States assesses its own interests as the world’s largest oil producer.

From restaurants to water towers, unrest dents Senegal’s economy (Reuters) A KFC restaurant ransacked. Public transport torched. Glass-paneled stations for a multi-million dollar electric bus link shattered. A water plant vandalised. Senegal is taking stock of the damage after the jail sentencing of prominent opposition figure Ousmane Sonko sparked the worst civil unrest in decades that threatens to dent progress in one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies. Sixteen people died and hundreds were injured. Rioters attacked banks, supermarkets and petrol stations. Small businesses were also hitAn attack on a state-owned water plant could create shortages in Dakar, where it hasn’t rained for eight months and where water cuts are common, an official said. Aside from the damage, a day of protests can slow economic output by the equivalent of up to around $33 million per day, the government estimates. Citizens rapidly feel the pinch in a country where over 95% of the work is informal.

Poll comes as Beijing is urgently trying an array of measures to lift the country’s birth rate including financial incentivesChina’s National Bureau of Statistics will conduct a nationwide sample survey in November to help better plan population policies, as...

Hire The Best Voice Call Service Provider in Jaipur – 2023

In the ever-evolving world of marketing and customer engagement, the power of voice communication remains undeniable. Whether you're a business looking to reach your audience effectively or an organisation aiming to disseminate critical information, voice call services play a pivotal role. When it comes to finding the best voice call service provider in jaipur in 2023, you need a partner that offers reliability, efficiency, and a commitment to your communication goals. In this article, we'll explore why choosing the right voice call service provider is crucial and introduce you to a top-notch option in the Pink City.

The Importance of Voice Call Services

Before we dive into the best voice call service provider in Jaipur, let's take a moment to understand why voice call services are still relevant and vital in 2023.

1. Personalized Communication

Voice calls allow for personalised interactions with your audience. You can convey your message with a human touch, establishing a more meaningful connection compared to text-based communication.

2. Wider Reach

Voice calls have a broader reach as they cater to all demographics, including those who may not have access to smartphones or the internet. This inclusivity is especially significant in diverse cities like Jaipur.

3. Urgent and Critical Communication

In emergencies or when time-sensitive information needs to be conveyed, voice calls are the most efficient means of communication. They ensure that your message is delivered promptly and effectively.

4. Interactive Campaigns

Voice call services are versatile and can be used for interactive campaigns, such as surveys, polls, and feedback collection. This two-way communication fosters engagement and strengthens customer relationships.

Introducing the Best Voice Call Service Provider in Jaipur - 2023

Sinthan Techno, headquartered in Jaipur, is the leading Voice Call Service Provider in the city for the year 2023. With a reputation for excellence, a track record of delivering results, and a commitment to meeting the unique needs of Jaipur's diverse businesses and organizations, they are the go-to choice for voice communication services.

Why Choose Sinthan Techno for Voice Call Services in Jaipur - 2023?

Cutting-Edge Technology: Sinthan Techno leverages state-of-the-art technology to ensure the reliability and efficiency of their voice call services. They use high-quality voice networks to guarantee crystal-clear call quality.

Customized Solutions: Every business in Jaipur has unique communication requirements. Sinthan Techno offers tailored voice call service solutions to meet your specific objectives, whether it's marketing campaigns, information dissemination, or event notifications.

Cost-Effective Packages: Affordability is a hallmark of Sinthan Techno's services. They understand that cost-effectiveness is a crucial consideration for businesses in Jaipur, and their pricing structures reflect this understanding.

User-Friendly Platform: Sinthan Techno provides a user-friendly platform that allows businesses in Jaipur to set up, manage, and monitor their voice call campaigns with ease. The interface is intuitive and requires minimal training.

Real-Time Reporting: To help businesses maximize the impact of their voice call campaigns, Sinthan Techno offers real-time reporting and analytics. You can track campaign performance, response rates, and other key metrics to fine-tune your strategies.

Dedicated Support: Customer support is a top priority at Sinthan Techno. Their dedicated support team is readily available to assist you with any questions or concerns you may have while using their voice call services.

How to Get Started with Sinthan Techno's Voice Call Services

If you're ready to harness the power of voice communication for your business or organisation in Jaipur, here's how you can get started with Sinthan Techno:

Contact Them: Reach out to Sinthan Techno through their website, email, or phone to discuss your voice call service requirements.

Consultation: Their team will work closely with you to understand your communication goals and the specific objectives you want to achieve with voice call services.

Service Customization: Once you've defined your requirements, Sinthan Techno will customize a voice call service solution that aligns with your business objectives.

Implementation: With the solution in place, Sinthan Techno will assist you in implementing voice call services, ensuring a smooth setup.

Campaign Launch: Start using voice call services to connect with your audience in Jaipur and achieve your goals, whether it's marketing campaigns, information dissemination, or event notifications.

Performance Monitoring: Use Sinthan Techno's real-time reporting and analytics tools to monitor the performance of your voice call campaigns and make data-driven decisions for optimization.

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Business Development Strategy Plan

Importance of Social Media Advertising

Conclusion

In the bustling city of Jaipur, effective communication is essential for businesses and organizations of all sizes and industries. Sinthan Techno, as the best Bulk voice call service provider in Jaipur for 2023, offers a comprehensive solution to meet your communication needs. Elevate your communication strategies with Sinthan Techno's voice call services and stay ahead in the competitive and dynamic landscape of the Pink City.