LONDON British Prime Minister Boris Johnson came under pressure yesterday to immediately recall lawmakers from their summer holiday so Parliament can debate Brexit. More than 100 MPs have written to Mr Johnson to urge him to reconvene and let them sit until Oct 31 - the date Britain is due to leave the European Union. MPs are not due to return until Sept 3. "Our country is on the brink of an economic crisis, as we career towards a no-deal Brexit," said the letter, signed by MPs and opposition party leaders who want to halt Britain's departure from the EU. "We face a national emergency, and Parliament must be recalled now." Parliament is set to break up again shortly after it returns. Mr Johnson - whose government commands a one-seat majority - insists Britain must leave the EU on Oct 31, with or without a divorce deal. Mr Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, wants to call a vote of no confidence in Mr Johnson's government after Parliament returns. He hopes to take … [Read more...] about Over 100 MPs urge British PM to recall Parliament over Brexit
Temporary 100 va disability
Temporary
Our GDP grew by 5.5% in the second quarter of this year. While respectable, the growth number fell significantly below market expectations. Even at 5.5%, the growth of the Philippine economy still paces the region. We still retain the capacity to be a growth engine in a global economy poised for recessionary times. Those charged with managing our macroeconomic performance say the setback is only temporary. They are still hopeful our economy could still deliver a 6% annual growth rate by the end of the year. That will be at the lower end of the 6% to 7% growth target earlier set. The second quarter growth rate is the lowest our economy posted in 17 quarters. It follows the 5.7% posted in the first quarter. In order to make 6.0% annual growth this year, the economy needs to post 6.4% growth rates in the next two quarters. That should be achievable, considering the factors that pushed down our growth the last two quarters. The major factor explaining the lower-than-expected second quarter … [Read more...] about Temporary
More women, disabled members make debut in Japanese parliament
TOKYO: Japan's parliament opened a special session on Thursday (Aug 1) with its most diverse upper house yet, including more women, two severely disabled members and the first openly gay male lawmaker, all of whom were elected last month.Newly crowned Emperor Naruhito read from a scroll in a ceremony attended by members of both houses.Workers had removed chairs in the upper house to make room for the wheelchairs of the two disabled members, Eiko Kimura and Yasuhiko Funago, whose Jul 21 election wins point to changing attitudes in Japan, which has long kept disabled people hidden."I’m surprised to see that so many people have come," Funago said through an aide who followed his eye movements as they scanned an array of Japanese letters in front of him. "I'll try to meet people’s expectations."Both Funago, who has Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS, a progressive disease that leads to loss of muscle control, and Kimura, who has cerebral palsy, ran from a small … [Read more...] about More women, disabled members make debut in Japanese parliament
James Riady Visits Refugees in Kalideres Temporary Shelter
Jakarta. James Riady, founder and chairman of Pelita Harapan University, expressed concern over asylum seekers' access to education and health care after speaking with several of them during a visit to a temporary shelter in Kalideres, West Jakarta, on Saturday. "They really appreciate the Jakarta government's efforts [to place them in a temporary shelter]. They were sleeping on sidewalks, but now they have a place, even though it's very small," said James, who is also deputy chairman for education and health at the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin). He said there are currently about 1,400 people living in the building, which was only designed for a maximum of 100 people, which also means that sanitary facilities, such as toilets and clean running water, are inadequate. Besides that, he said refugees' access to education and health care must also be addressed. "Half of these refugees are children who are missing out on formal and nonformal education each year," James … [Read more...] about James Riady Visits Refugees in Kalideres Temporary Shelter
Sans support, disabled comedian troupe presses on
Two or three times a year, he appears with makeup on his face and in silky costumes on stage in the spotlight. He is a motorcycle repairman by profession and a comedian by passion. What is even more remarkable about him is that he is physically disabled. He is one of founding members of Shwe In Ar (Disabled Comedian Troupe), the only surviving disabled Anyeint troupe in Myanmar. Anyeint is a Myanmar traditional entertainment form in which a female dancer and at least three comedians entertain the audience, accompanied by traditional instruments. He was born disabled. He left his village in Maubin, Ayeyarwady region to be independent of his guardians in early adulthood and settled down in Yangon. Performing arts is the only thing he ever had a passion for. Pursuing his passion without having a proper job is impossible. With one leg and less fingers, he endeavoured to learn how to repair motorcycles. After years of practice and training, he was able to open his own motorcycle repair … [Read more...] about Sans support, disabled comedian troupe presses on