DUBLIN, February 26 -- Sinn Féin MP Chris Hazzard has said the British Parliament is locked in a delusional bubble where it can’t decide if it even wants a Brexit deal or not. The South Down MP said: “What was proposed by Theresa May today at Westminster is indicative of the chaos in the British Parliament. “After two years and less than a month away from a potential cliff-edge crash-out the British Parliament still can’t make up its mind whether it even wants a deal or not. “The British Parliament and British political system is in total disarrray and is locked in a delusional bubble. “None of what is happening in Westminster is in the Interests of Ireland. “What we need to see is the EU and the Irish government standing firm and protecting the Irish backstop.”
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BARCELONA, February 26 -- Current lap time results [4pm] from the second Formula 1 pre-season test at Circuit de Catalunya. 1. Pierre Gasly FRA Aston Martin Red Bull Racing Honda RB15 1m17.715s 83 laps 2. Sebastian Vettel GER Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow SF90 1m17.925s 31 laps** 3. Lance Stroll CAN SportPesa Racing Pont F1 Team RP19 1m18.519s 61 laps 4. Antonio Giovinazzi ITA Alfa Romeo Racing C38 1m18.589s 76 laps 5. Charles Leclerc MON Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow SF90 1m18.651s 29 laps* 6. Kevin Magnussen DEN Rich Energy Haas F1 Team VF-19 1m18.888s 100 laps 7. George Russell GBR ROKiT Williams Racing FW42 1m19.662s 85 laps 8. Alexander Albon THA Red Bull Toro Rosso Honda STR14 1m19.689s 64 laps 9. Lewis Hamilton GBR Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport W10 1m20.332s 83 laps* 10. Nico Hulkenberg GER Renault F1 Team R.S.19 1m20.348s 80 laps* 11. Daniel Ricciardo AUS Renault F1 Team R.S.19 1m21.141s 26 laps** 12. Lando Norris GBR McLaren F1 Team MCL34 1m22.306s 71 laps 13. Valtteri Bottas FIN Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport W10 No time 1 lap** * Morning only ** Afternoon only "Regional bourses gain as trade war thaws" BANGKOK, February 26 -- Most stock exchanges across Asia rallied yesterday, with the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) index gaining 0.76%, buoyed by the US's announcement to delay punitive tariffs on Chinese exports. Most stock exchanges across Asia rallied yesterday, with the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) index gaining 0.76%, buoyed by the US's announcement to delay punitive tariffs on Chinese exports. The US is delaying a planned increase of tariffs on more than US$200 billion in Chinese exports after both sides hailed "substantial progress" made in trade talks, reported AFP. US President Donald Trump said he planned to hold a summit with China's president at his Florida estate to ink a deal. Such positive bilateral trade negotiations led to investors' upbeat sentiment, with China's Shanghai SE Composite index rising the most by 5.6%. On the domestic front, the SET index closed at 1,671.75 points, up 12.55 points, in turnover worth 56.7 billion baht. Institutional investors and brokerage firms were net buyers of shares worth 3.1 billion and 236 million baht, respectively. "I expect the situation surrounding the Sino-US trade war will be better from this point forward," said SCB Securities senior vice-president Pornthep Jubandhu. Foreign capital should return to emerging markets including Thailand, said Mr Pornthep. Thailand's upcoming general election also provides support in boosting private consumption, he said. "Even though sentiment between the US and China is improving, Thai exports will not recover suddenly. Trade will take around six months to see a tangible impact, with the services sector being affected the most right now," said Mr Pornthep. Market participants are closely observing two factors: the US's planned tariffs on imported automobiles and the US's trade deficit with China, he said. An analyst from DBS Vickers Securities Thailand, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the SET's positive momentum came from the fruitful trade negotiations and the US Federal Reserve pausing its interest rate normalisation, stopping the reduction of its balance sheet until the end of this year. But negotiations on Brexit, domestic political uncertainty and fourth-quarter earnings of SET-listed firms are still keeping a lid on investor confidence, said the analyst. Fourth-quarter performance and dividend payments are the factors to watch. BARCELONA, February 26 -- Mercedes has kicked off its running in the second Formula 1 pre-season test at Barcelona with a number of new aerodynamic components in the pursuit of extra performance. The team launched with a front wing design noticeably different to the others seen on the grid, most interestingly using an endplate design which appeared to guide airflow inwards, rather than the outwashing endplates used by everyone else. Although it seemed that the combination of the endplate and front wing flap adjuster together could ultimately channel airflow around the tyre, Mercedes has resurfaced for the second week of testing with a new design. The new endplate now directs airflow outboard, and the top corner at the trailing edge features a small square cut-out - which ends the production of the tip vortex from the endplate sooner, which can then be guided outwards by the airflow from the wing spilling over. The nosecone has also undergone a slight redesign, where the top edges either side of the Pirelli logo have been tucked in. This gives airflow an easier path to drop down onto the 'cape' area, at which it's able to develop a greater low-pressure zone underneath. Together, these changes seem to hint at Mercedes's first steps to iron out the handling issues reported by the drivers after the first test, aiming to increase front-end downforce. Two fins have been placed on top of the chassis bulkhead too, either side of the S-duct outlet, offering extra control over airflow around the suspension components and down the flanks of the chassis. Furthermore, the floor has also showcased a number of new additions, including six new fins along the edge. Three of these assist with directing airflow outwards through the primary floor slot, while the other three are grouped together to collectively develop further outwash ahead of the diagonally-cut rear slots in the floor. The team has also added a brand new T-wing to the bottom of the engine cover, double-stacking the elements to assist with cleaning up airflow ahead of the rear wing and eke out a little extra downforce. Retaining the strakes at either side of the wing, a vortex can continue to form and fold below the rear wing, increasing the effect of the suction surface. Toro Rosso has also kicked off testing with a number of new parts, debuting a new rear wing with a straighter leading edge along with a new T-wing.
For starters
Ik zeg expres geen weeshuis, want ik schat dat zo’n 90% van de kinderen waar ik mee werkte helemaal geen wees was. Vaak hadden ze nog één of beide ouders, of toch in ieder geval een naast familielid dat bereid was voor ze te zorgen. Ik ga zo vertellen over dingen waar ik (indirect) getuige van ben geweest. TW: seksueel geweld. In Oeganda werkte ik o.a. voor een NGO (gestart door 2 Belgen), die daar een tehuis runden voor zogenaamde wezen. Nadat ik een woordje Luganda had leren spreken en ik met de kinderen die geen Engels spraken kon praten, bleek dat ze vaak gewoon ouders hadden, en terug wilden. “Auntie Charlotte, we want to go back to our familie, but mama [die Vlaamse vrouw] will not let us.” Ik heb het tientallen keren te horen gekregen en iedere keer probeerde ik in gesprek te gaan met de directie, maar tevergeefs. Waarom niet? Omdat kinderen, zeker als ze piepjong zijn, geld in het laatje brengen. Ieder kind in ‘t tehuis had tenminste 3 sponsors, voornamelijk uit de VS. Drie sponsors per kind (150 kids) die allemaal minstens €30 per maand storten: tel uit je winst in een land als Oeganda. Dat is alleen al bijna €14.000 per maand aan sponsorgeld van particulieren, en dan hebben we het nog niet gehad over grote, Nederlandse bedrijven die dit soort tehuizen jaarlijks sponsoren en geen idee hebben wat zich achter de schermen afspeelt. Ondertussen kregen die kinderen elke dag hetzelfde te eten: ugali (weinig voedzame maïspap) of rijst, met een piepklein beetje groente en vrijwel nooit vlees of vis. Aan supplementen werd niet gedaan. Die twee Belgen waren ondertussen beiden morbide obees. Toen die Belgische “mama” een keer in een recalcitrante bui was, heb ik haar horen zeggen: “Die kinderen kunnen me gestolen worden, maar dat geld...” FYI: zij en haar man woonden in een landhuis met personeel, na in hun thuisland al meerdere keren failliet te zijn gegaan. Als je als witte westerling rijk wil worden: begin een weeshuis in Sub-Sahara Afrika. Zij waren het levende bewijs en ik heb het daarna nog tálloze keren gezien. De kinderen waarmee ik bij die NGO werkte, waren bijna allemaal ex-straatkinderen en op extreem jonge leeftijd met seks en seksueel misbruik in aanraking gekomen. Het vereist geen rocket science om te bedenken dat die kinderen begeleiding en intensieve counseling nodig hebben. “Daar is geen geld voor,” vertelden die Belgen mij altijd. Meanwhile waren zij continu op vakantie en vraten ze alles wat los en vast zat. Met welk geld? Hun financiële jaaroverzicht weigerden ze openbaar te maken. Ik heb er vaak om gevraagd. Op een gegeven moment kwamen de Oegandese social workers (die toch vooral bezig waren met basic verzorging) erachter dat de oudere ex-straatkinderen (jongetjes vanaf een jaar of 8) ‘s nachts de baby-ward binnenglipten.. en daar de baby’s stelselmatig verkrachtten. Ik heb ‘t aangekaart bij de directie, en ik was niet de enige. “We are aware of this,” zeiden de Belgen. “We’ve talked to the boys and they will not do it again.” Ondertussen ging ‘t misbruik gewoon door- de baby’s werden al compleet panisch als je in de buurt van hun luier kwam. Ik heb contact gehad met de politie ter plekke, maar deze twee figuren kochten de politie stelselmatig om, en dus werd er nooit een werkelijk onderzoek gestart. Bij deze NGO woonde ook een meisje dat hiv had. Dit was op tijd geconstateerd en ze kreeg hiervoor medicatie (die aansloeg), maar de andere kinderen waren op de hoogte van haar hiv-status en pestten haar genadeloos. Ze werd steeds depressiever en wilde alleen nog maar dood. Meerdere keren hebben werknemers gehamerd op counseling, therapie en groepsgesprekken met alle kinderen. Tevergeefs. “Daar is geen geld voor,” was wederom het antwoord. Ondertussen weigerde het meisje nog langer haar hiv-remmers te slikken. Eindstand Niet veel later was ze overleden. Compleet onnodig. In Nederland heet dit dood door schuld. In Oeganda ontvingen deze twee figuren door alle zielige posts die ze over haar overlijden op Facebook plaatsen alleen nog maar meer donaties vanuit NL, België en de VS. Het was er zo’n hell hole, dat de kinderen (ex-straatkinderen!) die bij dit project woonden vaak liever wegrenden en weer verder op straat leefden. Ik kwam ze soms tegen als ik in Kampala was, en gaf ze dan wat te eten of kleingeld. Eén keer kwam er een jonge, alleenstaande moeder aan onze gate. “Hello, I don’t have the financial resources to look after my daughter right now. Can she stay here for a few months? I will come pick her up soon.” “Sure,” zeiden die Belgen. Alles was mondeling afgesproken. Na een paar maanden kwam ze inderdaad terug. Ik was inmiddels niet meer in Oeganda en hoorde achteraf dat die Belgische vrouw haar had gezegd: “She is our daughter now.” Het is nu VIER jaar later en dat meisje woont nog steeds bij die Belgen. Die moeder had geen poot om op te staan. Geen schriftelijk bewijs of contract, geen geboortecerticaat.. ze kon niks. En dit gebeurt vaker. Niet alleen in Oeganda, maar ook in Ghana, Zuid-Afrika, Kenia en ga maar door, En waarom? Omdat kleine kinderen geld binnen halen. Hoe kleiner, hoe beter. Hoe kleiner, hoe meer geld. Hoe kleiner, hoe schattiger de foto’s op de socials, hoe meer nieuwe sponsors. Een Nederlandse vriendin van mij heeft bij een NGO gerund door twee Nederlanders gewerkt, ook in Oeganda. En is er daar getuige van geweest hoe die Nederlandse directeur letterlijk HOUTEN STOKKEN kapot sloeg op de ruggen van kleuters. Deze twee Nederlanders, een echtpaar, zijn in de Nederlandse media regelmatig op tv en worden dan als ware helden bejubeld. Omdat ze zogenaamd hun hele leven wijden aan het verzorgen van “kansarme, Afrikaanse kinderen die anders dood zouden zijn.” Mijn dikke reet. Again, we zijn naar de politie gegaan. Heeft het nut? Nee, want met het sponsorgeld dat ze binnenhalen is het makkelijk de politie ter plekke stelselmatig om te kopen, en gewoon lekker je gang te blijven gaan. Arme ouders worden door westerlingen betaald hun kinderen af te staan om weeshuizen mee te vullen, overal in Sub-Sahara Afrika. Baby’s worden uit couveuses in ziekenhuizen gestolen. Jonge kinderen worden van straat weggeplukt en ontvoerd. O ja, laten we het ook effe hebben over westerse, volwassen vrouwen in de 20, die de oudste jongens in dit soort tehuizen (16/17 jaar) verleiden tot seks. Ik heb het gezien, en vaak ook. Of die jongens nou ‘consent’ geven, het is verkrachting en grove misbruik van je positie. Iedere westerse randdebiel met een zak geld en slechte intenties vindt wel een mogelijkheid om ergens een weeshuis te openen. Regelmatig blijkt weer een pedofiel ‘n weeshuis te hebben geopend (gebeurt ook in Zuid-Oost-Azië veel), die jarenlang ongestoord tekeer heeft kunnen gaan. Ik heb in al die jaren in Sub-Sahara Afrika ÉÉN tehuis bezocht waar ik geen slecht gevoel bij had. Dat gerund werd door mensen uit het land zelf. Dat niet te veel kinderen aannam. En waar maandenlang gezocht werd naar mogelijke familie. Een weeshuis moet een last resort zijn. Weeshuistoerisme wordt steeds strenger aangepakt in veel landen onder de Sahara, waaronder Oeganda. Maar het gaat allemaal erg langzaam en die stromen voluntourists, die blijven komen. Ik zie ze overal. Ik was ooit een van hen. Die NGO in Oeganda waar ik werkte probeer ik al jaren te sluiten. De Oegandese overheid heeft vorig jaar een lijst gepubliceerd van kindertehuizen die gesloten zouden gaan worden, maar het betreffende tehuis is nog altijd open. Logisch ook, want er stonden letterlijk HONDERDEN tehuizen op die lijst. Wel heb ik hun grootste Nederlandse sponsor na maanden van overleg ervan weten te overtuigen hun jaarlijkse donatie in te trekken. Maar het is niet genoeg. Want die kinderen, die zitten daar nog steeds. Te wachten op hun ouders. Conclusie Conclusie van dit verhaal: als je dan als vrijwilliger aan het werk wil gaan in Sub-Sahara Afrika of Zuid-Oost-Azië, ga dan sowieso NIET naar een weeshuis. Over alle hechtingsproblematiek die daar ontstaat heb ik het nog niet eens gehad. That’s a story for another day. Ondersteun liever een lokaal project dat bijvoorbeeld met straatkinderen werkt, maar vraag jezelf ten alle tijden af: ben ik gekwalificeerd om dit werk te doen? Want I sure as hell wasn’t en dat geldt voor het overgrote deel van de vrijwilligers. Tot slot: ik ga hier later nog over door emmeren maar moet nu weer aan het werk. Feel free om te delen en toe te voegen. Dit zijn helaas geen zeldzaamheden. ISLAMABAD, February 26 -- Indian fighter jets on Tuesday crossed into Pakistani territory, conducting what the foreign ministry termed a "non-military pre-emptive action" against armed group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). This after dramatically escalating tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors weeks after a suicide attack in the disputed Kashmir region. Pakistan first reported the Indian airspace incursion, with Pakistani military spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor saying Pakistani air force jets were scrambling to respond, forcing the Indian aircraft to "release [their] payload in haste while escaping". Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale, however, asserted that the jets had hit their target, and that "a very large number of JeM terrorists, trainers, senior commanders and groups of jihadis who were being trained for fidayeen action were eliminated." "The government of India is firmly and resolutely committed to taking all necessary measures to fight the menace of terrorism," he told reporters in New Delhi. "Hence this non-military pre-emptive action was specifically targeted at the Jaish-e-Mohammed camp." C Uday Bhaskar, the director of the Society for Policy Studies based in New Delhi said: "India has sent a very firm signal." "The fact that air power has been used for the first time against a terrorist target to my mind signaled to Pakistan that India is demonstrating resolve in terms of using military power particularly air power," he said. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with his top government officials in New Delhi where he was briefed about the predawn air attacks. Reports from New Delhi, said that the Indian government has been under a lot of pressure to act in the wake of the Kashmir attack. "This attack was expected and one of the reasons it was delayed was the visit of the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the region," Jamil said. "But everyone did expect that this would somehow happen sometime soon especially with [general] elections coming up in April." "Trade optimism lifts spirits, SET leads region" BANGKOK, February 25 -- Recap: Global stock markets rebounded late in the week as investors anticipated a positive outcome of US-China trade negotiations. Thailand led regional peers, helped by gains in consumer and energy stocks and shrugging off a fall in exports in January. The SET index moved in a range of 1,635.71 and 1,661.09 points before closing at 1,659.20, up 1.4% from the previous week, in moderate turnover averaging 47 billion baht a day. Foreign investors were net buyers of 10.35 billion baht, while brokerage firms bought 1.3 billion and institutional investors purchased 705.7 million worth of shares. Retail investors were net sellers of 12.4 billion. Newsmakers The founder of the Chinese telecom giant Huawei has hit back at US efforts to blacklist the company and denied there are any "backdoors" in its technology to spy for Beijing. US President Donald Trump said the trade talks with China were complex but were "going very well" and reiterated that the deadline for raising tariffs could be extended, saying March 1 was "not a magical date". British officials are in Brussels seeking new guarantees from the EU rather than demanding the Brexit divorce deal be reopened, sources said on Thursday. Bloomberg also reported that Prime Minister Theresa May might seek a three-month extension of the March 29 deadline for leaving the union. Malaysian authorities have filed money-laundering charges against a British national who had worked for former prime minister Najib Razak as a media adviser. Mr Najib is also facing numerous charges in connection with the disappearance of billions of dollars from the state fund 1MDB. HSBC said its pre-tax profit rose last year but it suffered a bruising final quarter as worries over the global economy and the US-China trade war began to bite. Thailand's economy grew at the fastest pace in six years in 2018, with fourth-quarter GDP expansion of 3.7% year-on-year beating expectations on higher domestic demand and growing tourism arrivals. The baht on Wednesday soared to its highest level against the dollar in more than five years on hopes that the US and China would be able to secure a trade deal. The use of free trade agreement privileges and the Generalised System of Preferences by Thai exporters topped nearly US$80 billion in 2018, outpacing the target of $70.8 billion set by the government. The Stock Exchange of Thailand is considering extending the night trading period for gold futures to serve high demand amid foreign-exchange fluctuations and prospects of slower global economic growth. The National Legislative Assembly has approved an amendment to the SEC Act to pave the way for scripless securities issuance and tokenised securities via blockchain. Foreign investors remain confident about Thai economic prospects, but fret over the connectivity between the Eastern Economic Corridor and related infrastructure developments, anti-corruption policy and the direction of free trade agreements, according to the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand. Financial uncertainties and a global economic slowdown have prompted investors to reduce their exposure to high-risk assets, which could change market conditions, says Tisco Asset Management. The US recruitment agency Manpower Group Thailand forecasts an unemployment rate in 2019 of 1.1% to 1.2%, or between 418,000 and 450,000 people, compared with 400,000 in 2018. The number of housing transfers jumped in the fourth quarter last year, with the figure expected to continue rising in the first quarter of 2019 as buyers rush to avoid tighter mortgage lending rules that will take effect on April 1. The Thai Retailers Association (TRA) says it stands by its position that there should no longer be a master concession for duty-free business at Suvarnabhumi airport. The current King Power monopoly expires in 2020 and Airports of Thailand is preparing to call bids for a new concession. The TRA says the concession at Suvarnabhumi should be split into at least four contracts. Thailand ranked No.1 for mobile banking users, second for ownership of cryptocurrency, and third in mobile commerce, according to the Global Digital Report 2019. The Bank of Thailand expects 10 financial and non-financial institutions to soon complete testing facial recognition for electronic Know Your Customer (e-KYC) technology. This could pace the way for passbook account opening through mobile banking apps to begin in the second quarter. SET-listed Siam Cement Group (SCG), Thailand's largest industrial conglomerate, is preparing to expand investment in logistics and service businesses to serve the Eastern Economic Corridor. SET-listed Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding Plc (RATCH) has earmarked 16-26 billion baht for 2019 capital expenditure. SET-listed Thai Union Group Plc (TU), the global seafood conglomerate, reported lower net profit and sales last year, due in large part to a strong baht in the first quarter. Full-year net profit fell 13.4% to 5.2 billion baht. Coming up Germany will release preliminary March consumer confidence on Tuesday. The EU will release February business confidence on Wednesday, with Canada announcing January inflation. On Thursday, the US will announce revised fourth-quarter 2018 GDP growth, Britain will release February consumer confidence and Germany will release February inflation figures. China will release manufacturing PMI readings on Thursday and Friday, and Japan will release February consumer confidence on Friday. On the same day, the US will release personal income and spending data for December and January. Stocks to watch: Asia Plus Securities recommends hospitality firms as they are poised to benefit from tourism growth. Its picks are ERW, MINT and CENTEL. DBS Vickers Securities Thailand recommends accumulating stocks expecting to report Q1 earnings, with top picks AOT, BBL, CPALL, HANA, PTT and WHA. Yuanta Securities Thailand recommends accumulating defensive stocks with cheap valuations and high dividends, among them SCB, SCC, TISCO, KKP, QH and PSH. Technical view: Capital Nomura Securities sees support at 1,640 points and resistance at 1,688. RHB Securities Thailand sees support at 1,620 and resistance at 1,670. The others are said to be a meaningful vote on the Brexit deal, as planned, or a "conditional vote" on legal advice by the Attorney General. Remain-backing junior minister Tobias Ellwood today said he is "encouraging" a delay if there's no deal.
"If we cannot get this deal across the line, we are facing the prospect of having to extend," he told the BBC. He refused to rule out Theresa May announcing a delay herself in the House of Commons this week. "That I don't know - I'm encouraging that to happen", he said. "The Prime Minister is listening and is recognising the fact that we have tried very, very hard in order to secure a deal." Mr Ellwood said the damage of no deal now "overshadows" any leverage it had in negotiations with the EU, and slammed the Tory ERG of Brexiteers for keeping it on the table. "There's been a bloc voice in our party that has hindered the prime minister getting this across the line," he added. Tory ministers are in open warfare over whether to delay Brexit. Over the weekend Cabinet ministers Amber Rudd, David Gauke and Greg Clark publicly demanded a delay if there is no agreement. That prompted fury from Cabinet Brexiteers, while grassroots Tories backed a motion saying a delay would "betray" voters and "damage democracy" at the National Conservative Convention. If Mrs May does announce a delay, she could claim it is needed to head off a rebellion by MPs this week. 北京2月25日电 题, 过了元宵节,按照传统习俗,2019年春节就算是画上了句号。充满亲情的年节过完了,这就意味着新的征程又将开启。 不论是已经回到工作岗位的上班族,还是正在收拾行装准备外出的务工者,不论是即将开工的企业工厂,还是又要开学的莘莘学子……经过年节的沉淀,每个人都在整理着自己的思绪与规划。在朋友圈里,在互动区里,在相互交谈中,人们深刻感受着彼此对未来人生热烈的憧憬,对美好生活执着的向往——要通过自己的努力让收入更高一些,可以租个大点儿的房子把孩子接到身边,希望订单接到手软,祈祷考上心仪的学校……每个人都有自己的小目标,丰富而多彩;每个人都找到了努力的方向,充实而笃定。 “对于一只盲目的船来说,所有方向的风都是逆风。”“无目标的努力,有如在黑暗中远征。”古老的谚语告诉人们,拥有目标是一件多么重要的事情,为实现目标而奋斗是一种多么难能可贵的品格。勤劳勇敢的中国人,正是这样一群有目标、敢奋斗的追梦人,因为深知美好生活要靠双手创造、幸福都是奋斗出来的,所以不惧风雨、不惧路远,在自己目标的轨道里坚定前行,以奋斗的姿态绘就这个国家最生动的图景。 当近14亿中国人都在信心满满地向着小目标奔跑的时候,这个国家前进的步伐就是扎扎实实的,这个国家未来的愿景就是清晰而饱满的。 家是最小国,国是千万家。家与国,从来两相依;个体价值、家庭梦想的实现,从来都与国家民族的命运紧密相连。个体在努力创造幸福人生的同时,也在参与创造伟大时代——一个个小目标串联在一起、融汇在一起,搭建起不断向上的阶梯,凝聚成持续向前的势与能,让国家可以走向更高、走得更远;个体在为民族复兴贡献力量的同时,也在共享人生出彩的机会——中国梦是每一个中国人的梦,个人梦想的达成推动国家梦想的实现,国家梦想的实现保障个人梦想的达成,让一个个小目标在现实中落地、生花。 当人民对美好生活的向往成为国家的奋斗目标,当个体梦想与国家梦想融为一体,每一个人都是新时代的奋斗者,你的小目标就是这个国家的大信心。 大自然的春天已经来临,小草正在积蓄勃发的力量,树木也在悄悄孕育新芽。奋斗的春天正吹响号角,一年一度全国两会脚步渐近,诸多大事、要事、喜事也将接连登场。2019年的画卷已经铺开,有山峦等待攀登,有河流等待跨越,有果实等待采摘,有美好生活等待开创。 请带上你的小目标,从这个春天出发,满怀信心,向前去! NEW YORK, February 25 -- Peter Farrell’s Green Book won the Oscar for best picture at the 91st Academy Awards. ABC broadcasted the ceremony live from the Dolby Theater. The movie is based on a real-life road trip through the deep south in the early 1960s. Other nominations in the category included Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Favorite, Alfonso Cuaron’s Roma, Bryan Singer’s Bohemian Rhapsody, Bradley Cooper’s A Star is Born, Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman, Adam Mckay’s Vice, and Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther. Alfonso Cuaron took the best director award for Roma, as well as a victory in the best foreign language film and best cinematography. Rami Malek has won the Oscar for best actor at the 91st Academy Awards for his role as Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody, while Olivia Colman has won the best actress Oscar for her role in The Favourite. Mahershala Ali has won the Oscar for best supporting actor for his role as Don Shirley in Green Book. Regina King won the best supporting actress Oscar for her role in If Beale Street Could Talk. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, produced by The Lego Movie’s Phil Lord and Chris Miller, has won the Oscar for best animated feature. WASHINGTON, February 24 -- US President Donald Trump has welcomed sanctions imposed by Russia and China on the border with North Korea. "The last thing China wants are large scale nuclear weapons right next door. Sanctions placed on the border by China and Russia have been very helpful," Trump tweeted on Sunday. The US president blogged that he is leaving for Hanoi, Vietnam, early on Monday to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. "’We both expect a continuation of the progress made at first Summit in Singapore. Denuclearization?" the president wrote, adding that he has "great relationship with Chairman Kim". According to the US president, Kim Jong Un "realizes, perhaps better than anyone else, that without nuclear weapons, his country could fast become one of the great economic powers anywhere in the World." "Because of its location and people (and him), it has more potential for rapid growth than any other nation!" he wrote in his Twitter account. Trump also hailed Chinese President Xi Jinping for helping to organize a second US-North Korea summit, due next week. On June 12, Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un held a historic meeting - the first-ever between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader - in Singapore. They signed a joint statement, pledging to implement the stipulations in the document fully and expeditiously. North Korea committed to work towards denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in return for security guarantees from the United States. Manila, February 24 -- The Philippines's top diplomat has defended his comments on Nazi Germany and Adolf Hitler's massacre of Jews as "historical fact", amid brewing diplomatic tension between Manila and Berlin. Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr wrote on social media on Saturday that President Rodrigo Duterte's previous comparison of his deadly war on drugs to the Nazi leader's killing of millions of Jews during the Holocaust "is a metaphor". "The killing of 6M Jews, 20M Russians & innocents like Anne Frank in WW2 is historical fact," Locsin added in the Twitter post. Locsin's comment followed reports on Friday that Germany's foreign ministry had summoned the Philippines's acting ambassador to Berlin, to protest earlier remarks he had made about Duterte's controversial Holocaust statement to a journalist during a visit to the German capital on Monday. In the interview with ARD journalist Arnd Henze, Locsin responded to a question about Duterte's 2016 remarks, in which the head of state appeared to compare himself to Hitler, and said he would be "happy to slaughter" millions of drug addicts in the Philippines, like the Nazis did to millions of Jews. "I said the same thing," Locsin told Henze. "I myself said the same thing before he even said it." In a statement on Friday, the Department of Foreign Affairs in the Philippines described a clip of an interview as "unfortunate" and "biased". "The video posted by Mr Henze on his blog is incomplete and misleading. It failed to show Mr Henze's deliberate attempts to provoke Secretary Locsin into giving controversial remarks," it said. In response to Germany's diplomatic protest, Locsin said on Friday: "Rich, coming from one of those who did not just comment on it but perpetrated it." In a separate post, Locsin confirmed the summons writing on Twitter, "Yes, what now? Berlin embassy is handling it; I already told them to tell the German Foreign Ministry to send the German ambassador to me because I'd rather finish my own fights than have others do it." Writing in the Filipino language, Locsin ended his post with a quip seen by critics as homophobic. PARIS, February 23 -- The French Yellow Vests, who for three months have protested against the tax and social policies of President Emmanuel Macron, took to the streets on Saturday for the 15th consecutive round of demonstrations. “We’re thinking about the future of our children, and the single mothers who are currently struggling,” said 58-year-old widow Sylvie, who spoke to the AFP news agency. Sylvie was part of a group of Yellow Vests who gathered at the Chambord chateau to hold a picnic. Chambord, a popular tourist attraction in the Centre-Val de Loire region, was built by King Francis I and was chosen by Macron to celebrate his 40th birthday in 2017. In Paris, hundreds of protesters were gathered on the Champs d’Elysee at midday, according to a journalist with the AFP news agency. Two marches are expected in the French capital as well as one in the city’s “beautiful quartiers”. Nearly 4,000 people had said by Friday night that they would take part in the demonstrations, a figure that doesn't necessarily represent the number of protesters who will actually turn out. Some 5,000 “gilet jaunes” marched in the capital last Saturday, according to the authorities. Daily newspaper Le Parisien led with an article entitled “Breathless” on its Saturday front-page with a photo of a single Yellow Vest protester occupying part of a roundabout. The Yellow Vest movement counted some 282,000 people when the protests began on 17 November. The demonstrations were marked by their apolitical nature and lack of alignment with any trade unions, focusing on the increase in fuel prices and diminishing purchasing power. The movement represented one of the worse crises to hit Macron’s term of office since he came to power in 2017. However, there were no more than 41,000 people involved in protests last Saturday, according to official statistics that the Yellow Vest movement itself contests. “A movement which fades,” said Le Parisien, one of the only French dailies to consecrate a significant part of its coverage to Yellow Vest protests.
Fears over violence Violent clashes that have accompanied each demonstration as well as the inability of the movement to unite around one common cause or leader have led to a diminishing turnout for the regular protests. French people largely support the protest movement, although more than half the population believes that it should end, according to a survey by Ifop published by Le Journal du Dimanche on 17 February. After three months of protests, the authorities have increasingly tried to take control of the situation. The government rushed through some 10 billion euros of concessions including tax cuts and an increase in the minimum wage. Macron has also launched his “big debate” initiative with the aim of giving angry Yellow Vests the opportunity to express their frustration. Eleven people have been killed since the start of the demonstrations, most of those have been accidents in the vicinity of barricades erected by the Yellow Vests. Protesters frequently point the finger at “police violence” as the reason behind the nearly 2,000 people injured during the demonstrations. More than 200 reports of abuse carried out by security forces have been made to the internal police watchdog. CARACAS, February 23 -- The first aid shipment from the United States has passed into Venezuela despite efforts by forces loyal to President Nicolas Maduro, according to Juan Guaidó, the country's self-declared interim leader. Guaidó announced the successful border crossing of the first aid truck Saturday morning on his Twitter account, calling it a "great achievement" according to a translation. "Attention Venezuela! We officially announce that the first shipment of humanitarian aid has already entered our border with Brazil. This is a great achievement, Venezuela!" he wrote. ¡Atención Venezuela! Anunciamos oficialmente que YA ENTRÓ el primer cargamento de ayuda humanitaria por nuestra frontera con Brasil. ¡Esto es un gran logro, Venezuela! ¡Seguimos! #23FAvalanchaHumanitaria — Juan Guaidó (@jguaido) February 23, 2019 The remaining convoy of trucks was headed to the border of Venezuela as of 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, according to The Associated Press. The interim leader, who previously led Venezuela's National Assembly, called on allies of Maduro's predecessor Hugo Chavez on Saturday to join his cause and support his government over that of Maduro. "This fight is for everyone and for all Venezuelans. I want to make a special call to the people of Chavez and those who were close to join the Constitution, the democratic coexistence and the welfare of all," he added in a second tweet: Esta lucha es de todos y por todos los venezolanos. Quiero hacerle un especial llamado al pueblo chavista y a quienes estuvieron cerca a que se sumen al lado de la constitución, de la convivencia democrática y el bienestar para todos. pic.twitter.com/grB6UFfm4T — Juan Guaidó (@jguaido) February 23, 2019 The announcement comes just a day after a violent clash on Venezuela's border with Colombia resulted in the deaths of two indigenous people at the hands of Maduro's troops, according to a local mayor, as well as other injuries to protesters angry at Maduro's closure of the border over Guaidó's efforts to bring humanitarian aid into the country. Maduro has stated that the aid trucks are part of an effort led by the U.S. to support a coup against his government, and has refused to step down. The White House urged Maduro on Friday to allow aid to "peacefully" enter the country. "Egregious violation of human rights by Maduro and those who are following his orders will not go unpunished. The United States strongly urges the Venezuelan military to uphold its constitutional duty to protect the citizens of Venezuela. The Venezuelan military must allow humanitarian aid to peacefully enter the country. The world is watching," press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said. PYONGYANG, February 23 -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has started his train journey from Pyongyang to Hanoi (Vietnam), where he is set to meet with US President Donald Trump next week. The source informed that around 17:00 local time (11:00 Moscow time), the North Korean leader left for Hanoi in an armored train. He is expected to travel all the way to Vietnam by train, passing China. The total distance between Pyongyang and Hanoi surpasses 4,500 kilometers. The North Korean leader’s trip is expected to last for over 48 hours. Earlier, Trump announced that he would meet with Kim Jong Un for the second time in Vietnam's capital Hanoi on February 27-28. The first summit between Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump took place in Singapore on June 12, 2018. The parties signed a joint document, in which Pyongyang committed to denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula in return for US security guarantees. |
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