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☆ Philippines' environment secretary on climate change impacts and sustainable development goals
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailPhilippines' environment secretary on climate change impacts and sustainable development goalsMaria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga, the secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for the Philippines, outlines the impact of climate change on the country's economic growth and social development.

Persons: Maria Antonia Yulo Organizations: Philippines, Department of Environment, Natural Resources Locations: Philippines

☆ Article 23: Hong Kong passes second national security law aligning city more closely with mainland China
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Coming into effect on Saturday, the law introduces 39 new national security crimes, adding to an already powerful national security law that was directly imposed by Beijing on Hong Kong in 2020 after huge and sometimes violent democracy protests the year before. Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Lee described it as a “historical moment for Hong Kong.”Lawmakers attend a meeting for Basic Law Article 23 legislation at the Legislative Council on March 19, 2024 in Hong Kong, China. They argue their legislation is similar to other national security laws around the world. “This will surely increase the doubt, anxiety, and uncertainty of foreign businesses in Hong Kong.”In mainland China, national security laws have often ensnared both local and foreign businesses in opaque investigations. That is something Emily Lau, a former pro-democracy lawmaker, also worries about, that what made Hong Kong distinct is fast fading.

Persons: –, John Lee, Hong, Lee, Chen Yongnuo, ”, Hong Kong’s, Eric Lai, Lai, ” Lai, Hung Ho, fung, Capvision, Sarah Brooks, “, ” Brooks, ” Johannes Hack, Emily Lau, I’ve Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Hong, ” Lawmakers, Legislative, China News Service, China’s Communist Party, CNN, Georgetown Center, Asian Law, Johns Hopkins University, Amnesty International, German Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong Locations: Hong Kong, Hong Kong’s, Beijing, China, Amnesty International China, ”, Hong

☆ Haiti’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigns as gangs run rampant through country engulfed in crisis
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Caitlin Stephen Hu | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Henry submitted his resignation, officials of the regional bloc CARICOM announced Monday night. “We acknowledge the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry upon the establishment of a transitional presidential council and the naming of an interim prime minister,” Guyana leader and current CARICOM President Irfaan Ali said. Henry was under pressure from the US to secure a political settlement, but it is far from clear who will step in. One named touted is Guy Philippe, a rebel leader recently deported from the US to Haiti after serving time for money laundering. But his decision only further enraged protesters who had for months demanded he stand down as Haiti slid further into poverty and rampant gang violence.

Persons: Ariel Henry, Henry, “, Irfaan Ali, Guy Philippe, Haiti’s, Prince Organizations: CNN, CARICOM, Caribbean, UN Locations: Haiti, Caribbean, Guyana, Kingston, Kenya, Haitian, Port

☆ US, Germany and EU embassies begin evacuating staff as violence spirals in gang-plagued Haiti
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-10 | by ( Caitlin Stephen Hu | Helen Regan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Dajabon, Dominican Republic CNN —The United States and other diplomatic missions have begun evacuating personnel from Haiti, as gang violence in the Caribbean nation’s capital Port-au-Prince continues to spiral. US Southern Command said the move was consistent with “standard practice for Embassy security augmentation worldwide.” No Haitians were on board the military aircraft, it added. Another source with knowledge of the operations told CNN there have been at least 12 helicopter evacuation flights into Port-au-Prince over the past three days, all evacuating diplomatic and humanitarian staff. However, shots fired nearby after the last flight’s take off on Sunday have called into question the viability of continuing the evacuation flights, the source said. The World Food Programme suspended its maritime transport services in Port-au-Prince from distributing aid across Haiti due to the instability.

Persons: Dajabon, ”, Joe Biden, Peter Sauer, Stefano Gatto, —, Prince, Gang, Jimmy Cherizier, Ariel Henry, Stephane Dujarric, Henry Organizations: Dominican Republic CNN, CNN, US State Department, US Southern Command, Southern Command, National Security Council, CNN Helicopter, European Union, EU, Caribbean Port Services, Dominican, United Nations, US Department of Treasury, Food, UN, OCHA, Kenya, Kenyan, Caribbean Locations: Dominican Republic, United States, Haiti, Caribbean, Port, Dominican, Haitian, Santo Domingo, Petionville, Haiti’s, Puerto Rico, CARICOM, Kingston

CNN —Two police stations near Haiti’s National Palace were attacked by armed individuals Friday night, as gang violence in the Caribbean nation’s capital of Port-au-Prince continued to spiral. Armed groups have burned down police stations and released thousands of inmates from two prisons, and Cherizier has warned of “a civil war that will end in genocide” if the prime minister does not step down. A woman cries as she walks near her husband's shop that armed gang members set fire to in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, March 7, 2024. Haiti is a member state, but it is unclear if Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry will be at the meeting. CNN has reached out to the Haitian prime minister’s office for comment.

Persons: Prince, Jimmy Cherizier, Ariel Henry’s, Cherizier, Henry, Synapoha, ” Stephane Dujarric, Clarens Siffroy, Sophie Mealier, Pierre Espérance, Ariel Henry, Jim Rogers, Rafy Rivera, Michael Conte, Abel Alvarado Organizations: CNN, Kenya, Kenyan, Haitian, Port, Caribbean Port Services, UN, Getty, Haitian Human Rights Defense Network, CARICOM, Caribbean Locations: Haiti’s, Caribbean, Port, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Prince, Haiti, AFP, Region, Prince’s, Canada, Kingston

☆ More Screen Time Means Less Parent-Child Talk, Study Finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Emily Baumgaertner | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Toddlers who are exposed to more screen time have fewer conversations with their parents or caregivers by an array of measures. They say less, hear less and have fewer back-and-forth exchanges with adults compared with children who spend less time in front of screens. Researchers have long known that growing up in a language-rich environment is vital for early language development. More language exposure early in life is associated with social development, higher I.Q.s and even better brain function. The new study, led by Mary E. Brushe, a researcher at the Telethon Kids Institute at the University of Western Australia, gathered data from 220 families across South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland with children who were born in 2017.

Persons: Mary E Organizations: Telethon, University of Western Locations: Australia, University of Western Australia, South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland

☆ China PMI: Factories send mixed signals about the economy, pressing Beijing to do more
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

But the Caixin manufacturing PMI — which focuses on smaller, private companies — rose to 50.9 in February, up from 50.8 in January, according to S&P Global, which compiled the survey. The divergence in the output and new order sub-indexes is likely related to differences in geographic and sector coverage, as the Caixin PMI covers more southern regions, they said. “Overall, the manufacturing sector continued to improve in February,” said Wang Zhe, senior economist at Caixin Insight Group, in a statement that accompanied the Caixin PMI data. “Looking ahead, the focus should be on the effectiveness of the measures [announced previously by Beijing to boost growth],” Wang said. “Fiscal policy will lead the way,” HSBC analysts said Friday.

Persons: ” Goldman Sachs, ”, Wang Zhe, ” Wang, Xi Jinping, Lintao Zhang, “ Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, National Bureau of Statistics, P, National People’s Congress, PMI, Caixin Insight, “, of People, Communist Party’s Politburo, NPC, Xinhua, HSBC Locations: China, Hong Kong, Beijing, Southern China, Guangdong, Zheijang, ” China

☆ Hark, the Millennial Death Wail
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( Joseph Bernstein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

While it’s true that the generation born in the years from 1981 to 1996 is getting older — as is the way of all life — we are obviously not actually old, except by the stretch of our own fevered imaginations. Millennials are currently between 28 and 43, which means a significant number of us are still too young to run for president. A 36-year-old is smack dab in the middle of the generational cohort, falling well within the psychologist Erik Erikson’s “early adulthood” stage of psychosocial development. Even if we grant that there are real things making millennials feel creaky — the traditional milestones of adulthood met or not met, the 20th anniversary of “Mean Girls” and the confusing craze for Stanley water bottles — there is something a bit odd about calling so much attention to our own generational obsolescence.

Persons: Erik Erikson’s “, creaky

The documents showed that the government also labeled as part of its climate change efforts items as disparate as Navy security operations and distributing fortified milk among the rural poor. Of this, Pemex spent 5.6 billion pesos on climate change and 1.3 billion pesos on the energy transition in the same period, the public accounts show. "Mexico started really strong," said Maria Jose de Villafranca, the lead researcher for Mexico at Climate Action Tracker. The government did not make officials available to discuss its climate change plans. Mexico has not released information about its strategy, which has been criticized by climate change experts as non-compliant with the Paris Agreement.

Persons: Gustavo Graf, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Lopez Obrador, Lopez Obrador's, Pemex, Victor Gomez, Gomez, Maria Jose de Villafranca, There's, Jason DeVito, Stefanie Eschenbacher, Simon Jessop, Dave Graham, Claudia Parsons Organizations: REUTERS, MEXICO CITY, Reuters, United, CFE, United Nations, Navy, Federated Hermes, Thomson Locations: El Bosque, Mexico, MEXICO, DUBAI, United States, Paris, United Nations, Dubai, CFE, Mexico City

☆ As tentative truce holds, search for shelter continues for more than a million Gazans
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Prasanta Kumar Dutta | Mariano Zafra | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

*Figures for Gaza City and North Gaza have not been updated after Oct. 12 due to lack of communication. A map shows UNRWA schools and hospitals and clinics in and around the Khan Younis camp. A satellite image shows several U.N.-run schools and places where people are seeking shelter in the streets around Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. On average, 160 people sheltering in UNRWA schools share a single toilet. A map shows UNRWA schools and hospitals and clinics in and around the refugee camp in Rafah.

Persons: —, Khan Younis, Saleh Salem, Israel Organizations: —, United Nations Office, Humanitarian Affairs, Gaza’s Health Ministry, UNRWA, Ministry of Social Development, Hamas, United Nations Palestinian Refugee Agency, Nasser Hospital, Technologies, World Health Organization Locations: Israel, Gaza, U.N, Gaza City, North Gaza, uproot, Nasser, Khan, Rafah, Egypt

☆ Opinion: What made the Carters’ marriage magic
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( Opinion Kate Andersen Brower | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Rosalynn Carter was a paragon of strength and resilience in a marriage that was in all ways a true partnership. Her death was announced by the Carter Center on Sunday, which said she had passed away with loved ones at her bedside. It was different however, when she visited her neighbor’s house and saw a photo of Jimmy Carter on the bedroom wall. Former President Jimmy Carter kisses former first lady Rosalynn Carter after they received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Bill Clinton in 1999. In Jimmy Carter’s post-presidency, the Carters have championed democracy and political stability, traveling to hot spots including Cuba, Sudan and North Korea.

Persons: Kate Andersen Brower, “, ”, Obama, Biden, Jill Biden, Jimmy, Rosalynn Carter, —, Jimmy —, Kate Andersen Brower katebrower.com, Carter, Rosalynn, “ Rosalynn, ” Carter, Jimmy Carter, Ruth — Carter’s, ” Carter’s, Walter Mondale, Gerald Rafshoon, Bill Clinton, Tami Chappell, Reuters “, Hamilton Jordan, we’d, ” Rafshoon, Jordan, Ronald Reagan, Erin Schaff, Jill Stuckey, that’s, ” Rosalynn, Jimmy ”, Jimmy Carter’s, They’ve, ” Stuckey Organizations: ”, Bloomberg News, CNN, CNN —, paragon, Carter, Atlanta, Carter Center, Methodist, Democratic, Peanut Brigade, White, Reuters, Republican, New York Times, The New York Times, Maranatha Baptist Church, Los Angeles Times, Ethiopian, Eritrean Locations: Plains , Georgia, Georgia, Tijuana , Mexico, Plains , Ga, Atlanta, Cuba, Sudan, North Korea, Africa, Asia

☆ China Hopes Fiji Will Continue 'Firm' Support for Chinese Issues - Chinese State Media
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING (Reuters) - China said it hopes Fiji will continue to give 'firm' support to it on issues concerning Chinese core interests and major concerns, Chinese state media cited President Xi Jinping as saying to Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka. Xi told Rabuka that China will continue to support Fiji in safeguarding its national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, Chinese state television said. China supports Fiji in independently choosing its own development path and achieving national development and revitalisation, Xi said. China is also willing to increase Fijian imports, support commercial investments into Fiji and encourage more tourists to visit Fiji. China has been pushing for greater security and trade ties with Pacific Islands countries, signing in July a policing pact with Solomon Islands and raising alarm for the United States.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Sitiveni Rabuka, Xi, Rabuka, Liz Lee, Christopher Cushing, Stephen Coates Organizations: Fijian, Economic Cooperation, Fiji, Pacific Locations: BEIJING, China, Fiji, Asia, San Francisco, Pacific, Solomon Islands, United States, Beijing

☆ See inside a tiny-home village that gives homeless people $200-a-month houses — and has a waiting list of 700 people
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Millionaire Marcel LeBrun is building a tiny-home village in Canada, just north of the Maine border. AdvertisementAdvertisementIt's been nearly two years since 12Neighbours, a tiny-home village in Canada, welcomed its first resident. Marcel LeBrun at the 12Neighbours tiny-home village. Take a look inside the 12Neighbours tiny-home village. A resident of the 12Neighbours tiny-home village.

Persons: Millionaire Marcel LeBrun, —, Marcel LeBrun, LeBrun, " LeBrun, 12Neighbours, Marcel LeBrun LeBrun, Marcel LeBrun Every, Randy, Mark Osborne didn't, Marcel LeBrun Samantha Seymour, Marcel LeBrun 12Neighbours, who've, we're, Seymour Organizations: Residents, Service, Fraser Institute, Brunswick, Marcel LeBrun Village, Canadian Broadcasting Company, CBC, New, New Brunswick Housing Locations: Canada, Maine, Fredericton , New Brunswick, Maine , New Brunswick, Fredericton , New, New Brunswick, overpriced, 12Neighbours

☆ China kicks off nationwide population survey amid declining birth rate
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HONG KONG, Nov 1 (Reuters) - China will begin polling 1.4 million people on Wednesday in a survey on population changes, as authorities struggle to incentivise people to have more children amid a declining birth rate and the first population drop in more than six decades. The survey will be based on a sample of 500,000 households and last for around two weeks until Nov. 15, China's National Bureau of Statistics said. It will help provide a basis to monitor China's population developmental changes and for the government and Communist Party to formulate national economic, social development and population related policies, it said. China last conducted its once-in-a-decade census in November 2020 which showed it grew at the slowest pace since the first modern population survey in the 1950s. Population development has often been linked to the strength and "rejuvenation" of the country in state media amid the declining birth rate and widespread concerns by citizens on the difficulties of raising children.

Persons: Farah Master, Michael Perry Organizations: China's National Bureau of Statistics, Communist Party, Authorities, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, China, China's

☆ Mired in economic crisis, Argentines weigh whether to hand reins to anti-establishment populist
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Argentines were going to the polls Sunday, as frustrated voters weigh handing the presidency to an anti-establishment, right-wing populist who has shaken up the political system and pledges to drastically overhaul the state. "Argentina is in for a wild ride," Benjamin Gedan, director of the Latin America program at the Washington-based Wilson Center, said. Whatever the results, Milei has already inserted himself and his libertarian party into a political structure dominated by a center-left and a center-right coalition for almost two decades. Argentines were also buying dollars and removing hard currency deposits from banks as the peso accelerated its already steady depreciation. That message resonated among many Argentines who watched their economic prospects wither under successive administrations in which both Massa and Bullrich served.

Persons: Javier Milei, Donald Trump, Benjamin Gedan, Milei, Patricia Bullrich, Sergio Massa, Massa, Bullrich, Ignacio Cardozo, Cristian Ariel Jacobsen, Jair, Eduardo, Tucker Carlson admiringly, Daniel Noboa Organizations: U.S ., America, Wilson Center, Former, Economy, Massa, Vox, Fox News, Trump Locations: Argentina, Washington, South, Buenos Aires, Ecuador

☆ China to hold nationwide survey on population changes in November
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] A little girl sits with her dad in a park in Shanghai, China, April 2, 2023. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsHONG KONG, Oct 10 (Reuters) - China's National Bureau of Statistics will conduct a nationwide sample survey in November to help better plan population policies, in an unexpected poll as authorities struggle to boost the country's flagging birth rate. The survey's scope on population changes will focus on urban and rural areas throughout the country, according to state media reports on Tuesday. The plan will help to "accurately and timely monitor China's population developmental changes and provide a basis for the Communist Party and the government to formulate national economic, social development and population related policies," the bureau said. China last conducted its once-in-a-decade census in November 2020 which showed it grew at the slowest pace since the first modern population survey in the 1950s.

Persons: Aly, Farah Master, Kim Coghill Organizations: REUTERS, National Bureau, Statistics, Communist Party, Authorities, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, HONG KONG, Beijing, China's

☆ China to Hold Nationwide Survey on Population Changes in November
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

HONG KONG (Reuters) - China's National Bureau of Statistics will conduct a nationwide sample survey in November to help better plan population policies, in an unexpected poll as authorities struggle to boost the country's flagging birth rate. Concerned about China's first population drop in six decades and its rapid ageing, Beijing is urgently trying an array of measures to lift the country's birth rate including financial incentives and boosting childcare facilities. The survey's scope on population changes will focus on urban and rural areas throughout the country, according to state media reports on Tuesday. The plan will help to "accurately and timely monitor China's population developmental changes and provide a basis for the Communist Party and the government to formulate national economic, social development and population related policies," the bureau said. China last conducted its once-in-a-decade census in November 2020 which showed it grew at the slowest pace since the first modern population survey in the 1950s.

Persons: Farah Master, Kim Coghill Organizations: Reuters, National Bureau, Statistics, Communist Party Locations: HONG KONG, Beijing, China, China's

☆ American kids are facing an epidemic of loneliness. Overhauling youth sports could help fix that.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | Madison Hoff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

AdvertisementAdvertisementA Hooptown Youth League game. While Americans of all ages are vulnerable to loneliness, young people are particularly at risk. Data on grade-school-aged children is limited in the US, but research in other countries has found that young children aren't immune to these problems. One of the few studies to explore sports participation's connection to youth loneliness was conducted by European researchers in 2019. A Hooptown Youth League game.

Persons: —, Nancy Curtin's, we'd, Mike Nilson, Gonzaga University's, Nilson, Chris Elam, It's, Vivek Murthy, General's, John Ewing, they're, There's, Charlie Riedel, Matt Hoffmann, Hoffman, Jon Solomon, — Solomon, David J, Phillip Solomon, Solomon, Curtin Organizations: Service, Hooptown, League, YMCA, Amateur Athletic Union, AAU, Portland Press, Getty, Sports, Fitness Industry Association, National Federation of State High School, Team, Kansas City Royals, Oakland Athletics, Cal State Fullerton, Aspen Institute's Sports, Society Program, Aspen Institute, CDC, rec, Aspen, Spokane — Locations: Oregon, Spokane , Washington, Spokane, Kansas City, Mo

☆ Feliz Solomon — Reporter at The Wall Street Journal
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Feliz Solomon | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Feliz SolomonFeliz Solomon covers Southeast Asia for The Wall Street Journal. Based in Singapore, she reports on political, economic and social developments throughout the region. Feliz has worked in Asia for more than a decade and joined the Journal in 2019. She previously lived in Hong Kong, Myanmar and Thailand, where she began her career as an editor for Burmese journalists who operated in exile to evade censorship in their home country. Prior to joining the Journal, she worked for Time Magazine covering current events including Hong Kong’s anti-extradition protests, the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar and the Thai cave rescue.

Persons: Feliz, Hong Kong’s Organizations: The Wall Street, U.S, Time Magazine Locations: Feliz Solomon, Southeast Asia, Singapore, Myanmar, Asia, China, Hong Kong, Thailand

REUTERS/John Muchucha Acquire Licensing RightsSummaryCompanies Fossil fuel subsidies hampering green energy rolloutMore clarity needed on rules for carbon marketsCalls echo Africa Climate Summit on faster actionLONDON, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Ditch fossil fuel subsidies, agree the rules for carbon markets and provide more finance to emerging markets. That was the clear message from business leaders at the Reuters IMPACT conference in London on Wednesday about what they say needs to happen at the forthcoming COP28 climate summit. The meeting of world leaders in Dubai beginning late November is seen as a crucial test of countries' willingness to accelerate action to limit global warming, with efforts so far doing little to stem global carbon emissions. Despite this, failure to remove fossil fuel subsidies would make it harder to expand renewable energy in some countries, Ingka's van der Poel said. "My concern is that we have very little hopes for that ambition to be raised during COP28," she said.

Persons: John Muchucha, Peter Van der Poel, Anél Bosman, Ingka's van der Poel, Helena Viñes, Preeti Srivastav, Andy Griffiths, Richa Naidu, William James, Helen Reid, Simon Jessop, Alexander Smith Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters IMPACT, Ingka Investments, Africa Climate Summit, Nedbank Corporate, Investment Banking, Sustainable Finance, Asahi Europe, Diageo, Thomson Locations: Nairobi, Kenya, London, Dubai, Africa

☆ Flooding From Cyclone in Southern Brazil Kills at Least 22
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( John Yoon | More About John Yoon | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

A cyclone battered southern Brazil early this week, killing at least 22 people, displacing 3,000 others and prompting the federal government to dispatch helicopters for rescues, the authorities said late Tuesday. Since Sunday, the storm has brought strong winds and floods to the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, submerging dozens of towns, according to the Ministry of Social Development. More rainfall was on the way, and some areas could get more than 11 inches of rain this week, Brazil’s National Institute of Meteorology said. Authorities also warned of further flooding near three rivers in the region. The storm, which forecasters described as an extratropical cyclone, also spawned a tornado and winds exceeding 62 miles per hour in Santa Catarina, the state’s Civil Defense said on Tuesday.

Organizations: Ministry of Social, Brazil’s National Institute of Meteorology, Authorities, state’s Civil Defense Locations: Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina

☆ These 2 activities can help you raise smarter kids, says brain study: They're 'associated with improved cognition'
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-27 | by ( Tom Huddleston Jr. | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

"Improved diet quality and increased organized sports and reading were associated with improved cognition," the neuroscientists wrote. One particular part of the study's findings stands out: the suggestion that structured physical activity, like organized sports, can improve kids' cognitive skills. The finding builds on past research, which showed a clear link between increased physical activity and improved brain function, including memory and learning ability. Team sports especially offer a mental health boost by blending physical activity with social development. Still, experts often recommend a healthy mix of structured and unstructured play for children: The former can provide more targeted learning, while the latter can help foster creativity and self-motivation.

Persons: Neuroscientists Organizations: University of Eastern, National Institutes of Health, Team Locations: University of Eastern Finland

☆ Exclusive: China plans to cut stamp duty on stocks by up to 50% to revive confidence-sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The proposal to reduce the current 0.1% stamp duty on securities trading suggested a cut of either 20% or 50%, which would be the first such reduction since 2008, the two people said. China's securities regulator also met with representatives from top Western asset managers on Friday to reassure them about the country's economic prospects, Reuters reported citing sources. China's fiscal revenue totalled 20.37 trillion yuan ($3.02 trillion) last year, with 276 billion yuan or 1.35% contributed by stamp duty on securities transactions, official data showed. Earlier this month, Bloomberg first reported Chinese authorities were considering cutting the stamp duty on stock trades. "Cutting stamp duty doesn't solve the problems that hamper China's economic growth."

Persons: Aly, Xie Chen, Huang Yan, Huang, Sumeet Chatterjee, Lincoln, Kim Coghill Organizations: REUTERS, Regulators, Ministry of Finance, State Council, Information Office, of Finance, China Securities Regulatory Commission, Shanghai Jianwen Investment Management Co, Bond, Reuters, Bloomberg, Shanghai QiuYang, Shanghai, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, HONG KONG, BEIJING, Beijing, Hong Kong

☆ Exclusive: China plans to cut stamp duty on stock trading by up to 50% to revive sentiment-sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The proposal to reduce the current 0.1% stamp duty on securities trading suggested a cut of either 20% or 50%, which would be the first such cut since 2008, the two people said. The CSRC also said stablising the stock market was a priority. "A cut in stamp duty (on stock trading) can help decrease investment cost and boost trading activity," analysts at broker Topsperity Securities said in a note. "Compared with previous policy measures, a cut in stamp duty may have a stronger effect in repairing investor confidence. Earlier this month, Bloomberg first reported Chinese authorities were considering cutting the stamp duty on stock trades.

Persons: Sumeet Chatterjee Organizations: Ministry of Finance, State Council, Information Office, of Finance, China Securities Regulatory Commission, Bond, Reuters, Topsperity Securities, Bloomberg, Shanghai, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, BEIJING, headwinds, Beijing, Hong Kong, Lincoln

☆ China should stick to 'houses are for living, not for speculation' - state media
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING, Aug 23 (Reuters) - China should adhere to the principle that "houses are for living in, not for speculation" for the time being, the state-run Economic Daily said in an editorial on Wednesday, amid an economically damaging downturn in the property sector. "The positioning of 'houses are for living in, not for speculation' should be insisted on and it is not out of date," the Economic Daily said in an editorial. But they were disappointed when the People's Bank of China (PBOC) held the five-year loan prime rate steady on Monday. Property-related loans accounts for 40% of banks' lending, and property ownership accounts for 60% of Chinese household wealth, the Economic Daily said. Reporting by Ellen Zhang and Ryan Woo; Editing by Simon Cameron-MooreOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Ellen Zhang, Ryan Woo, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: People's Bank of China, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China

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