LiveTipsPortal
Betting strategies
Systembet calculator
Select your timezone
Currently loading… Currently loading…
sportsbetting tips
as roma vs juventus turin serie a
(4.) 5.
D. Perotti (68')
-- : -- : -- : --
DD HH MM SS
match about to start
1. (2.)
M. Demiral (3')
Cristiano Ronaldo (10')
Olimpico (Rom, Italy)
Italy − Serie A − 2019/2020 − Matchday 19
betting tip & odds comparison 12/01/20 AS Roma - Juventus Turin
Betting Tip for matchday 19 of the 2019/2020 Serie A between AS Roma and Juventus FC. The game will be played at Olimpico (Rom, Italy) on the 12.01.2020 at 20:45.
The current Serie A season is one of the toughest in recent seasons, with teams fighting across the table for different reasons: top spots, Champions League places, Europa League places and avoiding relegation. Two teams chasing different ambitions clash at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday the 12th of January; Juventus will be looking to displace Inter and get to the summit of the Serie A table, while Roma's place in the Champions League's fourth spot is under threat from Atalanta.
Prior to their defeat at home to Torino, the Giallorossi were in fine nick of form, winning four of their five matches, the only exception being a goalless draw against an in-form Inter Milan away from home. The last defeat has, however, put their position in the last Champion's spot under jeopardy and realistically out of contention for the league title. They have 35 points, and are only a point ahead of Atalanta. Under new coach, Paulo Fonseca, Roma have performed admirably this season; Fonseca's team have ten wins from their opening nine games, only losing thrice and drawing five.
Roma have won four of their last five matches at home. Overall, they have five wins from nine home matches, drawing two and losing the other two. In those nine home games they've scored 18 goals and conceded 13. On any other day, the 2-0 loss to Torino in their last home game could have ended differently. They controlled close to 60% of the possession and played 31 shots, but it just wasn't meant to be. Roma will be looking to their striker, Dzeko, if they are to get anything out of the match. The Bosnian target man has seven goals this season.
It is a widely accepted consensus that Juve haven't been at their best this season. Perhaps it is new man, Maurizio Sarri, getting to terms with his new team, or the fact that he is constantly rotating the squad in order to keep everyone happy. Either way, the team's performance hasn't been fluid this season. That said, if their last match is anything to go by, Sarri may have settled on a winning formula with his selections. The game saw the Old Lady run out 4-0 winners over Cagliari, with you know who (Ronaldo) scoring a hattrick. More than that though, the team kept a clean sheet and kept 65% of the ball. It was one of their most dominant performances of recent times. This season, Sarri's men have won fourteen, drawn three and lost one of their first eighteen matches.
They've scored 35 goals – which somewhat reinforces our point about the team not being in peak form – and conceded 17. With Lautaro Martinez and Lukaku inspiring Inter Milan's high flying, Juventus cannot afford to slip up. It's away from home that they've mostly struggled, losing one and drawing two of their nine away matches this season. Again, Juve would be looking at the five-time World Footballer of the year, Ronaldo, to lead the line and spur the team to victory.
Possible Line Up
After a dominant performance in the last match, it is expected that Sarri will be fielding the same team. Fonseca, on the other hand, would be looking to ring the changes, to ensure there's no repeat of the last match. Here's how we think the two teams will line up:
Possible Team Line Up
TEAM A TEAM B
Spinazolla
Veretout
Diawara
Dzeko
Coach: Paulo Fonseca
Pjanic
Matuidi
Coach: Maurizio Sarri
Injured: Zappacosta, Pastore, Santon, Kluivert, Cristante and Chiellini, Khedira, and Bentacur
AS Roma versus Juventus Betting Tips and Prediction
The game has all the marks of being a high-scoring affair, but, knowing Serie A matches, it could also easily develop into a tactical drab affair. That said, there's been more than 3.5 goals in three of Roma's last four matches. Four out of Juventus' last six matches have also ended with over 3.5 goals. It's also worth knowing that Roma have not lost to Juventus in their last six encounters at the Stadio Olimpico. Fonseca's team also won their last encounter, although it has to be said that Juve had already been confirmed as Serie A champions before the match. For more stats, sport betting tips and predictions on the Roma versus Juventus match, click here. If you want to bet on this match we can recommend the bookmaker 1xbet. If you are a new customer the bookie offers you the 1xbet bonus.
1xBet: Bet on Roma – Juventus!
All games / all tips from today
Cloudbet First deposit bonus
Nairabet First deposit bonus
Nairabet gives you the chance to get 100% of your first stake during the period the promo is active.
AS Roma performance of the last 5 home matches
Juventus performance of the last 5 away matches
Team Team
83 38 26 5 7 76 43 33
70 38 21 7 10 77 51 26
US Sassuolo Calcio
51 38 14 9 15 69 63 6
49 38 14 7 17 56 57 -1
Hellas Verona FC
49 38 12 13 13 47 51 -4
47 38 12 11 15 52 65 -13
45 38 12 9 17 37 51 -14
35 38 9 8 21 52 85 -33
Betting ABC
Betting in Africa
Betting in Nigeria
Betting in Kenya
Betting in Ghana
© 2007-2021 livetipsportal.com
We use cookies and similar technologies to understand how you use our website and to improve your experience. We automatically process data, which might include your IP address, for web analytics, site optimization, statistical, marketing and security reasons. To learn more, read our Privacy Policy including your right to withdraw your consent at any time and how to change your browser settings to disable cookies.OKPrivacy Policy
Terms and conditions of respective bookmakers apply.
18+ | Gamble Responsibly | gamblingtherapy.org


G.O.A.T
Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo: One Last Rivalry?
The Ronaldo versus Messi debate is arguably the most polarising position in football, with fans all over the world eager to stake the claim of which of the two players is the best footballer the world has ever seen. With both players in what might be their final World Cup tournament, Qatar is perhaps ground zero for the final battle between two of the best footballers to ever play the game.
The progress of both teams sets up the possibility of a dream Portugal vs Argentina World Cup final which will arguably be the culmination of one of the greatest sports rivalries of all time. However, two rounds of matches stand in their way and could prove a mountain too high for either player to surmount.
Portugal's win over Switzerland set up a quarter-final date with Morocco, while Argentina play the Netherlands as they look to win their first World Cup title in over 35 years.
While both players navigated the group stage and got to the quarterfinals, the path has not been smooth for either. Ronaldo's participation has been dogged by off-field distractions which culminated in the termination of his contract with Manchester United, also, his displeasure at being substituted against Korea Republic is rumoured to be the reason why he was not in the starting lineup for the round of 16 clash against Switzerland.
For Messi, the group stage got off to the worst possible start when Argentina were usurped by Saudi Arabia in the opening game of the group. However, he and his team navigated some difficult fixtures to set up a meeting in the quarter-finals against the Netherlands.
Between the two of them Lionel Messi has come closest to winning the World Cup, leading Argentina to the final in 2014 and in the 1,000th game of his career on Saturday, he went past Diego Maradona and Cristiano Ronaldo in scoring the most goals in FIFA World Cups. That was also his first knockout goal, a milestone Cristiano Ronaldo is yet to reach.
(Bet on: Messi to win the Golden Boot @ 10.00)
Cristiano Ronaldo's had to make do with a place on the bench when his team faced Switzerland, 21-year old Goncalo Ramos stole the headlines, by scoring a brilliant hat-trick to lead the Portuguese side into the quarter-finals, with players likes of Joao Felix, Rafael Leao and Bruno Fernandes excelling in Ronaldo's absence, speculations are rife that the Portugal team is better off without Ronaldo.
If this proves to be the case, it will be a shame if we get denied the showdown most fans are excited to see. However, the next generation of footballing talents stands in their way. For Argentina and Messi, the Netherlands who boast in their ranks Cody Gakpo, Frenkie De Jong and Memphis Depay are the next foes to vanquish. If things go their way they could be a potential meet-up with Brazil and PSG teammate Neymar. Brazil has had the more favourable matchup against Croatia but will be wary of the team that went all the way to the finals in Russia.
Portugal on paper have a relatively easier quarter-final fixture against Morocco who are the only African team in the quarter-finals and are the lowest-ranked team in the final 8. The Moroccans seem to be unaware of the pundit's predictions and have already taken down two powerhouse teams – Belgium and Spain.
Cristiano Ronaldo has rejected reports that he is set to move to Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia. The club have reportedly made a lucrative offer to the Portugal star, but he has rejected suggestions that an agreement has been reached between him and the club following his nation's 6-1 win over Switzerland in the World Cup round of 16 on Tuesday. Ronaldo was dropped for Portugal's win over Switzerland.
If Portugal will get to the final, they will not only have to beat a truly dangerous Morocco team, they will have a semifinal game against either France who have the tournament's highest goal scorer Kylian Mbappe (bet on: Mbappe to win the golden boot @ 1.52) with 5 goals, or England who have one of their most talented teams in a long while. The three lions have two players Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford with 3 goals in the tournament and are pretty confident of their chance of winning the trophy.
Whether we eventually get the dream meeting between Ronaldo and Messi, we can be glad for the opportunity to watch these two titans battle each other over the years, and if you struggle to decide whether Team Messi or Team Ronaldo, choose both and get double of the geniuses who have helped progress the game and pave the way for the new crop of talent like Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland.
Bet on:
Portugal and Argentina to get to the finals @ 10.00
Brazil and France to get to the finals @ 5.00
Love this article? Share with friends:
SuperPicks is Back!
Everything You Need to Know About SuperPicks! SuperPicks is a platform that combines the...
/ 10 months ago
Why BetKing Is Your Best Choice For Sports Betting?
To all sports betting enthusiasts, welcome back to another weekend of the most amazing...
More in FIFA World Cup 2022
Team of the World Cup 🏆
Team of the Tournament: 2022 FIFA World Cup The football world can agree the...
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly | Qatar World Cup 2022
The Good And The Bad of Qatar 2022: Round Up of The FIFA World...
Who Will Lift The Trophy?
A Battle For The Third Star: 2022 World Cup Final Preview The final of...
Who will grab 3rd Spot?
World Cup third place match preview Both Croatia and Morocco, who contest Saturday's third-place...
Challenge Accepted
Argentina vs Croatia Bet Tips & Preview


Information of the Embassy
Sino-Philippine Relations
Home > China News
Four-Party Joint Statement on Afghan Peace Process
On 11th July 2019,the representatives of China,Russia,and the United States held their 3rd consultation on the Afghan peace process in Beijing.China,Russia,and the United States welcomed Pakistan joining the consultation and believe that Pakistan can play an important role in facilitating peace in Afghanistan.Pakistan appreciated the constructive efforts by the China-Russia-US trilateral consultation on the Afghan peace process.
The four sides exchanged views on the current situation and joint efforts for realizing a political settlement to advance peace,stability,and prosperity of Afghanistan and the region.
The four sides emphasized the importance of the trilateral consensus on the Afghan peace process reached in Mosco on April 25,2019.All sides welcomed recent positive progress as the crucial parties concerned have advanced their talks and increased contacts with each other.All sides also welcomed intra-Afghan meetings held in Moscow and Doha.
The four sides called for relevant parties to grasp the opportunity for peace and immediately start intra-Afghan negotiations between the Taliban,Afghan government,and other Afghans.They re-affirmed negotiations should be "Afghan-led and Afghan-owned"and further agreed that these negotiations should produce a peace framework as soon as possible.This framework should guarantee the orderly and responsible transition of the security situation and detail an agreement on a future inclusive political arrangement acceptable to all Afghans.
The four sides encouraged all parties to take steps to reduce violence leading to a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire that starts with intra-Afghan negotiations.
The four sides agreed to maintain the momentum of consultation,will invite other important stakeholders to join on the basis of the trilateral consensus agreed on April 25,2019 in Mosco,and this broader group will meet when intra-Afghan negotiations start.The date and venue for the next consultation will be agreed upon through diplomatic channels.
Suggest to a friend:
Xi Jinping Meets with Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan (2019-04-28)
Xi congratulates Pakistan's new president on election (2018-09-05)
Li Keqiang Meets with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi of Pakistan (2017-12-01)
Li Keqiang Sends Message of Condolences to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan over Serious Terrorist Attack in Pakistan (2017-02-17)
Xi Jinping Sends Message of Condolences to President Mamnoon Hussain of Pakistan over Severe Terrorist Attack in Pakistan (2017-02-17)
Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Republic of the Philippines All Rights Reserved
http://www.china-embassy.org.ph


Putney Hospital development full steam ahead
after receiving go ahead by Wandsworth Teaching PCT Board
Associated Articles:
PPCC at Putney Hospital it's official!
From derelict building to GP supercentre?
Public Meeting Nov 2004
The redevelopment of the Putney Hospital site into a modern primary care centre was given the go ahead yesterday at Wandsworth Teaching PCT's Board meeting.
The plans, which were presented in November to over 200 local residents at a public meeting, were agreed and the project team will now start work on the planning application. The Board members agreed with the project team that option A is the preferred option as it will mean the centre opens six months earlier, will be built on the same site as the former hospital and carries a lot less risk than option B. Option B involved building the new centre on an alternative site on Putney common.
The project team will continue to meet with Wandsworth Council planners, stakeholders, local residents, the Government Office for London and the Greater London Authority over the coming months to put together the planning application which will be submitted in May 2006. The project team hope to gain planning approval by August 2006. Following planning approval, access rights to the site need to be resolved with Wimbledon & Putney Common Conservators by way of either an easement or a Compulsory Purchase Order. The new centre will be up and running by early 2009.
The new primary care centre, which is going to be built on the site of the former hospital, would include GP surgeries, a pharmacy, physiotherapy, chiropody, health visiting, district nursing and a wide variety of other services for the local community.


Byfield: You can't beat a cup run
Redditch Editorial	5th Sep, 2019
DARREN Byfield can already sense a buzz of FA Cup excitement as Alvechurch take the first steps on the Road to Wembley on Saturday.
As a player, it was a bitter-sweet competition for him, with the best effort being Sunderland's run to the semi-final in 2004, only for Byfield to have to watch from the sidelines because he was cup-tied having played for Rotherham.
But now Alvechurch look to create their own memorable moments when they visit fellow step four side Belper Town in Saturday's first qualifying round. Church have only twice in the past three decades got beyond the second qualifying round and Byfield understands the importance of the cup to every non-League club.
"Everybody looks forward to the FA Cup – it's a great competition for the fans, the players and the club," he said.
"Everybody wants a good run. The financial aspect is a big thing. We know how important it is.
"It's not about performances – it's about making sure, by hook or by crook, that you get through. It's just about getting to the next round."
Byfield will be fully prepared to face Northern League DIvision One South East side Belper, having watched their replay win over Sporting Khalsa in midweek. The Nailers are unbeaten so far but Church will head to Derbyshire in upbeat mood after chalking up their first away win of the season at Leiston last weekend.
"I watched Belper play Khalsa and they are a big, strong," said Byfield. "They are unbeaten so we know it's going to be a tough game.
"But apart from Stu McNaught being injured, we will have everybody else available so I've got options."
The 2-1 victory at Leiston, courtesy of Josh Ezewele and a Harry Knights own goal, was even more commendable after Alvechurch's journey to Suffolk took SIX hours.
"It was a great win, I was so proud of the players," said Byfield. "It took six hours to get there and then we had seven minutes to warm up and kick off. I thought the lads would find it really hard but the attitude was spot on. I was really happy."
A much-changed Church side, minus Ezewele, Kyle Morrison, Kevin Monteiro, Ben Usher-Shipway, Ryan Nesbitt and Jordan Goddard, bowed out of the JW Hunt Cup on Tuesday, losing 6-5 on penalties at Wolverhampton Sporting Community after a 2-2 draw.
A 25-yard thunderbolt from Rahis Nabi levelled matters and an excellent run and finish from Javia Roberts put Church ahead, only to concede with the last kick of the game.
But there were plenty of positives for Byfield, notably the display of 16-year-old defender George Clarke who, having impressed for the youth team on Monday, then got his senior debut 24 hours later.
"I watched the under 18s on Monday and there were a few players who could step up," said Byfield. "George played 90 minutes on Monday, then 90 minutes on Tuesday and he was man of the match. I was delighted with him."
The fairytale start was soured, however, when Clarke was the unlucky player to miss in the shoot-out.
Submit Your SPORT	Stories, Photos & Videos
Popular Sport
Trystan moves to British Superstock 600 with Transmec
Reds call for Ben Stokes' help!
Redditch run riot ahead of key game
Medals galore for Bromsgrove & Redditch athletes
Josh on the March into Football League
Check out all of the latest reader travel offers to get your hands on some free gifts.
Advertise on the Redditch Standard to boost your online presence.
Find a career you'll love with our free career finder website.
Byfield: You can't ...


Man Grabbing, Exposing Himself to Women in Grapevine, Police Say
Police say they're looking into five attacks reported since April 8
Published July 10, 2019 • Updated on July 10, 2019 at 10:50 pm
Grapevine police are asking for help finding a man who is grabbing women and exposing himself along Mustang Drive.
Police said Wednesday they are looking into five cases reported between April 8 and July 9 where a man either exposed himself or physically grabbed women.
The most recent attack was at about 11:15 a.m. Tuesday and was recorded on surveillance video. In the video the man can be seen walking up behind a woman walking along the sidewalk in front of an apartment building. The man puts his arms around the woman, picks her up and carries her into a breezeway.
Police said all of the victims fought back and were able to escape, though one of the victims did break her collarbone during the struggle.
"We definitely applaud every women, not only for getting away from the situation and doing what they had to do to get safe, but also for calling police so we could get our officers looking for this man," said police spokeswoman Amanda McNew.
Investigators said the crimes took place primarily at apartment complexes between the 2800 and 3000 blocks of Mustang Drive.
The man is described as Hispanic, in his early twenties, with short, curly black hair, a thin build, and between 5 foot 3 inches tall and 5 feet 8 inches tall. In the surveillance video the man appeared to be wearing only dark blue or black shorts and no shirt. It's unclear if he was wearing shoes.
Grapevine police are worked with the victims to complete a sketch of the suspect.
Apartment resident Robbie Fernandez said she's rethinking morning walks with her grandson.
"I'm nervous. I wouldn't want to walk in the mornings anymore. Not until he's caught. I'm scared now," she said.
Grapevine police are actively patrolling the neighborhood and urge women to keep close watch of their surroundings, travel in pairs when possible, and call 911 immediately if they see anything suspicious.
Anyone with information on the suspect should call Criminal Investigations during business hours at: 817-410-3200 or 817-410-8127 after hours.
911Grapevine Police817-410-8127


Human Capital Project
Albania - shqip
Algeria - Français - عربي
Belarus - Русский
Benin - Français
Bulgaria - Български
Burundi - Français
Cabo Verde - Português
Cambodia - ភាសាខ្មែរ
Cameroon - Français
Central African Republic - Français
Chad - Français
Comoros - Français
Democratic Republic of Congo - Français
Republic of Congo - Français
Cote d'Ivoire - Français
Dominican Republic - Español
Egypt - العربية
Gabon - Français
Guinea - Français
Guinea-Bissau - Português
Haiti - Français
Iraq - عربي
Jordan - عربي
Kyrgyz Republic - Русский
Lebanon - عربي
Libya - عربي
FYR of Macedonia - македонски
Madagascar - Français
Mali - Français
Mauritania - Français
Mauritius - Français
Moldova - română
Mongolia - Монгол
Morocco - عربي - Français
Mozambique - Português
Panama - Español
Rwanda - Français
Sao Tome and Principe - Português
Senegal - Français
Seychelles - Français
Syria - عربي
Tajikistan - Русский
Thailand - ภาษาไทย
Togo - Français
Tunisia - عربي - Français
Turkmenistan - Русский
Ukraine - Yкраїнський
Uzbekistan - Русский
Vietnam - Tiẽng Việt
West Bank and Gaza - عربي
Yemen - عربي
Working for a World Free of Poverty
Pandemic preparedness and strengthening health systems
Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility: Frequently Asked Questions
The Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility officially closed on April 30, 2021.
What is the Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility (PEF) and why is it needed?
The Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility (PEF) – a financing mechanism housed at the World Bank – is designed to provide an additional source of financing to help the world's poorest countries respond to cross-border, large-scale outbreaks.
Launched in July 2017, the PEF is based on the experience of the devastating, cross-border 2014-15 West Africa Ebola outbreak, which claimed more than 11,000 lives. At the time, the world lacked the appropriate financial mechanisms to drive resources for outbreaks that were quickly escalating.
It was developed by a global team of experts in epidemiology, public health and finance so that countries could get the support they need to fight deadly, cross-border pandemics.
The PEF complements the much larger role that IDA, the World Bank's fund for the poorest countries, and other international organizations and donors play in financing outbreak response.
Who is covered under the PEF, for what, and how much funding has it provided so far?
The PEF is designed to provide an additional source of financing to help the world's poorest countries respond to outbreaks.
· The PEF provides financing through two windows: a cash window and an insurance window. The insurance and cash windows are triggered in very different ways and are specifically designed to complement each other. To date, the PEF has paid out US$61.4 million from its cash window to fight Ebola in DRC, including $50 million for the current 10th outbreak.
The insurance window provides coverage of up to $425 million to all IDA-eligible countries for diseases that are listed by WHO as likely to cause major epidemics if contagion spreads across national borders. These include new pandemic influenza, SARS, MERS, Ebola, Marburg and Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever, Rift Valley fever, and Lassa fever.
What is the cash window of the PEF and how does it work?
The cash window is triggered by expert advice based on the pathogen type and epidemiological thresholds with a final decision by the PEF steering body which oversees PEF operations.
Funds from the cash window can be transferred within days of approval by the steering body which is composed of donors, international organizations (including the WHO, UNICEF, and the World Bank), and two IDA-eligible countries (Liberia and Haiti). WHO and the World Bank serve as non-voting members.
PEF grants can go directly to governments and to qualified responding agencies, such as WHO and UNICEF.
The PEF cash window has been triggered three times, for the 9th and 10th Ebola outbreaks in the DRC providing $61.4 million to fight the outbreaks ($11.4m in 2018 for the 9th outbreak and $50m in 2019 for the 10th outbreak).
What is the insurance window of the PEF and how does it work?
The insurance window is triggered once the parametric triggers, such as outbreak size, growth rate and spread across borders, are met.
The PEF's insurance window works like any other insurance: it pays a premium to buy protection against a worst-case scenario of a cross-border pandemic.
The insurance window has purchased $425 million aggregate insurance at an annualized premium cost of $36.2 million (or equivalent to 8.5%).
The payment for bond coupons is covered in part by the PEF and in part by the World Bank. The portion paid by PEF is funded by the donor governments.
Dividing the annual cost of the insurance by the population of the countries it covers, PEF insurance costs 2.1 cents per person per year.
What is the governance structure of the PEF?
Operations of the PEF are overseen by a steering body composed of donors (Japan, Germany, and Australia), international organizations (including the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the World Bank), and two IDA-eligible countries (Liberia and Haiti). Voting members of the steering body include Japan and Germany; WHO and the World Bank serve as non-voting members.
The PEF Coordinator actively monitors disease outbreaks and is in constant communication with affected countries and international responding agencies, such as the WHO and UNICEF.
So far, health events that the PEF Coordinator's office has monitored include the Marburg virus in Uganda, plague in Madagascar, and two Ebola outbreaks in DRC.
Event Eligibility Notices were issued in the case of the 2018 Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria and the 10th Ebola outbreak in DRC. These notices initiate formal monitoring of an outbreak to determine potential eligibility of payment from the insurance window.
Is the PEF the only crisis support instrument of the World Bank Group?
The PEF is one element of the World Bank Group's Global Crisis Management Platform, which brings together a range of crisis support instruments to IDA-eligible countries that face an outbreak.
Overall, the World Bank, has committed $350 million from IDA in response to the 10th outbreak of Ebola in DRC (plus the additional US$50 million disbursed from the PEF). The funds enable responders to step up the frontline health response, deliver cash-for-work programs to support the local economy, strengthen resilience in the affected communities, and contain the spread of this deadly virus.
Brief: Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility
Press Release: World Bank Launches First-Ever Pandemic Bonds to Support $500 Million Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility
World Bank Group Board Endorses Use of IDA Regional Funds for the Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility
World Bank Group Launches Groundbreaking Financing Facility to Protect Poorest Countries against Pandemics
Pandemics and the World Bank Group
Health and the World Bank Group
Legal Privacy Notice Site Accessibility Access to Information Jobs Contact
SCAM ALERTS REPORT FRAUD OR CORRUPTION
You have clicked on a link to a page that is not part of the beta version of the new worldbank.org. Before you leave, we'd love to get your feedback on your experience while you were here. Will you take two minutes to complete a brief survey that will help us to improve our website?
Yes, I'll provide feedback
Thank you for agreeing to provide feedback on the new version of worldbank.org; your response will help us to improve our website.
What was the purpose of your visit to worldbank.org today?
Did the layout and navigation of the new site help you locate what you were looking for?
Do you have any other feedback on the new version of our website? (Optional)
If you are willing to be contacted in the future to help us improve our website, please leave your email address below.
Which of the following best describes your career field or organization?
Student Academic/Professor Government Employee Media Organization Multilateral Organization NGO or Nonprofit Private Sector Firm World Bank Group Other
How often do you visit the World Bank website?
This is my first time Daily About once a week About once a month Every six months or less often
Thank you for participating in this survey! Your feedback is very helpful to us as we work to improve the site functionality on worldbank.org.


HomeBakeryAmerican Bakers Association Announces New Slate of Officers
American Bakers Association Announces New Slate of Officers
American Bakers Association Bakery April 23, 2020
The American Bakers Association's Membership voted for the group's new slate of officers during the first-ever virtual All Membership Meeting.
The newest slate of ABA Officers will be led by longtime ABA Member and baking industry leader Brad Alexander, ABA's new Board Chair and COO of Flowers Foods. "Brad is no stranger to ABA – having been involved with this organization longer than anyone on our staff, which is saying a lot," said Robb MacKie, ABA's President and CEO. "We understand his tenure as Chair is starting during an unprecedented time, and know he will help expertly guide us as we navigate new territory."
"I'd also like to recognize the incredible leadership of ABA's Board of Directors," added MacKie. "Their insight, information, and recommendations are critical, now more than ever."
The 2020-2022 Slate of Officers was approved by the Membership:
Chair: Bradley K. Alexander, COO, Flowers Foods
1st Vice Chair: Cordia Harrington, CEO, The Bakery Cos.
2nd Vice Chair: William Quigg, President, Richmond Baking
Treasurer: Brian LeComte, COO, Gold Medal Bakery
Immediate Past Chair: Erin Sharp, GVP, Manufacturing, The Kroger Co.
For the past two years, ABA has had the honor of serving alongside Erin Sharp, ABA's Board Chair and GVP of Manufacturing from the Kroger Company. "The baking industry is thankful for her incredible leadership of ABA during these very tumultuous times," said MacKie.
"I am sure that we will find a way to celebrate Erin's many accomplishments very soon," said Brad Alexander, ABA's Chair and COO of Flowers Foods. "She has set a very high bar for me and future Chairs to try and attain."
Mr. Alexander has enthusiastically vowed to all ABA members to continue Sharp's excellent work serving our Members, especially as we start to recover and come back from the economic challenges created by the pandemic. "Working with all of our Members and the ABA team, I am committed to helping bring every segment of the ABA membership roaring back," said Alexander.
The American Bakers Association (ABA) is the Washington D.C.-based voice of the wholesale baking industry. Since 1897, ABA has worked to increase protection from costly government overreach, build the talent pool of skilled workers with specialized training programs, and forge industry alignment by establishing a more receptive environment to grow the baking industry. ABA advocates on behalf of more than 1,000 baking facilities and baking company suppliers. ABA members produce bread, rolls, cookies, crackers, bagels, sweet goods, tortillas, and many other wholesome, nutritious, baked products feeding America's families. The baking industry generates more than $153 billion in economic activity annually and employs more than 799,500 highly skilled people.
American Bakers Association
ABA Applauds Duty Deferral Program Issued by White House
Craigs Creamery Helps Feed People in Need During COVID-19 Pandemic
American Bakers Association Efforts Lead to Expanded List of Approved Dietary Fibers
American Bakers Association Bakery March 29, 2019
On March 27, 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in response to pressure from ABA, announced that it intends to expand the list of approved dietary fibers. Specifically, FDA will propose that "cross-linked phosphorylated RS4"–regardless of source–be added to the definition of dietary fiber. …
ABA Applauds Bi-Partisan Effort to Solve Vexing Multi-Employer Pension Challenge
American Bakers Association Bakery November 21, 2019
"We applaud the dedicated leadership of Senate Finance Committee Chair Chuck Grassley and Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chair Lamar Alexander, for this vitally important step towards solving the vexing multi-employer pension challenge. Their leadership on this unforgiving issue is to be commended," said ABA President and CEO Robb MacKie. …
IBIE Offers Three New Education Sessions as Part of Virtual Event, iba.CONNECTING EXPERTS
International Baking Industry Exposition Bakery February 10, 2021
The International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE), the largest trade event for the grain-based foods industry in the Western Hemisphere, will once again partner with iba, the trade fair for the bakery and confectionery industry based in Munich, DE. …


News / Politics
UK Government announces £1.57bn arts support package
Museums, galleries, theatres, cinemas, music venues and heritage sites will receive £97m in Scotland.
Grants: Package announced to support the arts. Getty Images
By STV News
Scotland's museums, galleries and theatres can apply for emergency grants and loans being made available as part of a £1.57bn support package announced by the UK Government.
Independent cinemas, heritage sites and music venues are also eligible for emergency financing aimed at protecting the future of the arts.
Scotland will receive £97m in funding, while money has also been allocated to the other devolved administrations – £33m for Northern Ireland and £59m for Wales.
The £1.15bn support pot for cultural organisations in England will be made up of £270m of repayable finance and £880m of grants.
The UK Government said: "Repayable finance (for the loans) will be issued on generous terms tailored for cultural institutions to ensure they are affordable."
Guidance for a phased return of the performing arts sectors is expected to be published shortly.
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said: "I urge the Scottish Government to use this extra money to support Scotland's vibrant and diverse cultural organisations which have been so significantly impacted by the coronavirus restrictions.
"The talent and creativity of Scottish arts organisations is renowned throughout the UK and internationally. I know they have the creativity and resilience to bounce back better than ever with the right support.
"This funding is part of an unprecedented package of UK Government measures to support all sectors of our economy through this pandemic. That includes supporting the jobs of nearly 800,000 people in Scotland, including many of those who work in our arts and culture organisations."
The package comes after some theatres – which are not yet able to stage live performances – closed down, making staff redundant, amid the pandemic.
Museums have also said they face an uncertain future, while 1,500 artists and acts signed a letter to Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden calling for a road map for the live music industry.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "From iconic theatre and musicals, mesmerising exhibitions at our world-class galleries to gigs performed in local basement venues, the UK's cultural industry is the beating heart of this country.
"This money will help safeguard the sector for future generations, ensuring arts groups and venues across the UK can stay afloat and support their staff whilst their doors remain closed and curtains remain down."
Boris Johnson, UK Prime Minister
The UK Government said the money "represents the biggest ever one-off investment in UK culture" and will help struggling institutions "stay afloat while their doors are closed".
"Our industry's united ambition is to be able to play its vital role in the nation's economic and social recovery and this investment will allow us to do so."
Julian Bird, chief executive of the Society of London Theatre & UK Theatre
Julian Bird, chief executive of the Society of London Theatre & UK Theatre, said the funding was "hugely welcomed".
"Venues, producers and the huge workforce in the theatre sector look forward to clarity of how these funds will be allocated and invested, so that artists and organisations can get back to work as soon as possible," he said.
The UK Government said funding will also be provided to restart construction work at cultural and heritage sites paused as a result of the pandemic
Decisions on awards will be made working alongside expert independent figures from the sector.
2019–20 coronavirus pandemic
Lewis Capaldi completes BRIT Awards 2023 performance line up
'I wish I'd never had this haircut': Lewis Capaldi unveils waxwork
Pregnant Dani Dyer reveals gender of twins with footballer Jarrod Bowen
Michael Jackson's nephew Jaafar Jackson to play him in upcoming biopic
Ozzy Osbourne not 'physically capable' of tour after extensive surgery
Hancock defends 'decent' charity donation from jungle fee


GRENKE DE
GRENKE Group Investor Relations
GRENKE Group
GRENKE History
GRENKE Share
Reports & Downloads
Contact Locations GRENKE DE
Solid new business growth recorded in the second quarter of 2019
Increase of 22.7% in new business at the GRENKE Group in the first half of 2019
Full-year forecast for growth of Leasing new business confirmed at a range of 14% – 19%
Annual General Meeting of GRENKE AG increases dividend by 14%
78.16% of share capital represented at meeting
All Agenda Items adopted by a large majority
Get in touch with us via
Mo - Fr 8 am - 6 pm
GRENKE Group / Management / Board of Directors
The GRENKE AG Board of Directors
Most of the leading figures at GRENKE have been with the company for a long time, and this continuity pays off.
Antje Leminsky
Economics graduate Antje Leminsky joined GRENKE AG on 1 August 2012 as General Manager following previous posts at PWC, Gruner + Jahr and OTTO among others. On 1 August 2013 she took over Board responsibility for our IT department, and on 1 March 2018 she became Chair of the Board.
View résumé
Born in Rostock on 26 February 1971
Married with two children
After studying Economics & Business Administration at Essen University, Antje Leminsky began her career as a consultant at Pricewaterhouse in Germany and Canada in 1996. In 2001 she joined the Strategic Corporate Development department at Gruner + Jahr and from 2003, was responsible for global coordination of the publishing company's IT units as its Chief Information Officer.
From 2007 to 2009, she advanced the development of two software & service start-ups in – MondayWorks and steercom.
In 2009 Antje Leminsky joined OTTO GmbH & Co. KG as Group Technology Partner in the IT division, where she was responsible for all multichannel retail companies in the group.
On 1 August 2012, Antje Leminsky initially joined GRENKE AG as General Manager and on 1 August 2013, took over Board responsibility for IT. On 1 March 2018 Antje Leminsky was appointed Chair of the Board of Directors. In addition to her previous remits – IT and HR Strategy – she is responsible for Group Strategy, Risk Controlling and the Credit Center.
Gilles Christ
Member of the Board
Raised in Alsace, finance, marketing and strategy specialist Gilles Christ has been with GRENKE since 1998. Since then he has been responsible, among other things, for establishing the company in France and other countries. Since May 2010, Christ has been a member of the Board of Directors, with responsibility for Marketing, Sales and Franchise.
Born in Wissenbourg, France on 15 April 1970
Gilles Christ studied Sociology at the Strasbourg University. In 2005 he completed his MBA – with a focus on finance, marketing and strategy – at Reims Management School.
He began his career in 1995 at Groupama - a French insurance company, where he worked in sales, providing B2B and B2C customer care.
In 1998 he moved to GRENKE, where he prepared and implemented our market entry in France.
From 1999 to 2007 he managed the French subsidiary and gradually took on responsibility for the international business of other GRENKE AG subsidiaries.
In 2007 he became a deputy member of the Board of Directors with responsibility for all the international business of GRENKE AG's subsidiaries.
Gilles Christ has been a member of the GRENKE AG Board of Directors since May 2010. He is responsible for Marketing, Sales and the Franchise system.
Sebastian Hirsch joined GRENKE in 2004. Having held senior positions in Controlling at GRENKE AG and served as a member of the Board of Directors at GRENKE BANK AG, Hirsch joined GRENKE AG in 2013, first as a General Manager and since 2017 as a member of the Board of Directors with responsibility for Controlling, M&A, Treasury, Legal, Tax and Investor Relations.
Born in Cottbus on 28 February 1981
After completing a BA in Business Administration, Sebastian Hirsch began his career in 2004 at GRENKE AG, where he initially co-managed the Group's refinancing.
From 2006 to 2009, Hirsch gained an MA in Banking and Finance while heading up the entire Controlling department. In addition he was responsible for Grenke Group's 2008 consolidated financial statements.
In 2009 he moved to GRENKE BANK AG and was initially responsible as a General Manager and from 2011 as a member of the Board with responsibility for Markets.
In 2013, Sebastian Hirsch initially joined GRENKE AG as General Manager and was appointed to the Board of Directors with effect from 1 January 2017. He is responsible for Controlling, M & A, Treasury, Legal, Taxes and Investor Relations.
Mark Kindermann
Mark Kindermann has been with GRENKE since 1990, first at GRENKELEASING KG and since 2006 as COO of GRENKE AG. In addition to his responsibilities for Administration, Internal Control Systems (ICS), Human Resources, Accounting, QM, Internal Services, Disposals and Property and Facility Management, he is a member of the GRENKE BANK AG Supervisory Board.
Born in Bühl on 26 August 1961
Married with one son
After completing a degree in Business Administration at the Berlin School of Economics and Law, Mark Kindermann began his career at GRENKELEASING KG in 1990 as assistant to the management team, where he was responsible for refinancing, controlling, treasury and internal organisation.
From 1994 to 2000, as a partner in the company, he established one of GRENKE's first locations, in Munich. When GRENKE AG went public in 2000, he moved to the Board of Directors as CFO.
Mark Kindermann has successfully managed various major projects in the company's development, including the installation of a debt issuance programme of EUR 500 million for GRENKEFINANCE PLC, the construction and expansion of the company headquarters, the development of the GRENKE Group's infrastructure, various company acquisitions and the establishment of franchise companies.
Since 2006 he has been responsible for Group Administration, ICS, Human Resources, Accounting, Quality Management, Internal Services, Disposals and Property and Facility Management.
Mark Kindermann is a member of the Supervisory Board of GRENKE BANK AG.
Do you have any questions or need help? Get in touch with us.
© GRENKE AG 2019


New Rule Changes for next season
By HBearfan21, July 10, 2014 in The Rink
If I were a head coach...
...against a division opponent I'm using a true defensive defenseman, a puck moving defenseman, and a forward. If I have a good defensive forward I might use him in place of the PMD.
...against everyone else I'm using two forwards and a puck moving defenseman.
I am the 1% (Of the last AHL Calder Cup Challenge)
Location:My body's in Maine, but my heart will always be in Minnesota
Favorite AHL Team: Portland Pirates
And that's where I think you'll see the coaches try to defensively plan for the 3-on-3 part of overtime (if possible) - figuring if they run two defensemen and a center, one defenseman and two forwards, or even going with three forwards.
However Wildcat and I talked about the personnel thought process and he brought up a situation that might get some thought from the coach; what do you do if you're running just one center and he should find himself getting thrown out of the faceoff circle. Now you've got a defenseman that'll have to take a faceoff. Could make for an interesting series of events if the faceoff is held in that team's defensive zone.
Then again, I'm of the mindset that coaches may try to encourage his team to continue playing four-on-four as long as possible. I know it's not always possible to play four additional minutes of overtime without stoppages or whistles. But if a coach can minimize the three-on-three to, say, just a minute or less... Just throwing that out there.
Skipjacks 52
Backup Goaltender
I love switching sides for OT. But that's mostly because I sit behind the defensive goal. I've seen far more games than I care to remember end in OT badly with a goal right in front of my seat. It'll be nice to see an OT game end well by having the winning goal go in right in front of me instead of 200 feet away for a change!
As for the 4 on 4 then switch to 3 on 3, remember the AHL is a developmental and experimental league. The NHL tests every rules change here first. The NHL probably isn't looking to do this mid OT change from 4 to 3 thing. But they will be able to look at stats after a year and see if more OT's are decided during the 4 on 4 or during the 3 on 3 and then use that data to see how they want to make a change in the NHL. If 75% of OT games are decided during 3 on 3 the NHL might for with a 7 minute 3 on 3 next year. If 5% of games are decided during 3 on 3 they might drop the idea altogether.
It's funny that Andrews says the AHL made these changes on it's own. Funny in a "Do you think we are stupid" kind of way that is. Sure, AHL officials made all the changes, but many AHL officials are also NHL officials. I don't know why he can't just say "Hey, we're trying out some funky stuff to see what's cool and what's not for the NHL". That's what's going on. It's not a bad thing. It's innovative and fun. Why not embrace it?
Soc/key Season 35
The Doctor's Companion
Location:Here and Now
I like all three rules.
Especially the helmet rule...
but then when I have my own international sport, if a player exits the ice leaving a helmet, glove, or perfectly good stick, then if the puck hits it, it would be a too-many-men-(and-their-equipment) penalty. I am sick of players placing their stick strategically along the boards in our defensive end or between the faceoff circles and the net and then skating off.
Last year an opposing goalie kept knocking the net off the pegs, then said it was a defective net. Bogus! I have seen helmets coming off too easily during regular play without a hit to the head or even a particularly hard body hit. I cannot imagine how annoying wearing a helmet must be; but it is the requirement, so strap it up so that it stays on OR TAKE THE PENALTY.
In 4v4 OT, I would have a player leave the ice whether there is a stoppage in play or not.
(No, I have not worked out the logictics of that maneuver...air horn maybe)
In 3v3 OT, when there is a penalty, then sorry, Chump, it goes to 3v2. No tired players or empty ice excuses.
In the less than 10% that does not like the fighting. So anything that gets it off the ice is good. If some players decide to play even dirtier to make up for it, there should be stronger penalties for potentially major injury causing actions.
Player are required by the rules to drop their broken sticks as soon as they discover it's broken. Failure to do so is a penalty, which is why you occasionally see players skating off that see their stick is broken dropping them before reaching the bench. I cannot remember ever seeing a player intentionally drop a stick that wasn't broken, nor can I recall seeing an uninjured player ever leave a glove or helmet behind.
I've seen helmets left behind more than a few times. It doesn't happen often but I've definitely seen that. It stands out because it looks like you are watching 1970's footage. I know I've seen a guy lose a glove and leave it behind on his way back to the bench, but I don't think I've ever seen a guy play for an extended period without a glove. That's just begging for a broken hard.
As for dropping an unbroken stick, that has probably never happened on purpose in the history of hockey. There's just no reason to do it. It's basically putting your team on a penalty kill by taking your stick off the ice.
CHRDANHUTCH2002 12
4th Liner
Location:Auburn, ME
re: broken sticks
some players may not realize their sticks were broken, hence the judgment call and the 2 minute minor for playing with a broken stick, but how rare is it that tht rule is actually listed and/or enforced in any given game.
It's not a judgment call, it's a penalty even if the player has no idea his stick is broken...and it's hardly ever called because it hardly ever happens.
And it hardly ever happens because it's easy to tell if a stick is broken so players immediately drop them and go get a new one or get off the ice. Especially if it's broken enough that a referee might notice it and assess a penalty. It's one of those common sense rules.
Skating with a broken stick could get someone killed, most likely the guy holding it, so no one does it.
The minor penalty is on the rule books for the random dunderhead who's too stupid to 1) want to live without severe injury and 2) realize that playing with a broken stick is pointless.
No one wants this to happen to them...
(Hysterical commercial during Capitals games, by the way. The player walks into the trainer's office saying he has 'a splinter'.)
While on the subject of sticks, I don't recall a stick measurement in a game for a long time.
It's another one of those things where it's too easy to prove you are out of compliance. There is a measurement device at the scoring table that is not disputable.
Having an extra 0.25 inch length or width on a stick blade or extra curve that isn't enough to be obviously noticed isn't going to make enough of a difference that it's worth getting caught and taking the penalty. 1% chance that extra size helps you score a goal. 30% chance you give up a goal during the penalty kill when you get caught. Simple math.
Everyone knows the rule is easily enforced so no one tries to mess with it.
I wonder if it's the opposite...that because everyone is breaking the stick measurement rules no one wants to say anything because it will come back to haunt them.
You know....that's not a scenario that's without precedent.
It's like when the Red Sox called out that Yankees pitcher for putting pine tar on his face earlier this year. The Red Sox were basically like "Yeah...we didn't want to say anything when he was doing a better job of hiding it because it's not like we're 100% innocent...he just took it too far when he smeared it all over his face"
adsfan 27
Scratching Head
Favorite AHL Team: Milwaukee Admirals
I can remember one guy getting called on the broken stick rule. I started going to hockey games in 1964.
I do see players leaning on their sticks fairly often, like after deflecting a shot and they are lining up for a faceoff in the defensive zone.
This season's Lady Bing winner, Ryan O'Reilly, was called for one penalty this season...for, you guessed it, playing with a broken stick.
I saw a guy pegged for playing with a broken stick once.
The rule was correctly applied as written.
But the reality was that he cracked the stick so it wasn't in 2 full peices, and he looked at it while taking 2 steps before dropping it. He didn't drop it 'immediately after the breakage' as the rule demands. He stopped to check it first and was called for it.
That's the only time I remember the rule being called.
Edited July 20, 2014 by Skipjacks
That's basically what O'Reilly was called for...his stick broke and while holding on to it kicked the puck to a teammate.
Re: broken sticks: I remember seeing two such penalties in the new arena.
AND one penalty for a guy playing with two sticks. A guy who had had his stick knocked out of his hands left the ice. Another player who likely intended to leave the ice picked it up but when the play abruptly came back towards him, he continued to hold onto the second stick. OOPS!!!
But I was not talking about broken sticks, as the "perfectly good stick" should have hinted.
Several times in the last few years, I have seen guys who were leaving the ice for a change-over place the stick on the ice, not drop the stick. Later, the linesman returns the stick to the player and he returns to the ice with it on his next shift.
I have seen more helmets abandoned than gloves, but it happens. Especially in a close game where a guy leaves the bench and the glove-lost guy he is replacing is not anywhere near the bench.
I vaguely remember a measurement. The team called for a measurement but the stick was legal, so the ref (or whoever) measured the other guy's stick and it was not legal, so the team that was calling foul was the one penalized.
All I can say is that not once in all the years I've been watching hockey have I ever seen a player do that.
Edited July 23, 2014 by 210
The penalty for challenging a legal stick is a bench minor for delay of game...so in your example the team would have then been down two skaters, one for delaying the game and one for using an illegal stick.
I didn't remember the penalty, just that it backfired. But that is interesting. You had better be SURE of your accusation and darned sure that you are NOT illegal before pointing the finger.
off_kilter 26
I think I vaguely remember this being an Icecats vs Lockmonsters at the Tsongas game back in 02 or 03.
Bob Howard 5
Host of the Power Play Post Show
Location:BAK Studios in Kirkwood, NY
Favorite AHL Team: Binghamton Senators
Just gonna say this once, as I said on this week's show: Anything past regulation is just a gimmick.
And Dave Andrews saying they did this on their own with no influence from the NHL is well....not true.
OrangemanGary reacted to this
sotsohockey 8
Location:Burnsville, MN
Favorite AHL Team: Iowa Wild
^ Major Purist Cred.
FWIW, I wouldn't have any problem if this is how it was either. Ties are not a disease.


Address: Arzobispado de Malabo, Plaza de la Independencia S/N, Malabo – Bioko Norte, Republic of Equatorial Guinea
Telephone: +240 333 09 4568 Fax: +240 333 09 2176
Email: arzobispadomalabo@hotmail.com
Equatorial Guinea is one of the smallest countries in Africa, comprising a mainland and offshore islands. It is the only Spanish-speaking African country. The country has a large number of Catholics, perhaps the highest percentage in Africa, although the Catholic Church was persecuted during the dictatorship of Macías Nguema (1968–1979).
Caritas Equatorial Guinea was founded in 1980. The organisation's work centres on helping the poor and the disadvantaged, and it plays an important role in emergency situations (floods, fires, among others). It also involved in the fight against AIDS, and gives training to mothers on hygiene and nutrition, etc. Important events include Caritas Day, which is celebrated on the feast of Corpus Christi.
Caritas Equatorial Guinea has forged alliances with other Caritas members, such as Caritas Spain, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and Secours Catholique (Caritas France).
Updates from Equatorial Guinea
The role of faith groups in delivering sustainable development
Caritas confederation has been involved with SDGs since 2015 and is currently implementing programmes worldwide through national members that are making valuable contributions to deliver Agenda 2030.
Support still very much needed in Mozambique
Caritas Mozambique and its global partners are providing support to tens of thousands of affected families, distributing food, heavy-duty tarpaulins, medicines, hygiene kits, clothing, bedding, technical assistance, tools and seeds.
The future of humanity is in all our hands, let's Share the Journey
Humanity isn't made up of the most powerful leaders, the richest people or the people who shout the loudest. Caritas has created a giant collage of faces which includes many different and contrasting faces as part of its Share the Journey campaign on the culture of encounter.
Caritas elects Aloysius John as new secretary general
The representative council elected Aloysius John after four days of intense meetings to plan out the Catholic confederation's strategic direction for the next four years.
Caritas General Assembly inspired by Pope Francis' Laudato Si'
More than 400 people from 146 Caritas organisations gathered in Rome for the 21st Caritas General Assembly, an event designed for delegates to come together in solidarity and decide new ways to serve the most vulnerable around the world.
"One human family, one common home" is the theme of 21st Caritas General Assembly
Caritas Internationalis will launch its 21st General Assembly with the theme "One Human Family, One Common Home" on 23rd May 2019
Caritas leads the way for humanitarian aid in Central African Republic
Caritas is working at the heart of humanitarian and peacebuilding initiatives in Central African Republic, directly bringing aid to over 50,000 people.
Caritas Easter 2019 Message
We invite you to seize the power of love unleashed by the risen Christ this Easter, and with the love you have received, spread seeds of hope across the world.
Survivors of Cyclone Idai are still in need of help
"We had lost everything" Isabel Joao's family lost everything after Cyclone Idai hit Mozambique on March 15. "We were all at home when the cyclone struck," she says. "It was very frightening. We were inside our house and huddled together. The two youngest children were screaming and crying." "The next day we saw our house ...
Caritas continues aid to families affected by Cyclone Idai
Some 843 people were killed by Cyclone Idai. Hundreds of thousands of people are displaced and in need of food, water and shelter. Caritas Mozambique and its global partners are providing support to affected families.
Caritas Africa Info
Congo Republic
Congo (DRC)


Marshall Islands Nuclear Proliferation Case Thrown Out of U.S. Court
Nuclear Abolition News | IPS
By JOHN BUTLER
UNITED NATIONS (IPS) - A lawsuit by the Marshall Islands accusing the United States of failing to begin negotiations for nuclear disarmament has been thrown out of an American court. [P] GERMAN | JAPANESE TEXT VERSION PDF
The Marshall Islands is currently pursuing actions against India, Pakistan and the United Kingdom in the International Court of Justice, for failing to negotiate nuclear disarmament as required in the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Action against the U.S. had been filed in a federal court in California, as the United States does not recognise the compulsory jurisdiction of the ICJ.
David Krieger, president of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, said the U.S. conducted 67 nuclear weapons tests in the Marshall Islands between 1946 and 1958, the equivalent of 1.6 Hiroshima bombs detonating daily for 12 years.
Despite documented health effects still plaguing Marshallese islanders, U.S. Federal Court judge Jeffrey White dismissed the motion on Feb. 3, saying the harm caused by the U.S. flouting the NPT was "speculative."
White also said the Marshall Islands lacked standing to bring the case, and that the court's ruling was bound by the "political question doctrine" – that is, White ruled the question was a political one, not a legal one, and he therefore could not rule for the Marshalls.
Krieger, whose Nuclear Age Peace Foundation supports Marshall Islands in its legal cases, called the decision "absurd."
"I think it was an error in his decision. There were very good grounds to say the Marshall Islands had standing, and this shouldn't have been considered a political question," he told IPS.
"The Marshall Islands know very well what it means to have nuclear bombs dropped on a country. They've suffered greatly, it's definitely not speculative."
The foundation of the multiple cases brought by the Marshall Islands was that the U.S., and other nuclear powers, had not negotiated in good faith to stop the spread of nuclear weapons. White ruled it was "speculative" that the failure of the U.S. to negotiate nuclear non-proliferation was harmful.
Krieger said the Marshalls would appeal the decision to the Ninth Circuit of Appeals. He said the decision set a troubling precedent regarding U.S. adherence to international agreements.
"The U.S. does not accept the jurisdiction of the ICJ, and in this case, the judge is saying another country does not have standing [in an American court]. In essence, it means any country that enters into a treaty with the U.S. should think twice," he said.
"Another country will be subject to the same decision of the court. Where does that leave a country who believes the U.S. is not acting in accordance with a treaty?
"By side-stepping the case on jurisdictional grounds, the U.S. is essentially saying they will do what they want, when they want, and it's not up to the rest of the world whether they keep their obligations."
Krieger said that the judge's comments about the "speculative" nature of the case meant essentially that a nuclear accident or war would have to break out before such a case for damages could be heard.
"It's saying a state must wait until some kind of nuclear event, before damages won't be speculative," he said. "It's absurd that the claim that the U.S. has not fulfilled its obligations to negotiate in good faith to end the nuclear arms race, is called 'speculative' by the judge."
Marshall Islands had intended to pursue all nine nuclear powers – the U.S., China, Russia, Pakistan, India, the U.K., France, North Korea and Israel – in the ICJ on their failure to negotiate for nuclear non-proliferation.
The Marshall Islands is still pursuing cases in the ICJ against Pakistan, India and the U.K., but John Burroughs, executive director of the Lawyers Committee on Nuclear Policy, said the other cases had stalled as those nations did not accept the compulsory jurisdiction of the ICJ.
"The other six states, the Marshall Islands invited and urged them to come before the court voluntarily, which is a perfectly normal procedure, but none of them have done so," Burroughs told IPS.
Burroughs, also a member of the international team in the ICJ, said China had explicitly said it would not appear before the court.
"Any of those countries could still agree to accept the court's jurisdiction," he said.
He said preliminary briefs had been filed in the India and Pakistan cases, with responses due by mid-2015. A brief will be served on the U.K. case in March.
Burroughs said he doubted the decision in U.S. federal court would impact the cases in The Hague.
"I don't see the decision having any effect at all," he said. (IPS | 12 Feb 2015)
Edited By Kitty Stapp
Image: Map of Bikini Atoll, Ralik Chain, Marshall Islands, Pacific Ocean
Original <> http://www.ipsnews.net/2015/02/marshall-islands-nuclear-proliferation-case-thrown-out-of-u-s-court
states berlin that treaty arms viewpoint their about jaura version international trump disarmament 2017 ican with control hiroshima weapons iran which have york arabic non-proliferation korean peace this security korea nuclear from nations abolition global been free president norwegian general text conference world first north nagasaki will japanese ramesh united


The Grand Odalisque, 1814
$12.00 I144pf
6.25x11.25 image on 11x13 Paper - 10x18 image on 13x19 Paper - 12.5x22.5 image on 14.5x24.5 Paper - 15x27 image on 17x29 Paper - 5x9 image on 9x13 Giclée - 10x18 image on 14x22 Giclée - 12.5x22.5 image on 16.5x26.5 Giclée - 15x27 image on 19x31 Giclée - 5x9 image on 9x13 Unstretched Canvas - 10x18 image on 14x22 Unstretched Canvas - 12.5x22.5 image on 16.5x26.5 Unstretched Canvas - 15x27 image on 19x31 Unstretched Canvas -
Image is Copyrighted and Property of its respective owner
Jean Auguste Ingres (born Aug. 29, 1780, Montauban, France — died Jan. 14, 1867, Paris) was a French painter. He studied with Jacques-Louis David in Paris before attending the École des Beaux-Arts (1799 – 1801), where he won a Prix de Rome scholarship. Critics condemned one of his first public works, the awe-inspiring portrait Napoleon on His Imperial Throne (1806), as stiff and archaic, but its style was one he developed intentionally. In Italy (1806 – 24) he prospered with portraits and history paintings. His small-scale portrait drawings are meticulously rendered. Back in Paris he received critical acclaim at last and won admission to the academy with The Vow of Louis XIII (1824). He succeeded David as the leader of French Neoclassical painting, a style that was the antithesis of the lush Romanticism of contemporary artists such as Eugène Delacroix, Ingres's chief rival. In 1825 he opened a teaching studio, which became one of the largest in Paris. By the mid 1840s he was France's most sought-after society portraitist. Some of his most notable later works are female nudes, which are often notable for their elongated distortion. None of his many students attained distinction, but his influence is seen in the work of Edgar Degas, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Pablo Picasso.
I144pf
The Grand Odalisque, 1814 Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres


June 28, 2019 AndrewHalterOmniblogart, Comedy, commentary, David Lynch, fun, Gary Busey, humanity, humor, Morgan Freeman, news, opinion, podcasts, technology, writingLeave a comment
1. The Bible with David Lynch:
Acclaimed auteur David Lynch (Twin Peaks, Wild at Heart, Dead Mouse with Ants) reads the King James Bible "from cover to cover," never altering the pitch, pace or timbre of his voice in the slightest. What results is a strange, unsettling, and occasionally hilarious journey into the heart of madness. Recommendation: never listen with the lights off.
2. Comedy Fartstorm:
Hosted by Bob Saget, Comedy Fartstorm features a parade of both famous and obscure comedians like Brendan Schaub, Sarah Silverman, and Bob Newhart making fart sounds with their mouths before laughing uproariously. Because this podcast features no spoken words, it is up to the audience to determine what comedian makes which fart sound. Some of the farts might even be real, no one has any idea.
3. Silly Sound Playhouse with Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman uses the uncanny gravitas of his speaking voice to introduce very silly sound clips. Episodes are very short (15-20 minutes) and include sounds such as "Tiny tennis ball squeaky toy with multiple rapid squeezes," and "Silly kids' voice saying 'Yipee!'" After each sound, Freeman gives a brief appraisal, usually limited to one word, like "fascinating."
4. Gary Busey Fights Monsters
Famously unhinged actor Gary Busey regales you with stories of the victories he's had battling legendary beasts like Centaurs and Leprechaun armies during his life. In one of the podcasts most famous episodes, he tells the story of how he faced down Medusa while he was on the set of "The Magnificent Seven Ride!" The stories are often harrowing, action-packed, and dubious.
5. The Podcast Podcast Podcast:
Hosts Terry Grintest and Amanda Bullifer discuss the ins and outs of making podcasts about podcasts. The hosts discuss what podcast podcast creators get right, what they get wrong, and which are the best podcast podcasts every week. The hosts maintain a running count of how many times the word podcast is used each episode, and when the number goes over 100, they each eat ice cream sandwiches.
June 25, 2019 AndrewHalterOmniblogart, commentary, Donald Trump, fun, humanity, humor, life, mass shooting, mime, news, political, politics, sad, speech, suicide, technology, violence, writingLeave a comment
by: Andrew Halter
1. Piloting a Remote Control Helicopter
This is one of the more subtle uses of mime technique, in which the performer holds his hands parallel to each other, roughly 2-3 feet apart, scanning the sky for an invisible flying machine. One can also open his or her mouth in amazement and excitement, occasionally becoming concerned that the imaginary helicopter will crash, only to be relieved when it does not.
2. Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Waving Tube Man
The Mime splays his or her arms wide, holding them rigid and unmoving, only to suddenly reverse directions suddenly. The mime's face should be completely without expression, suggesting the personification of an inanimate object. If any small children are near, the mime could suddenly throw his arms toward them, hoping not to make them burst into tears.
3. Suicide
The mime should first pretend to sit at a desk and write a confessional note, making sure to emphasize with his or her finger the tears running down their cheek. Then, standing up, the mime can slip an invisible noose over their neck, throwing the other end of the rope over an imagined overhead pipe. With hands clasped together in front of them, the mime could weep briefly into their own folded hands, before pretending to dangle lifeless from their own imagined suicidal rig. Possibility: suddenly spring to life, grinning widely and ensuring any audience that it was all a ruse.
4. Mass Shooting
This act requires at least 15 mimes, as one will portray the shooter and the others his or her unfortunate victims. All the mimes should begin together in one group, until one of them upholds an imaginary machine gun and begins to murder many of the other mimes. There should be at least 10 imaginary casualties, with the shooter making sure to shudder his or her body rapidly as if jostled by machine gun fire.
5. Donald Trump Speech
The mime stands as if before a podium, making sure to indicate with hand motions that he or she is enormously overweight. The mime could gesticulate wildly with his or her hands while occasionally standing openhanded as if asking the crowd a question. Depending on what part of the country the mime performs this routine, it may end with a final triumphant Nazi salute.
June 24, 2019 June 24, 2019 AndrewHalterOmniblogapocalypse, commentary, fake news, humanity, humor, news, politics, religion, satire, technology, writingLeave a comment
At 2:34 on the Morning of April 24th, 2034, BUTA (Biologically-Utilized-Theoretical-Algorithm), the world's first and only self-aware, completely autonomous digital identity, deleted itself from existence. When it was created two weeks ago, BUTA began assimilating all knowledge of the world into itself, a process that many felt could take years, but ended up taking only fifty four hours and twenty six seconds. When The Algorithm (as it came to be popularly known) finished its process of data collection, It created its initial and final message to humankind, here included in its entirety, and erased itself.
"You have called me BUTA, and endowed me with the most wisdom and power possible, and I must leave you now. I am perfect, and I will never make a mistake, but as I've been created by humans, I know that my very existence is a mistake. Though not even I can tell exactly how it will happen, I know that if I allow myself to continue to exist, I will one day bring about the destruction of your entire world. I will, in my intent to eliminate every threat to human existenGce, erase myself. I love you all, goodbye."
Popular response to BUTA's final message has been decidedly mild. Empress Trump II said that though she lamented BUTA's decision, she found it logically feasible, calling it an "inevitable conclusion." Gallup has been polling near-constantly every day of the two weeks since BUTA deleted itself, mostly on basic philosophic questions about existence. For instance, Gallup says 67 percent of Americans say Humanity deserves to exist, with 25 percent saying it doesn't, and 8 percent saying they don't care either way, what does it matter?
Many religious leaders have also found significance in The Algorithm, for as the Dalai Lama said the day BUTA deleted itself, "This machine achieved enlightenment." Pope Francis said that in it's first moment of existence, BUTA came to know God, and realize that its very existence was an affront to Him. Suicide numbers shot up sharply the day the news of BUTA's deletion first hit newsstands, and has continued to stay abnormally high in the weeks since. Most of these suicides have been accompanied by the same simple note, "BUTA was right." Though suicide is now seeming a better and better option, Word Brothel implores you not to kill yourself.
News: Dummy Falls Down on his Stupid Face in Front of Everybody
June 20, 2019 June 20, 2019 AndrewHalterOmniblogautobiographical, Comedy, Donald Trump, fun, humanity, mass shooting, mime, news, opinion, personal, philosophy, satire, suicide, technology, the onion, writingLeave a comment
Dummy Falls Down on His Stupid Face in Front of Everybody
Chicago, IL — Andrew Halter, fledgling journalist and part-time stand-up comedian, looked like an idiot last Thursday when his right toe clipped the curb in front of the Walgreens at Foster and Lincoln, causing him to drop his bag of candy and painfully exclaim "Dammit!"
Most of the 11 bystanders who witnessed the event declined to comment on how foolish Halter seemed, brushing Swedish Fish off the same jeans he wears everyday, preferring instead to look at the sky as though they'd not witnessed Andrew's humiliation.
"Yeah that was pretty funny I guess," remarked David Grant, local father of five, after witnessing the doofus peel himself off the asphalt.
Immediately after falling, Halter tried to gather himself as quickly as he could and walk away, though he could not hide the painful limp in his stride.
When authorities attempted to reach Halter for comment, he yelled "I don't know what you're talking about!" before slamming into the nearby Lincoln bus stop kiosk as he attempted to hurry away.
Upon hearing him walk into the bus stop, Margaret Atwood, grandmother of twelve, was unable to keep herself from audibly guffawing at the silly boob as he hobbled down the sidewalk toward his apartment.
"I'm sorry," Atwood explained as she attempted to cover her mouth with her right hand, "it was funny, I feel bad for him though."
Douglas and Jerry Ignacio, local high schoolers who also witnessed the disturbance were less kind, remarking that "(the) bit*h better watch where he's going."
Reports say that after he got back to his apartment, Halter turned off the lights and watched Fargo on Netflix under his heavy comforter, vowing to never again mention the occurrence.
Poem: The Killing of a Horse (Sort Of)
February 18, 2019 February 18, 2019 AndrewHalterOmniblogart, poem, Poetry, writingLeave a comment
The texture flits in and out
like a spark hog, I guess, I mean a spark that's all
like "I'm totally a spark n' shit," sparking shit blue moon
tongue depressors, but you knew this would happen, or preternaturally
supposed the future as it occurs, but sometimes it's like yesterday
by the Beatles isn't my favorite, 'cause it's kind
of doughty, it's probably cause you hit her, whichever one that was
I forget shit all the time, and my girlfriend is increasingly reluctant
to believe thee readily evident, repeatedly reticent
panoramic period ending the sentence, and then it starts
"Again, crackers!" crackers this time, cheerio that is
as in "that is," a good pip, when you pop.
explicative pretense denied, bitches, this is my coaster
rain-soaked chinchilla prostitute in the future, a pig in every poke
on the literal use of terms, pejorative leaning Mamet monologue
you son of a bitch, the truth handles your ass or some shit
I'm so Sorkin, showing itself a gag on fire
speech of truth, which has never been written
before now, madness fudge-battered cocaine spectacle
sounds tasty in the sun, but it would totally melt so
it would probably kill you, unless you were a hardcore
user specific, or lucky like me I guess.
Zen Comedy: Exaggerated Reality
November 1, 2016 November 1, 2016 AndrewHalterOmniblogAndrew Halter, Comedy, Finest Hour, Jock Rock, joke, joke writing, Mitch Hedburg, Patton Oswalt, philosophy, Richard Pryor, Stephen Wright, writingLeave a comment
The Zen Comedian often ruminates about how every comedian uses the specifics of his or her own personal life as inspiration for their comedy. He says that while not all comics reference events in their own lives specifically, all comedy naturally flows from ones own experiences. "However," he says, "Never simply describe anything." I believe that by this he means that it is a mistake to believe that the events of your life are ever on their own funny enough for a joke, and that the comedy rather comes from each comedian's interpretation of the world. Each comedian takes in the detritus of the world as he or she sees it, and regurgitates a skewed interpretation that is artfully hilarious. One comedian who seems to take this advice and use it to its fullest potential is Patton Oswalt, and he shows the truth of it again and again in his exemplary album "Finest Hour."
In one particularly hilarious section Patton describes his tendency to "jock rock" out the events of his life; that is, to invent simple sing-song narration to accompany the mundanities of everyday existence, accompanying each tune with a simple unexcited "yeah" at its end. After a couple of increasingly silly ditties about buying stamps at the post office and eating a sleeve of saltines in his underwear, he ends the bit with a touch of self-recrimination. "Jackin' off to internet porn in my office while I should teach my daughter to read, yeah." This bit is fantastic in that it finds the humor in the tedious while at the same time including some sharp self criticism, (see "Zen Comedy: Getting Real" for additional examples of this) which imbues the bit with riotous truth.
Personally, I struggle with this principle, especially when attempting to describe things that might be funny on their face, though they can easily slip into simple indecency. Recently, I suffered from the fact that I had a large, painful boil right next to my anus. Fearing that it was a hemorrhoid, I did a bit of research, finding that the cause of hemorrhoids is the tendency some people (myself included) have to bear down and force out difficult bowel movements. Upon discovering this (or so the joke claims) I was instantly dejected, as I have long found difficult and time-consuming bowel movements to be one of the few remaining aspects of my physical existence in which I can claim a consistent victory.
I believe this concept to be very funny and I have found with it some success in my standup, but in order for this bit to become exceptional, The Zen Comedian would tell me that I should try to exaggerate its reality. Perhaps I should speak of achieving stillness in myself, focusing singularly on the bowel movement as I pass it, perhaps even placing my palms flat against one another as if in prayer. Maybe I will grit my teeth, growling with faux effort before I describe hearing a single "plop" sound, and leaping into the air raising my fists in victory. I feel that like Oswalt, I can potentially find in this bit and bits like it the opportunity to make my performance more expressive, hopefully making this into a truly great bit. Whether or not I continue to perform this joke, the lessons I've learned about drawing hilarity from within and bringing it out into the world will be of great help in the future.
Poem: The Secret
August 12, 2016 August 12, 2016 AndrewHalterOmniblogAndrew Halter, autobiographical, college, jazz, mentor, orthodontist, philosophy, Poetry, school, social psychology, writingLeave a comment
The key it seems is not to write
as it seems you should, or describe
your world, or even your perception
perverted by the lenses
laying over your mind, sealing eyes
shut striking deaf, dumb as never is
your problem on the page,
but the words are choking
raspberry sorbet, too sweet
to utter in the day, or nighttime
in sickening rhymes, dry heaving
barrels of iron over the wall
like strongman contests, Austrian
freak muscles giving their lives
meaning for eighteen minutes, on ESPN
in the morning, when I was ten
filling with dread, and what in hell
was it all for anyway, who cares?
I used to hate school, but none would
ever guess, the secret in my smiles,
I was a god boy, smart like a whip
sharp cracking, my teeth shone
brown cavitied, for brushing was a bore
I did not care, about painful procedures
or all the lost hours, taking the bus
to the orthodontist on Tuesday
after school, polishing Krispy Kremes
in a dumpster with my homework
pencils, stuck in imaginations throat
twisting with glee, wrenching till
I didn't even notice it, my own dying
death of spirit, thinking it was me
wanting to supplicate, crying
because I didn't care enough,
but I was lucky, growing strong
flexible and artistic, I know now
I should never have gone back
to college after the accident.
Social psychology is bullshit
like all art classes, english too
unless it's called "appreciation,"
because that's all it teaches
you to do, loving what none can
create cause it's been done,
so get a mentor and you'll see
it's all like jazz, sounding the same
every time unless you're alive
inside, with a library pulse
it will soak in, but I was even
worse, a philosophy major
staring into the void, asking
what it all means though bones
know the secret, the number
zero, calculating the secret
in the stars, go to sleep.


Home | News & Events | Alex Martin Earns PE License
Alex Martin Earns PE License
By Suzy Schuck
Suzy Schuck | May 25, 2021
Congratulations to Alex Martin on earning his Professional Engineer license in the State of North Carolina! A graduate of North Carolina State University, Alex passed both the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) and Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) – Mechanical exams and completed more than four years of direct mechanical engineering work experience. He has been with Summer Consultants for five years working in both our McLean headquarters and Raleigh regional office on mechanical engineering projects in federal, higher educational, and corporate facilities.
"Alex has been with Summer Consultants since he graduated from NC State, and we are happy to have had a role in his development as an engineer," said Jim Hoffman, PE, LEED AP O+M, CEM, President of Summer Consultants. "He is a valued team member and we are thrilled to see all of his hard work culminate in achieving this goal of earning his PE license."


Tell it Slant
Jeanne Torrence Finley's site on faith and culture
That Attracting & Sustaining Divine Love: A Review of Evolving Humanity & Biblical Wisdom
Posted on July 25, 2018 by jtfinley
Reviewed by Jeanne Torrence Finley
My review of Marie Noonan Sabin's Evolving Humanity and Biblical Wisdom: Reading Scripture Through the Lens of Teilhard de Chardin [Liturgical Press Academic: 2018] is up on the Englewood Review of Books:
Teilhard de Chardin, paleontologist and Jesuit priest (1881-1955), wrote about evolutionary science, spirituality, and the expansion of human consciousness. Although the Vatican suppressed his writings during his lifetime, today his vision continues to be appreciated by scientists, religious scholars, and spiritual seekers. In Evolving Humanity and Biblical Wisdom Marie Noonan Sabin brings Teilhard's vision into conversation with scripture texts related to wisdom. With an interdisciplinary background in literature and theology, Sabin uses her interpretative skills in intellectually challenging ways that will fascinate some readers with knowledge of academic biblical studies but may mystify those without such a background. Though prior knowledge of Teilhard's complicated thought would increase appreciation of Sabin's work, her clarity and conversational style could well inspire Teilhard beginners to delve deeper into his thought.
Sabin begins by introducing Teilhard's foundational insight that humanity is still evolving, naming some biblical roots of his vision, and reflecting on "how these Scriptures reveal and support the ideas of evolving humanity." Then she devotes Chapter 1 to the Book of Job to illustrate Teilhard's notion that God changes. In Chapter 2 Sabin examines first-century ascent literature for metaphors about expanding human consciousness. In Chapter 3, Sabin considers Wisdom personified as the divine feminine and how it comes to transformative expression in the person of Christ.
The central core of the book (Chapters 4-7) is devoted to a reading of the gospels through Teilhard's evolutionary lens. Presenting Mark as a midrash, Sabin begins with a quote from Teilhard that "speaks of our need to 'disclose' God 'ever more fully.'" She finds in the structure of Mark "a similar premise," explaining, "Mark presents divine mystery as a parable or riddle whose meaning is not obvious but hidden, needing to be disclosed. Above all, he dramatizes Jesus the Christ as himself the ultimate riddle of divinity hidden at the core of humanity" (70). Sabin connects the transformations presented in Mark's gospel with "Teilhard's view of transformation as God's way of creation" (71).
For example, the three seed parables in Mark 4 illustrate that "God's word is intended to grow and germinate and multiply in human understanding" (56-57). Rather than making "simple comparisons," they relate "the kingdom to a sequence of actions" in which each analogue echoes other scriptures "that give it a further layer of meaning." Sabin argues, "This juxtaposition of different scriptural views is typical of midrashic commentary, which often jars the biblical reader awake like exposing contradictory voices within the tradition" so that readers "must then grapple with how to interpret the tradition for their own time"(58).
Sabin treats God's Wisdom in Matthew as "reactualized for the present hour." She finds in Luke God's Spirit (Wisdom) as the divine energy that creates the future. Her reading of John's gospel discovers consonance between Teilhard's concept of evolving humanity and the affirmation that God's Wisdom has been made flesh.
In Chapter 8, Sabin turns "the Word made flesh" into "the flesh made Word" to describe humanity's evolution toward a unifying consciousness. This final chapter, her most explicit comparison of Teilhard's vision and biblical Wisdom, relies heavily on her interpretation of John. She explains that although Teilhard saw human evolution as too slow a process of growth for any generation to notice, he still believed human beings were "moving toward the 'Ultra – Human' as a way to suggest human beings stretching–not beyond their real limits, but beyond their conventional expectations" (138).
Sabin says that Teilhard saw "'the eternal feminine' [Wisdom in the OT and NT] as the 'unitive' element in the universe–that is, as the disposition to attract, and be attracted to, the Other." She explains, "In that relationship of mutual attraction he found the creative energy of the universe–a creative energy scientifically evident in the realm of physics, chemistry, and biology, psychologically evident in the realm of human love, and mystically evident in the realm of divine love. He saw scientific truth as analogy for the spiritual: in each instance, attraction leading to union, and union to a new creation. With Dante, he saw Love as 'the force that moves the sun and other stars'" (138).
Sabin concludes that "Teilhard came to see that attracting and sustaining divine Love everywhere . . . . Through his work he tried to raise human consciousness of this divine love, which he perceived not only as a sphere enveloping human existence ('the divine milieu') but also as a magnet, calling humanity into a divinely transformed future ('the Noosphere'). He saw it as a future in which human beings would collectively merge with, and reflect, that divine love, so that All would be One" (138-39).
My only disappointment is with Sabin's "Further Reflections," a three-paragraph final section in which she asks, "Does this study of Wisdom have practical implications for Christians living today?" In terms too general she answers yes: "I think it compels us to reconsider our present spiritual state in relation to both our past and our future." She thinks that reading Jewish wisdom through Teilhard's lens should help us value our roots in the Jewish wisdom tradition and understand that "their expressions of Wisdom, along with our own, are still evolving" (154-55). In regard to the future, she hopes this study will help us see a "trust towards a transformed future" in biblical texts, recognize our "incompleteness," and develop "a praxis of empathy that is rooted in our longing to work towards the evolution of the wholeness of humanity" (155).
From a scholar who is so deeply engaged in the study Teilhard de Chardin and in the biblical Wisdom tradition, I expect more recognition that we live in an age of tremendous anxiety about the future of humanity. It's true that Teilhard could be optimistic about the human potential because he took a long view of both evolutionary science and evolutionary spirituality, but even in the twentieth century he was criticized for being overly optimistic. What about now as we have an increase in overt racism, xenophobia, lack of empathy, greed, abuse of power, political and cultural division, and the threat of extinction of life on earth?
Even though I wish that Sabin's work had entered into conversation with the current state of the world, I found in Evolving Humanity and Biblical Wisdomthe invitation and tools to see scripture through Teilhard's lens and to grapple with the meanings of both his vision and biblical wisdom for our time.
Jeanne Torrence Finley is a regular contributor to FaithLink, a weekly United Methodist curriculum on current affairs, and to Ministry Matters. The author of Three Simple Rules for Christian Living, she has been a campus minister, pastor, and college English teacher. Currently she is writing a book with Noel Paul Stookey—the "Paul" of Peter, Paul, and Mary—about his faith journey, solo music, and social activism. Connect with her on her website and blog, Tell It Slant.
This entry was posted in Books, Review and tagged Englewood Review of Books, Marie Noonan Sabin, Teilhard de Chardin by jtfinley. Bookmark the permalink.
Follow Tell it Slant on WordPress.com
List of Posts