Podcasts about european commission vice president

CLUB PORTAL CONTENT - Martin Luther King Jr. – A Wrongfully Religious Saint For The Right & The Left 0:10-2:31 That was our backstage show featuring Chad Jackson of Uncle Tom 2 And This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily Newsbrief for Thursday, January 19th, 2023. Ladies and gentleman, now is the time to sign up for a club membership at fightlaughfeast.com! This year, CrossPolitic will be dropping EXCLUSIVE content into our club portal, that you won’t be able to find ANYWHERE else. Some of this content will include a Bible study series with Pastor Toby, a special with New Saint Andrew’s President, Ben Merkle, our backstage content, and probably stuff that Gabe hasn’t told myself Toby or Knox about! So again, head on over to fightlaughfeast.com to get signed up today! That’s fightlaughfeast.com. https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/18/holiday-2022-sales-fall-short-of-expectations.html Holiday sales fall short of expectations, set stage for tougher 2023 for retailers Holiday sales came in below industry expectations, as shoppers felt pinched by inflation and rising interest rates, according to data from the National Retail Federation. Sales during November and December grew 5.3% year over year to $936.3 billion, below the major trade group’s prediction for growth of between 6% and 8% over the year prior. In early November, NRF had projected spending of between $942.6 billion and $960.4 billion. The retail sales number excludes spending at automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants, and is based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau. It covers the period from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31. The holiday sales gains include the impact of inflation, which drives up total sales. The consumer price index, which measures the cost of a broad mix of goods and services, was up 6.5% in December compared with a year ago, according to the Labor Department. For retailers, the shopping season’s results reflect the challenges ahead. As Americans continue to pay higher prices for groceries, housing and more month after month, they are racking up credit card balances, spending down savings and having fewer dollars for discretionary spending. Plus, retailers are following years of extraordinary spending. During the Covid pandemic, Americans fought boredom and used stimulus checks by buying loungewear, throw pillows, kitchen supplies, home theater systems and more. That translated to sharp year-over-year jumps in retail sales in the past two holiday seasons — a 14.1% gain in 2021 and 8.3% gain in 2020. On average, holidays sales have grown by 4.9% annually over the past decade, according to NRF. NRF Chief Executive Matt Shay said those upward leaps were unsustainable, especially as people return to commuting, going out to dinner and booking vacations again. Plus, he said, Americans are paying higher prices across the board, from pricier rents to more expensive groceries. Sales rose in most major retail categories during the holiday season. Online and nonstore sales saw the biggest year-over-year gains, jumping 9.5% during the holiday season. Sales at grocery and beverage stores, which have had significant price increases, rose 7.8% versus the year-ago period. Demand in some categories noticeably weakened. Sales at furniture and home furnishings stores declined 1.1% and sales at electronics and appliances stores dropped 5.7% year over year. https://www.dailyfetched.com/climate-group-turns-on-world-economic-forum-after-hundreds-of-private-jets-fly-into-davos/ Climate Group Turns on World Economic Forum after Hundreds of Private Jets Fly into Davos Greenpeace torched the World Economic Forum attendees for traveling to Davos, Switzerland, in a scathing rebuke of the Klaus Schwab run event. According to a newly released analysis commissioned by Greenpeace found, approximately 1,040 private jets flew in and out of airports servicing Davos during last year’s World Economic Forum conference. Of those jets, most were embarking on short-haul flights of less than 500 miles that “could have easily been train or car trips.” One plane carried its passengers a mere 13 miles to attend the event. The analysis, conducted by Dutch environmental consulting firm CE Delft, also revealed that the number of arrivals and departures out of Davos airports included neighboring countries such as Germany, France, and Italy. The research concluded that private jet travel in the WEF “Great Reset’ event in 2021 produced carbon emissions equivalent to those caused in one week by 350,000 cars. Private jet emissions linked to Davos quadrupled during the week of the event compared to weeks before and after the meeting. The WEF’s theme for 2023 is “Cooperation in a Fragmented World,” which involves “how we can tackle the numerous and interlinked challenges the world is facing and find solutions through public-private cooperation,” the organization’s press release said. Klaus Schwab said in his opening remarks that “investing into a greener and therefore more sustainable economy” is one of the main objectives of the conference attendees. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also confirmed during her remarks that policymakers would endeavor to “reach net zero” carbon emissions. Member states of the European Union which rely on fossil fuel production to combat climate change, were forced to scramble for new power supplies after the Nord Stream pipeline attack and Russia’s severing reserves. https://townhall.com/tipsheet/juliorosas/2023/01/17/wef-danger-of-disinformation-panel-hate-speech-laws-on-the-way-to-the-us-n2618383 Speaking of the World Economic Forum WEF 'Danger of Disinformation' Panel: Hate Speech Laws Coming to the US One participant in the World Economic Forum's panel on "The Clear and Present Danger of Disinformation" at their annual meeting in Davos on Tuesday had a chilling prediction for hate speech laws in the United States. The panel, hosted by former CNN host Brian Stelter, also featured Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) and Arthur Gregg Sulzberger, the chairman of The New York Times Company. European Commission Vice President for Values and Transparency Věra Jourová, who is from the Czech Republic, said there are reasons why many parts in Europe have strong speech code laws and the United States could soon have them too. "Illegal hate speech, which you will have soon also in the U.S., I think that we have a strong reason why we have this in the criminal law," Jourová said. "We need to the platforms to simply work with the language and to identify such cases." Sulzberger said overall disinformation is "the most existential" challenge and whatever problems with reporting stories inaccurately, the New York Times has made corrections. https://twitter.com/i/status/1615371127106441219 - Play Video Now this… https://hotair.com/jazz-shaw/2023/01/17/taliban-reportedly-buying-blue-checks-on-twitter-n524292 Taliban reportedly buying blue checks on Twitter If you thought things on Twitter were getting a bit weird since Elon Musk took over, buckle up. The strangeness continues this week. There has been quite a debate taking place over Musk’s decision to revamp the “verification” system and sell checkmarks of various colors to anyone who requests one and is willing to fork over a small monthly payment. Plenty of people have been taking advantage of that offer, gaining some amplification of their tweets and other user options not available to the hoi polloi. So perhaps we shouldn’t have been all that surprised to learn that high-ranking officials from the Taliban have gotten in on the action, but it still certainly sounds disturbing at first glance. (BBC) The Taliban have started using Twitter’s paid-for verification feature, meaning some now have blue ticks on their accounts. Previously, the blue tick indicated “active, notable, and authentic accounts of public interest” verified by Twitter, and could not be purchased. But now, users can buy them through the new Twitter Blue service. At least two Taliban officials and four prominent supporters in Afghanistan are currently using the checkmarks. One of the terrorist officials who now has a blue check is Hedayatullah Hedayat, the head of the Taliban’s department for “access to information.” He is definitely on Twitter with more than 180,000 followers and he tweets regularly. But I don’t see a checkmark of any color by his name. Gravity Jack Conference: It’s Less than two weeks to go for the Christians In Web3 Summit 2023! This is definitely going to be a historic gathering with KGEB TV, Patmos, Kingdom Warriors, Public SQ, Christian Vision, Heaven's Entrepreneurs, and 30+ more organizations represented at the event. CrossPolitic is one of them by the way… The event is hosted by Forum12 in partnership with Oral Roberts University, and they’re bringing together top leaders in Web3, AR/VR, Metaverses, Ministry, Tech, and Business space to further the Kingdom and unite as many Christians together to build solutions and not live in fear with that's happening in the world! With experiences like, networking, musical performances, roundtable discussions, panels, pitch night, and workshops, you won't want to miss this opportunity to connect with other Christians in Web3 and learn about the latest technologies being used to share the Gospel and empower believers. The event will take place both in-person at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, OK and online through Gather.Town & streaming experiences.Visit forum12.com/web3-summit/ for more information! That’s forum12.com/web3-summit Over to China… https://financialpost.com/pmn/business-pmn/chinas-first-population-drop-in-six-decades-sounds-alarm-on-demographic-crisis China’s population fell last year for the first time in six decades, a historic turn that is expected to mark the start of a long period of decline in its citizen numbers with profound implications for its economy and the world. The country’s National Bureau of Statistics reported a drop of roughly 850,000 people for a population of 1.41175 billion in 2022, marking the first decline since 1961, the last year of China’s Great Famine. That possibly makes India the world’s most populous nation. U.N. experts predicted last year India would have a population of 1.412 billion in 2022 though they did not expect the South Asian nation to overtake China until this year. India, however, only collects population figures every 10 years and its latest census, originally scheduled for 2021, has been delayed due to the pandemic. Long-term, U.N. experts see China’s population shrinking by 109 million by 2050, more than triple the decline of their previous forecast in 2019. That’s caused domestic demographers to lament that China will get old before it gets rich, slowing the economy as revenues drop and government debt increases due to soaring health and welfare costs. the country’s shrinking labor force and downturn in manufacturing heft would further exacerbate high prices and high inflation in the United States and Europe. China’s birth rate last year was just 6.77 births per 1,000 people, down from a rate of 7.52 births in 2021 and marking the lowest birth rate on record. The number of Chinese women of childbearing age, which the government defines as aged 25 to 35, fell by about 4 million, Kang said. The death rate, the highest since 1974 during the Cultural Revolution, was 7.37 deaths per 1,000 people, which compares with a rate of 7.18 deaths in 2021. Much of the demographic downturn is the result of China’s one-child policy imposed between 1980 and 2015 as well as sky-high education costs that have put many Chinese off having more than one child or even having any at all. The one-child policy and a traditional preference for boys have also created a deep gender imbalance. The latest data shows China with around 722 million males compared to 690 million females. The imbalance, which is more pronounced in rural areas, has led to fewer families being formed in recent years.

CLUB PORTAL CONTENT - Martin Luther King Jr. – A Wrongfully Religious Saint For The Right & The Left 0:10-2:31 That was our backstage show featuring Chad Jackson of Uncle Tom 2 And This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily Newsbrief for Thursday, January 19th, 2023. Ladies and gentleman, now is the time to sign up for a club membership at fightlaughfeast.com! This year, CrossPolitic will be dropping EXCLUSIVE content into our club portal, that you won’t be able to find ANYWHERE else. Some of this content will include a Bible study series with Pastor Toby, a special with New Saint Andrew’s President, Ben Merkle, our backstage content, and probably stuff that Gabe hasn’t told myself Toby or Knox about! So again, head on over to fightlaughfeast.com to get signed up today! That’s fightlaughfeast.com. https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/18/holiday-2022-sales-fall-short-of-expectations.html Holiday sales fall short of expectations, set stage for tougher 2023 for retailers Holiday sales came in below industry expectations, as shoppers felt pinched by inflation and rising interest rates, according to data from the National Retail Federation. Sales during November and December grew 5.3% year over year to $936.3 billion, below the major trade group’s prediction for growth of between 6% and 8% over the year prior. In early November, NRF had projected spending of between $942.6 billion and $960.4 billion. The retail sales number excludes spending at automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants, and is based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau. It covers the period from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31. The holiday sales gains include the impact of inflation, which drives up total sales. The consumer price index, which measures the cost of a broad mix of goods and services, was up 6.5% in December compared with a year ago, according to the Labor Department. For retailers, the shopping season’s results reflect the challenges ahead. As Americans continue to pay higher prices for groceries, housing and more month after month, they are racking up credit card balances, spending down savings and having fewer dollars for discretionary spending. Plus, retailers are following years of extraordinary spending. During the Covid pandemic, Americans fought boredom and used stimulus checks by buying loungewear, throw pillows, kitchen supplies, home theater systems and more. That translated to sharp year-over-year jumps in retail sales in the past two holiday seasons — a 14.1% gain in 2021 and 8.3% gain in 2020. On average, holidays sales have grown by 4.9% annually over the past decade, according to NRF. NRF Chief Executive Matt Shay said those upward leaps were unsustainable, especially as people return to commuting, going out to dinner and booking vacations again. Plus, he said, Americans are paying higher prices across the board, from pricier rents to more expensive groceries. Sales rose in most major retail categories during the holiday season. Online and nonstore sales saw the biggest year-over-year gains, jumping 9.5% during the holiday season. Sales at grocery and beverage stores, which have had significant price increases, rose 7.8% versus the year-ago period. Demand in some categories noticeably weakened. Sales at furniture and home furnishings stores declined 1.1% and sales at electronics and appliances stores dropped 5.7% year over year. https://www.dailyfetched.com/climate-group-turns-on-world-economic-forum-after-hundreds-of-private-jets-fly-into-davos/ Climate Group Turns on World Economic Forum after Hundreds of Private Jets Fly into Davos Greenpeace torched the World Economic Forum attendees for traveling to Davos, Switzerland, in a scathing rebuke of the Klaus Schwab run event. According to a newly released analysis commissioned by Greenpeace found, approximately 1,040 private jets flew in and out of airports servicing Davos during last year’s World Economic Forum conference. Of those jets, most were embarking on short-haul flights of less than 500 miles that “could have easily been train or car trips.” One plane carried its passengers a mere 13 miles to attend the event. The analysis, conducted by Dutch environmental consulting firm CE Delft, also revealed that the number of arrivals and departures out of Davos airports included neighboring countries such as Germany, France, and Italy. The research concluded that private jet travel in the WEF “Great Reset’ event in 2021 produced carbon emissions equivalent to those caused in one week by 350,000 cars. Private jet emissions linked to Davos quadrupled during the week of the event compared to weeks before and after the meeting. The WEF’s theme for 2023 is “Cooperation in a Fragmented World,” which involves “how we can tackle the numerous and interlinked challenges the world is facing and find solutions through public-private cooperation,” the organization’s press release said. Klaus Schwab said in his opening remarks that “investing into a greener and therefore more sustainable economy” is one of the main objectives of the conference attendees. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also confirmed during her remarks that policymakers would endeavor to “reach net zero” carbon emissions. Member states of the European Union which rely on fossil fuel production to combat climate change, were forced to scramble for new power supplies after the Nord Stream pipeline attack and Russia’s severing reserves. https://townhall.com/tipsheet/juliorosas/2023/01/17/wef-danger-of-disinformation-panel-hate-speech-laws-on-the-way-to-the-us-n2618383 Speaking of the World Economic Forum WEF 'Danger of Disinformation' Panel: Hate Speech Laws Coming to the US One participant in the World Economic Forum's panel on "The Clear and Present Danger of Disinformation" at their annual meeting in Davos on Tuesday had a chilling prediction for hate speech laws in the United States. The panel, hosted by former CNN host Brian Stelter, also featured Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) and Arthur Gregg Sulzberger, the chairman of The New York Times Company. European Commission Vice President for Values and Transparency Věra Jourová, who is from the Czech Republic, said there are reasons why many parts in Europe have strong speech code laws and the United States could soon have them too. "Illegal hate speech, which you will have soon also in the U.S., I think that we have a strong reason why we have this in the criminal law," Jourová said. "We need to the platforms to simply work with the language and to identify such cases." Sulzberger said overall disinformation is "the most existential" challenge and whatever problems with reporting stories inaccurately, the New York Times has made corrections. https://twitter.com/i/status/1615371127106441219 - Play Video Now this… https://hotair.com/jazz-shaw/2023/01/17/taliban-reportedly-buying-blue-checks-on-twitter-n524292 Taliban reportedly buying blue checks on Twitter If you thought things on Twitter were getting a bit weird since Elon Musk took over, buckle up. The strangeness continues this week. There has been quite a debate taking place over Musk’s decision to revamp the “verification” system and sell checkmarks of various colors to anyone who requests one and is willing to fork over a small monthly payment. Plenty of people have been taking advantage of that offer, gaining some amplification of their tweets and other user options not available to the hoi polloi. So perhaps we shouldn’t have been all that surprised to learn that high-ranking officials from the Taliban have gotten in on the action, but it still certainly sounds disturbing at first glance. (BBC) The Taliban have started using Twitter’s paid-for verification feature, meaning some now have blue ticks on their accounts. Previously, the blue tick indicated “active, notable, and authentic accounts of public interest” verified by Twitter, and could not be purchased. But now, users can buy them through the new Twitter Blue service. At least two Taliban officials and four prominent supporters in Afghanistan are currently using the checkmarks. One of the terrorist officials who now has a blue check is Hedayatullah Hedayat, the head of the Taliban’s department for “access to information.” He is definitely on Twitter with more than 180,000 followers and he tweets regularly. But I don’t see a checkmark of any color by his name. Gravity Jack Conference: It’s Less than two weeks to go for the Christians In Web3 Summit 2023! This is definitely going to be a historic gathering with KGEB TV, Patmos, Kingdom Warriors, Public SQ, Christian Vision, Heaven's Entrepreneurs, and 30+ more organizations represented at the event. CrossPolitic is one of them by the way… The event is hosted by Forum12 in partnership with Oral Roberts University, and they’re bringing together top leaders in Web3, AR/VR, Metaverses, Ministry, Tech, and Business space to further the Kingdom and unite as many Christians together to build solutions and not live in fear with that's happening in the world! With experiences like, networking, musical performances, roundtable discussions, panels, pitch night, and workshops, you won't want to miss this opportunity to connect with other Christians in Web3 and learn about the latest technologies being used to share the Gospel and empower believers. The event will take place both in-person at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, OK and online through Gather.Town & streaming experiences.Visit forum12.com/web3-summit/ for more information! That’s forum12.com/web3-summit Over to China… https://financialpost.com/pmn/business-pmn/chinas-first-population-drop-in-six-decades-sounds-alarm-on-demographic-crisis China’s population fell last year for the first time in six decades, a historic turn that is expected to mark the start of a long period of decline in its citizen numbers with profound implications for its economy and the world. The country’s National Bureau of Statistics reported a drop of roughly 850,000 people for a population of 1.41175 billion in 2022, marking the first decline since 1961, the last year of China’s Great Famine. That possibly makes India the world’s most populous nation. U.N. experts predicted last year India would have a population of 1.412 billion in 2022 though they did not expect the South Asian nation to overtake China until this year. India, however, only collects population figures every 10 years and its latest census, originally scheduled for 2021, has been delayed due to the pandemic. Long-term, U.N. experts see China’s population shrinking by 109 million by 2050, more than triple the decline of their previous forecast in 2019. That’s caused domestic demographers to lament that China will get old before it gets rich, slowing the economy as revenues drop and government debt increases due to soaring health and welfare costs. the country’s shrinking labor force and downturn in manufacturing heft would further exacerbate high prices and high inflation in the United States and Europe. China’s birth rate last year was just 6.77 births per 1,000 people, down from a rate of 7.52 births in 2021 and marking the lowest birth rate on record. The number of Chinese women of childbearing age, which the government defines as aged 25 to 35, fell by about 4 million, Kang said. The death rate, the highest since 1974 during the Cultural Revolution, was 7.37 deaths per 1,000 people, which compares with a rate of 7.18 deaths in 2021. Much of the demographic downturn is the result of China’s one-child policy imposed between 1980 and 2015 as well as sky-high education costs that have put many Chinese off having more than one child or even having any at all. The one-child policy and a traditional preference for boys have also created a deep gender imbalance. The latest data shows China with around 722 million males compared to 690 million females. The imbalance, which is more pronounced in rural areas, has led to fewer families being formed in recent years.

CLUB PORTAL CONTENT - Martin Luther King Jr. – A Wrongfully Religious Saint For The Right & The Left 0:10-2:31 That was our backstage show featuring Chad Jackson of Uncle Tom 2 And This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily Newsbrief for Thursday, January 19th, 2023. Ladies and gentleman, now is the time to sign up for a club membership at fightlaughfeast.com! This year, CrossPolitic will be dropping EXCLUSIVE content into our club portal, that you won’t be able to find ANYWHERE else. Some of this content will include a Bible study series with Pastor Toby, a special with New Saint Andrew’s President, Ben Merkle, our backstage content, and probably stuff that Gabe hasn’t told myself Toby or Knox about! So again, head on over to fightlaughfeast.com to get signed up today! That’s fightlaughfeast.com. https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/18/holiday-2022-sales-fall-short-of-expectations.html Holiday sales fall short of expectations, set stage for tougher 2023 for retailers Holiday sales came in below industry expectations, as shoppers felt pinched by inflation and rising interest rates, according to data from the National Retail Federation. Sales during November and December grew 5.3% year over year to $936.3 billion, below the major trade group’s prediction for growth of between 6% and 8% over the year prior. In early November, NRF had projected spending of between $942.6 billion and $960.4 billion. The retail sales number excludes spending at automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants, and is based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau. It covers the period from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31. The holiday sales gains include the impact of inflation, which drives up total sales. The consumer price index, which measures the cost of a broad mix of goods and services, was up 6.5% in December compared with a year ago, according to the Labor Department. For retailers, the shopping season’s results reflect the challenges ahead. As Americans continue to pay higher prices for groceries, housing and more month after month, they are racking up credit card balances, spending down savings and having fewer dollars for discretionary spending. Plus, retailers are following years of extraordinary spending. During the Covid pandemic, Americans fought boredom and used stimulus checks by buying loungewear, throw pillows, kitchen supplies, home theater systems and more. That translated to sharp year-over-year jumps in retail sales in the past two holiday seasons — a 14.1% gain in 2021 and 8.3% gain in 2020. On average, holidays sales have grown by 4.9% annually over the past decade, according to NRF. NRF Chief Executive Matt Shay said those upward leaps were unsustainable, especially as people return to commuting, going out to dinner and booking vacations again. Plus, he said, Americans are paying higher prices across the board, from pricier rents to more expensive groceries. Sales rose in most major retail categories during the holiday season. Online and nonstore sales saw the biggest year-over-year gains, jumping 9.5% during the holiday season. Sales at grocery and beverage stores, which have had significant price increases, rose 7.8% versus the year-ago period. Demand in some categories noticeably weakened. Sales at furniture and home furnishings stores declined 1.1% and sales at electronics and appliances stores dropped 5.7% year over year. https://www.dailyfetched.com/climate-group-turns-on-world-economic-forum-after-hundreds-of-private-jets-fly-into-davos/ Climate Group Turns on World Economic Forum after Hundreds of Private Jets Fly into Davos Greenpeace torched the World Economic Forum attendees for traveling to Davos, Switzerland, in a scathing rebuke of the Klaus Schwab run event. According to a newly released analysis commissioned by Greenpeace found, approximately 1,040 private jets flew in and out of airports servicing Davos during last year’s World Economic Forum conference. Of those jets, most were embarking on short-haul flights of less than 500 miles that “could have easily been train or car trips.” One plane carried its passengers a mere 13 miles to attend the event. The analysis, conducted by Dutch environmental consulting firm CE Delft, also revealed that the number of arrivals and departures out of Davos airports included neighboring countries such as Germany, France, and Italy. The research concluded that private jet travel in the WEF “Great Reset’ event in 2021 produced carbon emissions equivalent to those caused in one week by 350,000 cars. Private jet emissions linked to Davos quadrupled during the week of the event compared to weeks before and after the meeting. The WEF’s theme for 2023 is “Cooperation in a Fragmented World,” which involves “how we can tackle the numerous and interlinked challenges the world is facing and find solutions through public-private cooperation,” the organization’s press release said. Klaus Schwab said in his opening remarks that “investing into a greener and therefore more sustainable economy” is one of the main objectives of the conference attendees. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also confirmed during her remarks that policymakers would endeavor to “reach net zero” carbon emissions. Member states of the European Union which rely on fossil fuel production to combat climate change, were forced to scramble for new power supplies after the Nord Stream pipeline attack and Russia’s severing reserves. https://townhall.com/tipsheet/juliorosas/2023/01/17/wef-danger-of-disinformation-panel-hate-speech-laws-on-the-way-to-the-us-n2618383 Speaking of the World Economic Forum WEF 'Danger of Disinformation' Panel: Hate Speech Laws Coming to the US One participant in the World Economic Forum's panel on "The Clear and Present Danger of Disinformation" at their annual meeting in Davos on Tuesday had a chilling prediction for hate speech laws in the United States. The panel, hosted by former CNN host Brian Stelter, also featured Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) and Arthur Gregg Sulzberger, the chairman of The New York Times Company. European Commission Vice President for Values and Transparency Věra Jourová, who is from the Czech Republic, said there are reasons why many parts in Europe have strong speech code laws and the United States could soon have them too. "Illegal hate speech, which you will have soon also in the U.S., I think that we have a strong reason why we have this in the criminal law," Jourová said. "We need to the platforms to simply work with the language and to identify such cases." Sulzberger said overall disinformation is "the most existential" challenge and whatever problems with reporting stories inaccurately, the New York Times has made corrections. https://twitter.com/i/status/1615371127106441219 - Play Video Now this… https://hotair.com/jazz-shaw/2023/01/17/taliban-reportedly-buying-blue-checks-on-twitter-n524292 Taliban reportedly buying blue checks on Twitter If you thought things on Twitter were getting a bit weird since Elon Musk took over, buckle up. The strangeness continues this week. There has been quite a debate taking place over Musk’s decision to revamp the “verification” system and sell checkmarks of various colors to anyone who requests one and is willing to fork over a small monthly payment. Plenty of people have been taking advantage of that offer, gaining some amplification of their tweets and other user options not available to the hoi polloi. So perhaps we shouldn’t have been all that surprised to learn that high-ranking officials from the Taliban have gotten in on the action, but it still certainly sounds disturbing at first glance. (BBC) The Taliban have started using Twitter’s paid-for verification feature, meaning some now have blue ticks on their accounts. Previously, the blue tick indicated “active, notable, and authentic accounts of public interest” verified by Twitter, and could not be purchased. But now, users can buy them through the new Twitter Blue service. At least two Taliban officials and four prominent supporters in Afghanistan are currently using the checkmarks. One of the terrorist officials who now has a blue check is Hedayatullah Hedayat, the head of the Taliban’s department for “access to information.” He is definitely on Twitter with more than 180,000 followers and he tweets regularly. But I don’t see a checkmark of any color by his name. Gravity Jack Conference: It’s Less than two weeks to go for the Christians In Web3 Summit 2023! This is definitely going to be a historic gathering with KGEB TV, Patmos, Kingdom Warriors, Public SQ, Christian Vision, Heaven's Entrepreneurs, and 30+ more organizations represented at the event. CrossPolitic is one of them by the way… The event is hosted by Forum12 in partnership with Oral Roberts University, and they’re bringing together top leaders in Web3, AR/VR, Metaverses, Ministry, Tech, and Business space to further the Kingdom and unite as many Christians together to build solutions and not live in fear with that's happening in the world! With experiences like, networking, musical performances, roundtable discussions, panels, pitch night, and workshops, you won't want to miss this opportunity to connect with other Christians in Web3 and learn about the latest technologies being used to share the Gospel and empower believers. The event will take place both in-person at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, OK and online through Gather.Town & streaming experiences.Visit forum12.com/web3-summit/ for more information! That’s forum12.com/web3-summit Over to China… https://financialpost.com/pmn/business-pmn/chinas-first-population-drop-in-six-decades-sounds-alarm-on-demographic-crisis China’s population fell last year for the first time in six decades, a historic turn that is expected to mark the start of a long period of decline in its citizen numbers with profound implications for its economy and the world. The country’s National Bureau of Statistics reported a drop of roughly 850,000 people for a population of 1.41175 billion in 2022, marking the first decline since 1961, the last year of China’s Great Famine. That possibly makes India the world’s most populous nation. U.N. experts predicted last year India would have a population of 1.412 billion in 2022 though they did not expect the South Asian nation to overtake China until this year. India, however, only collects population figures every 10 years and its latest census, originally scheduled for 2021, has been delayed due to the pandemic. Long-term, U.N. experts see China’s population shrinking by 109 million by 2050, more than triple the decline of their previous forecast in 2019. That’s caused domestic demographers to lament that China will get old before it gets rich, slowing the economy as revenues drop and government debt increases due to soaring health and welfare costs. the country’s shrinking labor force and downturn in manufacturing heft would further exacerbate high prices and high inflation in the United States and Europe. China’s birth rate last year was just 6.77 births per 1,000 people, down from a rate of 7.52 births in 2021 and marking the lowest birth rate on record. The number of Chinese women of childbearing age, which the government defines as aged 25 to 35, fell by about 4 million, Kang said. The death rate, the highest since 1974 during the Cultural Revolution, was 7.37 deaths per 1,000 people, which compares with a rate of 7.18 deaths in 2021. Much of the demographic downturn is the result of China’s one-child policy imposed between 1980 and 2015 as well as sky-high education costs that have put many Chinese off having more than one child or even having any at all. The one-child policy and a traditional preference for boys have also created a deep gender imbalance. The latest data shows China with around 722 million males compared to 690 million females. The imbalance, which is more pronounced in rural areas, has led to fewer families being formed in recent years.

Margrethe Vestager, European Commission Vice- President for Competition and the Digital Age , on Russian aggression in Ukraine and the energy crisis.

jQuery(document).ready(function(){ cab.clickify(); }); Original Podcast with clickable words https://tinyurl.com/27jt6k2b Contact: irishlingos@gmail.com EU happy with low number of checks if talks return. AE sásta le líon íseal seiceálacha má fhilltear ar chomhráití. The European Union will be prepared to accept as few checks and restrictions as possible if British Prime Minister Boris Johnson returns to talks on the Northern Ireland Protocol. Beidh an tAontas Eorpach sásta glacadh leis an líon is lú seiceálacha agus srianta is féidir má fhilleann Príomhaire na Breataine Boris Johnson ar chainteanna faoi Phrótacal Thuaisceart Éireann. That is what European Commission Vice-President and chief Brexit negotiator Maroš Šefčovič said today. Sin a dúirt Leas-Uachtarán an Choimisiúin Eorpaigh agus príomh-idirbheartaí faoi chúrsaí Breatimeachta Maroš Šefčovič inniu. He said that the European Union has a clear plan to tackle the problems with the Protocol, rather than the enormous uncertainty that would be created by UK legislation under which large sections of the Protocol are being sought to be trapped. Dúirt sé go bhfuil plean soiléir ag an Aontas Eorpach chun dul i ngleic leis na fadhbanna a bhaineann leis an bPrótacal, seachas an éiginnteacht ollmhór a chothódh reachtaíocht na Ríochta Aontaithe faoina bhfuiltear ag iarraidh míreanna móra den Phrótacal a chaitheamh i dtraipéisí. Last week, the British Government published controversial legislation on the Northern Protocol that they had promised for several weeks and indicated that they were going ahead with a Bill that would repeal some of the rules governing trade in the North. An tseachtain seo caite, d'fhoilsigh Rialtas na Breataine reachtaíocht chonspóideach maidir le Prótacal an Tuaiscirt a bhí geallta acu le roinnt seachtainí agus thug siad le fios go raibh siad ag dul ar aghaidh le Bille a chuirfeadh ar neamhní cuid de na rialacha a bhaineann le cúrsaí trádála sa Tuaisceart.

Global demand for micro-chips has exploded. Today a worldwide shortage of semi-conductors is disrupting supply-chains of everything from cars to smartphones to the gaming consoles that normally see a peak in sales this time of year. This comes at a time when Europe's share across the semi-conductor value chain has shrunk, leaving the EU dependent on chips from Asia. In addition, the havoc wreaked by COVID-19 on supply chains suggests that being dependent is being vulnerable, especially in a global environment characterised by trade wars and geopolitical power games. It is against this backdrop that European Commission president von der Leyen in September announced a European Chips Act to promote European chips production. Proponents say this will give Europe its security of supply. Opponents say it will fail to guarantee supply, whilst making us poorer and less productive in the process. This event features a panel of expert speakers to discuss these issues, including: Kim Jørgensen, Head of Cabinet of European Commission Vice-President for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age, Margrethe Vestager; Thomas Bustrup, Deputy Director General of the Confederation of Danish Industry; and Greg Slater, Director of Global Regulatory Affairs at Intel. Think Tank EUROPA in Denmark and the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) in Ireland look forward to welcoming you to this event. This event is part of a project entitled Europe's Digital Future, which is exploring the topic of digital sovereignty in Europe. The project is coordinated by the IIEA and is supported by Google. About the Speakers: Kim Jørgensen, Head of Cabinet of European Commission vice-president for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age, Margrethe Vestager Thomas Bustrup, Deputy Director General of the Confederation of Danish Industry Greg Slater, Director of Global Regulatory Affairs at Intel  This expert panel will be moderated by Catharina Sørensen, Deputy Director of Think Tank EUROPA.

This week saw European Commission Vice-President, Maros Sefcovic, say that there has been a ‘change of tone' from the UK on the Northern Ireland Protocol. Former-Taoiseach Bertie Ahern joins us now to discuss the latest developments.

Shona Murray, Europe correspondent at Euronews, on UK/EU relations ahead of a meeting between the UK Brexit Minister David Frost and European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic in Brussels today.

With tensions increasing over migrants on the Polish-Belarussian border, Bianna Golodryga talks with Margaritis Schinas, European Commission Vice-President, as the EU says it's suspending visas for Belarusian officials. While the number of projected covid deaths in the U.S is dropping, Ed Yong, Staff Writer at The Atlantic, warns that we're 'already barreling towards the next pandemic'. Hari Sreenivasan talks with Max Chafkin about detailing the life of one of Silicon Valley's most influential investors in his book "The Contrarian: Peter Thiel and Silicon Valley's Pursuit of Power".  To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

There has been much debate in Europe about the content, value and effects of the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI), signed between China and the EU, on the eve of the New Year 2021. As of now, the document with annexes is far from being finalized, and even further from being ratified by each of the EU member states. With the new American President in office and prospects of closer transatlantic cooperation in dealing with China, the EU’s CAI negotiations have been put in a different context. We interviewed one of the EU’s negotiators of CAI, Mr. Jyrki Katainen, the former European Commission Vice-President for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness (2014–2019). We asked him to present the EU’s priorities that were paramount at the start of the CAI negotiations with China 7 years ago, and tell us whether these priorities have been achieved and what were the ups and downs of the negotiation process. We asked about the importance of CAI in the EU relations with China, and its significance in the process of rebuilding the transatlantic relations. More specifically, we pondered whether it is possible to achieve an unanimous EU agreement, and why CAI omits the issue of goods and services trade with China. The meeting was hosted by Associate Professor Marcin Jacoby, Department of Asian Studies at SWPS University at SWPS University, and Zbigniew Niesiobędzki, Ph.D., President of the Polish-Chinese Business Council – a partner of the ChinaTalk series. During the interview we answered questions such as: - What was the perception of China as a business partner for the European Commission at the early stages of negotiating CAI and how it evolved over time? - What was the motivation on the Chinese side to engage in the lengthy negotiations with European Commission? - When can we expect the final version of the agreement? - How did the EU member countries approach the signing of the agreement? - Were the political issues affecting the perception of EU countries on the agreement? - What were the most difficult issues during the negotiations? - Is the EU as attractive now for foreign investments for China as it was a few years ago? - Will China try to bypass some of the American policies through cooperating first with Europe? - Are the EU-China relations becoming indispensable for Chinese rise in the global economy? - Could Central and Eastern Europe be interesting for Chinese investors? - What is the relationship between China and Finland regarding technology? “ChinaTalk” is a series of interviews with leading global experts on China and East Asia, produced jointly by the Polish Chinese Business Council (PCBC) and SWPS University. Interviews are hosted by PCBC President, Mr. Zbigniew Niesiobędzki, and Professor Marcin Jacoby, Head of the Department of Asian Studies at SWPS University. ChinaTalk brings you the latest knowledge on the economy, social issues, management, and politics of China and East Asia. Our guests interpret the current developments and trends in the Chinese economy, and predict global, regional and bilateral outcomes of political decisions. Chinese relations with the European Union, and Poland in particular, constitute an important context of these discussions. The expert insights provide valuable input for business practitioners, analysts, as well as researchers and students interested in macroeconomics and global trade. For more ChinaTalk materials visit: https://www.swps.pl/strefa-zarzadzania/chinatalk

On 23 September 2020, the European Commission presented a New Pact on Migration and Asylum, a wide-ranging and comprehensive suite of legislation and recommendations. This Pact is designed to address the interrelated facets of migration and asylum procedures, integration, external border management, external relations and root causes with greater credibility and cohesion. In his address to the IIEA, Vice-President Schinas considers the significance of this extensive review of migration policy. He outlines the Commission's roadmap for the Pact and discuss efforts to balance Member State concerns in a sustainable way. As part of the IIEA's Global Europe project, this webinar is supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs About the Speakers: Margaritis Schinas took office as European Commission Vice-President for Promoting Our European Way of Life in December 2019. In this capacity, he oversees the EU's policies for migration, security union, social rights, skills, education, culture, youth, health and dialogue with churches, religious associations and non-confessional organisations. Vice-President Schinas has held a number of senior positions in the European Commission including Chief Spokesperson under President Juncker and Deputy Head of the Bureau of European Policy Advisers under President Barroso. Mr Schinas has also served as a Member of the European Parliament (2007-09).

Amrita Sen, Energy Aspects Chief Oil Analyst, says supply recovery is likely to lag the rise in demand for oil. Valdis Dombrovskis, European Commission Vice President, says the bank consolidation process is already gradually happening in Europe. David Herro, Harris Associates Chief Investment Officer of International Equities, says the greater the spread between growth and value, the better the future looks. Robert Shiller, Yale University Professor and Nobel Laureate in economics talks about how human psychology amid the pandemic could play out in the stock market. Neysa Ernst, Johns Hopkins Hospital Department of Medicine Nurse Manager, says training the non-ICU nursing workforce to safely care for COVID-19 ICU patients has been going well. Kathy Hochul, New York Lieutenant Governor, says she is working with Governor Cuomo to rebuild a better New York City and New York State than before coronavirus. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Amrita Sen, Energy Aspects Chief Oil Analyst, says supply recovery is likely to lag the rise in demand for oil. Valdis Dombrovskis, European Commission Vice President, says the bank consolidation process is already gradually happening in Europe. David Herro, Harris Associates Chief Investment Officer of International Equities, says the greater the spread between growth and value, the better the future looks. Robert Shiller, Yale University Professor and Nobel Laureate in economics talks about how human psychology amid the pandemic could play out in the stock market. Neysa Ernst, Johns Hopkins Hospital Department of Medicine Nurse Manager, says training the non-ICU nursing workforce to safely care for COVID-19 ICU patients has been going well. Kathy Hochul, New York Lieutenant Governor, says she is working with Governor Cuomo to rebuild a better New York City and New York State than before coronavirus.

In March 2019, the European Parliament voted in favour of a motion that would phase out a number of single-use plastic items across the EU by 2021. The new law sets a 90% collection target for plastic bottles by 2029, committing Member States to this goal. Furthermore, plastic bottles will have to contain at least 30% recycled content by 2030. The European Parliament, alongside several forward-looking Member States, is taking the first steps towards the establishment of a circular plastics economy. While the focus should remain on reducing the use of plastics, plastic waste should also be accounted for. Replacing single-use plastics with innovative alternatives presents the EU with a significant opportunity, given that 95% of the value resulting from plastics production is lost to the economy, amounting to a loss of somewhere between €70bn and €105bn per year. However, the demand for recycled plastics in Europe today stands at only 6%. Therefore, the EU must develop a more robust recycling framework that encourages its industries to produce more responsibly. Questions include: How can the Circular Plastics Alliance help in developing the right framework to stimulate a circular plastics economy? How can countries and companies create incentives to collect and reuse plastics? How can Europe lead the way on the recycling of plastics? Speakers include: Jyrki Katainen, European Commission Vice-President for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness André Abreu, Head for International Policy at Tara Expéditions Foundation Igor Chauvelot, Plastic Circular Economy Director at Danone Wytske van der Mei, Head of Unit for Resource Efficiency at the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management Moderated by: Dharmendra Kanani, Director of Insights at Friends of Europe

The world energy sector is experiencing major transformations. Energy markets and the climate crisis are important, but governments will drive energy decisions as most investments are government-driven, Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), said at the official 27 November launch of the World Energy Outlook 2018 report – regarded as the “gold standard in energy analysis”. “Our energy destiny rests with governments,” Birol told the Brussels conference hosted by leading think-tank Friends of Europe. Indeed, some $42.3 trillion is needed for energy supply to 2040. Over 70% of the $2 trillion required each year in energy supply investment either comes from “state-directed entities” or receives “a full or partial revenue guarantee”, he explained. The remaining 30% is driven by the market. The IEA World Energy Outlook reveals the latest energy trends and the implications of different pathways on global climate goals, energy security and geopolitics. “We chose electricity as the focus this year,” Birol said, highlighting that not only is electricity demand set to grow at twice the pace of total energy demand, its share in final consumption will increase towards one third by 2040. Maroš Šefčovič, European Commission Vice-President for the Energy Union, on the eve of presenting the Commission’s landmark “Clean Planet for All” decarbonisation strategy for 2050, agreed electrification, supported by better regional cooperation and greater flexibility, was important for the energy transition and to achieve Europe’s climate targets. The key was also to progress much faster in transport – where electricity – notably in the huge growth in electric cars and buses – again plays a central role. But while electrification has “huge potential”, it could not stop greenhouse gases emissions, that in 2018 reached a new “historic high”, the IEA chief said. With Birol calling for “much more effort in terms of lower carbon technologies,” the report concludes there is no single emissions solution: “Renewables, efficiency and a host of innovative technologies, including storage, CCUS and hydrogen, are all required.” This message was supported by Francesco Gattei, Executive Vice-President for Scenarios, Strategic Options and Investor Relations at global energy company Eni, and Olivier Grabette, Executive Vice-President at French Transmission System Operator (TSO) RTE. They both emphasized respectively, “there is no perfect energy source, each has its pros and cons” and “decentralisation is very important and we do not have to oppose decentralisation and building a strong Energy Union at European level through the development of interconnections, we need all of this." Imke Lübbleke, WWF Europe Climate and Energy Head of Unit concluded by saying “We are very much looking forward to the net-zero commitment from the European Commission which should provide a strong emphasis and strong guidance to leaders where investments have to go.”

In this first-ever episode of Defence Dialogue, Niklas Nováky discusses the future of European defence with European Commission Vice-President for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness Jyrki Katainen. Vice-President Katainen has spoken actively in favour of increasing security and defence cooperation in the EU. The discussion ranges from the reason behind Vice-President Katainen’s strong personal interest in European defence to his thoughts on what the possible creation of a European Security and Defence Union would mean in practice for the safety and security of European citizens.

Episode 19 of EU Confidential features a special discussion on the issue of sexual harassment and assault in the EU Brussels bubble. The podcast also includes an interview with European Commission Vice President for Energy Union Maroš Šefčovič, in which we discuss everything from batteries to Brexit. Harassment allegations: Joanna Maycock from the European Women's Lobby explains why she thinks the wave of recent allegations can lead to positive change. Host Ryan Heath and panelist Ailbhe Finn talk about the times they experienced sexual harassment and assault. Together with Lina Aburous, they discuss an alleged rape case involving two European Parliament staff, resulting in the alleged perpetrator leaving their job. Point of no return: “It's not just in Brussels, right? It's everywhere.” Maycock said, after decades of trying to “shine a light” on the problem that she calls a “massive structural issue.” She hopes “the outpouring of testimony means that it's a wake-up call that it's a kind of point of no return, that actually things have to be done.” Clear rules, training needed: “The European institutions need to be really clear with all staff what constitutes sexual harassment and harassment in the workplace so that nobody can claim that they don't understand what it is or can try and use some kind of cultural relativism as an excuse for what is effectively illegal behavior,” Maycock said. Who gets punished? “The negative consequences of being a victim of sexual harassment (or) sexual violence are far greater and the negative consequences on the perpetrator,” said Maycock, who believes “we need to have systems which put the onus on believing in supporting people who come forward with allegations." In the second part of the podcast, Commissioner Šefčovič talks about his career as a Slovak diplomat and his work as one of the EU’s longest-serving commissioners. What he wishes he knew on Day 1 as a Commissioner: “You have to be really patient, you'll have to work on different levels … you have to repeat and repeat and repeat it and convince your peers and in the end it works.” EU Energy Union: If you believe the EU gospel, the first article of faith is the EU single market. We talk to Šefčovič, about the gaps in that market, and why it matters that the EU project, which started as a coal and steel community, still doesn’t have a complete energy market. Spoiler alert: his keywords are climate and competitiveness. Commissions compared: Šefčovič also reveals the big differences between the Barroso and Juncker Commissions.

In this episode, we get the tattoo machine going and spend quality time with Jyrki Katainen, European Commission Vice President for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness, to review some of the hot questions related to the implementation of Circular Economy transition. Calling Brussels from a...

What will be the impact of the 4th Industrial Revolution? Through a series of events, articles and working group meetings, Friends of Europe is bringing together stakeholders from both sides of the Atlantic. Their aim is to debate and propose a set of policy measures, incentives and approaches that would help Europe to be better prepared and ready to maximise the potential of the 4th Industrial Revolution – as well as provide the stimulus for greater transatlantic cooperation. Can Europe embrace the changes wrought by the 4th Industrial Revolution? How can transatlantic cooperation help Europe compete and contribute effectively in a rapidly changing global digital landscape? To launch this initiative, we held a conversation with the European Commission Vice-President for the Digital Single Market, Andrus Ansip on 28 November 2016 in Brussels. We discussed the opportunities and the obstacles Europe is encountering as the 4th Industrial Revolution takes hold, with a focus on current issues such as data-sharing and privacy, in light of the Commission’s forthcoming proposal on free-flow of data. Moderator: Dharmendra Kanani, Director of Strategy at Friends of Europe

Building a stronger and more competitive European banking sector, European Commission Vice President for Financial Services, Valdis Dombrovskis, set out his approach to supporting a stable, dynamic and diverse banking sector in the EU. A few days before proposing an important new package of banking sector legislation, he considered the challenges the sector faces in a low growth, low interest rate environment. He also talked about the priorities that will shape the upcoming proposals to revise the Capital Requirements Regulation and Directive. The presentation of the Vice-President was followed by a discussion with Guntram Wolff, Bruegel Director, selected experts and the audience. http://bruegel.org/events/what-next-for-europes-banking-future/

The recent outcome of the American elections has the potential to affect the global context for world energy, yet the momentum post COP21 and Marrakech suggests a turning point and consensus on tackling climate change. But will market dynamics change for oil, natural gas and coal, or is the slump in prices for some fuels a new normal? Will this provide a greater impetus for renewable technologies and greater energy efficiency? Will market dynamics change for oil, natural gas and coal or might the slump in prices for some fuels be here to stay? Can renewables continue to rise amid fierce competition from fossil fuels and other low-carbon options? What policies and measures are necessary to support stable long-term investment beyond 2020? What challenges remain for integrating renewable power into the electricity market and what are the prospects for renewables playing a greater role in heating and cooling? And how can governments address the impact of local pollution, often energy-related, on air quality, and what would these actions mean for the energy sector? We debated the issues at a 'High-level Conference' event on 21 November 2016 in Brussels. Presentation of the report by: Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Introductory remarks by: Maroš Šefčovič, European Commission Vice President for Energy Union Panel discussion by: Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Maroš Šefčovič, European Commission Vice President for Energy Union Jane Burston, Head of Climate and Environment at the UK National Physical Laboratory and European Young Leader (EYL40) Jenny Larsson, Vice President of Business Unit Heat at Vattenfall and Chairwoman of the Board in Gotlands Energi Eirik Waerness, Senior Vice President and Chief Economist at Statoil Moderator: Dharmendra Kanani, Director of Strategy at Friends of Europe