The Doughboy Foundation,update

February 2022

Sponsored by The Doughboy Foundation, a bugler in World War I uniform sounds Taps every evening at 5 p.m., seven days a week, rain or shine, at the National World War I Memorial in Washington, DC. Planning is in progress for a live stream of Daily Taps on YouTube, with the ability to honor specific veterans, groups or organizations for that day, week, or month. Click on this image to learn more, and find out how you can support this effort, and help ensure that this daily tradition will continue at the National World War I Memorial in perpetuity.


Contrasting lives: WWI Black Veterans Everett Johnson and Robert Chase


Battery E, 349th Field Artillery Commander Lieutenant Everett Warren Johnson (1896-1964) and one of the non-commissioned officers in his unit, Sergeant Robert Chase (1891-1958), entered the war from similar backgrounds. Johnson volunteered for an officer training program and Chase was drafted, but they fought on the same battlefield and chose similar post-war professions. Click here to read the entire story, and learn just how "War impacted their lives in profoundly different ways."


Unconventional Memorials Created by the Forgotten Female Veterans of World War I


"Why does the memory of World War I remain so much stronger in Great Britain than in the United States?" Seeking the answer to this question led historian Allison Finkelstein "on a long path to the publication of my first book: Forgotten Veterans, Invisible Memorials: How American Women Commemorated the Great War, 1917-1945." Click here to read more, and learn about "significant but too often overlooked aspects of World War I’s history that have renewed relevance today."

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT interesting latest news

European
Parliament
Video of another event - Panel for the Future of Science and Technology - Tuesday, 1 February 2022 - 10:31

06/02/2022

Length of video : 103'

Disclaimer : The interpretation of debates serves to facilitate communication and does not constitute an authentic record of proceedings. Only the original speech or the revised written translation is authentic.

Video of another event - Afghan women days - High-level Conference on Afghan women - Tuesday, 1 February 2022 - 13:49

06/02/2022

Length of video : 74'

Disclaimer : The interpretation of debates serves to facilitate communication and does not constitute an authentic record of proceedings. Only the original speech or the revised written translation is authentic.

Video of another event - Press point by David McALLISTER, AFET Chair and by Nathalie LOISEAU, SEDE Chair on Fact Finding Mission to Ukraine - Tuesday, 1 February 2022 - 15:34

06/02/2022

Length of video : 17'

Disclaimer : The interpretation of debates serves to facilitate communication and does not constitute an authentic record of proceedings. Only the original speech or the revised written translation is authentic.

Video of another event - Afghan women days - Media event: Testimonies from Afghanistan - Tuesday, 1 February 2022 - 17:31

06/02/2022

Length of video : 59'

Disclaimer : The interpretation of debates serves to facilitate communication and does not constitute an authentic record of proceedings. Only the original speech or the revised written translation is authentic.

Highlights - Overview briefing on the "Future of transport in the context of the recovery plan" - Committee on Transport and Tourism

04/02/2022


Presentation of a first overview briefing on the "Future of transport in the context of the recovery plan"

The contractor presented a first overview briefing on 'The Future of transport in the context of the recovery plan', providing a summary of the EU policy priorities for smart and green transition in the transport sector in the context of the Recovery Plan and a mapping of the Recovery Plan's funding opportunities for the smart and green transition goal in the transport sector and the related thematic areas

The exchange of views took place on Wednesday afternoon, 2 February 2022 and was webstreamed.

TRAN Publications
Final study (overview briefing)

Highlights - TRAN Committee debate with the incoming French Presidency representatives - Committee on Transport and Tourism

04/02/2022

The TRAN Committee welcomed the incoming French Presidency: Mr Jean-Baptiste Djebbari, Minister Delegate for Transport, and Mr Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, Minister Delegate for Tourism.

Mr Jean-Baptiste Djebbari, Minister Delegate for Transport, attached to the Minister for the Ecological Transition, and Mr Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, Minister Delegate for Tourism, French Nationals Abroad and Francophonie, attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, and for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and the Minister of the Economy, Finance and the Recovery, presented to the Members the priorities of the French Presidency in the field of transport and tourism, including those linked to the EU recovery after the pandemic and building its resilience, ecological transition, leading to a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050, as well as those on sustainable and smart mobility.

The exchange of views took place on Wednesday afternoon, 2 February 2022 and was webstreamed.

French Presidency
Programmes enabler for a Smart and Green Transport - Committee on Transport and Tourism

04/02/2022



Debate with the Executive Director of the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), Mr Rodrigo da Costa, on "Space as enabler for a Smart and Green Transport"

TRAN Members held an exchange of views with the Executive Director of the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), Mr Rodrigo da Costa on "Space as enabler for a Smart and Green Transport".

The debate addressed the role of the Space sector across the EU transport policies and the contribution that space solutions can offer to improve the sustainability and the safety in rail, road, maritime and aviation.
The exchange of views took place on Wednesday morning, 2 February and was webstreamed.

European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)

Εν συντομία - What if we killed all microorganisms in our bodies? - 04-02-2022

03/02/2022
Scientific evidence indicates that beneficial microorganisms (that live in nearly ubiquitous communities called microbiota) are an essential component of human health, and could be a new frontier for personalised medicine to fight non-communicable diseases and improve human health. For their potential benefits to reach society, the EU should consider standardisation, protocols, and a regulatory framework to support research and innovation.

Εν συντομία - What if we killed all microorganisms in our bodies? - 04-02-2022

03/02/2022

Scientific evidence indicates that beneficial microorganisms (that live in nearly ubiquitous communities called microbiota) are an essential component of human health, and could be a new frontier for personalised medicine to fight non-communicable diseases and improve human health. For their potential benefits to reach society, the EU should consider standardisation, protocols, and a regulatory framework to support research and innovation.

Video of another event - Panel for the Future of Science and Technology - Tuesday, 1 February 2022 - 10:31

06/02/2022

Length of video : 103'

Disclaimer : The interpretation of debates serves to facilitate communication and does not constitute an authentic record of proceedings. Only the original speech or the revised written translation is authentic.

Video of another event - Afghan women days - High-level Conference on Afghan women - Tuesday, 1 February 2022 - 13:49

06/02/2022

Length of video : 74'

Disclaimer : The interpretation of debates serves to facilitate communication and does not constitute an authentic record of proceedings. Only the original speech or the revised written translation is authentic.

Video of another event - Press point by David McALLISTER, AFET Chair and by Nathalie LOISEAU, SEDE Chair on Fact Finding Mission to Ukraine - Tuesday, 1 February 2022 - 15:34

06/02/2022
Length of video : 17'

Disclaimer : The interpretation of debates serves to facilitate communication and does not constitute an authentic record of proceedings. Only the original speech or the revised written translation is authentic.

Video of another event - Afghan women days - Media event: Testimonies from Afghanistan - Tuesday, 1 February 2022 - 17:31

06/02/2022

Length of video : 59'

Disclaimer : The interpretation of debates serves to facilitate communication and does not constitute an authentic record of proceedings. Only the original speech or the revised written translation is authentic.
Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

ΙΜF interesting latest news

 

The latest IMF analysis of global economics, finance, development and policy issues shaping the world //

Dear maria, Welcome to the Weekend Read! In today's edition we explore, among other things, the IMF's new forecasts for growth and the risks to recovery in Latin America and the Caribbean, how an assessment program and stress tests are shining a spotlight on financial stability, and the importance of mapping public assets and using public wealth funds to manage them. Latin America (Photo: Oleg Shuldiakov/iStock by Getty Images) Latin America Loses Momentum Economies in Latin American and the Caribbean are losing momentum after making a strong comeback last year, say the IMF's new director for the region, Ilan Goldfajn, and co-authors Anna Ivanova and Jorge Roldos in a new blog. This year growth in the region is expected to slow to 2.4 percent, a downgrade from the October forecast of 3 percent, and much slower than the estimated expansion of 6.8 percent in 2021. --Recovery Risks: Uncertainty about the evolution of the pandemic continues to cast a shadow on the recovery globally and in Latin America and the Caribbean. So too do inflationary pressures in the United States and across the region, which may call for an even faster withdrawal of monetary accommodation, and a potential change in investor risk sentiment and associated tighter global and domestic financial conditions. --Monetary Tightening: Policymakers could prepare for US monetary policy tightening by extending public debt maturities, reducing fiscal rollover needs more generally, and limiting the buildup of currency mismatches on financial sector balance sheets where possible, the authors say. If rising inflation threatens to de-anchor inflation expectations, central banks will have to raise interest rates further to signal a continued commitment to inflation targets and to avoid persistent price increases. Financial Stability (Photo: Jeff Moore/IMF Photos) Financial Stability Spotlight The Financial Sector Assessment Program is a key pillar of IMF surveillance. It undertakes a deep-dive into potential systemic risks to financial stability, including by conducting “stress tests” to gauge the ability of financial institutions to withstand adverse shocks to the economy. In a new blog, the IMF explains how FSAPs evaluate the strength of supervisory and regulatory frameworks to mitigate risks, and the adequacy of crisis management tools and safety nets to handle threats that may materialize. --Systemically Important: This year’s assessments address seven economies with systemically important financial sectors: Germany, United Kingdom, Mexico, Russia, Turkey and Ireland, which are reviewed every five years, and South Africa, which is assessed once every 10 years. The others, which requested the assessments themselves, are Colombia, Uruguay and the West Africa Economic and Monetary Union. F&D (Image: iStock/Mcdomx) Mapping the Unknown Almost a thousand years ago, in 1085, William the Conqueror commissioned a survey of his kingdom of England, acquired 19 years earlier. The goal: inventory all the assets and understand what revenue they should generate, and hence what was due to the Crown in rent or taxes. This work was called the Domesday Book. In an article for the forthcoming issue of Finance & Development, Ian Ball, John Crompton and Dag Detter write that today’s governments have largely forgotten the importance of an accurate inventory of assets. This problem, rooted in government accounting systems, impedes valuation and efficient asset management. A quick, low-cost solution is to find the hidden assets by doing an asset map and to manage them through a public wealth fund. For too long, many countries have ignored asset valuation and management, and the resulting impact of this neglect. The need to address both COVID-19 and climate change, which will strain public finances for at least a generation, demands radical action. Given that the alternative in many countries could be prolonged austerity, rethinking how governments view public assets is now a moral as much as an economic goal. Read the entire article. Check out our December Issue of Finance & Development. And look out for the March issue, on Rethinking Fiscal. Want to get a print copy delivered to your home or office? Click here to subscribe.   (Photo: sadikgulec/iStock by Getty Images)   Fragile States In a new podcast, Franck Bousquet, the deputy director coordinating the IMF's work in fragile and conflict-affected states, talks about the growing costs associated with fragility and conflict, and how the Fund is trying to help. (Photo: IMF)   Crypto Assets Which crypto asset has the largest market share? Our latest of our Charts in Motion shows the largest crypto assets on the market, taking a closer look at Bitcoin, Ethereum, Binance Coin, Cardano, and stable coins. (Photo: Zephyr18/iStock by Getty Images)   Essential Reading: Capital Flows Check out our eLibrary section on capital flows, where you can find all the latest IMF research on how rising interest rates could affect countries' external accounts and currencies. Quote of the Week "State fragility and conflict are clearly among the most enduring challenge of our times." —The IMF's Franck Bousquet talking in a podcast about fragile and conflict-affected states. WEEKLY ROUND-UP 01. Georgieva Talks to Washington Post IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva joined Washington Post columnist David Ignatius on Wednesday to discuss the Fund's latest World Economic Outlook and how the organization is using its firepower to support its membership. Watch a video of the wide-ranging discussion that also took in the situation in Ukraine and the economic impact of possible sanctions. 02. Special Drawing Rights One of the most significant measures by the IMF in response to the global pandemic was the historic allocation of Special Drawing Rights equivalent to $650 billion. Ceyla Pazarbasioglu, Director of the Strategy, Policy, and Review Department, appeared alongside central bankers and government ministers on Wednesday to explore ways to exploit the power of these SDRs at a panel discussion hosted by the Center for Global Development. 03. Gender-based Violence The IMF's Ratna Sahay and Rasmané Ouedraogo joined speakers from UN Women and the Government of Rwanda on Thursday to highlight how the pandemic and associated lockdowns have led to a rise in gender-based violence in sub-Saharan Africa. Beyond the moral imperative, the speakers underlined the importance of combating violence against women from an economic standpoint. Watch here. 04. Supply Shocks The auto sector is macro-critical in many European countries. A recent IMF staff paper assesses the impact of global pandemic-induced labor supply shocks—both directly and via supply chains—during the initial phase of COVID-19 on the auto sector and aggregate activity in Europe. 05. Capacity Development A new IMF staff paper proposes reforms to widen the reach of capacity development information, including technical assistance and training, at a time when members, partners and other providers expect greater transparency and access to information. 06. IMF Online Courses The IMF’s online curriculum keeps expanding with 52 courses currently open for enrollment, including the Government Finance Statistics course now also available in French and Spanish. Find the right course for you and follow it at your own pace. The courses are available to all, and for free. You can find the full course offering here. MARK YOUR CALENDAR 01. Digital Currencies IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva will join Tobias Adrian, Financial Counsellor and Director of the IMF’s Monetary and Capital Markets Department, and other speakers on Feb. 9 at 09:00 a.m. ET at the virtual launch of a new Fintech Note covering central bank digital currencies. Watch the event, hosted by the Atlantic Council, here. 02. Inclusive Growth Rising inequality and widespread poverty, social unrest and polarization, gender and ethnic disparities, declining social mobility, economic fragility, unbalanced growth due to technology and globalization, and existential danger from climate change are urgent global concerns. The Center for Global Development will host a virtual event on Feb. 10 at 12:00 p.m. ET to launch the new book, How to Achieve Inclusive Growth, co-published by the IMF and Oxford University Press, which addresses these intertwined issues. The editors will present key findings and a high-level panel from the IMF, CGD, the Government of Colombia, Oxfam America, and academia will provide their perspectives and policy experience. Our latest Chart of the Week by the IMF's Ruchir Agarwal shows the duration of disrupted classroom time for younger people aged 5 to 19, who make up about a quarter of the world’s population. While the coronavirus has taken relatively more lives from older generations, younger people may feel the impact on their livelihoods for the duration of their working years. Learning losses have been highly unequal. Closures in the first two years of the pandemic lasted roughly twice as long in developing countries compared with advanced economies. And the adverse impact of this shock is magnified because the share of those at school age in developing countries is nearly double that of advanced economies. Adam Behsudi Editor IMF Weekend Read abehsudi@IMF.org   P.S. Be sure to let us know what issues and trends we should have on our radar.

Dear maria, We just published a new blog—please find the full text below.  Countries in the IMF Financial Stability Spotlight in 2022 (Photo: Jeff Moore/IMF Photos) By IMFBlog  The Financial Sector Assessment Program is a key pillar of IMF surveillance.