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Ronna McDaniel To Leave As RNC Chair On March 8 | Eastern North Carolina Now beaufortcountynow.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from beaufortcountynow.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
ALPENA — The Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce will host Good Morning Alpena breakfast on Friday, March 8. Attendees will learn what the Alpena High School Care
LONG HILL TWP. - The Meyersville Grange, 500 Meyersville Road in Gillette, will hold a soup and pasta contest and live music by The Long Hill String Band.at 6:30 p.m.
WALDOBORO — “GA-20 clearly is on to something big,” said the Waldo Theatre, in a news release. “It’s a movement, a new traditional blues revival. The dynamic, throwback blues trio are disciples of the place where traditional blues, country and rock...
Click to expand Image Participants at the international Women's Day rally in Almaty, Kazakhstan, March 8, 2022. 2022 Stanislav Beketov Saltanat Nukenova is a name that is widely recognized in Kazakhstan these days. That is because, on November 9, Saltanat's husband, Kuandyk Bishimbayev, the former economy minister, was detained in connection with her death. She was just 31 years old. Her death has sparked fresh calls for more to be done to tackle domestic abuse in Kazakhstan, which does not criminalize domestic violence as a standalone offence. Saltanat's death occurred as lawmakers are considering the "partial criminalization of repeated "battery" and "light bodily harm", offences commonly used in cases of family abuse, which were decriminalized in 2017. But these measures would not go far enough. Saltanat's death has prompted different segments of Kazakhstan society to call for the criminalization of domestic violence: a call women's rights activists and Human Rights Watch have repeatedly made in recent years. In a video published on November 17, athletes, artists, business people, bloggers, and lawyers called for tougher measures to address violence against women, including the "criminalization of domestic violence". About 150.000 citizens have signed a petition proposing to recriminalize "battery" and "intentional infliction of light bodily harm." Vlast.kz, an independent online media outlet, issued a statement condemning violence against women. Women's rights lawyers and activists, and many others across the country, accentuated the urgent need to criminalize domestic violence. And a parliamentary deputy Zhuldyz Suleimenova, from the ruling Amanat party, has proposed criminalization of all forms of violence against women and children, and for the establishment of a separate authority to combat domestic violence. Women in Kazakhstan too often face injury or even death, as in Saltanat's case, because of the authorities' failure to uphold their rights and adequately protect them from abuse. The public has done its part by making it clear how strongly it feels on this issue, now the government should do its part. It should answer the public calls by criminalizing domestic violence and ending impunity for abusers. Saltanat's death has created a media storm in Kazakhstan due in large part to her husband's public profile. But there are many stories about women who are abused and even killed at the hands of violent partners. A situation that once again exposes the systemic nature of domestic violence in Kazakhstan, and how Kazakhstan's laws, as well as the police and judiciary, fail to adequately protect women against family violence.
Click to expand Image A demonstration in Islamabad, Pakistan, on International Women's Day, March 8, 2023. 2023 Nabila Lalee/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images Out of 127 million registered voters in Pakistan, 10 million more men than women have registered to vote in the general election scheduled for February 8, 2024. This is a large gender gap in a country in which women make up 49 percent of the population. Although voting is a constitutional right for all adults in Pakistan, in past elections millions of women have been effectively barred from voting. Particularly in Pakistan's most conservative constituencies, political party officials, local elders, and other powerful figures have colluded in broadcasting messages telling women not to vote and sometimes physically preventing them from polling stations. Courts have been slow to uphold legal challenges to these practices. A more recent source of the gender gap is the requirementthat voters have a Computerized National Identification Card (CNIC) to be eligible to vote. Despite some public awareness campaigns and mobile registration centers meant to make it easier for women to obtain these ID cards, many still cannot do sobecause of restrictions on movement and barriers to education in Pakistan's patriarchal, conservative society. Not having a CNIC also deprives women of access to other essential services and benefits such as government loans and a monthly social security stipend under the Benazir Income Support Program. In 2017, Pakistan enacted the Elections Act to address some of the reasons for women's disenfranchisement.The law stipulates that for an election to be valid, at least 10 percent of the voters in any constituency had to be women. But this low percentage did little to address the disparity. Pakistan's constitution permits the government to achieve equality of citizens by adopting special provisions for the protection of women. The United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) obligates governments to "take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in political and public life," including in elections. The CEDAW Committee, in a General Recommendation, calls for "full and equal participation of women" in democratic political systems. Governments and parliaments should reflect the makeup of society as a whole; millions of missing women voters means their concerns are poorly represented in Pakistan. As the country approaches another general election, the Pakistan government should take urgent steps to ensure women can participate on an equal basis in the electoral process.
Click to expand Image Sex workers wear masks while asking for the clubs where they work not to close, during an event on International Women's Day in Madrid, Spain, March 8, 2023. 2023 Juan Medina/Reuters (Brussels) - The European Parliament passed a resolution against "prostitution" on September 14, 2023, but removed some of its most harmful parts, Human Rights Watch said today. Parliament adopted a non-binding report, Regulation of Prostitution in the EU: Its Cross-Border Implications and Impact on Gender Equality and Women's Rights, but rejected "calls for an EU-wide approach based on the Nordic/Equality model." The Nordic model criminalizes the purchase of sex, and its implementation has led to spikes in murder, police abuse, exclusion from social services, and sexual violence for sex workers in European countries that have adopted it. In a successful last-minute procedural move, the European Parliament removed the most harmful references to the Nordic model from the final text. By "splitting" or "separating" votes, certain passages of a motion can be voted on separately and removed from the final text of the report. Sex workers and their allies strongly advocated removing this provision. "Calling for the purchase of sex to be a criminal offense puts the health and safety of women, queer people, and migrants at risk," said Erin Kilbride, women's rights and LGBT rights researcher at Human Rights Watch. "The fact that the majority of parliament members did not vote in favor of this dangerous resolution signals that they recognize what the data makes clear: criminalization leads to violence against the very people it purports to help." A coalition of sex workers rights defenders and their allies, including Human Rights Watch, urged European parliament members to reject the resolution in the run-up to the vote, calling the report "biased and harmful for people selling sex and other vulnerable groups." The health journal The Lancet also urged parliament members to reject the "misguided" proposal. Although it passed, the majority of members rejected it or abstained, with 234 votes in favor, 175 against and 122 abstentions. This points to a growing understanding of the dangerous impacts of criminalization on sex workers and their rights, Human Rights Watch said. Several United Nations agencies oppose criminalization, including the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, the World Health Organization, the UN Population Fund, and the UN Development Program. Civil society organizations including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the International Planned Parenthood Federation also oppose criminalization. An extensive body of evidence demonstrates that criminalization of buying sex harms the rights of sex workers. The 2016 introduction of client criminalization in France caused clients to fear arrest, which forced sex workers into more dangerous locations for street-based work. Ten sex workers were killed in France in a six-month period in 2019. Research commissioned by the Northern Ireland Department of Justice found "no evidence" that the Nordic model decreased the demand for sexual services after its introduction in 2015, while in the Republic of Ireland a Department of Justice-funded report found 20 percent of sex workers interviewed had been sexually exploited by police and that criminalization "drastically marginalized" an at-risk population. In April, Human Rights Watch wrote to the Spanish Congress of Deputies, urging members to reject a similar proposed bill that allowed for criminalization and harassment of sex workers using an overly broad definition of pimping. Spain has not yet acted on the bill. The new European Parliament resolution still contains harmful and misleading statements about sex work, Human Rights Watch said. It makes repeated calls to punish clients, including making it a criminal offense in all EU countries to solicit, accept, or obtain a sexual act from a person in exchange for remuneration, despite extensive evidence of the violent, discriminatory effects of such laws. It also includes dubious claims that trafficking for sexual exploitation is increasing across the EU and "countries that follow approaches like the Nordic/Equality model are no longer big markets for human trafficking for that purpose." The latest available data sets from the European Commission and Eurostat, respectively, disprove both claims. "The vote demonstrates that despite the onslaught of anti-rights attacks on sex workers and other marginalized groups, Europe is increasingly in favor of rights-respecting solutions to violence against our communities," said Sabrina Sanchez, director of the European Sex Workers' Rights Alliance. "The results show we are not the minority, and that many across the EU believe sex workers deserve human rights."
BusinessesForSale.com's latest survey seeks to find out what the best source of financing is to buy a business in Australia. Find out what over 50 business buyers say. LONDON, March 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- With rising interest rates, bank reluctance to lend, and overall tightening on finances and household budgets, it's fair to assume that buying a business would be an insurmountable task right now. However, over 50 business buyers currently in the process of buying a business report differently in BusinessesForSale.com's latest survey. Australian business buyers are savvy, with most using a combination of sources to fund the business purchase. This includes releasing equity in their homes, using savings, using superannuation, the disposal of any surplus assets, and using more traditional methods such as bank loans as a last resort. Here is a deeper analysis from the survey: Cash is king With most participants buying or looking to buy a business between $100,000 - $1 million AUD, cash is the most popular form of finance. In an effort to minimise inflation, the Reserve Bank has recently implemented another increase in interest rates, so taking on debt through a loan is not buyers' first choice. Cash being the highest chosen form of finance is not surprising; this method offers multiple benefits, including financial flexibility, negotiation power and an ability to purchase other assets quickly. Home equity finance Home equity finance is the second most popular finance route that Australian buyers are pursuing. Some entrepreneurs are turning their home equity into cash, which often has lower interest rates and manageable repayment terms. However, we recommend that buyers do not rely solely on home equity to purchase a business, but rather a combination of different finance methods. Bank loans and vendor finance Bank loans are still considered an accessible form of finance, but it is not buyers' first choice. Buyers are also exploring alternative methods of finance with the seller, particularly vendor finance or earnout structures with a handful of buyers currently exploring this option. This could be a win-win situation as this option offers the seller some cash injection and ongoing income which might be more appealing to them than cashing in the whole asset. Other key insights from the survey include: Australian buyers are interested in the hospitality and retail sector. Despite these sectors being severely impacted by recent economic challenges, they have great opportunity to digitise and cater to shifting consumer demands. New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland are the most sough-after states. More than half of the participants said they would choose another finance methods if they could, with vendor financing being the most ideal alternative. Participants said the hardest aspects of raising finance are rising interest rates, lender approval and the length of the process. Buyers' biggest concerns when purchasing a business are inaccurate valuations, undisclosed issues, and owner reliance. If you would like to understand more about the best sources of finance to buy a business, you can read our loans to buy a business guide. Other helpful information: BusinessesForSale.com is a global platform that partners with entrepreneurs and business owners looking to buy or sell a business anywhere in the world. BusinessesForSale.com is owned by Dynamis Ltd, a privately owned company based in London. The site sees over 1.2 million visitors every month, including 75,000 monthly enquiries.