All posts by nedhamson

Activist, writer, researcher, addicted to sharing information and facts.

Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter in ‘final chapter’, ex-president’s grandson says | Jimmy Carter | The Guardian

Josh Carter said it’s “gotta be hard” for the former president to see his wife struggle with dementia, “but on the other hand, they’ve experienced everything that you can together. I think the beautiful thing is that they are still together.

“They are still holding hands … it’s just amazing…”

Source: Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter in ‘final chapter’, ex-president’s grandson says | Jimmy Carter | The Guardian

Does India’s disruption of the global rice market pose new threat to food security? | East Asia Forum

…First, the question remains whether Indonesia will receive the full 1 million tonnes of rice it contracted from India. If it does, that will calm the whole world rice market.

Second, the status of the Philippines’ rice stocks is crucial. A number of experienced technocrats in the Philippine Cabinet have likely planned for this contingency.

Third, Vietnam’s export patterns warrant scrutiny. While its crop outlook seems good, there is always the danger that the Vietnamese government might restricts exports in response to domestic hoarding. Managing price expectations in Vietnam will be critical.

In a rice emergency, all eyes inevitably turn to China. Its rice production has suffered significantly from heat and floods. The exact level of rice stocks is a state secret but they are by far the largest in the world. Still, they are dispersed geographically, which somewhat limits central government access and control. Food security in China is a high priority, and with both wheat and rice prices rising, it is hard to tell what the Chinese response will be. Any effort to pre-emptively procure more imports will spook the market…

Source: Does India’s disruption of the global rice market pose new threat to food security? | East Asia Forum

Opinion | What Just Happened at West Virginia University Is Alarming – The New York Times

The planned cuts include the school’s program of world languages and literatures, along with graduate programs in mathematics and other degrees across the arts and pre-professional programs. The university is deciding, in effect, that certain citizens don’t get access to a liberal arts education.

Spain defeats England to win historic women’s World Cup – Los Angeles Times

 

Spain won the Women’s World Cup for the first time, with Olga Carmona’s first-half strike giving La Roja a 1-0 victory over England in Sunday’s final.

Both teams were playing in the final for the first time. The win gave the Spanish women their first major international trophy and avenged a quarterfinal loss to eventual champion England in the European championship last year…

Source: Spain defeats England to win historic women’s World Cup – Los Angeles Times