bet365 live chat
When Jen Haugsdal arrived at her Kathy’s Place apartment last December, she and her two young children did one thing first: they slept. “Being on the streets with just my kids, I was always vigilant,” Haugsdal said. “I had to be aware of everything. When I came to Kathy’s Place, we were given the opportunity to just sleep because we could relax.” Founded in 2022, Kathy’s Place opened its doors to homeless mothers in Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas county in December 2023. Its mission is “breaking the cycle of poverty by creating safe and affordable neighborhood communities where single moms are empowered with the resources they need to build a thriving future for their family.” Stacey and Joe Squires founded Kathy’s Place in honor of Stacey’s mom, Kathy Strade, who died in 2017. Squires recalls Kathy as someone who lived a life of service to others. “She had always been very supportive of various things similar to what Kathy’s Place is doing, including paying off all the lunch balances for kids that were at Sabin Elementary and providing a bank of funds to support them going forward, so that no kid would ever go home hungry.” Kathy’s Place is a beneficiary of The Oregonian/OregonLive’s 2024 Season of Sharing holiday fundraising campaign. The charity has one employee, about 40 volunteers and operates on a budget of $345,000 raised through foundation grants and private donations. It currently offers housing to moms in a four-plex in the Hazelwood neighborhood, each with two bedrooms and a bath, as well as a fenced playground and laundry room. > Donate to Kathy’s Place or the Season of Sharing general fund . You can also Text the code Season2024 to 44-321. “All of the units are designed within trauma-informed lens,” said Kimberly Brune, founding executive director. Every color, every texture is designed to give moms and kids a sense of safety, security and peace. These units were developed to be able to let your shoulders down, let your fists unclench.” The four-plex, which is being purchased on a lease-to-own contract, is the first property the non-profit has developed, and there are plans to expand as funding permits. Haugsdal came to Kathy’s Place after domestic violence forced her onto the streets. The apartment marks the first time she’s had her own dishwasher and the first bathtub in a long time. “The bathtub was the best,” Haugsdal said. “It was glorious. All of us spent a solid month in the bathtub. The apartment is small, but it’s ours. We get to live next to the other girls in the program. We call on each other; we meet with the other girls sometimes. We develop friendships.” Kathy’s Place also helped Haugsdal get her toddler son help after he began having trouble adjusting to their new environment. “When we first got him here and got him into daycare, he wasn’t talking; his speech wasn’t real good,” Haugsdal said. “He was having outbursts. Kathy’s Place helped me find ways to help with that.” Haugsdal has been at Kathy’s Place since December 2023. In September, she finished her coursework at Carrington College in coding and billing and is currently working an externship. “I’m working for free ... but Kathy’s Place is helping me, because there’s zero way for me to succeed without them,” Haugsdal said. “The government assistance alone would not allow me to complete my externship and earn the certification and take care of my kids at home.” Because Haugsdal doesn’t earn a paycheck, Kathy’s Place charges her nothing in rent. They also meet with her weekly to help her stay on track with the short- and long-term goals they’ve helped her identify. “I would have quit three or four times by now if I was trying to do all this stuff myself,” Haugsdal said. “I would have gotten overwhelmed ... It’s like having a personal life coach. What they do here is amazing.” Haugsdal graduates from Carrington College in January, and she’s already thinking about how she’ll further her education and achieve her goals. “I want financial stability, and I want to not be on welfare,” Haugsdal said. “I want to not have to worry if I have enough money to get enough milk to make it through the month. I want my kids to have milk when they want it. I’m thinking about going back to school to study counseling. Before, I was scared to go to school. It was terrifying to me to think I’d go there and fail, a big waste of money. No matter what I’ll be able to work Monday through Friday, 9 to 5, and I’ll be home for my kids.” What your donation can do $25: Contributes to providing technology for moms, such as laptops, desktops and printers so they can do everyday tasks like pay their bills, print out notes from a lecture or access community resources. $50: Goes toward helping a mom pay her bills. Moms at Kathy’s Place pay 30% of their total income, but not more than $1,000 a month. A mom who is working an externship with no pay does not pay rent. The average mom pays $300 to $500 a month. $100: Helps pay the salary of a navigator who meets with moms once a week to discuss short and long-term goals, assist them in accessing resources and supports them so they can move from surviving to thriving in the community. The navigator keeps them on track and celebrates the wins. — Lori Tobias, for The Oregonian/OregonLive
Maputo – The ruling FRELIMO party in Mozambique appears to have taken a page out of Zanu PF’s 2013 election playbook, employing a shadowy social media figure, “Unay Cambuma,” to spread disinformation and sow confusion ahead of the controversial elections. The character, reminiscent of Zimbabwe’s infamous Baba Jukwa, has been using Facebook to post a mix of propaganda, conspiracy theories, and attacks against opposition leader Venâncio Mondlane. The posts aim to divert public attention from allegations of a rigged election and discourage mass protests, which have been growing in response to perceived electoral fraud. In the run up to the Zimbabwe’s 2013 elections, Zanu PF deployed the infamous Baba Jukwa, a supposed insider leaking information about the party. The enigmatic figure used social media to captivate the public, simultaneously spreading disinformation and undermining opposition cohesion. The tactic was part of a broader propaganda strategy that helped Zanu PF secure electoral victory despite widespread accusations of irregularities. Zanu PF’s sister party, FRELIMO in Mozambique, seems to be employing a similar strategy and created Unay Cambuma, a digital provocateur, to distract the populace from electoral disputes and direct attention away from the growing calls for democracy and accountability. Cambuma’s posts echo themes of resistance while subtly undermining opposition efforts. The ghost charecter’s latest messages include: The posts mix half-truths with blatant propaganda to fracture opposition movements and bolster FRELIMO’s grip on power. Given the similarities between Unay Cambuma and Baba Jukwa, questions arise about potential collaboration between Zanu PF and FRELIMO. Both parties share a history of leveraging propaganda and suppressing dissent to maintain power, and the exportation of Zanu PF’s disinformation model could be a strategic move to fortify FRELIMO’s regime. Mozambique’s political analysts warn that such tactics could further destabilise the country, undermining democratic processes and entrenching authoritarianism. As Mozambique faces mounting political tension, the influence of digital propaganda campaigns like Unay Cambuma cannot be underestimated. The international community and local activists must remain vigilant, countering disinformation and advocating for electoral transparency to uphold democracy in the region.
No. 22 St. John's, Georgia pack busy schedule with game on SundaySINGAPORE: Ringo Lee, a tour operator in Taiwan with over 30 years of experience, used to see brisk business from mainland tourists. “I used to own six large buses, ferrying tourists from mainland China around Taiwan for sightseeing every day,” he told CNA. That was in 2015. Lee has had to face a new reality in recent years. “I have none now, all of (those buses) have been sold," he lamented. “Today, there are virtually no tourists coming from across the strait.” Cross-strait tourism has effectively fallen into the doldrums over the past eight years, driven by a combination of politics and the pandemic. However, positive language from recent talks in Shanghai suggests an easing of travel curbs could be on the horizon, albeit at a city-to-city level, observers note. Analysts CNA spoke to believe this is a good first step in getting cross-strait tourism off the ground again, as well as in building mutual trust - although they caution this will require considerable goodwill from both sides. While the economic benefits to both Beijing and Taipei are clear, observers note that any action taken will invariably be politically tinged, posing concerns over whether it will last - especially as an increasingly assertive China eyes reunification while Taiwan baulks. BOOSTING TOURISM ON THE ITINERARY? Cross-strait tourism has become sharply limited since 2016 when Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party came into power. Amid heightened cross-strait tensions, the imposition of strict travel curbs due to the COVID-19 pandemic delivered another gut punch. China currently bars its citizens from travelling from the mainland to Taiwan for tourism. Mainland tourists from Fujian province are the exception - and even then, they can only visit Kinmen and Matsu. Meanwhile, Taiwan maintains a ban on group tours to mainland China. Taipei also raised its travel warnings for mainland China - along with Hong Kong and Macau - to the second-highest level in June, warning against “unnecessary travel”, after Beijing threatened the death penalty for “diehard” Taiwan separatists . But there have been recent indications that some easing of travel curbs could be on the cards. At the 2024 Shanghai-Taipei City Forum on Dec 17, Shanghai Vice Mayor Hua Yuan extended a cordial invitation to Taiwan residents to visit Shanghai. He also pledged to promote group tours to Taiwan for Shanghai residents, with Taipei as a key destination. Hua's remarks hint at a potential trial initiative to allow Shanghai residents to be the first to restart cross-strait tourism, said Lee, who is chairperson of the High-Quality Travel Association in Taipei as well as an assistant professor of tourism studies at Taipei City University of Science and Technology. "Starting with a city-to-city exchange allows trust to build gradually. It offers an ideal scenario where issues can be resolved at a local, non-central level, free from ideological and political interference," he said. A trial involving individual cities in both mainland China and Taiwan could be a “sensible option” for restarting cross-strait tourism, Lim Tai Wei, a professor from Soka University’s business faculty and an expert in East Asian studies, told CNA. But Lim emphasised that the “right political atmosphere” is ultimately necessary for such exchanges to be successful. Donald Trump’s return to the White House next month could also complicate matters, he pointed out, as how he addresses the Taiwan issue could significantly impact the future of cross-strait relations. TAIWANESE TOUR OPERATORS FEEL THE PINCH Cross-strait relations were arguably at their best between 2008 and 2016 when the Kuomintang’s (KMT) Ma Ying-Jeou was Taiwan’s president. During that time, direct sea, air and mail links were resumed after a six-decade ban. Mainland Chinese became Taiwan's largest source of inbound tourism within a year of the inaugural direct flight in 2008. By 2014, over 3 million Chinese tourists were visiting the island annually, according to government statistics. By 2016, mainlanders accounted for nearly half of the 10 million annual arrivals to the island, which has a population of 23 million. Since then, numbers have fallen off a cliff amid tough travel curbs. In the first ten months of this year, only around 14,000 mainland Chinese residents visited Taiwan for leisure, according to official Taiwanese data. Currently, only Chinese citizens who meet strict criteria are allowed to visit Taiwan for leisure, provided they depart from a third location and the trip is self-guided. This group represents less than one per cent of the entire market value chain, noted Lee the tour operator and industry academic. Taiwan’s tourism industry has endured "notable pains" in pivoting to alternative revenue streams since the decline in mainland Chinese tourist arrivals, with “a lot” of operators ending or abandoning investments made during the mainlander boom, Lee highlighted. "These extreme fluctuations in the number of mainland Chinese arrivals disrupt the market and distort related mechanisms. No other major tourist destination around the world faces a similar issue," he said. The indefinite suspension of group tours from Taiwan to mainland China has also caused significant economic losses for Taiwanese tour operators, over 90 per cent of whom organise such tours, Lee pointed out. Taiwan was set to lift the COVID-19-era restriction in March but halted the plan a month before, citing Beijing's failure to reciprocate the goodwill gesture. Lee asserts that demand in Taiwan for sightseeing visits to mainland China remains strong. According to China immigration data, mainland China welcomed 2.96 million Taiwanese visitors from the start of the year till October, a 68.4 per cent year-on-year increase. Analysts have attributed this upward trend to several mainland initiatives to attract Taiwanese visitors, including streamlined entry permit applications and discounted or complimentary tickets to major tourist attractions. With cross-strait tourism a far cry from its heyday, any boost would be welcome news to both Beijing and Taipei, analysts note. Taiwan is already grappling with a widening travel deficit, where more residents are heading abroad compared to the number of people who visited. Having access to mainland Chinese tourists would help narrow the gap and boost the island’s economy. Estimates suggest that outbound Taiwanese travellers could reach 17.5 million this year, while only 7.5 million international visitors are expected to come to Taiwan. This gap of 10 million trips and a trade value deficit of NT$738 billion (US$22.5 billion) would be the largest ever recorded. While allowing mainland Chinese tourists into Taiwan would be an economic boon for the island, the industry must beware of over-dependence, warned Wu Se-chih, director of the China Research Center at Taiwan Thinktank. He told CNA that based on past experiences, travel by mainland Chinese tourists has typically been heavily restricted, with requirements to sign up with designated operators and adhere to fixed itineraries. “This practice tends to benefit only a small group of industry players, with very little trickling down to the broader business community," he said. "Moreover, Chinese authorities have the ability to 'turn off the tap' whenever they choose, when it comes to allowing tourists into Taiwan. This presents significant risk and uncertainty to the sector." Meanwhile, China is trying to boost a stuttering economy weighed down by geopolitical and trade tensions with the West, as well as challenges at home like a beleaguered property market and a rapidly ageing population. “Taiwan, as a Northeast Asian entity, currently has the highest per capita income in the region, excluding Hong Kong and Macau. This makes it a significant source of tourism consumption for China, representing a clear convergence of interests between the two sides," said Lim from Soka University. TOURISM AS A BARGAINING CHIP While the economic gains are clear, analysts warn that any moves made to boost cross-strait tourism - if they do materialise - will inevitably have a political dimension. Taiwan Thinktank’s Wu asserts that both mainland China and Taiwan have strategically used tourism as a bargaining chip, particularly in their attempts to gain a “political upper hand” over one another. "We've seen both sides publicly express a willingness to facilitate more tourism visits for residents on both sides, but despite the passage of time, there has been little to no progress,” he noted. This is because any potential move by either side is tied to their respective political agendas, Wu noted. “For China, it views mainland Chinese arrivals as an 'economic gift', while for Taiwan, under the DPP leadership, it's about maintaining a firm stance against China’s carrot and stick cross-strait approach," he explained. Beijing views Taiwan as a part of China and has vowed to reunify it, by force if necessary. On the day of the Shanghai-Taipei forum, a spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office stated in response to a query that the mainland welcomes the early restoration of tourism to Taiwan for mainland residents. At the same time, the spokesperson urged Taiwan’s ruling DPP to remove existing restrictions and obstacles on cross-strait exchanges and cooperation. Taiwan's Minister of Transportation Chen Shih-kai said the following day that Taiwan would review and consider relaxing the ban on group tours and other tourism exchanges - if the mainland lifted its political restrictions. Lee, the tour operator and academic, hopes that both Beijing and Taipei can leave politics out of the equation, at least when it comes to cross-strait tourism. "(We) in the industry often hope that politics would not interfere with the development of tourism exchanges with mainland China. We wish for an open and free market, similar to what exists with other travel destinations," he added. But such a hope is effectively a pipe dream, said Soka University’s Lim. "When it comes to cross-strait matters, it is impossible for both sides to set aside their political standpoints and differences to establish a free and open market,” he explained.
The sought-after PlayStation 5 is at an all-time low price on AmazonPassengers on board Air India flight from Copenhagen to Delhi fight over armrest spaceThe Trump White House is likely to ignite another round of inflation in new trade and tech wars. And that could drive US-China ties to the edge. IF the 2021-2023 inflation surge in America killed Biden's second term by instigating widespread voter frustration, Trump's economic agenda is likely to pose a triple threat to US price stability — and to US-China ties. Register to read this story and more for free . Signing up for an account helps us improve your browsing experience. OR See our subscription options.
How far do Elon Musk and Reform UK share a political vision?Taylor Wimpey plc (OTCMKTS:TWODY) Sees Significant Decrease in Short Interest